atl86bull

Dear Mr Boren (Prez of OU), Please read - The complete 42-page plan will be made available to the media following Harlan’s presentation. Yes - we would like to be in the Big 12.

OCS???

We might get some details if we are planning a football stadium tomorrow. Joey Knight ‏@TBTimes_Bulls 23m23 minutes agoFlorida, USA AD Mark Harlan to present the 5-year strategic plan for @USFAthletics to Board of Trustees tomorrow. Should get clarity on some things.

Remember school presidents have the most say into which schools join their conference and academic profile is important to them. USF is in a very good position when compared to the other candidates. When all the facts come out USF will be right there in the finals. Here is my take on the candidates: - Memphis: Worst academic profile and does not even have a US News ranking. Excluded just on that point alone - UConn: Nice fan base and basketball program with strong academics. Expansion is about football and UConn does not move the needle and a poor geographic Big 12 fit. Excluded due to football - BYU: Best fit athletically and academically but the Big 12 does not want to go that far west and the no Sunday play is an issue. Geographic island and maybe more problems than its worth. Potential add. - Cincinnati: Decent academics and athletic programs and ideal travel partner for West Virginia. They are in pro football and baseball country and in the shadows of Ohio State. Most likely add if they take BYU. - Tulane: Too small of a school and poor football program. Excluded - UCF: Huge undergraduate school with commitment to athletics and a great travel partner for USF. The UCF / USF combination has a decent shot if the TV execs at FOX and ESPN come to a conclusion that adding the Tampa and Orlando will add money to the other Big 12 schools. Everything could hing on the Long Horn network and it Texas does not budge UCF / USF could be left out and expansion could be dead. If the Big 12 presidents look at upside potential the UCF / USF combo is the best option. Both of the schools are on the rise if you toss $25M+ a year at their athletic programs in a college football crazy state and have Texas, Oklahoma, Baylor etc... visiting every year all I can say is watch out. If BYU is excluded and they go Cincinnati this could get tricky. Do they take USF or UCF? Does USF / UCF have to be a package deal? The Fiesta bowl win against Baylor has made UCF the favorite in the media but if it came down to a side by side comparison based on market, athletics and academics USF should come out on top. So you could have a Cincinnati / USF combo.

Tuxedo Yoda ‏@TuxedoYoda 13h13 hours ago No doubt Big 12 will expand. UCF is a lock. Will conf go to 12 or 14? That is the only point for debate. Cinci/UConn a coin flip if 12. 7 retweets11 likes Reply Retweet 7 Like 11 More Russ Duffey ‏@rduffey 13h13 hours ago @TuxedoYoda USF better market, better academics, better city, better facilities, better athletic records vs UCF. Do the research. 0 retweets2 likes Reply Retweet Liked 2 More User Actions Follow Carson Ingle‏@caingle @rduffey @TuxedoYoda UCF carries Orlando better than USF carries Tampa so market not accurate. UCF also has better facilities. LIKES10 6:03 PM - 2 May 2016 Reply Retweet Like More Funny that @TuxedoYoda blocked me after I posted the above comments. He must be a UCF grad. 96 retweets39 likes Reply Retweet 96 Like 39 More

Build the stadium on campus south of the Sundome across the street from MOSI. The MOSI site will jack up the price of the stadium as USF would need to purchase the land or pay taxes on it. If the MOSI site is developed with stadium location as part of the overall design you could have an entertainment district across the street for games. It will be 4-5 years before MOSI moves downtown and you have too many politics to deal with at the county level regarding the MOSI site. There is room on campus but the MOSI location could play a role in the overall setup with parking, lodging and entertainment.

Some nice enhancements coming to the Tampa campus. Looks like clubhouses are planned for Tennis, Baseball and Softball along with new rec fields. New campus entrance and new dorms with the Publix are illustrated in the diagram. Not on the diagram is the new football stadium which will be across the street (MOSI site).

The ideal situation would be for the Big 12 to go to 14 or 16 schools. Being in the eastern division of the Big 12 with some AAC schools would be cool. Add, USF, UCF, Cincinnati and Memphis (Maybe Houston & SMU) and the Eastern division could include these schools plus OK, OK State and Kansas.

If the AAC was legislated up to a Power 6 league and the AAC TV contract was renegotiated to $20M per team, what league is better for USF (AAC or Big 12)? These are some big "ifs" but after this season in the AAC a Power 6 designation and a bigger TV contract is much more plausible. I for one would rather stay with the 12 teams we have in the AAC and grow with this league vs. be part of the Big 12. Travel, chances of winning a title etc... are some of the reasons why I think USF would be better suited for the AAC if these things happened. The AAC would still make less than the Big 12 ($30M vs. $20M) but there would not be this huge divide ($3M vs. $30M) as there is today. We would get some better "name" schools on the schedule but we would also struggle in the league. It will be interesting to see what happens with the AAC over the next couple of years and if the Big 12 pulls the trigger on expansion.

That is a chicken or the egg conversation and you might need an OCS to get a P5 invite. Houston is serious about moving up and they are investing now which should be our path. Not sure if I would want to roll the dice on this one as we could get left out of good if we do not act now.

If these schools can build a stadium I'm sure USF could figure out how to fund an on campus stadium. There are only a handful of schools that do not play in their own stadium. Lots of C-USA, MAC and American schools in the most recent stadium projects list so we would have similar resources to build a stadium. Image Stadium City State Team Conference Capacity Record1 Built Expanded2 John O'Quinn Field at TDECU Stadium Houston TX Houston American 40,000 40,755 (August 30, 2014 vs. UTSA)[66] 2014 McLane Stadium Waco TX Baylor Big 12 45,140 45,733 (August 31, 2014 vs. SMU)[84] 2014 Benson Field at Yulman Stadium New Orleans LA Tulane American 30,000 30,000 (September 8, 2014 vs. Georgia Tech)[159] 2014 Jerry Richardson Stadium Charlotte NC Charlotte C-USA 15,314 2013 Apogee Stadium Denton TX North Texas C-USA 30,850 28,075 (September 10, 2011 vs. Houston)[8] 2011 N/A FAU Stadium Boca Raton FL Florida Atlantic C-USA 30,000 29,103 (October 15, 2011 vs. Western Kentucky) 2011 N/A TCF Bank Stadium Minneapolis MN Minnesota Big Ten 52,525 51,241 (Oct. 18,2014 vs. Purdue) 2009[143] Summa Field at InfoCision Stadium Akron OH Akron MAC 30,000[138] 27,881[139] 2009 Bright House Networks Stadium Orlando FL UCF American 45,323[23] 48,453 (October 17, 2009 vs. Miami)[24] 2007[23] N/A Stanford Stadium Stanford CA Stanford Pac-12 50,000[136] 51,607[137] (October 9, 2010 vs. USC) 2006[136] N/A Rentschler Field East Hartford CT Connecticut American 40,000[116] 42,704 (9/21/13 vs. #15 Michigan)[117] 2003[118]

http://www2.tbo.com/list/columns-jhenderson/time-for-usf-to-get-serious-about-on-campus-football-stadium-20151128/ JOE HENDERSON COLUMNS 109 48 0 0 COLUMN Time for USF to get serious about on-campus football stadium USF has kicked around the idea of building an on-campus stadium for years, but talk subsided when the Bulls struggled the past few seasons. They’re winning now and are said to be actively studying the stadium idea again. TRIBUNE FILE PHOTO By Joe Henderson | Tribune Staff Published: November 28, 2015 | Updated: November 29, 2015 at 12:57 AM College football is meant to be played in stadiums located on campus. If you’ve been to games at the University of Florida, Florida State or Central Florida, you know what I mean. The campuses come alive as the alumni return and tailgate before kickoff, the students take their places and the bands start playing. The stadiums become a rallying point for generations to connect, and the University of South Florida needs to build one. USF has kicked the idea around for years, but talk subsided when the Bulls struggled the past few seasons. They’re winning now and are said to be actively studying the stadium idea again. I certainly hope that’s true, and I hope the decision will be to start digging as soon as plans can be drawn and money raised. The Bulls have played about 11 miles from campus at Raymond James Stadium since their inception. The rationale was that USF was going to build a nationally recognized program and needed a first-class facility. RayJay certainly is first class. ❖ ❖ ❖ Although they occasionally attract large crowds there, the Bulls usually consider something around 30,000 fans to be a good night. A crowd like that gets lost in a stadium as large as RayJay, much like it did last week when the Bulls buried Cincinnati 65-27 on national TV. The resurgence of the program this season under coach Willie Taggart should reinvigorate a movement to build a smaller, suitable on-campus stadium. The window for such a thing is opening now, since the Bulls are having a good season after a few years of wandering in the desert. An on-campus stadium could only enhance USF if the major conferences realign in a few years, which many consider likely. Getting into a league like the Big 12 or Atlantic Coast Conference would be an incredible boost to the Bulls. Is it feasible? I asked Randy Simmons, chairman of the R.R. Simmons group. His company did an outstanding job in building USF’s athletic center, the baseball and softball stadiums and basketball practice facility. “The dilemma is where to put it,” Simmons said. “It does require a large footprint, and you would want it to be expandable.” There are a couple of potential on-campus spots, but the most likely seems to be where the USF track and tennis facility are located. That would require, as Simmons said, some “reshuffling” for those sports, but it could be done. He said another potential problem is the direction a new stadium would face. Most stadiums face north-south, but building where the track is located could make the stadium face east-west, into the sun. Parking is always an issue at USF, but there are about 20,000 spaces on campus, and that should be enough to cover most weekend games. The question of how to pay for something like this will have to be answered before anything else. But with the late Lee Roy Selmon taking the lead, the school raised the money to pay for the other athletic facilities Simmons built. It can be done. Generally, college stadiums aren’t plush. Hard bleachers are the norm; go to a Gators game sometime and you’ll see what I mean. USF can think bigger than that, though. It already has. After recent renovations, the Sun Dome went from a tired, uninspiring place to one that rivals any college arena in the country. USF football is starting to get some national notice again. The Bulls got a vote last week in The Associated Press poll. They are headed to a bowl game after a drought. The team is fun to watch. This is the time to strike. USF should do just that, as quickly as possible. The window is open. Subscribe to The Tampa Tribune

College football Week 11 bold predictions http://usat.ly/1NQQw4r via @USATODAY I'm feeling the upset too!!

http://news.usf.edu/article/templates/?a=7081&z=221&utm_source=bog-student-housing-110615&utm_medium=rotator&utm_campaign=usfhomepage Florida Board of Governors Supports USF’s Innovative New Student Housing Village The BOG’s approval of the largest public-private partnership (P3) in State University System history will help USF maximize student success. TAMPA, Fla. (Nov. 5, 2015) – Marking an important step in the University of South Florida’s plans to build a transformational new housing village on campus, the Florida Board of Governors today approved plans to enter into a public-private partnership (P3), with Capstone-Harrison Street, LLC (partnership of Capstone Development Partners, LLC and Harrison Street Real Estate Capital), kicking off the estimated $133 million development that will eventually be home to more than 2,000 students. The project represents the largest P3 in the history of the State University System and the single largest housing project ever approved by the Board of Governors. “The Board of Governors’ approval of this project is a reflection of our commitment to enhancing student success through strategic investments and creative, entrepreneurial thinking,” said Mori Hosseini, Chairman of the Board of Governors. “It is also a recognition of all USF has done to support us in this regard. We look forward to watching this project come to fruition.” This project will support USF’s relentless efforts to enhance student success, cultivating a culture of on-campus engagement. Studies have shown that active on-campus life has a direct impact on improving students’ academic performance, as well as helping them build stronger connections with their peers. “This new residential village will be transformative for the University of South Florida,” said USF System President Judy Genshaft. “The approval by the Board of Governors today will not only provide much-needed housing opportunities to our students, but it will also bolster our foundation of student success that will help generations of students thrive.” Located on the north portion of campus, the village will replace the current Andros housing complex, which has served more than 50,000 students since being built in the early 1960’s. It is expected to feature a combination of suite and traditional style residential beds, a health and wellness facility, an outdoor pool, a dining facility and retail spaces. The housing project will be built in two phases and construction will meet the standards for LEED Silver certification. Phase I of the project is expected to include the demolition of four existing Andros student residential buildings, adjacent support buildings and outdoor pool. This site preparation will be followed by the construction of a new residential village with about 1,250 beds. Phase II of the project will continue with the anticipated demolition of five remaining Andros residential buildings, adjacent support buildings and construction of approximately 900 beds. Demolition and site preparation for Phase I could begin in May 2016, with construction beginning in summer 2016. Demolition and site preparation for Phase II could begin in May 2017, with Phase II construction beginning in summer 2017.Completion is expected in June 2018.In total, the project will increase USF’s housing levels by about 1,000 beds, raising the on-campus capacity to nearly 6,500. Based in Birmingham, Ala., Capstone specializes in student housing developments, having delivered on-campus housing for more than 60 college and university partners throughout the United States. Since 1996, Capstone’s principals have developed or operated more than $3.5 billion in on-campus or near-campus housing projects. Harrison Street is a real estate private equity firm based in Chicago,Ill., with approximately $7.5 billion in assets under management through commingled funds and public securities products. Since inception the Firm, on behalf of its various commingled funds, has acquired or developed over 66,000 student housing beds.

More fuel for the fire: http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/117693/with-american-off-to-hot-start-can-league-turn-early-success-into-something-bigger Can the American conference turn early success into something bigger? 2h Matt Fortuna, ESPN Staff Writer 25Shares Email Print Comment Mike Aresco didn’t think he was going out on a limb this summer whenever he said that the American Athletic Conference could eventually play its way into the power-league conversation. Nearly halfway through the season, the on-field product suggests Aresco’s forecast may be ahead of schedule. South Florida’s win over Syracuse pushed the American conference to 4-3 against the ACC this season. The league boasts three undefeated teams. It has beaten teams from three Power 5 conferences, with the potential for more Saturday, when one of those perfect teams, Memphis, hosts Ole Miss of the SEC. “I thought we competed the last few years, but we didn’t win as many nonconference games as we’re winning now,” said Aresco, the American commissioner since its 2012 makeover from the old Big East. “I honestly thought it was just a matter of time, with the coaches we had, the way we’re building our programs. ... I felt that everybody was making a commitment.” The surprising part may be that the league has played so well despite the struggles of its Florida schools. USF’s win over Syracuse was the Bulls’ first against FBS competition this season. Their Interstate 4 rival, UCF, has gone 0-6 one year after splitting the league title, and two years after winning the Fiesta Bowl. Aresco is happy the league has taken care of business against its Group of Five brethren, going 11-3 against those schools, with two of those losses coming against independent quasi-member BYU. This season’s overall surge has been charged in large part by the influx of up-and-coming coaches in recent years. The American conference boasts three undefeated teams, including the Temple Owls, who knocked off Penn State in the season opener. Mitchell Leff/Getty ImagesTom Herman is 5-0 in his first year at Houston after assisting with Ohio State’s national title run last year. Fellow undefeated coaches, 39-year-old Justin Fuente (Memphis) and 40-year-old Matt Rhule (Temple), are among the hottest names on the circuit, turning former laughingstocks into formidable programs. First-year coaches Philip Montgomery (Tulsa) and Chad Morris (SMU) have sparked excitement among their constituencies with high-powered offenses that have given scares to Big 12 powers like Oklahoma and TCU. Second-year Connecticut coach Bob Diaco has already surpassed last year’s win total and pushed Missouri to the limit last month. “It’s so different,” Diaco said of Year 1 to Year 2. “You just push yourself to do better, and that creates its own new challenges, but the challenges from a year ago really are no longer present, which is great. The team is so much stronger.” There is also first-year league member Navy, which is coming off its first loss of the season but could still challenge for the league crown. “You try to look for some silver lining in the deal and that's one of them,” coach Ken Niumatalolo said after losing at Notre Dame. “We just got to press forward, try to get ready for conference play.” The Big Ten will reportedly count Navy, Cincinnati and UConn toward the league’s requirement of playing one nonconference Power 5 team per year, a seemingly arbitrary designation that has captured the predicament Aresco faces: He has never cared for the exclusivity of such scheduling rules, but he is glad that one league has at least cracked open the door for the American. “If they’re going to have these requirements -- and not all the conferences do, but several of the big ones do -- then obviously we feel strongly that all the teams from our conference ought to be included as acceptable opponents,” he said. The biggest characterization surrounding the American could come this December. What if there is an undefeated team? Houston will have had wins over the ACC (Louisville) and SEC (Vanderbilt). Memphis will have beaten the Big 12 (Kansas), SEC (Ole Miss) and perhaps the MAC champion (Bowling Green). Temple will have topped the Big Ten (Penn State) and Notre Dame. The College Football Playoff, after all, was conceived when the American was still the Big East, when there were six power conferences and not five. Would there still be room for the American, enough room to cast aside two other power conferences? “I don’t know yet. I honestly don’t know,” Aresco said. “I hope so. I have a lot of respect for the committee. I think it’s a tremendous committee, it really is. These are really knowledgeable people. I’ve said they’ll give us a fair shake. We’ve got to win the games first. Let’s have an undefeated team that has beaten some of the so-called 'P5' teams, some of the prominent 'P5' teams, and shown what they can do. And when that happens, then let’s see where we’re ranked. And if we’re not ranked where we think we should be, then maybe I would say something. But the point is, let’s give it a shot first, and now we’ve got three undefeated teams at the moment, and we’ll have our chances.”