(06-07-2017 02:44 PM)YNot Wrote:  I wonder if a move to the MWC, to reunite UTEP with many of its old WAC mates, would revitalize the fan base and help to justify ticket price increases.

Regardless, I would love for BYU to get UTEP on the schedule - fond memories of the original WAC.

That's what the older fans want but Utah is not coming back ever unless they're the Pac-12 rep in the Sun Bowl like in 2011. Neither is BYU except for a h&h. That only leaves New Mexico, Colorado State, Air Force and Wyoming. They could help in ticket sales but I'm sure winning would help more.

(06-07-2017 02:49 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  

(06-07-2017 02:44 PM)YNot Wrote:  I wonder if a move to the MWC, to reunite UTEP with many of its old WAC mates, would revitalize the fan base and help to justify ticket price increases.

Regardless, I would love for BYU to get UTEP on the schedule - fond memories of the original WAC.

That's what the older fans want but Utah is not coming back ever unless they're the Pac-12 rep in the Sun Bowl like in 2011. Neither is BYU except for a h&h. That only leaves New Mexico, Colorado State, Air Force and Wyoming. They could help in ticket sales but I'm sure winning would help more.

Plus SDSU and Hawaii - for like 20 years. Get one of the Arizona schools or BYU each year in OOC and most of the schedule includes the old mates. Add Texas Tech and some CUSA schools and it could be a nice schedule for ticket sales.

Not to mention a likely increase in TV money as part of the MWC.

But, yeah, consistently winning would help even more.

UTEP needs to be ran like NAvy or Georgia Tech if they are going to Dominate in Football, You are Correct that have all the tools!!! Need the right Head Coach!!

UTEP could also have a bobsledding program, could practice at cloudcroft or ski apache in ruidoso or heck a ski team for that matter, it's a bit from campus( 100 miles), as the crow flies, could and should be paid for by the state of NM from water rights interests fees that are about 100 years over due

It certainly didn't help that the C-USA MWC merger fell through. I think they were banking on being reunited with the front range schools and still have a presence in East Texas. When that blew up they had to choose a side--unfortunately I think they chose wrong. They didn't foresee Boise and San Diego St returning and the negative impacts that C-USA over expansion would yield.

UTEP might want their old rivals back. One of them is in D2, one is Independent, the other is in the MWC, another is in D3, one is in the dying Big 12, another is in the Big Sky and the other 2 are in PAC 12. That might help start a fire under them again.

Yeah, the MWC-CUSA merger would have included (with prediction on divisions):

WEST(MWC leftovers/invitees): 8
UNLV, Nevada, Fresno State, New Mexico, Wyoming, Colorado State, Air Force, Hawaii

EAST(CUSA leftovers): 8
Southern Miss, Tulsa, Marshall, Rice, UTEP, UAB, Tulane, East Carolina

That would have been a decent conference setup for UTEP, as long as more Front Range schools in the cross-division part of the schedule.

MWC-CUSA Merger

Even with the Boise and SDSU return and ECU, Tulane, and Tulsa leaving, the MWC-CUSA concept could have been:

WEST: UNLV, Nevada, Fresno State, Hawaii, Boise, SDSU, Wyoming, Colorado State

EAST: New Mexico, Air Force, UTEP, Southern Miss, Marshall, Rice, UAB, [LA Tech/UTSA/N. Texas/WKU(?)]

An even better conference setup for UTEP.

Changing conferences will not increase wins if your AD is not top notch.Stull--19 years on the job.72 years old.

MEDIOCRE at best.

Change OR continue to disappoint.

You can have the best car on earth.The best track.But a poor driver and you are sunk.

Academics is important for recruiting. UTEP traditionally has a very low graduation rate and has relied on JUCO players.

When the academically oriented 3 and 2 star guys rule you out it makes recruiting more difficult in this day and age with APR so important.

That's why the AAC in my opinion has focused on academic schools after the viable metro schools were all taken.

(06-07-2017 04:55 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  UTEP might want their old rivals back. One of them is in D2, one is Independent, the other is in the MWC, another is in D3, one is in the dying Big 12, another is in the Big Sky and the other 2 are in PAC 12. That might help start a fire under them again.

Nobody gives a rat's behind about the Border Conference days.

(06-07-2017 07:03 PM)MissouriStateBears Wrote:  Nobody gives a rat's behind about the Border Conference days.

A couple metrics:

The Border Conference dissolved in 1962.

Arizona's population has increased 5 TIMES since 1962!!!

(06-07-2017 07:00 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  Academics is important for recruiting. UTEP traditionally has a very low graduation rate and has relied on JUCO players.

When the academically oriented 3 and 2 star guys rule you out it makes recruiting more difficult in this day and age with APR so important.

That's why the AAC in my opinion has focused on academic schools after the viable metro schools were all taken.

Nah. Unless you're a HS player who's considering Rice, Stanford, Northwestern, Vanderbilt, Duke, etc you'll consider a school that has what it takes to win. If your argument was the case, Boise State football and most of the SEC wouldn't be where they are today. It's all about coaching. It's about winning for these kids. They even care for such mundane things like which school has Nike or Under Armour and which school has the best locker room. A generation ago, they worried about which school gave them a chance to start not who had the most badazz uniforms.

(06-07-2017 09:22 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  

(06-07-2017 07:00 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  Academics is important for recruiting. UTEP traditionally has a very low graduation rate and has relied on JUCO players.

When the academically oriented 3 and 2 star guys rule you out it makes recruiting more difficult in this day and age with APR so important.

That's why the AAC in my opinion has focused on academic schools after the viable metro schools were all taken.

Nah. Unless you're a HS player who's considering Rice, Stanford, Northwestern, Vanderbilt, Duke, etc you'll consider a school that has what it takes to win. If your argument was the case, Boise State football and most of the SEC wouldn't be where they are today. It's all about coaching. It's about winning for these kids. They even care for such mundane things like which school has Nike or Under Armour and which school has the best locker room. A generation ago, they worried about which school gave them a chance to start not who had the most badazz uniforms.

Oh I think it affects a lot more that athletes targeting the best schools.

There is a reason why college town schools do so well....they attract the player who wants the traditional college environment.

Think in the SBC....App State and GaSo vs. Charlotte and Georgia Southern.

thier sch should work for them
they get 1 of NM/NMST each yr
1 or 2 of RICE, No Tex, UTSA
1 or 2 of LousT, SOMISS, UAB
Ariz this yr

It's in Mexico

(06-07-2017 07:00 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  Academics is important for recruiting. UTEP traditionally has a very low graduation rate and has relied on JUCO players.

When the academically oriented 3 and 2 star guys rule you out it makes recruiting more difficult in this day and age with APR so important.

That's why the AAC in my opinion has focused on academic schools after the viable metro schools were all taken.

Actually UTEP does not rely on JC players. It does have some but it's not the bulk of recruiting at all. There are 13 of 99 listed on the current roster, including latest recruits, that are from JC's. UTEP, under Kugler, has the 2nd best APR in C-USA, behind only Rice.

Why do you want to state inaccuracies as if they are facts when it's so easy to refute?

C-USA APR

(06-08-2017 06:56 AM)Carolina_Low_Country Wrote:  It's in Mexico

No, it's in Texas, near the state of New Mexico and near the country of Mexico. Was geography a neglected subject in your education or is there some other, veiled reason for that comment?

(06-08-2017 08:05 AM)MinerInWisconsin Wrote:  

(06-08-2017 06:56 AM)Carolina_Low_Country Wrote:  It's in Mexico

No, it's in Texas, near the state of New Mexico and near the country of Mexico. Was geography a neglected subject in your education or is there some other, veiled reason for that comment?

We played UTEP for many seasons, I know where the school is located. It was a joke, sorry, didn't mean to hit a sore spot.

That being said UTEP needs to renovate the football stadium. I would chair back the entire stadium, update the scoreboard, and build a new press box with luxury seating. Try to get more corporate seats sold increase attendance. Make deals with the government for Ft. Bliss (maybe a tailgate area for the soldiers and seats near the student sections). Work with the local corporations to sell box seats, etc. I think UTEP has a lot of potential just seems like it has been left behind. You guys have the Sun Bowl each year which is great and maybe having more luxury seats will help the bowl game out as well, maybe make that a package deal UTEP season tickets + the Sun Bowl.

Is New Mexico in Mexico?

(06-08-2017 09:42 AM)Carolina_Low_Country Wrote:  

(06-08-2017 08:05 AM)MinerInWisconsin Wrote:  

(06-08-2017 06:56 AM)Carolina_Low_Country Wrote:  It's in Mexico

No, it's in Texas, near the state of New Mexico and near the country of Mexico. Was geography a neglected subject in your education or is there some other, veiled reason for that comment?

We played UTEP for many seasons, I know where the school is located. It was a joke, sorry, didn't mean to hit a sore spot.

That being said UTEP needs to renovate the football stadium. I would chair back the entire stadium, update the scoreboard, and build a new press box with luxury seating. Try to get more corporate seats sold increase attendance. Make deals with the government for Ft. Bliss (maybe a tailgate area for the soldiers and seats near the student sections). Work with the local corporations to sell box seats, etc. I think UTEP has a lot of potential just seems like it has been left behind. You guys have the Sun Bowl each year which is great and maybe having more luxury seats will help the bowl game out as well, maybe make that a package deal UTEP season tickets + the Sun Bowl.

Of your three recommendations for renovations to the Sun Bowl the first one I completely agree with, the second has been completed, and the third is in the funding stage.