Utah State job is open...

[Cat Grad]

What if Sprinkle really likes what he's built and wants to build a mid-major power?

If Sprinkle wants to build a mid-major power then he needs to be coaching in a better conference than the Big Sky.

Too far for the Missouri Valley or Summit Leagues. I believe MSU is a Land Grant public institution so the WCC is out (besides, we helped kick Gonzaga out of the Big Sky). The pac will probably get absorbed by the Big 12 and Big 10. The MWC just got four teams in the tournament, so they're really not looking for anyone, but they may wind up losing several teams to the Big 12 and pac.

So....

Looks like they're going to have to be happy building the program with the teams they have to associate with right now (Who knows? Someone said the WAC is back...).

[MSU01]

What if Sprinkle really likes what he's built and wants to build a mid-major power?

If Sprinkle wants to build a mid-major power then he needs to be coaching in a better conference than the Big Sky.

Too far for the Missouri Valley or Summit Leagues. I believe MSU is a Land Grant public institution so the WCC is out (besides, we helped kick Gonzaga out of the Big Sky). The pac will probably get absorbed by the Big 12 and Big 10. The MWC just got four teams in the tournament, so they're really not looking for anyone, but they may wind up losing several teams to the Big 12 and pac.

So....

Looks like they're going to have to be happy building the program with the teams they have to associate with right now (Who knows? Someone said the WAC is back...).

MSU can certainly continue to build its program in the Big Sky, but to me a mid-major power is a team that doesn't just get to the NCAA tournament most of the time but that routinely wins games once they get there. That simply won't happen for a team in a one-bid conference like the Big Sky, where one bad game in Boise can end a great season with zero chance for an at-large bid.

Potentially moving to the MWC as a replacement for Pac-12 departures and making a huge investment in facilities and coach salaries would help, but every time anyone mentions this on the football board people are very adamant about not wanting to leave the FCS and its playoff system.

[Cat Grad]

What if Sprinkle really likes what he's built and wants to build a mid-major power?

If Sprinkle wants to build a mid-major power then he needs to be coaching in a better conference than the Big Sky.

Too far for the Missouri Valley or Summit Leagues. I believe MSU is a Land Grant public institution so the WCC is out (besides, we helped kick Gonzaga out of the Big Sky). The pac will probably get absorbed by the Big 12 and Big 10. The MWC just got four teams in the tournament, so they're really not looking for anyone, but they may wind up losing several teams to the Big 12 and pac.

So....

Looks like they're going to have to be happy building the program with the teams they have to associate with right now (Who knows? Someone said the WAC is back...).

MSU can certainly continue to build its program in the Big Sky, but to me a mid-major power is a team that doesn't just get to the NCAA tournament most of the time but that routinely wins games once they get there. That simply won't happen for a team in a one-bid conference like the Big Sky, where one bad game in Boise can end a great season with zero chance for an at-large bid.

Potentially moving to the MWC as a replacement for Pac-12 departures and making a huge investment in facilities and coach salaries would help, but every time anyone mentions this on the football board people are very adamant about not wanting to leave the FCS and its playoff system.

In less than five years there won't be this discussion concerning the Group of 5 and FCS football. NCAA basketball? Look at the Final 4 this year.

I was in grad school when Miami decided to bring back basketball in the mid-80s. The Cats played San Diego State in the Camellia Bowl. Gonzaga used to be in the Big Sky. Idaho State beat John Wooden. Idaho made the Elite 8. FAU? UConn will have a decent football team soon.

I tend to get pretty sarcastic with a few posters who don't remember what the Oregon program was like before Knight poured all that money into their athletics, for one example. I remember when Army had National Championships. Gallatin County has some of the most wealthy people in the world with vacation homes up the canyon. There are people up the canyon who can write Knight a check and take over his Al Bundy Shoe Empire. (Glad to see Puma coming back but I digress).

Nobody with a bit of sense would leave Montana State as an employee, be it faculty or with the athletic department right now. Fields was approached by visionaries and he laughed at them.

[CelticCat]

What if Sprinkle really likes what he's built and wants to build a mid-major power?

If Sprinkle wants to build a mid-major power then he needs to be coaching in a better conference than the Big Sky.

Too far for the Missouri Valley or Summit Leagues. I believe MSU is a Land Grant public institution so the WCC is out (besides, we helped kick Gonzaga out of the Big Sky). The pac will probably get absorbed by the Big 12 and Big 10. The MWC just got four teams in the tournament, so they're really not looking for anyone, but they may wind up losing several teams to the Big 12 and pac.

So....

Looks like they're going to have to be happy building the program with the teams they have to associate with right now (Who knows? Someone said the WAC is back...).

MSU can certainly continue to build its program in the Big Sky, but to me a mid-major power is a team that doesn't just get to the NCAA tournament most of the time but that routinely wins games once they get there. That simply won't happen for a team in a one-bid conference like the Big Sky, where one bad game in Boise can end a great season with zero chance for an at-large bid.

Potentially moving to the MWC as a replacement for Pac-12 departures and making a huge investment in facilities and coach salaries would help, but every time anyone mentions this on the football board people are very adamant about not wanting to leave the FCS and its playoff system.

@Common Cat and I have an ever burning "conspiracy" theory, that we are closer to FBS than we the public know and that carrot is dangled in front of any coach who thinks about leaving.

[Desert_Bobcat]

What if Sprinkle really likes what he's built and wants to build a mid-major power?

If Sprinkle wants to build a mid-major power then he needs to be coaching in a better conference than the Big Sky.

Too far for the Missouri Valley or Summit Leagues. I believe MSU is a Land Grant public institution so the WCC is out (besides, we helped kick Gonzaga out of the Big Sky). The pac will probably get absorbed by the Big 12 and Big 10. The MWC just got four teams in the tournament, so they're really not looking for anyone, but they may wind up losing several teams to the Big 12 and pac.

So....

Looks like they're going to have to be happy building the program with the teams they have to associate with right now (Who knows? Someone said the WAC is back...).

MSU can certainly continue to build its program in the Big Sky, but to me a mid-major power is a team that doesn't just get to the NCAA tournament most of the time but that routinely wins games once they get there. That simply won't happen for a team in a one-bid conference like the Big Sky, where one bad game in Boise can end a great season with zero chance for an at-large bid.

Potentially moving to the MWC as a replacement for Pac-12 departures and making a huge investment in facilities and coach salaries would help, but every time anyone mentions this on the football board people are very adamant about not wanting to leave the FCS and its playoff system.

@Common Cat and I have an ever burning "conspiracy" theory, that we are closer to FBS than we the public know and that carrot is dangled in front of any coach who thinks about leaving.

I tend to agree. People around San Diego St. are pretty vocal about wanting to make the jump from the Mountain West up to the PAC-12. With this run in the NCAA tournament and their increasing football presence I think it’s only a matter of time before they’re competing for a PAC-12 championship rather than consistently dominating the Mountain West.
Once San Diego St. leaves I’d have to think MSU and Griz are getting the first calls to jump up.

Side note… I think the days of NCAA sanctioned football are limited (at least at the FBS level). For the benefit of the individual universities I think a football break off from the NCAA would be the best thing for schools to continue funding their athletic programs and helping sustain sports around only for Title IX reasons and allowing more high schoolers collegiate student-athlete opportunities (that’s for a different thread though).
The second USC and possibly UCLA actually make the jump to the BIG-10 you’re going to see an avalanche of movement and reshuffling of conferences. At that point you just hope MSU doesn’t get caught flat on their feet. Montana State has as good of resources as most of the Mountain West schools and probably better than the bottom half of PAC-12 schools. There’s no reason that with a couple more dollars Bozeman couldn’t be the crown jewel of a conference like the Mountain West.

Second side note.. San Diego State’s run alone to the National Championship has earned the Mountain West Conference something like $18 million dollars that gets evenly distributed to all conference schools. The MWC consistently gets at-large bids into the tournament which adds revenue for every school in the conference. With a couple of years and some infrastructure upgrades I’m almost convinced Montana State could turn themselves into a school that competes annually in the Mountain West in all sports. Just like former BigSky foe Boise (is not a) State.

[kaner77]

MT State or UM aren't even in the top 6 or 7 to get an invite

[Cataholic]

MT State or UM aren't even in the top 6 or 7 to get an invite

Who do you think is then?

[MSU01]

Starting to get a very ominous feeling about this. The Utah State board is now going through the MSU roster to pick out which players they want Sprinkle to "bring with him".

[HighPlainsBobcat]

Starting to get a very ominous feeling about this. The Utah State board is now going through the MSU roster to pick out which players they want Sprinkle to "bring with him".

@MSU01 can you post a link?

[mslacat]

Starting to get a very ominous feeling about this. The Utah State board is now going through the MSU roster to pick out which players they want Sprinkle to "bring with him".

@MSU01 can you post a link?

I took his comments as sarcasm. To do so would be a NCAA violation. Another team discussing the transfer of a particular player (tampering) before they enter the transfer portal would get them in big trouble.

.......unless you are Kentucky

[MSU01]

Starting to get a very ominous feeling about this. The Utah State board is now going through the MSU roster to pick out which players they want Sprinkle to "bring with him".

@MSU01 can you post a link?

https://www.usufans.com/Forums/viewtopi ... =6&t=66972

There's another thread there in which someone posted multiple Twitter highlights of Battle and Osobor. I don't think they've figured out yet that Raequan has already transferred once.

[homeytennis]

Their last coach earned $800,000. I can see any Big Sky coach taking the money.

[BelligerentBobcat]

Starting to get a very ominous feeling about this. The Utah State board is now going through the MSU roster to pick out which players they want Sprinkle to "bring with him".

@MSU01 can you post a link?

I took his comments as sarcasm. To do so would be a NCAA violation. Another team discussing the transfer of a particular player (tampering) before they enter the transfer portal would get them in big trouble.

.......unless you are Kentucky

A message board can discuss whatever they like regarding transfers.

[mslacat]

Starting to get a very ominous feeling about this. The Utah State board is now going through the MSU roster to pick out which players they want Sprinkle to "bring with him".

@MSU01 can you post a link?

I took his comments as sarcasm. To do so would be a NCAA violation. Another team discussing the transfer of a particular player (tampering) before they enter the transfer portal would get them in big trouble.

.......unless you are Kentucky

A message board can discuss whatever they like regarding transfers.

Absolutely, there are a bunch of Kentucky fans who have been tweeting about how they should go out and "get" Raquon Battle, and there is nothing wrong, technically with that. That said, no coaches or athletic staff can contact a player on another team that is not in the portal.

[mslacat]

White smoke is coming out of Dee Glen Smith Spectrum........

[CelticCat]

Two separate Twitter accounts, both seemingly not in any sort of sports media, say they are hearing Sprinkle is the guy.

Nothing official or even what I'd consider a true source but where there's smoke there's fire.

[ilovethecats]

Two separate Twitter accounts, both seemingly not in any sort of sports media, say they are hearing Sprinkle is the guy.

Nothing official or even what I'd consider a true source but where there's smoke there's fire.

I'd be shocked if he wasn't announced as the next guy at USU within 24 hours. Think it's a done deal.

Big question will be if some players follow him down there.

[HighPlainsBobcat]

Two separate Twitter accounts, both seemingly not in any sort of sports media, say they are hearing Sprinkle is the guy.

Nothing official or even what I'd consider a true source but where there's smoke there's fire.

I'd be shocked if he wasn't announced as the next guy at USU within 24 hours. Think it's a done deal.

Big question will be if some players follow him down there.

Which players? Unless someone pulls a rabbit out of their hat, RQB, RF3, and DB have used their transfers. If Sprinkle takes the job, wouldn’t he want his core players to go with him? TP, GO, and Lecholat are the only ones that are left with transfers intact. Not counting current outstanding offers.

There’s smoke for sure, but not in the manner most here think. IMHO

[Willneal]

I know it’s rumor mill season, and I’m only adding to it…but I was told by a “source” who I trust… that Sprinkle will be in Logan this week for a (campus) interview.

I say this with the hope he stays but would understand why he would leave.

[ilovethecats]

Two separate Twitter accounts, both seemingly not in any sort of sports media, say they are hearing Sprinkle is the guy.

Nothing official or even what I'd consider a true source but where there's smoke there's fire.

I'd be shocked if he wasn't announced as the next guy at USU within 24 hours. Think it's a done deal.

Big question will be if some players follow him down there.

Which players? Unless someone pulls a rabbit out of their hat, RQB, RF3, and DB have used their transfers. If Sprinkle takes the job, wouldn’t he want his core players to go with him? TP, GO, and Lecholat are the only ones that are left with transfers intact. Not counting current outstanding offers.

There’s smoke for sure, but not in the manner most here think. IMHO

There are rabbits in hats for sure that would allow RB to move on. Also think GO would be a guy who has teams looking at him.

I have no info whatsoever. My hope is Sprinks stays at least another year and our core comes back. But if he does move along, there are loopholes allowing players to leave.