Last week, when University of Oklahoma President David Boren said he would like to see the Big 12 expand, ears around Utah perked up.
BYU has long been linked to Big 12 expansion speculation, and this just added more fuel to the fire, but why did Boren decide to bring up expansion now?
USA Today’s George Schroeder joined “The Audible” on Foxsports.com and offered his opinion on the matter.
“I didn’t see this as a whole lot different than anything David Boren would have told you a year ago, two years, three years ago,” he said. “The key is it has to be the right two schools. I don’t think he was trying to say it was imminent at all.”
But Schroeder did say he believed there was a reason behind the OU president’s comments.
“David Boren doesn’t say a lot of things just to say them. I do think it means something that he is firing it out there,” Schroeder said. “When he starts using words like debilitating, I start thinking that he at least really, really would like to figure out a way to do this, and it makes me think that others are thinking the same thing.
“A lot of the times he’ll be the guy that is unafraid to say something, and he’s not necessarily licking his finger, sticking up in the air to see what way the wind is blowing,” Schroeder continued. “When David Boren says things he typically knows what he’s doing. He’s a politician and knows how to send up a trial balloon.”
The podcast also went into which teams would be the top candidates to join the conference, mentioning BYU, Central Florida, Cincinnati and Memphis.
Fox Sports’ Bruce Feldman ranked UCF as the No. 1 option followed by Cincinnati, Memphis and then BYU.
Feldman’s colleague Stewart Mandel said that it depended on the criteria the Big 12 will look out in the candidates. He said that if it’s up to TV markets, then UCF would get the nod, but based off history, BYU would appear to be a no-brainer.
"If that's the criteria, and TV markets are critical, then I would agree UCF is probably No. 1 on the list and BYU is not as important," Mandel said. "But if their criteria is that 'We think we're at a disadvantage in the College Football Playoff race and we need strength in football,' then go get BYU who can be a top 25 contender every year. UCF has had success the last couple years, but I don't know if that's sustainable. Obviously, Memphis has a long way to go. Cincinnati has been good obviously. To me, BYU out of those four programs is another level with football history."
As for Schroeder, he said that Cincinnati and UCF would be his top two choices.
"I might put Cincinnati first on that list, but I don't have a great reason for it," Schroeder said. "I think Cincinnati and UCF of that list you gave us, not saying any of those four are going to happen, would probably be my top two."
Georgia QB prospect talks his trip to BYU
Ivan Corbin Jr, a quarterback prospect from Georgia, talked with scout.com about his trip to BYU and his experience at the All Poly Camp.
“There hasn’t been a school that I’ve been to that’s as nice as BYU,” said Corbin
Corbin, who hold offers from South Carolina and The Citadel, has not yet received an offer from the Cougars, but that could be changing.
According to Corbin, BYU currently has four offers out to quarterbacks in the 2016 class, and if one of those players doesn’t commit, the Georgia prospect believes the Cougars will look his way.
Corbin competed against one of those quarterbacks, Bingham High’s Keaton Torre, at the All Poly Camp and he said that he thinks Torre is close to committing to BYU.
“I know that Torre decommitted from Louisville, and I think he’s going to commit to BYU,” said Corbin who interacted with Torre at the All Poly Camp. “BYU’s coaches were out there, looking at him and watching him throw. He’s a good quarterback and was doing really well out there throwing the ball.”
From Twitter:
My Nike Academy Top 5 NBA prospect team: Kris Dunn, DeAndre Bembry, Justin Jackson, Ben Simmons, Jakob Poeltl
— Mike Schmitz (@Mike_Schmitz) June 30, 2015
Other links:
— Best players outside the Power 5 conferences (NFL.com)
— Ranking Nebraska’s 2015 schedule from easiest to toughest (Bleacher Report)
— The 8 biggest NBA free-agency questions. (Grantland)