For Those Of You Who Want To Throw All The Money At Football

[El Paso 777]

I have seen a lot of silly and crazy ideas stated here, but this one really takes the cake. Right now, the football team is awful. Not awful like when Price left, but ten times worse. We have no recruits signed. We probably won't win another game this year. It will take years before things are turned around.

What I don't get is why some of you want to throw all the money at football. Eventhough basketball is not in good shape, it's not in terrible shape. With the right coach I think great things can be done here. I think we could again go back to the years of averaging over 10,000 fans soon when a new coach is hired.

So why do some people just want to forget about basketball? I just don't get it.

 

[Cube Jack]

I don't think anyone wants to "forget about" basketball. Football draws bigger audiences though. Think about it -- 12,222 would be a terrible attendance for football. It would be a sellout for basketball.

 

[El Paso 777]

I don't think anyone wants to "forget about" basketball. Football draws bigger audiences though. Think about it -- 12,222 would be a terrible attendance for football. It would be a sellout for basketball.

Well there are a few here who want to give up since we are in a one bid conference. Yes, football draws when we are winning. You think UTEP is going to be winning most of their games next year, the year after, the year after that? With basketball there is a greater chance to be great.

 

[Minerforlife]

Well there are a few here who want to give up since we are in a one bid conference. Yes, football draws when we are winning. You think UTEP is going to be winning most of their games next year, the year after, the year after that? With basketball there is a greater chance to be great.

How? Greatness in basketball is being a 13 seed and winning the conference tourney. We could win 28 games and if we don't win the conference tourney it doesn't matter.

 

[El Paso 777]

How? Greatness in basketball is being a 13 seed and winning the conference tourney. We could win 28 games and if we don't win the conference tourney it doesn't matter.

I think UTEP would get in if they didn't lose to terrible teams.

Greatness is winning conference championships and making the Big Dance and winning games in the Big Dance on a consistent basis. Attendance would go through the roof if that happened.

You think just throwing money at football is going to solve everything? If UTEP pays over a million dollars for a football coach will they go bowling next year, win bowl games, win conference championships?

 

[Dmanminer]

Basketball is icing on the cake, football is the cake. If you don’t have a decent football program, you’re not getting anywhere.
Get the football program into shape(making money) every other sport will fall in line.

 

[ShovelMan66]

Basketball is icing on the cake, football is the cake. If you don’t have a decent football program, you’re not getting anywhere.
Get the football program into shape(making money) every other sport will fall in line.

Kansas, Kentucky, Duke, Villanova, and Gonzaga would begin to differ, just to name a few. Gonzaga doesn't even have a football team and Villanova is in FCS.

 

[UTEPy79]

It's been discussed before -
Football is the revenue generator for all other sports in the athletic dept...even at UTEP.

 

[Dmanminer]

Those schools don’t average a measly 6,500 to 7000 attendance.

 

[Cube Jack]

At the University of Kansas the football team has the worst attendance in the Big 12. Their worst home attendance this season was 21,050 against Texas Tech last month.... the CAPACITY of their basketball arena is 16,300.

 

[ShovelMan66]

Those schools don’t average a measly 6,500 to 7000 attendance.

Gonzaga and Villanova average about that. Less than UTEP most years.

 

[ShovelMan66]

It's been discussed before -
Football is the revenue generator for all other sports in the athletic dept...even at UTEP.

FAU pays Kiffin almost $1,000,000 a year and they don't draw flies for their games. They play in the same conference as us and suck just as much most years. No way that football program is profitable and supports all the other programs.

 

[Dmanminer]

Not sure about the state of Florida, but in Texas colleges don’t get state funds for athletics.

 

[El Paso 777]

Basketball is icing on the cake, football is the cake. If you don’t have a decent football program, you’re not getting anywhere.
Get the football program into shape(making money) every other sport will fall in line.

So if the football team does well that means the men's basketball, women's basketball, softball, etc. teams will do well?

 

[UTEPMiners8106]

FAU pays Kiffin almost $1,000,000 a year and they don't draw flies for their games. They play in the same conference as us and suck just as much most years. No way that football program is profitable and supports all the other programs.

But that school made that hire to try and make inroads versus their in state competition. FAU’s fan support in Florida is probably comparable to UTEP’s in the state of Texas. The only fan support it probably has is from alumni and the die hard locals in Boca Raton who haven’t jumped ship to either Miami, FSU or Florida. Best case scenario is they keep winning, fan support slowly improves and over time they make inroads in terms of fan support within the state. UTEP almost had that those first couple of years with Price but it wasn’t meant to be.

 

[ShovelMan66]

So if the football team does well that means the men's basketball, women's basketball, softball, etc. teams will do well?

Nope. Take a look at how successful Alabama's basketball team has been since Saban took over.

For all the dummies on here:
Football success and basketball success are not intertwined. Totally independent of each other.

 

[ShovelMan66]

But that school made that hire to try and make inroads versus their in state competition. FAU’s fan support in Florida is probably comparable to UTEP’s in the state of Texas. The only fan support it probably has is from alumni and the die hard locals in Boca Raton who haven’t jumped ship to either Miami, FSU or Florida. Best case scenario is they keep winning, fan support slowly improves and over time they make inroads in terms of fan support within the state. UTEP almost had that those first couple of years with Price but it wasn’t meant to be.

UTEPS support is way bigger than FAUs. FAU barely started football in the late 90s. They will never see support the way UTEP has at its heights. FAU sucks and it's embarrassing to be in a league with them and sometimes lose to them. They are trash.

 

[UTEPMiners8106]

And UTEP doesn’t suck? You do know we’re in the midst of a zero win season? Just because you’re a poorly supported/trash program doesn’t mean that you’re destined to be “that” forever. Isn’t that what we all are holding out hope for? That UTEP can one day turn it around and become successfull. If they keep winning eventually they may turn things around and they may not hit big time levels but they how can they not make more fans?

 

[El Paso 777]

Football success and basketball success are not intertwined. Totally independent of each other.

Exactly

 

[ShovelMan66]

And UTEP doesn’t suck? You do know we’re in the midst of a zero win season? Just because you’re a poorly supported/trash program doesn’t mean that you’re destined to be “that” forever. Isn’t that what we all are holding out hope for? That UTEP can one day turn it around and become successfull. If they keep winning eventually they may turn things around and they may not hit big time levels but they how can they not make more fans?

UTEP does suck, but to the fans credit, they still get double the fans that FAU gets for football and about 6 times for basketball. FAU will never be as good at drawing fans like UTEP. UCF and USF are better teams and have been around longer, but still have attendance issues. FAU is a long ways away from even being at that level.

 

[UTEPMiners8106]

Fair point but they’re trying to make a big hire in hopes of drawing fans and winning. You can’t fault them for that. The sad part about UTEP is they aren’t making any new fans with their constant losing. And the point has been made on this board before that the older fans have been the backbone of this Athletic Department and slowly but surely they’re falling by the wayside. It would be in UTEP’s best interest to find ways to not only attract but keep younger fans.

 

[ShovelMan66]

100% agree. UTEP needs a big overhaul. Hope this AD hire works out and they actually try some things.

 

[Dmanminer]

All I’m saying when you have a successful football program making money, that money can be spread to other sports. Better coaches, better facilities. It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to know money makes the world go around.
You all can live in fantasy worlds, but without fan support and money we’re going nowhere.
Very few things in life are free.

 

[nattybry]

Good Football Year Avg 35,000 x 5 or 6 home games = 175-210,000 fans
Good Basketball 10,000 x 20 home games = 200,000 fans Point is they can draw pretty close as far as fans. Ncaa money on a yearly basis also is Big. Football isn't as Big here as it is other places, but we have a core fans. Utep has never been a consistently strong football school and we've survived, partly due to basketball success of 80's and early 90's, but basketball has not been consistent for awhile. Good Points on both sides, bottom line is we need Vibrant new AD and Coach!

 

[Dmanminer]

Agreed

 

[MinerInWisconsin]

I have seen a lot of silly and crazy ideas stated here, but this one really takes the cake. Right now, the football team is awful. Not awful like when Price left, but ten times worse. We have no recruits signed. We probably won't win another game this year. It will take years before things are turned around.

What I don't get is why some of you want to throw all the money at football. Eventhough basketball is not in good shape, it's not in terrible shape. With the right coach I think great things can be done here. I think we could again go back to the years of averaging over 10,000 fans soon when a new coach is hired.

So why do some people just want to forget about basketball? I just don't get it.

I totally disagree with the idea that it will take years for the football program to be turned around. A good coach with good recruiting can bring in some skill position transfers that are ready to play right away. To not do that is a disservice to UTEP and it's fans. Doesn't mean the 1st year will be a bowl year but it should be a much more difficult to defend offense that will excite the fan base. The D, if you have not noticed, is already playing pretty decent. This defense is probably about as good an any in C-USA and with the number of starters coming back next season, should be even better. Basically the offense needs a major upgrade in skill position talent and that will take 1 or 2 years of good recruiting of JC transfers or graduate transfers that can contribute right away.

As for pitting one sport against another, not necessary. UTEP has had successful FB and MBB at the same time and made money over expenses in both. We need to invest in both to have that happen on a regular basis.

 

[LaserCoog]

I totally disagree with the idea that it will take years for the football program to be turned around. A good coach with good recruiting can bring in some skill position transfers that are ready to play right away

The talent deficit on this 85 man roster, particularly on the offensive side of the ball, is so stark that 2-3 years minimum will be required to make this program competitive on a weekly basis. Any coach interviewed should be required to present both short (1-3) and long term (3-5) year rebuilding plans. UTEP has not had a quality QB since Trevor Vitatoe's sophomore season (do the math). Hire Kendal Briles (yeah, I said it), offer a 5 year/incentive-laden contract with the closest thing to a blank check UTEP boosters can/will offer. Include a declining buy out clause. Install the former Baylor offense, do a coast to coast search for the best JC QB you can get, add a premier JC RB, bring in 2-3 top JC receivers. Then recruit the best 2 dual threat QBs you can get (Texas or anywhere) and redshirt your recruiting classes for the next two seasons.

BTW, not quite as bullish on UTEP's current defensive talent as you, but you can build on a few keys players using the road map above. Budget 400-500K and 3 years for a DC, let Briles give him full reign and accountability for building an absolute kick-ass defense.

It CAN be done. Not the full plan, but a start. Slowly but surely build momentum and enthusiasm in the fan base.

Excited yet? I can be contacted via FanatiCoog...

 

[Dmanminer]

I agree with everything except Briles. We can find another coach to pull that off. It’s just about the want to verses we have to do it the old way.

 

[LaserCoog]

I agree with everything except Briles. We can find another coach to pull that off. It’s just about the want to verses we have to do it the old way.

Well I'm just spitballing it here, not sure if KB would even accept an offer to UTEP at ANY price. His dad is toxic, but Kendall should not be penalized. You might be surprised how many quality coaches (at least the one's you want) would not even consider UTEP at ANY price, just too much downside. And you can believe any HS coach in Texas would return KB's phone call.

If Briles doesn't work for you, okay, I get it. But don't be too delusional about quality coaches and assistants running through quick sand to get to UTEP, not exactly a destination job...

 

[Get2Paydirt]

Basketball is icing on the cake, football is the cake. If you don’t have a decent football program, you’re not getting anywhere.
Get the football program into shape(making money) every other sport will fall in line.

This guy hit the nail on the head. Football sets the tone for an athletic department.

 

[ShovelMan66]

This guy hit the nail on the head. Football sets the tone for an athletic department.

Not it doesn't. UCONN has won multiple men's and women's basketball titles. Wichita St just joined the AAC, without a football team. Florida Gulf Coast made the Sweet 16 a few years ago, no football team.

Football helps a lot with branding and name recognition, but a lot of schools are successful with FCS or no football.

 

[Minerforlife]

Not it doesn't. UCONN has won multiple men's and women's basketball titles. Wichita St just joined the AAC, without a football team. Florida Gulf Coast made the Sweet 16 a few years ago, no football team.

Football helps a lot with branding and name recognition, but a lot of schools are successful with FCS or no football.

UCONN is the the AAC because their football is bad. They were passed by the ACC and big ten because of football. Even their stories basketball program wasn't enough for a piwer five conference.

 

[JCorona]

Speaking of Florida Gulf Coast there is another coach who makes in the range of $250,000 - $300,000. When originally hired his salary was $235,000. After making the NCAA tournament the last two season he received a raise to $275,000.

 

[RanDaddyBinks]

While Memphis dominated cusa most years, there were a couple of seasons they didn’t win the conference tourney and still went dancing. Of course, they didn’t play Alcorn St in the OOC.

 

[El Paso 777]

While Memphis dominated cusa most years, there were a couple of seasons they didn’t win the conference tourney and still went dancing. Of course, they didn’t play Alcorn St in the OOC.

Can't compare CUSA of then vs. now.

 

[RanDaddyBinks]

True but it was considered a one bid league back then too.

 

[JCorona]

Actually regarding Memphis during the time we competed with them in CUSA there was only one season they didn’t win the CUSA tournament. That season they ended up in the NIT. I’m not sure about what happened before we arrived to CUSA.

 

[El Paso 777]

True but it was considered a one bid league back then too.

No it wasn't.

 

[RanDaddyBinks]

Sure it was

 

[El Paso 777]

Sure it was

If Memphis didn't win the tournament they would have gotten in.

UTEP got an at large bid in when they were in the WAC in 2004 and CUSA had better teams.