Thus far the the summer of 2010 has left no shortage of surprises when it comes to realignment in the ranks of the BCS conferences. While most of the attention has surrounded the Big 12, Big 10 & Pac 10, don't forget about those non-BCS conferences. 

Rumblings have surfaced about aspirations and movement ranging from the likes of Conference USA, the Sunbelt, Mountain West, to as far as the WAC. Most recently, the WAC announced that it would be losing its perennial power - Boise State to the MWC, effective July 1, 2011. The WAC is now currently left with eight teams. UTSAtailgaters was able to catch up with Commissioner Karl Benson for some Q&A about the WAC, College Football, and UTSA.

First off, Commissioner Benson, what are you're thoughts on the realignment that has occurred with the BCS conferences? Good or bad for College Football? 

I don't think it's neither good or bad. Nor is it surprising that there have been some changes made. Over the course of the last ten to fifteen years there's been some minor changes with Penn State joining the Big Ten. There has been some major changes with Boston College, Miami and Virginia Tech going to the ACC. The creation of the Big XII, the demise of the sixteen team WAC, additions here and additions there. Realignment and changes in conference membership is pretty much standard for intercollegiate athletics. 

A recent article by the Fresnobee reported that the WAC was going to delay an expansion until July of 2012. What went into that decision and why July of 2012? 

Boise State will continue to play in the WAC in the 2010-2011 season. The earliest that we would've made any changes were for 2011-2012. As we identify potential members and membership structures we came to the conclusion that to participate in the 2011-2012 season as an eight team league was in the best interest in the WAC. The remaining WAC schools are very solid as an eight team league; we'll be very competitive and we'll continue to have teams on the football side compete for BCS consideration (with those eight schools). Hawaii, following the 2007 season qualified for the Sugar Bowl and Fresno State at previous times had flirted with BCS qualifications. We're very confident and comfortable with the eight teams participating in 2011 and 2012.

Back in the mid-90's and the turn of the century, the WAC was a 16 team conference, under your watch is there an ideal number of schools/members that the WAC is targeting? 

The WAC has operated as an eight, nine, ten, and been a sixteen team league. The eight, nine and ten have all worked and been successful. There is a twelve team model out there now that the Big Ten has gone to twelve, the Pac-10 has gone to twelve to join the ACC and SEC. I'm sure we'll explore a twelve team league. My personal belief is that between 8-9-10, that a ten team league is most ideal for football and other team sports. Again, any of the three models can work very well for the WAC.

When looking at a school that may be appealing or attractive, what are some of the specifics (i.e. TV market, facilities, etc...) that the WAC and yourself look for in possibly adding another member institution? 

I think that the evaluation process is always going to identify both academic and athletic characteristics. Those athletic characteristics will consist of the funding mode, the amount of financial preparation that the school has to join the WAC, facilities is obviously an important factor, fan base, the media market, more than anything it's the success that a team has had in various sports and to be up front, football and men's basketball are going to be the two driving sports that are going to establish the market place value for the WAC. Those are the two sports we're going to focus on to see if there is a team that is ready to compete in the WAC and ready to compete for WAC Championships. 

Currently the WAC's headquarters are in Denver, Colorado. Is there a geographical outline as far as potentially what states the WAC would like to remain in, grow in or is there a state where the WAC has had a presence before, like Texas, and maybe would like to do so again? 

Right now the WAC boundaries go from Louisiana Tech to Hawaii. We would look at teams in those boundaries. The State of Texas has had a history with the WAC with SMU, Rice, TCU being in the WAC. More than that UTEP was a long-time member of the WAC. The state of Texas is a rich part of WAC history. I think that there are fledgling and new upcoming football programs in the state of Texas that i'm sure we'll have on our list, we will evaluate and explore with UTSA establishing a football program. Larry Coker has brought some immediate credibility to the program. We will watch that and evaluate Texas State up in San Marcos as a current FCS program. They have gone on the record indicating their interest and desire to move up the ranks. We've had discussions with Texas State, we've also had discussions with Lynn Hickey, and certainly are aware of their (UTSA's) plans. Over the course of the next four to six months, I'm sure both of those schools will be on the WAC's evaluation list.

Comments (30 responses)