Air Force Intentions with the Big East

[TrujilloBull2013]

Air Force AD: Interest 'high' in Big East

Posted on: October 9, 2011 12:35 pm

Following the news of TCU's plans to accept an invitation to join the Big 12, the presidents of the remaining Big East schools participated in a conference call Friday morning to discuss the league's future. Contrary to some reports no official decisions or announcements came from the meeting, but all signs point to the conference extending invitations to membership in the near future.

One of the schools frequently listed as a target for football is Air Force. CBSSports.com's Brett McMurphy reported that the conference was targeting Navy and Air Force before Syracuse and Pittsburgh bolted for the ACC. Even with the league now looking at only six football programs moving forward, Air Force athletic director Hans Mueh is still interested in the idea of joining the Big East.

"Our interest is high in the Big East. That's fair to say," Mueh told The Denver Post on Saturday. "This stuff is moving fast."

Mueh pointed out that his ideal scenario involves Air Force, Navy and Army all making the move to participating in the Big East for football, but there were no certainties in the discussions. The Falcons were listed by some as a possible target for Big 12 expansion after Texas and Oklahoma announced their intentions to stay in the league. Mueh confirmed on Saturday the school was approached by the Big 12, to which the AD said "no thanks."

"We were approached by the Big 12, and I told them we're not a good fit for that conference. In the Big 12, geography makes sense, the economics make sense, but the recruiting makes no sense for us. I can't recruit against Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State," Mueh explained.

"That's why I turned down the Big 12. I can't do that to my kids, because they'll get beat up. I'd love the extra $12 million or whatever it would be per year from the TV money. And I know how I'd spend the money. I'd build a new soccer stadium, and I'd build a new baseball facility, all in one year. But I can't do that."

Interesting take from the Air Force AD. He also said the Big East "absolutely" wants Army. But there are strong sentiments within the Army community that making the move to Big East conference play may be detrimental to the program in similar ways the Falcons were concerned about the Big East.

Action is expected from the league in the coming weeks regarding football expansion. In addition to the service industries, East Carolina, Central Florida, and Temple have been listed as candidates. The key for the league will be to find a program that fits with the other schools, while still maintaining the football success necessary to retain their automatic bid to the Bowl Championship Series.

http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/24156338/32601781

[abababa]

Got to love when a potential candidate says they only want to join because the league plays ****** football.

[Cubanbull]

More like they will be FOOTBALL Only meaning their other sports would have a shot at competing somewhereelse.

He is right atht they would not be able to recruit vs an Oklahoma or Texas. Heck if UL goes there they will find out soon enough same thing. You could have one good year but get eady for plenty of -5, 8-4 seasons and no smelling any BCS bowls

Ask

Texas Tech, Baylor, Missouri, Iowa state, Colorado etc how many BCS bowls they have been in the past 6-7 years.

[Cow Pie]

Take Air Force and Navy, but please no Army.

Why not Army?

Personally in my view all 3 service academies would protect our AQ status... no way the Fed's will let the NCAA take a dump on their schools since it would give a slight boost to recruitment by those schools.

Not many know this but a few years ago the Fed's passed a law that allowed football players at the service academies an out... they are required to remain in the armed forces unless drafted by the NFL... if they are not drafted then they have the option to avoid being shipped to the battlefield if they agree to be a recruiter.

[South_Florida_Flip]

Take Air Force and Navy, but please no Army.

Why not Army?

Great question. They should come to the league if Air Force and Navy are coming.

[Held_AccountaBull]

Army is one of the worst football teams in college. Navy and Air Force are at least respectable.

[usfgrad84]

The service acadamies bring a bankable entity to TV negotiations. That brings stabiity and THE only true and measureable selling point to keeping other schools in the league and attractive to other schools we want to attract. 

The service acadamies play on the field might not necessarily be enough to preserve the AQ, but they are a big piece of the puzzle to making the conference attractive. They are a means to an end.

[MMW]

You what? Dude. AQ status has a lot to do with BCS rankings. Not with patriotism.

The academies are great, but they'll never be powers.

This is a move predicated on the basketball schools again, so they don't have to add members on the basketball side.

It is what has sunk the conference.

AQ status has to do with money and public opinion.  The service academies improve both.  Only one team at a time wins the league.  You only need a couple of good teams that win consisently, you still need the Vanderbilts, Dukes, ISU etc.

And yes, patriotism will play a major role.  If you do understand how things works, sit back and watch what happens when they all come aboard.

[TrujilloBull2013]

Got to love when a potential candidate says they only want to join because the league plays ***** football.

that's not what he said.

he said AFA wouldn't be able to compete for recruits against other B12 schools like Texas, OU, OkSt, etc., and he's right.

the Big East would provide new grounds and added exposure in the east coast markets. AFA would wallow in obscurity as a B12 bottom feeder.

[BullsFanInTX]

You what? Dude. AQ status has a lot to do with BCS rankings. Not with patriotism.

The academies are great, but they'll never be powers.

This is a move predicated on the basketball schools again, so they don't have to add members on the basketball side.

It is what has sunk the conference.

The BCS rankings and 3 criteria are for determining if a 7th conf. can get a BCS bid, not necessarily for taking one away from a conference.