- BYU's Bowl game future:
“We’re in talks right now, it’s different as an independent because most of the talks with Bowls regard around conferences.”
Regarding the bowl situation; “I think that it’s going to be more similar to what it’s been so I wouldn't anticipate that the cotton bowl’s going to open up.”
“There’s a few more bowls that we’re in discussions with, but any game that we’ve played in, in the past would be happy to have us back, and there’s a few other games that we haven’t been in that we’re having discussions with.”
“I’m hoping that we can contract with bowls like we did when we went independent…we could possibly do a couple in the next couple months, most possibly one year deals. And take advantage of multiple bowls because as an independent that’s possible.'
- Changes in football due to the announcement of a Playoff:
“I don’t think it will change much, as far as the Bowls are for us.”
On BYU’s access to Bowls; “I think it just depends on how good you are, and if we’re really good, we’ll get in.'
“If I’m going to be a purist and say ‘put the best teams in’ it’s hard for me to say that’s not the best way to go. If we were the best than I’d want to be in, and if we’re not then I’m not going to try and weasel my way in by some…bylaw.”
- BYU and Utah Basketball:
“We’d play them once a year and we’d alternate. What we’d try to do is have the home football game be at one school and a home basketball at the other, so that’s what (Chris Hill, Utah athletic director) and I are talking about.”
- Series with Notre Dame:
“(the series is) where it’s at when we signed the contract. Haven’t heard a word from Notre Dame other than the fact that we've talked about…the series and that it’s been good”
- Scheduling, and the current strength of schedule:
“The really good teams don’t really have trouble scheduling…The great teams, they don’t back away from people. Now they won’t play us if they've already scheduled, you know, a really, really good team outside of their really, really good conference. They’ll catch us on another year.”
'Right now we’re not a top ten team…(BYU's) a recognizable name, It’s a good name, It gets good ratings.'
In reference to 2013 schedule; “It’s a tough schedule.”
“If you want to be relevant, we don’t want to slip in…If we win ten games this year, that’s a really, really good season.'
“I haven’t tried to put together mediocre schedules so in the future, if there’s a bad schedule, then it’s on me. We’re trying to put together, but you can’t get everybody you want.'
- Possibility of playing an international football game:
“ I would be really excited about that. There’s not a lot of other teams that are really excited about that. They don’t see it like the world is our campus. That is our motto. We've gone international…It works for us.'
- Relationship with the WCC:
“I like our relationship with the WCC. What my assessment is, is that the top teams in every sport are really good. Now the depth doesn't go all the way down, but it’s hard to win championships in the West Coast Conference…there’s always a really, really tough foe in every sport.'
'I think the depth of the conference is improving rapidly, and that’s a good thing.'
- On the possibility of Joining another conference:
“I’m not actively pursuing a conference spot now when the answer has been ‘No, we’re not interested at this time.’ I see those athletic directors all the time, and we always talk, we’re friends…And we always talk about what’s going on.'
“I’m always reading the tea leaves, just as you are and right now it’s a slow time... At the right time and place, (joining a conference) could happen.”
- Baseball off-season options:
“More things that we’re looking to do next year and in the future is do like our softball team has done and play like in St. George.”
On spring tournaments in Arizona; 'Spring training and those games in Arizona is fantastic.'
- Odds of Utah State football game being moved to November:
“As far as addressing Utah State…there’s no strained relationship.”
If the game were in November they would possibly play a home and home “I’d love to play that game in November…Utah State doesn't think it’s great right now.”
- Basketball practice facility:
'It's not something that has been approved...we're looking at silent kind of fundraising and behind the scenes, it's not a campaign or anything like that.'
'It's kind of a thing to do now...some of the older facilities around the country...just don't have the access that they need now'
'I would say it's important for our future.'
- Dave Rose and the BYU basketball team.
'There are actually a lot of concerns that (Rose) brings up, and I think that's why it runs so smoothly is he's very good at foreseeing issues of the future and addressing them.'
'(Rose) deals with a lot of issues behind the scenes and addresses them before they occur. He's very well organized, has a great vision of what he wants to do and does it.'
- Fans:
“I think that there’s a fair number of fans that don’t like us being independent, and I think there’s a fair number of fans that like us being independent, and there's a large number of fans that follow BYU no matter what.”
'There are things that we can do, that we're discussing about reaching out more as a group with athletes and coaches.'
For more information on Tom Holmoe's visit with the media see: