Louisville
TCU
USF
Cincy
UCF
Houston
Memphis

They all have left CUSA and they have all made splashes in College Football at one time or another. And I'm not just meaning a couple of winning seasons..I'm talking making national noise. I would say that Louisville and TCU have been the more consistent of the programs that have been on the rise since leaving CUSA! Even USF made it as high as #2 in the nation one year. Then you had Cincy having success for a of couple years ...then last year you had Houston and Memphis showing out...now this year, it's Louisville and Houston in the top 10. Smh..

Any of us in CUSA would be very stupid to bypass a chance to leave this conference if given the chance. That's not saying that I don't respect each of my CUSA brothers when I say this but it's very obvious that CUSA is holding all of us back. Another conference would boost more 1) money 2) attendance 3) Upgrades 4) National exposure....and all that would lead to...5) Better Recruiting! It's hard to beat the P5 teams or other G5 conferences when they have better caliber recruits to choose from. SEC caliber recruits are better than CUSA recruits....and as much as I hate to it but AAC caliber recruits are better than CUSA caliber recruits. Sure, each one of us might steal a recruit/or recruits from others every now and then but as a whole it's hard to compete with others for recruits because of our conference. If you don't understand what I'm talking about just look at those that use to wear the CUSA patch and now they are under a different logo...because of the resources given to them. I'm a Southern Miss alum and will always be a die-hard USM fan no matter what conference we are in...and we have always been able to do more with less than anyone out there...but no matter how much success we've had in the past, we just can't seem to ever get over that certain hill of making that so-called splash I was referring to.

If these schools would have stayed in CUSA..would any of them have done what they have done? Would Memphis have had the year they had last year ? Would USF had ever been ranked #2 ? Would TCU have had the same success ? Would CUSA had had 2 teams in the top 10 this year in Lousiville and Houston ? Maybe ? Maybe not ? I believe CUSA would be a stronger conference with those schools in it like it use to be but I don't think any of those teams would have had those types of successes.

I'm know I just beat a dead horse in the ground I guess, but im just venting I guess..ha!

There's no doubt that many former CUSA members improved after they left CUSA for better conferences. Nobody around here denies that CUSA isn't what it used to be, but USM has certainly played a role in the decline of the conference. Perhaps CUSA would be a much stronger conference if USM was fielding as good a team today as it did back in the glory days of the conference.

For Houston, UCF and Memphis you have a point. The others joined a BCS (P5) conference. With the automatic extra advantages and 100x the money and exposure that come just from changing the letters on a jersey I think any of us could be much better than we are. Thats what the P5 do. Price out the competition and then make it so others can't get equal funding or get on an equal playing field. They don't want to win fair and square, just win. I am impressed with the rise of UCF and Memphis though.

(09-19-2016 04:49 AM)BRtransplant Wrote:  There's no doubt that many former CUSA members improved after they left CUSA for better conferences. Nobody around here denies that CUSA isn't what it used to be, but USM has certainly played a role in the decline of the conference. Perhaps CUSA would be a much stronger conference if USM was fielding as good a team today as it did back in the glory days of the conference.

Hard to do with a minuscule fraction of the money, and crap tv exposure to help win over recruits.

(09-19-2016 06:36 AM)monarx Wrote:  

(09-19-2016 04:49 AM)BRtransplant Wrote:  There's no doubt that many former CUSA members improved after they left CUSA for better conferences. Nobody around here denies that CUSA isn't what it used to be, but USM has certainly played a role in the decline of the conference. Perhaps CUSA would be a much stronger conference if USM was fielding as good a team today as it did back in the glory days of the conference.

Hard to do with a minuscule fraction of the money, and crap tv exposure to help win over recruits.

it's basically impossible now in the current scope of this game o' change...

I still have zero clue why anti-trust lawsuits haven't been filed at this point....but dammit Jim, I'm only a doctor

The rise of UCF?...To o-fer?

(09-18-2016 10:14 PM)Jayesseagle Wrote:  Louisville
TCU
USF
Cincy
UCF
Houston
Memphis

They all have left CUSA and they have all made splashes in College Football at one time or another. And I'm not just meaning a couple of winning seasons..I'm talking making national noise. I would say that Louisville and TCU have been the more consistent of the programs that have been on the rise since leaving CUSA! Even USF made it as high as #2 in the nation one year. Then you had Cincy having success for a of couple years ...then last year you had Houston and Memphis showing out...now this year, it's Louisville and Houston in the top 10. Smh..

Any of us in CUSA would be very stupid to bypass a chance to leave this conference if given the chance. That's not saying that I don't respect each of my CUSA brothers when I say this but it's very obvious that CUSA is holding all of us back. Another conference would boost more 1) money 2) attendance 3) Upgrades 4) National exposure....and all that would lead to...5) Better Recruiting! It's hard to beat the P5 teams or other G5 conferences when they have better caliber recruits to choose from. SEC caliber recruits are better than CUSA recruits....and as much as I hate to it but AAC caliber recruits are better than CUSA caliber recruits. Sure, each one of us might steal a recruit/or recruits from others every now and then but as a whole it's hard to compete with others for recruits because of our conference. If you don't understand what I'm talking about just look at those that use to wear the CUSA patch and now they are under a different logo...because of the resources given to them. I'm a Southern Miss alum and will always be a die-hard USM fan no matter what conference we are in...and we have always been able to do more with less than anyone out there...but no matter how much success we've had in the past, we just can't seem to ever get over that certain hill of making that so-called splash I was referring to.

If these schools would have stayed in CUSA..would any of them have done what they have done? Would Memphis have had the year they had last year ? Would USF had ever been ranked #2 ? Would TCU have had the same success ? Would CUSA had had 2 teams in the top 10 this year in Lousiville and Houston ? Maybe ? Maybe not ? I believe CUSA would be a stronger conference with those schools in it like it use to be but I don't think any of those teams would have had those types of successes.

I'm know I just beat a dead horse in the ground I guess, but im just venting I guess..ha!

If those schools had stayed in CUSA, then there wouldn't be an AAC and CUSA would be at the top of the G5 with a major separation from the MWC. The best thing that could have happened to USM was not to leave CUSA, but if the founding CUSA schools had stayed together.

Who was the AD that said, "We'll be fine."?

Ace...

(09-19-2016 10:52 AM)Ace Barker Wrote:  Who was the AD that said, "We'll be fine."?

Ace...

a dumbarse....

it's tough moving forward enjoying quicksand tactics...

(09-19-2016 07:32 AM)nastybunch Wrote:  The rise of UCF?...To o-fer?

you know...it's those south fla markets that matter.....

(09-19-2016 07:32 AM)nastybunch Wrote:  The rise of UCF?...To o-fer?

The irony of this comment coming from a USM fan. Does one incredibly bad season erase everything good about your program? UCF had a bad year, yes. But our trophy case has multiple CUSA and AAC championship trophies, Liberty Bowl and Fiesta Bowl trophies. Our attendance, athletic budget, and recruiting classes are regularly in the top 5 of G5 programs.

But all we bring is an 0-12 season and being located in Florida, right?

I'm not here to crap on anyone in CUSA. Just annoyed to see the false narrative about my alma mater. I respect Southern Miss, and I'm a quasi-UAB fan due to alumni in the family. If we lose some programs to the B12 I would be happy to reunite with some of our CUSA bros. Good luck going forward guys.

(09-19-2016 04:49 AM)BRtransplant Wrote:  There's no doubt that many former CUSA members improved after they left CUSA for better conferences. Nobody around here denies that CUSA isn't what it used to be, but USM has certainly played a role in the decline of the conference. Perhaps CUSA would be a much stronger conference if USM was fielding as good a team today as it did back in the glory days of the conference.

I couldn't agree with you more. In 2011 we were on top of our game..and even though losing Coach Fedora, we should have been able to keep the train going but our stupid administration hired "Paw Paw Buttermilk" Ellis Johnson and all crap broke loose and ended up 0-12 with a team that had talent. So, yes...my Southern Miss is guilty of not holding up their part in shaping CUSA also. But after those 3 years of rebuilding back from the Ellis Johnson Fiasco was very hard and Todd Monken did a tremendous job..but this version of CUSA is not as stable as the 1.0 or the 2.0 versions..and the recruiting the same caliber of players aren't there anymore! I don't mean to disrespect anyone in our league but the only games in conference play that I get up for are being a USM fan are against Marshall, La Tech, Western Kentucky, Middle Tennessee and Rice. The others aren't games that grab any attention to fans and I'm sure recruits. It's hard to get up when you play teams like Charlotte, North Texas, ODU, UTSA that don't have any history or tradition..and some have just started playing football. I'm not meaning to knock any of those programs but it's the truth. This is from a fan's perspective...what do you think a recruit says ? Having teams like Memphis, Houston, ECU, UCF, Louisville, TCU, Cincy, and even USF and Tulane in your conference is more attractive to fans and recruits. I'm saying this as a USM fan..but fans from Marshall, La Tech, and others feel the same way. In my opinion the best conference would be:

**North**
East Carolina
Marshall
Middle Tennessee
Rice
Cincinnati
Western Kentucky
SMU
Tulsa

**South**
UAB
Memphis
Southern Miss
Houston
Tulane
La Tech
UCF
USF

This would be a 16 team league and would arguably be the best compared to the current CUSA and AAC lineup. Better travel, more attraction, and stronger competition for recruiting.

You can't have a conference spanning the country and expect fans to care immediately. Fans in San Antonio care about as much about Norfolk as we do San Antonio or know anything about one another. Same thing as North Texas, etc. I think being new/startups is about 50% of it. The other half is having little in common or knowing anything about even the region the teams represent. It's tough to "get up". Other than we're all humans and we want our respective schools to beat each other.

Just takes time and nobody wants to wait the 10+ years to build the rivalries. Instant gratification in the world we live in now.

(09-19-2016 07:31 AM)stinkfist Wrote:  

(09-19-2016 06:36 AM)monarx Wrote:  

(09-19-2016 04:49 AM)BRtransplant Wrote:  There's no doubt that many former CUSA members improved after they left CUSA for better conferences. Nobody around here denies that CUSA isn't what it used to be, but USM has certainly played a role in the decline of the conference. Perhaps CUSA would be a much stronger conference if USM was fielding as good a team today as it did back in the glory days of the conference.

Hard to do with a minuscule fraction of the money, and crap tv exposure to help win over recruits.

it's basically impossible now in the current scope of this game o' change...

I still have zero clue why anti-trust lawsuits haven't been filed at this point....but dammit Jim, I'm only a doctor

BINGO.

(09-19-2016 12:28 PM)Jayesseagle Wrote:  

(09-19-2016 04:49 AM)BRtransplant Wrote:  There's no doubt that many former CUSA members improved after they left CUSA for better conferences. Nobody around here denies that CUSA isn't what it used to be, but USM has certainly played a role in the decline of the conference. Perhaps CUSA would be a much stronger conference if USM was fielding as good a team today as it did back in the glory days of the conference.

It's hard to get up when you play teams like Charlotte, North Texas, ODU, UTSA that don't have any history or tradition..and some have just started playing football. I'm not meaning to knock any of those programs but it's the truth.

One of these teams is not like the others in terms of history...

You could have just as easily picked FIU and your point would have been much more accurate. Never forget that it was a Southern Miss alum who put North Texas into their current abysmal predicament. You had Ellis Johnson running one program for one year. Our BOR allowed slick Rick from Hattiesburg to ru(i)n an entire department for 15...

(09-19-2016 02:10 PM)UNT15 Wrote:  

(09-19-2016 12:28 PM)Jayesseagle Wrote:  

(09-19-2016 04:49 AM)BRtransplant Wrote:  There's no doubt that many former CUSA members improved after they left CUSA for better conferences. Nobody around here denies that CUSA isn't what it used to be, but USM has certainly played a role in the decline of the conference. Perhaps CUSA would be a much stronger conference if USM was fielding as good a team today as it did back in the glory days of the conference.

It's hard to get up when you play teams like Charlotte, North Texas, ODU, UTSA that don't have any history or tradition..and some have just started playing football. I'm not meaning to knock any of those programs but it's the truth.

One of these teams is not like the others in terms of history...

You could have just as easily picked FIU and your point would have been much more accurate. Never forget that it was a Southern Miss alum who put North Texas into their current abysmal predicament. You had Ellis Johnson running one program for one year. Our BOR allowed slick Rick from Hattiesburg to ru(i)n an entire department for 15...

I'm sorry to hear that slick Rick ruined your program under his administration . Was that Southern Miss fault ?? No!! That's one individual! That would be kinda like us blaming..The Citadel..for the Ellis Johnson turmoil! It's no ones fault but our own administration at the time that hired the idiot..and Johnson, himself!

And I didn't mean to imply that UNT was not a worthy opponent...! The handful of us older CUSA members (USM, Marshall, UAB, Rice, and Utep) were left behind from a group that we are more familiar with and use to playing that created rivalries. For example: USM vs UNT will take years and years of playing to create the same rivalry that we had with Memphis or East Carolina. We had a long tradition of great games with everyone in CUSA..at one time..and most even before CUSA was even established. I understand what you are talking about but you have to realize...UNT moved up the ladder when you were invited in CUSA...but we (USM, Marshall, UAB, Rice, Utep) didn't! We belong with schools more similar to us. We have endured the pain, we have paid the price..but we got left behind. Until it happens to your UNT, you can't understand!

I thought Louisville and TCU made plenty of noise nationally when they were in C-USA. What do they have now that they didn't have then. Neither has a national championship.

C-USA 1.0 was badass. Must be you new Goobers who are dragging us down.

They all made huge financial commitments to their program.

(09-19-2016 05:12 PM)ATTALLABLAZE Wrote:  They all made huge financial commitments to their program.

This right here.

(09-19-2016 04:07 PM)Jayesseagle Wrote:  

(09-19-2016 02:10 PM)UNT15 Wrote:  

(09-19-2016 12:28 PM)Jayesseagle Wrote:  

(09-19-2016 04:49 AM)BRtransplant Wrote:  There's no doubt that many former CUSA members improved after they left CUSA for better conferences. Nobody around here denies that CUSA isn't what it used to be, but USM has certainly played a role in the decline of the conference. Perhaps CUSA would be a much stronger conference if USM was fielding as good a team today as it did back in the glory days of the conference.

It's hard to get up when you play teams like Charlotte, North Texas, ODU, UTSA that don't have any history or tradition..and some have just started playing football. I'm not meaning to knock any of those programs but it's the truth.

One of these teams is not like the others in terms of history...

You could have just as easily picked FIU and your point would have been much more accurate. Never forget that it was a Southern Miss alum who put North Texas into their current abysmal predicament. You had Ellis Johnson running one program for one year. Our BOR allowed slick Rick from Hattiesburg to ru(i)n an entire department for 15...

I'm sorry to hear that slick Rick ruined your program under his administration . Was that Southern Miss fault ?? No!! That's one individual! That would be kinda like us blaming..The Citadel..for the Ellis Johnson turmoil! It's no ones fault but our own administration at the time that hired the idiot..and Johnson, himself!

And I didn't mean to imply that UNT was not a worthy opponent...! The handful of us older CUSA members (USM, Marshall, UAB, Rice, and Utep) were left behind from a group that we are more familiar with and use to playing that created rivalries. For example: USM vs UNT will take years and years of playing to create the same rivalry that we had with Memphis or East Carolina. We had a long tradition of great games with everyone in CUSA..at one time..and most even before CUSA was even established. I understand what you are talking about but you have to realize...UNT moved up the ladder when you were invited in CUSA...but we (USM, Marshall, UAB, Rice, Utep) didn't! We belong with schools more similar to us. We have endured the pain, we have paid the price..but we got left behind. Until it happens to your UNT, you can't understand!

Man, some USM fans are sounding entitled today.