Locked On Big 12 | Daily College Football & Basketball Podcast

• NEW: BYU's Kalani Sitake FIRES BACK At Texas Tech's Joey McGuire On Focus Of Athlete Employment

  The landscape of college football has undeniably transformed, with Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities and the ubiquitous transfer portal pushing the sport closer than ever to a professional model. For many, the lines are blurring: is playing college football still an amateur pursuit, or has it become, for all intents and purposes, a job? The arguments for it being a "job" are compelling. Athletes now sign lucrative NIL deals, sometimes worth hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. The transfer portal allows players to seek better financial opportunities, playing time, or a more favorable "fit," mimicking free agency in professional leagues. The time commitment for top-tier college football players is immense, often exceeding that of a full-time job, with year-round training, practices, film study, and travel. When a player can earn significant income and change employers (schools) with relative ease, the "amateur" label feels increasingly anachronistic. Yet, amidst this rapid professionalization, BYU Head Coach Kalani Sitake stands as a voice for a different perspective. While acknowledging the irreversible changes ("the toothpaste is out of the tube," he's famously said), Sitake consistently emphasizes that college football, particularly at BYU, is about more than just money or individual gain. Sitake's philosophy centers on the holistic development of the "student-athlete." He views his role as helping young men transition into adulthood, focusing not just on on-field performance but also on education, financial literacy, and personal growth. He questions whether simply paying athletes more money is the sole solution, advocating instead for a structure that prioritizes long-term well-being and the value of a degree. The unique aspect of BYU's program, with players often serving two-year missions, further reinforces a sense of commitment that transcends immediate financial incentives. While the transfer portal offers players freedom, Sitake also expresses a desire for more structure to prevent constant movement, highlighting the academic challenges of frequent transfers. For Sitake, the "job" of a college football player extends beyond the field to include the responsibility of representing a university, building a community, and embracing the unique collegiate experience that, in his view, still sets it apart from the NFL. In an era where the financial stakes are higher than ever, Kalani Sitake reminds us that for some, college football remains a calling—a transformative experience that blends athletic pursuit with personal and academic development, rather than solely a transactional employment opportunity. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Gametime Today's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply. Monarch Money Take control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE at www.monarchmoney.com/lockedoncollege for 50% off your first year. FanDuel Right now, new customers can get ONE HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS when your first FIVE DOLLAR BET WINS! Download the app or head to FANDUEL.COM to get started. Bet with FanDuel—Official Partner of the NBA. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms… 🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOBig12?sid=YouTube Locked On College Conferences, HBCU, Basketball & More 🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnCollege Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/drakectoll Follow the show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LOBig12

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• WOW: Brett Yormark DUNKS ON SEC, Big 10 at Media Day, Big 12 is BEST Conference in Football Depth

  The argument that the Big 12 may be the deepest football conference, even over the SEC and Big Ten, is gaining significant traction heading into the 2025 season. While it might lack the top-heavy "blue blood" programs of its larger counterparts, the Big 12 boasts unparalleled competitive balance and top-to-bottom strength.  Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark has consistently championed this view, stating at recent media days, "Once again, I believe we will be the deepest football conference in America. No league offers the competitive balance that we do."  Here's why this argument holds weight:Parity as a Feature, Not a Flaw: Unlike the SEC and Big Ten, which often see 2-3 elite teams consistently contending for national titles while the bottom half struggles, the Big 12 rarely has a dominant, runaway champion. In 2024, the conference saw a four-way tie for first place with Arizona State ultimately winning the league. This parity means that on any given Saturday, almost any team can beat another. There are fewer "guaranteed wins," making the weekly schedule a gauntlet.  Returning Quarterback Talent: The Big 12 boasts a remarkable number of returning starting quarterbacks with significant experience. In fact, the conference is set to return nine starting quarterbacks who threw for over 2,400 yards last season. In contrast, the SEC, Big Ten, and ACC combined return only 11 such QBs. This veteran presence under center contributes directly to competitive games and offensive firepower across the league.High-Level Coaching: The conference features a blend of established, successful coaches (e.g., Chris Klieman at Kansas State, Dave Aranda at Baylor, Kyle Whittingham at Utah) and rising stars who are quickly turning programs around (e.g., Kenny Dillingham at Arizona State, Joey McGuire at Texas Tech). This strong coaching collective ensures that teams are well-prepared and strategically sound.Transfer Portal Impact: The Big 12 has been exceptionally active and effective in utilizing the transfer portal. Teams like Texas Tech have brought in top-ranked transfer classes, immediately bolstering their rosters. This fluid movement of talent contributes to the competitive balance, as programs can rapidly retool and improve their standing.  Exciting Game Play: The Big 12 led the nation in fourth-quarter lead changes and go-ahead scores in the final minute of conference games last season. This statistic vividly illustrates the constant back-and-forth, down-to-the-wire nature of its contests, making for highly entertaining football.  While the SEC and Big Ten will undoubtedly have more teams consistently in the College Football Playoff conversation and likely produce more national champions, the Big 12's depth ensures that its regular season is arguably the most competitive and unpredictable in college football. This parity, which once might have been seen as a weakness by some, is now being championed as its greatest strength.

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• NEW: ESPN, FOX RUNNING OUT OF MONEY to Give Big 10, SEC In Revenue Deals, YouTube, Netflix Dominate

  The landscape of sports broadcasting rights is undergoing a seismic shift, and traditional giants like ESPN and FOX are indeed facing increasing pressure that could limit the astronomical sums they've historically paid to conferences like the SEC and Big Ten. The rising prominence and aggressive spending of tech behemoths like Amazon and Netflix are central to this dynamic.Here's why ESPN and FOX might be running out of money, or at least finding themselves in a tighter financial squeeze:Escalating Bidding Wars for Premium Content: Amazon and Netflix (along with Apple, Google/YouTube, and others) have entered the live sports arena with deep pockets and a strategic imperative to acquire exclusive, high-value content to drive subscriptions and engagement.Amazon Prime Video has secured NFL "Thursday Night Football" and recently acquired a significant portion of NBA rights starting 2025-26.Netflix is making inroads with deals like WWE's "Monday Night Raw" and NFL Christmas Day games, signaling a growing appetite for live sports.This new competition means traditional broadcasters are no longer just bidding against each other; they're up against tech companies whose primary revenue streams aren't solely reliant on linear TV advertising or traditional cable bundles. This pushes rights fees ever higher.Cord-Cutting and Declining Linear TV Revenue: The fundamental business model for ESPN and FOX has historically relied on lucrative carriage fees from cable and satellite providers, augmented by advertising revenue. However, the accelerating trend of cord-cutting means fewer households are subscribing to traditional pay-TV bundles.As viewership migrates to streaming, the revenue base for linear channels erodes, putting pressure on their ability to justify ever-increasing rights fees for content that fewer people are accessing via traditional means.The High Cost of Streaming Transition: To adapt to the "cord-cutting" era, ESPN and FOX are heavily investing in their own direct-to-consumer (DTC) streaming services (ESPN+, Fox Sports' digital offerings, and the recent joint venture with Warner Bros. Discovery). Building and maintaining a robust streaming infrastructure, acquiring exclusive digital rights, and marketing these services is incredibly expensive. This diversion of capital impacts what can be allocated to traditional linear TV deals.Content Fragmentation and "Subscription Fatigue": While streamers are eager for content, their entry has led to sports being fragmented across multiple platforms. Fans now often need multiple subscriptions to follow their favorite teams or leagues. This can lead to "subscription fatigue," where consumers become reluctant to add more services, potentially limiting the overall growth of the streaming market's ability to endlessly fund skyrocketing rights.While the SEC's deal with ESPN and the Big Ten's deals with FOX, CBS, and NBC are massive (totaling billions annually), these agreements were largely struck before the full impact of aggressive streaming competition became apparent or as part of a strategic defensive play. As these deals approach their expiration dates (e.g., Big Ten in 2029, SEC in 2034), ESPN and FOX will be operating in an even more competitive and financially constrained environment, potentially capping the massive increases seen in previous cycles. The era of seemingly infinite growth in sports media rights, driven solely by traditional broadcasters, may be leveling off due to the relentless pressure from new-age streaming giants.

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• TRADE: Big 12 Sending West Virginia, Cincinnati, UCF to ACC for SMU, Stanford, California Is GOOD?!

  A fascinating, if improbable, scenario has been circulating among college football fans: a six-team trade between the ACC and the Big 12. This hypothetical swap aims to bring geographical and rivalrous sanity back to a landscape often driven purely by television revenue.The proposal suggests the ACC would send Stanford, Cal, and SMU to the Big 12. In return, the Big 12 would transfer Cincinnati, West Virginia, and UCF to the ACC.The theoretical benefits are compelling. For the ACC, acquiring Cincinnati, West Virginia, and UCF would consolidate its Eastern footprint, allowing for more logical travel, reduced costs, and the re-ignition of dormant rivalries (e.g., West Virginia vs. Pitt). For the Big 12, gaining Stanford, Cal, and SMU would reunite former Pac-12 members (with Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Utah) and bring back Southwest Conference matchups (SMU with TCU, Baylor, Texas Tech, Houston), creating clear regional pods.However, the obstacles to such a sensible realignment are immense. The most significant hurdle is the ACC's Grant of Rights agreement, which binds its members' media rights to the conference through 2036. This ironclad legal document makes it exceedingly difficult and costly for any school to leave, let alone three in a "trade" scenario. Any such move would require complex, likely multi-party, and expensive legal negotiations involving the conferences and their media partners (ESPN for ACC; ESPN/FOX for Big 12).Furthermore, the Big 12 previously opted against adding Stanford and Cal during its last expansion, citing concerns about their perceived media value and geographic isolation from their core. While SMU adds a Texas presence, it came at a significant financial sacrifice to join the ACC.Ultimately, while the fan-proposed trade offers an ideal solution for geographical logic and historical rivalries, the intricate financial and legal realities of modern college athletics make it a highly unlikely, albeit appealing, fantasy.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!GametimeToday's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply.Monarch MoneyTake control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE at www.monarchmoney.com/lockedoncollege for 50% off your first year.FanDuelRight now, new customers can get ONE HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS when your first FIVE DOLLAR BET WINS! Download the app or head to FANDUEL.COM to get started. Bet with FanDuel—Official Partner of the NBA.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

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• NEW: Is BYU BETTER Without Jake Retzlaff OR Can Utah, Texas Tech Dominate Kalani Sitake's Backup?

  The unexpected departure of starting quarterback Jake Retzlaff from the BYU football program, triggered by an Honor Code violation and a civil lawsuit (which was later dismissed with prejudice), leaves a significant void for the Cougars just weeks before the 2025 season. However, this situation also presents an opportunity for other quarterbacks on the roster to step up.While Retzlaff was the incumbent, his on-field performance in 2024 was often inconsistent. His ESPN QBR of 57.1 for the non-conference portion of the season placed him near the bottom of Big 12 starting quarterbacks. This metric suggests that despite some "big-time throws," his overall decision-making and efficiency were often below average, leading to concerns about turnovers and consistency.With Retzlaff now out of the picture, the quarterback competition for BYU's offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick is wide open. The primary contenders, all of whom have the potential to be more consistent or offer a higher ceiling than Retzlaff's 2024 performance, are:McCae Hillstead: A transfer from Utah State, Hillstead brings some prior FBS game experience. He showcased flashes of his talent in 2023, throwing for over 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns in limited action for the Aggies. Hillstead is known for his mobility and ability to extend plays, which could be a strong asset in Roderick's offense. Some analysts believe he has the "best deep ball" among the remaining QBs.Treyson Bourguet: Another transfer, Bourguet comes from Western Michigan, where he started eight games over two seasons, throwing for over 1,300 yards. He possesses solid arm talent and has been in BYU's system longer than true freshman Bear Bachmeier, giving him an advantage in terms of playbook familiarity.Bear Bachmeier: The true freshman is arguably the most intriguing prospect. A former four-star recruit who initially enrolled at Stanford, Bachmeier has elite raw talent, a strong arm, and dual-threat capabilities. While he lacks college experience and has only been with the program for a short time, his high ceiling and physical tools make him a compelling option. He reportedly competed for the starting job at Stanford in spring camp, indicating his readiness to push for playing time. Some experts believe he has the highest ceiling of the group and could ultimately be the best quarterback on the roster.BYU's immediate challenge is managing the lack of depth, as they are down to four quarterbacks, including two true freshmen. However, the unexpected change forces them to give extensive looks to players who might otherwise have been backups. This could lead to one of these younger, talented quarterbacks seizing the opportunity and potentially providing more consistent and higher-level play for the Cougars in 2025 than Retzlaff demonstrated in 2024. The long-term future still looks bright with 5-star Ryder Lyons committed for 2027 after his mission.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!GametimeToday's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply.Monarch MoneyTake control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE at www.monarchmoney.com/lockedoncollege for 50% off your first year.FanDuelRight now, new customers can get ONE HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS when your first FIVE DOLLAR BET WINS! Download the app or head to FANDUEL.COM to get started. Bet with FanDuel—Official Partner of the NBA.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

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