AAC football power rankings: Parity rules, but Memphis & USF start out slightly ahead (Connelly)

[Nostical]

Nostical, I didn't expect that kind of prediction out of you

I'm getting more bullish every day. (And that's not a subliminal USF reference).

 

[Palatine]

The ratings are credible based on past performance. We earned our low position in the division. That said, there has been a shift. And it won't be visible until the season.

I'm currently in the Sierra Mountains and they have a BYU channel. I just watched the UConn/BYU away game in its entirety. BYU's defense could stop any UConn offensive series they wanted by blitzing. We couldn't pick up any blitz, run or pass, down or distance. We blocked okay when they sent four, we had a big play by Arkeel.

That offense was slow, predictable, and it was a power based offensive system Talk about setting up you players to fail. What I saw with my own eyes in the Spring game was a change in paradigm (remember that?).

What you will see in 2017 is something you have never seen by a UConn offense and it makes that preseason rating meaningless. And it will be a hell of lot more fun to watch.

 

[sportsart]

There is no question that our competent coaching staff is worth at least 1.9 wins to put us at least 5 wins.

I'm thinking 6 or 7 wins is possible.

 

[SubbaBub]

If the recent teams were leaky boats taking on water, plugging a few large holed would be easier and quicker to do than plugging a larger number of small holes or building an entirely new boat from scratch. We don't really know which job RE2.0 has in front of him. I'm hoping its just picking up the blitz, pressuring the QB, and spreading the ball around.

I fear it's all that plus finding speed on defense, talent on the Oline, and toughness of mind and body.

 

[mikedog10]

If the recent teams were leaky boats taking on water, plugging a few large holed would be easier and quicker to do than plugging a larger number of small holes or building an entirely new boat from scratch. We don't really know which job RE2.0 has in front of him. I'm hoping its just picking up the blitz, pressuring the QB, and spreading the ball around.

I fear it's all that plus finding speed on defense, talent on the Oline, and toughness of mind and body.

Toughness of mind and body is about the only thing I KNOW the team will have, it was a hallmark of RE1.0's UConn teams and is the reason we cherish guys like DJ Hernandez, Scott Lutrus, Andre Dixon...

 

[RyanCT7]

I think Arkeel Newsome and who ever wins the QB battle are going to have an amazing year.

 

[UC1995]

Expectations are low....

 

[CL82]

We still have OL issues. RE2 and Lashlee will try to compensate by going uptempo (shocking, right?) and getting ball off quicker. Going no huddle (and not standing around for 30 seconds) should tire defenses late in the game. I don't know if they will be able to pull if off successfully, but it is an intelligent and informed approach to our current personnel.

I'd love to go a bowl game, but my goals for the season are far more modest. I just want UConn football to be fun again. Looking competent would be nice as well. Beyond that it's all gravy.

 

[RyanCT7]

#ShockTheWorld

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

How games did BD lose because of awful clock management and play calling? UCF, Navy, and Cuse last year come right to mind and that's BEFORE the team quit. Those are areas of the game we can take for granted with RE. I think we get 6 wins. I'm not sure which 6, but we'll get em.

 

[RyanCT7]

I expect our numbers will increase rapidly as soon as the team has a winning streak.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Why does anyone believe USF's attendance?

 

[HuskyHawk]

How games did BD lose because of awful clock management and play calling? UCF, Navy, and Cuse last year come right to mind and that's BEFORE the team quit. Those are areas of the game we can take for granted with RE. I think we get 6 wins. I'm not sure which 6, but we'll get em.

Yep. And that's just competence. It doesn't truly take into account an actual scheme improvement. It also fails to consider that our QB was hurt midseason and played through it for several games before Williams came in. QB play will be better this year. The RB position is better as well. OL can't really be worse.

The people who make these prognostications do almost no analysis beyond seeing which players graduated and looking at prior season performance. They have no idea what young players might perform well. They give zero credit for coaching changes.

 

[uconnphil2016]

I imagine we'll see an uptick from 2016 in season ticket sales with Randy back. Probably just a modest improvement, but who knows. Hope we can routinely do 30k this year.

 

[JMick]

I imagine we'll see an uptick from 2016 in season ticket sales with Randy back. Probably just a modest improvement, but who knows. Hope we can routinely do 30k this year.

Randy or no Randy the only thing getting people back in seats is W's. We need to get people on the bandwagon to fill the stadium. There just aren't going to be enough diehards.

 

[HuskyDogArt]

The problem with the AAC is it's actually loaded with pretty decent teams that generate zero national interest. Other than Navy and UConn, each is over shadowed by a much bigger national presence in their backyard.

USF and UCF ( Miami, Florida, FSU)
Memphis (Tennessee)
ECU (NC State and UNC)
Houston and SMU ( UT, A&M, TT)
Tulsa (OU)
Cincy (OSU)
Tulane (LSU)

You forgot Temple, which might not have it in the backyard, but PSU and RU.

 

[Confident Carl]

phenomenal post- thank you for putting this data together.

Thanks. Thought this was good on the P6 effort:

AAC Mailbag: Power 6 Edition

 

[Confident Carl]

Top 10 AAC wins over P5

Top 10 AAC Wins vs Power 5 Opponents

AAC boss talks adding Wichita State, future expansion plans

 

[Redding Husky]

We were a bowl worthy team last year, crippled by bad coaching. And now our coaching has been upgraded.

I'm not predicting a winning season, but are we the worst team in the conference? No.

 

[Redding Husky]

The small private schools also have a significant number of international students, who probably didn't grow up with a passion for American college football.