Brett Yormark on future Big 12 expansion: 'I've got to be prepared for the what if'

Conference expansion has been a major topic of conversation this offseason as a majority of conferences will look different heading into the fall. But in the past two seasons, no league has undergone more conference expansion than the Big 12.

Texas and Oklahoma officially left the Big 12 on July 1. But over the past two offseasons, the conference added BYU, Cincinnati, UCF, Houston, Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah, further expanding the geographical footprint of the league in a major, unexpected way.

This year likely won’t be the last round of conference realignment in college sports, and at Big 12 Media Days, Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark was asked if he envisions the conference expanding even more beyond 16 teams.

“Well from a Big 12 perspective it’s critically important that I prioritize the integration of those six schools,” Yorkmark said. “You know, I took this job less than two years ago and we’ve grown by 60%, and that’s pretty dramatic.

“That being said, listen I’ve got to be prepared for the what if. I’ve always felt that way and I don’t like surprises. So maintaining a pulse on what’s happening in the marketplace, and being able to capitalize on opportunities that might present themselves. I’ve got to be ready.”

When it comes to conference realignment there’s no doubt that conference commissioners have to stay ready. With the announcement of Texas and Oklahoma’s formal departure from the Big 12 coming on an unexpected day in July of 2021, the first domino to fall ultimately led to more teams leaving their respective conferences ahead of the 2024 season.

“That being said, really the priority is we’re 16 team league for the first time, want to make sure the integration of the of four this year and the four from last year are done at a high level. And most importantly, I want us to become the best version of ourselves,” Yormark explained. “We got a lot of growth ahead of us, a lot of potential and I want to push forward and realize that. But if an opportunity presents itself to strengthen this conference, for all the right reasons, we’ve got to pursue it.”

It’s clear that growing isn’t exactly priority number one for Yormark and the Big 12, with a clear focus on their highly anticipated upcoming season as a new-look conference, one he’s already coined as the deepest and most competitive in college football ahead of the 2024 season.