The rumor going around is that the Big East will invite ECU and possibly Memphis for FB only for the 2006 season.
I wondered if anyone had heard anything about this. Does anyone know if the rumor is true? If so, would CUSA add 2 more all-sports members?

ECU to BE football only for Feb 2005 replacing Temple.Memphis wants an all sports membership.Also why does BE need 2 schools.Only one is needed for 4-4 schedule.

I know that ECU has always wanted in the Big East. And out of all the possible candidates for the Big East they've always made the most sense. They're located on the Eastern Seaboard; in the Big East's footprint. They bring a recruiting presence in the Carolinas and Virginia for the Big East. And they have strong mid-major support despite being down currently. East Carolina's stadium seats over the 40,000 seat Big East standard. Plus this school helps with bowl tie-ins in the Carolinas.

From ECU's perspective, they have nothing to lose by going FB-only. They can probably convince the A-10 to take their other sports with Charlotte and Richmond in that league now. They know that FB-only now will mean an all-sport invite in the event of a split.

On that second team going to the Big East, I would think it would be less probable. Memphis is not in the Big East footprint. Memphis is a better fit in CUSA geographically. I don't know if they would accept a FB-only from the Big East.

Marshall FB-only would make more sense in the Big East. The geography fits with Marshall, and they would draw very well on a schedule featuring WVU, Pitt and Louisville. By taking ECU and Marshall, the Big East would push CUSA's footprint to the Gulf Coast, and make it decidedly mid-major.

Would CUSA reload with 2 schools if ECU and another left? It all depends who is leaving and who is staying. If Memphis stays in CUSA, I don't know if they'd be in favor of watering down the basketball conference even further. Depending if the attendance requirements hit the MAC hard, they may be hitting them up for replacements. I'm sure LaTech, and the SBC schools will again jump through hoops trying to get in. Realignment between the MAC/CUSA/WAC could be triggered if a couple of CUSA schools move to the Big East. Lots of possibilities.

Which school will join the C-USA?

Temple?
Louisiana Tech?
North Texas?
Others?

Do they go for hoops or football?

This rumour makes no sense in view of what has been happening on the field and in the BE.

My suspicion is that ECU and the BE are diligently looking at future alternatives, but not seriously considering this at this point in time. And that has generated the rumours.

Ask the AD of ECU.Terry Holland spoke about this.His hiring of Zook from florida is part of the deal.

I think you're right on the money. Just a few months ago their were public statements out of the Big East Conference Office stating they were content with just 8 in football for the moment. They said, If something crazy happened, like a power shift among the mid-major schools they would reevaluate their position.

ECU would do it
Marshall would do it

Memphis would not do it, as they couldn't deal with the real small conference for their non-football

C-USA would again look to the MAC (Toledo, Miami O) to replace the two, if necessary. And when they see the new TV deal, they might be more receptive

UNT, Tech et al don't offer C-USA any new revenue - don't help

MAC schools don't make geographic sense if ECU and Marshall leave.

So...
Is Skip Holtz a pseudonym for Ron Zook, or is this more wishful thinking by the BigEast fan base?

ECU can't afford a high profile coach like Zook, they are still paying the last two, and they are a state school.
8-)

daddywags, I think the wishful thinking is from ECU fans and not Big East fans.

ECU is a fun rumor to kick around, however, there is not much about this rumor on any BE boards.

The Big East can dangle a 9th football only spot for quite a while and as the conference improves next year with new alignment and in the future, maintaining BCS membership would make a 9th spot almost as intriguing as the 12th spot in the Big 10.

The one thing the BE has said for certain is the conference will someday consider a 9th member and that member must bring value to the conference.

With the 12 team regular season almost a certainty, the BE would most likely look for a 9th football member that would vertually take care of the 12th game for each school. That alone makes a good supported football program a value to the conference from a scheduling stand point.

Does anyone know when the 12 game rule will be finalized. If it occurs this year for 2005 season, there may be some reason ECU and the BE are talking behind close doors?

There apparently is some opposition. Some of the Presidents are being consistent and talking about the welfare of the student-athlete. $ almost always wins, but it is not certain.

As a playoff supporter, I would like to see it fail. It will be almost impossible to take away and will make it more difficult to approve additional games for a playoff.

I haven't heard anything about when it would take effect, but I can't imagine it being deferred. It would probably be implemented in 2005 if it is finalized in January. Otherwise, I would bet on 2006. The next 12 game season is 2008.

Lash,

This scares me...
We are almost in lock-step agreement here... ;)

9th football only member is really not the way to go.
It should be an all-sports member for the incoming school, but for the BigEast it doesn't really matter as long as the basketball schools are in the fold.

However, when the inevitable split comes, you do NOT want a weak #9 that you may have difficulty jettisoning. This is why an all-sports is superior.

BTW, The vote on the 12 game comes at spring meetings in April. Implementation if passed would be for Football '06.
8-)

daddywags, thanks for the update on when a 12 game regular season will be approved.

If the Big East were looking to expand with a 9th football member, 2006 would make more sense. Most of the 2005 OOC schedules have been determined and taking on a 9th football member would require the buy out of lot of teams currently scheduled in 2005 as OOC.

Gunnerfan had a good point on less risk with takinig on football only members.

Everyone assumes the BE can not take on any more all sports members. Other than revenue there is no reason the Big East could not expand with 2 more all sports teams.

With the recent announcement on how the league will align, every team will not play a regular season game with the other 15 and 3 cross over rival games for a total of 16. Only the top 12 will go to NYC for the basketall tournament. No big deal if 6 verses 4 teams do not reach the tournament.

The Big East has long sense past the conference size that makes any sense. Whats two more teams.

Actually taking on two more all sports members that play football may be the glue to actually prevent a future split.

Unless you have the nucleus and region appeal to play a football championship game requiring 12 teams, 10 football members make the most sense.

10 football members would take care of the 4X4 football schedule issues and provide more opportunity for bowl quality teams.

If and when the Big East needs more football members, it does not have to mean football only or a split between the schools that play football and ones that don't.