Ex-BYU AD: 'So be it' if policy prohibits Big 12 expansion

A group of LGBT organizations wrote a letter to Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby on Monday, asking the conference to remove BYU from consideration for expansion.

The following day, BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe responded via Twitter to the demand.

On Wednesday, former BYU athletic director Val Hale gave his take on the issue, to the ESPN show "Perspectives," while explaining the school's honor code.

"I wish these types of decisions could be made strictly on athletics or academics and those kind of things," Hale said. "BYU has an honor code that basically says that the only acceptable sex is between a man and a woman, who are married. So even if you are heterosexual person, not married and you engage in sex, you're going to get punished. BYU does allow people of homosexual feelings to come to the university and be there. But if you engage in sex, outside of marriage between a man and a woman at BYU, you will be expelled."

Hale also provided context as to how deep-rooted the honor code is at the school.

"That's the way it's always been and I don't see BYU changing that policy at all in the future," he said. "If it means that it precludes them from participating in another conference or even having an athletic program. I think BYU would probably say 'so be it.'"

Back in 2011, BYU basketball player Brandon Davies was suspended from the team for breaking the honor code by having premarital sex with his girlfriend. Other conditions to the code ask for students to be honest and abstain from alcoholic beverages, tobacco, tea, coffee, and substance abuse, while attending church regularly.