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TCU’s exit from C-USA could open door for North Texas

09:56 AM CST on Sunday, February 1, 2004

By Brett Vito / Staff Writer


North Texas could be playing its conference games a little closer to home in the coming years.

TCU, which ranked as one of Conf-erence USA’s elite football programs over the past few years, announced Friday that it is leaving the league to join the Mountain West Conference.


UNT is reportedly on the short list of schools C-USA is considering adding to the league. Western Athletics Conference members UTEP and Louisiana Tech, along with Temple are also rumored to be on the short list of teams under consideration. Temple fields teams that complete in both the Atlantic 10 and Big East conferences.

Conference USA has already added three schools from either Texas or Oklahoma in the last few weeks and could snap up UNT to create an even stronger presence in the Southwest.

Houston is already a member of C-USA, while SMU, Rice and Tulsa will join the league for the 2005-06 season.

C-USA commissioner Britton Ban-owsky said the league would consider replacing TCU in the coming days.

"We will start a process in about two weeks to discuss whether to add a member and what kind of process that will be," Banowsky said. "We are not in a hurry. We will take our time and move forward."

UNT athletic director Rick Villarreal said he has not had any formal talks with C-USA officials about joining the league. UNT is currently a member of the Sun Belt Conference.

C-USA is slated to have 11 universities with football programs for the 2005-06 season after a series of schools switch leagues. The conference could decide to keep an 11-team alignment or invite additional schools.

While adding UNT, UTEP or Louisiana Tech would give C-USA a stronger presence in the Southwest, it would leave a dwindling contingent of teams in the East.

Cincinnati, South Florida and Louisville, three teams based in the Eastern part of the country, are all leaving the league for the Big East.

The conference is also moving its offices from Chicago to Dallas.

C-USA could decide to invite Temple to strengthen its presence in the East, where current members Memphis, East Carolina , Southern Mississippi and new additions Marshall and Central Florida are located.

Marshall and Central Florida will join the league for the 2005-06 season.

UNT officials have long expressed a desire to move into a regionally based league. UNT is the only Texas team in the Sun Belt Conference. New Mexico State, one of UNT’s closest rivals, recently announced it was leaving the Sun Belt for the WAC in 2005-06.

"There is no doubt that a regional look would be good for us," Villarreal said. "When you have fans of two teams in the same conference meeting around the water cooler, that increases the interest in the game."

UNT has caught a glimpse of what playing in a regional league with other Texas schools might do for the school the last two years.

UNT drew a Fouts Field record 29,437 fans for its 52-14 win over Baylor last season.

A total of 22,837 fans, the second-largest crowd at Fouts Field for a UNT game, saw the Mean Green fall to TCU 19-5 in 2001.

UNT’s rapidly improving football program could make inviting the school an attractive proposition for Conference USA. The Mean Green has won the Sun Belt Conference title and advanced to the New Orleans Bowl in each of the last three seasons.

UNT gave Conference USA member Memphis a scare before the Tigers pulled away for a 27-17 win in the 2003 New Orleans Bowl.

UNT is in the process of building a new athletic center and also recently added a scoreboard with a video replay screen that improved the atmosphere at Fouts Field.

"There is no doubt that we have a lot to offer," Villarreal said. "We have a great academic institution. What athletics has done is opened the window to show people what a great academic program we have."

Dickey recently bid farewell to a standout group of seniors who led UNT back from the depths of an 0-5 start in 2001 to win three straight Sun Belt titles. Every member of the class had either graduated or is on track to graduate.

While UNT has several strengths, it also has a few drawbacks that could hurt its chances of being invited to Conference USA. UNT lacks a baseball program and is still in the process of rebuilding its men’s basketball program under coach Johnny Jones.

UNT athletic department officials said the school is considering adding a baseball program in the future.

UNT will find out in the next few weeks if the improvements the school has made in its athletic program will be enough to convince Conference USA to extend an invitation to join its ranks.

"What we have to do is continue to strengthen our program," Villarreal said. "I hope we have built our athletic department to the point where our name will come up, not because we want to leave the Sun Belt, but because we have a strong program."

BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870.


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Online at: http://www.dentonrc.com/s/dws/drc/sports/stories/DRC_Conference_slot.71f1d59e.html

Reports last year when the TCU to MWC first happened were that LaTech was already sitting ready to accept the CUSA bid if TCU left.

Also, I think I'd rather have Temple in the East, and move USM to the West than UNT.

Finally, 14-team CUSA with more regional stability for the EAST by adding the better MAC teams seems like a good option.

Frankly, I'd rather play North Texas than La. Tech.

Adding the "Mean Green" would further reduce C-USA's stature among commentators. It's been knocked down a tremendous number of notches with all the departures...adding UNT would just kick C-USA further down. No offense, really, but I think a lot of people have the perception that UNT (and the Sunbelt in general) is barely Division I. UNT is also practically a commuter school. SAT question: Name the university that doesn't fit: Tulane, SMU, Rice, UNT...(I can't wait for the comments to come from this one, but someone had to say it.) :whistling:

I say grab LA Tech while the grabbin's good...they've got a great program, it will definitely make the whole shake up and transition easier for Tulane to swallow and it fits nicely in the regional conference picture. And I can honestly say that I, for one, would rather travel to Ruston than Denton any day...

I still prefer La Tech, but for regional balance it would be better to add a team to the Eastern Divsion of C-USA.

I still like the idea of having an affilliation with Army and Navy, where they each would play four FB games. Media attention, attendance, tradition, etc. speak well of them and would be a great compliment to the new CUSA.

Not sure the probabilites of this occuring, but with TCUs decision, we can now focus on the future, e.g. a dramatic recovery for us and a strenghtening of what will be a strong, perhaps robust, non-BCS conference.

Originally posted by echothat1:
Adding the "Mean Green" would further reduce C-USA's stature among commentators. It's been knocked down a tremendous number of notches with all the departures...adding UNT would just kick C-USA further down. No offense, really, but I think a lot of people have the perception that UNT (and the Sunbelt in general) is barely Division I. UNT is also practically a commuter school. SAT question: Name the university that doesn't fit: Tulane, SMU, Rice, UNT...(I can't wait for the comments to come from this one, but someone had to say it.) :whistling:

I say grab LA Tech while the grabbin's good...they've got a great program, it will definitely make the whole shake up and transition easier for Tulane to swallow and it fits nicely in the regional conference picture. And I can honestly say that I, for one, would rather travel to Ruston than Denton any day...

LONG AND DRAWN OUT & PROBABLY NOT GOING TO CHANGE YOUR MIND BUT.......

First question: Are you really an SMU alum/fan or or you part of La Tech's hide behind a moniker hit squad that has infiltrated these message boards?

Second Question: If you are an SMU alum, what is it that causes you to insinuate that La Tech is great? Which bowl game were they in last December? How many bowl games for La Tech the last 5 years? (How about 1)... Since you suggest La Tech is a premium program, how many SMU fans traveled to Ruston to watch such a high profile Bulldog football program last Fall? I understand, it is a few hours away to Ruston.

In your post where you talk about private schools and suggest UNT doesn't fit--I wholeheartedly agree. Why? Because we are a public university (just like La Tech, Memphis, East Carolina, Southern Miss, etc, etc, etc). If you guys are still wanting a "quasi" Ivy League existence, then you are going in the wrong direction with a CUSA membership. Put all the other CUSA public schools in place of UNT in your "who doesn't fit" and don't you just about get the same results?

Come on "some" of you SMU'ers, quit trying to kid yourselves as you compare La Tech to UNT. Some of you who are enlightend and not living in the past know in your heart of hearts who can bring it to the table and you also know which school can't bring half as much. <>*<> If La Tech, Memphis, Southern Miss or an East Carolina were located about 40 miles north of Mockingbird Lane, University Park, Texas, wouldn't some SMU'ers feel about the same toward those public schools as you do UNT? Yet they are OK as future fellow CUSA members and UNT is not?

I guess the reason for some of you (who have yet to ever visit your fellow WAC East member's campus in Ruston, LA, or UNT's main campus in Denton the last decade or so for that matter); anyway, is one reason some of you tout La Tech over UNT is because maybe in the longterm they would give the Mustangs much less competition? All this is quite easy to see through to be honest about it

Seems I recall reading that it was yalls real good friends in the western part of the Metroplex who thought it would be the new WAC East/CUSA members who were going to bring CUSA's power rating down.

Also, don't tell what will arguably be the best recruiting class in UNT football history (including the Hayden Fry era) which we anticipate signing this Wednesday that UNT cannot bring it because those recruits are going to sign up with a Mean Green football program that has brought it to 3 bowl trips in as many years and have been nationally televised 5X's in the last 3 years. Of course, from some quarters on the Hilltop, those may very well be the same reasons they tout La Tech.

AND...NTSU the old commuter school, eh? The University of North Texas could have 99% of our students living on/near campus (instead of the close to 20K who do) and a few of the hardy handful traditionalists from SMU would still call us a commuter school--hellsbells, go ahead since that is sorta' what your great-grandfather's called us now wasn't it?

Seriously, a few of you from SMU simply should don your hard hats, drive up I35-E or I35W to the UNT of 2004 and then come back and post your thoughts. Suggested first stop on campus? Go by and visit one of your own fellow SMU alums, that is, UNT Chancellor Lee Jackson. I'd bet if given advance notice he would more than gladly give you a personally guided unbiased tour of North Texas and let him be the one who answers your concerns about the Denton school.

BUT...if you want to keep believing some of what a handful on this board post about UNT, I'd suggest you not visit the campus at all.

Peace.....

<small>[ 02-02-2004, 09:29 AM: Message edited by: MeanGreenGem ]</small>

I'd still favor any of the following if they would come: Temple, Miami of Ohio, Toledo and Bowling Green, as my first choices. UTEP solid second choice. La. Tech third choice. I think UTEP or La. Tech would come in a heartbeat so unfortunately, UNT won't get consideration this time, thanks for playing.

MeanGreenGem,

Sorry you take offense...I don't mean to be, well, mean...but I'm just being honest and stating my opinion. I oppose UNT's joining C-USA just as I would oppose UT-Arlington attempting to join C-USA.

And, unfortunately, I have had to travel to Denton recently...and as I previously mentioned, I would prefer to go to Ruston than Denton.

Hey, If I'm running CUSA, looking at the potential TV viewership is going to be. That is really counts as you expand(MWC please look at the potential TV markets compared to CUSA). UNT is a solid athletic program (we need to look at the past 5-6 years which is all that matters), although it doesn't deliver DFW any better than TCU/SMU does at present. LA Tech brings alot to the party as well - northern LA, small but less competitive TV market. The ability to reach into the eastern markets help even more - Miami, OH is the #2 school in Ohio in terms of attractiveness. They also bring a solid BB program together with the superior FB (Cradle of Coaches). What ever happens should happen quickly as to secure the solid future of the conference.

Before we get twisted about who we like or not when adding to CUSA, I have a couple of questions:

1) What is the preferred number of members and why?
2) What regional mix makes sense, since we have been promoting Regionally rivalries as a benefit from a competition and economic POV.
3) What criteria should CUSA (not us) use in considering candidates?
4) Beyond FB, what other considerations should we have about BB and non-revenue sports?
5) Do Navy and Army have a role?
6) Beyond the obvious of getting SMU back on track as a stronger contributor and performer every year; what should be the goals and objectives of CUSA?

:hmm:

Go!, U!, SMU!

Does anyone really think Miami would join CUSA? Please let me know why they would. Is Cusa a step up from the MAC? I don't think so. They have their traditional rivals in place and no one in CUSA is a rival. I think it is totally out of the question.
CUSA will be choosing between Temple, La Tech, UTEP and UNT. None bring anymore to the table than SMU right now and none bring a lot less. We have improved travel and time slots. Nothing else.

As much fun as it seems to be for some to discuss the merits of who might be added to the C-USA mix, the reality is that those making the decisions have not asked for our opinions...not that they shouldn't...but all the same it is not just our opinion that matters, but that of the existing conference members as well. What is most important is that all of us joining the conference should do everything in our power to make C-USA as strong a conference as we can. We have as much work to do as any, if not more, to upgrade our "revenue" teams to the desired level.

I implore all of you to get behind our teams and contribute as much financially as you can to help us recruit the quality of student athletes we need and to provide them the quality of facilities and coaches necessary to produce winning programs. For a starter, join the Mustang Club at the highest level you can afford. Don't wait for a turnaround before doing so, because without the finacial support, there isn't going to be a turnaround. If you're not happy about some aspect of the program, by all means, let your voice be heard, but don't cut your financial support as that is counterproductive. BTW, the Mustang Club has developed a new system in which you can donate extra amounts of money to a specific program you wish to support...so please look into becoming a member and then become one.

Originally posted by echothat1:
MeanGreenGem,

Sorry you take offense...I don't mean to be, well, mean...but I'm just being honest and stating my opinion. I oppose UNT's joining C-USA just as I would oppose UT-Arlington attempting to join C-USA.

And, unfortunately, I have had to travel to Denton recently...and as I previously mentioned, I would prefer to go to Ruston than Denton.

Really and truly, no personal offense taken, but I would like to know specific reasons (if you will) of why you think a school in Ruston, LA, brings to CUSA a school that will help make up for the shortfall of losing such markets as Louisville, Orlando, Cincinatti and the western part of the Metroplex?

UNT is not as desperate to do anything in any conference move this go around as La Tech. The Ruston school stands to lose much if they remain the lone WAC East school, so I can understand their intensity and tenseness in all these discussions. UNT has no desire to be in the WAC--been there--done that with our former association in the Big West.

On the other hand, how could anyone suggest that a school that the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in Austin says will have 43,000 students within a decade has nothing to bring to the CUSA table compared to La Tech. I think Zig Ziglar would call that school of thought a bit of stinkin' thinkin'. I have another name for it but not as nice. I think I also know what the TV moguls and ratings people would say about such a decision, too.

I think what most SMU'ers need to realize is that any public university presently in CUSA is not going to have the same mission or clientele as you all on the Hilltop. It's apples and oranges with private and public schools at every level and it always will be.

Honestly, I feel more than confident of what the CUSA selection committee of CUSA presidents will see compared to other prospecitve CUSA schools when I'm sure they will make a visit to the University of North Texas.

In fact, I think most of that elite CUSA new member's selection committee will come away pleasantly surprised and who knows, maybe even shocked with the synergy they will witness at the Denton campus. And it will be such a visit that will undoubtedly go a long ways in deciding who they choose to replace TCU.

If they were to choose La Tech and my school was a member of CUSA, I'd be a bit anxious on how league officials would explain to TV network execs just how such a choice would replace the numbers of TV sets (viewers) they just lost with the 4 schools who just left for the MWC and the Big East. In fact, CUSA may well want to get ready for another school to vault if the league cannot come up with a viable longterm TV contract.

<small>[ 02-02-2004, 12:01 PM: Message edited by: MeanGreenGem ]</small>

MeanGreenGem,
Well said!