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New Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark Answers Conference Realignment Questions at Big 12 Media Days

Yormark said he has "received a lot of phone calls" since USC and UCLA departed for the Big Ten
Casey Lundquist|
New Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark Answers Conference Realignment Questions at Big 12 Media Days
New Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark Answers Conference Realignment Questions at Big 12 Media Days

On Wednesday morning, new Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark addressed the media as part of Big 12 media days. Yormark was hired on June 29, just two days before news broke that PAC-12 powers USC and UCLA were leaving the PAC-12 for the Big Ten. 

A few days after USC/UCLA news, both CBS Sports and The Athletic reported that the Big 12 was aggressively pursuing expansion. CBS described the Big 12 as being in "deep discussions to add multiple Pac-12 programs." A day later, The Athletic confirmed the report, saying the Big 12 "is having 'serious' talks with six Pac-12 schools — Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Oregon, Utah and Washington — and is determined to move quickly."

As expected, the media asked the new Big 12 commissioner about conference expansion and the Big 12's reported pursuit of PAC-12 schools. "I think it's fair to say I've received a lot of phone calls," Yormark said. "Nothing is imminent, but we're working hard to make sure the Big 12 is positioned in the best possible way."

Yormark's response came on the heels of his opening statement, where he said the Big 12 "is open for business." Yormark continued, "We will leave no stone unturned to drive value for the conference."

For now, conference realignment has paused while the PAC-12 sorts through its options. PAC-12 insider Jon Wilner reported on Wednesday that PAC-12 schools are in "no rush" to make a decision, and resolution to conference realignment could last months, not weeks.

Panic, as Wilner described, is one of a few different dominoes that could set the next wave of conference realignment in motion. Until the dust has settled, expect Brett Yormark to remain aggressive.

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Casey Lundquist
CASEY LUNDQUIST

Casey Lundquist is the publisher and lead editor of Cougs Daily. He has covered BYU athletics for the last four years. During that time, he has published over 2,000 stories that have reached more than three million people.

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