Big 12 Media Days: Takeaways from two days in Dallas
DALLAS - Baylor won the distinction of top storyline at Big 12 Media Days before press conferences even began on Monday, but there were plenty of other headline-worthy themes that emerged from the league's two-day showcase in the Metroplex. True to form of any media day setting, things weren’t strictly all about football, either.
Conference Championships and Expansion
Talks of adding teams to the Big 12 resumed immediately following Big 12 Media Days and there seemed to be a shift in interest to developing a conference network as well. Earlier this year, schools such as Houston, Cincinnati and even Central Florida were names tossed around as candidates that would be good additions to the Big 12.
Starting next year the conference will have a football championship game, although neither commissioner Bob Bowlsby nor coaches offered a strong opinion on whether to divide the conference into divisions or make it work with a 10 team group. Adding two more programs would go a long way in making that decision for them.
“I think whatever it is, it has to be set up to understand that we're doing this so we can get in the four-team playoff,” TCU head coach Gary Patterson said. “I don't think that you can say that you can divide it north and south, we're going to have to use a lot of thinking, a lot of thought process into how to do it.”
The biggest concern was the possibility of conference foes playing each other twice in a season and whether that that was a positive or negative.
“If the teams have already played and then they run it back, is that going to be fun for the fans? I don't know,” Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury said. “With divisions, you worry, because do we not play OU one year? Or Baylor one year? TCU? You hate to see those games go away.”
Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops had a more carefree take on the matter when considering if the biggest game the conference often sees all season, Oklahoma-Texas, would be better off with the potential of a sequel every season.
“If we're in different divisions, hey, let's go again! That would be exciting,” he said. “Why wouldn't it be? Two is better than one, right? It usually is anyway.”
The school maybe keeping the closest eye on expansion is West Virginia, who is at greater geographical distance from the rest of the teams in the conference. Along with Cincinnati, Connecticut is one of the schools that seems to be on the shortlist of candidates to add to the league.
“I would like to see two teams added. I would like a good, round number of 12,” Mountaineers head coach Dana Holgorsen said. “It makes those divisional breakups easier and it makes trying to get a championship together a little easier as well.”
Mike Gundy's Hair
The man that made being 40-years-old fun again turned back the clock this year with a haircut that set the internet on fire. Mike Gundy may not have appeared in Dallas with a full-on mullet, but the media on hand were more than happy to crown him as the new posterboy for hair metal and trans-am drivers everywhere.
If we’re going to have a good laugh about it, let’s wait and see if he’s still committed to it on Week 1. Till then, let’s not forget to enjoy that men very rarely go from 1-to-mullet overnight. Respect the process; there are still some enjoyable moments along the way before we get to full-fledged Kentucky Waterfall status.
Addressing Societal Issues
College football provides many with an outlet to unwind and tune out the things that remind us about how scary things can get in the rest of the world.
While it wasn’t discussed a great deal, the recent shooting of Dallas police officers was acknowledged several times by coaches and players. With other recent incidents involving police officers’ use of deadly force and the subsequent retaliation, social responsibility was on the minds of several of the coaches and players.
“We wanted to let them know our thoughts and prayers were with them,” Texas head coach Charlie Strong said. He visited the Dallas Police headquarters on Monday ahead of his Tuesday presser.
“Whether it be in Minnesota, whether it be in Baton Rouge, whether it be right here in the city of Dallas, and we’re kind of losing it in our minds, but you look at Orlando we kind of push that to the side. It’s all about us uniting, it’s all about us all standing together and we can make a change.”
Kansas’ David Beaty chose to address the Dallas Police shootings in his opening statement to the media when he took to the stage on Monday. He spoke with a heavy heart as he reminded that he is from the Dallas area, where his father is a police officer.
“My heart hurts for the Dallas communities and for communities across the country that are suffering and in pain right now,” he said. “I pray that we will begin to listen to one another, love one another and get to the hard work of healing our nation, to the issues that we're facing right now.”
Despite their proximity to the events that took place in Dallas on July 7, the TCU players in attendance were lucky to not have a personal connection to the shootings. Like Beaty and Strong, however, they were not so far removed from the somber feelings associated with them.
“The whole situation was crazy; it was all madness,” junior running back Kyle Hicks said. “It hurts my heart to see the things that are going on in today’s society and I don’t wish it on anybody.”