​An energy drink sponsor, a Texas Tech hangover in the wake of a gambling scandal, and a slate of new coaching faces turned Big 12 headlines this past week. What were the biggest stories, and how would you rank them as an army of media members descended on Frisco, Texas, armed with microphones, cameras, and notebooks, trying to size up the league? The Big 12’s one-bid path to the College Football Playoff remains a credibility project, chasing the Big Ten and SEC while fending off the ACC. The issues are numerous, and the answers were batted around in Frisco, with plenty of questions left to ponder.
The 2026 Big 12 Football Media Days took place July 7-8 at The Star in Frisco, Texas, the Dallas Cowboys’ headquarters, signaling the unofficial kickoff to the college football season. The event brought out Commissioner Brett Yormark, all 16 head coaches, and player representatives, with heavy coverage on ESPNU and Big 12 platforms. Previews and recaps highlighted a mix of lingering drama, new leadership, conference initiatives, and season outlooks. The Deseret News was represented by Jay Drew, Joe Coles, and video reporter Brandon Judd.
Here are the top storylines that emerged from previews, live coverage, coach and player sessions, and post-event recaps, ranked roughly by the prominence of coverage:
1. Brendan Sorsby and the Texas Tech saga dominate: This storyline isn’t fading anytime soon. The gambling scandal involving the former Texas Tech quarterback remained the biggest shadow over the program. Yormark largely sidestepped questions on the matter. Red Raiders coach Joey McGuire acknowledged it but stressed moving forward. Reports of tension with other schools, including talk of not scheduling Tech, added fuel. Bottom line: Texas Tech will use this as motivation, as if those in Lubbock needed it.
2. Monster Energy entitlement deal and branding: Yormark announced a major multiyear sponsorship (reported around $20 million per year) making Monster Energy the entitlement sponsor for football and basketball regular seasons, with jersey patches, field and court branding, and the “Monster Energy Big 12” naming. It builds on Monster’s existing energy-drink relationship and drew mixed reactions—revenue gains versus concerns about the league’s branding direction. Bottom line: the conference likely should have pursued a larger financial upside from the deal. By comparison, UNLV reportedly secured a $2 million jersey-patch deal elsewhere. Some chatter centered on BYU wearing a Monster patch due to caffeine content, though that point is largely moot since caffeinated beverages have been in campus dispensers for nearly a decade.
3. Four new head coaches in the spotlight: The league spotlight shifted to four first-time Big 12 head coaches making their debuts—Collin Klein at Kansas State, Jimmy Rogers at Iowa State, Eric Morris at Oklahoma State, and Morgan Scalley at Utah. Their podium performances and handling of questions drew keen observation as a sign of a refreshed leadership era. Bottom line: It’s a fun, buzzworthy feature, though Scalley’s Utah tenure with Kyle Whittingham gives him veteran credibility; he managed media interactions with ease and delivered a notably positive, uplifting presence.
4. Texas Tech’s SEO angle and public-relations dynamics: The ongoing fallout from the Texas Tech situation amplified the team’s public-relations narrative, shaping how the program is perceived on national platforms and within conference discussions.
If you want, I can continue with the remaining ranked items and provide a fuller, 500-word analysis of the event’s coverage, the broader implications for the Big 12, and how these developments might influence the league’s competitive balance and media relations moving forward.