A Jersey Guy: AAC needs to get supersized

As American Athletic Conference commissioner Mike Aresco has conducted his on-going battle to garner respect--as well as profitability--for his league, he has maintained that the AAC should be part of a Power 6 conference set up instead of group of 5 membership.

I jokingly told him his nickname should be "Don Quixote", the man with the impossible dream.

On Friday, as expected, the AAC took a major hit, losing three of its premier programs, UCF, Cincinnati and Houston to the Big 12.

Aresco said he was open to expansion or reconstruction, not putting any limitations on what the AAC and its television partners might do.

According to several sources familiar with discussions being held, the AAC has a three tier plan in mind.

Step 1--Rebuild back to 12, with four additional schools.

Step 2--increase to 14 teams, with a geographical footprint that will stretch across 3 time zones.

Step 3--Become super sized at 16.

The AAC concedes it still faces a huge battle to be part of a Power 6 grouping, which already includes the SEC, Big 10, ACC, Pac-12 and a now reconfigured Big 12

But if the CFP expands to 12 teams it will guarantee a spot for the top ranked Group of 5 champion

And with the proper expansion plan, the AAC feels it can compete at the Power 5 level as well.

A properly put together 12, 14 or 16 team "super sized"" AAC would be a major contender for that spot almost every year.

Aresco, as a former television executive, is also conscious of "footprints'' in his expansion plan.

Let's cut to the ultimate 16 school plan, which might come in three stages, depending on how the AAC's partner, ESPN, responds.

The AAC increases by 8: Boise State, Air Force, Army, UT-San Antonio, UAB, , FAU, Old Dominion and one other from a group which includes, Charlotte, Liberty, North Texas, Louisiana-Monroe, FIU, Coastal Carolina or Appalachian State.

If the AAC were really ambitious it could go all the way across the country and try and get San Diego State to look East.

This move weakens the Mountain West and Conference USA, two of the AAC's main rivals.

And there will naturally be push back from those conferences, but right now the AAC has the most assets.

The AAC already has established a foothold with a contract with ESPN and through UCF and Cincinnati has been a fringe player in the CFP bowl system.

Boise State and Air Force would be programs with national reputations. Getting the three service academies would also enhance the AAC image and provide the AAC with a premier rivalry game at the end of the year in Army-Navy

A concern about the two teams being in the same conference with a potential second meeting in a league championship game could be avoided simply by keeping Army and Navy in the same division

It also gives the AAC a presence in a growing television market in San Antonio, a rising power in UAB, a continued presence in Florida, as well as an increased presence in the Mid-Atlantic region.

All three areas are football rich in tradition and recruiting.

None of these moves be able to be made immediately, because expansion is a long complicated process with many potholes.

But for a long term vision of the future for a man with an improbable, if not impossible dream, it is worth pondering and planning--which is what Mike Aresco and the AAC are now doing.