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PROVO - Early Thursday, BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe addressed the local media, giving them the current state of the athletics department and what we can expect in the upcoming seasons.
Holmoe covered many topics about BYU athletics, including conferences, rivalries, Brandon Davies and more, but BYU football and its upcoming season was hot on the list.
The Cougars will enter its first season this fall as an independent football team, while most other sports will enter their first season in the West Coast Conference. Holmoe is excited for the transition.
"We made this decision to go independent because we wanted to get this exposure, and we feel with BYUTV and ESPN that we have the opportunity to get that and so we're going to go for it," said Holmoe.
"We're looking forward with the independence plan in football and with the WCC in our other sports and a couple other independent programs because we feel it's the best for BYU," said Holmoe.
It is unknown how long BYU football will remain as an independent team, but Holmoe feels it is the right situation for BYU as of right now.
"We made this decision to go independent because we wanted to get this exposure, and we feel with BYUTV and ESPN that we have the opportunity to get that and so we're going to go for it," said Holmoe. "We're excited about the possibilities of the future."
BYU football will have a very different schedule this upcoming season than in past years, but Holmoe is embracing the changes. "It's kind of fun looking at the future and looking at the possibilities as you go out five, six, seven, eight years. But at least initially for the first couple years it's hard to put a schedule together just like you would like to have it," said Holmoe.
"We're excited about the possibilities of the future."
Holmoe talked about BYU's relationship with ESPN. "They're helping us and we're going to them for advice. We're going to confer and consult with them as often as we need."
Holmoe addressed the possibility for improving the team's access to BCS bowl games and said, "We need to be really good in football. If we win games and are highly successful we will have the opportunity to be a BCS team, just like years in the past."
Regarding the rivalry with Utah, Holmoe expressed that he feels it will change, but said, "I think it will be as intense if not more." The most significant change that fans will notice is that the Cougars will most likely play the Utes just once a year in most sports.
When asked about former basketball player Brandon Davies and the possibility for him to return, Holmoe said, "Brandon is working hard at his basketball game, enjoying the summer time and getting ready to do all he can to put himself in a position where he can be readmitted back into school for the fall. He's done everything that we've asked him to do and if he continues to do so and follows the procedures with the school he'll be back in play."
