Big XII Commissioner Bob Bowlsby spoke to the media Monday at the beginning of Big XII Media Days in Dallas and addressed the 800 pound gorilla in the room about possible expansion.
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“The Big 12 Conference continues to take the lead in the area of player safety as the first conference to enact more restrictive contact polices than now permitted”, commissioner Bob Bowlsby said.
“It is my understanding at the present time that the majority of our presidents and chancellors believe 10 is the right number for us”, said Bowlsby, who also remarked he was surprised it wasn’t the first question asked of him. We have to develop better. “But until the majority shifts, it’s purely academic conversation”.
The Big 12 is not going to have a championship game.
Given the massive issues Texas and other Big 12 schools are facing recruiting against programs like Alabama, LSU, and Texas A&M, dealing with that type of negative recruiting is one of the last things they need.
“What we determined was our guys weren’t using them anyway”, he said. “And adding people in the booth, keeping an eye on players on the field, the awareness obviously is much better now”. We think that gives us a full array of options. “We don’t want to just participate in the playoff; we want to win championships”. The limit will be in effect beginning with the upcoming 2015 season and will be included in the Big 12 Conference Policy for Concussion Diagnosis and Management. “I don’t know that (league presidents) will vote to have a championship game, even if we have a rule change”.
“We are choosing to manage it rather than prohibit it”, he said. And I think we have to respect those experiences and respect the prerogatives of individual coaches.
By limiting the contact players endure, the Big 12 is hoping to reduce the number of injuries sustained and keep players fresher during the season.
Today, WVSports.com looks at the biggest storylines for the league and West Virginia heading into Big 12 Media Days.
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The Big 12 also scrapped the “One True Champion” motto and replaced it with – are you ready for this?
