Utah AD, president discuss move to Big 12, 'profound' impact of Pac-12 on Utes program

Utah Athletic Director Mark Harlan and President Taylor Randall met with media Monday to discuss the Pac-12’s impact on the university and their impending move to the Big 12 in 2024.

Utah is joining Arizona State and Arizona as Pac-12 programs to announce their departure to the Big 12 this past week. Oregon and Washington are also leaving the Pac-12 for the Big Ten.

Both Harlan and Randall expressed Utah’s ultimate desire to stay in the Pac-12, but noted that the “dynamics” forced them to look for other opportunities. Regardless, both men stated that they are excited about the future of Utah in the Big 12:

Randall said they tried hard to keep the Pac-12 together, but the dynamics didn’t make it work out in the end.

“I’m very optimistic about the future.”

— Josh Furlong (@JFurKSL) August 7, 2023

If for nothing else, Utah’s move still brings some quality competition. Utah will now play BYU in a conference setting while facing off against the top teams the conference has to offers such as TCU, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Baylor and Texas Tech.

Harlan specifically noted the new cities and venues that will be open to the Utes moving forward.

Harlan said he’s “so excited” for the opportunity to be in the Big 12. “There’s a lot of great people, a lot of great cities.”

He points to going to venues where they’re sold out all the time.

— Josh Furlong (@JFurKSL) August 7, 2023

Harlan also looked back on Utah’s time in the Pac-12 since joining the conference in 2011 out of the Mountain West. He called the conferences’ impact on the Utes ‘profound,’ noting that its effect on the university was perhaps greater than all other Pac-12 programs.