Big 12 Notes

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Big 12 Notes – Spring Practices

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April 8th

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House settlement inching closer to settlement – Judge: “I think it’s a good settlement – Don’t quote me”

From ESPN … A multibillion-dollar legal settlement with the potential to reshape the business of college sports inched closer to its fast-approaching finish line during a federal court hearing Monday.

Judge Claudia Wilken declined to provide final approval of a deal between the NCAA and plaintiff attorneys representing past, present and future Division I athletes, but she directed lawyers to address a short list of her remaining concerns within one week.

“I think it’s a good settlement,” Wilken said while wrapping up the seven-hour hearing, before quickly adding, “Don’t quote me.”

The NCAA has agreed to pay roughly $2.8 billion in damages to past and current athletes to settle three federal antitrust lawsuits that claim the association’s rules have limited the athletes’ earning potential in various ways. The deal, commonly referred to as the House settlement after lead plaintiff Grant House, also would create a new system for schools to pay players directly, starting this summer.

In exchange, the NCAA will be allowed to limit how much each school can spend on its athletes per year — an effective salary cap that is expected to start at roughly $20.5 million per school and increase annually during the 10-year lifespan of the deal. The deal also gives the industry’s most powerful conferences an increased ability to police the name, image and likeness deals between athletes and boosters, which is intended to keep teams from using their boosters to circumvent the $20.5 million cap.

Wilken, who has ruled on several cases that have reshaped the NCAA’s rules in the past decade, specifically asked lawyers from both sides to rethink one provision that would place a limit on how many athletes could be on a school’s roster for each sport and to provide more details on how future athletes could object to the terms of the deals once they enroll in college.

Several objectors who spoke Monday asked Wilken to reject the settlement because it could lead to the elimination of thousands of roster spots on Division I teams across the country. The NCAA’s current rules place limits on the number of scholarships that each team can give to its players. That rule will go away if the settlement is approved, meaning a school can provide a full scholarship to every one of its athletes if it chooses to do so.

To keep the wealthiest schools from stockpiling talent, the NCAA has proposed to instead limit the number of players each team can keep on its roster. Many teams will have to cut current athletes from their rosters to comply with the new rule if the settlement is approved. Gannon Flynn, a freshman swimmer at the University of Utah who spoke at the hearing, said his coaches told him that he will not have a spot on the team next season specifically because of the settlement.

“We’re not here for money. We just want to play and compete,” Flynn told the judge. “On paper, this settlement might look good … but thousands of people are losing their spots.”

Wilken suggested Monday that any current athlete should get to keep their spot even if it puts a team over the new roster limit.

“My idea there is to grandfather in a group of rostered people. There are not that many. It’s not that expensive. It would generate a lot of goodwill,” Wilken said.

Judges are not allowed to mandate specific changes to a settlement, but Wilken can make suggestions for how the attorneys could resolve problems that might otherwise keep her from blessing the deal.

“We are standing by our settlement. We think it’s fair. If the NCAA wants to grandfather it in, that’s up to them,” said Steve Berman, one of two co-lead attorneys for the plaintiffs.

… Continue reading story here …

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April 7th

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The Athletic: Big 12 teams (including CU) to watch in the second Transfer Portal

From The Athletic … The spring transfer portal window opens next week. There are plenty of compelling personnel situations across the country, so let’s take a look at the most interesting programs to watch over the next month.

Big 12

Arizona State

The program’s been called a sleeping giant for so many years, and Kenny Dillingham has provided a major spark for the Sun Devils, who are coming off a Big 12 championship and a College Football Playoff trip.

Now that Arizona State has experienced success and has a strong coach in place, what does it mean for the program from a roster-building perspective? Dillingham didn’t get Arizona State to this point with highly ranked recruiting classes (they have hovered around the mid-40s), and his best transfer class ranked 17th nationally.

The staff has made some shrewd evaluations over the past few offseasons, landing running back Cam Skattebo from Sacramento State and receiver Jordyn Tyson from Colorado, among others.

Will Arizona State start to attract high-ranked players now that it has won at a high level?

Colorado

On the field, nearly everything the Buffaloes did the past two seasons revolved around Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter and quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

Without those two stars, can Deion Sanders build a more balanced roster?

The transfer portal has been Sanders’ main source for talent acquisition. The Buffaloes weren’t as active in the winter window as they were the past years, but they added some more beef to the defensive line with Gavriel Lightfoot (Fresno State) and Jehiem Oatis (Alabama) and signed a talented quarterback in Kaidon Salter from Liberty.

The recruiting class featured some promising young pieces like top-50 quarterback Julian Lewis and four-star offensive lineman Carde Smith.

It will be interesting to see how active Sanders will be in the spring.

Texas Tech

The Red Raiders went all in during the winter portal cycle and have spent a lot of money this offseason. Will they double down on those efforts during the spring window? They are off to a nice start, securing a commitment from Stanford’s David Bailey on Friday.

UCF and West Virginia

Scott Frost and Rich Rodriguez have returned to their former jobs, but those programs are much different than when they left them. Frost coached UCF when it was in the AAC. Rodriguez was West Virginia’s coach when there was this football league called the Big East.

Both schools are in the Big 12 and have been mired in a stretch of average football over the past few years. How will these coaches, who have had success with their respective programs, try to build their rosters when outside circumstances (conference realignment, NIL, transfer portal) have made their new-but-old jobs so different?

… Read full story here …

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April 1st

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Must Read: Nebraska “Spring Game FanFest” ideas (dodgeball; tractor pulls; garage sale)

From CBS Sports … In early February, Nebraska coach Matt Rhule hinted at a controversial decision that would soon become official: The Cornhuskers spring football game, played almost annually since 1950, would be replaced with a skills competition (mirroring the NFL’s Pro Bowl Games) and 7-on-7 action instead of a live intrasquad scrimmage. It continued a trend as Texas, Ohio State, USC and other prominent schools decided on tweaking their spring games, something Ole Miss did in 2024.

When Rhule spoke to reporters on Feb. 1, he said he didn’t know what events would be featured. On Feb. 4, CBS Sports reached out to a Nebraska administrator via text message asking what events the Huskers would replace the spring game with, and the response was simply a shrug emoji.

Huskers brass was knee-deep in figuring out the reformatting. Emails obtained by CBS Sports via open records request show that there were ongoing deliberations about what to do on April 26, with administrators throwing numerous ideas at the wall to see what could work.

In a Feb. 7 email from associate AD Brandon Meier to multiple administrators, Meier listed over 30 ideas to be discussed by a group of administrators in a meeting the following Monday:

Football

1. Open practice and 12-45-minute scrimmage

2. 7-on-7 flag football game

3. Skills competition

Non-football fanfest ideas

1. Alumni flag football

2. Sand volleyball, Huskers vs. football alumni

3. Dodgeball

4. Youth punt, pass and kick competition

5. [Legendary former head volleyball head coach] John Cook roping exhibition

6. Soccer field goals vs. football penalty kicks

7. BMX Bike exhibition

8. Concert

9. Tours of [Osborne Legacy Complex — the Huskers new football training facility, which is closed to the public]

10. Husker garage sale on the concourse

11. Pre/post team and coaches autographs

12. Sorority tug of war

13. Fastest student on campus race

14. World’s largest tunnel/Legacy Walk into the stadium

15. Fans are free to come down and cut out a section of turf

16. BBQ competition

17. Demolition derby (the one time we can damage the turf)

18. Go-cart races

19. Tractor pulls

20. Give away a free car/truck

21. Food trucks outside or even on the field/apron

22. ½ of the field for fan festival while practice is going on

23. Dunk tank

24. Bo Pelini welcome back (plush cat giveaway)

25. Pancake feed on the concourse

26. Media/celebrity flag football game

27. Bring back the “N” with Script Huskers for this game

28. Bring in field size flag and live eagle

29. Invite President Trump to the event

30. Involve the National Guard/Military in game/event/competition

… Continue reading story here …

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March 29th

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The Athletic: Why Coach Prime’s Contract Makes Sense for Colorado

From The Athletic … Colorado announced a new five-year, $54 million contract for Sanders on Friday. The contract raises Sanders’ salary from $5.7 million in 2024 to $10 million this year, making him one of the 10 highest-paid coaches in the country.

You know where he’ll be: in a cowboy hat, shades on, working to continue his brash, innovative ascension in Boulder.

Now entering his third season, Sanders, 57, was down to two years remaining on his original contract. Athletic director Rick George had been negotiating a new deal with the coach since at least late last year, during which time Sanders — known as Coach Prime — was briefly considered a candidate for the Dallas Cowboys job.

Why this deal makes sense for Colorado

If any college head coach earned a big extension this winter, it is Sanders. Colorado was truly atrocious before he came to Boulder two years ago.

It wasn’t just the team’s one-win season before Sanders’ arrival, but in each of the team’s 11 losses, it was blown out. In his first game at CU, the Buffs knocked off a ranked TCU team that played in the national title game its last time out at the Horned Frogs’ home. He almost instantly made CU nationally relevant for the first time in about 25 years.

Then last season, he led the Buffs to 9-4 and a Top 25 finish for only the second time in 20 seasons. He also showed a keen eye for staffing by hiring defensive coordinator Robert Livingston and giving the former Bengals assistant his first job as a play caller, which proved to be a brilliant move. In addition, Sanders went 27-6 at a Jackson State program that had not had a winning season in seven years.

It will be interesting to see how the Buffs do after Sanders’ two biggest recruits — Hunter and Shedeur Sanders — have moved on to the NFL, but the coach has been doubted before, and proved so many people wrong. It made a lot of sense that the Buffs have opted to go all in to keep him in Boulder. — Bruce Feldman, national college insider

Sanders does it his way

With the advent of the transfer portal and name, image and likeness (NIL) forcing college football to change forever, Sanders promised to build his roster like NFL free agency. He did not apologize when other coaches criticized the plan or its controversial execution. He clapped back. In Year 1 at Colorado, Sanders and his staff brought in 87 new players. In 2024, there were 65 newcomers. Adapt to the Sanders Way, or as he’s said so often, pack your bags.

“I never take a step back,” Sanders said in mid-November. “I try to take a step up. I’m always with my head out the window: I’m trying to see around the corner, not trying to see straight ahead. It’s normalcy to see what’s in front of them. I’m trying to see around the corner.”

Before the conclusion of the 2024 regular season, Sanders said he had a “kickstand down” in Boulder, meaning he wasn’t on the prowl for a higher-profile job with a university that could splash the cash in a way Colorado could not. Sanders nipped the speculation in the bud before it could further spin out of control throughout November, saying: “We ain’t going nowhere. We’re about to get comfortable.”

He’s once again backed up the big talk as the program enters the next phase of the Prime evolution.

Sanders and company have their successor at quarterback in place. Colorado secured a commitment from five-star quarterback Julian “JuJu” Lewis, who decommitted from USC. And Kaidon Salter transferred in from Liberty.

… Continue reading story here …

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CBS Sports: Coach Prime “worth every penny” of $54 million contract

From CBS Sports … Colorado announced a contract extension for Deion Sanders on Friday that will keep him in gold and black through the 2029 season. The deal will also pay him plenty of green as he’ll be making $54 million over the course of the five-year agreement.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to continue building something special here at Colorado,” Sanders said in the official release from the school.

Well, he should be excited. The average salary of $10.8 million per year puts Sanders in a prime salary position among the top-10 paid coaches in the country. It was a statement from Colorado about how it feels through two years in the whirlwind life that is Coach Prime.

Of course, as is the case with everything Deion Sanders, the deal caused swift reactions. After all, through two seasons at Colorado, Sanders has a record of 13-12 overall and 8-10 in conference play — which is slightly misleading, however. After a 4-8 start in 2023, the Buffs went 9-4 in 2024, were in contention for a Big 12 title until the final weeks of the season and saw Travis Hunter become the first Colorado player to win the Heisman Trophy since running back Rashaan Salaam in 1994.

There will also be attention on what he hasn’t accomplished, though. Yes, Colorado was in Big 12 contention, but it fell short. Through two seasons, he hasn’t won a conference title, nor has he won 10 games in a season.

But, guess what? Mark Stoops has been at Kentucky for 12 seasons and has never won a division title or the SEC crown. He did win 10 games in 2018, though. What’s that have to do with Deion? Well, Stoops was the ninth-highest-paid coach in the country before Sanders’ new deal. When Stoops received a contract that paid him like a top-10 coach, there wasn’t much national attention paid to it. He was just another coach being paid a lot of money, and some would argue he was paid too much.

I don’t say this to denigrate Stoops (who has done as well, if not a lot better than can be reasonably expected at Kentucky) or any other coach. They all receive salaries in line with what the market demands, which is precisely what Sanders has done. The difference compared to plenty of others is I can argue Sanders’ contract is something of a bargain, all things considered.

While he hasn’t won big at Colorado, Sanders has made Colorado a major national talking point. Sanders brings value based on the fact you’re reading this right now and that I wrote it for you to read in the first place. Attendance at Colorado games has risen, bringing in greater revenue. His presence on the sideline has made the program an object of desire among television networks and will increase the amount of money Colorado — and the rest of the Big 12 — receive from TV deals in the long run.

… Continue reading story here …

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March 27th 

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Michigan’s Spring solution: Televise Spring game – after Transfer Portal closes

From Athlon Sports … The Michigan Wolverines’ spring game is an annual tradition designed to give fans a glimpse of what to expect on the football field heading into fall.

Michigan’s 2025 spring game is scheduled for April 19, 2025, giving fans a chance to see the Wolverines in action prior to the regular season at Michigan Stadium, also known as the Big House, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

On Wednesday, the latest change to the spring game was revealed, which is believed to have been inspired by the record number of players being added via the transfer portal in college football since the dawn of the NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) payments era.

“Michigan says its April 19 spring football game will be televised on Big Ten Network but won’t air until roughly a week later — after the spring transfer portal window closes,” Mlive.com reporter Aaron McMann said in an X post.

“The game remains open to the public and free to attend.”

… Continue reading story here …

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March 26th

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Bedlam in March? Mike Gundy wants an Oklahoma State/Oklahoma Spring Game

From ESPN … Mike Gundy wants to bring Bedlam back — in the spring.

The longtime Oklahoma State coach said Tuesday that he would prefer having two practices against rival Oklahoma in April instead of holding an intrasquad spring game.

The Cowboys and Sooners discontinued their Bedlam series last year after Oklahoma left the Big 12 for the SEC. Until then, the two in-state rivals had faced one another for 112 straight years.

Gundy suggested the Cowboys could go to Norman on April 12 — the same date that Oklahoma has scheduled its “Crimson Combine” to replace the Sooners’ traditional spring game. The following weekend, Oklahoma could make the trip to Stillwater, in place of Oklahoma State’s spring game.

Gundy added he would also be open to just one annual spring meeting with the Sooners, with the two programs splitting the ticket gate and putting the proceeds toward NIL.

“It’s not going to be a live game, but nobody really has live scrimmages anymore,” Gundy said. “So, you make it a full thud like we’re doing and practice against them, just like they do in the NFL.”

Gundy noted his idea stemmed from Colorado coach Deion Sanders’ push to replace spring games with practices and scrimmages against other programs.

Under current NCAA bylaws, football teams cannot play against another school in the spring, an NCAA spokesperson told ESPN.

… Continue reading story here …

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March 25th

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Stanford head coach Troy Taylor fired; replacement options include former CU assistant coach

From ESPN … Stanford fired football coach Troy Taylor, the school announced Tuesday.

The decision comes a week after ESPN reported that two outside firms had found Taylor bullied and belittled female athletic staffers, sought to have an NCAA compliance officer removed after she warned him of rules violations and repeatedly made “inappropriate” comments to another woman about her appearance.

“Since beginning my role as General Manager, I have been thoroughly assessing the entire Stanford football program. It has been clear that certain aspects of the program need change,” Stanford football general manager Andrew Luck said in a statement. “Additionally, in recent days, there has been significant attention to Stanford investigations in previous years related to Coach Taylor.

“After continued consideration it is evident to me that our program needs a reset. In consultation with university leadership, I no longer believe that Coach Taylor is the right coach to lead our football program. Coach Taylor has been informed today and the change is effective immediately.”

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Candidates to replace Taylor … 

From Yahoo Sports … Stanford Football: 8 Coaching Candidates to Replace Troy Taylor

Troy Calhoun, Head Coach, Air Force
Calhoun is a former Air Force quarterback and has directed his alma mater since ’07. Considering his extensive ties to the Academy, leaving for another job isn’t guaranteed. However, considering Calhoun’s track record of navigating a tough job and a high level of success, Stanford would be wise to inquire about any interest. Calhoun is 135-89 with the Falcons, including five double-digit win seasons. Air Force won 11 games and finished No. 22 nationally in ’19.

Troy Walters, Wide Receivers Coach, Cincinnati Bengals
Walters played at Stanford from 1996-99 and worked as an assistant in the collegiate ranks from 2009-19. Included in that run were stops at Texas A&M, NC State, Colorado, and Nebraska. Walters took a job with the Bengals in ’20 and was promoted to wide receivers coach in ’21. He has no head-coaching experience.

… Read full story here …

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March 24th 

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NCAA President: Upcoming House settlement will create a “saner way of doing things than the way it works now”

From CBS Sports … NCAA president Charlie Baker expressed optimism that the upcoming House v. NCAA court settlement will help create a “saner” landscape in the coming months. In an interview with CBS Evening News, Baker extolled the virtues of the upcoming revenue sharing model and how it could help realign college sports.

“I do believe the settlement will create a much saner way of doing this than the way it works now,” Baker told co-anchor Maurice DuBois. “And I hope that what we get out of it is an NIL program that’s more transparent, more accountable and one that actually works on this idea that this is still a development exercise for young people.”

The past four years have been a transformational time in college athletics … and not always for the best. Name, image and likeness was formally approved in 2021, but the NCAA has lost almost every lawsuit to regulate player compensation. The organization also lost lawsuits that prevented them from creating any rules to limit transfers, leading to essentially open free agency every season.

The lawsuit settlement is expected to distribute nearly $3 billion in damages to former athletes. It will also allow universities to share more than $20 million in revenue with active athletes, though the guidelines around the revenue share remain up in the air. The direct payment system is set to replace a broken NIL system that funnels money from boosters and supporters to players through third-party collectives.

“Having the school be a primary relationship for a student-athlete around their name, image and likeness is a better way to do it than having these third parties that are kind of shadowy and invisible, which is what we have now,” Baker said.

The House v. NCAA settlement received preliminary approval in October and faces final approval on April 7, the day of the NCAA men’s basketball national championship. More than a dozen objections have been filed, but it’s unclear whether any will ultimately delay the approval.

… Continue reading story here …

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March 23rd

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EA Sports ups NIL payments from $600 to $1,500 per player

From The Athletic … Players will be paid a lot more money for appearing in this year’s edition of EA Sports’ college football video game.

In an email to Football Bowl Subdivision players sent Tuesday afternoon, EA Sports said it would increase players’ name, image and likeness payments from $600 to $1,500 for their inclusion in the upcoming College Football 26 video game. They will also receive a Deluxe Edition of the game, a carryover from the compensation system for College Football 25. As was also the case last year, some athletes will receive additional compensation to serve as brand ambassadors to promote the game.

“From the beginning, we’ve designed our NIL program to be accessible, direct, voluntary and equitable for all, offering the same base-level compensation to every FBS athlete that opts-in using the OneTeam platform and COMPASS NIL app,” EA Sports vice president of business development Sean O’Brien said in a statement. “This approach empowers each athlete to make their own decision. College sports are growing and changing, and our focus at EA Sports is on continuing to put athletes first as we bring them in the game in College Football 26 and beyond.”

Players flocked to be in the game a year ago, with more than 8,000 opting in within just a few days. In total, more than 14,000 players opted into College Football 25, and the NIL of more than 11,000 players was used in the game, which came out to around 85 players per team. The number of players featured in the game will remain the same. CFB25 did not face any opt-outs from the most nationally relevant players, though some players did not appear in the game’s initial rosters for various timing or miscommunication reasons. Texas quarterback Arch Manning announced a deal to be in the game a few weeks before launch.

CFB25 went on to become the highest-selling sports video game of all-time in total dollars.

… Continue reading story here …

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March 21st

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Only 42% of Power Four transfers in Transfer Portal found new homes at Power Four schools

From The Athletic … There’s been a healthy debate about the devaluing of high school football recruiting in the transfer portal era. You can certainly make the argument that it’s now less important than ever when you look at this past season’s Power 4 all-conference teams.

Roughly 40 percent of the all-league selections in 2024 (not including honorable mention) transferred at one point in their careers. Nearly a quarter (68 of 292) were acquired via the portal during the 2024 cycle. Twenty-five of those were first-team all-conference honorees.

Good portal work is important, especially at quarterback. Of the 11 QBs selected to the Power 4 all-conference teams, only two were not acquired via the portal: SMU’s Kevin Jennings and South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers.

The 10-day spring transfer portal window will not open for another month, but if you’re wondering how things went during the winter period, we’re finally done with the math.

A total of 2,328 players at the FBS level departed, while 2,028 from all levels have been added to 131 FBS rosters (Army, Navy and Air Force did not add transfers) so far this cycle.

Where did the departures end up?

Of the 1,194 players who left Power 4 schools, 505 ended up at those schools, 367 moved down to Group of 5 programs and another 120 signed with FCS and lower-division programs. A total of 202 former Power 4 players have yet to find a new home.

It should come as little surprise that three new Power 4 head coaches were the leaders in taking transfers: West Virginia’s Rich Rodriguez (31), Purdue’s Barry Odom (29) and UCF’s Scott Frost (27). That’s still not as many as Deion Sanders took at Colorado (43 in 2024 and 52 in 2023) in each of the previous two cycles.

From a talent standpoint, there’s not a lot of meat left on the bone in the portal — at least at the moment.

The top available players, according to 247Sports’ rankings, are edge rusher Smith Vilbert (Penn State), quarterback Jaden Rashada (Georgia), receiver Johntay Cook (Texas) and cornerback Ashaad Williams (North Alabama). That, though, will likely change during the 10-day spring window when programs look to fill the remaining gaps.

… Continue reading story here …

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March 18th

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CU v. Syracuse Spring Game? NCAA won’t allow it

From ESPN … Colorado coach Deion Sanders wants the NCAA to consider borrowing from the NFL model and allow programs to practice and scrimmage against another team during the spring.

“I would actually like to play the spring game against another team, in the spring. That’s what I’m trying to do right now,” Sanders said Monday after announcing that the Buffaloes’ spring game at Folsom Field on April 19 will be televised (ESPN2, 4:30 p.m. ET).

“I would like to style it like the pros. I’d like to go against someone [in practice] for a few days, and then you have the spring game. I think the public would be satisfied with that tremendously. I think it’s a tremendous idea. I’ve told those personnel, who should understand that, that it’s a tremendous idea.”

It didn’t take long for Sanders to find an interested party. Syracuse head coach Fran Brown on Monday posted to social media platform X, offering for the Orange to “come to Boulder for 3 days.”

Under current NCAA bylaws, football teams cannot play against another school in the spring, an NCAA spokesperson told ESPN on Monday.

During the summer, NFL teams often conduct joint practices with another team for a week leading up to an exhibition game between the two sides. In college, teams practice against themselves leading up to an intrasquad scrimmage. For larger programs, those exhibition games would be played in front of large crowds.

Of late, however, many of these spring games are being adjusted into something completely different — such as a skills competition format — or canceled altogether.

Nebraska, Texas, Ohio State, Oklahoma and USC are among programs ending traditions this spring.

“The way the trend is going, is you never know if this is going to be the last spring game,” said the 57-year-old Sanders, who is entering his third season at Colorado. “Now, I don’t believe in that, and I don’t really want to condone that. … To have it competitive, and to play against your own guys, it can get kind of monotonous, and you really can’t tell the level of your guys.”

… Read full story here …

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March 16th

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Big 12 Commissioner opposed to automatic qualifiers: “I don’t want an artificial championship”

From On3Sports … In the current Playoff model, which was expanded in 2024 for the first time as a 12-team Playoff, the top five ranked conference champions make the field. The top four of those champions get the first four seeds and a bye week. The rest of the field is filled in by at-large bids and the final conference champion in the order the fall in the selection committee rankings. In it, there were four Big Ten teams, three SEC teams, two ACC teams, and one Big 12 team to make it to the Playoff last season.

The major conversation has been structured around a Playoff where the size would jump from 12 to 16 teams. There would be four SEC teams and Four Big Ten teams that would automatically qualify for the Playoff. Then, two Big 12 and two ACC schools would get those automatic bids. One Group of Five school would qualify, and then the rest of the field would be at-large.

“As we think about beyond, the one guiding principle for me and I think for the room is what’s in the best interest of college football? That’s what everyone should be focused on,” Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark said. “We’re going to continue to vet out what that means and hopefully get to a great place in the next couple of months.”

For his part, Yormark is happy with the current 12-team format. However, he’s not entirely against changing the playoff format. What he’s against is automatic qualifiers creating, what he described as, an artificial championship.

“I like the 12-team format. I love it,” Yormark said. “Whether we go to 14 or expand the field, I don’t know, and obviously it’ll be a decision amongst the management committee. As it relates to the AQs, and I’ve been on the record saying this, I don’t want an artificial championship. I want people to earn their way in. I don’t want it being predetermined. That being said, I’m open to discussion. I want to weigh the pros and cons of lots of different scenarios. Then, as a collective group, make a decision on what’s right for college football.”

… Continue reading story here …

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March 15th

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Big 12 quarterback rooms: How does CU’s lineup stack up?

From The Athletic … College coaches will talk a lot about their quarterback situations over the next few months, but their actions mean a lot more. We are here to sift through the coachspeak to examine what programs have actually told us about their quarterbacks this offseason through their work (or lack thereof) in the transfer portal.

Big 12

Arizona: With a new offensive coordinator (Seth Doege) and some shrewd transfer additions at the skill positions, the directive is apparent: get Noah Fifita back to his 2023 form after a disappointing 2024 season.

Arizona State: Cam Skattebo was the heart and soul of Arizona State’s offense in 2024. Sam Leavitt will have to drive the bus this season.

BYU: Jake Retzlaff led BYU to 11 wins last season and is entrenched as the starter for a team with Big 12 title hopes.

Baylor: Adding Auburn transfer Walker White — the No. 8 QB in the Class of 2024 — provides intriguing depth for Sawyer Robertson, who enjoyed a breakout 2024 season and was especially effective in the second half of the year.

Cincinnati: Brendan Sorsby posted decent numbers last season, but the Bearcats didn’t make enough big plays in the passing game. The staff tried to add more dynamic playmakers to the supporting cast through the portal.

Colorado: The Buffaloes needed a bridge quarterback to transition from Shedeur Sanders to blue-chip 2025 signee Julian Lewis. Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter is a really talented player who should effectively fill that role.

Houston: Conner Weigman hasn’t played to the five-star ranking he had as a recruit and was benched at Texas A&M last season, but coach Willie Fritz must believe he can unlock some of that potential.

Iowa State: Nothing much to say here either because Rocco Becht is back after he took yet another step forward in 2024 and led the Cyclones to 11 wins (the first double-digit win season in program history) and the Big 12 Championship Game.

Kansas: Jalon Daniels’ health is always an important factor since he’s missed a good chunk of time over the years. He’s limited this spring after undergoing knee surgery. But he started all 12 games in 2024 and his play declined, so new offensive coordinator Jim Zebrowski has to get Daniels back on track.

Kansas State: Avery Johnson is an intriguing talent, but he’s still developing as an all-around quarterback. His leading receiver returns, and the Wildcats added three transfer receivers. We’ll see if Johnson can elevate his play with the additions and another year in the offense.

Oklahoma State: The Cowboys quarterbacks struggled last year. They brought back three players from that group, but if the staff really believed in any of them as a starter, it probably wouldn’t have brought in transfer Hauss Hejny. The former four-star recruit seems like the front-runner based on the fact that he came from TCU with new offensive coordinator Doug Meacham.

TCU: Josh Hoover is set as the starter after passing for 3,949 yards and 27 touchdowns during an impressive 2024 season. Keeping Ken Seals as a veteran backup who has started several games throughout his career was also a positive.

Texas Tech: Starter Behren Morton returns, and the Red Raiders went all-in during the December transfer cycle. So the pressure is on Morton, coach Joey McGuire and the rest of the program to deliver a conference championship.

UCF: Scott Frost appears ready to tie his hopes to Indiana transfer Tayven Jackson, who played well in spot duty for the Hoosiers last season. FAU transfer Cam Fancher will be in the mix too.

Utah: The Utes wanted to move past the constant uncertainty with Cam Rising’s availability and now have an exciting new quarterback/coordinator combination from New Mexico with transfer Devon Dampier and play caller Jason Beck.

West Virginia: Nicco Marchiol has started a few games for the Mountaineers the past two seasons but has never received the full-time starting nod. He’ll have an opportunity to earn it this offseason but will have to hold off Texas A&M transfer Jaylen Henderson and Charlotte transfer Max Brown.

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March 14th

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Big 12 considering going back to divisions

From CBS Sports … The Big 12 will continue to grow. That is, if you believe the possibilities going forward regarding automatic qualifiers in the College Football Playoff.

That’s a reference to possibly more Big 12 games, not more Big 12 teams as the format and structure of the CFP begin to take shape for the 2026 season when the new six-year deal with ESPN begins.

Some are almost resigned to the fact there will be automatic qualifiers in the field at the urging of the Big Ten and SEC. Their proposed model of 4-4-2-2-1-1 means four AQs each for the Big Ten and SEC, two each for the ACC and Big 12, one at-large spot and one for the highest-ranked Group of Five conference champion.

After making the rounds this week at the Big 12 Tournament, it’s clear the conference has begun to consider its place in that new world. Commissioner Brett Yormark has not publicly committed to the AQ model for his conference, but it’s fair to say every league has at least considered the concept of play-in games for those AQ spots.

“Let me ask you something,” Yormark replied to a questioner Tuesday at a tournament kickoff press conference, “do you think I’m shy or no?”

CBS Sports reported on the details of play-in games in December. While the possibilities are preliminary — and almost endless — at this point, there are at least two models to consider to determine those two Big 12 automatic qualifiers.

1) The top four regular-season teams qualify with the No. 1 seed playing the No. 4 seed and No. 2 playing No. 3. The two winners on that championship weekend in December would advance to the CFP.

Using last year’s standings, these would be the matchups:

• No. 1 Arizona State vs. No. 4 Colorado
• No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 3 BYU

2) The 16-team league could split into two divisions, looking a lot like the old Big 12. One possibility is the two first-place teams in each division would qualify along with the teams with next two best records. (Don’t even start with tiebreakers in that scenario).

Let’s take it a step further and dream up the composition of those two divisions based on geography …

Big 12 West

• Arizona State
• Arizona
• BYU
• Utah
• Texas Tech
• Colorado
• TCU
• Houston

Big 12 East

• Baylor
• Iowa State
• Kansas
• Kansas State
• UCF
• Cincinnati
• Oklahoma State
• West Virginia

Again, based on last year’s standings the matchups would go the same way:

• Arizona State vs. Colorado
• Iowa State vs. BYU

In that setting, each team would play a seven-team, round-robin schedule against the teams in its division. There would be two crossover games. You’re way ahead of things in the scenario above if you’ve already noticed three of the four play-in teams would come from the West division.

… Continue reading story here …

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March 13th

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Power Four conferences trying to set guardrails for dealing with post-House settlement payouts

From The Athletic … A new system outside the NCAA to regulate and enforce the rules that will take effect when colleges can begin making direct payments to athletes is being built by the power conferences as they await — and anticipate — final approval of a $2.8 billion antitrust lawsuit settlement.

In a joint statement released Wednesday, the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC and NCAA acknowledged the work of the Settlement Implementation Committee, a group of athletic directors and conference legal counsels that has met regularly over the past several months.

As part of an agreement to settle three antitrust lawsuits, the conferences and NCAA agreed to allow schools to share revenue with their athletes, starting with up to about $20.5 million in the 2025-26 school year.

The new regulatory body stands to shift more of the oversight and control of college sports away from the NCAA and to the conferences that are building it.

The so-called House settlement (from the House v. NCAA antitrust lawsuit at its center) still needs final approval from the federal judge overseeing the case. A hearing is set for April 7, the day of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament championship, when the judge will hear from objectors to the settlement. Final approval could come soon after that hearing.

But with only a few months to transform major college sports to accommodate a more professional approach to compensation, the conferences are “rapidly preparing to implement a new model for the future of college sports focused on stability and fairness,” the statement said.

The conferences said the committee is working on four areas of implementation:

• How schools that opt in to the terms of the settlement will report what they are spending on revenue-sharing payments. LBi Software, which works with professional sports leagues such as MLB and the NBA, has been retained to develop a cap management system.
• Assessing the legitimacy of third-party name, image and likeness deals between college athletes and companies and organizations such as NIL collectives. The conferences are working with accounting giant Deloitte to evaluate whether deals are for “valid business purposes.” Under the settlement, all deals between athletes and third parties of $600 or more will be evaluated.
• Drafting new rules and clarifying existing ones related to the settlement, such as parameters for the roster limits that will replace scholarship limits on a sport-by-sport basis.
• Creating a new entity to enforce rules, investigate potential violations and dole out penalties when necessary.

The NCAA will still oversee eligibility rules related to academics, playing rules and championship events, though a new model of governance for the association is also being worked on that could result in more autonomy for the current Power 4: the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC.

… Continue reading story here …

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March 12th 

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ESPN: Next Indiana or Arizona State? Teams poised for CFP breakthrough includes Colorado

From ESPN … The 2024 season brought plenty of surprises, as unexpected teams and players populated the races for conference titles, national awards and the first 12-team College Football Playoff field. But the biggest stunner in the sport was the Indiana Hoosiers.

The program with the most losses in FBS history reached 10 wins for the first time — after a 10-0 start, no less — and made the CFP before programs like USC, Nebraska, Florida and Miami did. When the CFP kicked off on a cold night at Notre Dame Stadium, the Hoosiers were there, taking the field.

The CFP included other newcomers like Arizona State and SMU, but none carried the same shock value as Indiana.

As we set out to find the next potential Indiana for the 2025 season, it’s important to emphasize that an exact replica is unlikely. What coach Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers accomplished this past fall is extremely difficult, even in the transfer portal era.

But there are certain teams that would generate a similar reaction if they made the CFP, given their recent history.

…

Texas Tech

2024 record: 8-5

Record during four-team CFP era: 57-66 (.463)

Last conference title: 1994 (Southwest Conference)

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Georgia Tech

2024 record: 7-6

Record during four-team CFP era: 56-66 (.459)

Last conference title: 2009

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Iowa State

2024 record: 11-3

Record during four-team CFP era: 58-67 (.464)

Last conference title: 1912 (MVIAA)

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Colorado

2024 record: 9-4

Record during four-team CFP era: 44-73 (.376)

Last conference title: 2001

Case to be next Indiana: Colorado would not sneak up on the CFP field like Indiana did this past season. Since Deion Sanders arrived on campus as coach in late 2022, he has raised the Buff’s profile. The team saw its wins total more than double from Sanders’ first season to his second and often looked like the Big 12’s most talented roster this past fall. Until a late-season loss at Kansas, the Buffs were a popular pick to make the CFP. Sanders has made the playoff his top goal as he begins phase 2 as CU coach, without his sons Shedeur and Shilo on the team, and without two-way star and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter.

Colorado’s ability to replace them and others will largely determine whether it can push for a championship in the Big 12, where Arizona State’s run in 2024 showed that teams can close the CFP gap quickly. Improving the line-of-scrimmage play remains a priority in Boulder, and Colorado will need more run-pass balance on offense with Shedeur Sanders and Hunter both departing. There will be a fascinating quarterback battle between Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter and Julian Lewis, ESPN’s No. 12 recruit in the 2025 class. Colorado brings in another big group of transfers, including defensive linemen Jehiem Oatis (Alabama) and Tavian Coleman (Texas State), wide receiver Joseph Williams (Tulsa) and safety Tawfiq Byard (South Florida).

A Buffs run to the CFP would be the obvious next step after the 2024 season, but it would also represent an incredible rise. Not even Indiana had bottomed out recently like Colorado did in 2022, when the team finished 1-11 and was outscored 534-185. Other than 2016, when Colorado finished No. 10 in the final CFP standings and reached the Pac-12 title game, the program has been outside the national spotlight for the better part of the past 20 years. The team hasn’t finished a season inside the AP top-15 since 2001, its last conference title.

… Read full story here …

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March 6th

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Which two Big 12 teams are best set up to dominate for the next decade? 

From CBS Sports … Welcome to Marcello’s Mailbag, where college football is always at the top of the pile. This is a safe space to share opinions and ask questions without fear or ridicule. No question is dumb, though you may believe there are dumb answers. Luckily, I’m willing to look like a jester, but more often than not, I’ll fill your mind with the information you need to understand the most magical sport in the world.

If you had to pick two Big 12 teams best set up to dominate the conference for the next decade, who would they be? 

I don’t believe a single team or two will dominate the Big 12 over the next several years. Parity will define this conference, which has quickly become the most exciting in the sport. Close games and random upsets injected some much-needed excitement into the season, and the unpredictability led to the emergence of newbie Arizona State.

I have long said that Oklahoma State and TCU are best equipped to capitalize in this new era because of their world-class facilities and booster support. Yet the Cowboys faceplanted last season, and Mike Gundy had to rework his contract to remain the head coach.

I’ll say this: Texas Tech is my best bet to emerge as a contender, though I’m still counting on parity in the league. The Red Raiders’ facilities are fantastic, and a billionaire booster leads the NIL collective, which helped land the nation’s No. 3 portal class.

… Read full story here …

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March 4th 

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Does ACC settlement put an expiration date (2030?) on the conference?

From CBS Sports … Tuesday’s news that the ACC and member schools Clemson and Florida State dropped their lawsuits against each other was both anticipated and yet one of the more dramatic reversals in recent memory.

There was a time not long ago that it felt like a matter of when, not if, Florida State and Clemson would leave the ACC. The public legal battle between the conference and its two schools had cast a pall over everything the ACC did, forcing commissioner Jim Phillips to address it at seemingly every major conference event.

Florida State, Clemson and the rest of the ACC schools voting Tuesday to end the four lawsuits and introduce a new revenue distribution system is only one piece of the puzzle, however.

There are a lot of potential ramifications of this decision, both for the conference in the short term as well as future realignment.

What does this mean for the ACC now?

In the short term, at least, this is a win for all involved. The ACC no longer has to deal with the negative headlines of two of its premier brands suing it, with one even accusing it of pushing the conference to its brink. The lawsuits threatened to expose sensitive information and, even more impactful, could have led to easy exits for multiple ACC schools if Florida State and Clemson had won the crux of their arguments.

For the schools, the revamped revenue distribution will put greater emphasis on television ratings. Florida State athletic director Michael Alford introduced a similar concept two years ago, and if FSU and Clemson receive a bigger cut moving forward, as expected, it can help placate the concerns driving the lawsuits which were that the conference’s annual payout was falling way behind that of the Big Ten and SEC. It could lead to a reported extra $15 million annually for the conference’s top schools, a not insignificant amount especially in light of the expected $20 million revenue share which should begin this summer as a result of the House v. NCAA settlement.

For smaller ACC schools, it’ll be a financial hit at an unfortunate time, but the unequal revenue sharing should provide stability for at least a few years. No one wants to end up like the Pac-12 did.

In exchange for dropping their lawsuits, the ACC agreed to put a number on how much it’d cost to leave the conference — $165 million to start, according to Clemson’s board presentation — with that number descending to $75 million in 2030. If, for instance, the Big Ten would like to add Florida State and Clemson ahead of its next TV deal, the two schools should now know exactly what it would cost to leave the ACC. That brings clarity and yet also future concern.

This move could be the glue that keeps the ACC together for a long time. Or it could be a short-term fix to buy everyone some more time and build out additional contingency plans should schools leave the conference. Time will tell.

… Read full story here …

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March 3rd

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FSU; Clemson settle lawsuits with ACC

From ESPN … Florida State and Clemson will vote Tuesday on an agreement that would ultimately result in the settlement of four ongoing lawsuits between the schools and the ACC and a new revenue-distribution strategy that would solidify the conference’s membership for the near future, sources told ESPN on Monday.

The ACC Board of Directors is scheduled to hold a call Tuesday to go over the settlement terms. In addition, Florida State has called a board meeting to present the terms at noon ET Tuesday, and Clemson plans to do the same. All three boards must agree to the settlement for it to move forward, but sources throughout the league expect a deal to be reached.

According to sources, the settlement includes two key objectives: Establishing a new revenue-distribution model based on viewership and a change in the financial penalties for exiting the league’s grant of rights prior to its conclusion in June 2036.

This new revenue-distribution model — or “brand initiative” — is based on a five-year rolling average of TV ratings, though some logistics of this formula remain tricky, including how to properly average games on the unrated ACC Network or other subscription channels. The brand initiative will be funded through a split in the league’s TV revenue, with 40% distributed evenly among the 14 longstanding members and 60% going toward the brand initiative and distributed based on TV ratings.

Top earners are expected to net an additional $15 million or more, according to sources, while some schools will see a net deduction in annual payout of up to about $7 million annually, an acceptable loss, according to several administrators at schools likely to be impacted, in exchange for some near-term stability.

The brand initiative is expected to begin for the upcoming fiscal year.

… Continue reading story here …

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February 28th

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Big 12 in line to sign a capital partner?

From SportsBusinessJournal … Big 12 presidents and athletic directors Thursday “reviewed bids from three finalists in the league’s pursuit of a capital partner,” according to sources. Firms are “proposing to infuse millions to schools.” RedBird Capital has “emerged as the leader.” A decision is “expected in the coming weeks” (X, 2/27).

This is “a *capital* proposal, not equity.” A report last summer about the Big 12’s pursuit of a private equity deal with CVC Capital Partners was “premature.” That deal “never reached the final stage because of hangups.” Sources said that CVC is “not part of the group of finalists” (X, 2/27).

The Big 12 has been “aggressive in its push for independent funding for schools in the league.” The “eventual venture capital partnership is projected to infuse millions of dollars for schools in the league” (SI, 2/27).

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