An Open Letter to the Utah Utes
Dear University of Utah Utes and their supporters,
We’re three weeks from Pioneer Day here in Utah which commemorates the 175th anniversary of the Mormon Pioneers entering the Salt Lake Valley. It was the end of a long and dangerous trek for those thousands of men, women, and children in search of a new home to survive and thrive and upon arrival President Brigham Young of the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-Day Saints proclaimed, “This is the place.” For the University of Utah Utes and their football program the place for them is the Big 12 Conference.
I have lived among your alumni and fans for the past six years and have witnessed the highs and lows for y’all in the PAC 12 Conference. From several near misses in winning the South Division to finally winning the PAC 12 and competing in the most exciting Rose Bowl in nearly twenty years. Y’all have become the favorites to repeat as conference champs and challenge for a spot in the College Football Playoff.
The Utes have been good for the PAC 12, but that hasn’t been the case from the conference to you. Unmet expectations television revenue and the lack of leadership and foresight to build up the brand of the conference has led to this moment with USC and UCLA taking their talents to the Big Ten. Even with the close proximity to California the Utes have more in common with the members of the Big 12 Conference culturally.
How does Utah mesh with Oklahoma State and Texas Tech? Aside from the commonalities of having annoying rivals to the south that believe they’re God’s gift to sport and academia, Tech, OSU, and Utah are practically long lost brothers. Academics are on par with each other, moderate success across the board in sports, and attitudes of their alumni and fan bases make the Utes a fit. Y’all are as rowdy a bunch as any other fan base in the Big 12.
Television revenue for the new Big 12 will be exponentially more than what will be left for the PAC 12 and the regular exposure to the Texas market will only strengthen an already solid pipeline to the U. Not having to answer to other school administrators that hate sports, like they do in the PAC 12 coastal schools, is just icing on the cake.
Y’all would get to play BYU again in the Holy War every season where conference title implications would be at stake and would elevate the rivalry even more. A college football world where Utah and BYU don’t play is a loss for everyone and in spite of current attitudes between both programs this game must be played every season.
So Utes, I humbly make this last plea. Take a leap of faith, load up those wagons to go East, and show that Pioneer spirit by joining the Big 12. Make your own path and become the big dog in the Big 12. You’re one of the few programs in the PAC 12 that could walk into the Big 12 and be the favorite from Day 1.
Sincerely yours,
A Red Raider in Utah
Allen Corbin grew up in Lubbock, wandered a bit and found Utah. Now Utah is finding Lubbock, Texas !
