11/27/2018

DALLAS, TX - Former LSU and recently hired Kansas coach Les Miles was part of discussions earlier this year regarding the rebirth of UT-Arlington's football program.

In March, Miles met with an Austin-based construction and design studio company about plans for a new football facility at UTA, according to emails obtained through an open records request. It was during the same time that UTA explored the feasibility of fielding the university's first football team since 1985.

Miles, one of college football's most recognizable names, was introduced as Kansas' coach Nov. 18. Before he and the Jayhawks agreed to a deal, records show he was involved in UTA's recent exploration of bringing back football.

On March 5, Miles met with Bercy Chen Studio to discuss its designs for future facilities at UTA.

"Our team met with Coach Miles on Monday and he was full of enthusiastic ideas, so it would be great to properly tailor our design progress for the football facilities with your overall plans and with what we need to present to the University," Bercy Chen's Joshua Mackley wrote in an email to UTA athletic director Jim Baker.

Miles re-entered the sport's landscape when Kansas hired him. Miles is 142-55 over 16 seasons and is one of six active coaches who have won an FBS national championship.

After four seasons at Oklahoma State, Miles spent 12 years at LSU, where he led the Tigers to the 2007 national championship. He was fired four games into LSU's 2016 season.

In October, The News reported Baker and UTA were exploring the feasibility of restarting the university's dormant football program. The school sought out a third-party preliminary financial report to see what kind of funds are required to make that happen.

A rough financial report released through an open records request showed a projected estimate of $146.7 million to start three new sports -- football, women's soccer and beach volleyball.

An internal markup of a different 2004 feasibility study stated UTA was best served by joining the Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Sun Belt Conference. UTA's other NCAA sports participate in the Sun Belt. The notes on the 2004 study also stated the revenue possibilities with the "advent of television contracts and the possibility of adding a very prominent head coach...."

Baker declined to comment, and Miles, and Mackley could not be reached for comment.

Miles and Kansas agreed to a five-year contract worth $13.8 million in base salary.

It's unclear where UTA is at in its process of potentially reviving football or if the university had any direct conversations with Miles about being its head coach.

In 2009, UT-San Antonio hired ex-Miami (Fla.) coach Larry Coker to start its program. Two years later, Texas State hired former Alabama and Texas A&M coach Dennis Franchione to lead the Bobcats from the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) to the FBS.

During his introductory news conference at Kansas, Miles said he wanted to return to the sidelines after he was fired at LSU.

"I did not expect it to take this long to get back in," Miles told reporters earlier this month. "But as it went I was very comfortable with ... how I played my cards and the things that I wanted to do."

https://sportsday.dallasnews.com/college...-arlington

A third thread about the same thing....

I wish they’d start football. I’d like more of a Texas presence.

Probably end up back at 12 for football thigh so we’d need another call up to pair with them.


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(11-28-2018 12:26 PM)WolfBird Wrote:  I wish they’d start football. I’d like more of a Texas presence.

Probably end up back at 12 for football thigh so we’d need another call up to pair with them.


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Someone in the east to balance it out. Try to convince Marshall or jump ship or get another call up from FCS; JMU or Chatty?

(11-28-2018 11:40 AM)Usajags Wrote:  A third thread about the same thing....

CBT going for a record

(11-28-2018 12:29 PM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  

(11-28-2018 12:26 PM)WolfBird Wrote:  I wish they’d start football. I’d like more of a Texas presence.

Probably end up back at 12 for football thigh so we’d need another call up to pair with them.


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Someone in the east to balance it out. Try to convince Marshall or jump ship or get another call up from FCS; JMU or Chatty?

"Chatty?" I don't think so, but they just might be an formable addition.

Their biggest downside on the whole athletic department side is no baseball.

(11-28-2018 12:29 PM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  

(11-28-2018 12:26 PM)WolfBird Wrote:  I wish they’d start football. I’d like more of a Texas presence.

Probably end up back at 12 for football thigh so we’d need another call up to pair with them.


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Someone in the east to balance it out. Try to convince Marshall or jump ship or get another call up from FCS; JMU or Chatty?

Convince USM and Marshall to jump, leave UTA alone. USM in the West, Marshall in the East. Conference is instantly upgraded with recognizable brands.

No reason to call up an FCS when there are Indy FBS.

JSU is better option then Chatty, and yes, I know, it’s another Alabama school.

But if USM or Marshall would jump, I’d take either, prefer USM, I know App would prefer Marshall.

(11-28-2018 01:36 PM)Usajags Wrote:  No reason to call up an FCS when there are Indy FBS.

JSU is better option then Chatty, and yes, I know, it’s another Alabama school.

But if USM or Marshall would jump, I’d take either, prefer USM, I know App would prefer Marshall.

What Indy FBS you ready to invite? NMSU who we already through out to appease the eastern teams? Maybe Notre Dame?


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(11-28-2018 01:36 PM)Usajags Wrote:  No reason to call up an FCS when there are Indy FBS.

JSU is better option then Chatty, and yes, I know, it’s another Alabama school.

But if USM or Marshall would jump, I’d take either, prefer USM, I know App would prefer Marshall.

Bring in both of them. Leave the two FCS schools alone. The only option to consider would be JMU and they seem to enjoy being where they are.

Why would USM and/or Marshall want to jump ship to the Belt?

(11-28-2018 01:37 PM)WolfBird Wrote:  

(11-28-2018 01:36 PM)Usajags Wrote:  No reason to call up an FCS when there are Indy FBS.

JSU is better option then Chatty, and yes, I know, it’s another Alabama school.

But if USM or Marshall would jump, I’d take either, prefer USM, I know App would prefer Marshall.

What Indy FBS you ready to invite? NMSU who we already through out to appease the eastern teams? Maybe Notre Dame?


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Army or the “School that shall not be spoken”

UTA starts, by the time they are moving to FBS, the next conference shakeup will be ready to pop. Who know who will land where at that point.

(11-28-2018 01:42 PM)debragga Wrote:  Why would USM and/or Marshall want to jump ship to the Belt?

Because ericsaid


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(11-28-2018 01:42 PM)debragga Wrote:  Why would USM and/or Marshall want to jump ship to the Belt?

Didn’t say they wanted to, just said that is the two out of that conference I would want.

(11-28-2018 01:42 PM)debragga Wrote:  Why would USM and/or Marshall want to jump ship to the Belt?

Never said they would. But if expansion is desirable, they would be my top two choices to bring in.

(11-28-2018 01:28 PM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  Their (Chattanooga) biggest downside on the whole athletic department side is no baseball.

0 fan support. 0 recent success despite being one of the only state schools in conference of privates. Being in the shadow of big orange....there's three more reasons.

Chattanooga was poised to become the big dog in the SOCON after App and GS left but can't get it together. They let little bro up in Johnson City...who JUST got football back...out pace them.