Villanova Hires New AD

[GoldenWarrior11]

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/13510992/villanova-wildcats-name-usc-trojans-mark-jackson-athletic-director

Villanova has hired Mark Jackson, from USC, as its new AD - replacing Vince Nicastro.  Jackson comes from a strong football background (Sr. Associate AD at USC, worked with Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots and at Syracuse).  He had the support of Pete Carroll, Lane Kiffin and Mike Garrett at USC. 

Don't want to jump to conclusions, but this should be a long-term concern for Marquette and the Big East.  It is clear that they are going to put a big emphasis on moving their football program up from FCS level, possibly trying to maneuver into the ACC at some point long term.  If their switch to becoming a football-first athletic program (not unlike UConn), we could (potentially) lose Villanova.

[Chicos' Buzz Scandal Countdown]

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/13510992/villanova-wildcats-name-usc-trojans-mark-jackson-athletic-director

Villanova has hired Mark Jackson, from USC, as its new AD - replacing Vince Nicastro.  Jackson comes from a strong football background (Sr. Associate AD at USC, worked with Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots and at Syracuse).  He had the support of Pete Carroll, Lane Kiffin and Mike Garrett at USC. 

Don't want to jump to conclusions, but this should be a long-term concern for Marquette and the Big East.  It is clear that they are going to put a big emphasis on moving their football program up from FCS level, possibly trying to maneuver into the ACC at some point long term.  If their switch to becoming a football-first athletic program (not unlike UConn), we could (potentially) lose Villanova.

I'd say it's a stretch to say "it is clear that they are going to put a big emphasis on moving their football program up from FCS level" based on this news; is there some other news on this I've missed?

[GoldenWarrior11]

I read that the football program loses $6 million annually, even with $4 million coming into the football program from revenue from basketball.  The fact that football drains so much for the athletic department (and the basketball revenues) it is very puzzling why they would hire a new AD from such a strong football background. 

Rumor was they wanted to hire someone that really got along with Jay Wright (to ensure he is there well into the future).  However, considering Jackson has said that he hadn't met with Wright yet, suggests that was no longer a high priority.

Villanova was extremely close to joining the Big East as a full member (football included) around 2010, right before the latest wave of realignment began.  They backed out due to a lack of on campus stadium.  Jackson was a big facilitator of improving/creating facilities at USC, so it is only natural to have concerns about the football connection.

[GGGG]

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/13510992/villanova-wildcats-name-usc-trojans-mark-jackson-athletic-director

Villanova has hired Mark Jackson, from USC, as its new AD - replacing Vince Nicastro.  Jackson comes from a strong football background (Sr. Associate AD at USC, worked with Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots and at Syracuse).  He had the support of Pete Carroll, Lane Kiffin and Mike Garrett at USC. 

Don't want to jump to conclusions, but this should be a long-term concern for Marquette and the Big East.  It is clear that they are going to put a big emphasis on moving their football program up from FCS level, possibly trying to maneuver into the ACC at some point long term. If their switch to becoming a football-first athletic program (not unlike UConn), we could (potentially) lose Villanova.

So you don't want to jump to conclusions, but in the very next sentence, you jump to a conclusion.

If Villanova wants to upgrade their upgrade football program and leave the BE to join the MAC or AAC or whatever...then that's their deal.  There is nothing Marquette can do to prevent that from happening so I don't think there is any reasons for worry.

Next program up!  Invite St. Joe's and move on.

[Chicos' Buzz Scandal Countdown]

Rumor was they wanted to hire someone that really got along with Jay Wright (to ensure he is there well into the future).  However, considering Jackson has said that he hadn't met with Wright yet, suggests that was no longer a high priority.

Not to keep nitpicking your logic here, but this would more likely indicate that the aforementioned "rumor" was bunk.

[source?]

Personal opinion, I have no more information than anyone else, but it wouldn't make much sense for Nova to try and go FBS. Radnor township will not let them build a stadium larger than their current footprint, just like they wouldn't let them tear down the pavilion and build anything with a larger footprint. Without that Nova would have to play their games off-campus, which doesn't seem like something that any P5 conference would be ok with. They have nowhere to build facilities on par with other P5 schools, and they are already building a football training facility that is top-of-the-line for FCS, but not on par with what is expected in the P5.

Conference option #1 for them is obviously the ACC. The conference already has 16 basketball schools, 15 football schools, and a scheduling agreement with Notre Dame. They don't need Nova and even if they got raided they have better options in UConn (Some FBS history, better hoops history, more students, market without competition) and Cincinnati (big school, new market, long FBS history, lots of facility upgrades going on right now). Temple and Memphis would also be at the very least be similar options to Nova.

Conference option #2, let's say it's the B1G. Nova is not AAU, they duplicate the Penn State market, they bring no football history. B1G would be better off with any number of ACC programs.

Conference option #3 let's call the Big 12. Colorado State, BYU, Cincinnati, Memphis, Houston, and UCF all make more sense than Nova.

SEC and PAC12 make no sense geographically.

My personal conclusion is that Nova is going nowhere unless it is the MAC or the AAC, and they would be foolish to pursue those options.