CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- Roy Kramer, commissioner of the expansion- minded Southeastern Conference, visited the University of Miami campus Tuesday to explore the possibility of inviting the Hurricanes to join the league.
Kramer met for about an hour and a half with university President Edward T. Foote, Athletic Director Sam Jankovich, university administrators and athletic staff members.
'This is part of a long-term investigation by the University of Miami,' Foote said. 'Roy called last Friday to set up the meeting. We had a wide-ranging discussion of the ramifications of joining the Southeastern Conference.'
Kramer called it a 'complete fact-finding discussion' delving into television, staffing, compliance, enforcement, academics and other subjects.
'We wouldn't be here if we weren't serious,' Kramer said. He added there is no SEC time-table for expansion.
He said conference officials are still considering a number of institutions and the only concrete invitation issued so far was to Arkansas.
Another institution under consideration is South Carolina, and Kramer plans to visit there Wednesday.
Miami has not decided whether it would accept a bid from the SEC, but South Carolina's trustees have already voted unanimously to accept an invitation.
Miami reportedly is also considering the possibility of joining the Big East Conference. The Big East, a basketball powerhouse, does not play football now, but could expand to include enough additional football schools for a football schedule.
Florida State had been among the candidates for SEC expansion, but the conference dropped consideration Thursday shortly before the Seminoles received a bid from the Atlantic Coast Conference. Florida State formally accepted the bid Saturday.
The addition of Arkansas earlier this year left the SEC at 11 teams. The conference reportedly wants to expand to an even 12 and split into two divisions.
