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UNT Should Push Sun Belt for State Rivals
Posted by
Harry
,
in
Louisiana Tech,
Louisiana Monroe,
Lane Rawlins,
Uncategorized
05 July 2011
·
459 views
UT-San Antonio North Texas UNT Sun Belt Conference Karl Benson Texas State
In 2000, when then UNT President Norval Pohl explained the decision to join the Sun Belt conference for all sports - effective for 2001 - it was considered at minimum a geographical improvement over their current membership in the Big West conference. The Big West was a travel nightmare which had two teams from Idaho; a handful of teams in California and one a piece in New Mexico and Nevada. The Sun Belt offered a better time zone for travel and less mileage which effectively meant lower travel costs. But more importantly, Pohl saw the Sun Belt as a conference in which UNT could excel and perhaps even dominate both academically and athletically.
Initially – at least in football, he was right. UNT went on an impressive four year championship run (2001-2004) in football which led to four nationally televised bowl games and a lot of fun for UNT alumni and fans who traveled to New Orleans to cheer on the Mean Green. The Sun Belt had breathed life back into a long dormant Mean Green program and the future looked bright.
In the six years since that successful run – football suffered immensely with a combined 10-49 record which ultimately led to the firing of two coaching staffs. What initially was thought to be a conference to build a program in had become a conference that North Texas football was struggling to compete in.
So as UNT ushers in a brand new 80 million dollar state of the art football stadium and brand new coaching staff led by Dan McCarney, let’s take a look at the conference landscape and the potential conference moves that could benefit UNT.
The biggest problem that the Sun Belt presents UNT is not the mileage or geography in encompasses but rather the lack of regional rivals and the impact on attendance. Texas has A&M, Oklahoma has Okie State and even SMU has a non-conference grudge match against TCU to look forward to every year. When UNT joined the Sun Belt in 2001, commissioner Wright Waters explained that those rivalries would develop over time. I’m sorry but I just don’t see that happening.
Part of this is UNT’s fault; over the years there have been very few if any significant rivalries developed but being in the Sun Belt certainly hasn’t helped. If you’ve been to the games in Denton you know what I mean. Very few fans from the Sun Belt travel to Denton and very few UNT fans travel to Sun Belt destinations.
Many fans have questioned whether or not the Sun Belt is the best conference for North Texas and the growth of its football program. I will state right now, The Sun Belt has in many ways been good for North Texas and this article is not meant to slam the Sun Belt. The issue at hand is the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) - which now looks hauntingly familiar to the Big West in terms of travel and time zones - just added two Texas teams which would make good travel partners and rivals for North Texas. This changes the landscape of the Sun Belt for North Texas in particular.
Texas State – San Marcos (formerly Southwest Texas State) and UT- San Antonio are both recent additions to the WAC that will start competition in 2012. Texas State had been participating in the Southland conference part of the football championship subdivision (FCS) which is considered a step below the FBS or Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) in which the Sun Belt participates. UT-San Antonio is playing football for the first time ever starting in 2011. It is of interest to note that Texas State is North Texas’ longest standing rival if you measure it in total games played in their respective history.
Critics have stated that Texas State and UT-San Antonio lack the resources and infrastructure to support a successful FBS program. There is no doubt that their programs were kick started due to a need that WAC defections presented. The WAC who had lost Boise State, Hawaii, Fresno State and Nevada was scrambling for teams to secure their status as a FBS conference.
Why would the Sun Belt not take advantage of this situation with the WAC and pickup either UT-San Antonio or Texas State effectively killing the WAC?
Part of the problem is Louisiana Monroe (ULM). ULM was added when the Sun Belt was in a pinch to get to 7 football teams. Now they have become a burden, as they have limited resources and are struggling academically. My guess is the Sun Belt is probably hoping in the back of their mind that ULM will come to their senses and move down to a lower conference that is a better fit for their financial situation. ULM, who is by their own admission struggling keeps holding on as their Sun Belt membership is a bright spot in an otherwise dreary situation.
Louisiana Tech is a solid program would make a great addition to the Sun Belt. Tech is in a waiting period, having tasted the sweet nectar of participating with teams like TCU, Houston, SMU, Rice and Tulane in the WAC and hoping that the Conference USA bid which would reunite them will someday happen. It won’t. Even though they know that the Sun Belt is a much better option than the currently sinking WAC, they refuse to consider it due to the fact it would align them with much maligned ULM. So until the Sun Belt puts ULM out of their misery or ULM commits hari-kari you can bet that La. Tech will keep putting a positive spin on their WAC membership.
My guess is that the Sun Belt officials are in no hurry to move, hoping that nature will take its course. There have been lots of moans and groans from the west coast, in particular San Jose who is not happy about two more long trips to Texas starting in 2012. Utah State having been left at the Mountain West altar is also pondering options. The Sun Belt wants either a WAC defection or ULM to step down. This would open the door with La. Tech and immediately put both Texas State and UT-San Antonio in play. It would also keep their hands clean with the NC AA who does not need a conference death taking place on their watch.
The problem is taking time may benefit the Sun Belt and keep blood off their hands but it doesn’t benefit North Texas. Why? Texas State and UT-San Antonio present two immediate rivalries for North Texas. They will immediately bring more fans to the new stadium in Denton than any other Sun Belt school ever will. It will open up excellent recruiting channels and media coverage in both Austin and San Antonio. It will also offer our fans two great road trips, as both San Marcos (tubing down the river and outlet mall) and San Antonio (can you say Riverwalk?).
The detractors say UT-San Antonio hasn’t played a down of football. True but they hired a good coach and at the end of the day, they are in San Antonio which is a great market desperate for a football team they can call their own. Texas State has hired a top notch coach in Dennis Franchione and I personally think it is one of the nicer campuses in Texas. Both have sizable enrollments to help support their infrastructure. Some want to protect our so called “recruiting advantage” over these two schools. Is it possible that we lose a few players sure but sometimes we think everyone out there is as knowledgeable us fans are about conferences. Frankly, Texas State is currently using their future WAC label to their advantage, even though they know it is instable in its current form it is a brand that still carries clout with the uninformed fan or alum.
Here’s my take: why wait? All it will take is one, either pick up the phone and call Texas State or UT-San Antonio and offer them participation in the Sun Belt. I promise you either one would take it in a heartbeat given the current volatility in the WAC. This would force Tech’s hand and you could even promise them that you will put ULM on a “performance plan”… In one move you are strengthening the Sun Belt with key markets and opening up the opportunity to create a 12-team league that would be eligible for a conference championship game.
The media coverage alone would be significant. Texas State has a ton of alums throughout Texas as does UT-San Antonio. State rivalries could develop and help increase attention and awareness.
And even if you are convinced that adding Texas State and UT-San Antonio would be bad for the Mean Green, look at it this way. Shouldn’t the Sun Belt take a page from Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson and move on the offensive? Why should the Sun Belt sit and allow the WAC to survive the death blow that Thompson dealt them? La. Tech is already putting a positive spin on the additions of Texas State and UT-San Antonio. Why is the Sun Belt allowing them this luxury when Karl Benson of the WAC has openly tried to dismantle their conference by trying to lure away UNT and others?
And what if the powers that be in the Sun Belt refuse to take action on this matter? Well Karl Benson’s phone number is definitely on UNT AD Rick Villarreal’s caller id no? In my opinion, UNT being the sole Sun Belt representative in Texas gives them a lot of cards at this poker table.
Initially – at least in football, he was right. UNT went on an impressive four year championship run (2001-2004) in football which led to four nationally televised bowl games and a lot of fun for UNT alumni and fans who traveled to New Orleans to cheer on the Mean Green. The Sun Belt had breathed life back into a long dormant Mean Green program and the future looked bright.
In the six years since that successful run – football suffered immensely with a combined 10-49 record which ultimately led to the firing of two coaching staffs. What initially was thought to be a conference to build a program in had become a conference that North Texas football was struggling to compete in.
So as UNT ushers in a brand new 80 million dollar state of the art football stadium and brand new coaching staff led by Dan McCarney, let’s take a look at the conference landscape and the potential conference moves that could benefit UNT.
The biggest problem that the Sun Belt presents UNT is not the mileage or geography in encompasses but rather the lack of regional rivals and the impact on attendance. Texas has A&M, Oklahoma has Okie State and even SMU has a non-conference grudge match against TCU to look forward to every year. When UNT joined the Sun Belt in 2001, commissioner Wright Waters explained that those rivalries would develop over time. I’m sorry but I just don’t see that happening.
Part of this is UNT’s fault; over the years there have been very few if any significant rivalries developed but being in the Sun Belt certainly hasn’t helped. If you’ve been to the games in Denton you know what I mean. Very few fans from the Sun Belt travel to Denton and very few UNT fans travel to Sun Belt destinations.
Many fans have questioned whether or not the Sun Belt is the best conference for North Texas and the growth of its football program. I will state right now, The Sun Belt has in many ways been good for North Texas and this article is not meant to slam the Sun Belt. The issue at hand is the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) - which now looks hauntingly familiar to the Big West in terms of travel and time zones - just added two Texas teams which would make good travel partners and rivals for North Texas. This changes the landscape of the Sun Belt for North Texas in particular.
Texas State – San Marcos (formerly Southwest Texas State) and UT- San Antonio are both recent additions to the WAC that will start competition in 2012. Texas State had been participating in the Southland conference part of the football championship subdivision (FCS) which is considered a step below the FBS or Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) in which the Sun Belt participates. UT-San Antonio is playing football for the first time ever starting in 2011. It is of interest to note that Texas State is North Texas’ longest standing rival if you measure it in total games played in their respective history.
Critics have stated that Texas State and UT-San Antonio lack the resources and infrastructure to support a successful FBS program. There is no doubt that their programs were kick started due to a need that WAC defections presented. The WAC who had lost Boise State, Hawaii, Fresno State and Nevada was scrambling for teams to secure their status as a FBS conference.
Why would the Sun Belt not take advantage of this situation with the WAC and pickup either UT-San Antonio or Texas State effectively killing the WAC?
Part of the problem is Louisiana Monroe (ULM). ULM was added when the Sun Belt was in a pinch to get to 7 football teams. Now they have become a burden, as they have limited resources and are struggling academically. My guess is the Sun Belt is probably hoping in the back of their mind that ULM will come to their senses and move down to a lower conference that is a better fit for their financial situation. ULM, who is by their own admission struggling keeps holding on as their Sun Belt membership is a bright spot in an otherwise dreary situation.
Louisiana Tech is a solid program would make a great addition to the Sun Belt. Tech is in a waiting period, having tasted the sweet nectar of participating with teams like TCU, Houston, SMU, Rice and Tulane in the WAC and hoping that the Conference USA bid which would reunite them will someday happen. It won’t. Even though they know that the Sun Belt is a much better option than the currently sinking WAC, they refuse to consider it due to the fact it would align them with much maligned ULM. So until the Sun Belt puts ULM out of their misery or ULM commits hari-kari you can bet that La. Tech will keep putting a positive spin on their WAC membership.
My guess is that the Sun Belt officials are in no hurry to move, hoping that nature will take its course. There have been lots of moans and groans from the west coast, in particular San Jose who is not happy about two more long trips to Texas starting in 2012. Utah State having been left at the Mountain West altar is also pondering options. The Sun Belt wants either a WAC defection or ULM to step down. This would open the door with La. Tech and immediately put both Texas State and UT-San Antonio in play. It would also keep their hands clean with the NC AA who does not need a conference death taking place on their watch.
The problem is taking time may benefit the Sun Belt and keep blood off their hands but it doesn’t benefit North Texas. Why? Texas State and UT-San Antonio present two immediate rivalries for North Texas. They will immediately bring more fans to the new stadium in Denton than any other Sun Belt school ever will. It will open up excellent recruiting channels and media coverage in both Austin and San Antonio. It will also offer our fans two great road trips, as both San Marcos (tubing down the river and outlet mall) and San Antonio (can you say Riverwalk?).
The detractors say UT-San Antonio hasn’t played a down of football. True but they hired a good coach and at the end of the day, they are in San Antonio which is a great market desperate for a football team they can call their own. Texas State has hired a top notch coach in Dennis Franchione and I personally think it is one of the nicer campuses in Texas. Both have sizable enrollments to help support their infrastructure. Some want to protect our so called “recruiting advantage” over these two schools. Is it possible that we lose a few players sure but sometimes we think everyone out there is as knowledgeable us fans are about conferences. Frankly, Texas State is currently using their future WAC label to their advantage, even though they know it is instable in its current form it is a brand that still carries clout with the uninformed fan or alum.
Here’s my take: why wait? All it will take is one, either pick up the phone and call Texas State or UT-San Antonio and offer them participation in the Sun Belt. I promise you either one would take it in a heartbeat given the current volatility in the WAC. This would force Tech’s hand and you could even promise them that you will put ULM on a “performance plan”… In one move you are strengthening the Sun Belt with key markets and opening up the opportunity to create a 12-team league that would be eligible for a conference championship game.
The media coverage alone would be significant. Texas State has a ton of alums throughout Texas as does UT-San Antonio. State rivalries could develop and help increase attention and awareness.
And even if you are convinced that adding Texas State and UT-San Antonio would be bad for the Mean Green, look at it this way. Shouldn’t the Sun Belt take a page from Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson and move on the offensive? Why should the Sun Belt sit and allow the WAC to survive the death blow that Thompson dealt them? La. Tech is already putting a positive spin on the additions of Texas State and UT-San Antonio. Why is the Sun Belt allowing them this luxury when Karl Benson of the WAC has openly tried to dismantle their conference by trying to lure away UNT and others?
And what if the powers that be in the Sun Belt refuse to take action on this matter? Well Karl Benson’s phone number is definitely on UNT AD Rick Villarreal’s caller id no? In my opinion, UNT being the sole Sun Belt representative in Texas gives them a lot of cards at this poker table.
