Superconferences & Realignment

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

We need to get moving on joining a conference ASAP.

 

[mgriff]

We need to get moving on joining a conference ASAP.

They would all hold a spot for Notre Dame.

 

[beryirish]

ESPN

Notre Dame Football Blog - ESPN

Matt Fortuna

Kelly Sees Advantage of Independence

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- As the game of musical chairs that is conference re-alignment takes place across the nation, Brian Kelly remains head coach at Notre Dame, a football independent. Having coached at a Big East school, Cincinnati, two years ago, Kelly has had a view from both sides of the landscape.

"Football independence at Notre Dame, I think it's schedule and recruiting," Kelly said during his Sunday teleconference of the advantages. "Those are the two things. You can put together a schedule that gets you from the East Coast to the West Coast, and in recruiting it allows you to have that large sampling. You're not marginalized geographically in your recruiting. On the other side, you're not playing for a conference championship. So, there's pluses and minuses. I like the pluses that we have as an independent right now, but like anything else, I think I've said this a number of times, we'll keep our ear to the ground."

Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick was surprised by the departure of Syracuse and Pitt for the ACC, telling reporters Saturday that he never envisioned such a scenario.

The moves became official this morning, leaving the conference 18 of the Fighting Irish's other teams compete in smaller by two.

Still, Swarbrick insisted, football independence remains Notre Dame's intention, according to the Chicago Tribune:

"We will approach this, no matter what the change is, with that as our goal," Swarbrick said. "We'll see whether we can manage our circumstances to meet that goal."

Kelly said the constant shuffling doesn't affect his day-to-day operations as a football coach, though he does feel the timing of the circus takes away from what college football Saturdays are generally about — football games.

"Yeah I think so," he said. "I think anytime there's movement like this, it takes a little bit away from the games on Saturday. But I think for the average fan, they care very little bit about this. They're more interested in their teams, and they know the networks are more interested in showing these games. So I think it's just good talk for the media. But I think the people that are involved, week-to-week, their focus is on the game and their opponent."

 

[GoldenIsThyFame]

There is a legitimate chance we join the B1G. Not that it will happen, but there are real legs this time as opposed to previous rumors.

 

[Wolverine1997]

I see ND,Kansas,K-State and Mizzou coming to the B1G.

 

[NDPhilly]

Well it sounds like Texas is going to end up in the Pac-12/16. Big Ten seems like our best landing at this point.

For all sports or not football?

 

[phork]

Swarbrick presents an "Independence 4ever" face, while he is reading his "Yo come join us" emails on his blackberry.

 

[Irish2015]

I would bet highly that Notre Dame and Texas are in this together. Take it FWIW

 

[phgreek]

I would bet highly that Notre Dame and Texas are in this together. Take it FWIW

It would benefit both in the negotiating phase...but after...is there room for our Ego and Texas' ego in the same conference?

 

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

For all sports or not football?

All sports. Zero chance Texas goes independent.

 

[Irish2015]

I wouldn't be so sure Texas might not go independent in football.

 

[IrishLax]

UCONN academics is fine they are a top 50-75 school nationally.

Also, going to the ACC will really boost ND LAX program! Which, as we already know is darn good.

6 of the top 8 lacrosse programs in the country would then be in the ACC with Syracuse and Notre Dame. The only other two on that level right now are Cornell and Johns Hopkins. Would be really interesting.

I think Notre Dame is a great fit in the ACC academically and with the large amount of fans/alumni we have on the east coast.

 

[alaskandomer]

While I'm not yet one of the "blue hairs" some of you occasionally disparage, I am an older alum ('73), and treasure ND's football independence as I treasure her other traditions. That said, this may indeed be the "seismic shift." I'm grateful we have Jack at the helm at this crucial moment. I trust him to do whatever he feels is in the best interests of the University, and her athletic interests.

 

[GBdomer]

Texas to Pac whatever they are calling it.

 

[SBjandy7]

As unfortunate as it is, I think we will be forced to join a conference. We can put on the "independence forever" hats all we want, but if we want to get back to national prominence, we NEED to join a conference. And the sooner the better. We will always have a conference to go to, but we should get headed there before some huge news starts another conference following in the Big East's footsteps

 

[IrishLax]

What are the chances we see a 16 team ACC with:

NORTH:
UCONN
Pitt
Syracuse
Notre Dame
Boston College
Maryland
Virginia
Virginia Tech

SOUTH:
Clemson
Miami
FSU
UNC
Duke
NC State
Georgia Tech
Wake Forest

I could totally go for that.

 

[GBdomer]

Would freakin love to go to the ACC.

 

[NDPhilly]

I'd like that also but aren't Clemson and FSUngoin to the SEC

 

[GBdomer]

I'd like that also but aren't Clemson and FSUngoin to the SEC

West Virginia and some other team are applying as we speak.

 

[NDPhilly]

West Virginia and some other team are applying as we speak.

Thanks. This will probably be the Worst AQ conference if it were to happen though right?

 

[Fbolt]

Swarbrick=Epic Fail

How many times have I seen a report where he states that he has his ear to the street in looking at this issue? Now he's totally surprised?!?

 

[gkautz10]

And with that... The landscape of college football will start to change forever.

no worries.....its all good brah

 

[gkautz10]

ND and Texas are teaming up I heard on 247. They are going to call it the only 2 conference. Might be the wrong spot tp post this, but i heard green-beckham committed to ND.

 

[Old Man Mike]

Let's imagine what Swarbrick is weighing as to this future scenario:
A). he wants to stay independent for a lot of reasons, football-wise. One of those is that he foresees the possibility of the Notre Dame "network" evolving into a multi-electronic media presence ultimately without any dependence upon an established network like NBC.

B). He seriously wonders about the near-future chance of there being four 16-team superconferences. Here's how he does the math. There are 67 teams in the major 6 conferences now [I'm counting TCU in the Big East]. The future superconferences need 16x4=64 of them. Who, other than us in his ND-independence scenario will they be?

C). One would guess that the three abandoned step-children will come from the K-State/KU/ISU Big12 leftovers, or the Louisville/Connecticut/Rutgers/Cincinnati leftovers, OR Texas might be weighing something Media-similar to NDs vision.

D). However it shakes out, if there are four superconferences of two eight team divisions each [a rational organization], the likely scheduling pattern for these giants would be to play everyone in your division [seven games] and rotate through the other division two per year. This would give each team 9 conference games and three non-conference. Teams would want to play at least one patsy, but Notre Dame could occupy one of the remaining two slots with, say, Michigan, MSU, Purdue, USC, Stanford, as they do now. Swarbrick would have to roll the dice that such would remain possible. Economically, it would seem to remain attractive to opponents to do so, especially if ND is raking in large profits from its own network.

E). there is a chance that Texas [and BYU] see the same thing, and go with their networks. If so, they constitute another two games we could get every year. Swarbrick would want to watch Texas closely as their decision gives him some security.

F). In the best scenario above, we get Texas, BYU, Navy, Air Force possibly, and a MAC opener every year, retain our three "Big Ten" regional rivals, retain our two "PAC 12" California rivals, plus Pitt and BC for a familiar potent schedule. Or we could toy with scheduling Cincinnati, Rutgers, Boise, or the like.

The point of this post is to say that it's probably not at all obvious to Swarbrick from either a scheduling nor a business perspective that he HAS to go to a conference, and there are big reasons to hold out against it. THAT last will depend upon the future of MEDIA, not football, I surmise.

 

[BestBIrish47]

ND and Texas are teaming up I heard on 247. They are going to call it the only 2 conference. Might be the wrong spot tp post this, but i heard green-beckham committed to ND.

This was tongue in cheek right?

 

[Sherm Sticky]

6 of the top 8 lacrosse programs in the country would then be in the ACC with Syracuse and Notre Dame. The only other two on that level right now are Cornell and Johns Hopkins. Would be really interesting.

I think Notre Dame is a great fit in the ACC academically and with the large amount of fans/alumni we have on the east coast.

First thing that popped into my head about the ACC was how sweet it would be for ND LAX, which then reminded me of you. i thought you would be pumped for that.

 

[ryno 24]

Let's imagine what Swarbrick is weighing as to this future scenario:
A). he wants to stay independent for a lot of reasons, football-wise. One of those is that he foresees the possibility of the Notre Dame "network" evolving into a multi-electronic media presence ultimately without any dependence upon an established network like NBC.

B). He seriously wonders about the near-future chance of there being four 16-team superconferences. Here's how he does the math. There are 67 teams in the major 6 conferences now [I'm counting TCU in the Big East]. The future superconferences need 16x4=64 of them. Who, other than us in his ND-independence scenario will they be?

C). One would guess that the three abandoned step-children will come from the K-State/KU/ISU Big12 leftovers, or the Louisville/Connecticut/Rutgers/Cincinnati leftovers, OR Texas might be weighing something Media-similar to NDs vision.

D). However it shakes out, if there are four superconferences of two eight team divisions each [a rational organization], the likely scheduling pattern for these giants would be to play everyone in your division [seven games] and rotate through the other division two per year. This would give each team 9 conference games and three non-conference. Teams would want to play at least one patsy, but Notre Dame could occupy one of the remaining two slots with, say, Michigan, MSU, Purdue, USC, Stanford, as they do now. Swarbrick would have to roll the dice that such would remain possible. Economically, it would seem to remain attractive to opponents to do so, especially if ND is raking in large profits from its own network.

E). there is a chance that Texas [and BYU] see the same thing, and go with their networks. If so, they constitute another two games we could get every year. Swarbrick would want to watch Texas closely as their decision gives him some security.

F). In the best scenario above, we get Texas, BYU, Navy, Air Force possibly, and a MAC opener every year, retain our three "Big Ten" regional rivals, retain our two "PAC 12" California rivals, plus Pitt and BC for a familiar potent schedule. Or we could toy with scheduling Cincinnati, Rutgers, Boise, or the like.

The point of this post is to say that it's probably not at all obvious to Swarbrick from either a scheduling nor a business perspective that he HAS to go to a conference, and there are big reasons to hold out against it. THAT last will depend upon the future of MEDIA, not football, I surmise.

After what I just read I completely agree we are trying to stay independent and you kind of just made it seem possible.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

What are the chances we see a 16 team ACC with:

NORTH:
UCONN
Pitt
Syracuse
Notre Dame
Boston College
Maryland
Virginia
Virginia Tech

SOUTH:
Clemson
Miami
FSU
UNC
Duke
NC State
Georgia Tech
Wake Forest

I could totally go for that.

Also looking at that...I would be looking forward to seeing Maryland come up to Rentschler field inj Hartford. Edsell thought he would never see UCONN again lol.

 

[johnsben]

D). However it shakes out, if there are four superconferences of two eight team divisions each [a rational organization], the likely scheduling pattern for these giants would be to play everyone in your division [seven games] and rotate through the other division two per year. This would give each team 9 conference games and three non-conference. Teams would want to play at least one patsy, but Notre Dame could occupy one of the remaining two slots with, say, Michigan, MSU, Purdue, USC, Stanford, as they do now. Swarbrick would have to roll the dice that such would remain possible. Economically, it would seem to remain attractive to opponents to do so, especially if ND is raking in large profits from its own network.

I'm thinking teams would want to stick to 2-3 patsies a year (SEC Model). I agree that if ND is financially atractive because of the network payout that they could get some conference teams scheduled but right now that wouldn't work. The risk of playing ND and 9 conference games would be too great for a team to take on.

I think our current conference opponents hold a lot of cards in ND remaining independent. Some Big ten writers are saying they should stop scheduling ND in football to force ND to join the Big ten. Can't really argue with that. If UofM, MSU, and Purdue stopped scheduling ND the schedule would look pretty thin.

 

[phork]

Let's imagine what Swarbrick is weighing as to this future scenario:
A). he wants to stay independent for a lot of reasons, football-wise. One of those is that he foresees the possibility of the Notre Dame "network" evolving into a multi-electronic media presence ultimately without any dependence upon an established network like NBC.

B). He seriously wonders about the near-future chance of there being four 16-team superconferences. Here's how he does the math. There are 67 teams in the major 6 conferences now [I'm counting TCU in the Big East]. The future superconferences need 16x4=64 of them. Who, other than us in his ND-independence scenario will they be?

C). One would guess that the three abandoned step-children will come from the K-State/KU/ISU Big12 leftovers, or the Louisville/Connecticut/Rutgers/Cincinnati leftovers, OR Texas might be weighing something Media-similar to NDs vision.

D). However it shakes out, if there are four superconferences of two eight team divisions each [a rational organization], the likely scheduling pattern for these giants would be to play everyone in your division [seven games] and rotate through the other division two per year. This would give each team 9 conference games and three non-conference. Teams would want to play at least one patsy, but Notre Dame could occupy one of the remaining two slots with, say, Michigan, MSU, Purdue, USC, Stanford, as they do now. Swarbrick would have to roll the dice that such would remain possible. Economically, it would seem to remain attractive to opponents to do so, especially if ND is raking in large profits from its own network.

E). there is a chance that Texas [and BYU] see the same thing, and go with their networks. If so, they constitute another two games we could get every year. Swarbrick would want to watch Texas closely as their decision gives him some security.

F). In the best scenario above, we get Texas, BYU, Navy, Air Force possibly, and a MAC opener every year, retain our three "Big Ten" regional rivals, retain our two "PAC 12" California rivals, plus Pitt and BC for a familiar potent schedule. Or we could toy with scheduling Cincinnati, Rutgers, Boise, or the like.

The point of this post is to say that it's probably not at all obvious to Swarbrick from either a scheduling nor a business perspective that he HAS to go to a conference, and there are big reasons to hold out against it. THAT last will depend upon the future of MEDIA, not football, I surmise.

Well thought out, however you neglect the jealousy the rest of the country. In that respect expect that the 4 superconferences will freeze out any independents.