USF was in the Big East when it was considered a Power/BCS league (while UCF was still in Conference USA). Then when the remaining Big East football schools formed the AAC, around the time he became the AD, they were passed by UCF in success, money, etc., and viewed as way behind UCF in the Big 12 dog and pony show in 2016 that Harlan was part of. USF never made up that ground during his tenure (or after).