What with all of the rumors bandied about on the internet these days, I believe that when the Big12 finally expands it will leave the Big East alone. Most recent rumors mention Notre Dame, Florida State, Clemson, and Miami (FL). If the Big12 goes to a full sixteen, I still think they ignore the Big East and go after more ACC schools (based on other Twitter rumors). But for now let's say that the ACC only loses ND, FSU, Clemson, and Miami (FL). That would arguably leave only VaTech, and possibly GaTech, as the ACC's best football programs. Now sure the conference is tops at basketball, but football is king and one ACC athletic director made mention last week that football is the only reason they got that $17 million/per school media deal.

So with that in mind why would any Big East school accept an invite from a gutted ACC when it can stay in the Big East, which would arguably become the fifth best NCAA FBS football conference?

Poll

Which conference is the most attractive option for non-Big Four conference schools?

• Big East with Boise State, SDSU, Houston, SMU, Louisville, Cinci, and USF?
• Gutted ACC without Florida State, Clemson, and Miami?
• The Poo Throwing Monkey League

  18 votes | Results

Ok,

None of us want to be in the WAC or return to the WAC, but the WAC was good to Boise State while we were there. So in an attempt to save that which was beneficial to us I've got a recommendation - the WAC needs to start pursuing Canadian schools for Football Only Members. Its brilliant. Canada technically plays football - they're not good at it and so they would be on par with New Mexico and U of I. There are some big schools that have some programs up there. I believe the University of British Columbia (http://gothunderbirds.ca/index.aspx?tab=football&path=football), University of Alberta (http://www.bears.ualberta.ca/Teams/Football.aspx) and the University of Saskatchewan (http://huskies.usask.ca/Home_Left/mens_sports/football/) have football. If money is what can save a conference then you've got a new demographic and maybe even new television partners. Would SEC fans watch - no, but WAC fans would and it could save the conference. WAC Commish - Look up to the great white north!

Scout.com > Boise StateJack Fields: 'All We Do Is Win'
Story URL: http://boisestate.scout.com/2/1188730.html
Jared Crews
BroncoCountry.comMay 23, 2012
Americas HS RB Jack Fields (El Paso, TX) signed with Boise State in February as a member of the 2012 recruiting class & is currently preparing for his future as a Bronco. The talented RB is expected to compete for early playing time once fall camp rolls around. So, how are workouts going right now? He spoke to BroncoCountry.com about that & more.

Americas HS RB Jack Fields (El Paso, TX) signed with Boise State in February as a member of the 2012 recruiting class and is currently preparing for his future as a Bronco. The talented RB is expected to compete for early playing time once fall camp rolls around and says he was thrilled to see that Doug Martin went in the first round of the NFL Draft last month. So, how are workouts going right now?

"Workouts are going great," he said. "I'm doing the workouts that the coaches sent me. It's a lot of conditioning and strength work. I'm at 205 right now and feeling pretty good. Hopefully, I can maintain this weight once I get there."

"I'm really excited and ready to get to work," he stated. "I've been given a great opportunity to play for the best head coach in the country and I know Coach Bhonapha is going to really push me too."

"I spoke to Coach Bhonapha today," said Fields. "I've been wearing #21 since 7th grade and I was wondering if I'd be able to keep that number when I got to Boise State. I was a big LaDainian Tomlinson fan growing up and enjoyed watching him with the Chargers. Coach Bhonapha said that Coach Pete thinks I'll be able to have that number as long as one of the upperclassmen don't want it."

Jack says he paid close attention to the NFL Draft last month and was thrilled to see two Broncos go in the first round for the first time in school history.

"It's awesome and it shows how good the coaches are," he said. "A lot of times you get caught up in stars and how this guy might be a 5 Star and this other guy might be a 2 Star. Well, we've shown that we can put those 2 Star guys in the draft and now Doug and Shea will bring a lot of exposure to Boise State. It's really a testament to the coaching staff."

"All we do is win," he said. "We're going to take those guys that other schools say aren't good enough and we're going to keep putting them in the NFL and winning games. Having twelve players either get drafted or signed shows that Boise State is an elite program and we can do it without those 5 Star guys."

"We're going to keep this thing rolling. Hopefully, myself and Devan (Demas) can be the next great 1-2 punch at Boise State."

The future Bronco went on to say that Coach Bhonapha intends to give him "every opportunity" to earn playing time as a true freshman.

"Coach Bhonapha said he's going to give me every opportunity in the world to earn playing time," said Fields. "It's up to me to learn the playbook, stay focused, and that's why I'm coming in with a humble mentality. Some guys get overwhelmed when you're going up against the best, but I think it's going to make me a better player. It's up to me to learn from each experience and most importantly, to learn the playbook."

"Competition makes you better," he said. "I was Pre-Season All-State, El Paso Times MVP, and I wanted to show last season that I was going to Boise State for a reason. When I gained 100 yards, I wasn't satisfied, same with 150 yards. I went back and looked at why I didn't gain 200 or 300 yards or why I missed a block. You can always get better. When you think you've had a great game...you can still do better."

Jack says the first order of business is to gain the respect of his new teammates once he arrives on campus at the end of June.

"I'll arrive on June 23rd," he said. "I'm definitely going to take everything in stride. I'm going to show respect for the upperclassmen and my other teammates. My goal is to play as a freshman and I want to come in humble and show them that I'm a guy they can trust. It's important to do that since they're going to be my family for the next four or five years of my life."

So, what can Bronco fans expect to see from Jack Fields?

"They can expect to see a hard-runner and a guy that plays with his heart on his sleeve," he said. "I'll compete every play and that's one thing I love...to compete. My teammates will know that they can trust me. It's a brotherhood with those other ten guys in the huddle."

BroncoCountry.com will continue to have updates on Jack Fields.

On QB Kellen Moore: "He's not here to help out in the meeting room, he's here to help out on the field and to develop as a player. We don't know how that's all going to work out. We like a lot of things about him: he's a smart player, he's a very experienced player, he's a winner more so than just about anybody in the history of college football. How that all shakes out will be depending on how he does in training camp and how he does in preseason games and things like that. He's a skilled player. He wasn't drafted, but we're glad to have him - we made a strong push to have him here - but not for any reason other than his abilities on the field."

Poll

What do you think? What are Kellen's odds of making Detroit's final roster?

• 90 - 100% ~ Odds that Derek Carr will crap a brick his first snap in Bronco Stadium
• 70 - 89% ~ Odds of the Bulldogs still losing to Boise by 30+ points
• 50 - 69% ~ Odds of Fresno State batting .500 this fall
• 0 - 49% ~ Just pretend this option doesn't exist, like Derek Carr's chances of removing the Boise flag from his wall in his career

  244 votes | Results

Nothing mind-blowing. A ridiculous amount of statistics, very well done as usual. Ends his analysis with saying we are his pick to win the MWC. Which is good I guess, considering he is pretty spot on with his BSU predictions (Had us losing to Nevada in 2010, TCU in 2011). Says our QB will put up solid numbers, but won't do it in the fashion Kellen did. Reasonable assumption. Overall, good stuff considering its something that doesn't have to do with conference realignment.

Phil Steele's Top 40 Countdown - Boise State

PDF File ^^^^

Foreground: Boise State occupiers, Background: Riot squad itching to pepper spray them.

No, that headline's not a typo. OBNUG member gdigital, who as far as I can tell enjoys lurker status almost exclusively—sent me a few pics yesterday with the following explanation: "Some buddies and I are living in Chicago for the summer and decided to march with the NATO/occupy people representing Boise." Hey, the "movement" is all-inclusive, right? And who better understands the plight of the underdog better than Boise State fans? Sure, the guys seem to be having a bit of a laugh, but gdigital claims that the unwashed masses were all united in their support of Boise State—routinely telling the crew "Oh, I love Boise State", which I can only assume was followed by "which way to the drum circle?"

More pics after the jump

Continue reading this post »

I laugh every time that I read about how the MWC could be a top conference if only BSU and the other "top 3" (Utah, TCU, and BYU) has stayed. There are people who are actually upset and bitter towards BSU for leaving the conference. Are MWC fans really that stupid? Do they not know how long BSU wanted to join the conference? How many years did BSU knock at the front door of the mighty MWC only to be spit on and treated with a "we are a great conference and don't need your little school" attitude. I for one am happy to see the MWC crumble and suffer. (The only thing that makes me happier is the thought of Dui as a FCS school!) The MWC will get everyhting that it deserves for its arrogance. And I will sit back and enjoy the show because it will be a train wreck compared to what could have been a very strong conference.

It appears as if super-conferences are indeed on the horizon, again. With that in mind, how would you set have the super-conferences operate if you were in charge? Two eight school divisions or four four school pods?

Sure it's all speculation and anything can happen, but it's fun.

First off, I believe that each of the four soon-to-be superconferences will expand based on athletic value, media value, and academic value -- in that order. I say that athletic value comes first because each conference will take into account it's major strength. For example, the ACC and the Big East are primarily basketball conferences and basketball is king. The additions of Memphis and Temple by the Big East, and Pitt and Syracuse by the ACC are proof this. Additionally, the Big East added Temple and Memphis because they are in large media markets. Yet all four schools admittedly have fairly weak football programs, and none have a particularly large national following.

The Big Four (SEC, Big12, Big10, and Pac12), on the other hand, are all football conferences first and foremost. Yes, they have some strong basketball programs -- especially the SEC, but football is still king. That is why these four conferences will expand based on football strength first, and media potential second, and academics third. Money rules, and academics really have nothing much to do with bringing in the big bucks these days.

So who expands first? The obvious choice is the Big12, what with the conference only having ten schools, as well as all of the expansion rumors regarding Florida State. I believe that they will expand to the east, both north -- probably taking the strong football and basketball programs of Louisville and Cincinnati, and/or possibly VaTech (to pit against WVU); as well as south -- FSU and possibly Clemson, GaTech, and/or Miami. There is also rumors that if Notre Dame was to ever leave football independence, they may pick the Big12 over the Big10. (They originally showed in interest in the ACC, but that would be fruitless now.)

Next the SEC with reach into new market territory and grab a couple of the better ACC schools that the Big12 didn't want. The SEC is a strong basketball conference and so may even go after basketball schools such as UNC and/or NC State.
As for the Big10, of all the Big Four conferences, they care the least for football power, and likely will go after strong regional basketball schools with decent football programs such as Rutgers, Temple, maybe even UConn, Pitt and/or Syracuse. Or they may even reach south and take one or two ACC schools.

Lastly, the Pac12 will have little choice but to take the strongest football schools in the west: SDSU, BYU, Boise State,and either Hawaii or Fresno State. Who else is there? Word last year was that Texas, Oklahoma, OSU, and Texas Tech may have been headed to the Pac12, but with the Big12 expanding east, and making a ton of media money, I don't see that happening now. Of course the Pac12 could pull a complete fast one and take a school like UNLV due to is media market and basketball program, but I doubt it. In the Pac12, football is still king, and UNLV football stinks big time.

So, there you have it. Now that the four 16 school superconferences have been formed, how should they be set-up and how should they operate? The two plans most mentioned are a) Two 8 school divisions; or b) Four 4 school pods.

Personally, I like the idea of pods. Stay at twelve total games: nine in-conference and 3 non-conference. Operate like the NFL. Play every school in your pod (equivalent to NFL division) twice, plus an additional school from the each of the other three pods, plus three more non-conference games. Then instead of one conference championship game between two division champs, you have four semi-finals between the four pod champs with the two winners moving on the conference championship, and that champion getting a spot in the BCS Final Four (my name for the future playoff).

This conference semi-final will help weed out the weaker schools and help truly establish who the best school in each conference is. Under this plan, there is also no way that two or more schools from the same conference could ever be ranked in the top four. If UGA, Arkansas, LSU, South Carolina, and Alabama had smacked each other around in a conference playoff, then only one SEC school would have both been ranked in the top 10, rather than four. This plan assures that the four major conference champions are the top four ranked programs in the country.

Once that is all in place you can then have your four team BCS Final Four, and the rest of Division 1A football can go off and form their own new mid-major conference with their own NCAA National Championship. The schools that are left will still have plenty of great schools with enough fans to keep them in business. Because, let's face it, in today's world of big money and big vs little in the recruiting battle, there just are not going to be anymore Boise States. And that is just the sad, but honest truth.

These are my thoughts. You?

Seriously, who hasn't been speculating, to themselves, lately on all of the news coming out lately regarding conference realignment? Does FSU move to the Big12 and how could that affect the future of the Big East? Will Louisville and/or Cinci and/or BYU get Big12 invites? Does Boise State stay in the MW? What of the Big West news? C'mon, you know y'all got things you want to get out, so put 'em here, right here on this here FanPost.

C'mon. You know you wanna.

Boise recommits to Big East

According to Brett McMurphy over at CBS Sports. Boise told the MWC today officially that it will be leaving for the Big East. Things must be going okay on the Big West front for us to make the decision. I think the MWC wanted a decision from us ASAP so they can figure out what they are doing to move forward from here. Now the big question is will they extend invites to New Mexico State and Idaho.