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CBS: Bob Bowlsby to step down as Big 12 commissioner amid realignment shaking up conference landscape

TopFrog

TopFrog

Lifelong Frog
Bob Bowlsby to step down as Big 12 commissioner amid realignment shaking up conference landscape

Bowlsby has been with the Big 12 since the last major realignment in 2012

By Shehan Jeyarajah

Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby will step down from his leadership post at a later date in 2022 after a decade leading the conference, the league announced on Tuesday. Bowlsby's decision comes after what has been a tumultuous year for the conference. Last summer, Texas and Oklahoma suddenly announced that they would leave the conference they co-created in 1996 for the SEC. The league followed up by opting to bring in BYU, Houston, UCF and Cincinnati as new members no later than the 2024 season.

"I truly believe the Big 12 and our member institutions are in a strong position now and as we look into the future," said Bowlsby in a statement. "As such, this is an appropriate time for me to step away from the Commissioner's role so that the next leader of the Conference can take the reins on these significant matters that will come to the forefront before the end of the term of my employment agreement in 2025 to set the stage for the Big 12's future ongoing success."

Read more at https://www.cbssports.com/college-f...-realignment-shaking-up-conference-landscape/
 
BrewingFrog

BrewingFrog

Was I supposed to type something here?
The Dennis Dodd piece immediately below the above-linked piece is far better in terms of content and insight. Dodd is no fool, and has been dialed in to the College Football milieu for quite a while. He is also not afraid to call them out for what they are.

In Dodd's piece, there is this tidbit towards the end:

A short list of candidates has emerged. Among the names: Former West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck, Pac-12 associate commissioner Jamie Zaninovich, Texas Tech AD Kirby Hocutt, Washington State president Kirk Schulz and Baylor president Linda Livingstone.
Click to expand...

Of those, Luck is the only one I would consider. The PAC has been a disaster, why hire anybody from there? Kirby Hocutt will do anything the Oil Guys tell him to. Don't know anything about the Wazoo guy, but, PAC. And no to anyone with the stink of Baylor on them.
 
W

Wexahu

Full Member
Tony Lema said:
All things considered, Bowlsby did a good job.
Click to expand...
Right. It's mostly a thankless job. You do the best with what you have, and let's be honest, it's not like the Big 12 has or had anywhere near top to bottom the collection of schools the SEC or Big 10 have from a value standpoint.
 
TCUdirtbag

TCUdirtbag

Active Member
BrewingFrog said:
The Dennis Dodd piece immediately below the above-linked piece is far better in terms of content and insight. Dodd is no fool, and has been dialed in to the College Football milieu for quite a while. He is also not afraid to call them out for what they are.

In Dodd's piece, there is this tidbit towards the end:



Of those, Luck is the only one I would consider. The PAC has been a disaster, why hire anybody from there? Kirby Hocutt will do anything the Oil Guys tell him to. Don't know anything about the Wazoo guy, but, PAC. And no to anyone with the stink of Baylor on them.
Click to expand...

Not advocating, but a few notes based on feelings within the conference/industry vs TCU fan bubble:

Kirk Schultz is a highly respected administrator. Prior to being Wazzu president, he was a very popular president of K-State. Seen as innovative. Was at K-State when Nebraska and the A&M started the Big 12 game of dominos. It would be unorthodox to pick a university president to lead a conference - especially in the current (r)evolutionary era of college sports.

Linda Livingstone has quickly become a highly respected president. She’s an Ok State alum and played WBB there. She’s the vice chair of the Big 12 Board. She’s extremely active in the athletics space / member of the NCAA D1 Board and the NCAA BOG. The general industry perception is that she went to Waco and cleaned up Ken Starr and Art Briles’ mess. If they want a president, she probably makes more sense than Schultz. She may though be more strongly persuaded to stay at Baylor ($) than Schultz at WSU.

Kirby Hocutt is highly respected and well-liked. He has connections everywhere from his long tenure at Tech, previous stints at Miami (AD) and OU (associate AD), and he is a grad of K-State. He’s served some industry roles like the CFP committee etc. His president is the current president of the Big 12 Board. “Oil guys like him” is actually not correct. They have actively at times gone to war with him - and then one became his boss. I suspect Hocutt is looking for an escape hatch from Lubbock. Not sure this would be one he gets.

I agree Luck is the clubhouse leader but wanted to add those notes on the other potential candidates. A couple other names I’d throw in:

Internal candidates - Tim Weiser (Deputy Commissioner since 08, former K-State and Colorado St AD) and Kelvin Smith (Executive Assoc Commissioner and GC, and former Learfield exec).

CDC: Del Conte won’t stay in Austin forever. If Sark or Beard don’t win, his seat will get hot. And the worst kept secret is he was not driving/not totally supportive of the SEC move—or at least how it went down. That came from the Regents and a few other power players. Does he want out / to move up before things get too hot (see his exit from TCU)? I think he does, but I think he prefers Pac-12 commissioner to Big 12. Don’t be surprised if his name gets mentioned though.

Finally, if we’re just tossing current AD names around, I’d throw in Lyons (WVU) and Rhoades (Baylor).
 
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Big Frog II

Big Frog II

Active Member
Oliver Luck would be a good one. The Baylor AD has done a good job cleaning that mess up. CDC is quite the salesman. He should be a candidate as well. No on Kirby Hocutt, Linda, or the Wash. St. guy.
 
BrewingFrog

BrewingFrog

Was I supposed to type something here?
TCUdirtbag said:
Not advocating, but a few notes based on feelings within the conference/industry vs TCU fan bubble:

Kirk Schultz is a highly respected administrator. Prior to being Wazzu president, he was a very popular president of K-State. Seen as innovative. Was at K-State when Nebraska and the A&M started the Big 12 game of dominos. It would be unorthodox to pick a university president to lead a conference - especially in the current (r)evolutionary era of college sports.

Linda Livingstone has quickly become a highly respected president. She’s an Ok State alum and played WBB there. She’s the vice chair of the Big 12 Board. She’s extremely active in the athletics space / member of the NCAA D1 Board and the NCAA BOG. The general industry perception is that she went to Waco and cleaned up Ken Starr and Art Briles’ mess. If they want a president, she probably makes more sense than Schultz. She may though be more strongly persuaded to stay at Baylor ($) than Schultz at WSU.

Kirby Hocutt is highly respected and well-liked. He has connections everywhere from his long tenure at Tech, previous stints at Miami (AD) and OU (associate AD), and he is a grad of K-State. He’s served some industry roles like the CFP committee etc. His president is the current president of the Big 12 Board. “Oil guys like him” is actually not correct. They have actively at times gone to war with him - and then one became his boss. I suspect Hocutt is looking for an escape hatch from Lubbock. Not sure this would be one he gets.

I agree Luck is the clubhouse leader but wanted to add those notes on the other potential candidates. A couple other names I’d throw in:

Internal candidates - Tim Weiser (Deputy Commissioner since 08, former K-State and Colorado St AD) and Kelvin Smith (Executive Assoc Commissioner and GC, and former Learfield exec).

CDC: Del Conte won’t stay in Austin forever. If Sark or Beard don’t win, his seat will get hot. And the worst kept secret is he was not driving/not totally supportive of the SEC move—or at least how it went down. That came from the Regents and a few other power players. Does he want out / to move up before things get too hot (see his exit from TCU)? I think he does, but I think he prefers Pac-12 commissioner to Big 12. Don’t be surprised if his name gets mentioned though.

Finally, if we’re just tossing current AD names around, I’d throw in Lyons (WVU) and Rhoades (Baylor).
Click to expand...
Thanks, Dirtbag. That's some good info.

That bunch (Athletic Administration) is all interconnected to a degree: They all at least know somebody who knows somebody.

Interesting rumint on CDC and the SEC deal. He is no fool, and was aware of what was going to happen should they leave their home and go looking afield for other monsters to slay. I can't imagine the BIGXII considering him a candidate, but he'd be an excellent Commissioner.
 
TCUdirtbag

TCUdirtbag

Active Member
BrewingFrog said:
Thanks, Dirtbag. That's some good info.

That bunch (Athletic Administration) is all interconnected to a degree: They all at least know somebody who knows somebody.

Interesting rumint on CDC and the SEC deal. He is no fool, and was aware of what was going to happen should they leave their home and go looking afield for other monsters to slay. I can't imagine the BIGXII considering him a candidate, but he'd be an excellent Commissioner.
Click to expand...

Yeah, at the end of the day the 8 continuing Big 12 presidents, with input from the ADs, will pick the new commissioner. No matter how good of a plan he might have and how good of a salesman we all know him to be, I’m just not sure CDC has clean enough hands to get the gig in the end (if he even wanted it).

Notable that Bowlsby’s contract goes through 2025 and he wants to stay on in some capacity. There’s no way both could be employed at the Big 12 together. Too much bad blood (including predating the SEC move). So that alone may nix CDC as an option.
 
gohornedfrogs

gohornedfrogs

Tier 1
CDC makes about $2.5 million per year at Texas dealing with that clusterfark.

Bowlsby makes $9 million a year right now.

Big 12 commissioner is a much safer job than any athletic director and pays 4-5 times as much. Easy to move from B12 to Pac12 commissioner once you have a commissioner job on your resume...
 
TCUdirtbag

TCUdirtbag

Active Member
gohornedfrogs said:
CDC makes about $2.5 million per year at Texas dealing with that clusterfark.

Bowlsby makes $9 million a year right now.

Big 12 commissioner is a much safer job than any athletic director and pays 4-5 times as much. Easy to move from B12 to Pac12 commissioner once you have a commissioner job on your resume...
Click to expand...

Bowlsby is way closer to the $4M base / $4.5M range in total comp.
 

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