Iowa State coaches are excited about adding West Virginia and TCU to the Big 12. Cyclone football coach Paul Rhoads says the Mountaineers and Horned Frogs make a very tough conference schedule even more difficult.
Rhoads says they are two programs his players have watched, but never played against. “It adds, I think to the strength of the Big 12. I think this will be the most challenging Big 12 schedule that we face, because it’s the second year in a row that you have 9 games, different than when we started, and the two teams that are coming into are both going to be top 25 programs, I believe,” Rhoads says.
From a basketball standpoint, Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg says that the Big 12 schedule doesn’t get any easier for his program either. “It’ll still be a tremendous challenge,” Hoiberg says. He says you have great coaching and some talented teams coming in.
It’s even a good move for women’s basketball, according to Cyclone coach Bill Fennelly. “They added two good teams, West Virginia is a top 15 top 25 team, TCU has always been a good program,” Fennelly says. He says TCU will be helped in recruiting by joining the conference.
West Virginia and TCU take the place of Missouri and Texas A&M, who left the Big 12 for the SEC.
By Jesse Gavin, KCNZ, Cedar Falls