Coach Leavitt endorses UCF for Big East expansion:

[813knight]

Think about it, and it is not an all together bad idea.  I mean, it would be nice to have a guaranteed win in conference besides Cuse.  It would help bring a little of the Big East South.  I mean, we have to travel north for all our games.  It would be nice to have a close away game to fill the stands in Orlando and kick the kids around.

On the bad, it will hurt recruiting as it brings some legitamacy to the school and will elevate the name of the Knights.  Also, the other schools will be more effective recruiters in Florida.

UCF brings nothing to the table in terms of added value to the league.

not going to go back and forth on this b/c it's 'just words' as they say and it really doesn't mean much but to say UCF brings nothing to the table is a bit off the mark...it definitely brings something, if the Big East guys took a tour along w/ other factors already stated they would see why...I understand how Bull Fans want to keep the school 100 miles down the road in a lesser conference for as long as possible

[smazza]

leavitt doesnt even want to play them now so i find it hard to believe he favors their admission

it would hurt usf just like miami and fsu in same conference was bad for each

usf has a distinct advantage being bcs school(though leavitt hasnt taken advantage of it)

[Mama_Bull]

I don't know if this was posted before, but it sheds some light into Leavitt's thinking about expansion:

- Speaking of South Florida coach Jim Leavitt, I didn't add his reaction to my question about  adding another team to the league yesterday because it needed to stand alone. Leavitt is a deep dude. He can be quite prickly during the season but he is terrific in a relaxed setting such as the one he was in yesterday.

Leavitt really wasn't really on board with adding a team but, as usual, he sure said some things that make you go, mmmmm. Check him out:

"Do I favor adding to the league? That's a great question. I guess it makes us stronger. The bottom line is it's always going to be about money. They've had these movements (expansion) throughout the country. Has it been, financially better? There's a big debate about that with Boston College going to the ACC. Now, if you had somebody that was not biased, looking at the numbers, have they made more money or have they not? Is the ACC stronger than the Big East or not, looking at head to head competition with ACC and Big East now because that's the only way you can by that...there'd be some debate there. I don't know. I do the numbers. I don't crunch numbers... so, I think adding a team helps you with scheduling but who you add...you've got 16 altogether, that's tough to add 16.

Well what about a football only?

   

"I'm not for that, personally. I think it takes away from a league when you don't have all sports playing, in my opinion. I don't think that's the way but I think those discussions are always there, throughout the country with all leagues, especially in the economic times today. If there's a way people can look at making money and compete with the dollars the SEC has been getting in television then I'd think people would want to do it. It seems to make sense. But how? And who? That's a real loaded question."

http://blogs.courant.com/uconn_football/2009/08/heres-uconn-coach-randy-edsall.html

[redfisher78]

Think about it, and it is not an all together bad idea.  I mean, it would be nice to have a guaranteed win in conference besides Cuse.  It would help bring a little of the Big East South.  I mean, we have to travel north for all our games.  It would be nice to have a close away game to fill the stands in Orlando and kick the kids around.

On the bad, it will hurt recruiting as it brings some legitamacy to the school and will elevate the name of the Knights.  Also, the other schools will be more effective recruiters in Florida.

Deep down you Bulls want us in that conference, you need us in that conference.   ;D

Why do we need you? Bottom of the barrel conference USA team. Been at it a lot longer than us and never been able to break mediocrity

[Costa]

UCF brings zero value to the conference. You honestly cannot even make the case for them for "facilities" because although their stadium is new, it is not nice. its a piece of crap, so UCF fans need to stop trying to make that argument. Its got to be Memphis.

[Brad]

:nutkick

[macphisto]

UCF brings zero value to the conference. You honestly cannot even make the case for them for "facilities" because although their stadium is new, it is not nice. its a piece of crap, so UCF fans need to stop trying to make that argument. Its got to be Memphis.

Would you categorize the Liberty Bowl as nice?

Granted, adding Memphis might get the Big East into the Liberty Bowl.  And Memphis' basketball program has been good, though apparently very crooked.

I'd say Memphis or maybe you look at Houston if we don't try to raid another of the big conferences.  It would get the Big East into a huge market.  And their President, Dr. Khator, came from USF. 

And Houston has a good football history that did take a major hit in the 1990s.  Same goes for basketball, but there's potential there.  Plus it sits in the heart of the sixth largest metro area in the US.  That would give the Big East NYC via Rutgers and UConn, Upstate NY, Pittsburgh, Philly (also via Rutgers), Tampa Bay, Cincinnati, Lousiville, and Houston.  Plenty of larger TV markets.

[Guest]

I like the ideas here:

http://thequad.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/10/does-the-big-east-need-to-form-a-super-conference/

[usfbullcpa]

Think about it, and it is not an all together bad idea.  I mean, it would be nice to have a guaranteed win in conference besides Cuse.  It would help bring a little of the Big East South.  I mean, we have to travel north for all our games.  It would be nice to have a close away game to fill the stands in Orlando and kick the kids around.

On the bad, it will hurt recruiting as it brings some legitamacy to the school and will elevate the name of the Knights.  Also, the other schools will be more effective recruiters in Florida.

It is a bad idea. The league already has a bad image in the national eye after last season (see the 2009 Coaches Poll for further proof) even if it is unwarranted. UCF brings nothing to the table in terms of added value to the league. Adding another punching bag won't help the league.

Chad, deep down we dont want you in the league, so you can keep trying to make yourself feel better. As was stated at the Big East media gathering last week, no C-USA school adds value to the Big East. That may change a bit if Skip Holtz stays at ECU and builds them as nicely as he has done.

Sorry, I was not clear enough.. I was being somewhat sarcastic.. The best team for the job maybe Notre Dame coming in.. won't happen, but would be nice.

[Brad]

Two out of the box reasons why it would help USF if UCF joined. 

1.  Facilities.  I've often joked "What are you doing with all of that BCS money?!?!"  and there was some truth to that joke.  UCF's gone all simcity without the BCS payday.  Be that as it is - if UCF leveled the playing field in terms of conference, it might force USF to upgrade their commitment to facilities.  This might be something very appealing to Leavitt. 

I'm not sure that resonates with CJL or anyone in the football department.  CJL loves RayJay and has a great facility on campus, and I believe his dining hall is on the way....I'm not sure what else (other than the practice fields that are currently out on bid) CJL needs enough right now to want to or need to use UCiF as a pawn.