College Confidential

Big 12 officials distribute league-record $198 million in revenues to members

Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby announced today that his league will distribute a league-record $198 million in revenues to its 10 members for the 2012-13 school year.

The revenue distributions, announced at the conclusion of the Big 12 spring meetings in Irving, break down to approximately $22 million per school for the league’s eight charter members. First-year members TCU and West Virginia each will receive half-shares of $11 million as part of a four-year phase-in agreement put in place when those schools agreed to join the Big 12.

Even as half-share recipients, the $11 million represents a significant jump in revenues from last year for TCU and West Virginia. TCU was a member of the Mountain West last year, where it never earned more than $2 million in any school year. West Virginia competed in the Big East.

For the other members, the $22 million is the largest per-school take in Big 12 history. It also exceeds today’s announced distribution of revenues in the Southeastern Conference, which passed out $20.7 million per school ($289.4 million total) to its 14 members, including Texas A&M.

Bowlsby said the Big 12 distribution numbers, derived primarily from television contracts, bowls and NCAA basketball tournament appearances, will only increase in future years. Bowlsby said projected revenues will reach $30 million per school by 2015-16, the first year that TCU and West Virginia will receive full shares, and could top $40 million by the end of the league’s existing television contracts with Fox and ESPN that run through the 2024-2025 school year.

_ Jimmy Burch

 

Fox Sports SW to offer live telecasts of OU, Texas Tech spring FB games #RedRaiders, #OU

Fox Sports Southwest will offer live telecasts of the Oklahoma and Texas Tech spring football games, network officials announced today.

The telecast of the Oklahoma game, set for Saturday in Norman, Okla. (2 p.m., FSSW), will be preceded by a two-hour pregame show. Tech’s spring game will be played April 20 in Lubbock (1 p.m., FSSW).
Both games also will air nationally on Fox College Sports.

Texas A&M’s spring game, set for Saturday (2 p.m., Kyle Field), will be an ESPN national telecast. Network officials announced plans to air the Aggies’ spring game last month.

In May, FSSW officials also will air a series of 30-minue shows recapping spring drills for area colleges. Below is a look at FSSW’s planned schedule of spring football coverage for area colleges:

FOX SPORTS SOUTHWEST SPRING FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
(All times listed are Central; Schedule subject to change)
 
Spring Games:
Sat., April 13      Noon            Sooner Sports Gameday1
                           2:00 p.m.      OU Spring Game1
Sat., April 20      1:00 p.m.      Texas Tech Spring Game2
 
1 – Available on FOX Sports Plus in Houston, Central/South Texas, Arkansas & Louisiana markets
2 – Available on FOX Sports Plus in Houston and Oklahoma markets
                           
Spring Football Series:
Baylor: Saturday, May 4, 1:30 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.; Sunday, May 5, 10:00 p.m.; Tuesday, May 7, 1:00 p.m.; Wednesday, May 8, 10:30 p.m.; Sunday, May 12, 7:00 a.m.; Friday, May 17, 10:00 p.m.; Saturday, May 25, 3:30 p.m.; Wednesday, May 29, 4:30 p.m.
 
Oklahoma: Monday, May 6, 10:00 p.m.; Tuesday, May 7, 1:30 p.m.; Saturday, May 11, 11:30 a.m.; Tuesday, May 14, 8:00 p.m.; Wednesday, May 22, 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, May 25, 6:30 p.m.
 
Oklahoma State: Thursday, May 9, 10:00 p.m.; Friday, May 10, 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, May 11, 11:00 a.m.; Wednesday, May 15, 11:00 p.m.; Tuesday, May 21, 12:30 p.m.; Saturday, May 25, 6:00 p.m.; Wednesday, May 29, 5:30 p.m.
 
TCU: Thursday, May 9, 9:00 p.m.; Saturday, May 11, 9:30 p.m.; Monday, May 13, 6:00 p.m.; Saturday, May 18, 3:00 p.m.; Monday, May 20, 5:30 p.m.; Saturday, May 25, 4:00 p.m.; Wednesday, May 29, 8:30 a.m.; Friday, May 31, 9:00 p.m.
 
Texas A&M: Tuesday, May 7, 10:30 p.m.; Wednesday, May 8, 3:30 p.m.; Friday, May 10, 5:00 p.m.; Wednesday, May 15, 10:30 p.m.; Saturday, May 18, 11:30 a.m.; Friday, May 24, 10:00 p.m.; Saturday, May 25, 4:30 p.m.
 
Texas: Wednesday, May 1, 6:00 p.m.; Friday, May 3, 9:00 a.m.; Saturday, May 4, 1:00 p.m.; Tuesday, May 7, noon; Thursday, May 9, 9:30 p.m.; Sunday, May 12, 7:30 a.m.; Friday, May 17, 9:30 p.m.; Friday, May 24, 2:30 p.m.; Saturday, May 25, 5:00 p.m.; Friday, May 31, 9:30 p.m.
 
Texas Tech: Sunday, May 12, 10:00 p.m.; Monday, May 13, 8:00 p.m.; Wednesday, May 15, 10:00 p.m.; Friday, May 17, 11:30 a.m.; Tuesday, May 21, 10:30 p.m.; Friday, May 24, 2:00 p.m.; Saturday, May 25, 5:30 p.m.; Tuesday, May 28, 10:00 p.m.
 

_ Jimmy Burch

 

Former Aggie commit chooses TCU

TCU picked up the 18th commitment of its 2013 class Sunday.
Athlete Cameron Echols-Luper said he connected so well with current TCU wide receiver Cam White and the TCU coaching staff he committed this weekend before taking his other scheduled visit to Texas Tech.
“Like honestly we are almost alike,” Echols-Luper said of White via text. “We connected great but it was the same with the coaches.”
Echols-Luper and White previously met on the Auburn, Alabama native’s unofficial visit to Fort Worth last summer. Echols-Luper said TCU plans on using him at wide receiver. Earlier this week, the Rivals.com three-star athlete decommitted from Texas A&M citing too many wide receivers committed in the Aggies 2013 class. When he previously committed to A&M, Echols-Luper said he chose between the Aggies and Frogs because he wanted to play close to family he has in Ennis, just southeast of Dallas.

-- Travis L. Brown

 

Arlington Bowie RB switches commitment, other local recruiting notes

Arlington Bowie running back Russell Hansbrough has switched his commitment from Arizona State to Missouri.

"Decommiting from a college is by far one of the hardest things to do. I am officially a man and I am officially a Mizzou TIGER," Hansbrough wrote on his Twitter account.

Hansbrough, who posted 1,250 rushing yards and 20 total touchdowns (even while dealing with a leg injury) this season, also held offers from Texas Tech, Baylor and Auburn among other schools.

He becomes the fourth player from the area to commit to the Tigers, as Keller Central offensive lineman Simon Goines, Everman linebacker Torey Boozer and Cleburne defensive back have given Missouri their pledge.

Taylor sticking with baseball

Mansfield Timberview quarterback Charles Taylor said on Tuesday that he will stick to his baseball commitment to UT Arlington, rather than pursuing football in college.

Taylor, who recorded nearly 4,000 total yards and 39 touchdowns in leading the Wolves to the Class 5A Div. II state semifinals, turned down offers from Air Force and Navy.

Oakridge QB considering four

Oakridge quarterback Calvin Garret is down to four schools, according to Owls coach Phillip Farhat.

Garrett, the nephew of Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett, plans to choose between Dartmouth, Princeton, Bucknell and Holy Cross.

He plans on visiting Holy Cross later this month and will make his decision afterward, Farhat said.

Garrett accumulated 2,500 passing yards and 20 touchdowns this season to go with four rushing touchdowns.

-- Matthew Reagan

Mizzou departure boosts TCU's Big 12 expansion odds ... and other realignment fodder

Thanks to the wandering eyes of administrators at Missouri, the Big 12 will remain at the epicenter of conference realignment news and speculation for the foreseeable future.

Let’s be clear: No one should blame Missouri officials for wanting to explore their long-term options before pledging allegiance to a league that is asking for only a six-year commitment from existing – and prospective – members going forward. It’s the prudent thing to do and Missouri officials announced Tuesday night they will take that step.

What would a Missouri departure to the Southeastern Conference mean to the Big 12?

For starters, it would enhance TCU’s stock as an expansion candidate.

If the Big 12 needs to expand from an eight-team nucleus, there no longer would be a choice to make between TCU and Brigham Young in terms of recapturing a 10-team configuration to fit the parameters of the league’s lucrative Fox Sports contract signed in April.

You’d need two schools and, for a variety of reasons, those two project to be at the head of the expansion list. BYU, an independent in football, and TCU – which can legally get out of its commitment to join the Big East next year, if it chooses – would be the easiest plug-in replacements for a 2012 football schedule that must be re-worked without A&M (and, possibly, without Mizzou).

Both schools also offer long-term value and make sense geographically if additional expansion occurs. If the Big 12 drops to an eight-team nucleus, do not be surprised if league officials explore a two-step expansion process: TCU and BYU in stage one, with other schools added/approached later.

If Missouri stays, the Big 12 would be rebuilding from a nine-team nucleus. If Big 12 administrators opt to stop the expansion process at 10, a choice would have to be made between TCU and BYU. If the expansion process is extended to 12 or more teams, both remain in play.

At this juncture, there is not going to be much tangible movement in regard to Big 12 expansion until Missouri makes a decision. Just a lot of chatter and speculation.

League administrators, who have looked at future models consisting of 9, 10, 12 and 16 teams, need a clearer vision of their starting point – as either an eight- or nine-school nucleus – before they begin approaching expansion candidates to gauge interest. It is a key consideration, especially if the continent pushing for a 10-team configuration wins the day. If only one school is needed, only one would be approached.

Depending on what Missouri does, the Big 12 could respond with anything from inactivity to consideration of a full-blown merger with the Big East (which is down to seven football-playing schools, including TCU, for the 2012 season but it looking at expansion plans to include Navy, Air Force and Temple).

What happens next? Here are some Big 12 options and thoughts about each:

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: 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. 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. One possibility, if Mizzou departs, would be to seek a four-team package of 2012 Big East members (TCU, Louisville, Cincy, W. Va.). Another could include TCU, BYU, Louisville and West Virginia or Cincy. If Mizzou stays, a three-team expansion move could involve TCU, BYU and Boise State. Or TCU, BYU and Louisville.
4. 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.
5. 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. If Missouri leaves, C-USA member Central Florida could enter the picture in a 16-team expansion model.

_ Jimmy Burch

 

TCU's Patterson on Aggie soap opera

TCU coach Gary Patterson says he hasn’t paid too much attention to the reports that Texas A&M may leave the Big 12 for the SEC. But what did raise an eyebrow was a Big 12 source telling the New York Times that if A&M left and wanted to add more schools, TCU wouldn’t be of interest.
"To me, that just goes to show you they don’t like great football," Patterson said after Saturday’s scrimmage. "It’s just amazing to me. I’ll leave it to those guys who think they know all they need to know about football."
BYU and Louisville have been mentioned as possible candidates for a revamped Big 12 if the Aggies bolt. TCU, which moves from the Mountain West to the Big East in 2012, likely wouldn’t be too keen on joining a revamped collection of schools playing in the shadow of Texas. The Horned Frogs have what they want with the Big East, an automatic qualifying berth to a BCS bowl beginning next season.

 

 

-- Stefan Stevenson
@FollowtheFrogs 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SEC ramblings

    I wanted to talk briefly about SEC basketball. It appears to be a down year in the SEC. I see only four sure NCAA Tournament invitations for the SEC, with two teams on the bubble.

    Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee appear to be shoo-ins in the East and LSU in the West. Kentucky and Ole Miss are on the bubble.

    Florida, Kentucky and South Carolina are all at +2 in conference play and have respective RPIs of 45, 66 and 46. Tennessee is +1 and has an RPI of 22. In the West, LSU's RPI is 40 and Ole Miss' is 64.

    Two schools have fired their coaches, Alabama and Georgia. Both will probably hire African-American replacements. My early prediction is Alabama will hire Mike Anderson of Missouri and Georgia will hire Anthony Grant of Virginia Commonwealth.

    Today, I thought I would start a series on spring football. I wanted to start with Alabama. The Crimson Tide made a run at the BCS title in coach Nick Saban's second year. They suffered what I consider a 14-round knockout at the hands of Florida in the SEC Championship game. And although the Tide was whipped by Utah in the Sugar Bowl, Alabama fans are plenty excited about the future.

Vols picked as SEC favorites

The Tennessee Volunteers were picked as the preseason favorites to defend their 2008 Southeastern Conference men's basketball title.
The Volunteers, which won 31 games last year and reached the Sweet 16, return two starters in Tyler Smith and Wayne Chism. Six letterwinners also return.
Tennessee was picked ahead of Florida, Kentucky and Vanderbilt in the SEC East, while Alabama was predicted to win the SEC West. Here's the preseason all-conference teams:

FIRST TEAM ALL-SEC: Patrick Patterson (6-9, 235), Soph., Kentucky; F Tyler Smith (6-7, 215), Jr., Tennessee; G/F Nick Calathes (6-6, 194), Soph., Florida; G Devan Downey (5-9, 175), Jr., South Carolina; C A.J. Ogilvy (6-11, 250), Soph., Vanderbilt.           
 
SECOND TEAM ALL-SEC: G Marcus Thornton (6-4, 205), Sr., LSU; F/C Jarvis Varnado (6-9, 210), Jr., Miss. State; G Ronald Steele (6-1, 191), Sr., Alabama; F Tasmin Mitchell (6-7, 240), Jr., LSU; G Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219), Sr., Alabama.

-Trae Thompson

Kentucky checks in with a checkout

Kentucky football coach Rich Brooks says quarterback Curtis Pulley has been kicked off the team for violating team rules.

Brooks made the surprise announcement Tuesday at the team's preseason media day. Last week, Brooks had said Pulley would miss playing time for his recent brushes with the law but still had a chance to win the starting job for the Wildcats.

Pulley was arrested on traffic charges last month in Hardin County. In June, he also received a citation for marijuana possession in Louisville. Pulley missed last season because of academic reasons.

Pulley had been competing with sophomore Mike Hartline to succeed Andre Woodson as the Wildcats' starting quarterback. The dismissal likely moves Will Fidler to second on the depth chart. Fidler also was arrested last month on a disorderly conduct charge for an incident outside a Lexington restaurant.

-- The Associated Press

There's nothing like it

Once again, it's back down memory lane.
This is my second taste of SEC baseball this season. For four years I got spoiled, and was able to watch great baseball on a regular basis down south. Just like with SEC football, fans get very passionate when it comes to their baseball. Of course, being around a powerhouse like LSU, I was at a stadium that had the highest attendance for close to 10 straight years. My favorite weekend came when LSU and Alabama played a weekend series. The two were both highly-ranked, and on opening night, Alabama mounted a rally. LSU put in one of its stud relievers, Randy Keisler, and you could hear Tide fans and players jawing.
Keisler retired the side, then turned to the Tide dugout and jawed back.
The place went nuts. -Trae