Pac-12 Media Day 2022: Conference realignment, Lincoln Riley’s debut at USC among storylines to watch

The Pac-12’s nickname is “Conference of Champions,” but a more apt term for the league in 2022 might be the “Conference of Uncertainty.” As commissioner George Kliavkoff and representatives from the league’s 12 football teams prepare for their time in the spotlight at Pac-12 Media Day on Friday, questions abound over the future of a conference that is on its heels.

There will be plenty to discuss about what’s ahead on the field this season as some its biggest brands — Oregon, USC and Washington — welcome new coaches. But with the Trojans and cross-town rival UCLA set to depart for the Big Ten in 2024, there is a cloud over the conference as it braces for the impact of losing two of its most valuable members.

With widening gaps in revenue and on-field success between itself and the Big Ten and SEC, the Pac-12 is at an inflection point. Can it rally by producing a College Football Playoff team for the first time since the 2016 season, or will it go the way of its TV network and continue struggling for relevance amid a shifting national landscape?

While these bigger-picture issues loom large over Friday’s event, there will be lighter topics to discuss as well. With half of the league’s teams in line to potentially start transfer quarterback, the Pac-12 could be in line for a fun infusion of offensive life in 2022. 

Regardless of what’s going on and off the field, the Pac-12 can generally be counted on to provide an entertaining product, especially during the late-night window on Saturdays. As we get closer to those on-field shenanigans here’s a look at the big questions entering Friday’s media day event

Kliavkoff’s moment

All eyes will be on Kliavkoff, who faces a monumental challenge more than a year after he stepped into the world of college athletics from a career in the entertainment industry. A year ago, the Big 12 was reeling after it lost Oklahoma and Texas while the Pac-12 seemed relatively stable — and perhaps even in position to expand.

Now, after turning its nose up at expansion last year, the Pac-12 has lost the high ground in the conference realignment battle and needs its leader to confidently articulate a vision for its future. The Pac-12 has already been languishing with lackluster on-field performance and the struggles of its TV network. Now, as the Bruins and Trojans prepare to depart — and with other member schools being targeted as well — the Pac-12…