What's next for Sun Belt Conference in realignment? 'Sky is the limit,' commissioner says
NEW ORLEANS – Whether it was Butch Jones from Arkansas State, Ricky Rahne from Sun Belt newcomer Old Dominion or conference commissioner Keith Gill himself, synergy and pride projected through every opening statement and talking point during Media Days this week.
“This league on the verge of doing something special.”
“We’re stronger than we’ve ever been.”
In unison in the Sheraton Hotel in downtown New Orleans, each coach praised the new-look Sun Belt, which now is home to 14 members after adding James Madison, Marshall, Old Dominion and Southern Miss.
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Media Days marked the first step into the spotlight for the league after Gill and the universities’ athletic directors and presidents were proactive from the news of Texas and Oklahoma inquiring last summer about joining the SEC.
The healthier-than-ever conference has placed itself among the top seven conferences in college football, finding a seat at the table as realignment continues.
“We take pride in that fact that we were so attractive for four great schools wanted to join us,” Gill told The Daily Advertiser in a one-on-one interview Wednesday. “We take pride that we’re so attractive that our 10 schools wanted to say and help us build this conference into what it is today. We don’t take any of that for granted.
“It’s going to be a good springboard for us, the future is going to be bright for us. That’s a good feeling to have.”
No conference has been safe from some form of movement over the past calendar year. The Sun Belt was the only Group of Five league that didn’t lose any football members from 2021.
With the conference now sitting at 14 members, Gill said there’s no number he has in mind for possible further expansion. For the Sun Belt, how well it emerged from the last round of major moves gives it flexibility.
“I think for us, it’s really about, 'Is there an opportunity there?' We feel really stable, really good with our 14 teams. But it’s a matter of, is there an opportunity for us to grow in ways that make sense?” Gill said.
“We’re well-positioned for this next round of realignment that’s going to result from the USC-UCLA ripple effect. That was a good thing because it got us positioned for what could come next.”
With the talk of super conferences in the near future for college football, playoff expansion would surely follow suit.
However that arrives -- if it does -- Gill believes the Sun Belt is in position to to earn spots in a 12-team or bigger field.
“I feel very confident about that. One of the reasons why we’ve worked so hard for CFP expansion, we really do think opening that up just a little bit would give us room to get there,” he said.
“The sky’s the limit for us.”
The Sun Belt is one of the few G5 conferences that can say that.
Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers and Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Got questions regarding LSU/UL athletics? Send them to Cory Diaz at bdiaz@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Sun Belt commissioner Keith Gill talks realignment and next steps
