Delaware to the Big East?
Delaware to the Big East?
Hey, why not?
It's all talk at this point, but it seems the folks who run Blue Hen athletics are are interested in the possibility of moving their program up into big-time Division I football. Delaware has long boasted one of the best programs in the Football Championship Subdivision, drawing more than 20,000 fans per game. That's not too shabby. Especially by the standards of, say, the Big East.
And the Big East, of course, would seem to be Delaware's most obvious D-I home. As UConn has already shown, former 1-AA programs can successfully make the jump into the land of the BCS, provided the competition isn't too overwhleming right off the bat. Geographically, Delaware is a perfect fit for the Big East. And the university's profile is appropriate, too: Delaware has a strong academic reputation, a sizable student body (total enrollment is more than 20,000) and recently developed an NFL-ready quarterback in Joe Flacco, now a budding star with the Baltimore Ravens. Delaware has been playing football since 1889, and they've played it well.
As for the Big East? Well, it seems fairly obvious that the league as currently constituted cannot last. The basketball schools and football schools have long been rumored to be considering a split. If that were to happen, a football expansion seems likely, and though Delaware by itself couldn't "save" the league, the school certainly could fill a slot if the Big East decided to expand from eight teams to 10 or 12.
In other words, yes, a Delaware-to-the-Big East move is certainly possible. Maybe not "likely." But possible.
Don't buy it? Can't see the Blue Hens playing with the big boys?
Well, consider this: Delaware just hired a new athletic director by the name of Bernard Muir. He comes to Delaware from Georgetown. Before that, he worked at ... Notre Dame.
And when the Wilmington News-Journal recently asked Muir whether he thought the school was ready to compete at the D-I level, he responded as follows: "I can't give that assessment, this being Day 1. But I certainly know, boy, 22,000 [fans] strong on Saturday afternoons, that's such a great forum from which to build from. The focus right now is let's improve what we have, let's keep our focus on the task at hand, and if other opportunities present themselves, we'll be in a position to make decisions."
Photo: Delaware to the Big East? It's not impossible. (Getty Images)
Comments
Yeah, sure Delaware. But wait their helmets look just like some school from the state of Michigan.
They could join football only right now. The Big East needs 1 more team to have 4 home and 4 away schedule in football.
I have no problem giving some team a shot. but they are on the level of the mac or c-usa. the big east does average around 40-45,000 fans a game.
First off, the Big East needs to be more in the Big East market area. Forget this talk of expanding into Texas. That would not go well travel wise and the TV market is tapped out already with Texas, Tex.Tech, Baylor and other Big 12 schools. At the same time you never know what will happen. IMO in order to gain more respect the Big East has to play for a conference championship. The SEC, Big 12 and ACC get the most respect because they play for a conference title. Here is my shake up.
NORTH SOUTH
1. PITT 1. WVU
2. CIN 2. Lville
3. Syracuse 3. Navy
4. Rutgers 4. Marshall
5. Uconn 5. ECU
6. Temple 6. Vir.Tech or Maryland in trade for USF
if not opt for Memphis over USF.
This may need some tweaking but I think TV wise and travel wise it would benefit everyone most. The Big East title game could be played in Wash. DC, Baltimore or Charlotte. And as far as an ACC/BE trade I think it would work. You could throw Boston College in the mix but that would change the north south dynamics. And lets not forget Notre Dame. I think the Irish would benefit by joining the BE football but that’s another story. I think with this setup the BE would grow more than people think.
First off, the Big East needs to be more in the Big East market area. Forget this talk of expanding into Texas. That would not go well travel wise and the TV market is tapped out already with Texas, Tex.Tech, Baylor and other Big 12 schools. At the same time you never know what will happen. IMO in order to gain more respect the Big East has to play for a conference championship. The SEC, Big 12 and ACC get the most respect because they play for a conference title. Here is my shake up.
NORTH SOUTH
1. PITT 1. WVU
2. CIN 2. Lville
3. Syracuse 3. Navy
4. Rutgers 4. Marshall
5. Uconn 5. ECU
6. Temple 6. Vir.Tech or Maryland in trade for USF
if not opt for Memphis over USF.
This may need some tweaking but I think TV wise and travel wise it would benefit everyone most. The Big East title game could be played in Wash. DC, Baltimore or Charlotte. And as far as an ACC/BE trade I think it would work. You could throw Boston College in the mix but that would change the north south dynamics. And lets not forget Notre Dame. I think the Irish would benefit by joining the BE football but that’s another story. I think with this setup the BE would grow more than people think.