El Paso Times Article on Realignment

Harry · November 2, 2011

http://www.elpasotimes.com/sports/ci_19245480

EdwardRRooney · November 2, 2011

Doesn't seem like a lot of useful info there. I'm not so sure we are as much of a shoe in as a lot of people think. Then again, I'd rather be pessimistic about it than build up for disappointment.

EdwardRRooney · November 2, 2011

So, are they still hoping for the merger they speak of?

kalebschumann · November 2, 2011

This merger seems to build the flavor of the day. I sure hope the merger doesn't happen- that will leave the Sun Belt out to dry.

wardly · November 2, 2011

http://www.elpasotimes.com/sports/ci_19245480

i am susprised he mentioned La. Tech as a good fit. the main reason UTEP perfers CUSA over MWC is that it's alumni base is in Texas, and the DFW market is big for them. i still think that when smoke clears CUSA will want a presence in Florida,DFW, and possibility San Antonio. depends on whether or not CUSA loses 3 or 4 schools. on short list for 7th university to replace W.V. is Temple, which Nova is dead set against,E.C.U., and perhaps Memphis. if i'm CUSA i am looking at UNT,UTSA,FIU,FAU, with La. Tech as fall back.but then again, this seems too logical.

MeanGreenTexan · November 2, 2011

i am susprised he mentioned La. Tech as a good fit. the main reason UTEP perfers CUSA over MWC is that it's alumni base is in Texas, and the DFW market is big for them. i still think that when smoke clears CUSA will want a presence in Florida,DFW, and possibility San Antonio. depends on whether or not CUSA loses 3 or 4 schools. on short list for 7th university to replace W.V. is Temple, which Nova is dead set against,E.C.U., and perhaps Memphis. if i'm CUSA i am looking at UNT,UTSA,FIU,FAU, with La. Tech as fall back.but then again, this seems too logical.

Any which way this falls, if UNT (or even TX St.) is left out in favor of UTSA, it will be a travesty.

risinggreen · November 2, 2011

Pretty sad when an AD at a school like UTEP sounds like they don't even realize we exist. Yes, they have their BBall championship from way back when they wholeheartedly embraced breaking the color barrier, and yes they get nice attendance from being the only game around for many hundreds of miles, but that place is very unimpressive to me. I once lived there and it's kind of a strange town. Even stranger now that you cannot even go have fun in Juarez unless you enjoy being kidnapped or murdered. Don't know why any recruit outside of the area would want to commit to playing in El Paso these days.

untjim1995 · November 2, 2011

Any which way this falls, if UNT (or even TX St.) is left out in favor of UTSA, it will be a travesty.

If there is a CUSA that includes F_U, MUTS, La Tech, and UTSA, we might as well just give up on our FBS hopes. I doubt this will happen, though, at least the UTSA and La Tech part. If we were to get stuck in an SBC that was made up of one of the F_Us, Western Kentucky, Troy, South Alabama, Louisiana-Monroe, Arkansas State, and Louisiana-Lafayette, all while SMU and TCU are in AQ leagues, we would get even less fan support and media attention in the Metroplex than we already do.

I do think that if CUSA and MWC do merge as they are talking about in this new alliance, which would not require any additional programs to be added, the leftovers of the SBC and WAC really need to look hard at if they want to stay at the FBS level and how to put together a workable conference affiliation. Right now, the SBC will have 10 teams in the 2012 and the WAC will have 7. If you see 1 of those teams drop down (like Louisiana-Monroe), you could look at combining the leagues into one conference and having a pod system of 4 teams in a division. (Idaho, Utah State, New Mexico State and SJSU) (UNT, Texas State, UTSA, and La Tech) (ULL, USA, Troy, and Ark State) (WKU, MTSU, FIU, and FAU). Each team always plays their pod every year and then plays one of the other pods every three years, while also playing the team in the other remaining pods that finishied where you did (i.e., 3rd vs 3rd in West vs East and SW), to give us 9 conference games. It would save on travel, create rivalries, and maybe keep us all at a quasi-FBS level like we are now, where at least we have a chance at avoiding the FCS purgatory again. At worst, we would be better than the MAC, so if they get to keep FBS status, we would be able to stay there, too.

Edited November 2, 2011 by untjim1995

Comet7745 · November 2, 2011

Pretty sad when an AD at a school like UTEP sounds like they don't even realize we exist. Yes, they have their BBall championship from way back when they wholeheartedly embraced breaking the color barrier, and yes they get nice attendance from being the only game around for many hundreds of miles, but that place is very unimpressive to me. I once lived there and it's kind of a strange town. Even stranger now that you cannot even go have fun in Juarez unless you enjoy being kidnapped or murdered. Don't know why any recruit outside of the area would want to commit to playing in El Paso these days.

I lived in El Paso too for many years. That place has a ton of charm and personality in my opinion, especially compared to other places I've been. That city will embrace UTEP sports whenever they're doing well. It's not nearly as bad as you're making it out to be in my opinion.

untbowler · November 2, 2011

If there is a CUSA that includes F_U, MUTS, La Tech, and UTSA, we might as well just give up on our FBS hopes. I doubt this will happen, though, at least the UTSA and La Tech part. If we were to get stuck in an SBC that was made up of one of the F_Us, Western Kentucky, Troy, South Alabama, Louisiana-Monroe, Arkansas State, and Louisiana-Lafayette, all while SMU and TCU are in AQ leagues, we would get even less fan support and media attention in the Metroplex than we already do.

I do think that if CUSA and MWC do merge as they are talking about in this new alliance, which would not require any additional programs to be added, the leftovers of the SBC and WAC really need to look hard at if they want to stay at the FBS level and how to put together a workable conference affiliation. Right now, the SBC will have 10 teams in the 2012 and the WAC will have 7. If you see 1 of those teams drop down (like Louisiana-Monroe), you could look at combining the leagues into one conference and having a pod system of 4 teams in a division. (Idaho, Utah State, New Mexico State and SJSU) (UNT, Texas State, UTSA, and La Tech) (ULL, USA, Troy, and Ark State) (WKU, MTSU, FIU, and FAU). Each team always plays their pod every year and then plays one of the other pods every three years, while also playing the team in the other remaining pods that finishied where you did (i.e., 3rd vs 3rd in West vs East and SW), to give us 9 conference games. It would save on travel, create rivalries, and maybe keep us all at a quasi-FBS level like we are now, where at least we have a chance at avoiding the FCS purgatory again. At worst, we would be better than the MAC, so if they get to keep FBS status, we would be able to stay there, too.

If this happens it will be time to replace the AD, President, and the BOR and then move to FCS because the admin has finally put the nail in the coffin AGAIN

Edited November 2, 2011 by untbowler

El Paso Eagle · November 2, 2011

Pretty sad when an AD at a school like UTEP sounds like they don't even realize we exist. Yes, they have their BBall championship from way back when they wholeheartedly embraced breaking the color barrier, and yes they get nice attendance from being the only game around for many hundreds of miles,

Stull knows who we are…. Keep in mind that UTEP and UNT go head-to-head on many players, so for him to come out support UNT might not be something he wants to do. From an Alumni standpoint, UTEP really wants to have games in the Dallas area. I believe UTEP would support UNT joining C-USA. In addition, you have to think that either C-USA or the MWC would still want to have a D/FW presence. My only hope is that our “powers-that-be” are doing a lot of work behind the scenes.

Green Mean · November 2, 2011

I lived in El Paso too for many years. That place has a ton of charm and personality in my opinion, especially compared to other places I've been. That city will embrace UTEP sports whenever they're doing well. It's not nearly as bad as you're making it out to be in my opinion.

I've only been to El Paso once about 10 years ago and I have to agree with you. I thought that area and the Las Cruces & country area was really really nice and a very desirable place to go from time to time and even live if I absolutely had too.

Plus we need to keep in mind the kind of support UTEP has from their alumni and from the city in general. To me that goes a really long way.

golfingomez · November 2, 2011

This merger seems to build the flavor of the day. I sure hope the merger doesn't happen- that will leave the Sun Belt out to dry.

Sun Belt/MAC merger...

the Sun-BAC

risinggreen · November 2, 2011

I lived in El Paso too for many years. That place has a ton of charm and personality in my opinion, especially compared to other places I've been. That city will embrace UTEP sports whenever they're doing well. It's not nearly as bad as you're making it out to be in my opinion.

Oh no I don't hate El Paso. I've actually always loved the West and most that comes with it, including the mountains, deserts, border areas and such. All I'm saying is that it can be a bit strange living there if you grew up in the eastern half of Texas, and a pretty large percentage of D1 recruits come from eastern Texas. I do think it has lost a bit of that charm with the downfall of Juarez, and I'm kind of hearing that from people I know who still live in El Paso. I know I had a lot of fun and interesting times there years ago.

El Paso Eagle · November 2, 2011

.......... I know I had a lot of fun and interesting times there years ago.

Many of the owners of the good restaurants, bars, and clubs in Juarez have opened a location, or moved to El Paso. There seems to be a new “transplant” opening every week.

Edited November 2, 2011 by El Paso Eagle

minerinwisconsin · November 2, 2011

i am susprised he mentioned La. Tech as a good fit. the main reason UTEP perfers CUSA over MWC is that it's alumni base is in Texas, and the DFW market is big for them. i still think that when smoke clears CUSA will want a presence in Florida,DFW, and possibility San Antonio. depends on whether or not CUSA loses 3 or 4 schools. on short list for 7th university to replace W.V. is Temple, which Nova is dead set against,E.C.U., and perhaps Memphis. if i'm CUSA i am looking at UNT,UTSA,FIU,FAU, with La. Tech as fall back.but then again, this seems too logical.

The writer of the article is the one that mentioned La Tech, not UTEP's AD. I'm next to certain that he and other CUSA AD's would prefer the DFW area and that means UNT. Your facilities are better that La Tech. Your market is way, way better. Our AD was quoted in the article that he'd like to keep the conference presence in Texas. Playing OOC games with SMU and Houston cannot be counted on. I'd be willing to bet that UNT is high on the list if CUSA adds schools. And I hope they do. Best of luck to you fans of UNT.

GrayEagle · November 2, 2011

Man, I'm lost. The original intent, at least as presented, was to have an alliance whereby the two football champions play for a BCS bowl berth. All other sports were totally separate. This is the first article I've seen where a merger is implied. Even then it was a little murky because no berth was promised and different were members such as Boise State, Houston, SMU, Air Force and UCF; all likely to be AQ members.

If it's a merger who is the surviving commissioner? Do they have the basketball teams in the (former?) conferences running coast to coast? All of the minor sports too?

Until an official announcement is made by either commissioner, please take this with a grain of salt. It's not the first time that Joe has confused us.

P.S. Since Conference USA's office is in Irving and the Mountain West commissioner has stated that he wanted a presence in Texas, the DFW area is likely still high on each league's list.