Ping Jeeber, and anyone else.. UTEP for CUSA?

[MylesKnight]

Just wanted to get your thoughts on this Jeebs. It looks as if it's going to happen, come 2005. Wow, Jeeber's, Golden Eagle's and my Universities in the same Conference.

I'm all for UTEP as I feel they do indeed bring the most to the table when you take a look at all of the schools that have been mentioned (Louisiana Tech, North Texas, Temple, MAC Schools, etc..). The only issue with the Miners is geography itself as they are a bit of an outpost, but hey that's why they invented planes. UCF certainly isn't very close to any future CUSA rivals either (Hattiesburg, MS and Greenville, NC being the closest).

Looking forward to becoming Conference Rivals. Cheers!

[MylesKnight]

From the April 16th Edition of the Orlando Sentinel... (http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/college/knights/orl-sptcusa16041604apr16,1,6465231.story?coll=orl-sports-headlines)


C-USA ADs want UTEP as 12th team
The presidents of the league's schools have the final say on expansion.
By Alan Schmadtke
Sentinel Staff Writer

April 16, 2004

Conference USA athletic directors have recommended UTEP as the league's 12th all-sports member, hoping to finalize a realignment process that started last summer and stretched across the country.

C-USA presidents, including UCF's John Hitt, will discuss conference membership April 30, meaning they should be able to vote on whether to add UTEP or stand pat as an 11-school conference.

Multiple C-USA sources confirmed the athletic directors' decision but reiterated that the school presidents are the final voice in expansion.

"We've done a lot of legwork, looked at this from a lot of sides and we like where we are, but this is the presidents' call," said a C-USA athletic director who asked his name not be used because C-USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky wanted to wait for a formal announcement.

Added another AD: "At one point, the ACC [Atlantic Coast Conference] athletic directors voted to add a particular school, and their presidents said, 'No.' So in that way, nothing's done. It's still a bit premature."

C-USA spokesman Russ Anderson didn't return a call for comment, and Banowsky couldn't be reached.

If approved, UTEP would make C-USA a three time-zone conference spanning 1,900 miles -- from Greenville, N.C., to El Paso, Texas.

Expected divisions are East Carolina, Marshall, UCF, UAB, Memphis and Southern Miss in the East, and Tulane, Tulsa, SMU, Rice, Houston and UTEP in the West.

Louisiana Tech, North Texas, Toledo, Miami (Ohio) and Temple were among the other schools considered by C-USA. Temple enjoyed support from some ADs because of its basketball program, but the Owls expressed interest as a football-only member, something not seriously considered by athletic directors, several of them said.

Toledo and Miami publicly recommitted to the Mid-American Conference earlier this week, confirming what the schools had done privately weeks earlier. C-USA already has two MAC schools coming in, UCF and Marshall.

C-USA's athletic directors agreed on UTEP after reviewing revenue-sharing projections from the league office. The ADs met for two days earlier this week, led by Banowsky, who is on the record as supporting a 12-team conference because it allows for a football title game.

Ultimately, the ADs rejected a 14-team concept and decided on 12 teams. League leaders are hopeful a league-championship football game will add at least $1 million to conference coffers.

C-USA thought it had a 12-team league in November after inviting UCF, Marshall, Rice, Tulsa and SMU to replace schools leaving for the Big East, the Atlantic 10 and the independent ranks. But in February, TCU said it was leaving for the Mountain West Conference, dropping the membership total to 11.

Rice, Tulsa, SMU and UTEP are coming in from the Western Athletic Conference.

Alan Schmadtke can be reached at [email protected].

[tucker342]

Actually UTEP is a solid pick for CUSA, as I think that especially with their new coach, UTEP's football program is on the rise

[MylesKnight]

..Oh and by the way, although I wouldn't mind seeing Memphis in the new CUSA Eastern Division (GoldenEagle), I would be thrilled if Tulane were sent over that way and Memphis to the West.

Nothing like that the trip to New Orleans every other year for the UCF/Tulane Game at the Superdome.

Ahhh, Bourbon Street!

[MylesKnight]

..and an interesting story from the El Paso Times (http://www.borderlandnews.com/stories/borderland/20040417-106859.shtml)


UTEP denies Conference USA asked school to join

Darren Hunt
El Paso Times
UTEP and Conference USA officials said Friday that an Orlando Sentinel report stating the school will be invited to join the league was premature.

"This is the first time we've had any indication of that," UTEP Associate Athletics Director Mack Rhoades said. "We knew that Conference USA was certainly interested in us and a number of other schools. But at this point in time, we have not received any official invite and don't know that we will."

UTEP President Diana Natalicio could not be reached for comment. Athletics Director Bob Stull, in New York City on Friday with Western Athletic Conference commissioner Karl Benson negotiating the league's new television contract with ESPN, could not be reached for comment.

"It doesn't surprise me that UTEP may be the preferred choice" of Conference USA, Benson said. "But I think the WAC has much more to offer UTEP than Conference USA."

In 2005-06, Conference USA, seeking a 12th member after surviving several defections, will include East Carolina, Marshall, Central Florida, Alabama-Birmingham, Memphis, Southern Miss, Tulane, Houston and former WAC members Tulsa, SMU and Rice.

After next year's football and basketball seasons, the WAC would become a nine-team league with UTEP and new additions New Mexico State and Utah State. Other members are Fresno State, San Jose State, Nevada, Boise State, Hawaii and Louisiana Tech. Possible WAC additions include North Texas and Idaho.

"I don't know that (UTEP) is our selection," Southern Miss Athletics Director Richard Giannini said Friday. "I think that's a little premature. But they were one of several schools we discussed when we met in Dallas earlier this week."

Giannini added, "There were a lot of positive things discussed when it came to (UTEP). One of them is that it's a big area with more than 800,000-plus homes."

The UTEP men's basketball tradition and solid football attendance -- more than 29,000 a game the past four seasons -- also impressed Conference USA athletic directors, Giannini said.

"The biggest 'con' is the geographic location," said Giannini, who reiterated that no decision has been made. "We're getting to that point, but we haven't got there 100 percent."

Giannini added that there is "no question" UTEP is in the mix, "because they do bring some solid credentials. And I want to make sure if we add another member, it's one that brings value to the league."

University of Houston Athletics Director Dave Maggard said UTEP, Louisiana Tech and North Texas were given the most consideration.

"Everybody's still looking at the possible options in all this," Maggard said.

Maggard said he expects the expansion discussion between Conference USA athletics directors to continue through conference calls in the coming weeks and days.

Miner fans had differing opinions Friday on a possible move to Conference USA. An informal poll on KROD-AM's "SportsTalk" yielded 18 callers who favored leaving the WAC, while 12 said the school should stay put.

"I'd go with Conference USA," West El Pasoan Orly Mena said. "They might not ask us again, and the Mountain West may never ask. Hey, it's nice to be wanted. And I'd rather go to Orlando, Florida (Central Florida), than Logan, Utah (Utah State). I also like the fact that we stay with the Texas schools."

UTEP Alumni Association Dallas Chapter President Servando Enriquez pointed out Friday afternoon that the coming departures of SMU, Rice and Tulsa from the WAC will leave thousands of Miner fans in East Texas without the opportunity to see their team.

Unless, of course, UTEP is invited and accepts an invitation to join Conference USA.

"That would be absolutely fantastic," Enriquez said. "We have an opportunity here to promote UTEP as a product to a very large portion of the country that traditionally we have not addressed. There's a very popular alumni base out here. The support is incredible, and UTEP is starving for that kind of thing."

Darren Hunt may be reached at [email protected]; 546-6168.

[SunDancer]

UTEP is a nice pick. Does this makeup make the C-USA better football wise in both prestige and quality? Will the Sun Bowl be a chip for the league? South Floirda is going to the Big East right? How does this league the conference basketball wise?

[JeeberD]

In regards to the El Paso times article, Stull is just being coy. It would be bad for the Miners to talk about how they want to go to CUSA and then have something happen and have to stay in the WAC. By denying the talks they're just playing it safe.

I would love for this to happen. Not only would the Miners get more national exposure, but I'll still be able to see them play at SMU, Tulsa, and Rice... :)

In regards to Price and the football program, it looks like it might take a couple of years to get the team going strong. The Miners had their spring scrimmage today and apparently the offense was abysmal. The o-line graduated several of their best players and are having a rough go of it so far. But the defense supposedly looks pretty decent so far...

For all the latest UTEP to CUSA rumors, check out MinerDigs (http://utep.rivals.com)...

[k0ruptr]

please dont leave us utep. oh well hawaii should be in the mountain west in a couple anyway.

[JeeberD]

It'll be kind of sad if we do leave. Us and Hawaii have been playing each other for decades now. And I know the players will miss that annual trip to the islands (even if we always lose there). ;)

And you're right. I have a feeling that Hawaii, Nevada, Boise, and Fresno are going to find a home in the MWC before too long.

RIP WAC... :(

[ScottVib]

please dont leave us utep. oh well hawaii should be in the mountain west in a couple anyway.
Latest rumors I've heard is that the 5 schools the control the Mountain West won't allow Hawaii in for travel reasons... prefering UNR, Fresno, Boise to round out the conference should they go to 12. In actuallity though I've heard that unless 12 teams gets the Mountain West into the BCS they aren't willing to split the revenues beyond their 9 teams (once TCU is added).

It'll be interesting to see what the WAC does to resolve this.

If they lose UTEP and then La. Tech bails they'll be in danger of losing their autobid for the NCAA tourny and all units would go to the schools (so UTEP, SMU, Rice and Tulsa could keep their units worth about 100k each); barring the passage of a NCAA amendment to offer a grace period to meet the 6 teams together for at least 5 years.

Plus the WAC needs either baseball or track schools so they can sponser enough sports to be considered 1A (football would still be 1A, but the WAC would lose their seat and 1.5 votes on the NCAA leadership council).

Furthermore what will the WAC do about La. Tech? La. Tech doesn't want to end up in the Sun Belt, but the WAC schools would prefer to regionalize to the west (although Idaho is really the only 1A school still available out there). Travel costs would kill La. Tech without a bigger WAC allowing for divisional play and offering a bunch of Central Time Zone teams. But some of the Sun Belt schools would prefer the somewhat regional conference they currently have (other then Idaho, most of the conference is within driving distance).

What shakes out of C-USA's move if they take UTEP could be very, very interesting.

[HornedFrog Purple]

myles have you been hanging out on killerfrogs.com? :)

[MylesKnight]

You know it Bro'! :)

Gotta keep up on the happenings in CUSA, that is our future home.

[HornedFrog Purple]

Cool myles. I know the owner of killerfrogs pretty well, I'll get him to load up a UCF avatar for you if you want it.

By the way he is going to keep the CUSA forum even though TCU is leaving so no worries there.

[JeeberD]

By the way he is going to keep the CUSA forum even though TCU is leaving so no worries there.

I was about to ask that question since it seems that's the best CUSA board out there.

Hmmm, I was about to say that it was too bad that TCU is leaving right when it looks like we're coming in, but I really don't want to meet you guys on the gridiron again. I've been to two TCU-UTEP games in Fort Worth, and twice LT and the rest of the Frogs tore us a new one. Bleh...

[Tigercat]

Poor La Tech, if it weren't for the fact that that they are still a 1aa school in terms of fan support and university support they would be in a conference like CUSA. Decent mens basketball, good mid major football team, one of the best women's basketball programs in the nation. (Hell on the field/court I think they bring more to the table than UTEP, for now) They probably will end up in the sun belt one day, and that will probably kill the successfull sports program that they've built over the years

[HornedFrog Purple]

I was about to ask that question since it seems that's the best CUSA board out there.

Hmmm, I was about to say that it was too bad that TCU is leaving right when it looks like we're coming in, but I really don't want to meet you guys on the gridiron again. I've been to two TCU-UTEP games in Fort Worth, and twice LT and the rest of the Frogs tore us a new one. Bleh...

406 yards in 3 and a half quarters. He would have had over 500 if not for 2 long holding penalties. :D

That 2000 team would have been in the BCS if they used the new formula.

[SunDancer]

Poor La Tech, if it weren't for the fact that that they are still a 1aa school in terms of fan support and university support they would be in a conference like CUSA. Decent mens basketball, good mid major football team, one of the best women's basketball programs in the nation. (Hell on the field/court I think they bring more to the table than UTEP, for now) They probably will end up in the sun belt one day, and that will probably kill the successfull sports program that they've built over the years

Doesn't Lousiana Tech play in Sun Belt with the expection of football?

[JeeberD]

Nope, LaTech is a full fleged WAC member. We beat them three times this year in basketball... :)

[SunDancer]

Latest rumors I've heard is that the 5 schools the control the Mountain West won't allow Hawaii in for travel reasons... prefering UNR, Fresno, Boise to round out the conference should they go to 12. In actuallity though I've heard that unless 12 teams gets the Mountain West into the BCS they aren't willing to split the revenues beyond their 9 teams (once TCU is added).


I must say, I think Hawaii would be a huge addition for the Mountain West. Besides travel costs, Hawaii has become a recruiting tool for schools that travel to Hawaii. Hawaii has a good rep in football, the basketball program is good, and other sports I am not sure of. They have major-league facilities, and could bring alot to the conference. Plus, they could bring a bowl game berth to the conference in Hawaii.

What about Montana, a division 1AA football power, with a 1A-level stadium and the "resume" that could met WAC standards. I always saw them overlooked.

[Bosco]

Is Conference USA even going to matter any more? Memphis is going to have a cakewalk to the NCAA tourney year in and year out.

[SunDancer]

Is Conference USA even going to matter any more? Memphis is going to have a cakewalk to the NCAA tourney year in and year out.


UAB and Tulsa will certainly be challengers to Memphis.

[JeeberD]

Tulsa had a down year this year, but they were a young team. Give them a couple of years and they should be fine. And the Miners should be competing for the conference every year as well...

[Noop]

Myles!!! Man I am glad to see you around. Always nice to have another college football fan back in the fold. I hope Florida State can play you guys in the coming years since we dont have Texas A&M anymore. From what I hear it is either you guys or South Florida... anyway man good to have you back.

[Bosco]

Tulsa had a down year this year, but they were a young team. Give them a couple of years and they should be fine. And the Miners should be competing for the conference every year as well...

The way I see it either Memphis stays ahead of the pack and continues to get the big time recruits or CUSA tumbles straight into mid-major land. The basketball part of the conference is absolutely shot.

[ScottVib]

Last I've heard/read is the Mountain West isn't in favor of splitting the pot any more then 9 ways unless it comes with a BCS bid but I'm certainly not a Mountain West insider so take it for what its worth.

From what I've heard that Montana has shown zero interest in moving to Division 1A, they may be one of the few Division 1AA teams that makes money, so that may be the reason they don't seem inclined to pursue the jump. (Delaware is another Division 1AA power that has indicated they have no desire to go 1A, because a) they make money already and b') they like being able to use Division 1A transfers to help build the program (1A transfers to 1AA don't have to sit out a year).)

[JeeberD]

From the Chaleston Gazette

UTEP in the right direction (http://wvgazette.com/section/Sports/2004042151)

Miners have plenty to offer if accepted into C-USA

By Doug Smock
Staff writer

If the University of Texas at El Paso does hook up with Conference USA, it will bring the league more than another time zone.

The Miners would carry a seven-figure metropolitan area, a sizable fan base and updated facilities, not to mention a basketball tradition and an accomplished football coach, Mike Price, looking to revive his career.

Conference USA athletic directors have recommended UTEP as the revamped league’s 12th member, according to published reports. Presidents from post-2005 league members are expected to vote on the matter April 30.

Jeff Darby, UTEP’s associate athletic director of media relations, said the school has not received an official invitation. Athletic director Bob Stull has remained mum, not returning phone calls.

But in the recent protocol of conference realignment, an official invitation usually means the conference and its prospective new member have long since come to terms. Nobody is eager to repeat the Atlantic Coast Conference’s 2003 snafu involving Syracuse and Boston College.

For instance, when Marshall’s Board of Governors voted unanimously to authorize president Dan Angel to pursue C-USA membership, an official invitation had not been extended. Yet Marshall’s move became a foregone conclusion.

UTEP would leave the hard-luck Western Athletic Conference, which has coped with several seismic upheavals since its founding in 1962. The Miners joined that league in 1967.

Rice, Tulsa and Southern Methodist are bolting from the WAC in 2005. Those schools, along with C-USA charter member Houston, are thought to form the base of support for UTEP.

Conversely, UTEP — with a current enrollment of 18,542 — could strengthen its recruiting in the talent-rich state of Texas, and appeal to large alumni pockets in Houston and Dallas.

UTEP has emerged as the leading candidate to replace Texas Christian University, which is moving to the Mountain West Conference. C-USA has the option to stand pat at 11 teams, but commissioner Britton Banowsky and others want the league to conduct a potentially lucrative football championship game.

Louisiana Tech and North Texas are among the schools that would be passed over.

“Several of those places would be a good fit,” said Marshall athletic director Bob Marcum. “When you check the numbers, UTEP sort of comes to the top.”

If the Miners come aboard, they will offer:

Population: About 680,000 people live in the El Paso metro area, according to the 2000 census — and that’s on the American side of the Rio Grande. That alone ranks 69th in the country and fifth in Texas.
Across the border is Mexico’s fifth-largest city, Ciudad Juarez, which has about 1.3 million people. The U.S. Census Bureau puts the bi-national metro area at 1,988,026 residents.

A large number of Juarez residents commute to UTEP. Alumni chapters are listed in Juarez and Chihuahua.

Fan base: UTEP has the potential to draw 40,000 per game for football and 10,000 for basketball. It has done both.
Football attendance fell to 20,009 per game last year as the Miners struggled to their third two-win season in a row. But they averaged 44,000 in an 8-4 season in 2000.

Basketball averaged 10,282 last season as the Miners went 24-8. Eight home games were sellouts.

Basketball tradition: Then known as Texas Western, the Miners won the 1966 national championship with an all-black lineup, beating Adolph Rupp’s all-white Kentucky team. The 11,500-seat arena, built in 1977, bears the name of longtime coach Don Haskins.

Facilities: UTEP backers are beaming over the new Larry K. Durham Sports Center, a 60,000 square-foot appendage to the Sun Bowl. Opened in 2002, it features a 10,000 square-foot conditioning center, a student-athlete lounge/computer center, a kinesiology laboratory, a multipurpose meeting room and a “Hall of Champions” building.
The center cost $11 million — a price tag not unlike that for Marshall’s wish of an enlarged Shewey Athletic Building and an indoor practice center. UTEP football alum Larry Durham ponied up $5 million himself.

The 41-year-old Sun Bowl, where UTEP plays its home football games, seats 51,500.

UTEP’s chief negative is geography. It will stretch C-USA’s footprint to about 1,900 miles — from El Paso to Greenville, N.C. El Paso is in the Mountain Time Zone. At about 1,637 miles from Huntington, Herd fans will find that a long hike for a league game.

“But you know, if someone is sitting in Dallas, they’re saying the same thing about Huntington,” Marcum said.

On the other hand, UTEP is relatively unfazed by C-USA’s travel demands. WAC schools must traverse long distances to play anybody — and nobody takes a bus to Hawaii.

“SMU, Houston, Rice, Tulane ... that’s a Southwest [Airlines] flight for us,” Darby said.