BYU football: Y. ponders options to bolster national profile

PROVO — A day after its plan to go independent in football was thwarted — at least for now — by the Mountain West Conference's decision to add Fresno State and Nevada, BYU officials were busy mulling their next move.

Athletic director Tom Holmoe took time out of his hectic schedule Thursday to address a crowd of about 150 BYU fans during a scheduled on-campus presentation at Education Week.

"We have some incredible options available to us because of BYU broadcasting and the friends that we have across the country," Holmoe said, speaking for the first time publicly since Wednesday's upheaval. "We're going to look to make sure that we build on those things and take advantage of those things. We're trying to put ourselves in position to be the best we can, which is exposure across the country, letting our kids shine in the bright lights."

There was a whirlwind of rumors, reports and speculation Wednesday as sources indicated that BYU was close to leaving the MWC, going independent in football, and having its other sports compete in the WAC.

Wednesday night, the MWC announced that two WAC members, Fresno State and Nevada, were joining the MWC. That left the WAC with only six football-playing institutions, and spoiled BYU's aim to align itself with the WAC.

During a teleconference Wednesday night, MWC commissioner Craig Thompson suggested that BYU had participated in the decision to invite Fresno State and Nevada. However, BYU President Cecil O. Samuelson did not participate in that decision, Boise State President Bob Kustra told the Idaho Statesman.

Kustra said he found out about BYU's desire to leave the league Tuesday morning during a Mountain West conference call, which included Samuelson.

"I think the entire Mountain West membership was caught off-guard by the first teleconference," Kustra said.

BYU is looking at departing the MWC because of the league's contract with TV partners Comcast and CBS, Kustra said.

"Dr. Samuelson still seemed to be concerned about the commitment that he was getting from the media companies and still was feeling that he wanted to explore other options, so he left the conference call and at that point there was discussion of what other options were viable — that it appeared BYU was leaving the conference," Kustra said.

If BYU chooses to go independent, it would likely partner with ESPN.

"Our goal is exposure," Holmoe said Thursday. "We have a great relationship with ESPN ... It's very difficult for us to get teams to come play us at the Marriott Center and LaVell Edwards Stadium. They don't want to come. They'll come if they're on ESPN. So that's the thing. We have a great relationship with ESPN and it will continue, regardless of how things go."

How does BYU football coach Bronco Mendenhall feel about the concept of independence?

"There's one thing, if asked, if there would be any merit to it. BYU-TV has 60 million homes," he said after Thursday's practice. "So the mission of this institution and church is phenomenal and there are 60 million people tied to BYU's TV network, that would be a pretty powerful thing as far as exposure."

Since an affiliation with the WAC appears to have been undermined after the defections of Fresno State and Nevada, BYU could strike a deal with another league — the West Coast Conference.