FRISCO — Marshall coach Doc Holliday says recruits “buy with their eyes.”

North Texas coach Seth Littrell has noticed that in Texas especially, many of the best players come from high schools with massive stadiums and top-notch weight rooms. A college program needs to provide something that matches or exceeds that bar.

In Conference USA, only Marshall and UAB boast covered or indoor practice facilities. But projects are already underway or in the pipeline at UTSA, UNT and Rice as programs race conference and regional rivals to offer the best setup.

UTSA announced last month a plan to break ground in November on a $44 million facilities project that will include a sports medicine center, weight room and covered football practice field. Roadrunners coach Frank Wilson called the facility a “game-changer,” improving UTSA’s standing in the Conference USA facilities arms race.

“Where we’re going to be, I think, will allow us to be right up there with the upper echelon guys in our conference,” Wilson said Wednesday at the Conference USA Football Kickoff in Frisco.

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Wilson typically opts for morning practices, but weather concerns sometimes have forced a shift to the afternoon, or to an indoor gym.

Rice coach Mike Bloomgren said his team had to reschedule about 30 practices last season, traveling to the Houston Texans’ indoor facility when faced with inclement weather or lightning. This year, Rice expects to be able to practice in its own $3 million indoor training center — an 80,000-square-foot inflatable dome projected to be ready by Sept. 1.

Bloomgren said the ability to lock in set practice times is essential given student-athletes’ varied class schedules.

“We have a very small window to practice with our full team,” Bloomgren said. “Any time we had to go to a different venue and bus over there, we were going to end up losing guys, and that’s no way to prepare guys for Saturdays.”

Littrell said North Texas had to cancel two or three practices last year because of lightning. The Mean Green’s new $16 million facility, set for completion in the fall, will address that issue and is expected to help cut down on muscular injuries from dehydration as a result of practicing in the heat.

“Whether it’s rain, sleet, shine or heat, you’re going to play in all of those, so you have to practice in them. But you don’t have to every day,” Littrell said. “There are some different situations to where it’s too hot outside. Maybe it’s 104 outside. You can still practice outside, but it’s also a way to maybe in your team settings bring them in and get some of the elements off them so we can take care of them and protect our team.”

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Before UAB added an indoor practice field in 2017 as part of a $22.5 million project, coach Bill Clark said the Blazers didn’t even have a spare gym for practice. If weather interfered with the normal routine, that session was usually lost.

“It’s hard to put a price tag on how important that is to a team,” Clark said.

Marshall’s facility, which cost about $17 million, opened in 2014. The investment has been especially vital during bowl season, allowing practice to continue despite winter weather.

Holliday said the addition was a message that the administration is committed to fielding a strong football program — a notion recruits quickly pick up on.

“When you get kids on campus and you get parents on campus and you have great facilities, that’s a great sell,” Holliday said. “If we don’t have tremendous facilities, we have no chance.”

Though not yet moving to an indoor practice field, Florida Atlantic is upgrading this year with a $40 million, 96,000-square-foot training facility that is nearing completion.

Coach Lane Kiffin said FAU is going from one of the smallest weight rooms in Division I to one of the best, on par with top-25 programs. Kiffin said his players will have a greater opportunity for development in the new facility, and the next generation of talent already is taking notice.

“It was visual, that when the kids came on recruiting trips, they would see how far behind we were facilities-wise. We were way behind,” Kiffin said. “So I think from a recruiting standpoint and the development of student-athletes, that’s critical.”

Old Dominion has undergone the league’s largest facilities renovation since last season, rebuilding and expanding S.B. Ballard Stadium at a cost of $67.5 million.

ODU coach Bobby Wilder called the venue a “dream come true,” saying it checks the three boxes of generating home-field advantage, motivating current players and enticing new recruits. During home visits, Monarchs coaches show photos and videos of the venue to prospective players. Typically, their excitement is palpable.

“When you’re 18 years old, that’s a big deal,” Wilder said. “You run out of the tunnel of a brand-new stadium, and it has that new-clothes smell to it. The fans are more excited about it.”

Middle Tennessee coach Rick Stockstill sits on the other end of the spectrum, with no major facilities developments since he took the job in 2006. He said Middle Tennessee is “behind some people” around the league, adding, “We have to get going.”

“You can’t stay the same. All successful businesses are always building and getting better, and that’s what we have to do,” Stockstill said. “We have to continue to improve and build, because our competition is.”

Count UTSA among that group. The Roadrunner Athletics Center of Excellence is scheduled for completion on the southwest part of campus in September 2020. The plan also calls for improvements to the soccer and track facility at UTSA’s Park West campus.

Wilson said he expects the program to continue moving forward.

“We’re making the right strides and going in the right direction,” Wilson said, “so I like the direction of our university.”

greg.luca@express-news.net