It’s officially the college football preseason as the 2024 Big 12 Media Days are now behind us. This week, all 16 teams converged in Las Vegas, Nevada, to give media members a chance to dissect the thoughts of coaches and players concerning the upcoming season.
With eight of the 16 programs in the league entering their first or second year in the Big 12, it’s going to be an incredibly unpredictable league from week to week. That said, it will also be the most competitive conference in the land.
From Colorado’s Deion Sanders to Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy, there were several major storylines coming out of the event — but which one takes the cake?
The Heartland College Sports staff discusses in this week’s roundtable.
Pete Mundo: “I will not stop until we are the No. 1 conference in America.”
That quote from Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark continues to stand out. Not that I think he’s necessarily going to accomplish it, but his enthusiasm and drive to try and achieve it remains the reason he’s the perfect commission for this conference at this point in the history of college athletics. He continues to find unique angles to benefit the conference; whether it’s a potential sponsor name or the private equity route, he’s pushing the envelope of the statuesque in college sports. That’s exactly what this conference needs right now.
The Big 12 has solidified itself as the No. 3 Power conference in college football while ranking No. 1 in college basketball. While football is undeniably king, there’s still room to grow there if the Big 12 can find itself some year-in, year-out competitive football teams that win multiple games in the College Football Playoff. It won’t be easy, but Yormark being unafraid to gain every competitive advantage he can is nothing but great news for the conference as it heads into its first season as a 16-team conference.
Bryan Clinton: Deion Sanders Steals the Show
The lasting impression that I was left with after Big 12 Media Days is that Prime Time is now officially in the league, and until further notice, he’ll demand the spotlight — whether he wants it or not. Deion Sanders is the least experienced head coach in the Big 12, yet he was the biggest name on the podium.
“I think we’re lucky in our league that [Sanders] is with us because he brings more people and notoriety and viewers to the Big 12 Conference, and that’s what makes it go,” Gundy said. “We need viewership. We want people to watch our teams play. It will be fun to have him in our league.”
Because of that spotlight, and the pressure to succeed at Colorado, Sanders top quote of the day was noting that he’s “judged on a different scale.”
“Nothing I do is ever going to be enough,” he said. “I’m cool with that. I understand that that is life, and that’s how life is going to be. But I plan on being a tremendous blessing to as many people I can bless, especially those probably 120 young men that put on this CU helmet and go out and play for our school and our program.
“To sum it all up, man, I just want to be known as a great dad. I think I’ve got three sons here today. And I just want to be a great dad to them. That’s it.”
Matthew Postins: Dave Aranda is ‘Paying Players’
For me, it was Dave Aranda’s “We’re paying players” comment. Yes, Deion Sanders sucked the oxygen out of the room. But the coach with the hottest seat in the Big 12 said the quiet part out loud. Aranda meant NIL in this case, but he could also be alluding to the revenue sharing that is coming in college sports in general and football in specific. He took the blame for Baylor being behind on NIL, but it’s clear from recent recruiting efforts that they’re catching up. But he also said that after last year’s 3-9 campaign his roster was a great example of one that could be “poached” in the transfer portal. NIL can be a tool to prevent that. Aranda is the type of coach who likes player development. His “paying players” comment, while blunt, may show that he’s finally gotten the message on NIL.
Joe Tillery: Kyle Whittingham’s Timeline Not Too Far Away
With my colleagues mentioning a few other notable stories from Big 12 Media Days, I thought one of the most interesting stories was slipped into the conversation with Utah’s head coach departing the stage.
When asked for his thoughts on Las Vegas and the Utes’ experience in the sports gambling capital of the world, Whittingham raved about Las Vegas before throwing an interesting wrinkle into the fold. Shortly after saying that retirement is still a way down the road because he feels as sharp as ever, Whittingham mentioned Utah’s 2027 opener in Vegas against the Miami Hurricanes and let it slip that he may not be there for the game.
The Utes have already appointed a new head coach in waiting, and with Whittingham’s comments about his future sparking some concern among Utah fans, I truly believe it was one of the biggest storylines of the event.
Derek Duke: The New-Look Big 12 is Truly America’s Conference
For me, the biggest storyline was not about just one coach or a player; it was about the conference. On the opening day of Big 12 Media Days, Brett Yormark took the stage, and every time he talked, people listened. He has a way of carrying himself that is different from that of other conference commissioners. When Brett says something, you truly believe it is going to happen, and it makes me feel like this conference is in great hands.
Speaking of the conference, how about the new schools coming in? It seemed like every single coach from the new four schools were VERY complimentary about their new home. Kenny Dillingham (ASU), Kyle Whittingham (Utah), Brent Brennan (Arizona), and even Deion Sanders (Colorado) all seemed genuinely excited about the Big 12. I have said it before, and I will say it again: like Brett Yormark, this is the most competitive conference from top to bottom in all of college football. Welcome to the new Big 12, America’s Conference.
