Kirby Smart to VaTech?

[ButchPlz]

If I were a coach looking for a HC gig I would take UGA first if open just from the tradition, competition and recruiting perspective. Honestly, Va Tech would be my second choice based on what's open right now. It is a great school with a decent foundation and a reasonable path to the Playoffs each year. After that if you look at the quality of life factors, I would put Va Tech at the top of that list. Blacksburg is beautiful and Virginia is a great place to raise a family. Athens and Columbia are... well... not so nice. Just my $.02.

Better than Athens and Columbia, sure, but SWVa as a whole needs a ton of work, and Blacksburg, for families and non college kids, is a boring town. Next closest that's decent is Roanoke, which is alright it not where it needs to be.

 

[onevol74]

Memphis is only the 48th ranked media market in the country. The Big XII could go get UAB and get the 40th, but they aren't going to do that either.

It's not simply about saying "we aren't there, so let's go there". It's about getting a team that will actually win you a sizable share of a decent market. A&M might have been the second most valuable team in Texas, but the second most valuable team in Texas is still an awesome grab, particularly if you aren't in Texas yet. But picking up what is maybe the 5th most popular team in the 48th ranked media market just doesn't move the needle. Especially when they play in an aging dump off-campus, and only average keeping it half-full.[/QUOTE

Memphis is a lot more valuable than Birmingham for media. Most people in Birmingham care less about UAB versus Memphis who has some fanbase and a diversity of other fans. Memphis would be covered in the press in 3 states. UAB might make a column in the Montgomery Advertiser on a slow day.

 

[IluvdoubleD's]

Personally I think it's an excellent fit. I also think that it will take him a year or two to get rolling there, and yeah, I said that about mcelwain too.

 

[bamawriter]

Memphis is a lot more valuable than Birmingham for media. Most people in Birmingham care less about UAB versus Memphis who has some fanbase and a diversity of other fans. Memphis would be covered in the press in 3 states. UAB might make a column in the Montgomery Advertiser on a slow day.

It's not more valuable, at all. Birmingham TV and radio stations are able to charge more for ad time than their Memphis counterparts.

But like I said, the Big XII is not going to go after UAB anymore than they will go after Memphis. Memphis is the fifth most popular team in a mid-sized market. They cannot grow the revenue pie enough to justify splitting it one more way.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

The draw of VT over UGA would be the ability to be in a division that has been run by Georgia Tech and Duke the last 4 years. You can win right away. That said, with the right fit UGA has the chance to be an absolute monster.