Worth the investment: Move to FBS, Conference USA raises stature, UD officials say

The University of Delaware, its small-state status having once perhaps limited its athletic vision, wanted greater public prowess and increased sports stature.

Blue Hens teams will – and actually already have gained – more prominence with their impending move to the NCAA’s Football Bowl Subdivision and Conference USA in July of 2025, announced this week.

Increasing national visibility was the theme as UD and C-USA officials spoke publicly about Delaware’s climb during a Wednesday morning press conference/pep rally at the Whitney Athletic Center.

“We want our students at this university to be able to achieve at the highest level of excellence in the classroom,” athletic director Chrissi Rawak said. “It’s no different than it is for our student-athletes.”

The move is expensive but also more financially lucrative because of media rights deals. It also is expected to garner more exposure than the Blue Hens have enjoyed, all insisted, as members of the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision and the Coastal Athletic Association.

That’s what apparently made being an entry-level FBS member in a Group of Five league more appealing for Delaware, a six-time national champ in football, than remaining among the FCS elite.

“Nationally,” football coach Ryan Carty said, “we get a chance to have a presence a little bit more.”

Here are 10 highlights among what we learned and heard Wednesday:

UD views FBS as better investment

The roughly $48 million budget that Delaware has for athletics will only need to be increased by roughly 10%, UD president Dennis Assanis said.

Delaware has also already raised more than half of the $6 million it must pay in CAA exit, C-USA entry and NCAA classification fees.

The 14 UD teams that will play in Conference USA mean increased travel costs due to the league’s geographic spread. The other 10 members are in Virginia (Liberty), Kentucky (Western Kentucky), Tennessee (Middle Tennessee), Georgia (Kennesaw State), Florida (FIU), Alabama (Jacksonville State), Louisiana (Louisiana Tech), New Mexico (New Mexico State) and Texas (Sam Houston State and UTEP).

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But income drawn from the league’s media rights deal with ESPN and CBS, which is far more lucrative than the CAA’s, and other revenue-generating opportunities help cover those costs and prevent UD students from having to foot any of the bill.

“The bottom line was feasible,” Rawak said.

Ambitions change

Football recruits have long been attracted to Delaware by the opportunity to play for a national title.

That is now gone and the pitch becomes a chance to play at a higher competitive level, coach Ryan Carty said.

“Now you’re getting a chance to say we’re going to compete against some of the highest levels of competition in the country,” Carty said, “and this is what you can stack yourself up against.”

He also feels playing in a much wider area in some new environments will be a lure. Carty is familiar with that, having coached at future C-USA rival Sam Houston State under former Delaware coach K.C. Keeler.

“I have a lot of trust in the people that have made this decision,” Carty said, “that they’re going to put us in the right situations to go be successful as soon as we need to be which, for me, is right away.”

2024 will be odd football season

Delaware will still play a CAA schedule next fall, even though it is ineligible for the league title and FCS playoffs.

That schedule, which is 12 games in 2024 because there’s an extra weekend between Labor Day and Thanksgiving, will have eight CAA and four nonconference games. Only Villanova and Towson are locked in as conference foes and Delaware State and Norfolk State as nonconference opponents.

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Some of those CAA foes may not be thrilled that the Delaware game will affect their standing, as Delaware will already be permitted to have more than the FCS limit of 63 scholarships as it builds to the FBS maximum of 85.

Delaware has agreed to make only 63 scholarship players available for those games, which seems rather insignificant when fewer than that typically play. Delaware used 53 players in its FCS tourney win over Lafayette Saturday and 59 the week before against Villanova.

Other UD sports, their scholarship numbers not affected by the move, will remain full-fledged CAA members able to compete for league titles.

FBS teams are calling

Delaware has long had difficulty getting FCS teams willing to play the Blue Hens in football games at Delaware Stadium, which can be a daunting experience. FBS teams certainly weren’t coming (Navy was the last in 1989).

But potential FBS foes have already shown “significant interest,” Rawak said, while contacting UD officials to gauge interest in potential matchups, though it’s unlikely any would be in 2024 when Delaware is likely to play only FCS teams.

“We’re gonna have some fun,” Rawak said.

Delaware did its homework

A slew of former UD football foes have made the move up to FBS -- James Madison, Jacksonville State, Appalachian State, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Old Dominion, Western Kentucky, UMass, UConn and Marshall.

They have had varying degrees of success. Delaware officials spoke with counterparts at many of those schools, particularly former CAA rival JMU, to gauge what works and what doesn’t.

They learned, Rawak said, that Delaware’s “history of success” provided a favorable foundation along with its fan following, recruiting footprint and modern facilities.

“We are standing on those shoulders,” she added after mentioning football’s proud past.

Delaware also had economic impact, feasibility and what it termed “likelihood of success” studies.

“The data demonstrates that this is the right decision for us to consider,” Rawak said.

Good bounce for basketball

While the move was certainly centered on football, it affects all Delaware teams with 14 of the 21 going to C-USA and the rest seeking spots in other leagues.

Men’s basketball coach Martin Ingelsby, whose team was CAA Tournament champ two years ago, liked the move.

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“It’s a great day for the University of Delaware, Delaware athletics and men’s basketball, too,” he said. “We go from a top 20 basketball conference [in ratings of leagues] to a top 10 or 12 basketball conference.”

Ideal fit

C-USA commissioner Judy MacLeod said Delaware’s academic standing, athletic history, financial support and top-notch facilities mean it “brings a comprehensive package’’ to the league.

“The high level of preparation and readiness that this school has to make this step” made it, she said, “very clear that the University of Delaware is right for Conference USA.”

New practice facility still possible

Rawak said Delaware is “still evaluating” the plan to build an indoor practice/office facility attached to an enclosed north end of Delaware Stadium. While such a project, with a potential $85 million price tag, is “not required” it is something Delaware feels it needs “in order for us to be competitive,” she said.

What’s least appealing?

C-USA plays weeknight football games in October. Though nationally televised, they may not be particularly popular among fans and are certainly inconvenient for many.

Quote of the day

“The tradition here,” Carty said, “is of winning. It’s not about who you play.”

Contact Kevin Tresolini at ktresolini@delawareonline.com and follow on Twitter @kevintresolini. Support local journalism by subscribing to delawareonline.com and our DE Game Day newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Move to FBS, Conference USA raises Delaware Blue Hens' stature