May 22, 2013

For Immediate Release

American Athletic Conference Strides Confidently Into The Future

PONTE VEDRA, Fla. — In its first full meeting as the American Athletic Conference, the league made important strategic decisions and addressed many pertinent issues as its membership moves forward together in the reinvented Conference.

The Conference’s Presidents, [...]]]> From The American…

May 22, 2013

For Immediate Release

American Athletic Conference Strides Confidently Into The Future

PONTE VEDRA, Fla. — In its first full meeting as the American Athletic Conference, the league made important strategic decisions and addressed many pertinent issues as its membership moves forward together in the reinvented Conference.

The Conference’s Presidents, Athletic Directors, Senior Woman Administrators, Head Football Coaches and Head Men’s and Women’s Basketball Coaches participated in the meetings.

“I am pleased and proud to be a part of a group that is dedicated, optimistic and effective,” said Commissioner Michael Aresco. “We have accomplished a great deal and are moving ahead with great confidence. We have a strong new name that has been well-received. Our soon-to-be-released new logo will support our new name. The American is going to be a prominent force in college athletics.”

Among the subjects addressed by the league’s Presidents and Athletic Directors:

Agreed on a financial distribution plan for the member institutions
Approved a new conference logo, which will be revealed in the near future
Further developed a branding, marketing and public relations strategy
Narrowed the search for men’s and women’s basketball postseason tournament venues
Discussed plans for a digital network
Met with television partners to discuss scheduling and promotional plans
Discussed The American’s position in the College Football Playoff
Agreed to pursue the creation of its own bowl game and maintain an outstanding Conference bowl lineup

The Conference Presidents chose R. Gerald Turner, President of Southern Methodist University, as their new Chair. Susan Herbst, President of the University of Connecticut, will serve as Vice-Chair. Outgoing Chair Judy Genshaft, President of the University of South Florida, will remain on the Executive Committee, ensuring continuity in governance. Genshaft provided outstanding leadership in the transformation of the Conference.

“The American Athletic Conference has tremendous institutions that are committed to excellence in academics and athletics,” said Genshaft. “We are moving forward as a Conference with great resolve.”

“I am honored to help shape the future of the American Athletic Conference,” said Turner. “Everyone is excited about our extremely bright future and working together.”

“We are moving quickly on all fronts and I am so pleased with the progress,” said Herbst. “UConn is proud to be building this new league and thrilled to be part of all the excitement that comes with creating a bold new vision for student-athletes and our fans. Our exposure will be greater than ever, and we look forward to showing our championship ways to even broader audiences.”

The American has television agreements with ESPN and CBS Sports, two of the most prestigious media organizations in sports. The contracts will provide unprecedented national coverage for the league. All football and men’s basketball conference games will be televised.

More from Q&A with American conference commissioner Mike Aresco

Q:  Also Mike, for clarity’s sake, can you explain the route to the playoffs when that system kicks in next year? It’s been presented as though your conference will be frozen out of the mix. It will be more difficult sure but there is access.

“In tems of our conference we basically have to work to make it the best conference it can be and the chips fall where they may,” Aresco said “We want to make sure anyone in our conference feels that the conference is being well [...]]]> How does commissioner Mike Aresco and the American Atheltic Conference avoid that one?

“In tems of our conference we basically have to work to make it the best conference it can be and the chips fall where they may,” Aresco said “We want to make sure anyone in our conference feels that the conference is being well run, is maximizing their potential, which in UConn’s case is in both sports, it’s making sure the conference innovative, state of the art is well run that it’s a conference the members in it can be proud of and then there’s always issues, always currents about this and that, money. Well, let the chips fall where they may. We’re focused on the future and we’re focused on our conference. UConn has been a big part of that. Suasn [UConn president Herbst] has been very strong. She’s been a big part of what we’re trying to do. She’s been heavily involved in the name, the branding, all the decisions that we’ve made. And Warde [athletic director Warde Manuel] is one of our leading ADs. Warde is a strong AD. They and Cincinnati obviously the Big East name had been with them a long time. They like the new name. They’ve adapated to the new name. That’s important. We’re hopeful that the fan bases will understand that this is good football. We think this football conference has more potential then the old one has.  ”It was concentrated in the north east. We’ve got a wider footprint with some schools in big markets, football hotbeds that we think can really develop. Even Memphis is a sleeper because Memphis really putting resources into its program and they want to be good. Tulane in football, had a good football tradition and they are spending the money. They have a band new stadium. They think they’ve got the right coach. That’s a rich recruiting area let’s face it, Lousisiana and Florida, of course. And that gives UConn a chance now when UConn plays UCF now and USF to recruit key places. UConn-Cincinnati is going to be a good rivalry; UConn-Temple down the road and then UConn playing games in Texas. These are, look, it’s not like the Big 12 is going to get all the players in Texas – or Oklahoma. And Tulsa is a great addition as you know they have a long history of being good in both sports. It’s a small good, really high quality academic institution…you know, Danny Manning, new coach [in basketball] is really going to make a difference. Kevin Ollie, Danny Manning, Larry Brown [SMU] Mick Cronin [Cincinnati], go down the list. I have mentioned the Florida schools and East Carolina will build their basketball program.

“And Navy [coming in 2015 when the conference championship game comes too] everybody loves Navy. Navy coming to play UConn in football and UConn going down there will be a special game.

I also asked Aresco about East Carolina which packs a fanbase like nobody’s business, win, lose or draw and that base will travel far and wide for the Pirates. I’ve always described theirs fans as gnats – in a good way. They’re just in a frenzy about their football program. It’s fun to see and tingling to be around. Anyway…

“See, you know. You know your stuff. A lot of people don’t know this. East Carolina in bowl games that we’re in will bring a lot of people. I have a long history with Terry Holland. When I was at ESPN I did a national deal with East Carolina. East Carolina’s games were featured nationally on ESPN back in 1991 through 1995 or ’96, a five-year deal. I’ve been there 50,000 people show up. I’ve been to their spring game, 15 to 20,000 show up there. The 50,00 is a regular occurrence. The history wih Ernest Byner, Jeff Blake. It’s a great program and look at the exposure they’re going to get that they didn’t get before.”

“I told our staff that whatever happens, we’re going to keep our poise , we’re going to make sure we’re deliberate, we’re going to make whatever decisions we have to make [...]]]> Here’s my Q&A with American Athletic Conference Commssioner Mike Aresco and more on keeping poise with departing members when all heck was breaking loose.

“I told our staff that whatever happens, we’re going to keep our poise , we’re going to make sure we’re deliberate, we’re going to make whatever decisions we have to make and we’re not going to take it personally because people have reasons for doing what they do whether it’s for finanacial or this reason or that reason and in the end, the high road is always the best road. It just is, period,” Aresco said.

“And it’ll benefit us I think but that’s just the way we wanted to do it. It’s the right way to do it. Ir creates a good feeling, a feeling that you’re cooperating. We had presidents and ADs that supported the way we were going to approach it all. We do have the ability now to have these relationships in the future. If you have acrimony and rnacor and bitterness then it ain’t gonna work. And by the way, my fellow commissioners, John [Swofford of the ACC] have been friends for many years. Jim Delany [of the Big Ten] and I have been friends many years, Mike Slive [SEC], too, we had to go after teams from other conferences. Britton Banowsky [Conferece-USA] and I are very good friends and I would talk to him and be very clear with what we were thinking about. John Swofford was very honest with me with what they were thinking about when they decided ultimately, we knew we they were going to take somebody. The commissioners all get in the room and  they all get along. Look, the Big 12 almost imploded. The Big Ten has taken a team from the ACC. The Pac-12 had the issue with the Big 12 at one point remember and did end up with Colorado and yet the commissioners get in the room and they talk things over and there’s a collegiality because you can’t take it personally and I think that’s very important. You have to focus on building.

“Keeping relationships with schools that left is part of it. That’s absolutely part of it and the rest is to be very intent on competing, have a real fierce determination to be relevant and to compete and I think our presidents and ADs have that and it’s up to me and our conference staff to make sure we give our schools those opportunities that’s why we’re working hard bowls, we’re working hard on venues, we worked hard on making sure financially,  everybody was happy with the way we were going to do business in our conference, making sure that we have good relationships among our own schools….we’re looiking ahead. We’ve got a lot to do. We’ve got a lot to do but we’ve gottent through a lot. I think everybody is pleased we got through it but we have a lot to do.”

SNY was on campus with the football team the final week of spring practice…

From UConn….

UConn Athletic Communications — May 15, 2013 – SNY To Debut “UConn Football All Access” Documentary

 NEW YORK (May 25, 2013) – SNY will premiere an exclusive, one-hour documentary titled “UConn Spring Football All Access” on Thursday, May [...]]]>  

SNY was on campus with the football team the final week of spring practice…

From UConn….

UConn Athletic Communications — May 15, 2013 – SNY To Debut “UConn Football All Access” Documentary

 NEW YORK (May 25, 2013) – SNY will premiere an exclusive, one-hour documentary titled “UConn Spring Football All Access” on Thursday, May 16at 9:30 p.m.  This in-depth show lifts the curtain on this  UConn’s football program as SNY’s cameras followed the team and coaches on and off the field during the final weekend of spring practice – allowing viewers to get a glimpse of what it is like to be a part of the Huskies’ football program. 

 The show will also air on Friday, May 17 at 6:00 p.m., Monday, May 20 at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, May 25 at 6:00 p.m., Sunday, May 26 at 5:00 p.m. and Monday, May 27 (Memorial Day) at 3:00 p.m.

 The documentary is produced in a similar fashion to SNY’s Huskies All-Access program – which followed the UConn women’s basketball team during the intense first week of practice as they prepared for their 2012-13 championship season. 

 “UConn Spring Football All Access” delivers viewers the ultimate insider’s perspective as this behind-the-scenes documentary brings fans into the closed-door coaches meetings – providing an intimate look at head coach Paul Pasqualoni and his coaching staff.  The show features detailed footage from team and positional meetings to the UConn coaches discussing player recruitment, player development and coaching techniques in order to get the team properly prepared for the season.

SNY’s camera’s also followed several players – who were wired for sound – around campus to give fans a glimpse into a typical day-in-a-life of the student-athlete.  “UConn Spring Football All Access” will also showcase team practices, player weight-room sessions and even team meals to provide a comprehensive, all-access look at the program leading up to UConn’s annual Blue-White Spring Football Game.

“I have seen an advance version of this documentary and I want to let all sports fans know how exciting I think this show will be for them to watch,” said Pasqualoni. “Everyone who views it, especially Husky fans, will appreciate all the hard work that our players and coaching staff put into preparation during spring practice. It also highlights everything that is offered at UConn academically and how beautiful our campus is.”

SNY is the official television home of the New York Mets and Jets. SNY features unparalleled, exclusive access to the New York Mets with more than 130 live telecasts each season – all produced in HD – as well as other Emmy Award winning Mets entertainment programming.  As the official TV home of the New York Jets, SNY delivers more than 300 hours of exclusive year-round content devoted to Gang Green.  As New York’s leader in local sports TV coverage, SNY delivers the most comprehensive access to all of the Tri-State area’s professional and collegiate sports teams through five nightly sports and entertainment programs – broadcast in state-of-the-art HD – from SNY’s street-level studio in the heart of Manhattan.  SNY’s programming roster also includes classic sports programming, critically acclaimed original entertainment shows and exclusive interview and magazine programs.  Founded by Sterling Entertainment Enterprises, Time Warner and Comcast, SNY is available to viewers throughout New York, Connecticut, New Jersey and northeastern Pennsylvania, and nationally on DIRECTV, Verizon FiOS, Comcast Cable and AT&T U-Verse. For additional details on the network, visit www.sny.tv.

Two starting corners in Blidi Wreh-Wilson and Dwayne Gratz; two starting linebackers in Sio Moore and Jory Johnson; a starting defensive end in Trevardo Williams and a defensive tackle in Ryan Wirth.

Right now UConn Coach Paul Pasqualoni is anxious to see who steps up – [...]]]> UConn lost a lot on defense we know.

Two starting corners in Blidi Wreh-Wilson and Dwayne Gratz; two starting linebackers in Sio Moore and Jory Johnson; a starting defensive end in Trevardo Williams and a defensive tackle in Ryan Wirth.

Right now UConn Coach Paul Pasqualoni is anxious to see who steps up – because several players need to really, on both sides of the ball but the D lost the most.

“The play of the overall defense whether it’s the defensive front, the linebackers or the secondary, ok, we’ve got to have dependable, consistent play out of every one of those units and where we stand right now that’s got to improve,” UConn Coach Paul Pasqualoni said. “That’s got to improve for us to have the kind of success we want to have.
“On the other side of that pancake I like the approach, I like what the offense got done this spring. I think they really improved. I think there was significant improvement there. I think the fact they’ve been together now and understand each other and understand what’s expected, the scheme, etc., so I would say on the other side of the pancake I’m pleased with how far the offensive line has come. I’m anxious, kind of excited to see them start preseason.”

The spring game set up was certainly different than in past years. It didn’t include any scoring or a lot of scrimmaging.

That wasn’t the point.

“It was an opportunity to more evaluate the consistency and fundamentals, assignments and techniques than it was the overall how many plays can you run and how many different defenses and blitzes you can be in, so the emphasis was more making sure that when the players heard the play or the defensive call they knew exactly what their assignment was because you’re playing a lot of younger players and I didn’t want anybody confused. I didn’t want any mental paralysis, not knowing what to do, and not being able to play full speed.

“I wanted to evaluate the guys on the defensive line guys like Julian Campenni, Mikal Myers, Angelo Pruitt, Andreas Knappe, Tim Willman. I wanted to see a basic approach and see exactly where they are. The linebackers, Graham Stewart, Jefferson Ashiru. The offensive line I wanted to see Tyler Samra. I wanted to see Richard Levy. I wanted to see where those guys were when they knew exactly what to do, you know? That was more the emphasis of the spring game and I thought we got done what we needed. From an evaluation standpoint, it gives me a good picture. Now you go back and ask me the question what’s my concern? I just told you what my concerns were. That’s based on 15 practices culminating with the spring game so I know exactly where we are right now going into the summer. So when I have exit meetings with every player on what I think they have to do to get better and what we have to do collectively to get better as a team I’m able to give them facts that are backed by evidence on film. So I think that’s an important process you go through so everybody is clear on what they have to do and what we need to do to start this preseason camp.”

What didn’t need to be said is that this is a big year for the program and third-year coach Paul Pasqualoni. No shock there coming of two 5-7 seasons and no bowl games following a BCS appearance. On the heels of all that the 2013 schedule is the toughest UConn has seen. Bottom line: the [...]]]>  

What didn’t need to be said is that this is a big year for the program and third-year coach Paul Pasqualoni. No shock there coming of two 5-7 seasons and no bowl games following a BCS appearance. On the heels of all that the 2013 schedule is the toughest UConn has seen. Bottom line: the Huskies won’t go 5-7 again without major changes but any change in the pattern of how Pasqualoni handles it all personally could be an issue too – so don’t expect any changes in how he handles it all personally.     

What’s your approach to 2013? Coming off a pair of 5-7s are you feeling it, personally?

“When you’re at this level of competition I think you’re a pretty competitive individual and that’s not just me I think that’s the nature of this game in it attracts very, very competitive people,” Pasqualoni said. “So you compete on a daily basis. You compete on a weekly basis and you’re working and preparing the team I think with every hour that you have, every ounce of energy that you have, trying to do the best job preparing and teaching and managing the program every single day. So I think there’s an approach that you have, a philosophy that you have; I think that you stick with what you believe in; that you work as hard as you can work at it and you try to manage the program, attract the best players, have the best players you can in your program and you work on getting the kids ready to play this tough schedule we have beginning with Towson State which is not going to be any box of chocolates.

(“You know I’m watching the LSU film and they’re giving LSU all they can handle at LSU…don’t you guys in the media be surprised when you see a good Towson State team come in here. Every player on their offensive line is a senior and played last year and are very good players. They’ve got a good program there, very good ).  But you’re trying to compete, you’re trying to prepare, you’re trying to leave no stone unturned. That’s how you approach it and you do the absolute best you can do and you believe in what you’re doing. If you do those things everything else will take care of itself. You can’t worry about all that other stuff. You can’t. That’s always been my approach.”

DC

You have to win though, right, coming off a pair of 5-7 seasons and now facing the toughest schedule the program has ever had. Given all [...]]]> A little more from my interview this moreing with UConn Coach Paul Pasqualoni. Here he talks about, really what can’t happen in 2013 that has happened the past two seasons….  

You have to win though, right, coming off a pair of 5-7 seasons and now facing the toughest schedule the program has ever had. Given all that what is the approach for 2013?

“Hopefully we can put the team together and everybody in the right position where with their skill set we can maximize what they can do for us and get this secondary, the corners, on defense, replace the linebackers the corners, replace Ryan Wirth up front,” Pasqualoni said. ”The offensive line has been together now. That unit is back. Jimmy Bennett is back. The approach is to put the thing together to maximize the talent we have and to move forward and play smart football, not turn the ball over and not give up big plays. At the end of the day, the goal is to score more points than they do. That’s what’s important. I like our approach to football. We’ve just got to get into these games and play smarter than we’ve played and when I say smarter we just can’t…we’ve got to have a high regard for the ball. We can’t turn the ball over and we can’t have dumb penalties and we can’t have lapses and inconsistent play on defense and give up a big play.”

DC

Final exams finished at UConn on Friday and the majority of the Huskies have gone home until June 1 when they will come back for summer school  but also the always-important strength and conditioning workouts.

“It’s one of the great times of the year where you can focus on strength and speed,” UConn Coach Paul [...]]]> What’s goin on?

Final exams finished at UConn on Friday and the majority of the Huskies have gone home until June 1 when they will come back for summer school  but also the always-important strength and conditioning workouts.

“It’s one of the great times of the year where you can focus on strength and speed,” UConn Coach Paul Pasqualoni said Tuesday morning. “I’ve always viewed that time as important for two reasons: 1) you can never be strong enough in this game and the second reason, and it is as important, is the durability factor because the stronger you are, the more flexible you are, the more you work through the full range of motion in exercise in the weight room, the more durable you become and the less likely you’re going to have one of these injuries that’s a shoulder or an elbow, a knee and those types of things.  I’m hopeful as they’re home through May – and I saw kids who are still on campus yesterday lifting weights on their own voluntary time – I’m hopeful  that they get something done even on their own the next three weeks.

With the understanding that you like to have recruits at your camps for deeper evaluations, still, is it concerning that with top targets committing, that you don’t have a player committed to the Class of 2014 yet? (Note: Pasqualoni, like any coach, NCAA coach is prohibited by that body to talk specifics of recruiting until the player(s) have signed a letter of intent which for football isn’t until the first Wednesday in February).  

“No,” Pasqualoni said. “Obviously the high-level guy you’re absolutely sure of, you always welcome. You know that. But this year we don’t have a large group of seniors this year. I think our senior count is 11. So our philosophy has always been, the ideal condition, is to have them in your camp over the summer. We’re working very, very hard on the actual recruitment process of having them come into our camp and the response to that has been very good as it has been. Last year 13 of the 25 we signed were in our camp so that’s where our focus is right now. The staff is out this week. This is the last week of the actual being out on the road and then we come back in. We try to do our due diligence every day in keeping it current, getting the offers out…so I think we’re where we want to be in the overall evaluation process. I think we know who the top guys are in our key areas. I think we have a real good handle on not only the top guys, I would go so far to say those players who are in the Division I prospect category. The staff has done a great job, the big picture, overall evaluation process. Between now and the end of June we’ll try hard to get these guys on campus and work with them and be sure of what we’re doing and try to get some commitments.

What are you hearing from the recruits? Have they talked about concerns surrounding UConn’s future, the conference, etc?

“In conversations it comes up,” Pasqualoni said. ”There’s no question it comes up – but our schedule and who we play is really what’s discussed. The approach here and obviously the goal here is to be the best we can be and win the games on our schedule, focus on the Huskies being the best we can be regardless of what conference we’re in. If we can do that we’ll be in great shape and that will answer a lot of these questions that are asked. I think when you look at our schedule we have seven home games. If we’re able to put together a successful season with the teams we play I think that, without saying a word, answers a lot of questions.”

DC