Colorado a good fit for Pac-10

The Pac-10 announced yesterday that the University of Colorado agreed to leave the Big 12 and join its conference.

With that, Colorado became the first of six Big 12 schools rumored to jump ship and head west.

Former Colorado head coach Bill Mallory was a bit stunned by the news, but he says Colorado could benefit from the move.

“I had the opportunity to coach at the University of Colorado,” Mallory said. “We used to play Cal, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford and so forth. And if that’s what Colorado wants to do, I think it’s a good fit for them to go to the Pac-10.”

Mallory says that joining the Pac-10 not only benefits the school monetarily, but it works out geographically for Colorado as well.

“Colorado has always recruited the west coast — particularly California — very well for the most part,” he said. “The move should enhance that.”

Another Big 12 North school is expected to formally announce a decision to leave the conference this afternoon. Nebraska is rumored to be joining the Big Ten, a move that will enhance the competitiveness of the conference and the reach of the Big Ten Network.

Once Nebraska leaves, only four Big 12 North schools will remain, and most of the Big 12 South schools are expected to leave next week.

“That’s had to be a hard hit,” Mallory said, “particularly in that North division of the Big 12 with (Nebraska and Colorado) leaving. You just wonder, too, what the heck is going to happen to Kansas and Kansas State.”

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