It won’t happen for a while. And I’m starting to think BE Commish Mike Tranghese might have actually had a plan.

Step 1: Protect the BE’s place in the BCS. Done.
Step 2: Expand both sides so that when there is a split, the two separate conferences are the ones choosing who joins in the long-term. In the short-term it provides a balance so neither side has too much power. Done.
Step 3: TV Money/exposure must improve. Done.
Step 4: Improve and expand the bowl tie-ins. The Big East will have up to 7 bowl tie-ins in the next couple of years — Done.

Step 5: Whisper, quietly nudge potential new members that they need to make sure they are getting things in order.

That seems to be what has been happening. For all the frustration I’ve had with the Big East and Tranghese, there does seem like a long-term strategy. Both sides have been strengthened and put in better position. Now it’s about getting it stabilized and established to ready for the final point where here is an amicable split and expansion.

The inevitable result has always been that the Big East will split and both sides expand/raid other conferences. It’s the timetable and manner that has been an issue.

I favored just doing it, but I’m starting to think I was being a bit impulsive to get to the natural end.

Now, here’s a well thought out, definitely not short treatise on a short-term expansion of the Big East to 18 members in.

Now which two institutions do I think would best shore up the existing alignment of the Big East for the benefit of all 16 current members? The University of Central Florida and Saint Louis University. Both institutions compliment the structure of the Big East in geographic areas containing odd numbers of current members. Please keep bearing with me.

Like I said, it’s a long piece, but actually well-reasoned. I don’t think the Big East would do it. When the time comes I expect the BE to split and expand.

I disagree with him on St. Louis, period. The Bilikens have never walked as big as they talk. They have been one of the most nomadic teams and frankly they need to go back to the MVC. Basketball could and might only expand to 10. That way they could play a true round-robin in an 18 game schedule. Xavier and St. Joe’s would be the likely options.

Football will likely add UCF, Memphis and ECU. Whether there is a 12th is not as important for the Big East football. Especially since the pool is poor after those 3 — Army, Navy, Temple, UAB, Southern Miss. None are particularly appealing for competitiveness, financial commitment and/or geography. Really, having Villanova take the plunge and moving to 1-A would be better than those other choices.

Then there’s this brilliant bit from Troy Nunes is a Magician on Big East football expansion.

There was a good question about why I wrote the prior piece on recruiting writing. We are in the dead period of college football and basketball. Outside of prognostication and puff pieces, generally the only “news” will be on recruiting. I figured it might be best to get some of my feelings out there to better clarify my biases. The info I relay does go through my filters.

We all want to know the info, but it’s not particularly sourced by it’s nature. There are general facts like which schools a kid is considering. Which schools will get official visits. Firm dates on certain events. Who teams are pursuing. After that, it starts getting hazy. No matter how certain the story reads, there is always a good chance things will change.

Getting to the verbal commitment is great, but even that isn’t much more than an early promise from a junior or senior in high school.

Heck, think back to the 2+ years of recruiting LeSean McCoy. Things change. Decisions that seemed firm once, become less so.

My way of dealing with the roller coaster of this is generally to take things lightly, with a bit of cyncism and sarcasm. So onwards.

Pitt appears interested in an option QB from Bethlehem — Bryan Morris.

“My trip to Pitt went well,” Morris said. “Coach (Brian) Angelichio is recruiting me and he took me around the facilities which were all very nice. Everything looks brand new and they share them with the Steelers, so that’s pretty cool. They also had a really cool indoor field there. I got to meet with Head Coach Dave Wannstedt briefly while I was there as well. I like that Pitt is close to home, so my parents could come watch me and also thought the players and coaches were great. I am getting letters consistently from them and had the coaches by to visit recently.”

UConn is also going strong after him. He has interest from Louisville, BC and Michigan State as well. No offers, though.

Another player Pitt is keeping close tabs on is one with family ties. Bret Gunn, who has some great speed and plays running back. He is the step-brother to Linebacker Adam Gunn, and this year took the last name of Gunn.

Gunn put on a dazzling performance at the WCCA championships, winning the 100- and 200-meter dashes and the long jump and running the anchor leg of the winning 400-meter relay.

He shattered a 30-year-old county record in the long jump. The four-gold-medal performance earned him the combined Most Valuable Performer award for the second year in a row.

He scored 32 1/2 points — by himself.

“That’s a Jim Thorpe kind of day,” said Hempfield track coach Gene Brisbane, who has helped officiate the WCCA meet for 12 years. “Although, I don’t know if many of these kids today have heard of Jim Thorpe.”

And we know Coach Wannstedt loves speed. He’s listed by both recruiting sites as a WR.