Football

[kyyote]

UTEP redid their football schedule.  It was:
OU, NMSU, UNM, Boise, LA T, FAU, SM, ODU, Rice, UAB, UTSA, UNT
it was changed to;
UNT, OU, NMSU. UNM, Boise, Charlotte, LA T, FAU, MTU, Rice, FIU, UTSA

ODU, Southern Miss, and Marshall are gone.  Let me just say it again.  They are gone.  They are in the Sun Belt.  This was announced on March 29th I guess.  So, I guess it is only news to me.   So, C-USA is an 11 team league as of the end of July.  If the teams stay the same, there will be 5 teams in the East and 6 in the West.  One thing that bothers me is that they aren't releasing the terms of the agreement for the teams to leave. Then, as I understand it, we lose another six teams the next year but bring in four.  That leaves us at nine teams.

So, this season the conference is the same conference minus Marshall, ODU, and Southern Miss.  It is hard to say whether or not the conference is stronger or weaker for the loss.  Marshall had always been strong.  Southern Miss had been strong for years, but seemed to be fading some, and ODU, you tell me.  I would simply say that C-USA is simply smaller than it was.  Not stronger or weaker, just smaller.

The real trade out to look at is the next year.  The six leaving and the four joining are worth looking at.  Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice and Texas San Antonio and UAB are leaving and NMSU, Sam Houston St, Liberty, and Jacksonville State the replacements.  Just a quick look and I ask myself if NMSU could beat Charlotte or Rice, who is stronger in football first and then bball.  In football, I think NMSU is the winner, but who knows.  But in basketball, NMSU beats them both, easily.  So, let's say that Charlotte and NMSU are a push or maybe even a step up.  I think Liberty is stronger than Rice, in both sports.  Just my opinion. Then there is Sam.  Pure guessing on my part.  Can a powerhouse at a level down step up and still be a powerhouse?  The answer probably is no.  Not a powerhouse.  But be competitive?  Asking myself who would win if Sam played each of the six leaving teams and I can see an even split.  So, I figure at this point Sam doesn't help or hurt strength wise.  Jacksonville State is a real question.  In 21 they lost to UAB 0-31 but they also played Florida State to a 20 17 loss that says they can damned sure play.  I figure they will be tough.  Beatable, but tough.  I figure they are even trade.  All in all, I think the conference will be smaller but probably about the same strength.  It may even be a little stronger in basketball.

A little longer view I can see C-USA being just as strong as the Sun Belt, the MAC, and even the diluted AAC.  That's football.  In basketball, I think the teams we already know are strong enough that the new teams will be a bonus if they hang tough-and I think they will.  I think I would put the nine teams in cusa up against the other three conferences above.  Certainly could hold their own and I think kick ass.

[zyxwvutsru]

Well shit. Fuck em and feed em fish.

[SisyphusMiner]

In some ways it's a more interesting conference.  Lots of unknowns, but teams that have been solid at their level.  I think they'll rise to the occasion.  They won't be ready in year 1, but they will get there.  Winners win.  It's just what they do.

[Minermojo]

I'm glad that Odius U and Carlotta are leaving. Ever since they joined they've been putting down the conference as if they were power houses. Schiff, all that hype was just in their minds. They sucked for the most part and I'm glad that those whiners are gone. Goooodddd riddance, I say.

I think even right now the teams that are coming in are a push and some like Liberty are better. I'm stoked for this new conference. The only part I don't like is that some schools that are coming in have high school stadiums instead of college ones. I'm talking about Sam and Jacksonville. Liberty with their money can expand really easily. Enemas U's 30k has served them well in that little town they're okay. If you want to look collegiate you need to have the facilities for it, in my very humble opinion.

[kyyote]

We haven't talked much about football.  Hanging around Verbal Commits I got to looking at the football recruits and something leaped off of the page at me.  There are 22 players listed.  Thirteen are juco's.  It looks like Dimel has found a backup for Hardison in Jake McNamara.  The fact that he is shown as a pocket passer says a little something.  He is 5' 11' 185 so he is that.  He is rated as a three star player.  It is worth  pointing out that 9 of the players are rated as three star players. 

[SisyphusMiner]

9 three star players is a great improvement.  I gotta give it to Dimel, he has upgraded our talent significantly.  Maybe not to Price levels, but heading in the right direction.

This was my comment on Jake the Snake when he signed.  (I just made that up BTW, no indication that's his actual nickname).

Well we just signed a 3 star.  IDK, watched his highlights and looks like he had some very good receivers.  Only difference to me is he can run.  But he throws high a lot, just like Hardison, launches prayers that would be intercepted in D1.  Not sure this is our salvation.

I was thinking the other day about football.  I think our D is in good shape, probably better talent wise than last year.  They shored up the secondary which was huge.  But I think they played better than their talent level and not sure if they can repeat that?  We gave up a lot of points to Boise, UTSA, and UAB.  If the new secondary can make the QB delay one more second our monster D line will chew up QBs and spit them out.

However, we relied too much on perfect play from the D.  The O was just good enough to score a couple times and then run out the clock most of the time.   Assuming we don't take a step back defensively, what we really need from the offense is more consistency.  We had way too many 3 and out with the occasional 50 yard bomb.  It put the D on the field  more than they should have been asked to do.  That coupled with the god-awful special teams meant we were losing field position horribly.   Incoming freshman TE is a receiving TE and if he can be good enough to play on 3rd down that gives us another option.  IF Hardison has learned to look past his first option.

And we can't go into "play not to lose" mode unless we are up by 10 or more.  One TD is not good enough.  I really feel like Dimel's doing this is more because he doesn't trust Hardison than because that's how he wants to play though.  If McNamara can consistently deliver the ball in the 7-15 yard range I would start him because without Cowing I don't know that the deep option is there, and Hardison sucks at ball control passing.

[Chanson]

Going back to original statement, teams that are so called "power houses" in Mid Majors are more than likely temporary, thanks to the NCAA & the Big 5 conferences.
As soon as a team is successful, a big team throws money at the coach & all is gone. There are a less than 5% amount of teams that avoid, like the Gonzagas of the world.
The NCAA has turned into a dictator.

Shame on colleges for selling themselves to the Devil for $$ & not keeping the integrity of how a higher learning institution.
This NIL, portal, & Top 5 Cartel's, are all about $$ & have no regard for GPAs, graduation rates, & overall student security. Kids are making decisions they are not ready for & the NCAA is taking advantage of it. Going to 3-4 schools for the sake of $ & sport and not for the betterment of an education is absurd.

Count me in when the vote comes out to dissolve the NCAA

[SisyphusMiner]

It's not just sports though.  Colleges have sold themselves in countless more ways than a Vegas streetwalker.  It's ALL about the money, in every aspect of what they do.

[MinerInWisconsin]

No divisions this season. Top 2 teams play in the CCG. UTEP and ?

[kyyote]

Utsa. I hope. We win.

[Minermojo]

I don't know how accurate I am on this but I thought that this was Ootsa QBs last year. Someone from there on the cusa board remarked that he will be back so I don't know how accurate he is. If he left then I think we can have a chance on winning this game because A LOT of their players have graduated and will rely on underclassmen unlike us who have a bunch of juniors and seniors. It irks me to lose to them in any sport. First they steal our hand sign and after we lend them some unis when they started they start with the garbage talk.

After Enemas U. they're the team I always want to beat.

[Chanson]

As down as I have been on this football team the past 5yrs, I have to admit that I am looking forward to seeing the team this year. I am not season ticket sold at this time, but I will catch a few games.
Last year they were picked to be at or just below 500 & they got to a bowl game. This year they are picked to see the same record as last year & I think they should do better.
While the defense is at the top of CUSA, the QB & the offense should be much better.

Can't wait for the home opener.

[SisyphusMiner]

You may have covered this before, but please remind me.  Why do you believe the QB and offense will be much better?  My biggest fear about this team next year is that our offense will be much worse without Cowing.  I'm not predicting that, just worried about it.

[Chanson]

QB will be a Jr with 2yrs of experience. This usually is the time for the QB to turn it around. I think O line will be experienced. Awatt & company ready to hit it hard at RB. My question is the WR position like you mentioned. All I'm asking for is for our WR to be average. QB can make up for that.

[SisyphusMiner]

Is Aaron Price returning as special teams coordinator? If we want to compete for the upper tier of the league we have to significantly improve special teams.  We were so freaking bad I can't fathom bringing him back in that position.  The poor coaching was plain to see.

Aaron Price has been pretty decent at OC and special teams at lower tier schools.  At UTEP's level, he failed horribly at OC and special teams.  The Peter principle has revealed itself here.  He can't coach those things at this level.   But there's one thing he was pretty damn good at when he was here.  QB position coach.   And we have a QB that is desperately in need of work on his vision and his control.  And we don't list a QB coach on staff.