ARLINGTON, Texas — Editor's note: The video published above is a WFAA report from when it was announced that Oklahoma and Texas would be leaving the Big 12 for the SEC.
The 2022-23 season for the Big 12 Conference ushers in some big headlines, including the anticipated departure of powerhouses Oklahoma and UT and the arrival of a new commissioner.
Big 12 Media Days kicks off the year with a statement from the new leader, Brett Yormark, CEO of the Brooklyn Nets and co-CEO of Roc Nation. Commissioner Yormark spoke about the conference's alignment intent, including the timeline of UT and OU leaving for the SEC, the newfound concept of NIL in college athletics and even dropped in a fun fact not many people know about him.
WFAA also got an exclusive 1-on-1 interview with Commissioner Yormark, which will be put onto WFAA's YouTube channel.
Big 12 Media Days will last two days, July 13 and 14, where media will get to ask coaches and players from all 10 Big 12 Conference teams.
Here is a look at the schedule of press conferences on ESPNU:
July 13:
- 8:30 a.m.: Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark and Baylor President Linda Livingstone
- 10:15 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.: Baylor coach Dave Aranda
- 10:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.: Baylor players
- 10:45 a.m. to 11 a.m.: Kansas coach Lance Leipold
- 11 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.: Kansas players
- 11:15 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.: West Virginia coach Neal Brown
- 11:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.: West Virginia players
- 11:45 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Kansas State coach Chris Klieman
- 12 p.m. to 12:15 p.m.: Kansas State players
- 12:15 p.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy
- 12:30 p.m. to 12:45 p.m.: Oklahoma State players
July 14:
- 10:15 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.: Oklahoma coach Brent Venables
- 10:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.: Oklahoma players
- 10:45 a.m. to 11 a.m.: Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire
- 11 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.: Texas Tech players
- 11:15 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.: Iowa State coach Matt Campbell
- 11:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.: Iowa State players
- 11:45 a.m. to 12 p.m.: TCU coach Sonny Dykes
- 12 p.m. to 12:15 p.m.: TCU players
- 12:15 p.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Texas coach Steve Sarkisian
- 12:30 p.m. to 12:45 p.m.: Texas players
Day 2 coverage (July 14):
12:50 p.m. -- Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian says he's not yet named a starting quarterback.
12:47 p.m. -- Texas Longhorns Steve Sarkisian says the addition of Gary Patterson has been a welcome one. He added that he's admired the former TCU head coach from afar.
12:40 p.m. -- Texas Longhorns Steve Sarkisian says his team will feature a ton of new faces and "young ones," as well. Thirty-five of the 85 players are new players to the program, and 57 of the 85 are freshman or sophomores.
12:35 p.m. -- Texas Longhorns Steve Sarkisian takes the podium for his second year as UT's head coach.
12:24 p.m. -- TCU Sonny Dykes says the fact that the Horned Frogs are the only Big 12 school in the DFW metroplex presents a unique opportunity for talent acquisition. He added that he believes the DFW high school scene is unmatched.
12:11 p.m. -- TCU head coach Sonny Dykes says the Horned Frogs program comes with expectations.
"When you follow a legend, there's not many places where there's a statue of a coach outside the stadium," Dykes said of replacing Gary Patterson.
12:07 p.m. -- TCU's new head coach Sonny Dykes takes the podium at Big 12 Media Days. Sykes said he's excited to take over the Horned Frogs program.
11:47 a.m. -- Listen to the WFAA partners, Locked On Big 12, podcast here:
11:15 a.m. -- FUN FACT: Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire said this season will mark the first time in school history where a new head coach, a new masked rider and new horse will debut at the same time.
11:11 a.m. -- Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire highlights players brought to Big 12 Media Days, which includes two guys from the DFW area. Read more about them here.
10:42 a.m. -- Brent Venables says 40% of the team's roster has yet to actually put on an OU jersey in a game (33 scholarship, 15 walk-ons). Lots of turnover not only in the Big 12, but the Sooners' roster.
10:35 a.m. -- First year Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables takes the podium at Big 12 Media Days.
9:39 a.m. -- Big 12 Coordinator of Officials Greg Burks was asked about "Horns Down" ... here's what he had to say:
"I was waiting for that. … I have no ownership on this symbol. It's when you do it, who you do it to and the manner. Please, the state of Oklahoma, I meant no offense."
9:24 a.m. -- Here are the NCAA's "points of emphasis" in 2022-23, according to Big 12 Coordinator of Officials Greg Burks:
- Targeting
- Disconcerting signals/clapping/defensive shifts
- Unsportsmanlike conduct
- Feigning injuries
- Uniform conduct
- Sideline management
9:21 a.m. -- Targeting rule change: Players called for targeting, ejected in the second half of a game = Big 12 may vacate a suspension if the call is deemed to be missed after review from an independent committee.
9 a.m. -- Greg Burks, Big 12 Coordinator of Officials, addresses rule changes entering the 2022-23 season. Among the topics include, uniform expectations (pants covering the knee), players feigning injuries and the penalties associated with such actions, changing rules to call a ball carrier "faking a slide" down at the spot (shout out to Pittsburgh's Kenny Pickett), etc.
Day 1 coverage (July 13):
1:41 p.m. -- Watch WFAA's Joe Trahan exclusive 1-on-1 interview with Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark below:
10:36 a.m. -- WFAA's Joe Trahan sits down for an exclusive 1-on-1 interview with Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark. WFAA will posted this interview on our YouTube channel.
10:10 a.m. -- KIDS REPORTER PROGRAM: Dallas-area students got some behind-the-scenes access at Big 12 Media Days, where they prepared, conducted and produced interviews with Big 12 Conference student-athletes and coaches. The students started their coverage by interviewing Baylor head coach Dave Aranda. For more information on the kids reporter program, read about it on WFAA here.
9:22 a.m. -- On a much lighter note, Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark was asked to share something most people don't know about him. His answer: he's a drummer.
9:08 a.m. -- Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark was asked about if UT/OU will leave before 2025. He says he wants a "win-win situation" for everybody but will do what is in best interest for Big 12.
8:59 a.m. -- Incoming Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark says he's an advocate for NIL, but it "needs guardrails." Athletes have been able to profit of their name, image and likeness (NIL) starting in the summer of 2021.
8:57 a.m. -- Incoming Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark said the conference was "exploring all options" and is "open for business" when asked about the potential of adding teams to the Big 12 Conference.
8:46 a.m. -- Outgoing Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby says the conference's new members (Houston, UCF, BYU and Cincinnati) will start July 1, 2023.
8:30 a.m. -- Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark is scheduled to give an opening address to the media.
Looking forward to 2022 season
The Big 12 Conference released the preseason poll on July 7, which showed Baylor as the favorites to win the conference in 2022. The Bears broke Oklahoma’s six-year streak as the preseason favorite.
Texas running back Bijan Robinson was named the preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Kansas State defensive lineman Felix Anudike-Uzomah was named the preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year.
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