The Wild West | A West Texas Outlaws Dynasty

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WTU SET TO JOIN FBS FOOTBALL IN 2011
A NEW NAME IS JUST ONE OF MANY CHANGES COMING TO UTPB IN THE FALL

The University of Texas of the Permian Basin (commonly referred to as UT Permian Basin or simply UTPB) has been a fixture in the oil-driven community of Midland/Odessa for many years, a region known more for the popularity of their high school football than anything else. But in the fall of 2011, the nationally-recognized Odessa Permian Panthers on which the movie Friday Night Lights is based upon may be taking a backseat to the cities' first collegiate football program.

On Sunday, the school announced a much simpler name change to West Texas University, and also revealed that a football program was already in the works, and had accepted an invite to compete in the Sun Belt conference in the 2011-2012 season. As a result, the young program at Florida Atlantic has been relegated back to FCS play.

"It's exciting to bring collegiate football to a city that lives and breaths the sport on a high school level," said newly-crowned athletic director Brandon Irvin. "We look forward to building a competitive team, and rising to the cream of the crop in the Football Bowl Sub-Division."

School officials would not reveal the new team's nickname, colors, or uniforms just yet, but promised that much more information would be coming shortly.

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CONSTRUCTION NEARS COMPLETION
NEW RATLIFF STADIUM WILL BE READY FOR THE 2011 SEASON

For nearly three decades, Ratliff Stadium has been a shining beacon in the world of high school football. Opened in 1982, the stadium was one of the first in the country to use artificial turf for high school teams, and seated 19,302 people (19,500 when the grassy knolls of the endzone are opened for high-profile games). But over the years, the stadium has become more outdated than it is groundbreaking, and in the spring of 2010, construction on New Ratliff Stadium began.

A joint venture between Odessa High School, Permian High School, West Texas University, and the city of Odessa, New Ratliff Stadium was overwhelming approved by taxpayers in a 2009 vote, and began construction shortly thereafter. While it's primary purpose will be to host WTU games, it will also be the new home of the local high school teams, the Broncos and the Panthers. The new stadium lies just a mile to the east of the old one, and will have an initial capacity of 50,000 that could be expanded in future years if needed. The state-of-the-art stadium was announced today to be nearing completion, and will be ready to host games in fall of 2011.

"We can't wait to christen the stadium with our first game in the fall," said athletic director Brandon Irvin today. "From top to bottom, no expense was spared in making this one of the finest football stadiums in the country."

In a community that lives and breathes football, the stadium should have no problems selling every last seat.

[St. Francisco]

WEST TEXAS UNIV. MAKES 'MAJOR' HIRE
MAJOR APPLEWHITE HAS ACCEPTED THE HEAD COACHING GIG AT WTU

It's never easy for a fledgling football program to attract the best recruits in their state, especially when that state has eleven FBS schools like Texas. The recruiting trail across the Lonestar State is a tough road, and every team needs a selling point. On Tuesday, West Texas University revealed their recruiting ace when they announced the hiring of Major Applewhite as the team's first head coach.

A record setting quarterback at UT and former graduate assistant coach for Mack Brown, Major Applewhite is a nine-year coaching veteran and joined the Texas staff in January 2008 as assistant head coach and running backs coach before being promoted to co-offensive coordinator in January 2011. Since Applewhite began coaching running backs in 2008, Doak Walker Award semifinalist Jamaal Charles and Chris Ogbonnaya have both gone on to the NFL. In 2010, the running back corps combined for 1,396 rushing yards and 14 TDs, while catching 47 passes for 322 yards.

Applewhite returned to his alma mater after spending the 2007 season as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Alabama, where he was the youngest coordinator in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). In his one year at Alabama, the Crimson Tide bounced back from a losing season in 2006 to post a 7-6 record under first-year coach Nick Saban. Under his guidance, Alabama improved its offensive output by nearly 40 yards per game (335.9 to 373.8) and increased its scoring from 22.9 points per game to 27.1. His offense generated 256 yards passing and 388 total yards to cap the year with a 30-24 win over Colorado in the Independence Bowl. Prior to Alabama, Applewhite spent a season as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Rice where, as the youngest coordinator in NCAA Division I, he directed an offense that scored the most points (350) and gained the third-most yards (4,486) in Owls' history. Under his guidance, Rice produced a 1,000-yard rusher, a 1,000-yard receiver and a 1,000-yard passer for the first time in school history en route to the program's first appearance in a bowl game since 1961. The 2006 Rice offense produced a 109-point improvement in scoring over the previous season. Before his stint at Rice, Applewhite joined former Longhorn Defensive Coordinator Greg Robinson at Syracuse where he served as quarterbacks coach in 2005. Applewhite's coaching career began where he starred, at Texas, where he served as a graduate assistant coach and worked with the offensive line for two seasons (2003-04). In his final year in 2004, the Longhorns went 11-1, beat No. 12 Michigan in the Rose Bowl and earned a No. 4 final ranking - it's highest since 1981.

The Longhorns' team captain in 2001, Applewhite helped Texas to four straight bowl games (1999 and 2000 Cotton Bowls/2000 and 2001 Holiday Bowls) and posted a 22-8 record as a starter. He capped his career by throwing for a UT record 473 yards and a Longhorn-bowl-game best four TDs en route to Offensive MVP honors in a 47-43 victory over No. 20 Washington in the 2001 Holiday Bowl. The 1999 co-Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year still holds UT records for career (8,353) and season (3,357/1999) passing yards, as well as career TD passes (60). He threw for 2,453 yards and 18 TDs, UT freshman records at the time, in claiming Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors in 1998.

At just 33 years old, Applewhite now beats out USC's Lane Kiffin for the title of youngest head coach in college football, and will certainly attract the some of the state's top quarterbacks and wide receivers to the program.

"I couldn't be more excited to get to work at West Texas University," said Applewhite in his introduction press conference. "This city is nationally recognized for their commitment to the sport, and the brand new stadium and athletic facilities will make this a top choice for recruits in the future. We have a tough road in front of us to reach the level of a school like Texas, but I think the future is bright."

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For the first season, I went with a drastically modified conference alignment that I ended up not liking very much. As such, I have decided to re-structure the conferences for the 2012 season. Listed below is the revised version of each conference.

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TEAMS ADDED
Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma St.

TEAMS REMOVED
None

After several months of speculation, the Pacific Conference finally extends official invites to Big XII powerhouses Texas and Oklahoma, as well as their in-state rivals Texas Tech and Oklahoma State to form the nation's first super conference. As a result, the PAC-16 restructures their divisions. With the exception of the Arizona schools, the original PAC-10 stays together in the west, while the Big XII newcomers join Utah and Colorado in the east.

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TEAMS ADDED
Missouri, Texas A&M, Georgia Tech, Florida State

TEAMS REMOVED
None

Looking to keep pace with the PAC-16, the SEC moves quickly to secure two more teams and come up to sixteen teams as well. The impending arrival of Big XII schools Missouri and Texas A&M to the west are matched in the east by former ACC teams Georgia Tech and Florida State, who join in-state rivals Georgia and Florida in the nation's most brutal conference.

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TEAMS ADDED
Pittsburgh, Syracuse

TEAMS REMOVED
Georgia Tech, Florida State

The recent addition of Big East schools Pittsburgh and Syracuse balance out the loss of Georgia Tech and Florida State to the SEC, so the conference decides not to pursue a format larger than twelve teams. They do, however, restructure the division alignment. Boston College and Maryland stay put in the Atlantic division, and are joined by newcomers Pittsburgh and Syracuse, as well as Virginia and Virginia Tech. The Coastal division retains Miami, North Carolina, and Duke, and adds Clemson, NC State, and Wake Forest from the Atlantic division.

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TEAMS ADDED
Boise State, Nevada, Fresno State, Hawai'i, San Diego State, BYU, TCU, Houston, Tulsa

TEAMS REMOVED
Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Missouri, Texas A&M, Iowa State

Once considered one of the best BCS conferences in football, the Big XII is on life support after losing eight of their twelve members to other BCS conferences in the last few seasons. With just four members remaining, and West Virginia withdrawing their acceptance into the conference due to it's instability, the Big XII strikes a merger deal with the Mountain West to keep the conference alive. Under the agreement, the Big XII drops Iowa State, retains Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, and incoming team TCU, and adds former C-USA schools Houston and Tulsa to form the new-look east division. Mountain West schools Boise State, Nevada, Fresno State, Hawaii, and San Diego State join independent BYU in the conference's brand-new west division. The moves bring about the destruction of the Mountain West conference, who drops the remainder of their teams and disbands.

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TEAMS ADDED
Colorado State, Montana, UTEP, UNLV, New Mexico

TEAMS REMOVED
Fresno State, Hawai'i, Nevada, Louisiana Tech, Utah State

After losing Fresno State, Hawai'i and Nevada to the Mountain West (who then lost them to the Big XII), Utah State to the FCS, and dropping Louisiana Tech due to geographical concerns, the WAC is left with Idaho, New Mexico State, and San Jose State. Seizing on the destruction of the Mountain West, the conference extends offers to Colorado State, UNLV, and New Mexico, in addition to former C-USA school UTEP, and FBS newcomer Montana to come back up to eight teams.

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TEAMS ADDED
West Texas, Texas State

TEAMS REMOVED
FAU, FIU, Western Kentucky

FAU, FIU, and Western Kentucky all return to FCS play, leaving the conference with six original members in Troy, Mid Tenn. State, Arkansas State, North Texas, UL Lafayette, and UL Monroe. The Sun Belt moves quickly to extend offers to FBS newcomers West Texas and Texas State to come up to eight teams.

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TEAMS ADDED
Notre Dame, Villanova, UCF, SMU, Temple, ECU

TEAMS REMOVED
Pittsburgh, Syracuse

With Pittsburgh and Syracuse departing for the ACC, the Big East is in serious danger of losing their AQ status for a BCS bowl. With that in mind, the conference accelerates the entry of Villanova. Former C-USA schools UCF, ECU, and SMU as well as former MAC school Temple round out the new-look Big East, but the biggest news comes with the addition of Notre Dame, bringing the Big East up to twelve teams, and adding some much-needed legitimacy to what is routinely viewed as the weakest of the BCS conferences.

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TEAMS ADDED
Louisiana Tech, Appalachian St.

TEAMS REMOVED
UCF, Houston, UTEP, Tulsa, ECU, SMU

After their merger with the Mountain West falls through, the C-USA loses half of their existing members, mainly to expanding BCS conferences. Houston and Tulsa depart for the Big XII, UCF, ECU, and SMU head to the Big East, and UTEP becomes the eighth member of the WAC. To compensate, they add former WAC school Louisiana Tech and FCS juggernaut Appalachian St. to come up to eight teams for the 2011 season.

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TEAMS ADDED
Army, Navy, Air Force, Ball State, Bowling Green, Northern Illinois, Iowa State

TEAMS REMOVED
None

With the Mountain West disbanded and some teams left out in the cold by conference realignments, the door is open for a new conference to emerge. Former Mountain West school Air Force joins former independent military schools Army and Navy in the new conference to form the base of the Great American Conference. The GAC manages to lure away Ball State, Northern Illinois, and Bowling Green from the MAC, and rounds out their seven-team conference with former BCS school Iowa State. (This new conference will actually be the Mountain West in the game)

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TEAMS ADDED
None

TEAMS REMOVED
Bowling Green, Ball State, Northern Illinois, Temple, Buffalo

The MAC retains Akron, Kent State, Central Michigan, Western Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Miami University, Ohio, and Toledo, but loses Bowling Green, Northern Illinois, and Ball State to the newly-formed Great American conference, Temple to the Big East, and Buffalo to FCS play. The conference does not add any teams, maintaining an eight-team format.

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TEAMS ADDED
None

TEAMS REMOVED
None

In the whirlwind of re-alignment, the Big Ten remains remains unscathed, but does undergo a re-alignment and name change of the divisions for 2011.