This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
While there were no 'formal' discussions about the possibility of moving to an 8-game football schedule at the recent Pac-12 meetings according to Utah athletic director Chris Hill, the topic was certainly bantered about among the coaches, whose ultimate desire is to have a consistent format for all conferences. As for Hill, he said he prefers keeping the 9-game schedule. "I like playing as many Pac-12 teams as possible," he said. One of the reasons he feels it is important to do so is for strength of schedule, a factor that will become a bigger player once college football employs its new post-season format. "We feel that is why the Big Ten is going to nine games (in 2016), because they need that strength of schedule," he said. Other topics that were discussed was the men's basketball tournament which was held in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand in the first stint of a three-year deal. The tournament was just one of four, along with the Mountain West, West Coast and Western Athletic conferences, that the city hosted but the first for the MGM Grand's Garden Arena. From what Hill said, the first time went over well. "People really liked the location, atmosphere and enthusiasm around it," he said. The other topic discussed was what teams can do about concussions. Hill said he feels strongly about being proactive and wishes for more research on how college football can become safer. "I would welcome more input and support it," he said. "We need to do as much as we can. It's a topic we can't ignore and has to be a top priority." - Lya Wodraska