Will USF fans have the patience with Skip . . .

[Bull Dozer]

Not to mention the fact that we don't even know how conference realignment will shake down- if the superconference is the wave of the future, no one will want to absorb some bottom feeding big east team.

The best way to improve recognition, recruitment and stability for our future is to win the Big East consistently.

If this is the case then Skip had better turn this program around quick... according to the rumor mills the Big East has about 1-2 years tops before the Big Ten comes in and takes its pick of the litter.

What looks better on paper when conferences come a knocking? 

"Well they beat FSU/Miami/UF *insert season/s here* and didn't win the conference"

"They won a conference title/s in a BCS conference"

One shows you can gear up for one game the other shows your ability to consistently be competitive on the field and beat BCS programs.  Obviously i would love to do both but even in the false dichotomy that we seem to deal with when this situation is discussed i still feel it is quite obvious which one is better for the long term health of the program. 

[ahoyboy]

that ECU fans had?

His first 2 seasons there, ECU stunk.  They think he's a god now.

Can we handle a 4-8 season (3-9?) on the way to something better?

You can't get blood from a turnip. There are no "gamechangers" on this team. When a former qb is the "go to" receiver, that translates to problems. Our D is okay, We have no tight end, no running backs, a quarterback who is inaccurate and middle of the road kickers..USF will be insignificant for the next 2 years. I doubt we make a bowl game.

[snarling Bull]

No tight ends. I thought Gidrey was a TE for CSH at ECU he,was supposed to be great

[CowbellBandit]

that ECU fans had?

His first 2 seasons there, ECU stunk.  They think he's a god now.

Can we handle a 4-8 season (3-9?) on the way to something better?

You can't get blood from a turnip. There are no "gamechangers" on this team. When a former qb is the "go to" receiver, that translates to problems. Our D is okay, We have no tight end, no running backs, a quarterback who is inaccurate and middle of the road kickers..USF will be insignificant for the next 2 years. I doubt we make a bowl game.

I dont know about two years. Despite our problems we took UF to half time- the pieces are in place to be effective. We just need to put it all together. I think that will take until next season at most, and hopefully we'll do it by next game.

But I'm not holding my breath.

[Triple B]

Not to mention the fact that we don't even know how conference realignment will shake down- if the superconference is the wave of the future, no one will want to absorb some bottom feeding big east team.

The best way to improve recognition, recruitment and stability for our future is to win the Big East consistently.

If this is the case then Skip had better turn this program around quick... according to the rumor mills the Big East has about 1-2 years tops before the Big Ten comes in and takes its pick of the litter.

What looks better on paper when conferences come a knocking? 

"Well they beat FSU/Miami/UF *insert season/s here* and didn't win the conference"

"They won a conference title/s in a BCS conference"

One shows you can gear up for one game the other shows your ability to consistently be competitive on the field and beat BCS programs.  Obviously i would love to do both but even in the false dichotomy that we seem to deal with when this situation is discussed i still feel it is quite obvious which one is better for the long term health of the program. 

Talking about it from that short term perspective, where conference realignment comes into play the next couple of years, I'd have to agree that the BE championship would appear like some sort of an accomplishment ...

[Brad]

Boise State did not gain national recognition because they won whatever conference they are in.

[CowbellBandit]

Boise State did not gain national recognition because they won whatever conference they are in.

While it's true they didn't GAIN recognition because they won their conference, they also won there conference. If they beat a big name team and then lose the MAC/WAC or whatever the hell they're in, they're gone from the national radar and the rankings.

Also, the Big East is (at least for a couple more years) a BCS conference. Winning it = BCS game.

[Orlando Bull]

Recruits care about name recognition, yes, but they also care about getting to the NFL. The way to do that is to do well in a ranked program. I dont care how well we do against UF, UM, FSU or any other single big name game, losing the conference = not ranked, no national exposure, no good recruits.

As CSH has said time and again the focus is the BEast Championship, as well it should be. And with the way we played on Saturday, there's no way that will happen.

100% not true.

Did JPP get drafted in the first round because of good stats vs Big East opponents, or because of a stellar game at FSU? We had what, 4-5 draft picks this year? We're starting a safety for the Eagles in his rookie year and started a corner for the Cowboys since his rookie year. I don't think you have to win a conference to send guys to the NFL.

Sorry, was hiding from the layoff monster today (successfully thank God). Wasn't able to get back on here.

As for other conferences, I don't know that they look at a Big East championship as being that impressive. If the ACC was going to expand, they would probably look at our record vs their teams. If we won the Big East 3 years in a row but were 0-37 against the ACC, do we make sense for them? I guess if they want to bring in a doormat, sure.

You have to play and win big OOC games to turn heads. Again, we do need to win the Big East, it would help us in a lot of ways. My original argument was, and is, you can't avoid big OOC games, and you can't neglect to win any of them if you want to build an elite program. Look at some of the best programs built in the last 25 years and they did it by playing anyone, anywhere, any time. Bowden did it at FSU, UM did it. They didn't get to national prominence because they won their conference (UM was independent for most of their run weren't they?), they got their because they won some big games and forced the nation to take notice.

[snarling Bull]

Recruits care about name recognition, yes, but they also care about getting to the NFL. The way to do that is to do well in a ranked program. I dont care how well we do against UF, UM, FSU or any other single big name game, losing the conference = not ranked, no national exposure, no good recruits.

As CSH has said time and again the focus is the BEast Championship, as well it should be. And with the way we played on Saturday, there's no way that will happen.

100% not true.

Did JPP get drafted in the first round because of good stats vs Big East opponents, or because of a stellar game at FSU? We had what, 4-5 draft picks this year? We're starting a safety for the Eagles in his rookie year and started a corner for the Cowboys since his rookie year. I don't think you have to win a conference to send guys to the NFL.

Sorry, was hiding from the layoff monster today (successfully thank God). Wasn't able to get back on here.

As for other conferences, I don't know that they look at a Big East championship as being that impressive. If the ACC was going to expand, they would probably look at our record vs their teams. If we won the Big East 3 years in a row but were 0-37 against the ACC, do we make sense for them? I guess if they want to bring in a doormat, sure.

You have to play and win big OOC games to turn heads. Again, we do need to win the Big East, it would help us in a lot of ways. My original argument was, and is, you can't avoid big OOC games, and you can't neglect to win any of them if you want to build an elite program. Look at some of the best programs built in the last 25 years and they did it by playing anyone, anywhere, any time. Bowden did it at FSU, UM did it. They didn't get to national prominence because they won their conference (UM was independent for most of their run weren't they?), they got their because they won some big games and forced the nation to take notice.

100% spot on

[CowbellBandit]

Recruits care about name recognition, yes, but they also care about getting to the NFL. The way to do that is to do well in a ranked program. I dont care how well we do against UF, UM, FSU or any other single big name game, losing the conference = not ranked, no national exposure, no good recruits.

As CSH has said time and again the focus is the BEast Championship, as well it should be. And with the way we played on Saturday, there's no way that will happen.

100% not true.

Did JPP get drafted in the first round because of good stats vs Big East opponents, or because of a stellar game at FSU? We had what, 4-5 draft picks this year? We're starting a safety for the Eagles in his rookie year and started a corner for the Cowboys since his rookie year. I don't think you have to win a conference to send guys to the NFL.

Sorry, was hiding from the layoff monster today (successfully thank God). Wasn't able to get back on here.

As for other conferences, I don't know that they look at a Big East championship as being that impressive. If the ACC was going to expand, they would probably look at our record vs their teams. If we won the Big East 3 years in a row but were 0-37 against the ACC, do we make sense for them? I guess if they want to bring in a doormat, sure.

You have to play and win big OOC games to turn heads. Again, we do need to win the Big East, it would help us in a lot of ways. My original argument was, and is, you can't avoid big OOC games, and you can't neglect to win any of them if you want to build an elite program. Look at some of the best programs built in the last 25 years and they did it by playing anyone, anywhere, any time. Bowden did it at FSU, UM did it. They didn't get to national prominence because they won their conference (UM was independent for most of their run weren't they?), they got their because they won some big games and forced the nation to take notice.

Well said.

But us just getting up for big games and losing in our conference won't turn heads. We're at a point where we need to take that next step. We've already proven we can beat the occasional OOC big name, but we need to take care of business at home to become a better, more attractive program.