IRVING - For the past year, David Boren was the guy preaching change in the Big 12.

At nearly every opportunity, the Oklahoma president had sounded the alarm on a 10-team league that barely survived two rounds of realignment. The Big 12 needed to move toward expansion and a conference title game and TV network, even if it meant shutting down Texas' Longhorn Network. According to Boren, the league's unofficial motto might as well have been "psychologically disadvantaged."

A different Boren emerged Thursday in his new role, addressing the media as the chairman of the Big 12 board of directors. Gone was the voice of doom. In his place was the politician who spent 15 years as a U.S. Senator.

Suddenly the Big 12 had a bright future. Whether that opinion still holds after meetings end Friday and Boren returns north of the Red River will be interesting.

"I think our conference is extremely strong, and I want to underline that," Boren said. "We've gone through choppy periods in the past, but from my point of view of having been here as a president through the whole history of this conference, I don't think this conference has ever been stronger,"

He even talked about the relationship of the members being strong and praised Texas president Greg Fenves. On Wednesday, Texas athletic director Mike Perrin took a strong line against expansion and pretty much any other change in the Big 12 outside of maybe a football title game. Rather than escalate, Boren took a conciliatory approach.

Boren's comments come as the Big 12 explores the big issues of expansion and a possible conference TV network.

Conference presidents heard a presentation from Navigate Research on expansion candidates and conference models with more expected Friday. League TV consultants Bevilacqua Helfant Ventures will also present on what money the Big 12 could expect from its TV partners, from the return of a football title game and from a possible conference network.

The Big 12 faces the same challenge as the ACC and Pac-12 - a widening revenue gap with the SEC and Big Ten, in large part because of the success of those two conference's TV networks. The Big 12 will announce is revenue figures on Friday.

"We don't have to be down there dollar for dollar or penny for penny what somebody else is making but we have to be in the neighborhood," Boren said. "We are not as disadvantaged as some might think."

Boren had emerged as the patron saint of expansion candidates everywhere for his stance. He muted that call, acknowledging what the Big 12 is facing among hopefuls in the so-called "group of five" conferences outside the power five.

"Some strong people do want to join this conference," Boren said. "But we have to be realistic about the pool that is available."

He cautioned against any expansion that might be dilutive. As his personal expansion criteria, Boren listed athletic fit, the school's fan base, its media market and academic standing and research. The Big 12 gathering data this week, not making decisions, he said.

"I would not want this group to be reporting four to five months down the road that these decisions were made very casually," Boren said. "We are in a position of strength. We're not in any kind of crisis where we have to decide something very, very quickly."

Twitter: @ChuckCarltonDMN