Big 12 media days: Scott Frost, Kenny Dillingham highlight Day 1 of event
The unofficial start to college football season was courtesy of the Big 12 on Tuesday, July 8.
Big 12 media days, being held at The Star in Frisco, Texas, kicked off with half the conference participating in interviews and other media events on July 8. The second half of the league attends on July 9.
Arizona State, who won the Big 12 last season after being picked to finish last in the preseason conference poll, brings back star quarterback Sam Leavitt and receiver Jordyn Tyson, as coach Kenny Dillingham looks to lead the Sun Devils back to the College Football Playoff in 2025. Arizona State's conference title last season also led to the Big 12 getting rid of its preseason media poll.
Watch Big 12 media days live with Fubo (free trial)
Each school brought at least three players to media days, along with head coaches. Arizona State, Arizona, Baylor and Texas Tech brought six players each to the event.
Paste BN Sports had updates and highlights from Day 1 at the Big 12 media days in 2025. Check them out below:
Big 12 media days highlights
This section will be updated throughout Big 12 media days.
Scott Frost says college football is decided in ‘bank accounts’
Central Florida coach Scott Frost is back at UCF after an unsuccessful stint at Nebraska and then as an analyst with the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL. In a roundtable discussion with other Big 12 coaches Tuesday, he criticized the uneven financial landscape in college football.
“At least in the NFL you know what the rules are,” Frost said. “You know what the salary cap is. Right now at the end of the day, things are decided on the field. But way before that they’re decided in bank accounts. And that needs to be leveled out. ... It’s a sad state of affairs in college football if he who has the richest boosters wins.”
The Big 12 ranked fourth among the Power 4 conferences in revenue-sharing payouts in fiscal 2024 –$37.8 million to $42.1 million for its longer-standing schools, compared to $63.2 million for each of the 12 longest-standing schools in the Big Ten.
– Brent Schrotenboer, Paste BN Sports
Cincinnati thinking big in third year in Big 12
The Cincinnati Bearcats made their third trip to Big 12 media days Tuesday, this time as full-share Big 12 partner.
After a disappointing three-win season in 2023 and a fall from 5-2 in mid-2024 to finish 5-7, it’s a crucial third year for Bearcats coach Scott Satterfield who feels this is his best team to date.
"Because of the players that we brought back that have great experience in the Big 12," Satterfield said when asked why he's bullish on his team. 'Our leaders are right here today (Brendan Sorsby, Dontay Corleone, Joe Royer, Gavin Gerhardt), I think we did a great job in the portal to get positions of need. Also, this is the best chemistry we've had with the guys that are on our roster. It's a connected football team."
- Scott Springer, Cincinnati Enquirer
Scott Frost regrets taking Nebraska job
Former Nebraska coach Scott Frost, who's back coaching Central Florida after serving as head coach there from 2016-17, didn't mince his words when asking about what he learned after going 16-31 at his alma mater.
"Don't take the wrong job," he told The Athletic.
Frost also added: "I said I wouldn't leave (UCF) unless it was someplace you could win a national championship. I got tugged in a direction to try to help my alma mater and didn't really want to do it. It wasn't a good move. I'm lucky to get back to a place where I was a lot happier."
Kenny Dillingham 'couldn't care less' of Big 12 poll
Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham says he "couldn't care less" of the Big 12 removing its preseason poll, also noting he doesn't care if it hurt the Sun Devils' perception last season.
Arizona State was projected to finish last in the conference prior to last season before winning the Big 12, which led to the conference removing the poll.
Scott Frost talks facing Bill Belichick, UNC football
UCF is slated to open up the season with three straight non-conference games, which Scott Frost told the ESPN desk should help his team, given their youth and inexperience.
One of those non-conference matchups is against UNC, which also has a new head coach in legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick, who Frost played for from 1998-99.
"I played for Bill for two years with the New York Jets when I was starting my career. I haven't seen him in a long time, but I know how great of a coach he is, so we will have a real challenge there," Frost said.
Scott Frost says return to UCF was 'pretty easy'
Scott Frost tells ESPN that it was a "pretty easy decision" to return to the college ranks and UCF this offseason after working with the Los Angeles Rams last season. In his first stint at UCF, Frost led the Knights to a 19-7 overall record, which included the first unbeaten 13-0, season in program and AAC history.
"It's been great. ... It was a pretty easy decision when they offered the job again to go back home," Frost said. "I'm excited to try to help UCF get back where it should be."
Kenny Dillingham: ASU not worried about 'outside noise'
Arizona State pulled off one of the more impressive turnarounds in college football last season, as it went from being picked 16th out of 16 teams in the Big 12 preseason poll to making its first College Football Playoff berth. One year removed from that, Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham said his team is blocking out the outside noise and expectations surrounding the Sun Devils going into the season.
Here's what he said:
Scott Frost makes Big 12 media day debut
Scott Frost's second stint at UCF is officially underway as he takes the podium in Texas. Frost signed a five-year deal with UCF back in December after two seasons away from college football following his firing at Nebraska. In his previous stint at UCF, Frost led the Knights to a 19-7 overall record, including a perfect 13-0 season in 2017.
Kalani Sitake addresses Jake Retzlaff situation
BYU coach Kalani Sitake discussed the university's honor code at Big 12 media days on Tuesday, July 8, which was "likely" to result in a seven-game suspension for quarterback Jake Retzlaff, who's reportedly set to transfer.
A woman sued Retzlaff, a returning starter, in civil court in May, alleging he sexually assaulted her in 2023. He denied the allegations against him before the suit was later dropped. Retzlaff did admit to premarital sex, which violates living a "chaste and virtuous life" in the school's honor code.
“First of all, I love Jake Retzlaff,” Sitake said at the annual preseason Big 12 media days event. “We love Jake Retzlaff and appreciate all that he's done for our program. I think it would be inappropriate for me to make a statement in his situation first. I think that's his right. I think it's a private matter that he can speak for himself, and I'm going to give him the opportunity to do that.”
Paste BN Sports' Brent Schrotenboer contributed to this section.
Chris Klieman previews rivalry game in Ireland
Kansas State and Iowa State open their seasons in Dublin, Ireland, in a Week 0 conference rivalry game. Klieman, who hails from Waterloo, Iowa, said he didn't grow up watching Iowa or Iowa State football.
"Let's get something straight: I grew up in Waterloo, Iowa, and I was a Northern Iowa fan," he said. "I was not an Iowa or Iowa State fan. I was a Panther."
Joey McGuire, Texas Tech 'praying' after Texas floods
Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire started his Big 12 media days news conference at the podium addressing the deadly floods in central Texas, which occurred approximately 330 miles from Lubbock.
Here's what he said:
Arizona State wins Big 12 Commissioner's Cup
Arizona State was named the winner of the first Big 12 Commissioner's Cup at Day 1 of Big 12 media days. The Cup rewards programs that combine athletic and academic excellence.
Read more on ASU's win from the Arizona Republic:
Brett Yormark addresses removal of Big 12 preseason poll
Big 12 Conference commissioner Brett Yormark explained Tuesday why his league no longer does a preseason poll in football.
He said it “disadvantaged” Arizona State last year when the Sun Devils were selected to finish 16th out of 16 Big 12 teams but then ended up winning the league championship.
He said there’s “no value” in a preseason poll because “no one knows what they really have" on their roster after another round of turnover because of players switching teams in the transfer portal.Yormark made his remarks at the league’s preseason media days event here north of Dallas.
– Brent Schrotenboer, Paste BN Sports
Brett Yormark favors 5+11 CFP model
Brett Yormark says he favors a 5+11 model for the College Football Playoff selection process, meaning five automatic bids for the highest-ranked conference title winners with 11 at-large bids. The model was proposed to CFP officials by the Big 12 and ACC, and is currently not favored by the Big Ten and SEC.
"We continue to believe the 5+11 model is the right playoff format," Yormark says. "We want to earn it on the field. We do not need a professional model. We are not the NFL. We are college football and we must act like it."
Brett Yormark says Big 12 will be deepest football conference
Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark said the conference will be the deepest in college football. He also expects the league to have multiple College Football Playoff teams in 2025.
"Once again, I believe we will be the deepest football conference in America," he said in his opening address. "No league offers the competitive balance that we do."
Matt Campbell lauds returning Iowa State players in NIL era
Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell, in his 10th season with the Cyclones, said his top 20 players all could have left the program to make more money at other schools in the transfer portal, but they opted to stay.
"We were able to keep our kids home," Campbell told the Des Moines Register.
Big 12 media days interview schedule
Here's the order of Big 12 coaches to appear at the podium for Day 1 of Big 12 media days, according to the ESPN broadcast:
- Matt Campbell, Iowa State: 12:07 p.m. ET
- Chris Klieman, Kansas State: 12:20 p.m.
- Scott Satterfield, Cincinnati: 12:35 p.m.
- Joey McGuire, Texas Tech: 12:45 p.m.
- Dave Aranda, Baylor: 1:15 p.m.
- Kalani Sitake, BYU: 1:30 p.m.
- Scott Frost, UCF: 2 p.m.
- Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State: 3:25 p.m.
Where are Big 12 media days?
- Location: The Star (Frisco, Texas)
Big 12 football media days will be held at The Star in Frisco, Texas, in 2025. The Star serves as the headquarters of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys.
Big 12 football preseason awards
The Big 12 announced its individual preseason conference awards on July 7, a day before Big 12 media days gets underway.
- Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: QB Sam Leavitt, Arizona State
- Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: LB Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech
- Preseason Newcomer of the Year: QB Devon Dampier, Utah
Big 12 media day schedule
Both days of the event will run from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET.
Tuesday, July 8
Arizona State
- QB Sam Leavitt
- WR Jordyn Tyson
- OL Ben Coleman
- DL C.J. Fite
- DL Clayton Smith
- DB Xavion Alford
Baylor
- QB Sawyer Robertson
- WR Josh Cameron
- OL Omar Aigbedion
- DL Jackie Marshall
- LB Keaton Thomas
- DB Devyn Bobby
BYU
- RB LJ Martin
- WR Chase Roberts
- LB Jack Kelly
- LB Isaiah Glasker
- DL Keanu Tanuvasa
UCF
- RB Myles Montgomery
- OL Paul Rubelt
- DE Nyjalik Kelly
- LB Keli Lawson
Cincinnati
- QB Brendan Sorsby
- TE Joe Royer
- OL Gavin Gerhardt
- DL Dontay Corleone
Iowa State
- QB Rocco Becht
- OL Tyler Miller
- DL Domonique Orange
- DB Jeremiah Cooper
- DB Jontez Williams
Kansas State
- QB Avery Johnson
- OL Taylor Poitier
- DE Cody Stufflebean
- LB Des Purnell
- S VJ Payne
Texas Tech
- QB Behren Morton
- WR Caleb Douglas
- DL Romello Height
- DL Lee Hunter
- LB Jacob Rodriguez
- DB Cole Wisniewski
Wednesday, July 9
- Arizona
- QB Noah Fifita
- OL Rhino Tapa'atoutai
- DL Tre Smith
- DB Treydan Stukes
- DB Dalton Johnson
- DB Genesis Smith
Colorado
- QB Julian Lewis
- QB Kaidon Salter
- OL Jordan Seaton
- DB DJ McKinney
- K Alejandro Mata
Houston
- WR Mekhi Mews
- WR Stephon Johnson
- DL Carlos Allen Jr.
- DB Latrell McCutchin Sr.
Kansas
- QB Jalon Daniels
- C Bryce Foster
- DE Dean Miller
- DT D.J. Withers
Oklahoma State
- TE Josh Ford
- DT Iman Oates
- DB Cam Smith
TCU
- QB Josh Hoover
- WR Eric McAlister
- OL Coltin Deery
- LB Devean Deal
- LB Namdi Obiazor
- DB Bud Clark
Utah
- QB Devon Dampier
- OL Spencer Fano
- DB Smith Snowden
- LB Lander Barton
West Virginia
- WR Jaden Bray
- OL Landen Livingston
- DL Edward Vesterinen
What channel are Big 12 media days on?
- TV channel: ESPNU | ESPN2
- Streaming: ESPN app | ESPN+ | Fubo (free trial)
Both days of the event will air live on ESPNU, with portions of the event partially airing on ESPN2, as well. Streaming options include the ESPN app (with a TV provider login) and ESPN+, which requires a subscription. Another option is Fubo, which carries the ESPN family of networks and offers a free trial.