Why Scott Barnes Wants To Rebuild The Pac-12: Oregon State AD Joins John Canzano on 750 The Game
By 750 The Game Staff
Oregon State athletic director Scott Barnes joined John Canzano (afternoons 3-6 p.m.) Wednesday on 750 The Game.
Canzano asked Barnes about the possibility of rebuilding the Pac-12 beginning with Oregon State, Washington State, Cal and Stanford, the only remaining four schools from the conference.
“There’s a reason that the Pac-12 has succeeded for decade after decade,” Barnes told Canzano to open the interview. “It’s certainly something – that tradition and history – we want to honor and keep. And the best path forward to keep the Pac-12 together is to have the four remaining schools come together and chart a course forward. Our highest and best opportunity is to do that, and that’s where our focus is.”
Is Barnes feeling solidarity with the other three schools and how much conversation is taking place?
“Quite a bit of conversation, for sure,” Barnes said. “Given the circumstances, Washington State and Oregon State have been all-in all the time, trying to scenario plan, what could be next. And while Cal and Stanford I would say are very soon coming towards a decision on either moving a different direction if they have that opportunity, or entrenching themselves with Washington State and Oregon State and making a go of it in terms of rebuilding the Pac-12.
“I don’t think that’s weeks away, I think that’s days away.”
Later in the conversation, Canzano asked Barnes about if he is open to continue scheduling the rivalry games with the University of Oregon after the Ducks decision to ditch the conference for the Big Ten.
“I’m not ready to make that commitment,” Barnes said. “And a lot of it has to do with where we sit and what we’re trying to build out, and what might even be available for our schedule, so I’m not ready for that commitment.”
Barnes was also asked about the right number of schools to add to the conference if they are able to keep the Pac-12 alive, why the conference was positioned to be even better in the wake of losing Colorado, and why he thinks the programs that chose to leave the conference at the eleventh hour could face some buyer’s remorse.
Listen to the full interview below.
John Canzano delivers the Bald Faced Truth afternoons 3-6 p.m. exclusively in Portland on 750 The Game.
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