LOS ANGELES — Pac-12 Media Day kicked off this afternoon and the big question on everybody's mind was the future of the conference.
Commissioner George Kliavkoff was bombarded with questions surrounding the conference's future. He spoke on having to protect the Pac-12 from the Big 12.
It seems it has become a war of conferences.
"I've been spending four weeks trying to defend against grenades that have been lobbed in from every corner of the Big 12 trying to destabilize our remaining conference," said Kliavkoff. "I understand why they're doing it, when you look the relative media value between the two conferences. I get it, I get why they're scared, why they're trying to destabilize it."
While it may be difficult with other conferences trying to poach Pac-12 teams, Kliavkoff is trying to focus on keeping the conference intact.
"I'm focused on what we can control. What we can control is to do everything we can to make the Pac-12 healthy and strong and to do it together, the 10 of us. That's what I'm focused on. I'm not focused on what other conferences are doing," said Kliavkoff.
As for Washington State, this was the first time since the future of the Pac-12 began to look dim that head coach Jake Dickert addressed the media on the matter.
He believes the conference is here to stay and will continue as a power conference.
"I think we stand on the doorstep of new challenges, but I'm really excited about the future of the Pac-12 and Pac-12 football. I think we have the right leadership in place with George, our commissioner, and his leadership team, because they're solution-based. I believe everybody wants progress, but nobody wants change," said Dickert. "I talk to our guys all the time, change is inevitable in life. College football is changing at a very, very fast rate. But I know because we have solution-based leaders in the Pac-12 and we have great leadership at Washington State, I think the Pac-12 is going to be here and is going to be thriving for a very long time."
Dickert later added another vote of confidence to the conference.
"Don't make no mistake about it, the Pac-12 is going to be here for a long time in those power conferences playing big-time football," Dickert said.
The Cougs open fall camp on Wednesday, August 3rd.
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