Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark faced ridicule after the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners departed the conference this offseason to join the SEC, officially becoming members on July 1. Yormark, who began his tenure as Big 12 commissioner in 2022, made controversial statements at Big 12 Media Days. He asserted that the Big 12 is the “deepest conference in America” and vowed to strive towards making it the premier conference in college football, remarks that elicited laughter and skepticism among fans and observers.
The Big 12 has indeed undergone significant changes in recent years. Last season, the conference welcomed BYU Cougars, Houston Cougars, UCF Knights, and Cincinnati Bearcats as new members. This offseason, the Utah Utes, Arizona Wildcats, Arizona State Sun Devils, and Colorado Buffaloes joined the conference.
Fans have criticized Commissioner Yormark, highlighting that the additions of BYU, Houston, Cincinnati, and UCF did not enhance the conference’s competitive standing. Among these teams, only UCF reached a bowl game last season. Cincinnati struggled with a 3-9 record, BYU finished 4-8, and Houston ended the season at 5-7, prompting skepticism about Yormark’s claims regarding the conference’s depth and competitiveness.
Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark walks beside OSU athletic director Chad Weiberg before a Bedlam college football game between the Oklahoma State University Cowboys (OSU) and the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023.
© BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK
Yormark did not have fans convinced that the Big 12 was the deepest conference either. One fan jokingly said it was true because the Big 12 was equally bad.
Big 12 Media Days end on Wednesday, with various coaches and players speaking to reporters.