BullyPulpit

Coaches, at least successful ones, are good about installing the offensive packages in waves. Every week you should be adding a new wrinkle, at least for the first few weeks of the season. I am confident that we will have enough plays in place to give Wisconsin and GT more than enough to think about.

I'm not sure how exactly ESPN's FPI is calculated prior to the season actually starting. My guess is that soem projections are made based upon returning talent. With Wisconsin's situation at QB being uncertain, I'm sure that factors into their 6-6 projection. Additionally, with our defensive question marks, last year's slide, and a new OC, I imagine that factors into our pre-season FPI as well.

Not trying to start anything, and I do believe he may have had a slight chip on his shoulder, but what makes you say that CCS was not happy here his first season?

I'm putting together an exploratory committee to put together a feasibility report to outline the potential cost of acquiring a private island. The report is going to cost me quite a bit of money, and I still won't be able to purchase the private island irrespective of what the report states, but I feel it is something I have to do to satisfy my demanding family and friends.

History suggests that we hit with about 1 out of every 5 or 6 transfers that come our way. Maybe that will be different with the transfer portal, but, more often than not, these guys end up being misses rather than hits. For every MVS we have had there are about 5 Brandon Boyces and Marquies Prices. Everything is an incomplete until the season starts and we can actually begin to judge this team, the coaches, and CCS's performance. I have no issue with the hires and some of the players he has brought into the mix are exciting. Recruiting seems to be going quite well. We seem to have most of the ingredients needed to have a good/great season, but now it is up to CCS and company to mix them all together and produce a great finished product.

I want to formally announce to everyone on this board that my plans to purchase a private jet and a private island in the Pacific are on the back-burner for now.

That's on the head of the program. He has responded in kind, but it remains to be seen if the new pieces will work out. He went through a similar situation in Texas and things didn't pan out there. The jury is still out on him as a HC. Great job at Louisville, abject failure at Texas. This will be the season that defines him as a HC.

I disagree with you on this point. UCF will definitely fall back, but to say they are a dumpster fire is a stretch. They have an identity and continuity of coaching. They have players that were recruited by the current head coach and fit in/buy in to his philosophy. CBG took over a collection of warm bodies with no allegiance to him, the university, or each other. There was no concept of team. I hope that when we look back in 5 years and ponder the success of MBB that we all take a moment to appreciate the enormity of what CBG has accomplished.

There is a cabal called ESPN that, for the past 25 years, has completely taken control of college football. They colluded with Pitt to shoot down acceptance of the TV contract that ultimately led to the collapse of the Big East. They dictate what conferences can expand and who can join. Everything that happens in college football is because ESPN is pulling the strings. That is why the UCONN situation took them by surprise. They didn't see it coming because the Big East is controlled by Fox. All other sports matter so little to ESPN that they aren't even going to try to renegotiate the AAC contract with UCONN bolting despite UCONN being the biggest basketball property in the conference and the only tie-in to the NE media markets.

If we were to "leave" Tulsa and Tulane behind, every team in the AAC would be responsible for paying them $10 million each. I am sure they would be fine with $45 million apiece. If, however, there is a provision or clause in the articles for disbanding the conference, that would be a potential route. This is beyond a long shot. There is no loyalty to conference in the AAC. As soon as a team receives a better offer they are gone. If the Big 12 came calling tomorrow, there isn't a team in the conference that wouldn't bolt in a heartbeat, and rightfully so. In a perfect world we would have 5 conference consisting of 18 teams each. Each conference team would play a round-robin within their division. Only divisional games would count towards deciding who represents the division in the conference championship . Any cross-divisional games would essentially be considered OOC. The top 4 ranked conference champions would then play for the national championship. In this scenario, USF and UCF likely join the ACC. Sigh.....if only it were to happen.

I think we had more overall talent going into last season than they do this season, but you are correct, they are in a pretty similar spot.

We don't need to sneak up on anyone this season. We have a legit squad and will have a chance to make the NCAA tournament. Given our gritty style of play if we see any improvement in shooting from 3 and the FT line, watch out. I expect Durr to take a giant step forward and Yetna to start getting his name mentioned as a possible NBA prospect. The CBI may not have been big on the national radar, but it provided invaluable postseason experience for a squad that really needed it. The players have bought in and believe in CBG and each other. A prime example is the OT victory over Stony Brook. Coming back after trailing by 25 points late in the first half is the type of program defining, trajectory altering victory that often gets overlooked in the big picture. I fully expect UCF to fall to the bottom half to bottom third of the league. If they can find a way to make the postseason, then Dawkins is the real deal as an HC and will probably be scooped up by a larger program.

You axe the championship game and that will cost you money off the ESPN contract. The AAC Championship game actually has value to the sports mafia.

USF. Our football program has a home and our basketball league is fine.

Yes, we are upper middle class, but we aren't rich.