Future of Army Series Due to AAC move in doubt

[Kolumbo]

Which G5 conference would you want to join? Seems like the AAC doesn't want us for football only, so that leaves C-USA, MAC and maybe Sun Belt? Assuming any of those conferences would want us for football only (which is doubtful) why would any of these be clearly better than independence? The MAC and C-USA have tv deals requiring a substantial number of mid-week games as broadcast inventory. For the casual UConn football fan there is really no interest in any of these conferences.

Therein lies the rub. There is no G5 football conference which is a good fit for UConn, but football independence sucks. Liberty and JMU are examples of programs working their way up the ranks in C-USA and Sunbelt. Those conferences are not an option for UConn. But Army for some reason wants to give up independence to join the aac.

Someone explain this to me like I'm a 2 year old because I just don't understand why Army would join a conference everyone from UConn to Houston has bailed on.

 

[ScottVib]

Someone explain this to me like I'm a 2 year old because I just don't understand why Army would join a conference everyone from UConn to Houston has bailed on.

$$$$$

Seriously that’s the biggest thing. Army occasionally had some scheduling challenges and ended up with 2 FCS schools…. But they got to keep their CBSSN deal, plus the Army-Navy game money and then add in their AAC money, to play in the conference, which with then new additions, is nowhere near as daunting as it used to be (or when they were in Conference USA).

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Keep on trucking as an FBS Indy and BE for hoop.

Still think we end up in some sort of ACC leftovers all sports league.

 

[pepband99]

Big 12 is more lucrative. Acc is more lucrative.

Big east is, once again, sitting on its hands. Very frustrating.

You missed the "willing" part of my question.

 

[Hoophound]

The negative narrative of being Independent only exists because we suck. Even last season, Indy seemed fine. We’re a handful of plays away from being pretty good. We really need an offensive whiz to push us over the hump. Then we won’t feel so trapped and our viability as an expansion target will re-emerge.

 

[Husky68]

The negative narrative of being Independent only exists because we suck. Even last season, Indy seemed fine. We’re a handful of plays away from being pretty good. We really need an offensive whiz to push us over the hump. Then we won’t feel so trapped and our viability as an expansion target will re-emerge.

We need a DC who isn't a part time HC.

 

[huskymedic]

Army Football: AD Mike Buddie Talks AAC Move

-> Buddie also reference multiple times in the call that the current College Football Playoff model, which includes a favorable revenue distribution to teams in an FBS conference, played a role in the decision. <-

-> Another major factor in the decision was the input of 19 football players who are on head coach Jeff Monken's leadership council. These players indicated the opportunity to earn All-Conference honors and and the opportunity to win a conference championship were highly appealing to them. Namely, a much more plausible path to the College Football Playoff. "Kids who play football for the United States Military Academy want to play for the best possible outcomes that they can. Going 11-2 in the American and playing for a championship, starting in 2024, likely puts you as one of the 12 teams in the College Football Playoff." <-

-> The Black Knights were sought as a replacement for the SMU Mustangs, who will join the ACC in 2024. Army will enter the conference with a revenue share reduced from what full-football members of the conference receive. However, Buddie assured members of the media that on Day One of the football program's membership, Army will have a significant increase in finances, but did not go into specifics. By 2032, Army will have a full revenue share from the AAC. <-

 

[BlueandOG]

The negative narrative of being Independent only exists because we suck. Even last season, Indy seemed fine. We’re a handful of plays away from being pretty good. We really need an offensive whiz to push us over the hump. Then we won’t feel so trapped and our viability as an expansion target will re-emerge.

I totally agree. We are playing MUCH more interesting teams now that we are independent. If we were winning, this would be great. Since we are losing (and the only other Indy is a worse (I hope) loser than us, UMass) it looks BAAAAAD

 

[Alum86]

I totally agree. We are playing MUCH more interesting teams now that we are independent. If we were winning, this would be great. Since we are losing (and the only other Indy is a worse (I hope) loser than us, UMass) it looks BAAAAAD

It’s okay until the music stops and they keep pulling away chairs. Eventually teams in conferences will be playing 10 conference games, maybe more. There will be no teams to play as an Indy.

 

[CL82]

Right now, entire athletic department is compromised having football as an Indy. It’s killing them.

 

[UConnJim]

It’s okay until the music stops and they keep pulling away chairs. Eventually teams in conferences will be playing 10 conference games, maybe more. There will be no teams to play as an Indy.

The ACC just announced an 8 game conference schedule for the next 7 years. AAC plays 8 games. The SEC just recently voted 9-5 against a 9 game conference schedule. Obviously, this can change in the future, but I think UConn has 4 to 5 years+ to decide if they should join or align with a G5 conference.

 

[UConnJim]

Army Football: AD Mike Buddie Talks AAC Move

-> Buddie also reference multiple times in the call that the current College Football Playoff model, which includes a favorable revenue distribution to teams in an FBS conference, played a role in the decision. <-

-> Another major factor in the decision was the input of 19 football players who are on head coach Jeff Monken's leadership council. These players indicated the opportunity to earn All-Conference honors and and the opportunity to win a conference championship were highly appealing to them. Namely, a much more plausible path to the College Football Playoff. "Kids who play football for the United States Military Academy want to play for the best possible outcomes that they can. Going 11-2 in the American and playing for a championship, starting in 2024, likely puts you as one of the 12 teams in the College Football Playoff." <-

-> The Black Knights were sought as a replacement for the SMU Mustangs, who will join the ACC in 2024. Army will enter the conference with a revenue share reduced from what full-football members of the conference receive. However, Buddie assured members of the media that on Day One of the football program's membership, Army will have a significant increase in finances, but did not go into specifics. By 2032, Army will have a full revenue share from the AAC. <-

Some plausible answers, but there are other motivations. Army has no aspirations for joining a P5/P4 conference, so the choice was always going to be G5 or Indy. Also, Army is downscaling their football schedule as they are currently playing 2 to 3 P5 schools per year and in the future, they will be play 1 per season max since they are already committed to 10 games (Air Force and Navy are OOC games) plus an FCS game. Thus, they should have better records and they will be bowl eligible more frequently.

 

[Alum86]

The ACC just announced an 8 game conference schedule for the next 7 years. AAC plays 8 games. The SEC just recently voted 9-5 against a 9 game conference schedule. Obviously, this can change in the future, but I think UConn has 4 to 5 years+ to decide if they should join or align with a G5 conference.

I certainly hope so. Things are moving fast. I for one, am a tad concerned.

 

[uconnfan68]

UConn should not be looking to join any "football only" conference. We need to continue trying to leverage our BBall like we almost did with Yormark's Big XII. If the PAC had not come apart we'd be there in the XII now. How crazily odd is it that the TV or streaming folks (Apple) didn't make a bigger pitch for the Pac, given how incredibly strong and "must watch TV" the PAC is this year --even after the USC/UCLA defections. Inept PAC leadership, lack of foresight, and massive undervaluation of the PAC product by Apple (or other media) execs--all of it resulting in a disastrous outcome for UConn. So far.
I'm not giving up. I know the pile is high-- but there's a pony in there somewhere.

You had me until the pony.

 

[ZooCougar]

The ACC just announced an 8 game conference schedule for the next 7 years. AAC plays 8 games. The SEC just recently voted 9-5 against a 9 game conference schedule. Obviously, this can change in the future, but I think UConn has 4 to 5 years+ to decide if they should join or align with a G5 conference.

If we only have 4-5 years then you better start the conversations soon.