Miami AD, coaches talk to board about ACC move

[richarduc]

From: Richard K.

(Second try) - I just hope that Mr. Goin has us well positioned when the switching starts/stops.

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Miami AD, coaches talk to board about ACC move 
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By Craig Barnes
National Correspondent

April 30, 2003

CORAL GABLES -- Miami Athletic Director Paul Dee made a presentation to the school's board of trustees Friday, discussing the pros and cons of leaving the Big East to join the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Dee's presentation, accompanied by comments by football Coach Larry Coker and women's volleyball Coach Nicole Lantagne Welsh, followed the board's scheduled business session.

According to sources familiar with the presentation, if UM were to choose to leave for the ACC, the Hurricanes would join Syracuse and Boston College in a three-team package to expand the ACC to 12 teams, creating two six-team divisions and a championship game. Big East Commissioner Mike Tranghese recently accused the ACC of having talks with four of his schools. Virginia Tech was the other school.

Dee and ACC Commissioner John Swofford weren't available for comment.

The biggest snag for the Hurricanes could be Florida State on its football schedule. With the teams in different conferences, it is possible for the loser of their annual game to still have a chance of playing in the Bowl Championship Series' national championship game. The loser also isn't eliminated from winning its conference and playing in a BCS bowl game, where the payoff is substantially more than in other bowls.

In an expanded ACC, a team would play the five teams in its division every year and three teams from the opposite division on a rotating basis, similar to what the Southeastern Conference and Big 12 do.

The ACC last expanded in 1992 when it added Florida State.

Craig Barnes writes for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, a Tribune Publishing newspaper. 

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