ACCESS BOWL ROULETTE: ULL RAGIN CAJUNS

This the second in a series of stories looking at likely contenders for the G5 spot in the Access Bowl this year.

OVERVIEW:  Robert E. Lee was fond of saying that  the Devil's name is dullness. Fortunately for Ragin Cajun fans, the Devil has been absent from  the ULL football program since Head Coach Mark Hudspeth arrived bringing  his passionate brand of football to campus in 2010.  Hudspeth, with  help from his coaching credentials and a fiery disposition has put ULL football on the map much to the delight of the enthusiastic and large Ragin Cajun fan base.

The recent success of the football team has even been the catalyst  for ULL's ambitious  $115 million dollar strategic plan to revision   its athletic department and facilities. ULL believes that it is finally hitting its stride after many years of status quo existence. With a talent rich state, a fan base that has proven they can show up in  East Carolina  like numbers and an administration that finally understands how important College football is to the bottom line, the Ragin Cajuns might be ready to turn the corner in scholastic athletics.

COACHING: In the 8 yrs prior to  Hudspeth becoming head coach of the Ragin Cajuns,  ULL struggled under the leadership of then head coach Rickey Bustle, who had amassed a dismal 41-65 record. In truth, Bustle had faired no worse than those who had come before him, as the Cajuns were in the midst of a 4 decades long Bowl Game drought. The Ragin Cajuns, much to the chagrin of their fan base, were stuck in a decades long malaise  with no signs of a program turn around. That is until ULL AD David Walker hired Hudspeth away from his assistant coach job at  Mississippi State.

Walker, like many others , knew that Mark Hudspeth could coach , and win big.   Hudspeth , while serving as Head Coach of a  struggling North Alabama team turned  around that  program finishing with an impressive 66-21 over seven seasons with the  Lions.

When Hudspeth came to ULL, he knew what it  took to win. In what is now a famous  moment in ULL program history, Coach Hudspeth took a tug of war rope with him to one of his practices and divided the team into offense and defense . He then had the two squads pull against each other, and when neither side gained an advantage over the other, he told the team to all get on the same side of the rope and pull. It's much easier win when your pulling together he told the team. The rope moment seems to have worked, as Hudspeth has gone an a stealer 27-12 with three bowl wins in the last 3 yrs. Hudspeth simply is a gamer.

WHY ULL WITH BE THE G5 REPRESENTATIVE TO THE ACCESS BOWL:

ULL boasts a talented team. For starters, Senior QB Terrance Broadway should start the season healthy. After a gut check performance against Tulane in the New Orleans Bowl last year, Broadway looks ready to to make a name for himself as a multi threat option on the field. Protecting Broadway up front  are four returning linemen, including  all  SBC linemen  Daniel Quave(G). Combine this with emergence of Sophomore Rb Elijah McGuire and the continued good play of Senior WR Jamal Robinson, and the Cajun OC Jay Johnson has quite the arsenal to work with.

On the Defensive side of the ball, however,  ULL struggled last year both in run defense and with a lackluster pass rush. The good news for second year Def Coordinator James Willis is that the Cajuns return most players from  last year's defense, including the majority of the secondary. ULL also has a favorable schedule this year, meaning that it is not out of the picture for them to go undefeated. They will need for their defense to play better this year, however,  if they want to run the tables.

Finally, the Ragin Cajuns have Coach Mark Hudspeth. Hudspeth leadership is invaluable to ULL. Hudspeth is becoming one of the best motivators in the business. Look for him to push the Cajuns hard this year.

WHY ULL WILL NOT BE THE G5 REPRESENTATIVE TO THE ACCESS BOWL

The wild card on ULL's team this year is it's defense. Def Coordinator James Willis, will have to work some magic and get better production from his squad before ULL is ready to be the G5 representative to the Access Bowl.

ULL plays in the Sun Belt. The Belt still struggles with perception issues.  These perception issues linger in spite of the  Sun Belt's  recently  good record against other  G5 conferences. An undefeated Belt team for example, would likely not get the spot if going toe to toe with an undefeated  or even one loss AAC team.

 ULL will need to beat Ole Miss and Boise State, and then will need to beat  Troy, Ark State and APP State and hope that these three schools are having good seasons in order to raise  ULL's SOS profile. SOS issues may haunt ULL this year. Even with an undefeated record, ULL will need help from other G5 conferences in order to get to the Access Bowl.


CONCLUSION:

ULL's strength is clearly on the offensive side of the ball and in the form of the  motivation  and leadership of Head Coach Mark Hudspeth. ULL will need to run the table and get  help from the other Access Bowl contenders if they want to make it to the Bowl game.  The stars will have to align in very favorable positions for  ULL this season if they want to make it to the game.

In short, ULL  has the most difficult  road to the Access Bowl among the G5 teams. They also however, have one of the best G5 coach's in Hudsepth. Mark Hudspeth has proven that he can win every where that he has coached.   If any one can make this season a magical one,  its Hudspeth. He will need however, to have one of his best coaching years ever and receive some breaks from the football gods if he wants his team to play in the Access Bowl.  The good news for Cajun fans is that if anyone can pull this off, it's Hudspeth.

APPALACHIAN STATE WILL WIN SUN BELT TITLE IN 2015

I am going to start the Gang of 5 predictions  this year with the Sun Belt. The Sun Belt had a disappointing year last year and will  need to bounce back this season in order to stay even with CUSA. Next Up the MAC.





SUN BELT 2015 PREDICTIONS

1. APPALACHIAN STATE:  9-3 

With 20 returning starters, an up and coming  QB(Taylor Lamb) with experience under his belt, a very good offensive line and  talent at the RB position( Junior Marcus Cox had 19 TD's last year) Appalachian State looks to be a force in the Sun Belt this year. Coach Scott Satterfield( APP STATE FINDS ITS SWAGGER LINK) is finding his voice and the App State players are responding very well to his winning philosophy.
Appalachian also has a very favorable home schedule this year playing their 3 toughest opponents( Ark State, Georgia Southern and ULL ) in Boone.  Look for this home field advantage to make the difference for the Mountaineers as Kidd Brewer stadium can be a hard place for opponents to play and win.

2. ARK STATE 9-3 

Here is what I wrote about Arkansas State a few months ago: Head Coach Blake Anderson has a terrific reputation among College football coaches. Now that Coach Anderson is in his 2nd year as head coach of the Arkansas State Wolves look for him to continue to create a culture of winning at Ark State.  Red Wolves QB Fred Knighten returns for Senior year. While not the greatest QB in College Football, he is steady and could prove to have a very nice Senior campaign. The Red Wolves have some nice talent in RB Michael Gordon and last years leader in yards at WR 6'2 Tre Houston.  If the Oline can continue to give solid play and the Defense improve from last years very average effort, the Arkansas Red Wolves could be making headlines in January 2016. 

Since I wrote this I have become more bullish on Ark State because I believe their OLine will be the difference maker for them this year. Their game against App State on Nov 5( ESPN U) will likely determine the winner of the Sun Belt this year.

3.  GEORGIA SOUTHERN 8-4  

I like Georgia Southern.(Georgia Southern School of the Year link )Their  DNA is similar to the DNA of ECU (ECU Fan Base link) and that is a good thing. Georgia Southern is  growing one of the best fan bases in the Sun Belt Conference.  They are also learning to win in big game settings( beating Florida in 2013)
This year however, they simply lose to much beef up front( 4 OL starters) to make the Option click. Yes top WR BJ Johnson returns as does  hard charging RB Matt Breida( 1400 yards last year). The key to the OPTION, however are the big guys up front operating in a tight unified fashion. To many new guys up front equals uncertainty for the Eagles this year.  Look for Georgia Southern  to struggle early and often as they work out the kinks of the new guys up front. Still, Georgia Southern will be headed to their first Bowl Game this year. Not bad for a program that is only in the  infancy phase  of FBS competition.

4. ULL 8-4 

I think Head Coach Mark Hudspeth is a huge asset   for ULL. He has built an excellent program and made the Ragin Cajuns a team that most schools in the Sun Belt dread playing. In fact, Hudspeth teams are loaded with the best athletes , pound for pound, in the Sun Belt and are among some of the best of the Gang of 5.
The problem for ULL however, is that the program has  failed to win the big games needed to capture   head lines in the world of College Football.  Last year for example, I picked ULL to easily win the Sun Belt and to be a dark horse Access Bowl candidate(ULL Access Bowl Candidate link). Instead of the Access Bowl , they were treated to losses ( Boise State , Ole Miss, and La Tech) to teams that on paper they had solid chances of winning.
This year ULL once again is loaded on both sides of the ball with very good athletes and talented skill players. They also return 3 Oline players from last years 9 win team. Elijah McGuire, last years Sun Belt Player of the Year is also back for the Ragin Cajuns. McGuire is a legit NFL talent and has the skill set to create match up problems for every school ULL plays this year, including P5 School Kentucky. If ULL can get on a run and play to their potential they are capable of winning every game this year. Until , however,  ULL can prove they are capable winning the big and important games,  I am going to underestimate them vs over estimate them.( I stand ready to apologize to ULL fans if they prove me wrong this year)



THE REST

5. TEXAS STATE
6. SOUTH ALABAMA
7. IDAHO
8. UL-MONROE
9. TROY
10. GEORGIA STATE
11. NEW MEXICO STATE

5 G5 COACHES THAT ARE VITAL TO THEIR SCHOOL'S FOOTBALL SUCCESS

Original G5 blog content

Football, more than any other sport, requires a strong and steady hand at the top. This is especially true in College Football where good coaching is often the difference between winning and losing on the field. Here then are 5 G5 Head Coaches that are vital to their school's success.


1. MARK HUDSPETH ULL:  Before Mark Hudspeth arrived as the Ragin Cajun Head Coach, the ULL football program had been a perennial underachiever.  In only  his first year as Head Coach (2011),Hudspeth lead the ULL program to a 9-4 record giving  the  Cajun football team its first  winning season since 1993.  Hudspeth has been instrumental to the ULL football program turn around and his leadership has brought both money and attention to ULL.  How valuable is Hudspeth to the ULL program? Well  last year ULL officials raised his salary to a little over 1 million dollars a year making him the highest paid coach in the Sun Belt. For Ragin  Cajun fans Hudspeth salary is money well spent. Hudspeth has earned a 36-17 record as Head  Coach of ULL.  Just how much longer they can keep him in Lafayette is another story.

2. DOC HOLIDAY MARSHALL :To say that Head Coach Doc Holiday  put Marshall football back on the College Football map is an understatement. In the five years before  Holiday arrived in Huntington the Thundering Herd had amassed a record of 22-37. These numbers  failed to live up to  Marshall's proud history or program expectations.  Marshall University, desperate for someone who understood its football culture,  took a risk on Doc Holiday, the long time college assistant coach. Holiday went to work immediately and put  his excellent recruiting skills to good use. He took advantage of  his long time connections to South Florida and began to recruit  gifted athletes to Marshall. Many of the athletes Holiday recruited had been over looked by some of the bigger schools in the region. Perhaps no other player personifies Holiday's bold and savvy recruiting chops more than Rakeem Cato. The Miami Central QB standout was passed over by many P5 schools, but Holiday saw something in Cato and took a chance on him. Holiday's gamble payed off and Cato has helped Doc Holiday earn a 40-25 record in his 5 years as Marshall Head Coach. Holiday has also positioned  Marshall  as one of the top G5 football schools in the country.

3. GEORGE O'LEARY UCF : No one has ever doubted George O'Leary's coaching abilities . After a lapse in judgment cost him the Notre Dame job, UCF reached out to him and has never looked back. Before O'Leary arrived in Orlando the Knights had underachieved given their proximity to the great High School football talent in the region. O'Leary got off to a rocky start in his inaugural year as  Head Coach going 0-11.  Soon however, O'Leary's tough nosed-no nonsense approach to the game took over the UCF football culture. O'Leary also began to upgrade the talent level and take advantage of the excellent players in the Orlando zip code.

In 2014 O'Leary led UCF to its first BCS Bowl game victory beating a heavily favored Baylor team in prime time tv. While O'Leary's tenure at UCF has not been without its blemishes, he has put the UCF program in an excellent position for a potential  Power conference jump in the future. In his 11 seasons O'Leary has earned a 81-60 record as UCF Head Coach.

4. FRANK SOLICH  OHIO BOBCATS: When the Nebraska Cornhuskers relieved Frank Solich of his Head Coaching duties in 2003, little did Ohio Bobcat fans know what a favor the Cornhuskers had done them. Hired by the Bobcats in 2005, Solich and Ohio have become good partners. Since his hiring,  Solich has been the model of consistency as the Bobcat Head Coach,   leading them to 6 Bowl games during his tenure. Just as important as the Bowl games however,  is that Solich understands the football culture at Ohio and has built an extremely clean program. While Bobcat fans might want to see more Conference Championships, there is no denying that Frank Solich has been an asset to the Bobcat program. Under Solich's leadership  Ohio earned its very first top 25 ranking( 2012) and made it to a Bowl game (GMAC Bowl 2007) for the first time since 1968.

5. RUFFIN McNEIL ECU: Immediately after Texas Tech defeated Michigan State in the Alamo Bowl in 2010,  Texas Tech interim  Head Coach Ruffin McNeil began the  difficult task of waiting for the Texas Tech administration to decide on a new Head Coach. McNeil, who was widely loved by both players and fans, was a crowd favorite to take the job. In the end however, Tech passed on McNeil and hired  Tommy Tuberville instead.( Tuberville lasted only 3 years as Head Coach of the Red Raiders) Texas Tech's loss was East Carolina's gain. Known as a father figure to his recruits, McNeil took an already successful ECU football team and has added his own  unique and spirited gifts to Pirate program.  McNeil is also the fist African American Head Coach to ever lead East Carolina. When he was first hired as Head Coach, McNeil took a chance on a young Texas Tech assistant coach, Lincoln Riley, and made him the Pirates OC. Riley, who was only 26 year  old when he came to East Carolina , quickly  transformed the ECU offense into one of the best Air Raid systems in the country.   McNeil, who is also a children's author, has upgraded the ECU talent level while at the same time holding his players to a high standard of ethics and guidelines. McNeil is known for his vibrant leadership and for placing faith in his assistant coaches and players.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

JUSTIN FUENTE MEMPHIS

DAVID BAILIFF RICE

SKIP HOLTZ LA TECH

G5 SPORTS AND NEWS RANKINGS CONT: GANG OF 5 FOOTBALL 16-20

16. GEORGIA SOUTHERN: Eagle fans were rewarded with their school's jump to FBS Football last year when Georgia Southern won the Sun Belt Championship in their inaugural year of  conference play. The Eagles were lead by one of the best Olines in the Sun Belt and one of the best among the G5 schools. This year however, Head Coach Willie Fritz, will have to run his potent ground attack behind 4 new starters on the Oline. For a school this dependent on the triple option, replacing four new offensive linemen is going to be a challenge. Look for the Eagles to struggle for the first part of the season as the big guys up front learn to work with each other.

17.  MEMPHIS TIGERS: Memphis Tiger fans owe Head Coach Justin Fuentes a great deal of thanks for turning around a Memphis program down on its luck. Last year Fuentes lead the Tigers to a 10 win season including a victory over BYU in the Miami Bowl. Fuentes has built his team around character, hard work and skilled players. While 6'7 Paxton Lynch, the Tigers talented QB returns this year, Memphis and Fuentes have their work cut out for them as the best players on the Tiger Def are gone.  If we have learned one thing about Justin Fuentes however, is that he is a master of doing a lot with a little.

18. ULL: I wrote this earlier in the year about the Ragin Cajuns:
This year ULL is once again loaded on both sides of the ball with very good athletes and talented skill players. They also return 3 Oline players from last years 9 win team. Elijah McGuire, last years Sun Belt Player of the Year is also back for the Ragin Cajuns. McGuire is a legit NFL talent and has the skill set to create match up problems for every school ULL plays this year, including P5 School Kentucky. If ULL can get on a run and play to their potential then they  are capable of winning every game this year. Until , however,  ULL can prove they are capable winning the big and important games, however,  I am going to underestimate them vs over estimate them.( I stand ready to apologize to ULL fans if they prove me wrong this year)


19. LA TECH
20. SAN DIEGO STATE

FOUR G5 SCHOOLS TO WATCH IN 2014

ULL: One word, Mark Hudspeth. Hudspeth is simply a winner. Ull right now is the second best team in Louisiana. Ull should win the Sun Belt this year and could even be a dark horse for the Access Bowl . How long however, will ULL be able to hold onto Hudspeth? If ULL has another good year in 2014, don't look for him to stay long.

ECU: Ruffin Mcneill came to ECU with high expectations. A well liked coach and alumni of ECU, winning is personal to Coach Ruff. His first years in Greenville ,however, were hard ones, as he inherited a team depleted with talent. Ruff has spent the last few years stockpiling good athletes who are team centered and molded in Ruff's own image. Last year's 10 win season has given Pirate fans much to be thankful for. Look for ECU to surprise the AAC this year and win it.

MARSHALL: Marshall head coach, Doc Holliday, may be the best recruiter in the G5 world. At the very least he has an excellent pipeline to Florida ball players and he and the Marshall AD, Mike Hamrick,  have learned how to work the Prop loophole to their advantage. With a good season last year topped off with a win against Maryland in the Military Bowl, Marshall is looking like a team that could be very dangerous. Look for them to easily win Conf USA.

BOISE STATE: What is life going to be like post Chris Peterson, the zen football guru who guided Boise State to the pinnacle of the  G5 world. Bryan Harsin, the 37 year old new Boise State head coach, takes over a team where fan and player expectations are high. Boise State has officially become an unknown entity in the football world. Can they continue their impressive winning ways, or are they destined to go the way of all great teams who lose their mojo when their coach/ architect leaves. We shall see.

2 CHOICES FACING CUSA POST UAB

INTRO
With the  death of UAB football now a tragic reality, it's time to start thinking about the future of Conference USA post UAB.  Conference Commissioner  Britton Banowsky will need to think long and hard about who will replace UAB, if they are replaced at all. It seems unlikely that CUSA will allow UAB basketball to remain in the conference without football. Sorry Blazer's fans, but Conference USA has to treat the latest news from Birmingham as an opportunity to dip back into the murky waters of realignment. Here then are two choices Conference USA has in regards to moving forward in a post UAB world.

CHOICE A 
DO NOTHING: 
Pros :Yes, doing nothing is an option for CUSA. Even without UAB, the league would still have 13 schools to solider on with. Doing nothing, slims the conference a bit and puts more money in  each of the remaining school's treasure chests. With an uncertain tv contract looming it certainly can be argued that staying at 13 members gives the league a little more financial piece of mind and allows the dust to settle from the last round of realignment. It also affords the 13 remaining teams a chance to build rivalries something the conference desperately needs.
Cons:There are some schools that could add  value to CUSA, or at least keep the conference on an even footing. Also, remaining at 13 teams makes for uneven divisions within the conference.
CHANCE OF CONFERENCE USA REMAINING AT 13 SCHOOLS: 30%

CHOICE B
ADD ONE OR MORE SCHOOLS TO THE CONFERENCE:
Pros: Adding one or more schools to CUSA gives the league yet another chance to raid the Sun Belt or perhaps even entice a school from the MAC to join them. Call it conference realignment 2.5. Adding another school gives CUSA an equal number of schools again at 14 and could position CUSA as the clear number 3 conference behind the MWC and the AAC. In fact, if C USA wants to be really bold, why not go after the best 2-4 teams from the Sun Belt. This would put considerable pressure on the Belt to stay even with CUSA and would give the Sun Belt fewer schools in which to pick from in their attempt to reload.

Here are my top choices for a CUSA invite from the Sun Belt:

1. ULL:
 Rich Louisiana recruiting grounds, a rabid fan base when motivated, think New Orleans Bowl, and a renewed commitment to win in football backed by a thorough long term strategic plan.
2. Ark State
Consistent winner over the last 4 years, one of only two FBS schools in their state, a commitment to win from the President of the School all the way to the grounds and maintenance guys.
3. Georgia Southern
Strong fan support, proven winner, a commitment to win( See Ark State description above) is a true football school from top to bottom.
4. South Alabama
Great recruiting grounds, has close to the same footprint as outgoing UAB, and could become a dominant player in CUSA sooner rather than later.

Choices from the MAC:
1.Akron: CUSA would give Akron an identity apart from the crowded Ohio schools already in the MAC, is a scrappy program that given the right support could become a consistent winner.
1a.Ohio: Consistent winner in the MAC, also, see the description for Akron above

HOW MANY SCHOOLS?
Okay, I am going to be bold here, if I was Britton Banowsky I would add my top 3 picks from the Sun Belt  to join CUSA. Yes it would mean less money for the schools.  But let's be honest,  CUSA is being paid peanuts now and I expect that their next contract will be for even less money than they are being paid now. Adding three schools is not about immediate gain, but rather a long term vision. Raiding the Sun Belt and taking ULL, Ark State and Georgia Southern, would leave a hole in the Sun Belt that I do not believe they would ever fully recover from. If we have learned anything from UAB its that the G5 schools are in a fight for their lives. The MWC and the AAC are  in much better financial and brand positions that CUSA, The MAC and The Sun Belt are not. While I hate for any G5  to suffer, we have entered a new and more dangerous phase of college football, a phase that has the potential to cripple many of the schools that are not in the Power 5 world. It now seems pertinent  for CUSA , The MAC and The Sun Belt to re-envision their long term plans. Adding, dropping or consolidating among the 3 now appear more necessity than luxury.

CONS: There are of course risks to adding one or more schools to CUSA. More schools mean more mouths to feed and  more time for the league to gel and form rivalries that matter to fans and more importantly to tv networks. The pros of adding one or more schools, however, far outweigh the risks of adding no one. CHANCE OF ADDING ONE OR MORE SCHOOLS 70%

CONCLUSION: College football has entered  a dangerous high stakes game of chicken.  In order to survive this new world,G5  schools will have to make hard choices going forward. UAB may just be the tip of the iceberg as Universities struggle to come to terms with rising football and scholarship costs. CUSA has an opportunity to re-envision  itself  in light of the new realities of college football. Why not make choices  with an eye towards the future, not just the present. Adding 3 or more schools from the Sun Belt meets this goal and then some. Stay tuned.

SPECULATION SATURDAY: NEW G5 LEAGUE TO COMPETE WITH THE AAC AND MWC: THE NATIONAL 10 CONFERENCE

G5 Original Content

NATIONAL 10 CONFERENCE

Its the middle of summer, which means that in addition to hot days with no breeze, it is also the season of  wild speculation  among College Football fans. So,   as  the balmy days of summer slowly march ( painstakingly slow that is)  towards the cooler days of  Fall and the start of the 2015 Football Season, I am dedicating todays blog post to the creation of a new Gang of 5 Conference.

I have built the new conference to compete with the AAC and MWC and have taken schools from the MAC, SUN BELT AND CONFERENCE USA  to do so.  I have concentrated almost entirely on schools with good football programs. In a few  cases a school's market was key to their entry into the new league.  I also chose schools that I believe a Commissioner could take to tv Networks and make a solid case for both money and strong tv coverage.

HERE WE GO:

NATIONAL 10

(in no particular order)

1. ARKANSAS STATE: WITH AN IMPRESSIVE RECORD OVER THE PAST 4 YEARS( WITH MULTIPLE COACHES NO LESS) AND A BEING LOCATED IN STATE WITH ONLY ONE OTHER FBS SCHOOL ARK STATE BELONGS IN THE NATIONAL 10. THE RED WOLVES HAVE ALSO RECRUITED WELL AND HAVE ONE OF THE MOST PRO ACTIVE AD'S IN THE COUNTRY.

2. GEORGIA SOUTHERN: SOMEWHERE ERK RUSSEL, THE FATHER OF GEORGIA SOUTHERN FOOTBALL, IS SMILING. THE EAGLES KNOW HOW TO WIN FOOTBALL GAMES, PERIOD. THEY DOMINATED FCS PLAY AND NOW LOOK LIKE THEY ARE  FULLY CAPABLE OF WINNING AT THE FBS LEVEL AS WELL. GEORGIA SOUTHERN ALSO  HAS A GREAT GAME DAY ATMOSPHERE MAKING THEM A SOLID PICK FOR THE NATIONAL 10.

3. MARSHALL: MARSHALL IS BACK TO ITS WINNING WAYS AND HEAD COACH DOC HOLIDAY KNOWS HOW TO FIND TALENTED FOOTBALL PLAYERS WHO WANT TO PLAY IN HUNTINGTON. WITH ONE OF THE MOST LOYAL FAN BASES IN ALL OF FOOTBALL, MARSHALL IS A MUST HAVE PROGRAM FOR THE NATIONAL 10. THE THUNDERING HERD IS A DOMINANT  GANG OF 5 SCHOOL AT THE MOMENT.

4. LA TECH: LA TECH HAS A GREAT FOOTBALL PEDIGREE AND THEIR BASKETBALL HISTORY  IS BRIGHT AS WELL. HEAD COACH SKIP HOLTZ LOOKS LIKE HE HAS FOUND HIS GROOVE AND IS POSITIONING LA TECH INTO A CONFERENCE USA POWER. WITH GREAT RECRUITING GROUNDS AND A PASSIONATE FAN BASE  THE BULLDOGS BELONG IN THE NATIONAL 10.

5. ULL: WITH ONE OF THE BEST HEAD COACHES IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND A FAN BASE THAT HAS ONE OF THE BEST TAIL GATING SCENES AMONG THE GANG OF 5 , THE RAGIN CAJUNS HAVE A LEGIT PROGRAM. ADD IN BASEBALL AND THE  RICH LOUISIANA  RECRUITING GROUNDS  AND THE RAGIN CAJUNS  MAKE FOR A FINE ADDITION TO THE NATIONAL 10.

6. WKU: WHILE THE HILLTOPPERS ARE RELATIVELY NEW  TO THE RANKS OF  FBS  COMPETITION THEY HAVE PROVEN THAT THEY CAN RECRUIT AND PLAY GOOD FOOTBALL AT THIS LEVEL.  WKU BASKETBALL HAS A GREAT TRACK RECORD AND WOULD BE A HUGE PLUS FOR THE NATIONAL 10.

7. NIU: THE HUSKIES BELONG IN ANY NEW G5 CONFERENCE SPIN OFF BECAUSE THEY HAVE PROVEN THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN GAMES THAT GET THEM TO THE BIG SHOW. WITH A STRONG FOOTBALL PROGRAM AND BRAND THAT PEOPLE RECOGNIZE NIU MAKES A GREAT ADDITION TO THE NATIONAL 10.

8.FIU: THE FLORIDA MARKET IS JUST TO IMPORTANT FOR THE NATIONAL 10 TO SKIP.  FIU IS STRUGGLING AT THE MOMENT BUT HAVE PROVEN THEY CAN WIN WHEN GIVEN THE RIGHT HEAD COACH. SUPURB RECRUITING GROUNDS, GREAT SPOTS FOR BOWL GAMES AND A SCHOOL THAT WITH THE RIGHT LEADERSHIP CAN WIN AND WIN BIG, FIU BELONGS IN THE NATIONAL 10

9. RICE: LIKE FLORIDA, THE TEXAS MARKET IS TO IMPORTANT TO PASS OVER. THE NATIONAL 10 PICKS RICE AS IT SOLE TEXAS SCHOOL. RICE IS INVESTING SOME SERIOUS CASH INTO THEIR STADIUM AND FOOTBALL PROGRAM. HEAD COACH DAVID BALIFF IS AN EXCELLENT EVALUATOR OF TALENT AND KNOWS HOW TO GET THE MOST FROM HIS PLAYERS. RICE ALSO BRINGS A NATIONAL NAME TO THE CONFERENCE.

10. OHIO : WITH A FAN BASE THAT SUPPORTS ITS TEAM,  AS WELL AS HAVING SOLID FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL , OHIO DESERVES A SPOT IN THE NATIONAL 10. THE BOBCATS HAVE BEEN THE MODEL OF CONSISTENCY UNDER HEAD COACH FRANK SOLICH AND WOULD BE A STRONG ADDITION TO THE NATIONAL 10. OHIO ALSO HAS A GOOD  RIVALY WITH MARSHALL, A PLUS FOR ANY  G5 LEAGUE.



NATIONAL 10
1. ARK STATE
2. GEORGIA SOUTHERN
3. MARSHALL
4. LA TECH
5. WKU
6. NIU
7. FIU
8.ULL
9. OHIO
10.RICE


If the conference were to expand to 12 here are schools that would be at the top of the list.

UAB
UTEP
APPALACHIAN STATE
SOUTHERN MISS
TEXAS STATE

G3: CONFERENCE USA, SUN BELT AND MAC WILL NEED STRONG VISION AND LEADERSHIP GOING FORWARD

SOUTHERN MISS PLAYERS CELEBRATE AFTER A TOUCHDOWN

B2 VS G3
Marshall fans were understandably upset, when after waiting weeks to see their very good Herd football team finally get ranked by the CFP committee, they found themselves positioned behind a two loss Boise State team. Game over for Marshall.  Game over that is for the coveted Access Bowl slot .(The Access Bowl is awarded to the top G5 school)The CFP committee had sent a not so subtle message to Marshall Athletic Director Mike Hamrick; if you want to play with the big boys, schedule like the big boys. This sounds like reasonable advice, except when you look at Boise State's record and realize that their two losses had come from one P5 school and a good , but not great Air Force team. Something else was going on here. In a sport that has become dominated like no other by pedigree and blood lines, the CFP was essentially telling Marshall, that the league you are in, Conference USA, is not as good as the MWC or for that matter the AAC. The AAC as you recall, had one it's newest members, a one loss( at the time) East Carolina team, also ranked above the undefeated Thundering Herd  in the initial CFP poll. It does not take a  fortunate teller to read the tea leaves on what happened to Marshall this year. The College Football world has quickly and not so quietly divided the the G5 into two distinct categories, the  B2 and the  G3. The MWC and AAC are now the B2(Bridge leagues, bridge to the P5) and the Sun Belt, Conference USA and MAC are G3 (Gang of 3, )

G3
After just one short year in which the G5 and P5 were officially split by both nomenclature and money, there is now a discernible  split between the G5 as well. The AAC and MWC are in their  own B2 division, while the Sun Belt, Conference USA and the MAC are in their own G3 division. Within that G3 division, the ranking goes like this: 1. Conference USA  2. The MAC  3. The Sun Belt
When the CFP ranked both a one loss East Carolina team and a two loss Boise State team in front of an undefeated Marshall team, the split among the G5 was made official. The question for the G3 going forward however, is what now? It is unlikely that we will see a team among the G3 as talented as the Thundering Herd were this year for at least another decade or so. This means that the front runners for the Access Bowl slot in most years will likely come from the AAC or the MWC. This not only means that the G3 are likely to miss out on the Access Bowl money and prestige most years, it also means that the G3 have a full blown existential crisis facing them.

G3 VISION
I will begin this segment  with good news and bad news. First the good news, Conference USA, the Sun Belt and the MAC still have  some very good programs with which to compete. Georgia Southern, NIU, Marshall, La Tech, Ark State, ULL, Ohio, and WKU represent the top of the food chain in these leagues. Schools like MTSU, ODU, App State, Southern Miss, Rice and South Alabama, are teams that have great potential as well. These schools, along with the addition of a few others could form the backbone of a new league capable of making the MWC and the AAC stand up and take notice

The bad news however, is that these 3 conferences also have some of the worst teams in College Football both in terms of on the field play and brand recognition. Both of these facts  spell difficulty for the respect of the 3 leagues and  in the amount of money Tv Networks are willing to pay for their football and basketball product. It is telling for example, that Conference USA's new tv partner this year, The American Sports Network, paid little to no money to broadcast  Conference USA football and basketball this year.

Couple the struggling football product of these 3 conferences with not so good basketball as well as  fading fan attendance and you have some very real structural problems with the business model of the G3 going forward. One has to wonder if the tragic demise of UAB football a few weeks ago, awaits some of the other schools in the G3 as well.

SAVING THE G3
The G3 finds itself in an unenviable  position at the moment. At issue is how to generate more fan support, respect and dollars for the the 3 leagues. Unfortunately the options to  make the G3 more relevant are limited right now. With a clear emphasis in College football now on the P5 and the 4 spot playoff, the G3 are on the verge of becoming irrelevant in College Football.

Perhaps the best and only solution left for the G3 is for the creation of a new best of 3 conference. This conference would take the best schools in the G3 and then hope that this new group  would put pressure on the B2 for both dollars and respect. Any new best of the G3 would need schools like Marshall, La Tech, Ark State ,ULL and NIU to serve as anchors. Add schools like Ga Southern, ODU, Southern Miss, WKU and  Ohio. Add two more schools in addition to these 10 and you have a competitive and compelling new league. A league that would also certainly garner more Network and fan interest than what any of the G3 are doing now on their own.

What has become increasingly clear is that the status quo for the G3 almost certainly equals a slow march towards irrelevancy. Bold thinking and courageous leadership are called for if  the best of the G3 are going to make it in the new world of College Football. Time will tell if these schools understand how much they need each other and how important they are to each others survival. Time will tell also, if anyone will step forward and propose such a league. Stay tuned.

RANKING THE G5 IN SPORTS 2015

Ranking the GFive IN SPORTS:

Yes it's that time of the year again. It's ranking season. Hate it, love it, dismiss it or simply don't care for it, it is upon us like the summers oppressive heat and uncomfortable mosquito bites. This year, like last year(2014 G5 Rankings) the G5 get ranked. This year the MWC takes the top spot away from the AAC and the Sun Belt find its self in the dog house.

( Not in the mood to read( we are sports fans after all) then why not  listen to the rankings on this podcast. Just click and listen:G5 Rankings Podcast no subscription needed)

1. MWC 

 Last year I ranked the AAC as the best  among the G5. This year that distinction goes to the Mountain West. With Boise State winning the Access Bowl and the Mountain West  sending 3 teams to the NCAA basketball tournament it is hard to argue against the MWC as the top of the G5.  With Boise State looking like the  Access Bowl front runner again this year and with good football being played by  Utah State, Colorado State and Nevada it will be difficult to knock the MWC from its top perch. MWC Commissioner Craig Thompson has his conference in tip top shape at the moment. Look for another good year for the MWC in 2015-2016.

2. AAC

 This time last year the AAC roared into the 2014 Football season with Tostitos Bowl Champion UCF, and with strong football schools in ECU,Houston and Cincy. The season started strongly for the AAC with a ranked ECU looking like it would easily claim  the newly formed Access Bowl slot for the league. When the Pirates hit a few road bumps mid way in the season ,  no one in the AAC stepped forward to take the baton from ECU and capture the Bowl game. Basketball also proved to be less than stellar as the AAC sent only two teams to the NCAA tournament. It is safe to say that  last year produced disappointing results for the conference. While the AAC still  has tremendous potential  they will need to win the Access Bowl slot in order to regain their number one position among the G5.  For more on the AAC click here: AAC Issues

 3. CONFERENCE USA

The only thing keeping Conference USA from claiming  the number two spot in the rankings  this year is their lack of competitive basketball . Until the league can send more than one team to the NCAA tournament it will struggle to be seen as the  top dog. In terms of football, Marshall carried the league last year and missed the Access Bowl largely because they lacked competitive teams  on their schedule. Last year I was critical of the conference as I believed they would not be able to rise above the significant  hit they took during realignment.  I was wrong  as the league  proved it belonged as a top contender among the G5 .  They now need Southern Miss, UAB(basketball) and new comers ODU and WKU to make noise on a national level.

4. THE MAC

 The MAC continues to do what the MAC does best, that is they are the very model of consistency. The MAC has never been  sexy or glamorous  and this seems quite alright with its member schools. They have earned their place as mid week football darlings and ESPN loves them for it. It is not as if the MAC is without good football. With schools like NIU and Ohio, the MAC can hold their own with many if not most of the other G5 schools. The problem for the MAC  is that slow and steady  rarely wins the race at the collegiate level. In the end, none of this probably matters to MAC schools or the conference leadership as they are virtually guaranteed stable if not great tv income from ESPN win or lose. As long as they are willing to play on Tuesday night, they can be as slow and steady as they want.  

5.THE SUN BELT

This was my biggest ranking mistake last year. I gave the Sun Belt the number 3 spot which turned out to be to high. I was wrong and owe Conference USA an apology.  While I still believe the Sun Belt has great potential and  that they  have more football centric schools than the MAC or Conference  USA, they simply did not perform well last year. While there were a couple of stand outs, noticeably Georgia Southern(See Georgia Southern)their most promising football school  ,ULL(See ULL,) missed the mark. Call me a glutton for punishment but I still believe the  Sun Belt can be a very good conference and I believe that  they will make a nice rebound this year. With App State poised for a good year, and Ark State as one of my  dark horse Access Bowl candidates, the Sun Belt can certainly do better than they did last year. Until that happens however, I am going to keep them at number 5.

(*G5 News and Issues has the distinction of being the first blog solely dedicated to covering G5 sports. With over 45,000 web hits since its inception we have a dedicated and loyal base of readers. Thank you for finding us and sharing your thoughts. Thank you also for being patient as there are times when content is limited.)

12 QUESTIONS FACING GANG OF 5 SCHOOLS ON THE EVE OF THE 2015 FOOTBALL SEASON

TULSA HOPES TO TURN THINGS AROUND THIS YEAR WITH NEW HEAD COACH PHILIP MONTGOMERY

G5 BLOG ORIGINAL CONTENT

HOW WILL THE AAC YOUNG GUNS PERFORM?

The AAC struggled last season in football. TULSA , SMU AND   HOUSTON fired their head coach's and AAC Commissioner Mike Aresco has made it clear to all of the  league's Presidents that now is the time to put up or shut up. Responding to the need to win and win now, TULSA, SMU and HOUSTON went out and hired a trio of competent, charismatic, and hard charging coaches. Phillip Montgomery (TULSA) Tom Herman ( HOUSTON) and Chad Morris(SMU) start this season with teams that have underperformed and struggled to attract talented players. These 3 coaches join Matt Rhule( TEMPLE) and Bob Diaco( UNCONN) and Justin Fuente (MEMPHIS) as talented up and coming leaders. The AAC is going to need all 6 of these Head Coaches to have success and to develop the AAC into the challenger league Mike Aresco wants it to be. It will be interesting to watch and see which of the 3 new Head Coaches will get out of the gate the fastest.

IS WINTER COMING FOR NORTH TEXAS ?

North Texas enjoyed a superb season in 2013, going 9-4 and earning their first winning season in over a decade. Last year however, felt like the Mean Green of old as North Texas struggled with a 4-8 record. This season is going to be a pivotal one for Head Coach Dan McCarney. McCarney is an old school leader who also happens to  really believe  that North Texas can be a top Gang of 5 school due to the  proximity of talented recruits and the  large North Texas alumni base.

The problem for McCarney , however, is that his recruiting record at North Texas has been less than stellar. Another bad year and not only is McCarney's job in jeopardy, but North Texas could be looking at another long drought of winning.(sports teams have an uncanny ability to repeat history, both  good and bad)

The news is not all bad for the Mean Green as they did  showcase  some quality talent at this years Spring Game. Still, if North Texas gets off to a slow start look for the North Texas  faithful  to begin to wonder if  Winter is Coming. ( for a  closer look at North Texas click here:NORTH TEXAS LINK)

WHO WILL LEAD BOISE STATE ?

I have not jumped on the Boise State band wagon this season because I do not believe  any team who is breaking in a new QB should be anointed pre season front runners in anything. How the  QB competition at Boise  unfolds this year will make or break the Broncos. The  front runners to take over from last years very solid Bronco QB Grant Hendrick, are Sophomores Ryan Finley and Tommy Stuart. Both Stuart and Finley saw action in the Boise State Spring game this past April. Neither Finley or Stuart looked commanding in the role. Finley however, is reportedly in the drivers seat to win the starting job. While Boise State has some of the best talent among any of the Gang of 5 schools, if Finley or Stuart fail to perform, Broncos fans will be in for a long blue season.(for a closer look at the MWC and Boise click here: MWC)

WILL SOUTHERN MISS MAKE IT TO A BOWL GAME THIS SEASON ?

Southern Miss has a long and proud history of winning. The Eagles recent fall from grace has been well documented.( Southern Miss looks for a return to normal link). Now , as Southern Miss Head Coach Todd Monken  prepares for his 3rd season at the helm things look like they may have finally turned the corner for the beleaguered Eagle program. Monken's squad returns the most important elements  from last  years offense including the talented Rb Ito Smith. The Eagles also have a slate of new transfers to work with including former Oklahoma defensive  tackle Quincey Russell.

If Southern Miss can get more production from the QB position this year and the defensive unit finds a way to gel, the Eagles have a good chance to make a Bowl game this year for the first time since 2011.

JUST ONE QUESTION FOR THE MAC

Can anyone else make MAC headlines this year besides NIU?

WILL THE PIRATES FINALLY OVER PERFORM  VS UNDER PERFORM ?

ECU has a great fan base and football tradition. Head Coach Ruffin McNeil is a valuable commodity to the Pirate program. Entering his 6th year however, the Pirates have failed to win a conference championship and finish the year ranked. With a defensive unit lead by the ubber talented Zeke Bigger and an Offensive line that returns all 5 starters from last year, this could be the year that ECU finishes the season as strongly as it starts it. Life in Greenville is not all rosy however, as the Pirates have to replace QB Shane Carden. Look for red shirt Sophomore Kurt Benkurt( highly recruited player from Florida) to take over the  QB reigns from Carden. (  link:ECU fan base)

HOW WILL BYU RESPOND TO  BRUTAL SCHEDULE ?

BYU Qb Taysom Hill has recovered from last years season ending injury just in time to face a slate of talented teams on the BYU schedule this year.  With games against Nebraska, Boise, UCLA, Michigan State, Cincy and ECU,  BYU is either going to have one its best seasons ever or limp to the finish line. Look on the bright sight Cougar fans,  playing Memphis in a Bowl game this year is highly unlikely.

HOW BAD WILL  UNC-CHARLOTTE LOOK IN THIER INAUGURAL CONFERENCE USA SEASON ?

Look for  the 49er's to struggle early and often as they begin play in  their  inaugural Conference USA season. Life is about to get ugly for Charlotte fans who have been watching the  49er's play football against sub par teams over the last couple of years.  Make no mistake, Charlotte is no ODU, Georgia Southern or App State. They simply have not been a football program long enough to have the  cache that these recent FBS programs do. Charlotte grocery stories will need to stock up on brown paper bags this year as 49er fans will be looking for appropriate mid year game attire.  Get the popcorn and grimace faces ready. (Charlotte a program to watch link)

ULL FOOTBALL: SEE THE QUESTION FOR ECU THIS SEASON AND REPEAT

CAN GUNNER KIEL LEAD THE BEARCATS TO THE ACCESS BOWL THIS YEAR ?

Gunner Kiel's unorthodox journey has led him to the Cincinnati Bearcats where the former Notre Dame QB finally looks at home. Kiel is one of the best Qb's in College football and the Bearcats have great speed at almost every position on the filed, especially at the WR and Rb. If Gunner can lead Cincy to the ACCESS Bowl this year, Kiel could prove many of  his critics wrong. Winning is the best revenge an athlete can have. Kiel would have this if he can lead Cincy to the most important Gang of 5 football game.

WILL UTEP CONTINUE TO IMPROVE ?

I have always  rooted for the UTEP Miners. The Miners have learned to compete with much fewer resources than their Texas FBS football counterparts  There is also much to like about the Miners Head Coach, Sean Kugler. Kugler has UTEP headed in the right direction. He also  returns all 5 starting lineman from last seasons Bowl team, a plus for any squad. Just how  much the Miners will  improve from last years team however, is a big unknown. If Kugler can get the Miners to a Bowl game again this season , UTEP could be on the road to many years of competitive and even Championship football.

WILL TROY WIN MORE THAN 3 GAMES THIS YEAR ?

When fans think about the  Sun Belt Conference the Troy Trojans immediately come to mind. Last year the Trojans were bad, really bad. After limping to the end of season with  a dismal 3-9 record, the Trojans will be  looking to rebound this year. Troy, winners of 5 Sun Belt Championships, will be breaking in a new head coach this season in Neal Brown. Brown replaces long time Troy Head Coach Larry Blakeney. Just how many games Troy wins this year will be dependent on how well and how fast Brown can groom enough talent to compete with the likes of Ga Southern, App State, ULL and Ark State.

LIGHTNING ROUND:

CAN MEMPHIS HEAD COACH KEEP THE PARTY GOING  ?

Justin Fuente  is proving to be an excellent coach , motivator and tactician. Can he continue however, to keep the Memphis Tigers on the winning path?

WILL THE MARSHALL VS WKU GAME BE THE BEST G5 GAME TO WATCH THIS SEASON ?

Last year's Marshall-WKU game was a  highly entertaining affair. The show down between the two Conference USA teams this season looks to be just as entering and important.  The Marshall vs WKU match is set this year for Friday Nov 27 at High Noon on Fox tv.

SAN DIEGO STATE FOOTBALL

Is this the year San Diego makes a legit run at the MWC title?

TULANE FOOTBALL

How many games will Tulane lose this year before fans begin calling for new leadership at the top?

Stay tuned.