Why Matt Wells could be poised for a nice first season at Texas Tech

Chuck Carlton, Big 12 beat writer for SportsDayDFW.com and The Dallas Morning News, answered questions about the league in a live chat Wednesday. Below are highlights, edited for clarity. Check out the full chat here.

Kirby Hocutt is one of the 10 highest-paid athletic directors in the country. Texas Tech isn't exactly a national power. Do you think his extension is too rich?

Carlton: National power? If you're judging an athletic director's performance by football, you're correct. But in men's basketball (national runner-up) and baseball (three College World Series appearances) Tech has enjoyed unprecedented success. And there's more to the picture. Hocutt has been a very solid fundraiser,…