Big East, Big 12 still possibilities for BYU

BYU will eventually get in a football conference.

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

What interested me was the A.P. story yesterday that quoted Big East Commissioner John Marinatto saying the conference isn’t necessarily finished expanding. Marinatto referred to the Big East as “a nontraditional conference. We find ways to make things work.”

Sounds like a natural for BYU, which is a nontraditional school that finds ways to make things work.

Marinatto said the conference will only look at schools that bring “value.”

That sounds like BYU, too.

BYU has expounded on the joys of independence, but I still contend the long term solution is to get in a conference. It’s true the Big East could dip into Conference USA – which has a couple of bigger markets but no program more attractive than BYU — or in the event of a Big 12 collapse, pick up the pieces. But BYU has pockets of followers nationwide, a clean record with the NCAA and an overall strong athletic program.

It’s true the Big East has a whopping 17 basketball teams and only nine football teams. The conference likes the idea of a 12-team football arrangement. So the league continues to fish. And BYU continues to be an attractive option.

They’d just have to work out the details.

I know, it’s complicated. But it seems obvious that both sides could benefit from a BYU/Big East arrangement. Either the conference needs to add yet another basketball program or BYU needs to be willing to play as a football-only member of the Big East.

The man said it’s a nontraditional conference.

I still contend BYU is biding its time until it gets an invitation from the Big 12, which is now down to 10 members. With geographical proximity and fewer basketball/football complications, it makes a more attractive picture for BYU. But there’s no big hurry there. The conference isn’t due for a new TV rights contract until 2015, which should spur more action by the Big 12.

By going independent, BYU has put itself in the position of being able to wait and see what happens, while gaining both money and exposure it never got in the Mountain West.

The latest news only illustrates there are still options out there for BYU.