College Confidential

Exploring the latest Big 12 realignment options

Heading into this weekend’s meeting of Big 12 presidents to discuss league-related issues, here’s a look at expansion options on the table, based on discussions with league administrators (and assuming Missouri remains in the league), and what would happen with each model:

1. Staying with 9 teams: Would maximize revenues per team from TV contracts but would do little to appease teams seeking long-term stability going forward. Probably a low percentage play.

2. Expanding to 10 teams only: Would recapture 10-team configuration in place for Fox Sports TV contract. Would also keep revenues-per-team high. But it would not appease those schools seeking long-term league stability. And that is the desire of multiple schools. This move could force league officials to choose between TCU and Brigham Young for a one-school expansion option. If this winds up being the extent of Big 12 expansion, that could be the one option that keeps TCU out of the loop going forward. Texas men’s athletic director DeLoss Dodds has expressed a desire for a 10-team configuration.

3. Expanding to 12 teams: Multiple options on the table, many of them including TCU and Big East schools Louisville, Cincinnati and West Virginia. BYU and Boise State also in the mix. Schools interested in long-term stability, as well as those wanting to recapture a conference championship game in football to generate revenues, prefer the 12-team models. Oklahoma president David Boren has been public about favoring a 12-team model.

4. 16-team model: A full-blown merger between Big 12 and Big East football-playing members in 2012 gets you to this number. But it’s not a high-percentage play because other options are more profitable and more appealing. Also: If Missouri leaves, and the Big 12 nucleus drops to eight, look for Central Florida to enter the picture in a 16-team expansion model.

_ Jimmy Burch

 

Texas reserve LBs Cobbs, Moss to miss Iowa State game

Texas reserve linebackers Demarco Cobbs (arm) and Chet Moss (back) will miss Saturday’s game at Iowa State, team trainers announced today. Cobbs and Moss were the only players listed on the Longhorns’ injury report.

_ Jimmy Burch

NCAA denies waiver for immediate eligibility to Baylor RB Seastrunk

Baylor officials announced today that the NCAA has denied a request for running back Lache Seastrunk to receive a waiver granting him immediate eligibility after transferring from Oregon.

Seastrunk, a five-star signee from Temple, redshirted last season and transferred in August to Baylor, citing issues related to the health of his grandfather. A hardship waiver by the NCAA would have cleared him to play this season. Instead, Seastrunk will sit out this season under NCAA transfer rules and will be classified as a sophomore when the 2012 season begins.

During his high school career, Seastrunk rushed for 4,217 yards and scored 52 touchdowns.

_ Jimmy Burch

A&M DB Campbell to miss Arkansas game with leg injury

Texas A&M safety Steven Campbell will miss Saturday’s game against Arkansas because of a leg injury, school officials announced today. Campbell is expected back “in a few weeks,” according to A&M’s injury report.

Cornerback Coryell Judie, who missed last week’s 30-29 loss to Oklahoma State because of a hamstring ailment, was listed as questionable. So was defensive lineman Jonathan Mathis (leg). Receiver Ryan Swope (concussion) was listed as probable.

 _ Jimmy Burch

Monday morning Big 12 coaches teleconference notes

First up is Texas coach Mack Brown.

When asked about continuing the rivalry with Texas A&M, Brown referred that topic to Texas AD DeLoss Dodds. Brown said the Big 12 and SEC are considered the two strongest conferences in the country right now.

Brown said personally he is fond of traditional rivalries and considers them important - including Texas vs. Texas A&M but also said schools are doing what is best for them at this point and it may not be in each schools' best interest to continue the game.

Brown said the Longhorns wouldn't name a starting QB and their plan is to go with Case McCoy and David Ash.

Next up is Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops.

On Texas A&M to the SEC, Stoops said he wished it hadn't happened but that the Big 12 is still a strong, powerful league.

"There is still a great deal here, when you look at the BCS system, and wha we have been able to do," Stoops said.

Stoops said he was pleased with his team's ability to bounce back against Mizzou but was disappointed with the way they started the game by getting down early.

On falling in the AP Poll, Stoops said he understands the drop and feels it was justified with his team's performance.

Next up is Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy.

On the Cowboys' win over Texas A&M last Saturday, Gundy said it had a lot to do with his team's confidence and chemistry.

On WR Justin Blackmon losing the ball and it going out of bounds in the end zone, Gundy said Blackmon was stretching out to reach the ball into the end zone.

Gundy said he looks forward to seeing Blackmon doing that in the NFL but not for his team again.

On the Big 12, Gundy said he was disappointed with the departure of Texas A&M.

"Maybe we will play with nine teams or maybe we will pick someone up," - Gundy on the conference's future. "I hate that they're not in our league and not part of the Big 12."

Next up is Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville.

On his team's close win over Nevada on Saturday, Tuberville said his team has a lot of room for improvement but he liked the mentality of his team. He said his players never panicked in having to rebound being down 14 points late in the game.

On Texas A&M to the SEC, Tuberville said the Aggies are going into a different environment but that "football is football. I think they'll do fine. I think they'll fit in well."

On Kansas (Tech's opponent on Saturday), Tuberville said the Jayhawks are much like his team in that they are looking for an identity and having to play a lot of young players.

 Nect up is Baylor coach Art Briles.

On QB Robert Griffin III, Briles said RG3 has improved with experience and has grown from an intellectual standpoint.

On Texas A&M's move to the Big 12, Briles said he has no thoughts or opinions and did not comment on whether or not he would miss the rivarly between the two schools.

Next up is Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman.

On Texas A&M-Arkansas being a conference game after this year, Sherman wasn't sure as to whether the teams would continue playing at a neutral site or have home/away games. The Aggies take on the Razorbacks at Cowboys Stadium on Saturday.

On going to the SEC, Sherman said he would address the topic after A&M's president makes comments on the issue on Monday night.

On continuing the rivalry with Texas, Sherman said it would be sad to see it end. If it does end, Sherman said new rivalries would come up. He said it would be difficult to have to play Texas and then go play an SEC team the next week.

Sherman said the Aggies' move to the SEC has not been a distration to his team.

- Matthew Reagan

Texas A&M officially joins SEC, league officials announce today

Texas A&M officially joined the Southestern Conference today, league officials announced on the SEC website.

In a statement, league officials said SEC presidents and chancellors acted unanimously to remove the conditional status from the school’s bid to join the league, effective July 1, 2012. The Aggies will be competing in the SEC for the 2012-13 school year.

A&M received a conditional bid from the SEC on Sept. 6, pending a waiver of legal claims by Baylor and other Big 12 moves associated with the move. In the interim, the Big 12 has taken steps to stabilize the league as a nine-member nucleus.

It is unclear this afternoon if Baylor and other Big 12 schools have waived their rights to legal claims or if the SEC simply decided to remove the conditional status from A&M’s invitation because of the likelihood of that happening.

Either way, the Aggies’ move is official, making the SEC a 13-team league for the 2012 football season.

A&M officials have scheduled a former news conference at 6 p.m. Monday in Kyle Field to address the school’s move to the SEC. Participants at the news conference will be SEC commissioner Mike Slive, A&M president R. Bowen Loftin and Florida president Brenie Machen, chairman of the SEC presidents and chancellors.

Dr. Bernie Machen, chairman of the SEC presidents and chancellors, issued a statement saying SEC administrators “are pleased to welcome Texas A&M University to the SEC family. The addition of Texas A&M … as the SEC’s 13th member gives our league a prestigious academic institution with a strong athletic tradition and a culture similar to our current institutions.”

A&M president R. Bowen Loften also issued a statement saying the SEC “provides Texas A&M the national visibility that our great university and our student-athletes deserve. We are excited to begin competition in the nation’s premier athletic conference. This is a 100-year decision that we have addressed carefully and methodically and I believe the Southeastern Conference gives the Aggies the best situation of any conference in the country.”

SEC commissioner Mike Slive added a statement as well, but it did not address the legal issue that led the SEC to issue a conditional invitation to A&M earlier this month. Instead, Slive said: “On behalf of our presidents, chancellors, athletics directors, students and fans, I welcome Texas A&M University to the SEC family. Texas A&M is a nationally-prominent institution on and off the field and a great fit for the SEC tradition of excellence _ athletically, academically and culturally.”

The A&M athletic program sponsors 20 sports and includes the reigning national champions in women’s basketball, women’s track and men’s track. A&M participates in every sport sponsored by the SEC except gymnastics. The SEC sponsors every sport currently sponsored by A&M except equestrian.

Attempts to reach A&M officials for additional comment have been unsuccessful.

_ Jimmy Burch

OU center Habern sidelined 4-6 weeks with broken bone in right arm

Oklahoma center Ben Habern will be lost for four to six weeks, school officials announced today, after undergoing surgery for a broken radius bone in his right arm. Habern, a junior from Argyle Liberty Christian, suffered the injury in Saturday’s 38-28 victory over Missouri. Habern (6-foot-2, 291 pounds) has started the last 17 games for the second-ranked Sooners (3-0, 1-0 in Big 12). Upon his return, Habern is expected to shift _ at least briefly _ to offensive guard. With a cast on the broken arm, Habern could play in four to six weeks. But he would not be able to play center, where he would be required to snap the ball with his right arm, until the arm is fully healed, which is expected to take six to eight weeks. Guard Gabe Ikard is expected to move to center during Habern's absence.
_ Jimmy Burch

A&M-Arkansas game set for 11 a.m. kickoff Saturday in Cowboys Stadium

Saturday’s game in Cowboys Stadium between No. 14 Texas A&M (2-1) and No. 18 Arkansas (3-1) has been selected as an ESPN telecast. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. in Arlington.
_ Jimmy Burch

TCU starting linebacker Tanner Brock out for the season

Tanner Brock, TCU’s leading tackler a year ago, will miss the rest of the season with a foot injury.
Brock, a junior, had foot surgery early in the summer, and practiced for much of August camp. He started in the season opener at Baylor but aggravated the injury and did not play in the second half. He has missed the Frogs’ last two games.
Senior linebacker Tank Carder, who had surgery on his hand before last week’s game, has moved from the middle spot to the strong side spot with Brock out. Kenny Cain, Kris Gardner and Greg Burks, along with freshman Deryck Gildon, have all filled in for Brock. Cain is likely to start alongside Carder today against Portland State.
Brock led the Horned Frogs with 106 tackles in 2010 as a sophomore, 26 more than the next TCU player.
-- Stefan Stevenson

Big 12 passed on grant-of-rights proposal last spring but OU now in fold in regard to measure

The same grant-of-rights proposal in regard to ABC/ESPN and Fox Sports contracts viewed as the primary hope for stabilizing the Big 12 was defeated in a vote of school presidents last spring, league sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed today.

Sources said the proposal, which needed a 75 percent vote to pass, received three opposing votes: one each from Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M. The other seven schools voted in favor of the measure at that time.

The issue resurfaced in Thursday night’s teleconference with Big 12 presidents, with a proposal for a six-year grant of rights agreement that would carry the league through the duration of its remaining ABC/ESPN contract that expires after the 2015-16 school year. Missouri Chancellor Brady Deaton, chairman of the Big 12 board of directors, said league officials agreed “to pursue” the idea _ which essentially would equate to a six-year commitment from league schools _ during the teleconference.

Adopting such a move means that a school would assign its primary TV rights to the conference for six years. If any school departed within those six years, its TV rights would remain with the Big 12, making that school unavailable for telecasts in its new league.

After Thursday’s teleconference, Oklahoma president David Boren came down strongly on the side of supporting the grant-of-rights deal, calling it “essential” for the league’s future.

“The grant of rights really binds a conference together,” Boren said. “These are strong handcuffs. We hope it will make us stable.”

With Boren now on the other side of the fence, based on Thursday’s comments, that brings the eighth vote to the table in favor of the propsal. That led Big 12 officials to express optimism Friday that the move will be enacted.

Texas men’s athletic director DeLoss Dodds said Wednesday that UT officials “don’t want to sign over” any TV rights to the league. With Texas A&M on the verge of joining the Southeastern Conference, Texas appears to be the lone holdout among nine league schools expecting to return to the Big 12 for the 2012-13 school year.

In an interview Friday with a Lubbock radio station, Texas Tech president Guy Bailey said such a move “would be the single most stabilizing factor” to secure the league’s long-term future.

_ Jimmy Burch