Houston’s Ambition Cut by What It Can’t Offer: A Spot in the Power 5

Greenrex · November 30, 2016

"Nine years ago, Renu Khator became president of the University of Houstonwith an ambitious plan to transform it from an undistinguished commuter school into a “nationally competitive university,” as she likes to put it.

In addition to hiring noted faculty members, undertaking major construction and doubling research spending, she also strove to have the kind of big-time football team that students, alumni and the city could rally around — one that could reinforce the sense that Houston was a university to be reckoned with.

Although Houston was then in Conference USA, one of the lesser college athletic leagues, the Cougars became a football powerhouse, going 13-1 in 2011. Still, that December, even before the team had played its bowl game, its coach, Kevin Sumlin, jumped ship, moving to Texas A&M, which was poised to join the powerful Southeastern Conference. His annual salary was $2 million. (It is now $5 million.)"

The article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/29/sports/ncaafootball/houston-power-5-conference-tom-herman-renu-khator.html?emc=edit_th_20161130&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=61843218

Harry · November 30, 2016

40 minutes ago, Greenrex said:

"Nine years ago, Renu Khator became president of the University of Houstonwith an ambitious plan to transform it from an undistinguished commuter school into a “nationally competitive university,” as she likes to put it.

In addition to hiring noted faculty members, undertaking major construction and doubling research spending, she also strove to have the kind of big-time football team that students, alumni and the city could rally around — one that could reinforce the sense that Houston was a university to be reckoned with.

Although Houston was then in Conference USA, one of the lesser college athletic leagues, the Cougars became a football powerhouse, going 13-1 in 2011. Still, that December, even before the team had played its bowl game, its coach, Kevin Sumlin, jumped ship, moving to Texas A&M, which was poised to join the powerful Southeastern Conference. His annual salary was $2 million. (It is now $5 million.)"

The article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/29/sports/ncaafootball/houston-power-5-conference-tom-herman-renu-khator.html?emc=edit_th_20161130&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=61843218

Outstanding article. Really points out the inequities of the system. Houston was totally deserving of Big 12 from their merits; however, the reality is that the conference members did not want to create a potential powerhouse that could take away recruits. This Houston hire will be very interesting.

PlummMeanGreen · November 30, 2016

The day will come when North Texas due to the lofty & upwardly bound aspirations of UNT Prez Smatresk as stated in the signature below will have to pony up for $1.5 to $2 million (minimum) for our present HFC & others to come to keep good coaches from jumping ship. That another reason we may one day have to study to see if a move to the more prestigious MWC would be in our best interest (and if they had an opening, too, would help). Apogee gate receipts would improve playing a Boise State, San Diego State, Air Force, etc versus an FAU, Charleston, WKU, etc

If You're Standing Still In Future NCAA Conference Re-Alignment Plans Then You're Actually Going Backwards;

Of course, such a move to the MWC would almost have to include most all CUSA West Division schools & I'd add what is & will only continue to be a burgeoning rivalry with La Tech. The tide would rise for all the aforementioned CUSA schools if this move were made which would (basically) create a new West Division (Central Time Zone) group of schools for the Mountain West Conference.

I would think the MWC having 2 new USA Top 10 TV markets in their league would be invaluable to them since it would enhance their standing among sports TV gurus.

It might also be within the realm of possibilities that some present bowls would switch their allegiance to this new Mountain West Conference, too.

Just look who Wren Baker would be scheduling for Apogee conference home games from the present MWC as compared to CUSA schools, especially from CUSA East of which most from that group were not even in NCAA Division 1 a generation ago?

Edited November 30, 2016 by PlummMeanGreen

Ben Gooding · November 30, 2016

Good article is up on ESPN about their BOR chairman (also one of their biggest donors) dissing the Big12 for the fluky Big12 expansion process and ripping UT for taking their coach.

http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/18168058/houston-board-regents-chairman-tilman-fertitta-was-critical-big-12-wake-texas-hiring-tom-herman

untjim1995 · November 30, 2016

UH never offered the Big XII anything it didn't already have--they already have that TV market. All it would do is make the recruiting road harder for everyone in the conference that recruits in Texas.

UH is the prettiest pony in a barnyard of farm animals--watching the thoroughbreds run freely on the ranch while they are standing out amongst the animals that are fenced in. We tired to tell CougarQueen this. He comes here to talk schit, but the reality is that UH's place in the upper rung of college football will be dependent on one of two things:

1.) The Power Conferences (Big XII will be gone soon enough) decide to allow two conferences of bigger named G5s to continue to play them and earn a big bowl bid every year like they do now. The AAC and MWC, today, probably constitute the only conferences that MIGHT be given that chance in the next 10 years to stay at this level.

2.) The Power Conferences allow a BYU clause--good enough to be a Power Team, but no conference will take them, so they can still get a chance to get into the playoff race, just because they are independent. UH and a few leftovers decide to go that route, just to say they can still play at the top of the college football landscape, even if it really isn't that true.

Otherwise--and this point is delicious to me--schools like UH and SMU, schools that believe they should be higher up the foodchain than they are or will ever be allowed to be, are in the same exact spot as the rest of us. Looking at the beautiful people thru a window that we cannot go inside. We have had to deal with this for decades because of the SWC mentality in this state. Rice has found that they are unwanted. UH and SMU still fight this mindset, even though nobody in the power conferences want them, and the other SWC privates in Baylor and TCU will find themselves very soon having to swim in the same pool that their G5 SWC buddies are already forced to float around in, which also included ourselves and UTEP, the two Texas schools that were treated like stepchildren forever by the SWC schools.

The schadenfreude gives me a smile everytime I think about it. Screw Cougar High and Pony Boarding School...

UNTLifer · November 30, 2016

Cougar Queen sure is quiet.

Ryan Munthe · November 30, 2016

2 hours ago, Ben Gooding said:

Good article is up on ESPN about their BOR chairman (also one of their biggest donors) dissing the Big12 for the fluky Big12 expansion process and ripping UT for taking their coach.

http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/18168058/houston-board-regents-chairman-tilman-fertitta-was-critical-big-12-wake-texas-hiring-tom-herman

I wish we had a scumbag mafia kingpin like Fertita as a donor, I really do. Poor dudes been told no in his life and has a hissy fit when the reality of G5 life sets in.

TIgreen01 · November 30, 2016

3 hours ago, Greenrex said:

"Nine years ago, Renu Khator became president of the University of Houstonwith an ambitious plan to transform it from an undistinguished commuter school into a “nationally competitive university,” as she likes to put it.

I'm no UH fan, but what a giant load of overstated crap....if that's what she's actually saying.