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The partying is over after all the celebrations connected to BYU’s official entry into the Big 12. They were fun times and long overdue. Now comes the hard part, preparing to go week after week and toe-to-toe with Power Five teams. Football will become a grind and basketball will be the highest level of play in the country.
BYU will likely be the lower to the middle of the pack in football, with a chance to make the top third if everything goes right. In basketball, the Cougars have an uphill climb to stay out of the basement. They’ll need a lot of home wins to make it happen. In women’s soccer, women’s basketball, and men’s and women’s track and field and cross-country, BYU will more than hold its own and perhaps chase some titles and All-America honors.
Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark predicts in a few years the league will be one of the best in the nation. Jay Drew provided a look at the past half-century of BYU trying to make it into a league like the Big 12.
Cougar Insiders predictions
Question of the week: Now that the Big 12 entry celebrations are over, what should be No. 1 on Kalani Sitake’s to-do list?
Dave McCann: When the Air Force F-35s zipped over LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday night, they ushered in a no-fly zone for BYU coach Kalani Sitake. When it comes to football matters, he’s grounded.
Fans are licking their chops for the game they love, especially in the wake of the Cougars’ Big 12 membership, but the top of Sitake’s July to-do list should be this — nothing. Nada. Zilch.
For Sitake and his staff, the week leading up to Big 12 media days (July 12-13) and the few following weeks are all left to recharge the engines. Fall camp starts early next month before BYU faces a 12-game schedule that includes a program-record 10 consecutive P5 opponents.
As much as the Cougars will need physical size and strength to succeed on the field, they will also need a staff that is mentally energized and full of fresh ideas. Sitake’s playbook should read like this: take a nap, play with the kids, grill a steak, hit some golf balls, take another nap, swim, travel, see the new “Indiana Jones” movie, do everything Timberly asks and avoid anything football related.
Same goes for all his staff. Call it a condensed purge.
This is an unprecedented time around college football, where old-school recruiting, spring practice and the popularity of the transfer portal extended the grind that started prior to last season. There hasn’t been a break, and in a matter of weeks it will start all over again.
Burnout is real and avoiding it will be among the many challenges that come with BYU’s grueling first season in the Big 12. The staff will spend next month preparing the team. July is the time to prepare themselves.
Doing nothing now could mean everything later and the clock is ticking.
Dick Harmon: I had a chance to talk to many of Sitake’s staff during a media golf outing at Cedar Hills. They told me this was their first day of vacation, they’d been recruiting, working spring practice and then back recruiting since the bowl game. Yes, I agree with Dave they should all take advantage of this narrow window in the coming weeks and recharge with families because it isn’t going to get easier come the end of July.
But there are a few administrative items, and I think it would be wise for the athletic department to take care of them sooner rather than later. BYU has some very talented analysts on the payroll, including Jan Jorgensen and Gavin Fowler, to name a few. These guys do a lot of grunt work, breaking down film and splitting up minute, detailed work, all to enable the full-time coaches to recruit and do skill development. I would hope with Big 12 money coming, there could be some raises in store for these guys. They deserve it and BYU will be going up against league competition that has very talented, well-paid analysts on staff putting together scouting reports, making cutouts of plays and investigating opponents.
I hope somewhere amongst the vacations, downtime and recharging of batteries, these guys will be remembered as things gear up for the season opener in September.
Cougar tales
BYU’s first-ever Big 12 media days will be July 12-13 in Arlington, Texas. There will be more than 300 media members credentialed for the event. BYU is sending QB Kedon Slovis, receiver Kody Epps, linebacker Ben Bywater, defensive end Tyler Batty and punter Ryan Rehkow. In this piece by Jordan Christiansen, BYU soccer has its eye on a Big 12 title. Tom Holmoe explains where BYU stands in preparation for the Big 12 during a week of celebration. Expectations are high for Big 12 competition by fans after more than a decade of independence. A sampling of fans during a celebration party provides candid reactions.
From the archives
From the Twitterverse
Extra points
- Conner Mantz represents big Utah group at USA track and field championships (Deseret News)
- Oklahoma State transfer explains his decision (Deseret News)
- BYU announces field design for Big 12 (KSL Sports)
Fanalyst
Comments from Deseret News readers:
Happy and excited for BYU, but as a longtime G5 and P5 fan I’ve seen firsthand the difference in what is required in a G5 vs. P5 situation. BYU will have to step up its game in recruiting funding, NIL funding and coaching and staff salaries. The Cougars will have to devote efforts to facilities upgrades (already happening) and booster support.
But top apex priority is recruiting. We can’t compete at this level with two- and three-star players, no matter how good our coaches are. And if we don’t have coaches that are great recruiters and can devote 16-hour days to the NIL and recruiting process, then find ones that can. You want the big stage, you gotta have the talent to be there. ... Make it happen Cougs.
— CougsnDawgs
I love that Tom Holmoe is the BYU AD. He has done a masterful job navigating independence and making sure BYU was the first call the Big 12 made. I love that Yormark is the Big 12 commissioner. Now is not the time to have lightweights in charge that lack vision. Just look at the Pac-12 debacle. Sheesh, what a mess.
— The Trooper
Up next
July 12-13 | Football | Big 12 media days | @Arlington, Texas
Aug. 5 | 7 p.m. | Soccer | Blue vs. White game | @Provo
Aug. 10 | 5 p.m. | Soccer | vs. Rutgers | @New Brunswick, New Jersey
