TallyBull

I've been getting less and less interested in this pod over time. Not sure if that's because of USF's lack of success recently, or his Texas-centric takes/interests. Possibly both. If he's also branching out into other G5 conferences... meh. I only care about the AAC because I have to.

Hard to have confidence about anything right now.

I guess I missed Saturday's announcement? Haven't seen anything on X. Starting to have my doubts. What kind of world is this? Can't even trust Message Board Genuises.

He's either right or he's (most likely) wrong, but we'll find out soon!

FWIW

Interesting, thanks for doing that research.

It's a good point to keep in mind and certainly possible. However, we do know ESPN TV deal renegotiations get triggered if the ACC dips below 15 teams. The B1G will already have 18 teams beginning in 2024, and if FSU and Clemson leave the ACC, they'll either go to the B1G - potentially increasing its membership to 20 - or to the SEC, potentially increasing its membership to 18. These increases could be higher if additional teams (e.g. UNC, UM, Virginia) leave the ACC. The Big 12 (presently at 16 in 2024) is also rumored to be eyeing Wazzu and OSU, in part to resolve the litigation with departing members, including some who are going to the Big 12 and stand to lose significant basketball and other revenue if the PAC continues to exist and those teams don't join. So the Big 12 could also go to 18 very soon. Point being, it looks like the B1G, SEC, and Big 12 will soon be getting bigger one way or another (to 18+ members). And as noted the ACC can't risk falling below 15 teams. I think the speculation (expectation?) is that the ACC is actually going to lose more than just FSU, Clemson, and UNC, creating at the same both larger competitor conferences and possibly more spots to backfill within the ACC. But even if the ACC stays at 15, it would seem rather foolish to just stay at that number if your goal is to survive long-term (not that that would stop them from doing it).

Yeah, all of these posts go firmly in the "rumor" pile. But based on the ACC's decision to add Stanford and Cal, despite significant geographic challenges, ACC leadership clearly values academics. Jim's comments are consistent with that emphasis. USF's AAU designation couldn't have come at a better time.

Hope there aren’t many FSU fans lurking here, doubt there are, but Jim’s pulling no punches here (notably he’s a USF grad):

Boy howdy, this is going to go over about as well as a fart in church with some in this thread

It apparently took Fritz six years to have that magical run with Tulane in 2022. But he was still 41-45 overall, even at that point. And it's not totally clear that he was actually offered the Georgia Tech job, although media reports strongly suggest he was (GT went with an interim coach, Brent Key, instead). I think the concerns about Golesh leaving sooner rather than later are valid. Yes, he's only 3-2 at this point, but what he's been able to do in literally one season is pretty impressive. That fact, plus his amazing turnaround jobs at prior stops like Tennessee, will make him a hot commodity. Clearly the man knows what he's doing, which is more than what we can say for most new head football coaches. All that said, I'm optimistic we can hold on to him for a while - at least long enough to build a true culture of success at USF, something similar to what Boise has. And who knows? Maybe he'll love it here (it is Florida after all) and settle in, especially if USF somehow gets into an auto-bid conference in the meantime.

The tetrarchs (same vibe):

Ha, nope, but I'm sure my wife would be delighted if I did! I look more like the bull in my avatar.

You should make one of those your avatar!

Wazzu and OSU:

Yeah, some seriously bad negotiating went down. I get being aggressive, but the old PAC leadership was just being insane.

And yet, they still exist. Based on credible news reports, it looks like neither the B1G nor the Mid 12 are changing their minds about including them. If they win their court case against the (current) PAC, they'll get to keep some serious $$$ that formerly belonged to departing PAC members. Money that they could use to lure teams into helping them rebuild the conference. Podcaster Trey Smith (FWIW) seems to think that if they do win their court case (as expected), they will not want to join or merge with the MWC because they don't want to associate with the bottom rung teams in that conference. All signs are pointing to a PAC rebuild at some point. Not sure whether they'd have any interest creating an eastern division that includes USF, but regardless I can't think of a better time for us to be making noise in football...

1. USF 2. 35-21 3. Wright 4. Atkins 5. 475

But no USF to SEC rumors?

Standing room/grass berms would be cool. I have no idea if it'll happen, but it would be neat! Bottom line, I'm just not worried about the stadium capacity. I trust folks in the know to make a wise decision considering all the factors, including expansion potential should the need arise. It's a huge investment, obviously, and I'm confident USF is looking at it from every angle. From the beginning USF has said that it's going to focus on building a quality stadium. To me, that means fewer bleachers and more actual seats. Yes, some stadiums are larger (e.g. the Rust Bucket), but they rely on aluminum bleachers to get there. So long as the place is dripping in green and gold (both structurally and in terms of attendance), I'll be fine with it. Shade structures would be an amazing bonus. And water fountains would be nice!

I don't doubt it. But I'd rather have a small stadium filled to capacity than a large stadium that is half full. If/when we get into a P5, there will be money and justification to expand. But I think the smaller stadium is the right size for now.