I think it made Utah more attractive Because they were loyal to their conference and not jumping around like CU.
The people desperate to leave were the ones who needed a fresh start. Utah Wanted to keep it together because they had a sustainable competitive advantage over Most of the conference.
The harder Utah played to get, the more They became a target for Yormark. The optics alone, gives him a greater sense of achievement.
I think Utah played it about as well as you could.
In fact, some people believe they actually got a special deal.
If that’s true, all the more reason why Dragging along other options became a smart chess play.