Nice for UConn to be back in a power conference. They belong in the Big East not in a Southern based conference.

(07-02-2020 04:13 PM)CitrusUCF Wrote:  Providence - has greatly benefitted from the ACC teams leaving; they're actually in their best run in program history having made 5 tourneys (none past the Rd of 32) in 6 years (excluding 2020). Before this run, made the tourney 4 times in 20 years.

Seton Hall - like Providence, has benefitted from the reduced competition in the Big East, having made 4 tourneys in a row (excluding 2020), but 2 tourneys in the 15 years prior.

Depaul - 2 tourneys in the past 20 years.

Creighton - Since moving to the Big East, 3 tourneys in 6 years, the last two out in the first round. Before that in the MVC, made the tourney 9 times in the previous 20 years, only twice getting out of the first weekend.

St. John's - 5 tourneys in the past 20 years

So tell me how those schools are some sort of national power.

The fact that you've separated out the "bottom half" of the conference and, other than DePaul, the argument boils down to "It's only 50-50 whether they'll get an at-large these days!" is kind of the point.

This group blows ECU/UCF/USF/Tulane/Tulsa/SMU out of the water.

(07-02-2020 07:07 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  Nice for UConn to be back in a power conference. They belong in the Big East not in a Southern based conference.

Yeah, I guess the AAC is more or less southern these days.

Greenville, NC, Orlando, Tampa, Memphis, New Orleans, Houston, Dallas, and Tulsa are all pretty southern. Also, the headquarters are moving to the Dallas area, so that underscores their Southern bent.

Philadelphia and Cincinnati (although right across the Ohio from Kentucky) are not southern.

How "southern" is Wichita? Do they have more in common with, say, a southern city like New Orleans or a Midwestern city like Indianapolis?

The Naval Academy isn't regional at all.

(07-02-2020 08:16 PM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  

(07-02-2020 07:07 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  Nice for UConn to be back in a power conference. They belong in the Big East not in a Southern based conference.

Yeah, I guess the AAC is more or less southern these days.

Greenville, NC, Orlando, Tampa, Memphis, New Orleans, Houston, Dallas, and Tulsa are all pretty southern. Also, the headquarters are moving to the Dallas area, so that underscores their Southern bent.

Philadelphia and Cincinnati (although right across the Ohio from Kentucky) are not southern.

How "southern" is Wichita? Do they have more in common with, say, a southern city like New Orleans or a Midwestern city like Indianapolis?

The Naval Academy isn't regional at all.

If I remember correctly, the weighed geographic center of the Big East is basically the Ohio/Pennsylvania state line, which actually feels about right. The weighted geographic center of the AAC is somewhere in Alabama.

(07-02-2020 08:16 PM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  

(07-02-2020 07:07 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  Nice for UConn to be back in a power conference. They belong in the Big East not in a Southern based conference.

Yeah, I guess the AAC is more or less southern these days.

Greenville, NC, Orlando, Tampa, Memphis, New Orleans, Houston, Dallas, and Tulsa are all pretty southern. Also, the headquarters are moving to the Dallas area, so that underscores their Southern bent.

Philadelphia and Cincinnati (although right across the Ohio from Kentucky) are not southern.

How "southern" is Wichita? Do they have more in common with, say, a southern city like New Orleans or a Midwestern city like Indianapolis?

The Naval Academy isn't regional at all.

People from Wichita talk very midwestern. Shocking wheat is a very midwestern thing too.

(07-02-2020 04:13 PM)CitrusUCF Wrote:  

(07-02-2020 03:48 PM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(07-02-2020 03:19 PM)CitrusUCF Wrote:  

(07-01-2020 08:59 AM)Blazer4Life14 Wrote:  

(07-01-2020 08:52 AM)Carolina_Low_Country Wrote:  Let's be real this is not your dad's Big East only have Providence, Seton Hall, St. Johns, Villanova, and Georgetown as original members.

No conference games against Syracuse, Pitt, West Virginia, Notre Dame, etc.

UConn will still have new (and far) teams at home and away including Butler, Creighton, and Xavier

Yeah, but the competition is unquestionably better than the AAC, and they’re playing other schools that are committed to having a quality basketball program. In the AAC, you only got that from Houston, Memphis, Cincinnati, Wichita St., and then the occasional UCF, SMU, Temple, etc. That’s why UConn is excited. Hell, I’m excited as a CBB fan, I look forward to UConn being relevant again.

First of all, the AAC was not responsible for UConn's irrelevance. The AAC is a power basketball conference that earns multiple bids every year with several teams capable of challenging for a title. The Big East has no more programs that are national powers than the AAC does...Providence, Seton Hall, Creighton, St. John's, and DePaul are no more national powers than the middle of the AAC. They find a nut here and there, and that's it. There's no consistency at all. They're living off ancient history and having been aligned for four decades with Villanova and Georgetown (of the remaining members) + Marquette.

UConn's irrelevance was their own doing with Kevin Ollie, who incidentally had a significantly better winning percentage than the two coaches that preceded Jim Calhoun. UConn is an athletic department drowning in debt because of their own mistakes (Pasqualoni & Diaco being chief), and they're not going to return to national prominence in MBB anymore than their FB team is going to become Notre Dame as a football independent.

I look forward to treating them like the FCS program they are and dropping 60 on them during our buy game in a few years.

As somebody with personal/family ties to Cincinnati and Memphis in the AAC and DePaul and Georgetown in the Big East — and who wants both leagues to fare well and who views them both objectively and reasonably — I am tempted to respond to the absurdity, inaccuracy and bias of the below comment. But I'm prepping for a beer session and don't have the mental energy at this moment.

Providence, Seton Hall, Creighton, St. John's, and DePaul are no more national powers than the middle of the AAC. They find a nut here and there, and that's it. There's no consistency at all. They're living off ancient history and having been aligned for four decades with Villanova and Georgetown (of the remaining members) + Marquette.

Providence - has greatly benefitted from the ACC teams leaving; they're actually in their best run in program history having made 5 tourneys (none past the Rd of 32) in 6 years (excluding 2020). Before this run, made the tourney 4 times in 20 years.

Seton Hall - like Providence, has benefitted from the reduced competition in the Big East, having made 4 tourneys in a row (excluding 2020), but 2 tourneys in the 15 years prior.

Depaul - 2 tourneys in the past 20 years.

Creighton - Since moving to the Big East, 3 tourneys in 6 years, the last two out in the first round. Before that in the MVC, made the tourney 9 times in the previous 20 years, only twice getting out of the first weekend.

St. John's - 5 tourneys in the past 20 years

So tell me how those schools are some sort of national power.

I have never (you can check it with my posts) noted the five programs you list are "some sort of national powers." So there is no need to respond to your request for me to answer.

The Big East has 11 men's hoops programs that are collectively — based on history, overall wins, NCAA tourney success, NIT success, attendance, budgets, Final Fours, recent top 25 rankings, top-to-bottom recruiting, coaches saleries — "better" than the 11 men's basketball programs in the AAC. It is quite clear and if you refuse to see this ... so be it. The American is damn good. The BE is better. Period. End of discussion.

I cheer for various programs in multiple conferences (due to family considerations), including the American. I call it straight down the middle. Fair. Unbiased. Respectful.

The Big East has a combined 286 tournament bids in its history from its present membership (third all-time, behind the B1G and ACC). To say that is lacks consistency is an interesting statement, especially compared to the merits and accomplishments of present AAC basketball programs.

If you add of all of the AAC program tournament bids of the past 50 years (since 1970), they have had a total of 133 tournament bids. That averages out to under three bids annually into the NCAA Tournament. Now, before any other apologist wants to move the goal posts on how USF didn't become a D1 member until 1971, or that UCF didn't move up until 1990, or how Memphis had five postseason appearances taken away due to infractions in the 1980's, or how Tulane didn't play from 1985-1989 due to the program being disbanded after a national point shaving scandal, let's - in order to ensure accuracy - also include data from only the past 30 years (from 1990); this would undeniably reveal the total worth of the league at the D1 level while competing for tournament appearances (with only one total season being vacated - Memphis, 2008). That comes to a total of 94 tournament bids. That averages to just barely over three bids annually into the NCAA Tournament.

The AAC getting three bids in a given season is the historical norm and average for this grouping of its present teams together. Anything less would be underachieving, and anything more would be overachieving. However, the continual pivots such as "they league hasn't had all of its teams playing at a high-level in a season yet" ignore the historical and past trends and ceilings from each of the programs. To be clear, the AAC has many high-major programs in Cincinnati, Memphis, Houston, Temple, Wichita State, Temple and Tulsa; however, throughout history, getting six of them playing consistently at a high level has simply not occurred (in the AAC or otherwise). It's part of a larger numbers game.

The fact remains that the AAC can be "happier" and "better off" without UConn in the conference; however, UConn, in its seven years in the conference, accomplished more in a down period than all of the teams had during and before entry into the AAC. Both statements can be true.

Programs like Creighton and Seton Hall were ranked in the top-10 this past year, and both were expecting to be top-seeds. Providence has been a consistent tournament team. St. John's is top-10 in NCAA history in all-time wins and has recent wins over Duke and Arizona. They are not national powers (not sure who ever argued that) but they are clear, distinctive high-major basketball-first brands that each have followings and strong fan support (which is why this reorganized version of the Big East has been immensely successful).

(07-02-2020 08:24 PM)Bogg Wrote:  

(07-02-2020 08:16 PM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  

(07-02-2020 07:07 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  Nice for UConn to be back in a power conference. They belong in the Big East not in a Southern based conference.

Yeah, I guess the AAC is more or less southern these days.

Greenville, NC, Orlando, Tampa, Memphis, New Orleans, Houston, Dallas, and Tulsa are all pretty southern. Also, the headquarters are moving to the Dallas area, so that underscores their Southern bent.

Philadelphia and Cincinnati (although right across the Ohio from Kentucky) are not southern.

How "southern" is Wichita? Do they have more in common with, say, a southern city like New Orleans or a Midwestern city like Indianapolis?

The Naval Academy isn't regional at all.

If I remember correctly, the weighed geographic center of the Big East is basically the Ohio/Pennsylvania state line, which actually feels about right. The weighted geographic center of the AAC is somewhere in Alabama.

Which is strange, as there isn't an AAC school within hundreds of miles of central Alabama. The AAC is like a giant bathtub ring around the south.

(07-03-2020 10:29 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(07-02-2020 08:24 PM)Bogg Wrote:  

(07-02-2020 08:16 PM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  

(07-02-2020 07:07 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  Nice for UConn to be back in a power conference. They belong in the Big East not in a Southern based conference.

Yeah, I guess the AAC is more or less southern these days.

Greenville, NC, Orlando, Tampa, Memphis, New Orleans, Houston, Dallas, and Tulsa are all pretty southern. Also, the headquarters are moving to the Dallas area, so that underscores their Southern bent.

Philadelphia and Cincinnati (although right across the Ohio from Kentucky) are not southern.

How "southern" is Wichita? Do they have more in common with, say, a southern city like New Orleans or a Midwestern city like Indianapolis?

The Naval Academy isn't regional at all.

If I remember correctly, the weighed geographic center of the Big East is basically the Ohio/Pennsylvania state line, which actually feels about right. The weighted geographic center of the AAC is somewhere in Alabama.

Which is strange, as there isn't an AAC school within hundreds of miles of central Alabama. The AAC is like a giant bathtub ring around the south.

The AAC will be a true Southern Conference when Temple heads to the B-10 and Cinn heads to the B-12 thus eliminating the upper part of the bathtub ring around the south. Happy July 4th Weekend.

If the weighted geographic center of the AAC is somewhere in Alabama, that would (on paper) help UAB's chances of a future invite.

I don't know where the weighted center is but Alabama seems about right.

(07-03-2020 10:40 AM)panite Wrote:  The AAC will be a true Southern Conference when Temple heads to the B-10 and Cinn heads to the B-12

I don't think that future where Temple heads to the Big Ten exists, but in a future where the Big12 is raiding the AAC and the result is less appealing for Temple to remain in ...
... if Temple wanted to ask to join the Big East and re-applied to join the MAC FB-only, I reckon the MAC would take the Temple/U-Mass FB-only pair on the same terms it had before (despite accompanying howls of derision you might here from the MAC Conference forum in this board).

(07-04-2020 06:44 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(07-03-2020 10:40 AM)panite Wrote:  The AAC will be a true Southern Conference when Temple heads to the B-10 and Cinn heads to the B-12

I don't think that future where Temple heads to the Big Ten exists, but in a future where the Big12 is raiding the AAC and the result is less appealing for Temple to remain in ...
... if Temple wanted to ask to join the Big East and re-applied to join the MAC FB-only, I reckon the MAC would take the Temple/U-Mass FB-only pair on the same terms it had before (despite accompanying howls of derision you might here from the MAC Conference forum in this board).

First - I was joking about Temple hence the

Second - Villanova will block Temple from the BE.

Third - The ship has sailed for Temple / UMass in the MAC. They have been there. Done that. And left. The MAC won't be inviting them back.

In reality - Doubt Temple will ever leave the AAC as long as it exists since it is the first time they have had all of their sports in one league in years / decades. Enjoy the July 4th holiday.

(07-04-2020 08:05 AM)panite Wrote:  

(07-04-2020 06:44 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(07-03-2020 10:40 AM)panite Wrote:  The AAC will be a true Southern Conference when Temple heads to the B-10 and Cinn heads to the B-12

I don't think that future where Temple heads to the Big Ten exists, but in a future where the Big12 is raiding the AAC and the result is less appealing for Temple to remain in ...
... if Temple wanted to ask to join the Big East and re-applied to join the MAC FB-only, I reckon the MAC would take the Temple/U-Mass FB-only pair on the same terms it had before (despite accompanying howls of derision you might here from the MAC Conference forum in this board).

First - I was joking about Temple hence the

I wasn't being entirely serious either ... there weren't any animatronics since with all of yours in triplicate at the end of each remark, you have enough to cover five or more light hearted posts.

But seriously, while I expect it's a moot point, there's a reason the MAC didn't say no to Temple the first time, even though there was no #14 in sight. If the MAC Presidents were presented with Temple and UMass tied up in a bow and could sign a contract where if one up and left, they'd pay a noticeable exit fee and the other would have two years to pack their bags, all of the confident "the ship has sailed" from MAC fans would turn into so much bluster.

(07-04-2020 08:51 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(07-04-2020 08:05 AM)panite Wrote:  

(07-04-2020 06:44 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(07-03-2020 10:40 AM)panite Wrote:  The AAC will be a true Southern Conference when Temple heads to the B-10 and Cinn heads to the B-12

I don't think that future where Temple heads to the Big Ten exists, but in a future where the Big12 is raiding the AAC and the result is less appealing for Temple to remain in ...
... if Temple wanted to ask to join the Big East and re-applied to join the MAC FB-only, I reckon the MAC would take the Temple/U-Mass FB-only pair on the same terms it had before (despite accompanying howls of derision you might here from the MAC Conference forum in this board).

First - I was joking about Temple hence the

I wasn't being entirely serious either ... there weren't any animatronics since with all of yours in triplicate at the end of each remark, you have enough to cover five or more light hearted posts.

But seriously, while I expect it's a moot point, there's a reason the MAC didn't say no to Temple the first time, even though there was no #14 in sight. If the MAC Presidents were presented with Temple and UMass tied up in a bow and could sign a contract where if one up and left, they'd pay a noticeable exit fee and the other would have two years to pack their bags, all of the confident "the ship has sailed" from MAC fans would turn into so much bluster.

Temple is one thing because, as if the last 8-10 years, they bring some actual football pedigree. They also carry some extent of the Philadelphia market. UMass, by contrast, carries far less of the Boston TV market than BC does, who in turn carries very little of the market themselves. And as for football pedigree for UMass... oh, boy.

(07-04-2020 09:04 AM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  

(07-04-2020 08:51 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(07-04-2020 08:05 AM)panite Wrote:  

(07-04-2020 06:44 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(07-03-2020 10:40 AM)panite Wrote:  The AAC will be a true Southern Conference when Temple heads to the B-10 and Cinn heads to the B-12

I don't think that future where Temple heads to the Big Ten exists, but in a future where the Big12 is raiding the AAC and the result is less appealing for Temple to remain in ...
... if Temple wanted to ask to join the Big East and re-applied to join the MAC FB-only, I reckon the MAC would take the Temple/U-Mass FB-only pair on the same terms it had before (despite accompanying howls of derision you might here from the MAC Conference forum in this board).

First - I was joking about Temple hence the

I wasn't being entirely serious either ... there weren't any animatronics since with all of yours in triplicate at the end of each remark, you have enough to cover five or more light hearted posts.

But seriously, while I expect it's a moot point, there's a reason the MAC didn't say no to Temple the first time, even though there was no #14 in sight. If the MAC Presidents were presented with Temple and UMass tied up in a bow and could sign a contract where if one up and left, they'd pay a noticeable exit fee and the other would have two years to pack their bags, all of the confident "the ship has sailed" from MAC fans would turn into so much bluster.

Temple is one thing because, as if the last 8-10 years, they bring some actual football pedigree. They also carry some extent of the Philadelphia market. UMass, by contrast, carries far less of the Boston TV market than BC does, who in turn carries very little of the market themselves. And as for football pedigree for UMass... oh, boy.

UMass has a secret weapon.
Head Coach Walt Bell.
When Bell left Larry Fedora's staff at North Carolina, the ugly truth of Fedora's head coaching ability was revealed.
Give him a few years and UMass football will be real.

AAC 2018-19 revenue = $73.2M, down 6% from 2017-18. For comparison purposes, BYU posted revenue of $72.6M, in 2018-19. I am excited to see what UCONN can do in the Big East and FB Indy. While I do not think they will be getting close to BYU $$$... In about 6 years they could be getting 10 to 15 Million per year...

(07-04-2020 09:38 AM)GTFletch Wrote:  AAC 2018-19 revenue = $73.2M, down 6% from 2017-18. For comparison purposes, BYU posted revenue of $72.6M, in 2018-19. I am excited to see what UCONN can do in the Big East and FB Indy. While I do not think they will be getting close to BYU $$$... In about 6 years they could be getting 10 to 15 Million per year...

that will be drastically changing these next few years as our new TV deal kicks in.

(07-04-2020 09:29 AM)XLance Wrote:  

(07-04-2020 09:04 AM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  

(07-04-2020 08:51 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(07-04-2020 08:05 AM)panite Wrote:  

(07-04-2020 06:44 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  I don't think that future where Temple heads to the Big Ten exists, but in a future where the Big12 is raiding the AAC and the result is less appealing for Temple to remain in ...
... if Temple wanted to ask to join the Big East and re-applied to join the MAC FB-only, I reckon the MAC would take the Temple/U-Mass FB-only pair on the same terms it had before (despite accompanying howls of derision you might here from the MAC Conference forum in this board).

First - I was joking about Temple hence the

I wasn't being entirely serious either ... there weren't any animatronics since with all of yours in triplicate at the end of each remark, you have enough to cover five or more light hearted posts.

But seriously, while I expect it's a moot point, there's a reason the MAC didn't say no to Temple the first time, even though there was no #14 in sight. If the MAC Presidents were presented with Temple and UMass tied up in a bow and could sign a contract where if one up and left, they'd pay a noticeable exit fee and the other would have two years to pack their bags, all of the confident "the ship has sailed" from MAC fans would turn into so much bluster.

Temple is one thing because, as if the last 8-10 years, they bring some actual football pedigree. They also carry some extent of the Philadelphia market. UMass, by contrast, carries far less of the Boston TV market than BC does, who in turn carries very little of the market themselves. And as for football pedigree for UMass... oh, boy.

UMass has a secret weapon.
Head Coach Walt Bell.
When Bell left Larry Fedora's staff at North Carolina, the ugly truth of Fedora's head coaching ability was revealed.
Give him a few years and UMass football will be real.

Thanks XLance. Coach Walt Bell inherited 50 odd scholarship players, FCS scholarship limit, with no beef or experiences in many positions as both lines. Especially on defensive as Whipple was a offensive guy and did not recruit much on the defensive.

Coach Walt Bell had/is recruiting like none other and this is despite a defensive coach poached immediately by Arkansas State and then Boston College noticed how well Aakaar Abdul-Rahim was recruiting the DC area and poached him as well. Coach Bell did not miss a beat and brought in Cato June. Cato has been do just as well, brings NFL and pro bowl experiences, and mentioned how true Walt Bell's character was as one of the reasons of joining his staff. Bell has also forced UMass to spend more on Football and has tripled the food and nutrition bugdet and this is with the 1# dining commons in the country.

This was our best recruiting class ever. We are still short in some positions and very young. Last year the lines started 9 true freshmen and 2 walk ons. The defensive line is especially inexperience but think he has us moving in the right direction. Bell has also focused on good academic athletes and raised the academic expectations. It may not show yet, but this coming year, he has raised the APR score by around 60 points from a terrible 939. It was a high priority point during his hiring process.

Both UConn and UMass are top public research institutions. Looking forward to the game in their house, hopefully in less than 2 months.

(07-03-2020 10:05 AM)GoldenWarrior11 Wrote:  The Big East has a combined 286 tournament bids in its history from its present membership (third all-time, behind the B1G and ACC). To say that is lacks consistency is an interesting statement, especially compared to the merits and accomplishments of present AAC basketball programs.

If you add of all of the AAC program tournament bids of the past 50 years (since 1970), they have had a total of 133 tournament bids. That averages out to under three bids annually into the NCAA Tournament. Now, before any other apologist wants to move the goal posts on how USF didn't become a D1 member until 1971, or that UCF didn't move up until 1990, or how Memphis had five postseason appearances taken away due to infractions in the 1980's, or how Tulane didn't play from 1985-1989 due to the program being disbanded after a national point shaving scandal, let's - in order to ensure accuracy - also include data from only the past 30 years (from 1990); this would undeniably reveal the total worth of the league at the D1 level while competing for tournament appearances (with only one total season being vacated - Memphis, 2008). That comes to a total of 94 tournament bids. That averages to just barely over three bids annually into the NCAA Tournament.

The AAC getting three bids in a given season is the historical norm and average for this grouping of its present teams together. Anything less would be underachieving, and anything more would be overachieving. However, the continual pivots such as "they league hasn't had all of its teams playing at a high-level in a season yet" ignore the historical and past trends and ceilings from each of the programs. To be clear, the AAC has many high-major programs in Cincinnati, Memphis, Houston, Temple, Wichita State, Temple and Tulsa; however, throughout history, getting six of them playing consistently at a high level has simply not occurred (in the AAC or otherwise). It's part of a larger numbers game.

The fact remains that the AAC can be "happier" and "better off" without UConn in the conference; however, UConn, in its seven years in the conference, accomplished more in a down period than all of the teams had during and before entry into the AAC. Both statements can be true.

Programs like Creighton and Seton Hall were ranked in the top-10 this past year, and both were expecting to be top-seeds. Providence has been a consistent tournament team. St. John's is top-10 in NCAA history in all-time wins and has recent wins over Duke and Arizona. They are not national powers (not sure who ever argued that) but they are clear, distinctive high-major basketball-first brands that each have followings and strong fan support (which is why this reorganized version of the Big East has been immensely successful).

so when was the last time a BE team played in a CFP game? exactly....Memphis for example won't give up an opportunity to appear in a bowl like the Cotton or Peach just to play a BE hoops schedule.

(07-04-2020 10:50 AM)Steve1981 Wrote:  

(07-04-2020 09:29 AM)XLance Wrote:  

(07-04-2020 09:04 AM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  

(07-04-2020 08:51 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(07-04-2020 08:05 AM)panite Wrote:  First - I was joking about Temple hence the

I wasn't being entirely serious either ... there weren't any animatronics since with all of yours in triplicate at the end of each remark, you have enough to cover five or more light hearted posts.

But seriously, while I expect it's a moot point, there's a reason the MAC didn't say no to Temple the first time, even though there was no #14 in sight. If the MAC Presidents were presented with Temple and UMass tied up in a bow and could sign a contract where if one up and left, they'd pay a noticeable exit fee and the other would have two years to pack their bags, all of the confident "the ship has sailed" from MAC fans would turn into so much bluster.

Temple is one thing because, as if the last 8-10 years, they bring some actual football pedigree. They also carry some extent of the Philadelphia market. UMass, by contrast, carries far less of the Boston TV market than BC does, who in turn carries very little of the market themselves. And as for football pedigree for UMass... oh, boy.

UMass has a secret weapon.
Head Coach Walt Bell.
When Bell left Larry Fedora's staff at North Carolina, the ugly truth of Fedora's head coaching ability was revealed.
Give him a few years and UMass football will be real.

Thanks XLance. Coach Walt Bell inherited 50 odd scholarship players, FCS scholarship limit, with no beef or experiences in many positions as both lines. Especially on defensive as Whipple was a offensive guy and did not recruit much on the defensive.

Coach Walt Bell had/is recruiting like none other and this is despite a defensive coach poached immediately by Arkansas State and then Boston College noticed how well Aakaar Abdul-Rahim was recruiting the DC area and poached him as well. Coach Bell did not miss a beat and brought in Cato June. Cato has been do just as well, brings NFL and pro bowl experiences, and mentioned how true Walt Bell's character was as one of the reasons of joining his staff. Bell has also forced UMass to spend more on Football and has tripled the food and nutrition bugdet and this is with the 1# dining commons in the country.

This was our best recruiting class ever. We are still short in some positions and very young. Last year the lines started 9 true freshmen and 2 walk ons. The defensive line is especially inexperience but think he has us moving in the right direction. Bell has also focused on good academic athletes and raised the academic expectations. It may not show yet, but this coming year, he has raised the APR score by around 60 points from a terrible 939. It was a high priority point during his hiring process.

Both UConn and UMass are top public research institutions. Looking forward to the game in their house, hopefully in less than 2 months.

Your pride in your school and your growing program is showing.