Vai S tweet says something bigger is coming

[nickdutson]

Fact: Since joining the PAC, Utahs schedule has been harder then in the MWC--MUCH harder.
Fact: Since joining the PAC Utah's schedule has been harder than BYU's consistently.
Fact: 2014 schedule for Utah will be MUCH MUCH harder (top10) than BYUs (110?).
Fact: 2014 schedule for Utah may be its toughest ever and certainly in the last 3 years.
Fact: Utah has not been to a bowl game since joining the PAC.
Fact: Utahs recruiting has NOT improved since joining the PAC--and could arguable be getting worse since being in the PAC should attract some of the State of Utah talent, but is not. They are losing ground.
Fact: Losing records and no bowl games are hurting recruiting.

Fact: Utah does not have BYU to beat up and mitigate the negative press that will overwhelm this program in 2014.

Probability-
Utah will have its worse year in 2014 and likely lose its coach and/or have him in the hot seat for the following year thus creating a huge perception of instability and the probability of a new coaching regime in the next year or two.

Conclusion--Utah now wears the proverbial "Golden Handcuff" and touts its cash (are they full financial payees YET?) but frets its losing record and laments its lack of bowl games.

A reinforcing downward spiral. Enjoy it for now Cougar fans. And careful what you ask for. if BYU joins the Big 12 it will follow likewise. Losing record, no bowls, and diminished recruiting. BUT HEY--WE will have the cash, won't we?

They are now receiving full amount of shared revenue and they did go to a bowl game their first year in the PAC. I would say their recruiting is better than in the MWC.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[Cougs_Rule]

But the delta is too big. Maybe improved since MWC but not enough to compete in PAC 12, let alone win the conf.

[KYCoug]

Didn't Arizona and Arizona State go through the same problems when they first joined the PAC Whatever? You could argue they have never completely joined the elite of the conference but there have been a few good years amid the loosing seasons. It's no big deal to me to see utah struggle but I don't think that they are doomed to be the dregs of the conference forever.

As for us, if you want to always be the pretenders and have a great record of playing nobody schools and going to a lower tier bowl and complain because no one respects you, well that may be OK for you. I would prefer to play with the big boys and maybe get beat up some but over time we will establish ourselves as a top school.

Go Cougs!

L Hatton
Louisville, KY

[hawkwing]

They are now receiving full amount of shared revenue and they did go to a bowl game their first year in the PAC. I would say their recruiting is better than in the MWC.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

According to the rankings their recruiting has gotten worse since joining the PAC12. I've compiled a list of their rankings back to 2008.

Code: Select all

Year	Rivals		Scout
2015	62 			55
2014	67			69
2013	44			53
2012	28			33 <- First Pac12 bump in recruiting
2011	37			39 <- First season in Pac12
2010	32			34
2009	44			55
2008	60			67

[nickdutson]

But the delta is too big. Maybe improved since MWC but not enough to compete in PAC 12, let alone win the conf.

Truth.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[nickdutson]

They are now receiving full amount of shared revenue and they did go to a bowl game their first year in the PAC. I would say their recruiting is better than in the MWC.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

According to the rankings their recruiting has gotten worse since joining the PAC12. I've compiled a list of their rankings back to 2008.

Code: Select all

Year	Rivals		Scout
2015	62 			55
2014	67			69
2013	44			53
2012	28			33 <- First Pac12 bump in recruiting
2011	37			39 <- First season in Pac12
2010	32			34
2009	44			55
2008	60			67

[ Post made via Mobile Device ] And I take recruiting rankings with a grain of salt. BYU and especially Utah have consistently taken 2 star recruits to play at 4 star levels. Year in and year out the recruiting needs change. Right now it appears they are recruiting speed and hope to train the recruits up. Oregon does much of the same.

[Gunk]

Fact: Utah is still sackless.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[imuakahuku]

I think what also "aided" in Utah's tough scedule was the resurgance of the PAC. The MWC started beating up on the PAC except for USC. When they faltered Oregon rose up. Then Stanford. These things seem to be cyclical so I would not be surprised to see the PAC begin to fall down again in the near future. If Utah can get themselves a QB that stays on the field they may be able to make some noise when that happens. Especially since they seem to be very good defensively year after year (which is also a reason that BYU is competitive every year).
As it goes, I hope we get into the Big 12 or even better get ND consideration with a playing agreement with the Big12 and PAC12. I would love to see a schedule filled with teams from those two conferences. I think if TH plays his cards right, it could very well happen. But it will take lots and lots of winning over B5 teams (not just beating up on the "lower tier" teams.

I would like them to move the bball team to a Big conf but I don't know how that could happen without football. I think our team has been "playing down" to the new competition. Gonzaga is tough but the rest should be good for 2 wins against each a season and that is not good. If only they could somehow form an agreement of some type of conference alignment that included UNLV, SDST, NM, Gonzaga, BYU, St Mary's, USU, Fresno St. That would be a tough group of teams.


But after all is said and done: Just win baby, just win and it all takes care of itself!

[hawkwing]

They are now receiving full amount of shared revenue and they did go to a bowl game their first year in the PAC. I would say their recruiting is better than in the MWC.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

According to the rankings their recruiting has gotten worse since joining the PAC12. I've compiled a list of their rankings back to 2008.

Code: Select all

Year	Rivals		Scout
2015	62 			55
2014	67			69
2013	44			53
2012	28			33 <- First Pac12 bump in recruiting
2011	37			39 <- First season in Pac12
2010	32			34
2009	44			55
2008	60			67

[ Post made via Mobile Device ] And I take recruiting rankings with a grain of salt. BYU and especially Utah have consistently taken 2 star recruits to play at 4 star levels. Year in and year out the recruiting needs change. Right now it appears they are recruiting speed and hope to train the recruits up. Oregon does much of the same.

So in other words, they are better, but in no quantifiable way either on or off the field.

By the way, Oregon's ratings have been 22, 21, 17, 15, 13. So they may do it much the same, but the difference is Oregon recruits better talent by a wide margin.

[NDCougar]

They are now receiving full amount of shared revenue and they did go to a bowl game their first year in the PAC. I would say their recruiting is better than in the MWC.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

According to the rankings their recruiting has gotten worse since joining the PAC12. I've compiled a list of their rankings back to 2008.

Code: Select all

Year	Rivals		Scout
2015	62 			55
2014	67			69
2013	44			53
2012	28			33 <- First Pac12 bump in recruiting
2011	37			39 <- First season in Pac12
2010	32			34
2009	44			55
2008	60			67

IMHO the tail off in recruiting has nothing to do with the PAC 12 and everything to do with the fact that they have been horrible. The worse they have gotten the lower they have fallen.

I believe the PAC 12 would help recruiting if Utah were a decent bowl eligible team, no one wants to play for a 3-5 win team no matter the conference you play in. I do think they would have a ceiling given they are a Utah based school with a mediocre football tradition, I would say the best they could get is high-20's consistently if they were consistently a bowl eligible team with a few break out years (similar to how they were in the MWC but in a P5 conference). Just because they are in the PAC 12 no reason to think they could compete with the likes of USC in recruiting, they have glass ceiling.