Mike Leach discusses future of the SEC after Oklahoma, Texas additions

A 16-team SEC is on the horizon with Oklahoma and Texas set to join by 2025. That means the league will have to shake things up, and Mississippi State coach Mike Leach previewed that at SEC Media Days on Tuesday.

Leach spoke highly of Oklahoma and Texas and how they’ve fared in the Big 12. That’s a reason why he thinks they’re going to transition to the SEC well. But, he said, the level of competition is going to increase, which is why they’ll be in for some big changes as they transition.

“I think they’re kind of already acclimated from the standpoint good teams play as hard as they can and try to improve their skills along the way. So I think they’re certainly ready to do that. I think the competition level raised. … From their standpoint, I think it’s going to change things quite dramatically.”

Leach also previewed what the SEC standings will look like after the two additions. He made his pitch for Oklahoma and Texas to be in the SEC West while moving Alabama and Auburn to the SEC East.

“From our standpoint, you guys [in the media] have us as having the toughest schedule in the country, so that being the case, we can’t play everybody,” Leach said. “So knock two of those guys off and add OU and Texas and that probably gained about half a step, I would think. The two most Eastern teams in the West are the two Alabama schools, so send them East and we have to play Texas and OU and we probably gained a little on that.”

Pete Thamel says Oklahoma, Texas ADs would prefer to get SEC move ‘over with’

There is a thought the two programs could be on the move before the Big 12 media right end, allowing them to move to the SEC for free. ESPN’s Pete Thamel laid out why, saying the length between announcement and actually moving will feel like a long time. Especially with a new commissioner in the Big 12, there could be a fresh slate of negotiations.

“Well, I think the Oklahoma and Texas situation is a simple one,” Thamel said. “They have three football seasons remaining on that deal. Two of those seasons, ESPN is not the primary broadcaster of them and the third one, it is. So let’s make logical sense. If they are to leave early, it would only be by one year.

“There’s nothing imminent about that process happening but there has been more of a sense of openness to it. Brett Yormark, the new Big 12 commissioner, mentioned that at Big 12 Media Days. It would be four seasons since they announced it, that’s a long time.”

On3’s Griffin McVeigh contributed to this report.