Athletic director Tom Holmoe says BYU athletics has bright future

SALT LAKE CITY — There were no signs he had tried to gouge out his eyes or pull out his hair. There weren't even bags under his eyes from lack of sleep.

BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe didn't look like a man on the edge. Rather, he appeared to have a plan.

What that plan is, he wouldn't specify, only to note that BYU football isn't dead. Reports of its demise have been greatly exaggerated. For the past 10 days, Cougar Nation has been awash in skepticism — or at least dismay.

Why didn't BYU do something?

Could the athletic program that dominated both the Mountain West and the Western Athletic conferences be dwindling? Is the home of two Outland Trophy winners, a Doak Walker winner, a Heisman winner and one national football championship be down for the count?

"Things may settle for a little bit," Holmoe said, "but there's opportunities — great opportunities for BYU that did not exist last week."

Holmoe wouldn't get specific, except to say doors are opening.

"I don't want people to think that we're just casually sitting back with a laissez-faire attitude," added Holmoe. "Believe me, there are more people are energized about BYU now than there have been since I've been there. I think that — in meeting today with very high-up officials — we will do what's in the best interest of BYU. We'll make the most out of this situation, but we won't change. We're not going to change. We don't necessarily know exactly what will happen, but hey, Utah didn't know until the day before they got invited."

Oh, yeah. Utah. Remember those guys? If you think football games with the Utes were gut-wrenching, they were nothing compared to last week. Losses to Utah may sting for a year, but the Utes' move to the Pac-10 could smart for eternity.

But if you're looking for confirmation that the move hurt BYU, you won't hear it from Holmoe. Ever since Utah was invited on June 17 to join the Pac-10, BYU has maintained a cool distance. Naturally, the media went to Provo for a reaction, not long after the announcement came.

Isn't that what you do when stars separate or divorce?

You talk to the spurned lover.

But rather than say anything, BYU officials took the Fifth.