The dividing line between the haves and have-nots in college football, and collegiate athletics in general, continues to widen. Concern over the possible vote for autonomy has been a major talking point this offseason, and the viewpoints for and against the extra power for the power conferences have been sparking debate left and right. Now Texas Athletics Director Steve Patterson has gotten involved, suggesting those opposing autonomy are trying to revert to a past generation of NCAA governance.
“It’s a part of the everyday business right now,” Patterson said in an interview with Sports Business Journal. “There’s five conferences that want to do the best they can for their student athletes and provide them with the best outcomes. There’s a bunch of other schools that are fairly atavistic in their viewpoints and want to take the rules back to 1950. That’s not going to happen.”
Boise State president Bob Kustra previously took aim at the power conferences, suggesting the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12 and SEC are being selfish and putting academics second for the benefit of athletics. That notion has been disputed by those from the power conferences, of course. Patterson says Texas and other schools are in a position to be able to do more for student-athletes, and every school should be able to respect the differences each school has.
“There’s nothing wrong with having different kinds of programs at different schools,” Patterson said. “We’re in a different position. We ought to be able to respect our differences.”
Patterson even went so far as to suggest the five power conferences should be able to operate under a separate set of guidelines or powers or threaten to leave and start a new organization. That is a concept that has been mentioned before, with the whole Division IV idea.
“They need to let the more well-resourced conferences operate, or these five conferences need to leave. It’s that simple,” Patterson said, referring to the non-power conferences. “We’ve waited far too long and we’ve been far too accommodating. … I think there’s a harder and harder resolve as each day goes by for the institutions in higher-profile conferences to take the necessary moves.”
The line has been drawn. Choose your side.
Helmet sticker to Dr. Saturday.