2017 American Media Day

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

Ponies picked 5th in the West...

http://theamerican.org/news/2017/7/14/FB_0714173435.aspx

PRESEASON FOOTBALL MEDIA POLL
American Championship
Team Points
USF 26
Houston 2
Memphis 1
Navy 1

East Division
Team Points
1. USF (30) 180
2. UCF 126
3. Temple 119
4. Cincinnati 100
5. East Carolina 63
6. UConn 42

West Division
Team Points
1. Memphis (22) 169
2. Houston (6) 137
3. Navy (1) 128
4. Tulsa (1) 102
5. SMU 64
6. Tulane 30

[ALEX LIFESON]

If we finish FIFTH in our Division...I'm going back to sniffing glue.

[One Trick Pony]

If we finish FIFTH in our Division...I'm going back to sniffing glue.

I can recommend Elmer's wood glue if necessary.

[PonySnob]

How many of June Jones players are still on the team?

[mrydel]

If we finish FIFTH in our Division...I'm going back to sniffing glue.

Are you saying you think Tulane will finish ahead of us?

[Digetydog]

How many of June Jones players are still on the team?

About 15.

Including Sutton, Brown, Lawler, Gentry.

http://www.smumustangs.com/roster.aspx?path=football

[shadowman]

I think we have a decent chance to go to a low tier bowl due to our OOC schedule and some weak cross over opponents within the AAC.

Having said that, however, there is really no legitimate argument for us being picked higher than 5th in the division. On paper, Memphis, Houston, Tulsa, and Navy should all be better than we are. That is not to say one or more of those teams could tumble, or we could overachieve but 5th is where we should be picked in any preseason poll.

But, hey, that is why they play the games. Up to us to prove it wrong.

[skyscraper]

I don't have an issue with this. It seems pretty accurate, considering the other West teams. You could maybe quibble with us and Tulsa changing spots -- but that's it.

[JoeKidd]

Start in 5th and end up as number 3 after overachieving and I'll be happy in year 3 of the rebuild. End up as number 4 behind everyone except Tulsa and Tulane and it will be an ok season and probably means we're bowl eligible at 6-6.

[ojaipony]

We really need to get to the point where we beat Tulsa regularly (and, of course, Navy and Memphis also . . . how the eff Memphis got so much better than us so quickly is beyond me - we used to beat them regularly, even when we weren't that good. This needs to change very very soon). Houston is a rivalry game so I'm assuming that one will always be a toss up.

[ALEX LIFESON]

We really need to get to the point where we beat Tulsa regularly (and, of course, Navy and Memphis also . . . how the eff Memphis got so much better than us so quickly is beyond me - we used to beat them regularly, even when we weren't that good. This needs to change very very soon). Houston is a rivalry game so I'm assuming that one will always be a toss up.

I went there in 2011 when we beat them in Memphis 42-0 , we didn't even play that well.

[PonySnob]

We really need to get to the point where we beat Tulsa regularly (and, of course, Navy and Memphis also . . . how the eff Memphis got so much better than us so quickly is beyond me - we used to beat them regularly, even when we weren't that good. This needs to change very very soon). Houston is a rivalry game so I'm assuming that one will always be a toss up.

[leopold]

We could end up fifth in our division and still go 7-5.
Wins:
SFA
UNT
Arky State
UConn
Tulane
Cincy
UCF

Very plausible. And a legitimate step in the right direction.

[sbsmith]

how the eff Memphis got so much better than us so quickly is beyond me

They got a three year head start on rebuilding.

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

Commissioner Aresco's opening remarks from today. Very TL but a good read.

http://www.theamerican.org/news/2017/7/18/FB_0718170638.aspx

This is a critical period for The American Athletic Conference, and we approach it with optimism and confidence. The conference is clearly on the cusp of great things, having already accomplished so much in our relatively brief history. We have issued a strategic plan that will guide our efforts to be and remain a Power6 conference, that will provide us with benchmarks to measure our progress, that sets forth our priorities and emphasizes student-athlete health and well-being, and providing them with educational and athletic opportunities at the highest levels. We recently added Wichita State University as a basketball and Olympic sports member, and we welcome them. They are a great addition and add stature to our league.

When this conference was formed in 2013, we were not sure what we had, what our impact on the national collegiate scene would be, but we were confident, determined and hopeful, and, despite the headwinds we faced and the naysayers, we had good reason to be optimistic. We have schools that desired to compete at the highest levels, that have flourished in a strong, competitive, dynamic conference that receives terrific media exposure. Our schools have met with success and have built a Power6 brand. I had no doubt they would – in football, in men’s and women’s basketball, in Olympic sports. Neither did our Presidents and Athletic Directors have any doubt despite the obstacles. We were not about to settle for anything less than excellence. Vince Lombardi once said that if you do not settle for anything less than the best, you will be amazed at what you can do, amazed at how much you can rise.

We also have a pedigree, we have six schools that were BCS or old Southwest Conference schools - and joining these schools with others that were yearning to compete at the highest level has created a powerful dynamic. This competitive dynamic has resulted in great success – two major New Year’s bowl wins, 19 P6/Notre Dame wins in football over the past two years, wins over Penn State, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, Florida State, Louisville twice, Pitt twice, Syracuse, VA Tech, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Purdue, the list goes on. 32 games with television viewership of 1M or more viewers in the past two years, and our football championship game on ABC the past two years. Not to mention a men’s basketball championship in 2014, three women’s basketball championships, including the remarkable UConn 111-win streak, and individual Olympic sports champions. A Power6 resume indeed!