Previewing Big 12 media days: Last mean Texas and

• Bill Connelly Close Expense Connelly ESPN Staff Author Bill Connelly is a staff writer for ESPN.com.Dave Wilson Close Dave Wilson ESPN Personnel Writer Dave Wilson is an editor for ESPN.com considering that 2010. He formerly operated at The Dallas Morning News, San Diego Union-Tribune and Las Vegas Sun.Jul 12, 2023, 07:00 AM ET The Huge 12 will start the start of media days on Wednesday, July 12, without any lack of interesting storylines.Oklahoma and Texas, the

conference’s most high-profile teams, will bid farewell after the 2023 season and head to the SEC. Whether the Sooners and Longhorns will be the focus of media days this week is up for debate.Elsewhere in the conference, commissioner Brett Yormark has actually expressed interest in expansion and adjustment, something that will likely be a big talking point this week.And, naturally, 4 new teams enter the fray as BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF ready for life in a brand-new conference.With plenty to discuss, we dive into the five biggest questions ahead of Big 12 media days.1. What can we expect from Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark’s address?Dave Wilson:

Yormark has been on the offensive because taking over as the Huge 12 commissioner. He’s certainly shaken things up, whether it’s announcing a

brand-new league basketball presence at Rucker Park in Harlem or an expansion into Mexico for multiple sports.

In 2015, he stated the league would be “more youthful, hipper, cooler,”so anticipate something along those lines, like when he announced a cooperation with streetwear business A Bathing Ape to sell $200 T-shirts with the Big 12 logo in camouflage. That certainly was a departure from the Bob Bowlsby era.Bill Connelly: We haven’t seen a major conference commissioner this positive because Larry Scott tried to steal half the Huge 12, bought very costly workplace property and decided not to stop with just a single Pac-12 Network. I doubt Yormark will get particularly specific in his media days address– simply keep hitting those buzzwords– but I’m fascinated with how the next couple of years might play out for this conference. Hostility didn’t pay off for Scott and the Pac-12, but that doesn’t mean it’s ensured to fail for Yormark.2. Just how much will realignment dominate the conversation?Editor’s Picks 2 Related Wilson: The league has reportedly flirted with Colorado and UConn, in addition to talking about the idea of including Gonzaga for basketball just. Yormark will likely do his best impression of a politician, having to dance around the particular examples while also making it clear that the league is still”open for organization,”as he’s stated in the past.Connelly: I make sure he would love absolutely nothing more than to reveal the addition of Colorado, UConn, Gonzaga, Arizona and the Monterrey Institute of Innovation from the dais, but that’s most likely not occurring. Realignment will likely show up many times, but these stories tend to break when we least expect it.3. What will the send-off resemble for Texas and Oklahoma?Wilson: In 2015, Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy made the most sound, stating the 2 schools should not be involved in league company conferences. Gundy has actually never ever been one to

mince words, so if he’s not already tired with it, he may have a few option lines. But the 2 schools also represent 2 of the very best jobs in college football, and there aren’t too many coaches who want to burn those bridges. Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy was outspoken during last year’s Huge 12 media days about Oklahoma and Texas leaving the conference. 220713 Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports Connelly: Gundy is never one to bite his tongue, and he probably won’t begin now.(Houston coach Dana Holgorsen is most likely still good for a zinger or 2 also. )However I’m thinking the league and its coaches will attempt to steer concerns about Oklahoma and Texas more towards remarks about the conference’s new schools and the fact that TCU– a school that’s staying– just earned the conference its very first College Football Playoff win.4. Which of the brand-new people is finest placed to make early sound? Wilson: UCF has actually been waiting for this minute for years. Gus Malzahn has been at the top of the mountain before at Auburn and has new offensive

organizer Darin Hinshaw to permit him to see the huge picture a little better. He’s got a returning starter at QB in John Rhys Plumlee, depth at RB and several big-program transfers to assist jump-start their big leap. However my money’s on Dana Holgorsen to have the very best soundbites of any of the newcomers.Connelly: Yeah, if we’re looking for literal noise, Holgorsen’s the answer. However in terms of first-year success, Houston, Cincinnati and BYU all took steps backwards last season and ranked 11th through 13th in the preseason poll. UCF ranked 8th, and in regards to hiring

rankings and athleticism, they appear to have the most Huge 12-ready roster. They had a case to start out sixth or seventh.5. What were the biggest surprises in the media poll released this week? The preseason Big 12 media survey leading 5(first-place votes):1. Texas(41)2. Kansas State (14 )3. Oklahoma (4)4. Texas Tech (4 )5. TCU (3)Wilson: Firstly, last year’s Leading 2 were Baylor and Oklahoma, with a combined 29 first-place votes. They integrated to finish 12-14 and 7-11 in the conference

. TCU, which finished seventh, played in thechampionship game game. So I marvel to see that Oklahoma still gets the advantage of the doubt over a team like Texas Tech, which returns nine offending starters from a team that beat both Texas and Oklahoma and led TCU on the roadway in the fourth quarter. And while Texas got 41 first-place votes, there were 28 more spread across 5 other groups, consisting of one for Oklahoma

State, who went through an offseason of substantial modification, losing 17 scholarship players in the transfer portal.Connelly: It’s all about close games in the Huge 12. Oklahoma, Baylor and OSU combined to go 16-4 in one-score surfaces in 2021, then went 4-11 in 2022. Texas Tech and TCU went a

combined 10-1 in such games in 2015, and that’s going to be challenging to match. TCU is expected to fall a few spots from in 2015’s standings, however Tech is anticipated to increase further(and even got 4 first-place votes ), which seems like a warning, no matter how much I enjoy what Joey McGuire is doing in Lubbock.