I don't get all this OU-to-the-Big-Ten stuff. First, I think it's a terrible idea because we'd land in the crappy side of the conference and it wouldn't help our recruiting much if at all ... in fact it would probably hurt it in Texas (like it has Nebraska). And who wants to travel north in winter to watch football games in the brutal climate of that conference?
Second, the conference requires membership in the AAU, which we don't have. Who knows if we ever will, although I do think Boren pumping up all our National Merit Scholars during every football game is an effort in that direction. We still need a bunch of upgrades in a number of departments, and I don't see the state of Oklahoma doing much to help education.
But even if we get membership in the AAU, who's to say we'll get all the research funds Boren's so hot for, which, apparently, goes to some schools with that membership. Just because Michigan gets a lot of defense department funding doesn't automatically mean Indiana gets it too. It depends on what's available at (or specialized in) at a given school. At OU, we specialize or are "great" in two areas: Weather and petroleum engineering. We already get all the money available for weather (have you seen the huge complex on the south campus?) and the petroleum industry is in the pooper right now and probably will be for a while in the future. It's possible it will never come back if some of the other options mature and become cost-effective.
That's really about it for top-quality academic programs, although I see that Boeing is building a big new complex at Tinker and will be hiring a bunch of engineers (1,000 is the number being mentioned). OU might get into aerospace big-time with such a connection, but I see no evidence of it so far at the University.
Keep in mind the old adage: Be careful what you ask for.
I suppose we could join the cheating redneck conference directly east of here (assuming they still want us) or even the PAC with all it's scheduling and travel problems and snooty schools that think we are the slums academically. Recruiting would almost definitely improve in Texas with either of those moves.
Adding BYU and Memphis would bring a 12-member conference and a playoff, but the conference would still suck. I really don't see ANY good options. (Does that make me a pessimist?)
Second, the conference requires membership in the AAU, which we don't have. Who knows if we ever will, although I do think Boren pumping up all our National Merit Scholars during every football game is an effort in that direction. We still need a bunch of upgrades in a number of departments, and I don't see the state of Oklahoma doing much to help education.
But even if we get membership in the AAU, who's to say we'll get all the research funds Boren's so hot for, which, apparently, goes to some schools with that membership. Just because Michigan gets a lot of defense department funding doesn't automatically mean Indiana gets it too. It depends on what's available at (or specialized in) at a given school. At OU, we specialize or are "great" in two areas: Weather and petroleum engineering. We already get all the money available for weather (have you seen the huge complex on the south campus?) and the petroleum industry is in the pooper right now and probably will be for a while in the future. It's possible it will never come back if some of the other options mature and become cost-effective.
That's really about it for top-quality academic programs, although I see that Boeing is building a big new complex at Tinker and will be hiring a bunch of engineers (1,000 is the number being mentioned). OU might get into aerospace big-time with such a connection, but I see no evidence of it so far at the University.
Keep in mind the old adage: Be careful what you ask for.
I suppose we could join the cheating redneck conference directly east of here (assuming they still want us) or even the PAC with all it's scheduling and travel problems and snooty schools that think we are the slums academically. Recruiting would almost definitely improve in Texas with either of those moves.
Adding BYU and Memphis would bring a 12-member conference and a playoff, but the conference would still suck. I really don't see ANY good options. (Does that make me a pessimist?)
