Off the field goings on

We've already heard that UConn is leaving the AAC for football independence at the end of 2020. Now Air Force's Troy Calhoun is questioning their place in the MWC after dealing with some travel challenges after traveling to Annapolis, MD to play Navy and then having to go to Hawaii shortly afterwards. https://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/10/13/troy-calhoun-questions-air-force-remaining-in-the-mountain-west/



We heard that BYU's renewed TV deal was "close" but then half the season has gone by with no new word emerging. The MWC is also renewing their deal if I'm not mistaken. Any other moving parts that could make this an interesting off-season?

It is interesting that half the fan base wants to go back to a conference where half the members are trying to get out.

I would like to see us just commit to a direction. Right now, we are saying we are "one of the big boys" by trying to schedule up, but still keeping coaching funds low and antiquated rules that make no sense (head coach must be active LDS).

BYU should either commit to being a "big boy" and up the funding to be commensurate with a Power 5 school and get rid of the non-sensical membership limitation on the HC, or simply admit who we are, and go back to the Mountain West and enjoy it.

Pick a direction!

One stat to think on, attendance was at its highest during conference affiliation, not independence. Not that attendance is the best measure, but we need not fear losing it due to being in a smaller conference.

Attendance can be a bit of a funny stat too. Overall college football was seeing a downward trend in attendance prior to and since BYU went independent. I wonder if that trend has continued in recent years. I think the made for TV schedules with their late night starts on the west coast have contributed to people watching at home.

Funding for the coaching staff, etc. is another one I struggle with. People keep demanding that the Board of Trustees pony up a bunch of money, but I thought the BYU athletics department was self funded running mostly on donations. https://byucougars.com/story/athletics/nid/athletics-faqs/

Maybe the AD could do more in the way of funding drives or that kind of thing. Or maybe I just don't notice their activities since I'm Joe-doesn't-have-much. lol

hawkwing wrote:

It is interesting that half the fan base wants to go back to a conference where half the members are trying to get out.

I doubt half the fans want to go back to the MWC. At least I hope not. Those that do need their heads checked.

I'd rather drop to FCS than go back to the MW.

cougarapologist wrote:

I would like to see us just commit to a direction. Right now, we are saying we are "one of the big boys" by trying to schedule up, but still keeping coaching funds low and antiquated rules that make no sense (head coach must be active LDS).

BYU should either commit to being a "big boy" and up the funding to be commensurate with a Power 5 school and get rid of the non-sensical membership limitation on the HC, or simply admit who we are, and go back to the Mountain West and enjoy it.

Pick a direction!

One stat to think on, attendance was at its highest during conference affiliation, not independence. Not that attendance is the best measure, but we need not fear losing it due to being in a smaller conference.

ATtendence was high because no one could get the games.

Also, BYU was winning a lot of games. A loss to Toledo or USF was unexpected.

Exposure was terrible during MWC. I have no idea what it would be currently if we went back.

cougarapologist wrote:

I would like to see us just commit to a direction. Right now, we are saying we are "one of the big boys" by trying to schedule up, but still keeping coaching funds low and antiquated rules that make no sense (head coach must be active LDS).

BYU should either commit to being a "big boy" and up the funding to be commensurate with a Power 5 school and get rid of the non-sensical membership limitation on the HC, or simply admit who we are, and go back to the Mountain West and enjoy it.

Pick a direction!

One stat to think on, attendance was at its highest during conference affiliation, not independence. Not that attendance is the best measure, but we need not fear losing it due to being in a smaller conference.

BYU would be a middle to bottom level MWC team right now. Going back to the MWC would only expose this. How does anyone think that would affect ticket sales, and no one would even see the games on top of it.

frdbtr wrote:

I would like to see us just commit to a direction. Right now, we are saying we are "one of the big boys" by trying to schedule up, but still keeping coaching funds low and antiquated rules that make no sense (head coach must be active LDS).

BYU should either commit to being a "big boy" and up the funding to be commensurate with a Power 5 school and get rid of the non-sensical membership limitation on the HC, or simply admit who we are, and go back to the Mountain West and enjoy it.

Pick a direction!

One stat to think on, attendance was at its highest during conference affiliation, not independence. Not that attendance is the best measure, but we need not fear losing it due to being in a smaller conference.

BYU would be a middle to bottom level MWC team right now. Going back to the MWC would only expose this. How does anyone think that would affect ticket sales, and no one would even see the games on top of it.

But the players would win more games because they would be "more excited" to play Wyoming than they would be to play Washington.... :roll:

ABYUFAN wrote:

cougarapologist wrote:

I would like to see us just commit to a direction. Right now, we are saying we are "one of the big boys" by trying to schedule up, but still keeping coaching funds low and antiquated rules that make no sense (head coach must be active LDS).

BYU should either commit to being a "big boy" and up the funding to be commensurate with a Power 5 school and get rid of the non-sensical membership limitation on the HC, or simply admit who we are, and go back to the Mountain West and enjoy it.

Pick a direction!

One stat to think on, attendance was at its highest during conference affiliation, not independence. Not that attendance is the best measure, but we need not fear losing it due to being in a smaller conference.

BYU would be a middle to bottom level MWC team right now. Going back to the MWC would only expose this. How does anyone think that would affect ticket sales, and no one would even see the games on top of it.

But the players would win more games because they would be "more excited" to play Wyoming than they would be to play Washington.... :roll:

My choice would be to own up to the reality of being a "Big Boy", up the funding, and drop the limitation on non-member coaches. But more than that, I just want them to pick a direction and go with it.