2010 CFBZ Prediction: 2nd Place in Big 12 North
2010 Actual Finish: Tied for 1st place in the Big 12 North (10-3, 6-2)
Missouri started out the season sky high by winning their first seven games including a huge victory over then Oklahoma. After knocking off the Sooners, the Tigers took the #6 spot in the Nation into Lincoln Nebraska but fell 31 to 17 after falling behind by 24 points in the very first quarter. The loss to Nebraska hurt but it was the lost the very next week against Texas Tech that would keep them out of the Big 12 Championship game. Missouri closed the season by winning 3 straight against Big 12 North foes before falling to an underachieving Iowa team at the Insight Bowl to finish the year 10-3. From 2009 to 2010 the Missouri defense decreased their points allowed from 25.4 all the way down to just 16.1 per game which ranked them 6th in the Nation in scoring defense. Missouri also had a turnover margin of +11. When you think of Missouri you think of offense but it was an improved defense that helped them to their 10-3 mark this year. We caught up with the SB Nation Missouri Blog Rock M Nation to get their take on the 2010 Tigers and get a sneak peak into 2011.
1. Missouri finished 10-3 and 6-2 in the Big 12. It was pretty much where you had predicted them to finish in our Pre-Season Preview. What were your favorite memories from the 2010 season?
I don't think there's any doubt that one game/weekend will stand out above all else when Tiger fans look back at 2010. The date 10/23/10 is now forever etched in Mizzou lore as perhaps the best homecoming weekend ever for the school that is recognized as the birthplace of homecoming. The win against Oklahoma, and everything that surrounded it, wasn't just the win of the year, it's been called by many a "once in a generation" type of weekend. College GameDay made its first appearance in Columbia and Mizzou fans promptly rewrote the GameDay attendance record by packing 18,000 people onto the quad. They packed Faurot Field that night and helped every step of the way as Gary Pinkel got the "Oklahoma monkey" off of his back. From the moment Gahn McGaffie – an up-man, no less – ran the opening kickoff back for a touchdown, Mizzou knew something special could happen that night. And it did.
2. If you could have a "re-do" for one game which would it be?
We'll ignore the Iowa loss and take it for what it is: a tough bowl loss against a solid team. That leaves Mizzou's only other two losses up for deliberation. The Nebraska loss was crippling not just because of its ramifications, but primarily because of how it happened. Mizzou could not have looked more helpless in the first quarter, as the Huskers rolled up and down the field with no resistance and Blaine Gabbert was already under siege and taking fire. Mizzou did fight back to make the score semi-respectable for those that didn't watch the game, but for those who did, it was an ugly loss by nearly any qualifier you choose. That leaves the other loss, a road loss to Texas Tech, which I think would be my personal "re-do" game simply because it was one Missouri should have won. Two 70-yard touchdown runs in the first quarter made it look like Missouri was going to waltz through with a win, but the Mizzou offense disappeared and Taylor Potts replaced Steven Sheffield and re-energized Tech. The Nebraska loss was the one that could have meant a Big 12 North title for Missouri, but it was the Tech loss that really sticks in the sides of Mizzou fans because it was one that the Tigers really should have been able to close out.
3. Blaine Gabbert has thrown for over 3,000 yards in each of the last two years but has declared for the NFL draft. Who is waiting in the wings to replace him?
The presumptive starter at this point will be sophomore James Franklin, who saw minimal time in 2010 as the No. 2 behind Gabbert. Franklin is going to be a bit of a different look from Gabbert, as he lacks the cannon Gabbert had but also possesses a few other skills Gabbert didn't. He is considered a "mobile" or "dual-threat" quarterback, but those labels can often unintentionally degrade a quarterback's ability as a passer. Franklin throws with good touch and throws an extremely catchable ball, much like Chase Daniel did, though we're still unsure about his ability as a downfield passer simply because he was never given the chance to air it out. Additionally, if Franklin gets the nod, it should mean a bit of an overhaul for the Missouri running game, as his inclusion in the offense means Missouri can insert the zone read as a staple in the running game. He'll have a bit of a battle for the job in camp, as Tyler Gabbert (Blaine's younger brother) came on strong during bowl practices, but at the moment, it's Franklin's job to lose.
4. Who were the most surprising players this season?
Offensively, you could pick from any one of the trio of tailback Henry Josey, receiver T.J. Moe or tight end Michael Egnew. All were outstanding in 2010 despite having contributed almost nothing in prior years (Josey was a true freshman, and Moe and Egnew entered the season with nine combined career receptions). All three played instrumental roles in Mizzou's offensive success, as Moe wrote himself into Mizzou lore with the "Moe Miracle" late in Mizzou's improbable comeback against San Diego State and Egnew became next in line as another All-American tight end at Missouri. But I think the two most surprising players on Missouri's team this season were on defense. Safety Jarrell Harrison was considered by some to be the team's most unheralded player and perhaps the defensive MVP. He was third on the team in tackles with 69 and picked up two interceptions, and while his numbers aren't mind-boggling, he was a steadying presence in the Missouri defensive backfield, especially once he was asked to lead even more upon the suspension of safety Jasper Simmons. Harrison even played at linebacker against Iowa State – the first time he had done so since grade school – to help defensive coordinator Dave Steckel deal with attrition at the position. The other surprise defensively was end Brad Madison, who led Mizzou with 7.5 sacks, including 3.0 against Texas A&M while filling in for an injured Aldon Smith. His play in 2010 is why fans aren't jumping off ledges with Smith's declaration for the NFL.
5. What does Missouri need to do to improve this off-season so it can challenge for the Big 12 (or whatever they will be calling it) Title?
Mizzou's chances at the Bevo Ten Championship (see what I did there?) aren't necessarily going to be based on what they can improve but rather what they can replace. Mizzou only lost four senior starters total on both sides of the ball and then lost its two NFL-bound players. The quarterback situation will receive the multitude of the spotlight, and for obvious reasons. Missouri should feel largely confident in its ability to replace Aldon Smith at defensive end, but the really pressing need Missouri will find itself with is the defensive backfield. After being the team's weak link in 2008 and 2009, the defensive backfield was outstanding in 2010, but it now loses two seniors at cornerback with six combined years of starting experience in Carl Gettis and Kevin Rutland, as well as Harrison, mentioned above. Mizzou coaches and reporters say they've been recruiting much better athletes at defensive back, and now it's time to prove it. Cornerbacks Kip Edwards and E.J. Gaines both looked very solid during their appearances in 2010, and Missouri's shot at the conference may rest on their ability to assume starting roles with minimal trouble.
Showing posts with label Big 12. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Big 12. Show all posts
Monday, January 31, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Nebraska Cornhuskers: 2010 Exit Survey
2010 CFBZ Prediction: 1st Place in Big 12 North and Big 12 Champion
2010 Actual Finish: Tied for 1st Place in Big 12 North and Big 12 Runner-Up (10-4, 6-2)
Nebraska came really close to having a special season but it came apart in the last four games for them. The Cornhuskers got off to a 9-1 start including wins over Okie State and Missouri (who was ranked #6 at the time). On November 20th Nebraska fell to Texas A&M 9-6 in a game where they set school records for penalties and penalty yards. After beating Colorado to get their record to 10-2 they lost a close one in the Big 12 Championship Game to rival Oklahoma 23-20. Probably the most disappointing moment of the season came when Nebraska fell flat in it's bowl game against Washington (a team it had previously beaten this year 56-21). We were able to talk our Nebraska blogger, Brandon, down off of his ledge long enough for him to answer some questions for us about the 2010 season and get a quick look into the 2011 season. You can also follow him on twitter @bigstad24, he should be an interesting guy to follow next college football season as it will be Nebraska's first in the Big Ten.
1. Nebraska finished 10-4 losing 3 of their last 4. Looking back on the season was it a success, a failure or somewhere in between?
I, personally, have to label this season as a failure. I never really bought into the hype of Nebraska being a National Championship contender but you could definitely see that the talent was there to do so. Unfortunately, there were too many holes to prevent it from happening. I admit that I was snowed after the Washington and Kansas State games when the offense looked like the Nebraska of old with its domination of the run game and a defense that could shut down pretty much any offense. Then…the Texas game occurred and from that point forward they didn’t look like the same team. Taylor Martinez was exposed as not having the confidence that he should, the defense was shown prone to being beaten by the run, and the coaching staff was exposed as having little creativity offensively (save for a few Rex Burkhead plays in the last few games…) to get scores. So it became a failure when in three of the last four games you lose 9-6 to Texas A&M taking you out of a potential (albeit…small) chance at a National Title. You lose in heartbreaking fashion to Oklahoma, going back to your Quarterback who had been stopped repeatedly and not sticking with what was working and losing your last game on the way out of the Big 12 Conference. Then finally you lose to a team which you had dominated earlier in the season, and while you may have taken a lot of money away from their Quarterback, you still couldn’t get anything going offensively. If this seems like a successful season to you then by all means take it, but for it was a failure.
2. If you could have one game to "do over" which one would it be?
As much as people would probably expect me to say that I would like to redo the Texas A&M or Oklahoma game, I would rather redo the Holiday Bowl game against Washington. I think that you have to win a game of that magnitude after the prior month going so awry. I don’t think it hurt recruiting too much, but it seemed as if the team just lost focus and seemed badly distracted going into and during that game. As I said before you NEED to win that game so that you can prove the naysayers wrong, and regain some of the luster you lost with two of the losses which you suffered late. It also shows that you may have not been as good as you were touted to be EARLY in the season when you had already beaten that team. You need people to perceive that your team is dominant even if they actually aren’t that way you can keep the intimidation factor. With this loss? You lose that factor, and you also lose the idea of, “A couple of bad breaks…” being the difference in your season.
3. Which player were the most surprising to you this year?
The player that most surprised me this year was Lavonte David. I understand that he was a decent prospect coming out of JUCO last year, but for him to play that hybrid safety/linebacker position and in a dominant manner was something to behold. I don’t think he has much of a future at the next level as a linebacker, but with his ability to cover and run and his tackling ability he will make whatever team drafts him very happy as a Strong Saftey.
4. Which players are you most looking forward to watching in 2011?
Jared Crick because I think he has a chance to be another awesome defensive tackle; I don’t think he will ever get to a Suh-type level, but I certainly think he could be an awesome force on the inside of a defense for years to come. The aforementioned Lavonte David. Alfonso Dennard is also one to watch because of how well he played with Prince Amukamara on the other side of him. I am anxious to see if he can be the same type of corner when he is the focal point of the secondary, and see if he can shut down one side of the field like Amukamara did this entire year. I am also very pumped to see Rex Burkhead as the main running back and see if he can keep up what he did at the end of this year as a do everything style back, and be able to shoulder the load of the carries with no Roy Helu there to help him out.
5. Nebraska is in the same Big Ten division as Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota and Northwestern. How do you like Nebraska's chances in this division and what do they need to do this off-season to compete for a Big Ten Championship in their first year?
I like Nebraska’s chances in this division for sure because of how different every other team in it will look next season. Michigan is going to be rebuilding again, Michigan State was greatly exposed by Alabama and I don’t think they can do the same thing they did this past season. Minnesota is going to have a new coach to go along with the same players from a very poor season. Then there is Northwestern whom I think is a sleeper in this division and could win it, but they have never proven to win the big game yet, and I don’t have much faith that you can just learn that over an off-season. What does Nebraska need to do this off-season? I think that a change must be made with the offensive coordinator. I know that Bo Pellini has given him a “vote of confidence” but to me you can’t expect any different result on offense with the same person in charge. Where they would turn? I have no clue, but I know it probably can’t be with current Oregon Wide Receiver’s coach Scott Frost as this was his first year as a coach on the offensive side of the ball. I also don’t think Joe Ganz (a current Graduate Assistant) can just jump up to Quarterback’s coach, but I think that this is what needs to change the most because the defense is always going to be there to stop people. All that you need is one more point than the defense allows, and right now I don’t think that this offensive staff can get that done on a consistent basis.
2010 Actual Finish: Tied for 1st Place in Big 12 North and Big 12 Runner-Up (10-4, 6-2)
Nebraska came really close to having a special season but it came apart in the last four games for them. The Cornhuskers got off to a 9-1 start including wins over Okie State and Missouri (who was ranked #6 at the time). On November 20th Nebraska fell to Texas A&M 9-6 in a game where they set school records for penalties and penalty yards. After beating Colorado to get their record to 10-2 they lost a close one in the Big 12 Championship Game to rival Oklahoma 23-20. Probably the most disappointing moment of the season came when Nebraska fell flat in it's bowl game against Washington (a team it had previously beaten this year 56-21). We were able to talk our Nebraska blogger, Brandon, down off of his ledge long enough for him to answer some questions for us about the 2010 season and get a quick look into the 2011 season. You can also follow him on twitter @bigstad24, he should be an interesting guy to follow next college football season as it will be Nebraska's first in the Big Ten.
1. Nebraska finished 10-4 losing 3 of their last 4. Looking back on the season was it a success, a failure or somewhere in between?
I, personally, have to label this season as a failure. I never really bought into the hype of Nebraska being a National Championship contender but you could definitely see that the talent was there to do so. Unfortunately, there were too many holes to prevent it from happening. I admit that I was snowed after the Washington and Kansas State games when the offense looked like the Nebraska of old with its domination of the run game and a defense that could shut down pretty much any offense. Then…the Texas game occurred and from that point forward they didn’t look like the same team. Taylor Martinez was exposed as not having the confidence that he should, the defense was shown prone to being beaten by the run, and the coaching staff was exposed as having little creativity offensively (save for a few Rex Burkhead plays in the last few games…) to get scores. So it became a failure when in three of the last four games you lose 9-6 to Texas A&M taking you out of a potential (albeit…small) chance at a National Title. You lose in heartbreaking fashion to Oklahoma, going back to your Quarterback who had been stopped repeatedly and not sticking with what was working and losing your last game on the way out of the Big 12 Conference. Then finally you lose to a team which you had dominated earlier in the season, and while you may have taken a lot of money away from their Quarterback, you still couldn’t get anything going offensively. If this seems like a successful season to you then by all means take it, but for it was a failure.
2. If you could have one game to "do over" which one would it be?
As much as people would probably expect me to say that I would like to redo the Texas A&M or Oklahoma game, I would rather redo the Holiday Bowl game against Washington. I think that you have to win a game of that magnitude after the prior month going so awry. I don’t think it hurt recruiting too much, but it seemed as if the team just lost focus and seemed badly distracted going into and during that game. As I said before you NEED to win that game so that you can prove the naysayers wrong, and regain some of the luster you lost with two of the losses which you suffered late. It also shows that you may have not been as good as you were touted to be EARLY in the season when you had already beaten that team. You need people to perceive that your team is dominant even if they actually aren’t that way you can keep the intimidation factor. With this loss? You lose that factor, and you also lose the idea of, “A couple of bad breaks…” being the difference in your season.
3. Which player were the most surprising to you this year?
The player that most surprised me this year was Lavonte David. I understand that he was a decent prospect coming out of JUCO last year, but for him to play that hybrid safety/linebacker position and in a dominant manner was something to behold. I don’t think he has much of a future at the next level as a linebacker, but with his ability to cover and run and his tackling ability he will make whatever team drafts him very happy as a Strong Saftey.
4. Which players are you most looking forward to watching in 2011?
Jared Crick because I think he has a chance to be another awesome defensive tackle; I don’t think he will ever get to a Suh-type level, but I certainly think he could be an awesome force on the inside of a defense for years to come. The aforementioned Lavonte David. Alfonso Dennard is also one to watch because of how well he played with Prince Amukamara on the other side of him. I am anxious to see if he can be the same type of corner when he is the focal point of the secondary, and see if he can shut down one side of the field like Amukamara did this entire year. I am also very pumped to see Rex Burkhead as the main running back and see if he can keep up what he did at the end of this year as a do everything style back, and be able to shoulder the load of the carries with no Roy Helu there to help him out.
5. Nebraska is in the same Big Ten division as Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota and Northwestern. How do you like Nebraska's chances in this division and what do they need to do this off-season to compete for a Big Ten Championship in their first year?
I like Nebraska’s chances in this division for sure because of how different every other team in it will look next season. Michigan is going to be rebuilding again, Michigan State was greatly exposed by Alabama and I don’t think they can do the same thing they did this past season. Minnesota is going to have a new coach to go along with the same players from a very poor season. Then there is Northwestern whom I think is a sleeper in this division and could win it, but they have never proven to win the big game yet, and I don’t have much faith that you can just learn that over an off-season. What does Nebraska need to do this off-season? I think that a change must be made with the offensive coordinator. I know that Bo Pellini has given him a “vote of confidence” but to me you can’t expect any different result on offense with the same person in charge. Where they would turn? I have no clue, but I know it probably can’t be with current Oregon Wide Receiver’s coach Scott Frost as this was his first year as a coach on the offensive side of the ball. I also don’t think Joe Ganz (a current Graduate Assistant) can just jump up to Quarterback’s coach, but I think that this is what needs to change the most because the defense is always going to be there to stop people. All that you need is one more point than the defense allows, and right now I don’t think that this offensive staff can get that done on a consistent basis.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Oklahoma Sooners: 2010 Exit Survey
2010 CFBZ Prediction: 1st Place in Big 12 South (Runner-Up in Big 12)
2010 Actual Finish: Big 12 Conference Champion (12-2, 6-2)
I wasn't a big believer in the Oklahoma Sooners coming into the 2010 season. They were coming off of an 8-5 season and had lost the majority of starters off of their defense. Bob Stoops did a good job this year of getting the troops back and marching to a 12-2 season and a BCS Bowl victory. The two losses stick out a little because they were against Missouri and Texas A&M, two good teams but teams that barely cracked the Top 20 in the final AP poll while Oklahoma finished 6th. Oklahoma carries a lot of momentum into the 2011/2012 season and they look like a team that will be a sure fire pre-season Top 5 pick. They finished off their schedule this year by beating up Texas Tech and Baylor and then beating rivals Nebraska and Oklahoma State in a couple of close, tough games. We turned to the Oklahoma Sooners Blog Land Thieves to find out what they thought about the 2010 Oklahoma Sooners.
2010 Actual Finish: Big 12 Conference Champion (12-2, 6-2)
I wasn't a big believer in the Oklahoma Sooners coming into the 2010 season. They were coming off of an 8-5 season and had lost the majority of starters off of their defense. Bob Stoops did a good job this year of getting the troops back and marching to a 12-2 season and a BCS Bowl victory. The two losses stick out a little because they were against Missouri and Texas A&M, two good teams but teams that barely cracked the Top 20 in the final AP poll while Oklahoma finished 6th. Oklahoma carries a lot of momentum into the 2011/2012 season and they look like a team that will be a sure fire pre-season Top 5 pick. They finished off their schedule this year by beating up Texas Tech and Baylor and then beating rivals Nebraska and Oklahoma State in a couple of close, tough games. We turned to the Oklahoma Sooners Blog Land Thieves to find out what they thought about the 2010 Oklahoma Sooners.
1. Oklahoma finished 12-2 and won a BCS Bowl Game. Do you feel the season was a success?
Yes, I think it was a successful season. At the beginning of the year, I predicted 11-1 and demanded a Big 12 Championship. Well, we went 10-2 in the regular season, with the loss to Missouri being a surprise. Texas' woeful season allowed the Sooners to win the Big 12 South anyway, and the Sooners benefitted from another three way tie. After the Mizzou game, I'd all but given up on the season, but the Sooners rebounded after the Aggie loss to run the table.
2. Offensive Coordinator Kevin Wilson has moved on to become a Head Coach at Indiana. Who will be taking his place and what do they bring to the table?
QB Coach Josh Heupel and WR Coach Jay Norvell have been promoted to co-offensive coordinators. I'm indifferent on Norvell. The only things I know about him are that he a) coached under Karl Dorrell and Bill Callahan; b) was at Iowa with Stoops; c) dropped the f-bomb at a ref and got a penalty during the season. Heupel is a former QB, led us to a national championship as a senior in 2000 and has demonstrated an amazing abiltiy to groom QBs (Thompson, Bradford, Jones progressed remarkably under his tutelage). Heupel has an uncanny feel for the game, which he demonstrated as a QB and demonstrated that ability again in the Fiesta Bowl with his game plan.
3. What were your favorite moments of 2010?
a) Jonathan Nelson chasing down a Cincy receiver from behind; b) Landry's 4th quarter during the OSU game; c) Tim Winchester's fumble recovery against Texas to seal the victory; d) the domination of Florida State; e) Travis Lewis' interception in the end zone against Nebraska.
4. Which players surprised you the most in 2010 with their performance?
Offensively, I'd have to say Cameron Kenney and Demarco Murray. Kenney came on strong at the end of the year and had several clutch catches in the OSU and Nebraska games. Demarco stayed healthy. While I wish he still had his quickness, he was a steady, versatile force throughout the year. Defensively, I'd say Jamell Fleming and Demontre Hurst as CBs and Tony Jefferson as another DB. They played very well for their first cracks at significant playing time.
5. Who are you most looking forward to watching in 2011?
RB Roy Finch; a healthy WR DeJuan Miller, Ryan Broyles for another year. I'm looking forward to seeing Ronnell Lewis continue to progress as a DE. I'm looking forward to Tom Wort learning to play quickly, but not in a hurry. I'm looking forward to anyeone being a force as a defensive tackle. If the Sooners can find someone to be a run stopper on the interior D line, it could be a special season.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Oklahoma State Cowboys: 2010 Exit Survey
2010 CFBZ Prediction: Tie for 5th Place in Big 12 South
2010 Actual Finish: Tied for 1st Place in Big 12 South (11-2, 6-2)
Just about every pre-season publication had the Cowboys finishing at or near the bottom of the Big 12 South. They lost their leading rusher, their QB, Dez Bryant, their top 4 tacklers, and their top 5 interceptors. People didn't count on Brandon Wheedon stepping in and throwing for over 4000 yards (after only attempting 24 passes the previous year) and 34 TDs. They didn't expect Kendall Hunter to rush for over 1500 yards. They didn't know Justin Blackmon would step up and catch over 100 yards encompassing more than 1700 yards and scoring 20 TDs. The Oklahoma State offense was dynamic in 2010. They were the 2nd in the Nation in Passing Yards and 3rd in Points Scored. Oklahoma State capped off their 2010 season by breezing by Arizona in the Alamo Bowl to finish 11-2. We turned to Scott, our resident Oklahoma State "Friend of the Blog" and frequent message board contributor at GoPokes.com to find out more about the Cowboys 2010 season and get a brief glimpse into 2011.
Oklahoma State exceeded just about everybody's expectations this year by finishing 11-2. What were your favorite moments of the football season?
The come from behind victory over A&M. OSU has had a history of losing games like that. I think that was a huge win that made the 11 win season possible. Also being at the Alamo for the historic 11th win.
Which players were the biggest surprises of the season?
Has to be Justin Blackmon. To go from a relative unknown to the Biletnikoff award and setting the NCAA records. Michael Harrison will be a better player next year and could be a great #2 for Weeden. Also Shaun Lewis (true freshman Linebacker) he grew up quickly and made the game changing play against A&M. He will be a stud the next few years.
Which player are you most excited about for next season?
The easy answer would be Blackmon and I do believe he will come back. But for me I think Richetti Jones (DE), Nigel Nicholas (DT), Christian Littlehead (DT), and just the whole defense should be much improved next year and will determine if OSU is a contender for a BCS bowl game.
How big of a loss will Dana Holgerson be? How do you think Mike Gundy will replace him?
No doubt DH was a great hire and did a great job but I do feel Mike Gundy has shown the ability to hire great assistants. From Larry Fedora, to Bill Young, to Dana Holgerson, Gundy has shown that he is a very good evaluator of coaches. Oklahoma State is a place coaches want to be now. With the three year contracts we offer, the town of Stillwater, the facilities, and the success we are having it is no longer a secondary job, it is a place people will want to come.
What do the Cowboys need to do this off-season to shoot for back-to-back 10 win seasons and possibly a Big 12 (or whatever it will be called next year) Championship?
Stay humble and hungry. We lose two DT's but I honestly believe that the last three years we have had better talent coming on to campus. OSU has been recruiting player who were winners in high school. You can see they believe they believe they will win not just can win. I think the biggest question is whether Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon come back. If they do, OSU should be right there. I told friends this was the first time OSU has ever had the pressure of playing for a Big 12 South championship when OU came to Stillwater. OU on the other hand had been there many times. OSU learned what it takes this year. Next year, We will be ready!
2010 Actual Finish: Tied for 1st Place in Big 12 South (11-2, 6-2)
Just about every pre-season publication had the Cowboys finishing at or near the bottom of the Big 12 South. They lost their leading rusher, their QB, Dez Bryant, their top 4 tacklers, and their top 5 interceptors. People didn't count on Brandon Wheedon stepping in and throwing for over 4000 yards (after only attempting 24 passes the previous year) and 34 TDs. They didn't expect Kendall Hunter to rush for over 1500 yards. They didn't know Justin Blackmon would step up and catch over 100 yards encompassing more than 1700 yards and scoring 20 TDs. The Oklahoma State offense was dynamic in 2010. They were the 2nd in the Nation in Passing Yards and 3rd in Points Scored. Oklahoma State capped off their 2010 season by breezing by Arizona in the Alamo Bowl to finish 11-2. We turned to Scott, our resident Oklahoma State "Friend of the Blog" and frequent message board contributor at GoPokes.com to find out more about the Cowboys 2010 season and get a brief glimpse into 2011.
Oklahoma State exceeded just about everybody's expectations this year by finishing 11-2. What were your favorite moments of the football season?
The come from behind victory over A&M. OSU has had a history of losing games like that. I think that was a huge win that made the 11 win season possible. Also being at the Alamo for the historic 11th win.
Which players were the biggest surprises of the season?
Has to be Justin Blackmon. To go from a relative unknown to the Biletnikoff award and setting the NCAA records. Michael Harrison will be a better player next year and could be a great #2 for Weeden. Also Shaun Lewis (true freshman Linebacker) he grew up quickly and made the game changing play against A&M. He will be a stud the next few years.
Which player are you most excited about for next season?
The easy answer would be Blackmon and I do believe he will come back. But for me I think Richetti Jones (DE), Nigel Nicholas (DT), Christian Littlehead (DT), and just the whole defense should be much improved next year and will determine if OSU is a contender for a BCS bowl game.
How big of a loss will Dana Holgerson be? How do you think Mike Gundy will replace him?
No doubt DH was a great hire and did a great job but I do feel Mike Gundy has shown the ability to hire great assistants. From Larry Fedora, to Bill Young, to Dana Holgerson, Gundy has shown that he is a very good evaluator of coaches. Oklahoma State is a place coaches want to be now. With the three year contracts we offer, the town of Stillwater, the facilities, and the success we are having it is no longer a secondary job, it is a place people will want to come.
What do the Cowboys need to do this off-season to shoot for back-to-back 10 win seasons and possibly a Big 12 (or whatever it will be called next year) Championship?
Stay humble and hungry. We lose two DT's but I honestly believe that the last three years we have had better talent coming on to campus. OSU has been recruiting player who were winners in high school. You can see they believe they believe they will win not just can win. I think the biggest question is whether Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon come back. If they do, OSU should be right there. I told friends this was the first time OSU has ever had the pressure of playing for a Big 12 South championship when OU came to Stillwater. OU on the other hand had been there many times. OSU learned what it takes this year. Next year, We will be ready!
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Things Need to Change
I am not ready to abort the entire Pellini tenure, yet, but things do need to change at Nebraska. The first thing that needs to change is the offensive philosophy, and unfortunately I think that means the end of Shawn Watson’s time as Offensive Coordinator. While he has done a lot of good during his time at Nebraska I think it is time for a change, as I feel he is not the best person for the job anymore. Since Bo Pellini has such a stranglehold on the defense, you need an offensive coordinator who can act like a head coach and I don’t think that Shawn Watson has it in him. Who else is out there? I have no idea, maybe, you could hire a coach who has been fired or maybe you could hire a hotshot QB coach or something, but a change in philosophy definitely needs to happen.
Taylor Martinez? Gone. He needs to either be benched or he needs to leave the team because he just doesn’t fit. I know he moved the ball well the first part of the year, but look at the competition he faced and look at how well he did in the second part of the year. I think anyone would have been able to just as well against those teams, the MAJOR red flag that I saw and no one else did was the South Dakota State game where he made bad decision after bad decision to the extent that he had to be benched. It was at that point when I realized that this wasn’t his team and that he wasn’t meant to be a starter. I know that I tweeted that I will go to my grave saying that Cody Green should have been the starter from the beginning but it is more than that, he had more of a command of the offense during the season than Taylor Martinez did, even our beloved King of the Sun Belt played better. Could he have been rattled by the constant benching against various teams throughout the year? Yes, but that also showed that the coaching staff didn’t have the utmost faith in him as the starter in big games. It is also a mechanics issue, and it is obvious he can’t really go down field, he telegraphs all of his throws, his eyes stick to one receiver making it clear who he is going to, and he really doesn’t get anything on the ball. All these things change as you get older and more mature, but he should have better instincts being a quarterback already, and he simply doesn’t have those. I think it is time for Nebraska to just move on because I don’t know if it will ever work out there for him.
So who do you go to instead of Taylor Martinez? Cody Green should be the guy for the next two years I think since he has been in the system, and even if you do switch Offensive Coordinators he seems more adapt to change than anyone else right now. After that I think that Brion Carnes would be the guy simply because of his pedigree (Tommie Frazier is his cousin) and hope that lightning strikes twice. He lets the game come to him and doesn’t try to do everything himself as good of an athlete as he might be he actually looks like a Quarterback out there and doesn’t rely on only his athletic ability which Taylor Martinez is a victim of doing. The two things that worry me about him are the fact that, really, only Western Kentucky and USF had a better shot of landing him and I know recruiting isn’t the biggest deal ever, but that does send a flag saying, “If he was so good why didn’t anyone else of note try to recruit him?” The other thing that worries me is the fact that a lot of pressure (even from me) will be put on him to play well simply because he is Tommie Frazier’s cousin.
So after saying all that I have do I consider the season a failure? No. I did expect way too much of them from the beginning I think and set my expectations way too high for my own good. It would have been nice to see the interaction between Don Beebe and Tom Osborne on the podium, but one Big 12 Championship doth not a season make. Nebraska still has a bowl game to go out and win, and after that it begins time to focus on making a dent in the Big 10 and, well, that is a different story entirely.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Conference Championship Game Predictions
SEC: Auburn (12-0) vs. South Carolina (9-3)
Kevin: OK, everybody who had Auburn vs South Carolina at the beginning of the year raise your hands. Seriously, the odds of this happening had to be very narrow at the beginning of the season. Florida and Georgia both under-performed this year and South Carolina beat both of them to take the SEC East Crown. Auburn had a much tougher road as they are in the same division as 4 other Top 25 teams but still finished the year unbeaten. All year I was waiting for Auburn to lose but as the year went on Auburn seemed to get stronger. They fell behind against Georgia and Alabama but showed a lot of mental toughness and came back to win both of those games. It's just hard to bet against Auburn right now. That being said, I will be rooting against them as I just can't root for Nick Unfairley after his repeated late hits to my redshirt freshman QB Aaron Murray.
Prediction: AUBURN 31 SOUTH CAROLINA 24
Ross: On one hand, you have an Auburn team that seems like a team of destiny after the way they came back from the dead against Alabama and pulled off an incredible comeback win. They also happen to have the best player in college football this year (Cam Newton), who's playing at an incredibly high level. And they have one of the best defensive players in college football, too, in Nick Fairley. On the other hand, you have a South Carolina team that seems to have flipped a switch in the last three weeks, turning in three straight dominant performances, including blowout wins over Florida (to clinch the SEC East) and Clemson (to win a rivalry game). Stephen Garcia's not turning the ball over, Marcus Lattimore is running like a man possessed, Alshon Jeffery is the best receiver no one talks about, and the defense is stoning people. Oh, and they did come awful close to knocking off Auburn when they played earlier this year, until Newton Hulked up in the fourth quarter and the Cocks helped out by turning the ball over four times. So... they could win, right? Yeah, they could, but only a fool would bet against Cam Newton at this point -- and I don't feel like being a fool.
Prediction: AUBURN 38, SOUTH CAROLINA 31
Big 12: Oklahoma (10-2) vs. Nebraska (10-2)
Kevin: This is a HUGE game for Oklahoma and the Big 12. Nobody in the Big 12 wants to see Nebraska win the Big 12 title in their last season in the conference. OU is riding a 3-game winning streak over Texas Tech, Baylor and rival Okie State. Nebraska comes into the game having lost to Texas A&M just before blowing out Colorado. I really don't have a feel for this one but I just think OU is going to tough it out.
Prediction: OKLAHOMA 27 NEBRASKA 24
Ross: How fitting that the last-ever Big 12 Championship Game features the two teams that defined the conference that birthed the Big 12 -- the Big 8. Oklahoma and Nebraska had one of the game's most legendary rivalries in the 70s and 80s and while it was unavoidably diminished when the Big 12 was formed and they stopped playing each other every year, it's still a pretty good thing -- especially when both teams are good, which is the case this year. Neither team is great (they each have two losses for a reason), but they've both been very impressive for stretches of the season. Oklahoma seems to be rounding into form at the end of the season, especially on offense (three straight efforts of 40+ points) and for all of Bob Stoops' failures in BCS bowls, he's been a killer in the Big 12 Championship Game (5-1). On the other hand, Nebraska has a far better defense than what Oklahoma has been playing. The key for them will be whether Taylor Martinez is healthy enough to be effective in this game -- Nebraska blew out Colorado without him, but they aren't going to get solid performances from the usually lousy Cody Green or two touchdown passes from a running back (Rex Burkhead) too often. Defense usually wins championships, but going against Stoops in a game like this is usually a losing proposition.
Prediction: OKLAHOMA 27, NEBRASKA 20
ACC: FSU (9-3) vs. Virginia Tech (10-2)
Kevin: FSU showed some fire that I didn't know they had in them last week when they took Herban Meyer and Florida to the woodshed. That being said, Virginia Tech is on a 10-game winning streak. Who would have thought that after falling Boise State and then James Madison (yes, James Madison) that Virginia Tech would be undefeated in the ACC. I can't bet against the Hokies in this one.
Prediction: VIRGINIA TECH 34 FLORIDA STATE 21
Prediction: VIRGINIA TECH 28, FLORIDA STATE 24
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
The Final(?) Showdown
So it comes to this, does it?
The final showdown between two rivals, for the time being, and it is for all the Big 12 Marbles. It’s funny to think about in that context, but that is the reality of what we are facing on Saturday when Nebraska plays Oklahoma for a final time. I am not ruling out future meetings, but for all intents and purposes this should be treated as the last game of the rivalry. I am not going to break this down from a technical standpoint, but I am going to try and convey my emotions going into this game, and what I hope will happen.
On June 11th 2010 the Nebraska Cornhuskers were approved to make the jump to the Big 10 Conference and in all the madness that surrounded the move, the one thing that was never brought up was the end of two rivalries. I am not sure many of you can understand what it is like to know you have to make a new rival. It’s weird, I obviously have my intrapersonal rivalry with all my Ohio State supporting friends, I have a personal bitter rivalry with Michigan (1997 should still OUR National Championship), and the prospects of Nebraska/Iowa aka “FARMAGEDDON” The fact that remained was that we as Nebraska fans, lost our two biggest rivals in Colorado and Oklahoma. The Colorado rivalry was more prevalent since the two teams played every year, but to me, Oklahoma would always be the rivalry.
So what about the final game? What about the last game of a rivalry for the time being? I obviously hope Nebraska wins, but more than anything I want to beat our rival one more time on the (second) biggest stage of them all. I am not going to go overboard and want an absolute drubbing, but I do want to win, I want to win this game more than I wanted to win the Texas game, and that was the most hyped I have ever been for a Nebraska game. I don’t think many of you understand how great it would be to win this game; I am aware that many people have national titles, and conference titles, but you always come back the next year to defend and to repeat. This time there is no coming back; there is no repeating as champion, there is just THIS GAME. That’s it. I can’t think of anything that will be sweeter than having to watch Dan Beebe hand the Big 12 Title over to the Cornhuskers, and him knowing that, for the time being, we are the LAST Big 12 Championship Game winners. He already doesn’t want to give the Big 12 North Trophy over to the Huskers, and that’s fine, but he will HAVE to hand over the Big 12 Championship Trophy to Nebraska, and that will be even better. I wouldn’t even care if they won the Fiesta Bowl so long as I get to see that scene in Dallas on Saturday Night, and to take out your two main rivals in back to back weeks? That will be even sweeter. There will be none of me buying Tostitos, or scheduling out songs to play in the event of a win. There will only be a win...
...then we will play the songs, one last time!
Nebraska 20 – Oklahoma 17.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Nebraska/Kansas State Recap and Looking Forward
Nebraska 48 – Kansas State 13
A lot of people (namely the creator of this blog…) have wondered my feelings on Nebraska’s domination of the Kansas State Wildcats on Thursday Night, and I must say that I am very impressed. I was very impressed with the defensive display put on especially after the South Dakota State game which I described to a friend as, “The single worst performance in the history of my fandom.” Now, did I go a bit off the deep end with that statement? Yes. Yes I did. I stand by it, though since it was so utterly disappointing I was going into this game with very low expectations and this performance soared above it to a great degree. The defense looked great and actually shut down a pretty solid offense in Kansas State and it gives hope that they can keep doing it against even better offenses coming up.
What I do think we need to keep in perspective though is the fact that this is only Kansas State. This wasn’t Michael Bishop, Darren Sproles or Michael Bishop out there; it was an okay Kansas State team with a really talented running back. As happy as I am that Nebraska is back in National Championship discussion it needs to be remembered that it’s only one game and one game doth not a season make. That goes for individual players as well…
Which brings me to Taylor Martinez, and while I admit he had an amazing night on Thursday. It is also worth noting that he has not played from behind yet, nor has he had to use his arm much at all. While the stats may say he is averaging 17 Yards a completion it is also worth noting that a lot of these are based on YAC yards by the wide receivers. While I don’t want to see him HAVE to play from behind or have to throw 20-25 times in a game, I think that a tad more emphasis needs to be put on the passing game coming up just to see what he can do if called upon to do the above. I will, and forever (because I am stubborn) think that Cody Green was the right call going into this year because of his ability to run and pass, but if T-Magic can put them BOTH together then it was worth the risk. Poor Zac Lee, though…
What can Nebraska do to keep it up? Simple, keep pounding the ball and getting stops. It sounds simple, but against the superior teams in the Big XII who are coming up it is easier said than done. I think the game that can carry the rest of this season is coming up next Saturday, though and that is at home versus Texas. Nebraska has had three heartbreaking losses the past three meetings and hasn’t beaten Texas at home since 1933 and hasn’t beaten them period since the Big XII Championship Game back in 1999 for this season to be successful they simply HAVE to beat them. It sounds obvious to say that, but this is the hurdle that Nebraska has never cleared and knowing that it is the last season in the Big XII nothing would make me and the rest of the Husker fans happier to beat Texas and use it as a springboard to a National Championship run.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Week One Questions: Nebraska Cornhuskers
1. Who impressed you the most with their Week 1 performance?
On offense it has to be the play of Taylor Martinez. Just the day before, I thought that they were going to make an error by going with him over the proven starter in Zac Lee. Taylor stepped in with no nerves and on the third Nebraska play from scrimmage ripped off a touchdown run that would even make the old school option style fans proud. I will continue to say that it was only Western Kentucky and we will see what he can do against a Washington or even some of the middle level Big 12 foes, but so far so good from him.
Defensively, I was most impressed by Linebacker Lavonte David and his constant hustle and stopping ability. David will be expected to do more since Will Compton is out for the foreseeable future with a foot injury and the effort and intensity he put into a Western Kentucky game was great for the team.
2. Based on their Week 1 performance, what area(s) does the team need to improve on the most?
The run defense, and I know they only gave up 10 points in total, but this defense is not what it was last year. When you look at the statistic that you had to go back to the 2008 Colorado game since the last time Nebraska gave up a 100 Yard Rusher and that streak ends during the first game to Western Kentucky. This part of the defense need to sure up before a team with a decent run game comes to town or this could end up being a very disappointing season.
3. Which back-up or newcomer earned more playing time with their performance in last weeks game?
I think the obvious answer here is Taylor Martinez, but I will look at his (apparently) new back-up in Cody Green. Cody Green came in and showed poise and made plays with his arm and his legs and looked way better yesterday than he did at any point last year. He seems more comfortable in the offense, and if they decide to go with him or even run a two headed Quarterback I think the team will be in good hands.
4. What are the major question marks that still surround the team headed into Week 2?
The major question mark besides the run defense, is the continued play of the trio of Quarterbacks. Nebraska is going to use this next game as more of an “extended” fall practice, and see what they have for the rest of the year. This is the final game they can really do this as well because they head to Washington the week after and really need a set starter by the time that game rolls around. Idaho being a better team than Western Kentucky will show what Martinez/Green/Lee will do to a bigger extent, and hopefully they will have the situation ironed out by the end of the game. Unless of course what they did on Saturday was the game plan they will use the rest of the year.
5. Are you more or less confident in your teams ultimate success this year after Week 1?
Honestly? I feel the same as I do going in because there is really only so much you can gage based off of a 49-10 victory over Western Kentucky. The only area I feel less confident in is the run defense, but I had thought the expectations for the defense to be better than it was last year was REALLY pushing it.
6. What needs to happen in order to secure a victory in Week 2?
As concerned as I am about having a close game this week, I don’t think that Nebraska will actually lose the game. So the one thing that needs to happen is the ability to not look ahead to Washington the next week and put yourself in an Oklahoma like position of almost getting upset by a inferior team. The other thing that needs to happen is avoid injuries this week, and there were a few minor ones, but there have also been big ones that occurred during fall camp. I know it is a big deal to stay injury free for all the games you play, but it is especially important for these games when you have a big opponent coming in the next week.
On offense it has to be the play of Taylor Martinez. Just the day before, I thought that they were going to make an error by going with him over the proven starter in Zac Lee. Taylor stepped in with no nerves and on the third Nebraska play from scrimmage ripped off a touchdown run that would even make the old school option style fans proud. I will continue to say that it was only Western Kentucky and we will see what he can do against a Washington or even some of the middle level Big 12 foes, but so far so good from him.
Defensively, I was most impressed by Linebacker Lavonte David and his constant hustle and stopping ability. David will be expected to do more since Will Compton is out for the foreseeable future with a foot injury and the effort and intensity he put into a Western Kentucky game was great for the team.
2. Based on their Week 1 performance, what area(s) does the team need to improve on the most?
The run defense, and I know they only gave up 10 points in total, but this defense is not what it was last year. When you look at the statistic that you had to go back to the 2008 Colorado game since the last time Nebraska gave up a 100 Yard Rusher and that streak ends during the first game to Western Kentucky. This part of the defense need to sure up before a team with a decent run game comes to town or this could end up being a very disappointing season.
3. Which back-up or newcomer earned more playing time with their performance in last weeks game?
I think the obvious answer here is Taylor Martinez, but I will look at his (apparently) new back-up in Cody Green. Cody Green came in and showed poise and made plays with his arm and his legs and looked way better yesterday than he did at any point last year. He seems more comfortable in the offense, and if they decide to go with him or even run a two headed Quarterback I think the team will be in good hands.
4. What are the major question marks that still surround the team headed into Week 2?
The major question mark besides the run defense, is the continued play of the trio of Quarterbacks. Nebraska is going to use this next game as more of an “extended” fall practice, and see what they have for the rest of the year. This is the final game they can really do this as well because they head to Washington the week after and really need a set starter by the time that game rolls around. Idaho being a better team than Western Kentucky will show what Martinez/Green/Lee will do to a bigger extent, and hopefully they will have the situation ironed out by the end of the game. Unless of course what they did on Saturday was the game plan they will use the rest of the year.
5. Are you more or less confident in your teams ultimate success this year after Week 1?
Honestly? I feel the same as I do going in because there is really only so much you can gage based off of a 49-10 victory over Western Kentucky. The only area I feel less confident in is the run defense, but I had thought the expectations for the defense to be better than it was last year was REALLY pushing it.
6. What needs to happen in order to secure a victory in Week 2?
As concerned as I am about having a close game this week, I don’t think that Nebraska will actually lose the game. So the one thing that needs to happen is the ability to not look ahead to Washington the next week and put yourself in an Oklahoma like position of almost getting upset by a inferior team. The other thing that needs to happen is avoid injuries this week, and there were a few minor ones, but there have also been big ones that occurred during fall camp. I know it is a big deal to stay injury free for all the games you play, but it is especially important for these games when you have a big opponent coming in the next week.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Big 12 Preview
2009 Standings
North
Nebraska Cornhuskers 10-4 (6-2)
Missouri Tigers 8-5 (4-4)
Kansas State Wildcats 6-6 (4-4)
Iowa State Cyclones 7-6 (3-5)
Colorado Buffaloes 3-9 (2-6)
Kansas Jayhawks 5-7 (1-7)
South
Texas Longhorns 13-1 (8-0)
Oklahoma State Cowboys 9-4 (6-2)
Texas Tech Red Raiders 9-4 (5-3)
Oklahoma Sooners 8-5 (5-3)
Texas A&M Aggies 6-7 (3-5)
Baylor Bears 4-8 (1-7)
Big 12 Championship Game: Texas 13 Nebraska 12
Returning Leaders: Passing
Blaine Gabbert, Missouri, Jr (262 of 445 for 3593, 24 TD, 9 INT)
Jerrod Johnson, Texas A&M, Sr (296 of 497 for 3579, 30 TD, 8 INT)
Taylor Potts, Texas Tech, Sr (309 of 470 for 3440, 22 TD, 13 INT)
Landry Jones, Oklahoma, Soph (261 of 449 for 3198, 26 TD, 14 INT)
Zac Lee, Nebraska, Sr (177 of 302 for 2143, 14 TD, 10 INT)
Returning Leaders: Rushing
Daniel Thomas, Kansas St, Sr (247 carries for 1265 yds, 11 TD)
Alexander Robinson, Iowa St, Sr (231 carries for 1193 yds, 5 TD)
Roy Helu, Nebraska, Sr (220 carries for 1147 yds, 10 TD)
Baron Batch, Texas Tech, Sr (168 carries for 884 yds, 14 TD)
Derrick Washington, Missouri, Sr (190 carries for 865 yds, 10 TD)
Returning Leaders: Receiving
Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma, Jr (89 rec for 1120 yds, 15 TD)
Scotty McKnight, Colorado, Sr (76 rec for 893 yds, 6 TD)
Alexander Torres, Texas Tech, Sr (67 rec for 806 yds, 6 TD)
Kendall Wright, Baylor, Jr (66 rec for 740 yds, 4 TD)
Detron Lewis, Texas Tech, Sr (65 rec for 844 yds, 6 TD)
Returning Leaders: Tackles
Travis Lewis, Oklahoma, Jr, LB (108 total, 8.3 tackles/game)
Trent Hunter, Texas A&M, Jr, S (95 total, 7.3 tackles/game)
Quinton Carter, Oklahoma, Sr, S (88 total, 6.7 tackles/game)
Drew Dudley, Kansas, Sr, LB (88 total, 7.3 tackles/game)
David Sims, Iowa State, Sr, S (88 total, 6.7 tackles/game)
Returning Leaders: Sacks
Von Miller, Texas A&M, Sr, LB (16.5 sacks)
Aldon Smith, Missouri, Soph, DE (11.5)
Jeremy Beal, Oklahoma, Sr (11.0)
Jared Crick, Nebraska, Jr (9.5)
Sam Acho, Texas, Sr (7.0)
Returning Leaders: Interceptions
Blake Gideon, Texas, Jr, S (6 interceptions)
Tysyn Hartman, Kansas St, Jr, S (5)
David Sims, Iowa State, Sr, S (5)
Prince Amukamara, Nebraska, CB (5)
BREAKING DOWN THE BIG 12 WITH THE ZEALOTS
Baylor Bears
Chris (Projection: #5 in South): So much is the effect of having Robert Griffin III back in a Bears uniform after his injury, that his presence alone helps them to jump Oklahoma St. and lead the team towards a quasi-relevant state. Now just remember he's only a sophomore.
Ross (Projection: #5 in South): They're the feel good story of the Big 12, between their long bowl drought and the fact that QB Robert Griffin is one of the most exciting players in college football -- or was, anyway, before he blew out his knee last year. Time will tell if he's able to regain his breathtaking pre-injury form. To get to a bowl this year, they're going to need to put up a ton of points, given all the holes they have on defense; good thing they return a slew of players on offense and get Griffin back to run the show. Really, their season is going to rise or fall on the condition of Griffin's knee; if he's all the way back, their offense should be very good and he may be able to lead them to six wins and the promised land of a bowl game. If he's not all the way back, it's probably another disappointing season in Waco.
Colorado Buffaloes
Ross (Projection: #4 in North): Dan Hawkins somehow survived to face another year as Colorado's head coach, but at least he has a lot of returning starters with him to try and get things turned around (or just send him out on a high note). They have ten back on offense (everyone but the TE) and seven back on defense (3/4 of the defensive line and secondary), so if Hawkins is ever going to get anything going at Colorado, it's probably going to be now. Too bad the schedule is such a bear: Georgia and Cal should be difficult challenges in the non-conference slate and the Big 12 road games are so challenging (Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska), it's hard to see them winning even one of those. 4-4 in the Big 12 might be a solid accomplishment for this team.
Chris (Projection: #3 in North): Dan Hawkins was supposed to revitalize Colorado Buffalo football. That was what he was brought in for. But 4 years and a 16-33 record later, it's apparent that the only reason he is still there is that he is too expensive to buy out for the Colorado Athletic Department. The real interesting this is that he finally decided to bench his son and make the dinner table at the Hawkins house a little more awkward. Although, he could be just trying to improve his son's life expectancy by getting him out of the way of charging defensive linemen that were allowed to pray on Buffalo QB's to the tune of 44 sacks last year. In all fairness, I do think this is the year Hawkins turns it around...a little. Why wouldn't it be with a team returning 15 starters and 7 in an above average D a year ago. Their schedule doesn't do them any favors in the record department, so I don't think they'll be going bowling, but it's so strong that it can prepare them for conference play.
Iowa State Cyclones
Chris (Projection: #5 in North): To be honest, this is again a case of little separation between the Cyclones and the Wildcats. Quarterback Austin Arnaud may be the difference between last and next to last for the Cyclones, as they return 7 other offensive starters around him. The real issue is that their suspect defense has a lot of new faces on it, so the offense will have to be on it's game week in and week out to keep from falling into the Big 12 North dungeon.
Ross (Projection: #6 in North): They return plenty on offense (starters at QB, RB, WR, and 3/5 of the OL), but returning just four starters on defense is going to put a lot of pressure on new faces to step up and stop the Big 12's many potent offenses. But the biggest problem is a schedule that puts Texas, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech on the slate (not to mention challenging non-conference games against Iowa, Utah, and Northern Illinois), brings Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri to Ames and sends them to Colorado (trickier than it seems) for a road game. That schedule is just too daunting to see them amassing too many wins in 2010.
Kansas Jayhawks
Ross (Projection: #3 in North): There's a fair amount back on offense (7 players, including the entire offensive line), but there are a few glaring holes: namely, QB Todd Reesing, a multi-year starter, and his favorite targets, WR Dez Briscoe and WR Kerry Meier; that's a lot of production for the offense to replace. The defense returns six starters, so there are even more holes to fill on that side of the ball, but the schedule should help new coach Turner Gill get off to a hot start. They draw Baylor, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma State from the Big 12 South and their only really tough road game looks like a trip to Lincoln to take on Nebraska.
Chris (Projection: #4 in North): Never in my life have I seen a college football team go from so hot to so cold like Kansas did a year ago. After winning their first 5, the Jayhawks dropped their last 7, including a puzzling couple of decisions from the Mangino-man (who should now be able to successfully launch his career as the next Jared for Subway) that showed he knew he was on the way out and truly didn't care about his job anymore. Mangino sure picked the right time to leave though (well actually, by picked I mean he was fired), as Todd Reesing and the team built around him is now Kale Pick's team. Who? Yeah, that's the successor to Reesing. No offense to Turner Gill, but I think this team, with all the bad that Mangino left behind, will be too much of a project to turn around in one year...especially when only returning 11 starters.
Kansas State Wildcats
Ross (Projection: #5 in North): A team that was already lacking in talent now has to deal with returning just five starters on offense and six on defense; that's going to be tricky. With 4/5 of the offensive line back and a talented workhorse running back in Daniel Thomas, it's pretty clear what K-State is going to do on offense: run run and then run some more. The last thing a rebuilding and inexperienced team needs is a schedule short on easy home games, but that's exactly what K-State has: just three true home games (a fourth home game is in Kansas City against Iowa State) and they're against Texas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma State. Winning either the Texas or Nebraska games is going to be very challenging, which is going to put a lot of pressure on a young team to pick up some wins on the road.
Chris (Projection: #6 in North): The Wildcats were 108th in the nation in passing a year ago, a stat that is likely to even fall further without a returning starter at receiver, tight end or quarterback. They will rely on Daniel Thomas and hope that a revamped defense which was very strong from a year ago will keep them in the Big 12 chase. But that's an awful lot of if's, and it is my belief that Kansas St. will become too one dimensional on offense and opponents will be quick to catch on.
Missouri Tigers
Chris (Projection: #2 in North): Anyone who thought that Mizzou was going to take a step back after Chase Daniel left was rudely awakened when they dismantled (but that word doesn't even do it justice) the fresh off a BCS bowl bid Illinois 37-9 in week 1. From that point on, Blaine Gabbert and Derrick Washington put on an offensive clinic. Guess what? They're back! Both of them. Big 12 D-coordinators will not sleep before their matchup with Missouri...or after them either. I believe in Missouri so much that if any other team not named Nebraska (okay, so not ANY other team, but the list of teams that would make me change that statement is short) was in their division, I would take them to win it.
Ross (Projection: #2 in North): Nebraska is the odds-on favorite in the B12 North, but if anyone can give them a run, it's Missouri, who returns eight starters on offense and defense, including returning stars at QB (Blaine Gabbert) and RB (Derrick Washington) and most of their offensive line and their entire defensive secondary. So the talent appears to be there. The schedule is challenging, though: they have a five-game stretch in the middle of the season (Colorado, @ Texas A&M, Oklahoma, @ Nebraska, @ Texas Tech) that could derail things.
Nebraska Cornhuskers
Chris (Projection: #1 in North): The Huskers were seconds away from a BCS bowl and an upset of the national runner-up, and seconds from an upset of a Virginia Tech team that won 10 games as well. That accounted for half of their losses a year ago. Back are 9 players on offense from a struggling unit a year ago, including their leading passer, rusher, and receiver. Also back is a strong core of 6 starters on a top-10 defense only led by one of the game's top defensive minds. The Huskers are primed for success this season and to follow up on their 2009 campaign to prove that it wasn't a fluke. Newsflash: It wasn't. If the Huskers can hold off the Tigers, they'll be heading to the Big 12 ship.
Ross (Projection: #1 in North): Losing Ndamukong Suh is unquestionably a massive blow to the defense and the entire team, but they have some other NFL-ready defensive stars (Jared Crick, Pierre Allen, Prince Amukamara) ready to step up and keep the defense as one of the top defenses in the league (and nation). Nine guys are back on an offense that was utterly wretched a year ago; hopefully another year of experience will allow them to blossom into, at least, competence. The Texas game is a lynchpin to their season and a win could springboard them to big things. Regardless, it's nigh-impossible to see anyone in the Big 12 North challenging them.
Oklahoma Sooners
Chris (Projection: #1 in South): The good news is that if Oklahoma somehow gives this race away, quarterback Landry Jones will be a shoe in for the 30th annual America's worst facial hair award. The bad news for the Big 12 South is that is unlikely to happen. Expect DeMarco Murray to absolutely DOMINATE the Big 12 this year en route to the conference's Offensive Player of the Year award. Just like Texas they don't bring a lot back, but just like Texas (or at least much like Texas) Oklahoma recruits seem to deliver in the clutch (unlike their coach Bob Stoops). The Sooners are ready to put behind them a year where their universe was turned upside down...and I think they will do it.
Ross (Projection: #2 in South): The loss of Bradford and Gresham so early last year meant that Oklahoma had to get a headstart on the post-Bradford/Gresham era, which should give them an advantage heading into this year. Landry Jones took his lumps as Bradford's replacement a year ago, but he came on strong at the end of the year and a full off-season of practice should have him ready to become the next incredibly prolific Oklahoma QB. They return a ton of other starters on offense, and while the defense needs a lot of patching up, defense tends to be Stoops' specialty. The bigger concern is the schedule, which includes some challenging non-conference games (Florida State, Air Force, and Cincinnati) and only three conference home games (since the Texas game is at the Cotton Bowl). Then again, if Oklahoma can get by Texas, there's no reason not to think that they could run the table in the Big 12.
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Chris (Projection: #6 in South): Long season ahead for the Pokes...you know, full of things like Mike Gundy rants, and losing to Oklahoma, and being back at the bottom of the Big 12 totem pole. I'm sorry if nobody else sees it, but returning only 5 starters in this league lands you here. If you don't agree with me GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT! IT MAKES ME WANT TO PUKE!
Ross (Projection: #6 in South): This year we'll find out how well Mike Gundy has recruited since turning 40. They lost a ton of proven talent on offense and defense; until they show us how well they can replace guys like Zac Robinson, Dez Bryant, and Russell Okung, it's reasonable to be skeptical of their prospects in 2010.
Texas Longhorns
Chris (Projection: #2 in South): I was SO close to giving this spot to Texas A&M, but just couldn't bring myself to it. That defense is horrid, no matter how many starters they return. Still if Texas' young squad should leave the door open for Jerrod Johnson to work his magic, you could see the Aggies overtaking the Horns in the standings. But, instead I'll go with conventional wisdom and say that the A&M defense will still be bad (you can't make THAT drastic of an improvement in one year), and I'll trust Mack Brown's recruits on getting the job done. What reason do we not have to trust this guy? He delivers!
Ross (Projection: #1 in South): The offense needs to be totally rebuilt and they lost some key performers on defense, too -- so why pick them to win the South? Like all the other elite teams, they reload and with Muschamp running the defense, it's pretty likely that he'll have another very good unit on the field. The offense is more of a question mark, but Garrett Gilbert is plenty talented (as he showed in the second half of the BCS title game last year). The best thing Texas has going for them is their schedule, which is paper-thin: they play only three true road games all year (@ Texas Tech, @ Nebraska, @ Kansas State) and it's really a two-game schedule (vs. Nebraska and Oklahoma). A split in those games and 11-1, 7-1 in the Big 12 looks very possible.
Texas A&M Aggies
Chris (Projection: #3 in South): Jerodd Johnson is one of the nation's best players, and he'll get to show his skills with a lot of skill position talent around him. However, there are two concerns at A&M. One, the new offensive tackles are both freshmen! Yikes! Johnson will have to use his athletic ability to evade pressure early on. Also, a defense that was just absolutely pathetic a year ago returns 10 starters but just like Callahan Brake Pads, won't offer you any guarantee. To me that spells Texas A&M in third...but one of the best 3rd teams in their division in the nation, rest assured.
Ross (Projection: #4 in South): It's a do or die year for Mike Sherman; the good news is that he finally has a talented and experienced team in place. The core of the offense is back, including QB Jerrod Johnson, who should be the best QB in the league. If they can fill a few holes along the offensive line, they should have an incredibly explosive offense. The defense also brings back nine starters, which would be really good news if they hadn't spent the better part of the last few years getting utterly torched and disgracing the unit's former "Wrecking Crew" moniker. The schedule is troubling, too, as they get all three of what could be the best teams in the Big 12 North (Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas).
Texas Tech Red Raiders
Chris (Projection: #4 in South): I like Texas Tech (or well what they did under Leach. It was a brilliant gameplan to beat teams). I like Tommy Tubberville. But as American Idol's Simon Cowell once said of a performer "You and Latin music go together about as well as Garlic and Ice Cream." That is the case here. Tubberville likes to run (evidenced by the Cadillac Williams/Ronnie Brown tandem). Texas Tech's pedigree is passing, and they were groomed over the last decade to do nothing else. So once again, I like both parties, but who doesn't see a fall with the system change and Tubberville at the helm? I just don't know if Tommy is the guy for the Red Raiders...but have faith in a more conventional job (a la not Mike Leach tries to throw a pass between every breath).
Ross (Projection: #3 in South): There's a lot of talent back on offense and a decent amount back on defense; if Mike Leach was still around, this might be a dark horse team to win the South, given the holes that Texas and Oklahoma have to fill. But with Leach gone and Tommy Tuberville in charge, this team is a total wildcard. While Tuberville claims he wants to keep the air raid passing game, given his past, it's hard not to see him dramatically increasing the importance of the running game -- and it's anyone's guess as to how that will go. On the plus side, they draw Iowa State and Colorado from the Big 12 North, which may be just enough to let them slide ahead of Texas A&M.
CFBZ Predicted Big 12 Finish
North
1. Nebraska Cornhuskers
2. Missouri Tigers
3. Colorado Buffaloes
4. Kansas Jayhawks
5. Kansas State Wildcats
6. Iowa State Cyclones
South
1. Oklahoma Sooners
2. Texas Longhorns
3. Texas A&M Aggies
4. Texas Tech Red Raiders
5. (tie) Baylor Bears
5. (tie) Oklahoma State Cowboys
Big 12 Championship Game: Nebraska Cornhuskers over Oklahoma Sooners
North
Nebraska Cornhuskers 10-4 (6-2)
Missouri Tigers 8-5 (4-4)
Kansas State Wildcats 6-6 (4-4)
Iowa State Cyclones 7-6 (3-5)
Colorado Buffaloes 3-9 (2-6)
Kansas Jayhawks 5-7 (1-7)
South
Texas Longhorns 13-1 (8-0)
Oklahoma State Cowboys 9-4 (6-2)
Texas Tech Red Raiders 9-4 (5-3)
Oklahoma Sooners 8-5 (5-3)
Texas A&M Aggies 6-7 (3-5)
Baylor Bears 4-8 (1-7)
Big 12 Championship Game: Texas 13 Nebraska 12
Returning Leaders: Passing
Blaine Gabbert, Missouri, Jr (262 of 445 for 3593, 24 TD, 9 INT)
Jerrod Johnson, Texas A&M, Sr (296 of 497 for 3579, 30 TD, 8 INT)
Taylor Potts, Texas Tech, Sr (309 of 470 for 3440, 22 TD, 13 INT)
Landry Jones, Oklahoma, Soph (261 of 449 for 3198, 26 TD, 14 INT)
Zac Lee, Nebraska, Sr (177 of 302 for 2143, 14 TD, 10 INT)
Returning Leaders: Rushing
Daniel Thomas, Kansas St, Sr (247 carries for 1265 yds, 11 TD)
Alexander Robinson, Iowa St, Sr (231 carries for 1193 yds, 5 TD)
Roy Helu, Nebraska, Sr (220 carries for 1147 yds, 10 TD)
Baron Batch, Texas Tech, Sr (168 carries for 884 yds, 14 TD)
Derrick Washington, Missouri, Sr (190 carries for 865 yds, 10 TD)
Returning Leaders: Receiving
Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma, Jr (89 rec for 1120 yds, 15 TD)
Scotty McKnight, Colorado, Sr (76 rec for 893 yds, 6 TD)
Alexander Torres, Texas Tech, Sr (67 rec for 806 yds, 6 TD)
Kendall Wright, Baylor, Jr (66 rec for 740 yds, 4 TD)
Detron Lewis, Texas Tech, Sr (65 rec for 844 yds, 6 TD)
Returning Leaders: Tackles
Travis Lewis, Oklahoma, Jr, LB (108 total, 8.3 tackles/game)
Trent Hunter, Texas A&M, Jr, S (95 total, 7.3 tackles/game)
Quinton Carter, Oklahoma, Sr, S (88 total, 6.7 tackles/game)
Drew Dudley, Kansas, Sr, LB (88 total, 7.3 tackles/game)
David Sims, Iowa State, Sr, S (88 total, 6.7 tackles/game)
Returning Leaders: Sacks
Von Miller, Texas A&M, Sr, LB (16.5 sacks)
Aldon Smith, Missouri, Soph, DE (11.5)
Jeremy Beal, Oklahoma, Sr (11.0)
Jared Crick, Nebraska, Jr (9.5)
Sam Acho, Texas, Sr (7.0)
Returning Leaders: Interceptions
Blake Gideon, Texas, Jr, S (6 interceptions)
Tysyn Hartman, Kansas St, Jr, S (5)
David Sims, Iowa State, Sr, S (5)
Prince Amukamara, Nebraska, CB (5)
BREAKING DOWN THE BIG 12 WITH THE ZEALOTS
Baylor Bears
Chris (Projection: #5 in South): So much is the effect of having Robert Griffin III back in a Bears uniform after his injury, that his presence alone helps them to jump Oklahoma St. and lead the team towards a quasi-relevant state. Now just remember he's only a sophomore.
Ross (Projection: #5 in South): They're the feel good story of the Big 12, between their long bowl drought and the fact that QB Robert Griffin is one of the most exciting players in college football -- or was, anyway, before he blew out his knee last year. Time will tell if he's able to regain his breathtaking pre-injury form. To get to a bowl this year, they're going to need to put up a ton of points, given all the holes they have on defense; good thing they return a slew of players on offense and get Griffin back to run the show. Really, their season is going to rise or fall on the condition of Griffin's knee; if he's all the way back, their offense should be very good and he may be able to lead them to six wins and the promised land of a bowl game. If he's not all the way back, it's probably another disappointing season in Waco.
Colorado Buffaloes
Ross (Projection: #4 in North): Dan Hawkins somehow survived to face another year as Colorado's head coach, but at least he has a lot of returning starters with him to try and get things turned around (or just send him out on a high note). They have ten back on offense (everyone but the TE) and seven back on defense (3/4 of the defensive line and secondary), so if Hawkins is ever going to get anything going at Colorado, it's probably going to be now. Too bad the schedule is such a bear: Georgia and Cal should be difficult challenges in the non-conference slate and the Big 12 road games are so challenging (Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska), it's hard to see them winning even one of those. 4-4 in the Big 12 might be a solid accomplishment for this team.
Chris (Projection: #3 in North): Dan Hawkins was supposed to revitalize Colorado Buffalo football. That was what he was brought in for. But 4 years and a 16-33 record later, it's apparent that the only reason he is still there is that he is too expensive to buy out for the Colorado Athletic Department. The real interesting this is that he finally decided to bench his son and make the dinner table at the Hawkins house a little more awkward. Although, he could be just trying to improve his son's life expectancy by getting him out of the way of charging defensive linemen that were allowed to pray on Buffalo QB's to the tune of 44 sacks last year. In all fairness, I do think this is the year Hawkins turns it around...a little. Why wouldn't it be with a team returning 15 starters and 7 in an above average D a year ago. Their schedule doesn't do them any favors in the record department, so I don't think they'll be going bowling, but it's so strong that it can prepare them for conference play.
Iowa State Cyclones
Chris (Projection: #5 in North): To be honest, this is again a case of little separation between the Cyclones and the Wildcats. Quarterback Austin Arnaud may be the difference between last and next to last for the Cyclones, as they return 7 other offensive starters around him. The real issue is that their suspect defense has a lot of new faces on it, so the offense will have to be on it's game week in and week out to keep from falling into the Big 12 North dungeon.
Ross (Projection: #6 in North): They return plenty on offense (starters at QB, RB, WR, and 3/5 of the OL), but returning just four starters on defense is going to put a lot of pressure on new faces to step up and stop the Big 12's many potent offenses. But the biggest problem is a schedule that puts Texas, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech on the slate (not to mention challenging non-conference games against Iowa, Utah, and Northern Illinois), brings Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri to Ames and sends them to Colorado (trickier than it seems) for a road game. That schedule is just too daunting to see them amassing too many wins in 2010.
Kansas Jayhawks
Ross (Projection: #3 in North): There's a fair amount back on offense (7 players, including the entire offensive line), but there are a few glaring holes: namely, QB Todd Reesing, a multi-year starter, and his favorite targets, WR Dez Briscoe and WR Kerry Meier; that's a lot of production for the offense to replace. The defense returns six starters, so there are even more holes to fill on that side of the ball, but the schedule should help new coach Turner Gill get off to a hot start. They draw Baylor, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma State from the Big 12 South and their only really tough road game looks like a trip to Lincoln to take on Nebraska.
Chris (Projection: #4 in North): Never in my life have I seen a college football team go from so hot to so cold like Kansas did a year ago. After winning their first 5, the Jayhawks dropped their last 7, including a puzzling couple of decisions from the Mangino-man (who should now be able to successfully launch his career as the next Jared for Subway) that showed he knew he was on the way out and truly didn't care about his job anymore. Mangino sure picked the right time to leave though (well actually, by picked I mean he was fired), as Todd Reesing and the team built around him is now Kale Pick's team. Who? Yeah, that's the successor to Reesing. No offense to Turner Gill, but I think this team, with all the bad that Mangino left behind, will be too much of a project to turn around in one year...especially when only returning 11 starters.
Kansas State Wildcats
Ross (Projection: #5 in North): A team that was already lacking in talent now has to deal with returning just five starters on offense and six on defense; that's going to be tricky. With 4/5 of the offensive line back and a talented workhorse running back in Daniel Thomas, it's pretty clear what K-State is going to do on offense: run run and then run some more. The last thing a rebuilding and inexperienced team needs is a schedule short on easy home games, but that's exactly what K-State has: just three true home games (a fourth home game is in Kansas City against Iowa State) and they're against Texas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma State. Winning either the Texas or Nebraska games is going to be very challenging, which is going to put a lot of pressure on a young team to pick up some wins on the road.
Chris (Projection: #6 in North): The Wildcats were 108th in the nation in passing a year ago, a stat that is likely to even fall further without a returning starter at receiver, tight end or quarterback. They will rely on Daniel Thomas and hope that a revamped defense which was very strong from a year ago will keep them in the Big 12 chase. But that's an awful lot of if's, and it is my belief that Kansas St. will become too one dimensional on offense and opponents will be quick to catch on.
Missouri Tigers
Chris (Projection: #2 in North): Anyone who thought that Mizzou was going to take a step back after Chase Daniel left was rudely awakened when they dismantled (but that word doesn't even do it justice) the fresh off a BCS bowl bid Illinois 37-9 in week 1. From that point on, Blaine Gabbert and Derrick Washington put on an offensive clinic. Guess what? They're back! Both of them. Big 12 D-coordinators will not sleep before their matchup with Missouri...or after them either. I believe in Missouri so much that if any other team not named Nebraska (okay, so not ANY other team, but the list of teams that would make me change that statement is short) was in their division, I would take them to win it.
Ross (Projection: #2 in North): Nebraska is the odds-on favorite in the B12 North, but if anyone can give them a run, it's Missouri, who returns eight starters on offense and defense, including returning stars at QB (Blaine Gabbert) and RB (Derrick Washington) and most of their offensive line and their entire defensive secondary. So the talent appears to be there. The schedule is challenging, though: they have a five-game stretch in the middle of the season (Colorado, @ Texas A&M, Oklahoma, @ Nebraska, @ Texas Tech) that could derail things.
Nebraska Cornhuskers
Chris (Projection: #1 in North): The Huskers were seconds away from a BCS bowl and an upset of the national runner-up, and seconds from an upset of a Virginia Tech team that won 10 games as well. That accounted for half of their losses a year ago. Back are 9 players on offense from a struggling unit a year ago, including their leading passer, rusher, and receiver. Also back is a strong core of 6 starters on a top-10 defense only led by one of the game's top defensive minds. The Huskers are primed for success this season and to follow up on their 2009 campaign to prove that it wasn't a fluke. Newsflash: It wasn't. If the Huskers can hold off the Tigers, they'll be heading to the Big 12 ship.
Ross (Projection: #1 in North): Losing Ndamukong Suh is unquestionably a massive blow to the defense and the entire team, but they have some other NFL-ready defensive stars (Jared Crick, Pierre Allen, Prince Amukamara) ready to step up and keep the defense as one of the top defenses in the league (and nation). Nine guys are back on an offense that was utterly wretched a year ago; hopefully another year of experience will allow them to blossom into, at least, competence. The Texas game is a lynchpin to their season and a win could springboard them to big things. Regardless, it's nigh-impossible to see anyone in the Big 12 North challenging them.
Oklahoma Sooners
Chris (Projection: #1 in South): The good news is that if Oklahoma somehow gives this race away, quarterback Landry Jones will be a shoe in for the 30th annual America's worst facial hair award. The bad news for the Big 12 South is that is unlikely to happen. Expect DeMarco Murray to absolutely DOMINATE the Big 12 this year en route to the conference's Offensive Player of the Year award. Just like Texas they don't bring a lot back, but just like Texas (or at least much like Texas) Oklahoma recruits seem to deliver in the clutch (unlike their coach Bob Stoops). The Sooners are ready to put behind them a year where their universe was turned upside down...and I think they will do it.
Ross (Projection: #2 in South): The loss of Bradford and Gresham so early last year meant that Oklahoma had to get a headstart on the post-Bradford/Gresham era, which should give them an advantage heading into this year. Landry Jones took his lumps as Bradford's replacement a year ago, but he came on strong at the end of the year and a full off-season of practice should have him ready to become the next incredibly prolific Oklahoma QB. They return a ton of other starters on offense, and while the defense needs a lot of patching up, defense tends to be Stoops' specialty. The bigger concern is the schedule, which includes some challenging non-conference games (Florida State, Air Force, and Cincinnati) and only three conference home games (since the Texas game is at the Cotton Bowl). Then again, if Oklahoma can get by Texas, there's no reason not to think that they could run the table in the Big 12.
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Chris (Projection: #6 in South): Long season ahead for the Pokes...you know, full of things like Mike Gundy rants, and losing to Oklahoma, and being back at the bottom of the Big 12 totem pole. I'm sorry if nobody else sees it, but returning only 5 starters in this league lands you here. If you don't agree with me GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT! IT MAKES ME WANT TO PUKE!
Ross (Projection: #6 in South): This year we'll find out how well Mike Gundy has recruited since turning 40. They lost a ton of proven talent on offense and defense; until they show us how well they can replace guys like Zac Robinson, Dez Bryant, and Russell Okung, it's reasonable to be skeptical of their prospects in 2010.
Texas Longhorns
Chris (Projection: #2 in South): I was SO close to giving this spot to Texas A&M, but just couldn't bring myself to it. That defense is horrid, no matter how many starters they return. Still if Texas' young squad should leave the door open for Jerrod Johnson to work his magic, you could see the Aggies overtaking the Horns in the standings. But, instead I'll go with conventional wisdom and say that the A&M defense will still be bad (you can't make THAT drastic of an improvement in one year), and I'll trust Mack Brown's recruits on getting the job done. What reason do we not have to trust this guy? He delivers!
Ross (Projection: #1 in South): The offense needs to be totally rebuilt and they lost some key performers on defense, too -- so why pick them to win the South? Like all the other elite teams, they reload and with Muschamp running the defense, it's pretty likely that he'll have another very good unit on the field. The offense is more of a question mark, but Garrett Gilbert is plenty talented (as he showed in the second half of the BCS title game last year). The best thing Texas has going for them is their schedule, which is paper-thin: they play only three true road games all year (@ Texas Tech, @ Nebraska, @ Kansas State) and it's really a two-game schedule (vs. Nebraska and Oklahoma). A split in those games and 11-1, 7-1 in the Big 12 looks very possible.
Texas A&M Aggies
Chris (Projection: #3 in South): Jerodd Johnson is one of the nation's best players, and he'll get to show his skills with a lot of skill position talent around him. However, there are two concerns at A&M. One, the new offensive tackles are both freshmen! Yikes! Johnson will have to use his athletic ability to evade pressure early on. Also, a defense that was just absolutely pathetic a year ago returns 10 starters but just like Callahan Brake Pads, won't offer you any guarantee. To me that spells Texas A&M in third...but one of the best 3rd teams in their division in the nation, rest assured.
Ross (Projection: #4 in South): It's a do or die year for Mike Sherman; the good news is that he finally has a talented and experienced team in place. The core of the offense is back, including QB Jerrod Johnson, who should be the best QB in the league. If they can fill a few holes along the offensive line, they should have an incredibly explosive offense. The defense also brings back nine starters, which would be really good news if they hadn't spent the better part of the last few years getting utterly torched and disgracing the unit's former "Wrecking Crew" moniker. The schedule is troubling, too, as they get all three of what could be the best teams in the Big 12 North (Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas).
Texas Tech Red Raiders
Chris (Projection: #4 in South): I like Texas Tech (or well what they did under Leach. It was a brilliant gameplan to beat teams). I like Tommy Tubberville. But as American Idol's Simon Cowell once said of a performer "You and Latin music go together about as well as Garlic and Ice Cream." That is the case here. Tubberville likes to run (evidenced by the Cadillac Williams/Ronnie Brown tandem). Texas Tech's pedigree is passing, and they were groomed over the last decade to do nothing else. So once again, I like both parties, but who doesn't see a fall with the system change and Tubberville at the helm? I just don't know if Tommy is the guy for the Red Raiders...but have faith in a more conventional job (a la not Mike Leach tries to throw a pass between every breath).
Ross (Projection: #3 in South): There's a lot of talent back on offense and a decent amount back on defense; if Mike Leach was still around, this might be a dark horse team to win the South, given the holes that Texas and Oklahoma have to fill. But with Leach gone and Tommy Tuberville in charge, this team is a total wildcard. While Tuberville claims he wants to keep the air raid passing game, given his past, it's hard not to see him dramatically increasing the importance of the running game -- and it's anyone's guess as to how that will go. On the plus side, they draw Iowa State and Colorado from the Big 12 North, which may be just enough to let them slide ahead of Texas A&M.
CFBZ Predicted Big 12 Finish
North
1. Nebraska Cornhuskers
2. Missouri Tigers
3. Colorado Buffaloes
4. Kansas Jayhawks
5. Kansas State Wildcats
6. Iowa State Cyclones
South
1. Oklahoma Sooners
2. Texas Longhorns
3. Texas A&M Aggies
4. Texas Tech Red Raiders
5. (tie) Baylor Bears
5. (tie) Oklahoma State Cowboys
Big 12 Championship Game: Nebraska Cornhuskers over Oklahoma Sooners
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