Tom Holmoe says the timing is right to retire. It’s kind of chill he will ride into the sunset having BYU ranked No. 7 nationally in the NCAA Directors’ Cup after fall and winter semesters.
This is before one of his department’s strengths — men’s and women’s outdoor track and field — finishes the season in the NCAA championships held in June. The standings will be updated in late April, and the final rankings will be in June.
If you saw Holmoe walking off that Cougar Cruise with a smile, it’s only because he’s enjoying the time of his life.
BYU’s No. 7 ranking in the Learfield Directors’ Cup sponsored by the NACDA is behind No. 1 North Carolina, Stanford, Wisconsin, Ohio State, USC and Texas.
The Cougars rank No. 1 in the Big 12 followed by West Virginia at 21. Arizona State is third (37th), followed by Iowa State (38th), Oklahoma State (42nd), TCU (45th) and Utah (48th). Cincinnati is last, ranked 140th.
BYU’s ranking comes after both its football and basketball programs finished No. 13 in the final Associated Press polls. Kevin Young’s basketball team made it to the Sweet 16 for only the third time in school history.
BYU’s combined football and basketball ranking (26th) put BYU No. 3 nationally in combined rankings in those two sports behind Tennessee and Alabama. Only seven programs had football and basketball teams ranked in the final AP polls.
Holmoe, whose leadership has taken BYU from membership in the Mountain West Conference to more than a decade as an independent in football and a WCC member in other sports, to Year 2 in the Big 12 this season, is contracted to work through August. He could leave his post earlier. His successor has not been named.
The decision to retire came last summer. Holmoe and his wife Lori told their children that no matter how the football and basketball seasons turned out — be it 12-0 or 0-12 in football — the decision had been made and it was final.
He’s sticking to it.
Speaking to BYUtv from the cruise ship off the coast of Mexico this past week, Holmoe was reticent to take credit for a sensational sports year and a trajectory that has been trending upward the past few years.
“I really firmly believe that this foundation was set years ago,” said Holmoe, “and I’m saying it was (set) before my time here.”
Holmoe said he saw the wife of All-American Eldon “The Phantom” Fortie on the cruise ship. During his tenure as a BYU athlete and staff member he got the chance to meet Fortie; he got to know him and talk to him.
He credits Fortie, and players like him, and the late LaVell Edwards and QB Gifford Nielsen (whom he never played with) and all the other players, coaches and athletic directors for building a foundation for success.
The Cougar Cruise, for example, finished its seven-day itinerary on Friday at the Port of Long Beach near Los Angeles. It was packed with former and current football and basketball players.
In a packed arena of more than 3,500 people, former All-American and Hall of Famer Jim McMahon was introduced and met with a roar from the audience. As he and others mingled with passengers during the week, Holmoe witnessed another chapter in the tapestry of what the program’s sports mean to people.
“There are retired people who’ve come up to me and told me they watch ”Cougar Nation" (BYUtv) every single day. They never miss it,” he said. This allows them to be introduced and know the athletes not only from the major sports, but the Olympic sports, too.
Holmoe said he saw BYU legends walking around the ship mixing and mingling with current star athletes.
“I’m telling the players now that they are going to be examples in the future and those kids coming up to them are dreaming of doing the things they do. It’s one big family — they become part of the family, no matter how big or small their role.”
In the era of NIL, BYU’s 2024-25 season has been chock-full of news headlines that continued this past week and month, especially with the signing of the country’s No. 1 basketball player in 2025, AJ Dybantsa.
Holmoe, however, warned that it’s a crazy world right now and on social media it is getting out of hand with reports about NIL deals that just are not accurate. He said he has to be careful not to respond or comment on all that he sees that is not right. But, if he sees the need when things are completely out of whack with reality, he will.
Holmoe said the university has given specific guidelines for NIL on what will be done and what will not be done. He also said guidelines that are in effect right now by the NCAA will change by next year.
So, hold onto your hats, he cautioned.
In a sense, Holmoe is getting out just in time with some remarkable achievements by his coaches and players this past year.
Yes, he’s riding high.
Holmoe is certainly enjoying that good life this year.
