During his teleconference Wednesday night to address Fresno State’s and Nevada’s move to the Mountain West, commissioner Craig Thompson stated that there was “no immediate push, rush, concern” to become a 12-team league.
Apparently, that wasn’t necessarily the case on Tuesday.
In an open letter posted on the school’s website Thursday, Utah State athletic director Scott Barnes wrote that, upon learning earlier this week of the potential for BYU to leave, “MWC leadership contacted three WAC members inquiring about their interest in joining the MWC.”
Then, in somewhat of a surprise, Barnes wrote that “Utah State was the first of these three contacts.” Barnes added that Utah State declined the invitation because they were “committed to uphold[ing] our agreement with fellow WAC members”, in part because USU “believed all WAC members would remain committed” to the solidarity pact reached by the member schools last Friday.
Obviously, Fresno State and Nevada never got the memo that reinforced the fact that, ya know, everybody was all serious and stuff about the agreement.
As it stands right now, Utah State is stuck sits in a six-team football league that seems much closer to extinction than they do to survival. And Utah State had the opportunity to join a stable league and passed.
So, if you happen to see USU officials walking around the Logan campus attempting to kick themselves in the their own asses, you’ll now know why.