BYU’s first Big 12 meetings were ‘awkward,’ mostly uneventful

byDuc Manh •
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BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe speaks at a press conference where the school announced it accepted an invitation to join the Big 12 Conference.

BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe speaks at a press convention the place the college introduced it accepted an invite to affix the Massive 12 Convention in Provo on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021. At proper, Massive 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby joins through video convention. BYU just lately participated in its first Massive 12 conferences.

Laura Seitz, Deseret Information

This text was first revealed within the Cougar Insiders publication. Signal as much as obtain the publication in your inbox every Tuesday night time.

BYU’s first official Massive 12 conferences got here and went in Irving, Texas, final week with just a little little bit of awkwardness and stress — because of the truth that departing members Texas and Oklahoma are nonetheless attending — however not a lot in the way in which of clarification on some key questions.

BYU president Kevin Worthen, athletic director Tom Holmoe, athletic school consultant David Hart and senior lady administrator Liz Darger had been amongst BYU’s representatives on the 4 Seasons Resort in suburban Dallas.

Some followers hoped the Massive 12 would give you a mannequin to undertake divisions and provides an thought of how these divisions would look, however that didn’t occur. Nor was a lot stated publicly a few new tv contract. The league’s present tv contract with Fox Sports activities and ESPN expires after the 2024-25 season.

After all, not realizing for positive when Texas and Oklahoma will depart, or when the three American Athletic Convention faculties — Cincinnati, UCF and Houston — will be a part of, makes hammering out these points further troublesome.

Massive 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby did talk about how BYUtv might match into the equation. Mainly, he stated, the BYU-owned tv station that the Cougars use to televise greater than 100 stay sporting occasions a college 12 months and a each day one-hour present referred to as “BYU Sports activities Nation” shall be utilized, however to what extent isn’t clear.

BYU additionally has its personal contract with ESPN that should be rolled into the equation someway.

“They've instructed us that they intend to defer to us,” Bowlsby stated. “I believe finally we are going to roll their ESPN bundle into the Massive 12 bundle. We haven’t had these discussions but, however we are going to.”

Bowlsby stated Massive 12 leaders have had discussions with BYU, however not with ESPN.

“It's actually not very materials (to the negotiations), come what may,” he stated.

The Cougars change into a full Massive 12 member on July 1, 2023. Houston, Cincinnati and UCF will be a part of no later than July 1, 2024, however try to get into the convention on the similar time BYU does. Negotiations concerning exit charges with the AAC are ongoing.

Texas and Oklahoma are additionally working to maneuver to the SEC, and presumably negotiating the monetary particulars and exit charges with that as effectively. The presence of the Sooners and Longhorns prompted Bowlsby to name the conferences uncommon and tense.

“This assembly has bought some weirdness to it,” Bowlsby stated. “I'd be lower than forthright to not admit that there’s some strangeness to it, and maybe even some durations when there’s just a little little bit of stress. However you recognize, persons are working collectively in good religion. We get alongside and work collectively as a result of we've to.”

In its official launch after the conferences, the Massive 12 made the next bulletins:

• $42.6 million shall be distributed to every establishment, an improve of 20% from final 12 months and a 9% improve from pre-pandemic ranges.

• The annual Massive 12 males’s and girls’s Sportsmanship Awards shall be re-named the Bob Bowlsby Awards.

• The Massive 12’s ladies’s basketball event will transfer to the T-Cell Middle in Kansas Metropolis and shall be performed the week earlier than the boys’s basketball event on the similar venue.

Cougar tales

Thanks for subscribing to our Cougar Insiders publication and checking it out this week. Though I’ve appeared on this publication occasionally to reply the query of the week, I'm authoring it this week and subsequent as a result of Dick Harmon is on trip.

June is a somewhat quiet time for sports activities in Utah, and sports activities at BYU, except the NCAA Observe and Subject Championships. The Cougars nearly at all times ship a powerful contingent of athletes to nationals, and can once more this 12 months.

For me, an early June spotlight is at all times the annual charity golf occasion benefitting the Nationwide Kidney Basis of Utah and Idaho. BYU soccer coach Kalani Sitake and Utah coach Kyle Whittingham face off in a pleasant golf competitors, a four-person scramble after which take a while to talk with the media about their groups and no matter different points have surfaced since spring camps ended.

Monday, in addition they commented on the sudden resignation of Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder.

BYU basketball additionally remained within the information, as BYU coach Mark Pope mentioned the transfer of assistant coach Chris Burgess to Utah and newcomer Rudi Williams talked to the Deseret Information’ Jeff Name about making the switch from Coastal Carolina.

Additionally, former Cougars hoopster Lee Cummard was added to Amber Whiting’s workers as ladies’s basketball affiliate head coach. This system was dealt a blow when All-American guard Shaylee Gonzales introduced she had entered the switch portal.

Final weekend was big for BYU soccer recruiting, spelled out right here by yours really.

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Feedback from Deseret Information readers

Placing fandoms apart, if I used to be supplied by Utah with pay $265K a 12 months versus $165K from BYU with out having to maneuver, then I'd take that job too (as Chris Burgess did). Utah has had lower than stellar seasons just lately, however they're nonetheless a strong program traditionally. I nonetheless consider Craig Smith is a superb coach, and this 12 months shall be very telling if he can take this program someplace. He has seemingly strong transfers and recruits to tug off a a lot improved season if all of it comes collectively.

— Mark321

Nice story (on BYU getting a seat on the Energy 5 desk). BYU followers will must be affected person identical to Utah followers needed to be affected person when Utah joined the Pac-12. It is going to take a number of years to ramp up recruiting so as compete constantly within the Massive-12. On the brilliant facet, no extra video games with New Mexico State in November within the snow.

— 65TossPowerTrap

Up subsequent

June 8-11 | Observe and subject | NCAA championships | @Eugene, Oregon

June 22 | Soccer | BYU soccer media day | @Provo

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