Late Wednesday afternoon, Bob Arkeilpane, Cincinnati’s interim Director of Athletics, spoke by phone with BearcatLair.com about the Big East Conference and its future. Arkeilpane and President Williams made the trip to New York City on Tuesday night to meet with presidents and athletic directors from each of the remaining six schools including a representative from TCU, which is slated to join the conference in 2012.

Cincinnati’s interim Director of Athletics, Bob Arkeilpane

Q: Was Connecticut represented?

A: Yes. Connecticut was represented. However their president wasn’t able to be in attendance, but they did send their interim AD and somebody out of the president’s office.

Q: There were reports that several schools have applied for membership to the Big East Conference. What new schools have applied?

A: I suspect some people have gone through an application process, but I don’t know that for certain. I know there are people that have reached out and expressed an interest, but at this point, I wouldn’t be at liberty to share that information.

Q: Has Cincinnati reached out or applied to any other conferences- specifically the Big 12 Conference?

A: Let me just say the University of Cincinnati is working in close concert with the other members of the Big East Conference. Our commitment is first and foremost to work with our colleague members and make sure the Big East remains viable. We absolutely think that is the best grouping of schools we can possibly be with. In an unfortunate event that something would cause the Big East to no longer be viable, I can tell you that UC has a back-up plan, but certainly I’m not at liberty to share those details either.

Q: With the Big East presently sitting at six members, you will certainly need to expand.

A: Actually, we are still at eight because Syracuse and Pitt are still under contract with the conference for the next 27 months.

Q: Okay. Did you discuss in yesterday’s meeting if you will hold them and any other school wanting to leave the conference to the letter of that contract?

A: I don’t think we specifically discussed that, but I’ve read where John Marinatto was quoted that indeed the conference was going to hold them to that.

Q: Does TCU feel like Cincinnati in believing the Big East is still a viable option for them?

A: No question.

Q: When you look at the PAC 12 with 12 schools, the SEC with possibly 13 members, the Big 10 with 12 schools and the ACC with 14, does the Big East need to add members in the near future?

A: I don’t think that is necessarily true. I think each conference is trying to figure out what is the most appropriate number for them. I’ve never put a whole lot of stock in there being a configuration of four 16 team super conferences. I don’t think you add schools simply for the sake of adding them. I think you add schools that are going to bring something to the table. If you have 14 schools but bring in two more that don’t up your television deal, then all of a sudden you’re sharing the same amount of money with sixteen schools instead of fourteen. Do I think the Big East will be aggressive in seeking out schools that will add something to the conference? Yes, that’s exactly what came out in the statement last night, but they’re going to have to be good fits both athletically and academically. Eventually, we‘ll get to the right size, whatever that may be.

Q: The eventual loss of Pittsburgh and Syracuse means the conference is losing the two schools that have won national championships as well as produced scores of All-Americans. What other available schools can match their resumes and help the prestige of the league?

A: Being a Syracuse grad, I can tell you that you have to go back to 1959 for the last time Syracuse won a national championship in football. I’m not going to knock my alma mater. They’re certainly a great academic school and a good athletic school, but in the last several years in football, Cincinnati has achieved more success than Syracuse has. Syracuse was a founding member of the league, and we hate to see them go, but we have to be willing to make adjustments on the fly. Nobody predicted when the Big East transformed itself the last time when Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College moved on to the ACC which opened the door for Cincinnati, Louisville and South Florida that the conference would come back as strong as it did. There’s no reason to believe something similar couldn’t happen in this case as well.

Q: Is Temple, which was a one-time member of the Big East, a target for expansion?

A: We all vowed to one another that we would speak with one voice on all of this, and when I start speculating on who potential members might be, I’m starting to go over the line so I’ll pass on that.

Q: What does the Big East Conference need to do to keep its “AQ” status?

A: The conference and all of its members know what to do to keep the AQ status. They have their eye on the ball, and that is certainly the No. 1 top priority. Nobody is sitting back thinking we don’t have to be proactive or aggressive. At the end of the day, I feel that will be accomplished.

Q: Do you have any idea of a time frame when these league issues will be settled?

A: I don’t have a crystal ball, and it’s hard to tell when the next shoe will drop. However, it appears the Big 12 could be stabilizing, and the Pac 12 has said they won’t be adding anyone else. The ACC has said they are comfortable with 14 but wouldn’t be opposed to 16. I don’t know what their plans are. My sense is if we see any more movement, it will be in the next seven to ten days, but I have no official word on anything.

Q: With recruiting, everything can be important and retaining your AQ status is extremely important. The longer this stays in limbo, the better the chances this could adversely affect recruiting.

A: I think that’s exactly why this is everyone’s top priority right now. I have complete faith in our coaches under Butch Jones’ leadership. I know we already have many recruits lined up for next year, and I have confidence he’s going to hold that together, and we’re going to bring in another recruiting class like he did this year.

Q: You are the “interim” director of athletics. Have you had a formal interview for the permanent job?

A: No, I have not. The university has not reached that point although I was an athletics’ director previously and been involved in athletics as a former student-athlete, a coach and an administrator for many years now and surrounded by some very committed people. I can tell you that internally we’re not losing any ground simply because we haven’t named a permanent athletics’ director at this point in time.

Q: Will you aggressively pursue the AD’s job at Cincinnati?

A: It’s going to sound like I’m giving a crazy answer, but things have been moving so quickly here. We have a Thursday night football game coming up so I haven’t given that a lot of thought. I’m more focused on packing the house tomorrow night and having the fans and boosters continue to get behind the team and make a statement nationally so if the day comes where UC has to look to position itself in a different way, we will have shown people that we’re staunch supporters of the team. We travelled well to Miami and New Orleans, and we have an opportunity to really showcase Nippert Stadium and the campus. Those are the kinds of things I’m focused on.

Q: Are you saying that one Thursday night game on ESPN could play a role in UC’s future?

A: Every time you have an opportunity to put your best foot forward, you take it. I believe this will be the first Big East game televised in 3D, and all of our students are back. We’ve sold out the student tickets for this game more quickly than we have in just about any other game, and it’s against an ACC opponent. This is an opportunity we don’t want to slip by and want to capitalize on it.