Big East unveils new members

The new Big East will span four time zones, 3,000 miles from coast to coast and, eventually, have 12 teams.

The beleaguered and ever-changing conference hopes it all adds up to a billion dollar television contract and a spot among the nation's best football leagues.

The Big East introduced Boise State, San Diego State, Houston, Southern Methodist and Central Florida as its newest members, effective 2013.

"The Big East conference is the first truly national college football conference," commissioner John Marinatto said Wednesday during a teleconference with the university leaders from the five schools. Boise State president Bob Kustra said the announcement was "a significant step forward in the evolution of Boise State University and our football program."

The Big East, depleted by the planned departures of Syracuse, Pittsburgh and West Virginia, is trying to rebuild as a 12-team football conference with a Western division.

It's been a slow process that began in September, and there still is work to be done.

Boise State and San Diego State, which currently play in the Mountain West Conference, will join the Big East only for football. Houston, SMU and UCF will be leaving Conference USA and joining the Big East in all sports.

"We have ambitious plans, and this expansion is a great stride toward reaching them," Marinatto said.

The Big East also has been pursuing Air Force and Navy as football-only members, but it seems Air Force no longer is a possibility. Lt. Gen. Mike Gould, the superintendent of the academy, told The Gazette of Colorado Springs, Colo., that the school will stay in the Mountain West.

Boise State reportedly has worked out a deal to have its other sports teams compete in the Western Athletic Conference, where its football team dominated for 10 seasons. San Diego State reportedly is finalizing a deal to have its other teams compete in the Big West.

The Big East has only five football members committed to the conference beyond this season: Connecticut, Cincinnati, Louisville, Rutgers and South Florida. It also has seven schools that do not play major college football and Notre Dame, which competes in the Big East in everything but football.

Marinatto has pledged to hold Pittsburgh, Syracuse and West Virginia in the conference until 2014, in accordance with the Big East bylaws. West Virginia wants to join the Big 12 in 2012 and has sued the Big East to get an early release.

The Big East filed a countersuit to keep West Virginia in the conference. Pittsburgh and Syracuse intend to join the Atlantic Coast Conference as soon as possible but are not challenging the Big East's bylaws.

Syracuse athletic director Daryl Gross said he expected the Big East might ask his school and Pitt to leave early now.

Marinatto said there have been no discussions with the new members about the possibility of letting the departing members out early. Potentially, that could lead the Big East to have the same eight teams it has now in 2012 and as many as 15 members in 2013.

"It's a simple matter of respecting our bylaws," Marinatto said of having lame duck members. "An early departure and a violation of those bylaws would damage the membership."

The Big East was born in 1979 as a northeast basketball conference and in 1991 added football with the inclusion of Miami, Virginia Tech and others.

Maintaining a strong football league has been difficult. Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College left the Big East for the ACC in 2004 and '05, and the league seemed on the verge of extinction.

Instead, it expanded, bringing in Louisville, Cincinnati, South Florida, DePaul and Marquette.

■ NORTH CAROLINA -- Southern Mississippi coach Larry Fedora accepted an offer to become the Tar Heels' next coach, two people familiar with the situation said. The sources said the framework of a deal is in place, though it isn't final yet.

Fedora has guided the 22nd-ranked Golden Eagles (11-2) to a school record for wins, with the last coming Saturday against previously unbeaten Houston in the Conference USA title game. He has a 33-19 record in four seasons with Southern Miss.

■ ARIZONA STATE -- Negotiations between Arizona State and Southern Methodist coach June Jones broke down at the last second, leaving Jones' agent perplexed.

Agent Leigh Steinberg said on his Twitter feed that everything was set, with only a few tweaks left, and the principal decision-maker pulled the deal with no explanation. He called it "... one of the most bizarre endings to a set of productive discussions to bring a client to a new situation."

Arizona State had no comment, but chief operating officer Steve Patterson told Houston TV station KRIV that Jones wouldn't be the Sun Devils' coach and that the process continues.

■ HONORS -- Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly won the Lombardi Award as the nation's top collegiate lineman. The junior leads the nation in tackles this season with 191 and has an Atlantic Coast Conference-record 532 career tackles.

Also, Illinois junior Whitney Mercilus received the Hendricks Award as the nation's top collegiate defensive end. Mercilus leads the nation in sacks, sacks per game and forced fumbles.