The Big 12 has set its sights on expansion, according to multiple reports. The Athletic reported Thursday the conference is focused on BYU, Cincinnati, UCF and Houston.

The University of Memphis doesn’t appear high on the list. The Daily Memphian reached out to four college administrators — none of them at Memphis — and granted them anonymity to get their honest opinion on the school’s prospects in a shifting college sports universe.

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Q: What would Memphis bring to the table in conference realignment?

Administrator 1: “Well, I think the first thing is, Memphis is a very recognizable brand. When people think of Memphis, when they see the logo, there’s no second-guessing who that is, where that is. Strong brand. I think it’s located in a good area in terms of talent, and there’s a lot of schools and programs that recruit the Mid-South. Memphis is known for its basketball players, but there are lots of great athletes in other sports, including football.

“It’s a city that’s rich in terms of identity. It’s not some bland community of rooftops that sprung up in suburbia. Memphis has an identity and an authenticity to it that most people appreciate. Good place to visit, good food, good entertainment. You’ve got the (National) Civil Rights Museum, which is a historical perspective and an opportunity for fans to get educated on that visit, and for teams to get educated. I think those are all assets.”

Administrator 2: “Just look at what they’ve done with football and the commitment to those facilities. The financial commitment has been significant and it hasn’t changed with coaching changes. That’s a significant thing across the board. The administration, athletically, president-wise. A lot of times, when there’s turnover, it gives the administration time to reset. They’ve done a good job of investing in areas that are needed — coaching salaries, travel, all these analysts, ensuring that the football coach has the ability to maintain talent and staff and not get picked apart every year. I think they’ve done a ton.”

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Administrator 3: “From where it was when they got into the Big East to now, it’s night and day. Memphis football has been in the discussion for the Top 25 pretty much every year for the last five years. That helps. Basketball is always in the limelight. From the reputation standpoint, it’s just much different. The facilities are tremendous. What they’ve done is great and it works in their favor.”

Administrator 4: “Memphis continues to do all the right things to position itself for success and for consideration. The sustainability for the football program with their last three coaches is remarkable and as good as any program at that level could reasonably hope for. Football success is a huge piece of it. Having traveled around the American (Athletic Conference) and seen a lot of things, there’s not a Group of Five program that has as much support or that matters as much to a large city anywhere else. You could probably put Cincinnati up there, but I don’t think the others have the combination of football and basketball success and matter in a way where they move the needle for their city. SMU, no. UCF has had success, but that’s a big city down there.

“Memphis is a melting pot, but when the program starts winning, the city gets behind them whether you went to school there or not. That’s what sets it apart from other G5 schools. It’s competitive, it’s got tradition, it’s a passionate market. Memphis has all those things going for them.”

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Q: What do you think would hold them back from getting an invitation to the Big 12?

Administrator 1: “I think it’s problematic for Memphis that — I don’t think the college athletics universe understands how consistently good and how far that football program has come. So, I don’t think they get as much credit for that. Historically, basketball, when they’ve been great, it’s been accompanied by infractions cases. Now it’s no different. People always see Memphis as a place that, when they’ve had success, they’ve cut corners to get there. I don’t know that that’s fair. That’s just a little bit of what the perception is, and I don’t know how you attack that.”

Administrator 2: “I just think the piece that doesn’t get talked about enough is the academic profile. These decisions are made by presidents. Not athletic directors. Not coaches. Presidents. Who do they want to be affiliated with? Who do they want going into their leagues? Perception is reality, even with these academic rankings. A percentage of it is just reputation. It’s completely subjective. When a president who isn’t from this region is thinking about Memphis, they might be thinking of Memphis State. That was 1990. It’s a totally different institution than you’re looking at today. It takes a long time to overcome that.

“I think they’ve done a lot of the right things. It just comes down to timing. Last time, I don’t think they were as strong as they are now, and we’ll see if they’ve done enough to change that perception. What you hope is that they’re looking at trajectory. Thinking big picture, long term. That’s where Memphis has to sell themselves.”

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Administrator 4: “I think it has to do with the academic prowess of the institution. It’s not UCF, which isn’t this huge academic beast, but it’s got crazy high enrollment. That’s something to hold your hat on. UCF has dampened the success of Memphis, because they claimed the national title (2017). They’ve got 10, 11 wins every year. Memphis is knocking on that door, but there’s two or three other people in the neighborhood. There hasn’t been that monumental, Statue of Liberty, national championship moment. UCF had that. They’re still talking about that. An element of respect has not come to Memphis, for whatever reason.”

Q: Beyond the investments already made, is there anything Memphis can do to help its case?

Administrator 1: “Well, there’s a significant corporate presence that is great for sponsorships and internships that people are gonna have graduates from that work for FedEx, IP, etc. I’d tie into how important U of M and athletics have been to social justice progress in the city and in the region. The university has had a significant role, specifically basketball, in bridging the racial gap. I’d paint the institution as an institution that lies in a diverse city focused on quality and access, to unarm the people who’d want to attack the academic quality.”

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Administrator 3: “If Memphis had a breakout year, they’d go into the discussion of the top 4. That’s the only reason Cincinnati is in there. It comes down to how good are you? Cincinnati’s fan base isn’t any bigger than Memphis’. It’d be great for that team to go 9-3, 10-2 just to solidify it. From Justin Fuente to Mike Norvell and to Ryan (Silverfield). I think it’d imperative for them to have a strong year this year.”

Administrator 4: “I just think they’ve already done a ton. Outside of a T. Boone Pickens situation, like Fred Smith and FedEx putting $700 million into the university, it’s hard to say. I think they, instead of being focused on the Big 12, should think about the evolution of the NCAA. What comes next. Don’t be singularly focused on anything.

“What we’ve seen over time, no matter the affiliation, the biggest element that provides notoriety is continued success at the highest level. Provide the resources, keep investing in the institution, lean on your donors, fill your stadiums, win at the highest level, have a top-5 basketball program and go to the Sweet 16. UCF’s done it the best of anybody, and that’s why their name is the most recognizable. You just have to outlast them. It’s a long game.”