ARLINGTON, Texas — The annual CUSA Kickoff was once again a place of comradery for the coaches and players and of convenience for the assembled media.
This year at least, it was also a place of irony, with the American Athletic Conference holding its media day in the same hotel CUSA stays in next to the Texas Rangers' Globe Life Field that CUSA Kickoff was held in for the second year in a row.
But fun hallway coincidences aside, the energy of the event was contagious, as all five returning schools and four new programs each entered optimistic for the season ahead, and not without good reason.