League Wide: Investing for the Future

Let’s take a look at some news around the Big 12 from the past week. 

State of the Union

ESPN’s Jake Trotter expertly recapped the last year in the Big 12, perhaps best elaborated by the league’s most chatty school president, David Boren.

“I think the day has come and gone of, ‘Is the Big 12 in danger? Is the Big 12 here to stay? Is it a stable conference?’ I don’t even think that’s an issue anymore,” Boren said. “My goal is to get that topic off the table. … I think we’re on firm ground now. We’re financially in a strong position. We’re very tied to each other. We have many traditional rivalries.

“I feel much more confident about where we are than I did even two or three years ago or this time last year. … I think there’s a lot of sticking power to this conference, and the best days are ahead.”

That will be put to the test for a league that now has six presidents or chancellors who’ve been on the job for two years or less. [ESPN]

Harvard Business School will be breaking down Bob Bowlsby and David Boren’s comments for years, surveying the leadership tactics of an organization for ways to resolve factions … or minimize discomfort in the short-term.

Kansas Writing Checks

KU is putting $300m into its football program.

Kansas athletic director Sheahon Zenger said at a booster event Wednesday night that the school was planning a $300 million investment in its football facilities. While details of the project are sparse, it would include an indoor football facility and upgrades to Memorial Stadium per Kansas.com. [Yahoo Sports]

No more high school stadium for KU — a good move in posturing for future realignment opportunities.

Rocket Launching Raider

The KC Chiefs are raving about former Texas Tech QB Pat Mahomes and his arm strength.

“Man, this kid can throw a football,” Kansas City Chiefs RB Charcandrick West said of QB Patrick Mahomes II, reports Edward Lewis of NFL.com. That isn’t something that many have said about incumbent starting QB Alex Smith throughout his career and is expected to keep the starting job for the time being. [ProFootballFocus]

West probably didn’t watch the Tech-OU game last year when Mahomes just shredded OU’s secondary. A fascinating question on who regresses more: OU without Bob or Tech’s offense without Mahomes?

Best in Texas

A Dallas publication put out their ranking for the best coach in Texas and it’s hard to disagree.

(Gary Patterson) is the Frogs’ all-time winningest coach and has led TCU to six conference championships, in three different leagues. Patterson’s winning percentage (.734) ranks fifth among active coaches nationally and puts him as one of just three active coaches with at least 149 victories at their current school. [SportsDay]

Herman is already second and that’s tough to argue. Sumlin quits game planning in November, Art’s long gone and Kliff’s 40 percent as competitive on the field as he is in GQ.

Transfer U

While Oklahoma State has consistently employed graduate transfers effectively, Dana Holgorsen has taken a different yet similar route.

Not every transfer has worked out, but Holgorsen, now entering his sixth season at WVU, has developed a track record of being a fruitful landing spot for players looking for a change in scenery.

West Virginia won’t land atop the yearly recruiting rankings, but the program does just fine developing its heap of mainly three-star prospects. Coupling that with transfers — guys like Charles Sims (Houston), Clint Trickett (Florida State) and Shaq Riddick (Gardner-Webb) all had their moments — has been a nice formula during the Holgorsen era.

Holgorsen hopes that continues in 2017 — especially with Will Grier. [Yahoo Sports]

OSU has lived off of system-fitting three stars, Bill Snyder owns the junior colleges, Texas and OU recruit by stars nationally and Dana pounces opportunistically when opportunities arise with all the above.