Big Stories

Cody Stovall’s path to hosting Locked On Oklahoma State is anything but typical. In this episode of Big Stories, Cleon Wall dives into Cody’s lifelong Cowboys fandom, his days as a college athlete, and the life-altering health battle that led to the loss of his leg. Discover how grit, passion, and a love for Oklahoma State carried Cody from the oil fields to the podcast mic. Subscribe to Big Stories for more powerful journeys from across the Big 12, and hear the heart behind the headlines. Guests: Cody Stovall - Locked On Oklahoma State Podcast Host Logan Osborn-Stovall - Cody's Stepson

In this episode of Big Stories, it’s all about in-state showdowns and gridiron bragging rights. Host Cleon Wall dives into the fierce rivalries between BYU and Utah, TCU and Baylor, and Texas Tech’s surprising dominance across the Lone Star State. Plus, Cleon breaks down which teams desperately need a bye week—and why Cincinnati is back on his “Are You For Real?” list. GUESTS: Chris Level - Locked On Texas Tech Podcast Josh Furlong - KSL.com and the Utah Checkdown Podcast Jason Shepherd - BYU SportsNation Zach Smith - Waco Tribune

Arizona State’s Kendall Whitmarsh carries a name that resonates deeply in the world of beach volleyball. Her father, Mike Whitmarsh, was a legend in the sport—an Olympic silver medalist in 1996. Tragically, he passed away when Kendall was just five years old. In this episode of the Big Stories podcast, explore how Kendall keeps her father's legacy alive while forging her own identity—both in life and on the sand. It’s a heartfelt journey of remembrance, resilience, and rising talent. Guests: Kendall Whitmarsh - ASU Beach Volleyball Player Cindy Whitmarsh - Kendall's Mom and Fitness Expert Subscribe to Big Stories for more amazing and uplifting tales from around the Big 12!

On this episode of the Big Stories Pod, we break down our Top 5 teams from last week's action and spotlight a surprising contender emerging in the race for the Big 12 Championship. When will Oklahoma State finally notch an FBS win? Plus, we preview an exciting Week 7 slate featuring massive matchups: #21 Arizona State heads to Salt Lake to face Utah, Kansas takes on 9th-ranked Texas Tech, and more games that could shake up the standings. Guests: Erik Ruby - PHNX Sun Devils Podcast Mark Van Sickle - The Jayhawker Talker Podcast Cody Stovall - Locked On Oklahoma State Alex Markham - Utenation.com

The Big Stories team is scouring the Big 12 for more inspirational stories for this season. In the meantime, we thought we would dip into the Big Stories archive to bring you an encore presentation of an episode from Season 1. Cassady Brewer wanted out of Apopka, Florida. The softball player desired to play anywhere other than nearby UCF. But Cassady's mother desired for her to play for the Knights before she died. In this podcast episode, we discover why Cassady stuck close to home to play softball and how coach Cindy Ball-Malone's influence guided her return to the Knights as an assistant coach. Guests: Cassady Brewer - Former UCF Assistant Softball Coach Bobby Brewer - Cassady's Father Cindy Ball-Malone - UCF Head Softball Coach

The Big Stories pod crowns a new top Big 12 team from week 5 - highlighting a few squads that pulled off amazing comebacks. They also dive into the biggest storylines heading into Week 6, featuring insights from Big 12 podcasters across the conference. Tune in for a preview of the “Texas Two-Step” showdown between Texas Tech and Houston, and a look at Cincinnati’s high-stakes clash with Iowa State. Guests: RC Maxfield - The Red and Black Report Melissa Triebwasser - Frogs Insider Podcast Charlie Walter - Chatterbox Bearcats Podcast  Trace Trylko - Sons of UCF Podcast

Emily Bott flips, twists, and tumbles with the best in collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling. As a key member of Baylor’s National Championship-winning team, she earned All-American honors in her sophomore season. But behind her powerful performances is a story of grit and resilience. In this episode of Big Stories, Emily opens up about her scoliosis diagnosis, the invasive spinal surgery that left her with a metal rod in her back, and her unwavering determination to compete at the highest level. Guests: Emily Bott - Baylor Acrobatics and Tumbling athlete Christine Bott - Emily's Mother

The Big Stories podcast loves its Top Fives, so they are adding a new segment declaring the Top Five teams of the week from the Big 12 with producer Chase Davidson. Hint: It's a team from Texas that won with their backup quarterback. After awarding the Big Man on Campus, host Cleon declares the Top Five quarterbacks in the conference and discusses the Top Five storylines in the Big 12 with the help of BYU SportsNation's Jarom Jordan and PHNX Wildcats podcast host Damon Fairall. Make sure you like and subscribe to the Big Stories podcast so you don't miss any episodes.

Drew Lisk wanted to challenge himself after he left high school. The former quarterback decided to walk on to the University of Utah Football team instead of accepting a scholarship at a smaller school. Drew didn't get a lot of playing time and even wondered if he should transfer, but in the end, he led Utah to one of the most improbable comebacks in Utes football history. Learn about Lisk's legend in this episode of BYUradio's Big Stories. Guests: Drew Lisk - Former Utah Quarterback Whitney Hessler - Former Utah Track Athlete, Drew's Fiance Jeff Call - Former Deseret News Reporter and Sports media lab manager at BYU

Fox's Big Noon Kick-Off is headed to Salt Lake City for the Big 12's first big game of the year as Utah hosts Texas Tech. KSL.com's Josh Furlong clues us in on what the Utes might have in store for the Red Raiders. Melissa Triebwasser of the Frogs Insider podcast discusses the guys helping out TCU QB Josh Hoover and why the Horned Frogs, along with their fans, are so eager to win the Iron Skillet Game against SMU. Plus, Coach Prime's honesty and leaping Sun Devils on this edition of the Big Stories podcast.

In this episode of Big Stories, West Virginia University President Michael T. Benson reflects on the pivotal choices that shaped his life—from proposing to his wife, Debi, to accepting the presidency in Morgantown. But perhaps his most defining decision was choosing a path in academia over a career as an athletic director. Benson opens up about his deep ties to college sports, what kind of AD he might have been, and why he ultimately embraced the world of higher education. Plus, he takes on a fun quiz to test his knowledge of WVU Mountaineer traditions. Guests: Michael T. Benson - West Virginia University President Debi Benson - Michael's wife Truman Benson - Michael's son and SLCC Bruins Soccer Player

It was a rivalry weekend for a few Big 12 teams. Houston takes down Rice in a crosstown clash, Iowa State reclaims the Cy-Hawk Trophy, and Baylor storms back to edge out SMU. Meanwhile, Kansas falls short in the long-awaited Border Showdown against Missouri after a 14-year break. Plus, Arizona State’s comeback hopes are dashed by a dramatic Mississippi State rally. Podcasters from around the Big 12 break down the biggest moments, key performances, and what it all means moving forward — only on Big Stories. Podcasters: Derek Johnson - Locked on Jayhawks podcast. Anthony Totri - PHNX Sun Devils podcast Tyler Carter - B-LEAV in Iowa State podcast Jeremy Branham - host of ESPN 97.5’s The Killer B’s radio show

Jared Casey was affectionately known as "The Mighty Casey" on the radio whenever the Kansas Jayhawks football team played. As a former fullback and tight end, he worked incredibly hard to earn his spot as a walk-on player, which ultimately led to one of the most memorable catches in Kansas football history. In this podcast episode, you'll learn more about Jared's inner drive and how his faith in God continues to guide him after graduating from the University of Kansas. Guests: - Jared Casey - Former Jayhawks football player - Jerry and Karen Casey - Jared's parents

Week one of the college football season is in the books, and every Big 12 team has now played at least one game. Some teams and quarterbacks looked impressive (Utah and Arizona State), while others have injured QBs (UCF, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma State). Meanwhile, some teams still have a lot of questions (we are looking at you, Baylor and Kansas State). Host Cleon Wall dives into the biggest storylines of week one with the help of podcast hosts from around the Big 12. Podcasters: Ashley Hodge - Sic'em 365 Drew Galloway - KSO Show Podcast Adam Eaton - Sons of UCF

TCU wide receiver Jordyn Bailey gives his mother, Casaundra, all the credit for shaping him into the man he is today—alongside his faith in God. So, Big Stories host Cleon Wall set out to discover what makes Casaundra so special. How did she raise not just one, but two standout football players—one thriving in the Big 12 and the other chasing his NFL dream?

The Big Stories podcast brings you the top 5 stories from week zero of college football, and the majority of the talk centered around Iowa State and Kansas State playing in Ireland in the Farmageddon rivalry game. We also discuss Kansas' return to Booth Memorial Stadium and Oklahoma State's biggest storylines of the season. Podcasters featured in this episode: Derek Johnson - Locked on Jayhawks Tyler Carter - BLEAV in Iowa State podcast Drew Galloway - KSO Show Cody Stovall - Locked on Oklahoma State

Almost a year before Kansas State stepped on the field against rival Iowa State in Ireland, Wildcat quarterback Avery Johnson dedicated the 2024 season to his former high school principal, Chris Botts. The Maize High School boss has a rare form of cancer, and Johnson was hoping to raise money for Botts every time he scored a touchdown. The plan worked better than expected. In this podcast episode, we get a medical update from Chris and discover why Avery and other Maize High students have such affection for their principal.

BYUradio’s Big Stories podcast is getting even bigger. Host Cleon Wall and the Big Stories team will continue telling the inspirational tales from across the Big 12—but now, they’re also diving into the biggest moments on the field and court. Since it’s Week Zero and three Big 12 teams are kicking off the season—including Kansas State and Iowa State in the legendary “Farmageddon” rivalry—we’re spotlighting the biggest narrative surrounding each team heading into the 2025 season. Podcasters: Damon Fairall - PHNX Arizona Wildcats Podcast Anthony Totri – PHNX Arizona State Sun Devils Podcast Ashley Hodge – Sic’m365.com Ryan Koenigsberg – DNVR Colorado Buffs Podcast Charlie Walter – Chatterbox Bearcats Podcast John Walters – Voice of the Iowa State Cyclones/Cy Cast Podcast Brian Hanni – Voice of the Kansas Jayhawks John Kurtz – 3Maw Podcast and Open for Business Big 12 Newsletter Melissa Triebwasser – Frogs Insider Podcast RC Maxfield – The Red and Black Report Podcast Adam Eaton – Sons of UCF Josh Furlong – ksl.com and The Utah Checkdown Podcast

We've wrapped up another amazing season of the Big Stories podcast! ????️ Join producer/host Cleon Wall and producer Whitney Sheffield as they share their favorite moments from Season 2. We invite you to listen to this special episode and catch up on all our Seasons 1 and 2 episodes. Don't forget to leave us a rating and review wherever you listen to podcasts. Your feedback means the world to us. We can't wait to bring you Season 3!

Season 2 of Big Stories will wrap up next week. In the meantime, the team wanted to share with you one of our other great podcasts from BYU SportsNation and BYUradio. It's Deep Blue and hosted by Jason Shepherd. In this episode, we feature former BYU Football quarterback Max Hall. He shares his powerful journey—from battling drug addiction to rebuilding his life and founding a recovery center to help others do the same. Hall also recounts some of the biggest decisions in his life, sharing life lessons he's learned along the way.