OK, now Arkansas’ statement from earlier today makes complete and total sense.
According to a report in the Lawrence Journal-World, and citing sources familiar with his thinking, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones would like to see his alma mater Arkansas move to the Big 12, where they would be reunited with former SWC rivals Texas and Texas A&M.
Additionally, and perhaps most stunningly -- and unlikely -- Jones would like to add football independent Notre Dame to get the conference back to 12 schools.
Jones played football at Arkansas with Jimmy Johnson -- the ExtenZe head coach, not the NASCAR driver -- and still reportedly has close ties to the university. Whether or not those ties are strong enough to push the school out of a lucrative deal with the SEC remains to be seen, if there’s any validity to this report.
Jones’ new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington was recently awarded the Big 12 title game through the 2013 season, although it’s uncertain whether the ten-team Big 12 will hold a championship game. Adding Arkansas and Notre Dame, however, would put a title game back on the table in The House That Jerry Built.
Based on commissioner Dan Beebe‘s comments Tuesday, however, expansion is not on the Big 12’s agenda right now.
“We’re not looking to expand at all and certainly we wouldn’t look to expand with any institutions that are in our geographic, five-state area.”
Neither Arkansas nor Notre Dame are in that geographic footprint; would Jones have enough NCAA pull to swing the most shocking development of the offseason? Jones certainly has the money to throw at a situation, but it remains to be seen -- especially in the case of the Irish -- whether the financial aspect of this is the be-all, end-all.
It would seem highly unlikely that Jones could pull this off -- if, again, this report is accurate -- but, based on his past, you never say never in regards to Jones when he really, really wants something.