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USF Sports National Status


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In many, if not most of our sports (biggest sore spot is MBB), we seem to be able to crack the 18-25  spot nationally, but really aren't able to push past that and get to a truly elite status in any sport. 

Is this a function of our conference? Lack of funding (again, maybe because of our conference)? 

Is this the best we can realistically achieve in any and all of our sports?

Is this what many had been concerned about when we lost the "P5" or Big East level of money? Meaning, we are truly the "tallest midget" so to speak. 

I am not complaining, I am happy we field entertaining, competitive programs. I just thought this would an interesting topic for discussion. 

I really would like to see at least one of our programs take that next step to become truly relevant on the national level.  

 

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Soccer, golf, softball have all reached "elite" status if we're using 1-17 rankings as the barometer. About the only sport I would say won't be "elite" any time in the near future is basketball.

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12 minutes ago, usfgrad84 said:

Is this what many had been concerned about when we lost the "P5" or Big East level of money?

There are plenty of P5's that haven't reached elite status in any sports ..... but as I wrote this, saw JT's response and I guess the question is what is meant by elite status and do you also mean sustained elite status?

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56 minutes ago, Triple B said:

There are plenty of P5's that haven't reached elite status in any sports ..... but as I wrote this, saw JT's response and I guess the question is what is meant by elite status and do you also mean sustained elite status?

Agree. In MBB and FB we've been to the door, just never able to step thru. Now, being a G5 I'm not sure that there's a real possibility of maintaining if we did get thru. There's a LOT stacked against any G5 being able to maintain top 10 status. By a lot, I'm talking straight-up $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

Of course there's always elite G5 I guess.

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What is elite status?  That is a good question.

I think it means sustained elite status for a number of years.  Like a legacy over decades.  To the point that even when you have a bad year or two and you suck, you are still considered elite because everyone knows you'll be back on top in a matter of time.  Football examples:  Notre Dame, Texas, Alabama, etc.  A good example of this type of 'elite'  would also be UConn mens hoops.  They aren't that great this year, but everyone still considers them to be an elite basketball program.   By this definition, we have not come close yet (we are too young as a University, and our sports programs are even younger).  In football, I can see us becoming a program that becomes very relevant every decade or so then goes through another weak cycle (a couple of years without a good QB will kill you).  Basketball?  I'd just like to go to the dance one more time before I die.  But I'd say we are on our way to being closer to elite in soccer, golf, softball even WBB.

I am just happy being mentioned when they talk about the top 25 matchups, and I love seeing our logo go by in the background behind the espn guys when we are ranked.

 

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we will not be elite as long as we compete in lower tier

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Only football is ring-fenced out of the upper tier, partly because of our success (P5 schools don't have an incentive to schedule us), and partly due to the poor TV money earned at the conference level.

In every other sport we have as much opportunity to compete at the highest levels that we aspire to. There's no reason for the WBB team to play such a low SOS schedule. We can (and should) schedule stronger teams. Same goes for the other teams - we're D1 and there's no (non-monetary) impediment to us reaching #1 in any of them. Money (and courage?) is the only thinkg holding us back outside of football.

 

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5 minutes ago, charsibb said:

Only football is ring-fenced out of the upper tier, partly because of our success (P5 schools don't have an incentive to schedule us), and partly due to the poor TV money earned at the conference level.

In every other sport we have as much opportunity to compete at the highest levels that we aspire to. There's no reason for the WBB team to play such a low SOS schedule. We can (and should) schedule stronger teams. Same goes for the other teams - we're D1 and there's no (non-monetary) impediment to us reaching #1 in any of them. Money (and courage?) is the only thinkg holding us back outside of football.

 

in fairness, USF has done it's best to schedule well in WBB. We're playing top 50 RPI opponents OOC, and even as UL has left the AAC we've played them the last two years in the regular season. Unless you want us playing the likes of Notre Dame and Baylor every year, there's little we can do to make the scheduling better. 

Unfortunately, it's doubtful that we're ever going to get over the hump and win the conference until Auriemma finally retires, barring an absolutely loaded squad. We could have done it last year with Williams and Jenkins clearing the floor inside for Laksa and co to hit three pointers. Alas, injuries. 

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We . . . need . . . money. More donors could help us break through.

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By elite status I am talking about a team that has a realistic chance of going to a championship round on a regular basis (meaning top 10 or elite 8 in soccer, ladies BB, etc or going late into a college or softball World Series with those results eventually as expectations, not considered a once every 20 year good run. 

I guess the closest we have to that is Men's soccer. 

We have nice softball teams, WBB teams , Soccer teams. Better than a lot, but not great. 

Let's be honest, our WBB team is a decent program, but we have benefitted from Louisville, ND and Rutgers leaving. Our record would be much different if we had to play those teams twice a year every year again  We would go back to a middle of the conference team.  Sort of the same with soccer.

What does it take in any sport to go over the top to that next level?

 

 

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