PAC-12 Hires Oliver Luck In Hail Mary Attempt To Survive

The PAC-12 is bringing in Oliver Luck in the conference's latest last ditch effort to survive.

Only four teams remain in the PAC-12 as of next summer, and Cal, Stanford, Oregon State and Washington State are furiously attempting to devise a way to survive.

The outlook doesn't look good. So far, Cal and Stanford have failed to secure the necessary support to join the ACC, and there's nothing to indicate Oregon State and Washington State will have soft landings.

What will happen? Can any of the four be saved? Well, Oliver Luck is being brought in to help figure out how to put a tent over the circus that is the PAC-12 (or PAC-4), according to John Canzano.

Luck will serve in an advisory role as a consultant, Canzano reported. Further details of what he's doing behind the scenes aren't known at this time.

Oliver Luck hired in advisory role by the PAC-12. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Can Oliver Luck help usher in a positive resolution for the PAC-12?

Oliver Luck, whose son Andrew was a star at Stanford, is viewed as one of the craftiest and intelligent men in all of sports.

Luck served as a successful AD at West Virginia, spent time on the CFP selection committee, joined the NCAA in an executive role and had the XFL booming before the COVID-19 pandemic shut it down. The man is very respected for his ability to get things done, and he's also great with the cameras.

I even floated him to be the commissioner of the Big Ten earlier in the year.

PAC-12 hires Oliver Luck. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM )

Can Luck salvage anything?

However, there's only so much that can be done at this point for the remaining four PAC-12 teams. Canzano reported figuring out finances and options are at the top of the list for Luck.

While Oliver Luck might have a ton of respect in the sports world, he's only one man. The former West Virginia AD is just a human.

Can he figure out a way to add a bunch of teams to make sure the brand doesn't die? I'm very skeptical. It seems very unlikely that happens.

If anything, Oliver Luck might simply be tasked with a negotiated surrender that allows the final four teams to crash with a little dignity.

What I will say is that Oliver Luck is far better suited than George Kliavkoff to take the reins. The PAC-12 commissioner oversaw the collapse of the prestigious and historic conference. He shouldn't be allowed near a phone call involving the future.

Can Oliver Luck save the PAC-12? (Photo by Bill McCay/WireImage)

The situation remains fluid, but hiring Oliver Luck is a start. He's a season vet of college sports, but again, there's only so much one man can do. Don't get your hopes up for survival.