DfromCT wrote: ↑Tue Feb 11, 2020 3:51 pm
wave97 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 11, 2020 3:19 pm
I believe it is going to be ODU for the replacement of UConn. Bobby Wilder is gone & Ricky Rahne (PSU), is in. This program will respond quickly with the new staff. If they are accepted into the AAC, they will be contesting for the AAC East in two recruiting cycles. Great demo, fantastic recruiting footprint, building 1st rate facilities
I could see FIU, FAU, or even UAB getting invited ahead of ODU. ODU might have hired a new coach, but they have been pretty bad the last few years. It would mean replacing one terrible team with another.
The Florida schools would stretch the AAC Footprint in Florida from coast to coast, giving the conference great exposure in one of the best recruiting areas of the country.
Do you think we "earned" our way into the American? We were one of the worst FBS programs of all time. Thank God Aresco & a few University Presidents had foresight or we would be still be stuck in CUSA.
ODU has a large market without any competition for sports entertainment. ODU is a gift wrapped up in a box with a bow on it.
The Peninsula by itself is a legendary recruiting base that when combined with the Southern Mid Atlantic/Mid South will consistently produce athletes.
The Norfolk/Portsmouth/Newport News market is large (#42) larger than New Orleans (#48). ODU is an isolated market. It is not a quick trip off of Interstate 95 from the rest of Virginia & Raleigh/Durham. You have to go out of your way to get there and once you're there, minor league hockey is the sole competition (AHL), ODU has the potential to be a perfect matchup for ECU, Temple & the USNA (door knockers vs enlisted).
Please don't sleep on ODU. If they are accepted into the AAC they'll get up to speed a lot faster than it took for us & they won't be a wham bam thank you ma'am program. There is tremendous support in the market for ODU football & basketball.