College Football Big 12 2008 Preview
Oklahoma
OFFENSIVELETTERMEN RETURNING (22) Some 27 players who filled a starting role last season return. That compares with 29 last season, 26 in 2006 and 17 in 2005. • Category Leaders: The Sooners return their top passer (Sam Bradford), top receiver (Juaquin Iglesias), top kick returner (Iglesias), leader in total offense (Bradford), in all-purpose yards (Iglesias) and punter (Mike Knall).They must replace their leading rusher (Allen Patrick), their leader in field goals (Garrett Hartley), in tackles (Curtis Lofton), in interceptions (D.J.Wolfe) and fumble recoveries (Wolfe).
DEFENSIVELETTERMEN RETURNING (18) Last season, six opponents rushed for 66 or fewer yards.Eighteen times, Bob Stoops-coached Oklahoma teams have held opponents under 40 rushing yards in a game.Four times the total has resulted in negative yards. The 2007 OU defenders touched the ball 70 times (5.4 times per game) with 42 PBUs, 19 interceptions and nine fumble recoveries.To put that in perspective, opposing teams have just 46 touches in 27 break-ups, 11 fumble recoveries and eight interceptions. OU averaged 18.0 yards on INT/fumble returns with five touchdowns to tie the school record set in 1956, 2000 and 2001.Missouri
Returning Lettermen: Off. 14 Def. 22 Does Mizzou have staying power? That remains to be seen over the long haul, but it still belongs in the discussion of the elite of the elite teams for this season. Now in his third year as the starter and with 37 games under his belt, Chase Daniel make his dizzying array of weapons shine. The receiving corps is loaded with all-around playmaker Jeremy Maclin and tight end Chase Coffman, who'll be healthy again to start the year, unlike last season, while Danario Alexander and Tommy Saunders are strong targets to work with. The running backs will be fine with a good combination of players to rotate around, and the line should be fantastic if the starting five can stay healthy. The linebacking corps, overall, needs depth to quickly develop after losing two top backup prospects to go along with the injuries. Moore should be back at 100% to combine with Justin Garrett to form one of the Big 12's best safety tandems. The corners aren't great, but they're experienced. Stryker Sulak is a fantastic pass rusher, but there isn't enough consistent plays in the backfield from the front seven. Ziggy Hood is an all-star tackle for the run defense to work around.Texas
With a 2007 No. 10 final ranking, Texas has finished the year ranked among the nation’s Top 15 in each of the last eight seasons, a Longhorn best. In addition, UT has finished in the Top 10 five of the last seven seasons (2001, ’02, ’04, ’05 and ’07). The Texas offense finished the 2007 campaign as one of only 10 teams nationally to average 200 yards passing and 200 yards rushing. The Horns posted 255.4 yards passing (39th NCAA), 207.5 yards rushing (17th NCAA), 462.9 total yards (13th NCAA) and 37.2 points per game (14th NCAA). UT produced at least 400 yards of total offense in nine games and at least 500 yards in five, while scoring at least 30 points in nine of the 13 games. UT eclipsed the 200-yard rushing plateau on seven occasions and reached at least 300 yards rushing in three of its last five games. Texas allowed just 93.4 yards per game to rank eighth nationally. The Horns held seven of their 13 opponents under 100 yards rushing and gave up just 2.9 yards per carry. Highlighting the season were games against No. 19 TCU (43 yards), Rice (-11 yards), Baylor (eight yards), Texas Tech (10 yards) and Arizona State (22 yards). All five games rank in UT’s top 35 performances since 1990. In fact, the minus-11 yards by Rice were the fourth-fewest since 1990 and the fifth time UT has held an opponent to negative rushing yards. All five occasions have come during the Mack Brown era. The Longhorns return 11 starters (6 offense/4 defense/1 specialist) and 47 lettermen (25 offense/18 defense/4 specialists) from the 2007 squad. Among the returning offensive and defensive starters, UT welcomes back 12 players who have combined to start 191 games (109 offense/82 defense). When you add in eight other returning veterans who have combined to start 20 games (4 offense/16 defense), Texas’ 2008 squad features 20 returnees with starting experience on offense or defense. That group has combined to start 211 career games (113 offense/98 defense).Kansas
Lettermen Returning: 41 Offense: 17 Defense: 24 Kansas ranked fourth in the nation in scoring defense in 2007, allowing just 16.38 points per game... The Jayhawks were especially tough against the run allowing just 94.77 yards per game, to rank eighth nationally... KU held six of its eight Big 12 opponents to less than 80 yards rushing... KU allowed only two runs longer than 25 yards on the season... KU recorded 100 tackles for loss last season... The Jayhawks return all four of their leading tacklers from last year as well as 10 of the top 12... KU returns nine starters, including seven who started all 13 games. The Kansas offense was one of the nation’s most prolific groups in 2007, ranking second in the country in scoring and eighth in total offense. The unit was also the most productive in school history, establishing a number of records en route to an incredible season. Six offensive starters return for coordinator Ed Warinner, including record-setting quarterback Todd Reesing. Jake Sharp ran for 821 yards in a backup role a year ago, while Dexton Fields has been the team’s leading receiver in each of the last two seasons. The three interior starters on the offensive line return from last year as the KU offense looks to have as much fire power in 2008 as it did in 2007.Texas Tech
For a program coming off of a 9-4 season that returns 36 players from its two-deep depth chart, there aren’t too many question marks at key positions entering 2008. The most glaring, however, might be the position of running back, where three diff erent players shared the load in 2007 and now fi nd themselves in a fi veway battlee for carries this season. Shannon Woods led the team with 84 carries for 439 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior, but lost his starting job late in the year to true freshman Aaron Crawford. Crawford showed glimpses of his potential during his rookie season, starting the fi nal fi ve contests, averaging an even four yards per carry, and leading all Tech backs with 38 receptions, including a season-high 11 in Tech’s upset win over No. 3-ranked Oklahoma in the regular season finale. At what might be one of the deepest positions on the team, the Red Raiders appear to be more young and athletic at linebacker than they have been in several years. The talent is stacked across the board and a number of the underclassmen received valuable experience and playing time in 2007.Colorado
Colorado has 40 lettermen scheduled to return for 2008, including 18 on offense, 20 on defense and two specialists; the Buffs lose 24 lettermen off the 2007 squad (15 offense, seven defense, two specialists). CU returns 15 starters from last season (seven offense, eight defense) and loses seven (four offense, three defense); several positions had multiple personnel shuttle in and out, so these numbers aren’t truly reflective of the experience returning. The most significant change during spring drills came on the offensive side of the ball. With the players now more accustomed to the system on offense, and with the timing (game clock) rules changing for the fourth time in as many years, it was time to take things up a notch. The coaches instituted a no-huddle offense, one that will produce more plays and keep the defense from making wholesale substitutions. It figures to be particularly a big hit in home games, when the visitor isn’t used to the altitude at Folsom Field. In fact, Hawkins had hoped to install it a year ago, but the offense hadn’t progressed enough for the staff to be comfortable with it. Defensively, the Buffs want to shore up the pass rush, find a replacement for All-America Jordon Dizon at linebacker, and fill several holes in the secondary created by both graduation and injury, especially the cornerback spot occupied by Terrence Wheatley. Both Dizon and Wheatley were second round draft picks into the NFL in April.Oklahoma State
In 2008, the Cowboys return 17 starters from an exciting team that went 7-6 with historic victories, a bowl championship, and a trendy offense that ranked among the best in the country. And the Cowboys have added yet another top 25 recruiting class (that’s three straight if you’re keeping count). It is a class that appears to have provided short term help and b i g - p i c t u r e promise. The Cowboy front wall is as well off as it has been in recent history. OSU is coming off a season in which it allowed just 11 sacks in 13 games (the third best total in the country). With the loss of one starter in Koenig, but the return of center David Washington (lost in the third game of the 2007 season to a broken leg but with two seasons as a starter under his belt), Oklahoma State returns five starters in the offensive line and has added a first-team junior college All-American to the fold. For the second straight season, the Cowboys must rebuild their defensive line as three starters are gone. OSU is also replacing a pair of starting linebackers. But back in the fold is the entire secondary, a young and talented group of defensive linemen and now the junior college help as well.Texas A&M
Several Aggies were switched to new positions during spring drills as Sherman attempted to get a read on the existing talent. He managed to instill his own disciplinary measures in short order. Still, the transition to the college game after spending the past 11 seasons in the NFL could be tricky at first within the rugged Big 12 South. The Aggies probably won't contend, but could reach the postseason. QB Stephen McGee returns for his senior season and is capable of running a diverse attack, though Sherman spurred competition during spring camp by promoting QB Jerrod Johnson and refusing to name a starter. The Aggies could rely heavier on Goodson if new targets don't emerge among the receiving corps. Existing defensive candidates need some work considering that A&M allowed 161 yards rushing per game last season. Re-establishing the Wreckin' Crew is one of the primary goals for the new A&M staff, though inexperience could limit any progress in the offensive-minded Big 12.Kansas State
The only real offensive threat to emerge was a walk-on running back, Keithen Valentine, who rushed for 104 yards. Add another 100 yards and you get 204, which is what the two squads combined to generate. Disconcerting? Perhaps. But then what isn't these days for the Kansas State program? It closed the regular season needing one win in its last four games to qualify for a bowl. Two of the games were against the last-place teams in the Big 12 North, Iowa State and Nebraska. Yet the Wildcats lost all four tries, finishing 5-7 overall and 3-5 in the Big 12. The defense was particularly shoddy down the stretch, though the offense was inconsistent and is now without its most steady contributor, wide receiver Jordy Nelson, a second-round draft pick of the Green Bay Packers. To address shortcomings throughout the roster, Prince signed a whopping 19 junior-college transfers. Most of them, however, were unable to enroll at Kansas State in time for spring practice, so many evaluations must be made when the Wildcats reassemble in the fall. Adding to the transition phase will be the presence of three new assistants after Kansas State again experienced attrition on its staff. If the coaches can deliver their message quickly enough and develop all the newcomers they hope will contribute in 2008, the quick fix Prince seeks with all the transfers could make Kansas State competitive. It heads into the fall as probably the biggest unknown among all the North teams. But it's going to take a tremendous amount of work, patience and understanding for the JUCO experiment to pay off. That, plus whatever Kansas State got out of the spring must be explained again with a thorough fall review.Nebraska
Through 15 spring workouts, which included a spring game before a record crowd of 80,149 hoping desperately for Pelini to work his magic and restore Nebraska's image, the Huskers showed defensive improvement. But much work remains. The transition into a new system must start from the ground up with tackling. Nebraska's problems on the defensive side began with that simple fundamental, and progressed into various other shortcomings. The Huskers were often outmanned up front and also had trouble generating turnovers, producing just 12 takeaways. Offensively, Pelini wants to establish the run game. With the defense allowing so many points, Nebraska winged the football at will last season. The result was impressive marks for quarterback Joe Ganz, who replaced injured Sam Keller late in the season. After proving himself to be more than capable throwing the ball, Ganz will be asked to engineer a more balanced attack. Of course, improvement on the defensive side will dictate what the offense is asked to do, and the Huskers can ill afford playing catch-up again while allowing opponents as many as 76 points.Iowa State
A 3-8 finish last season includes a late surge in which the Cyclones won two of their last three games, though they still tied for last in the Big 12 North. Although Chizik issued each of his players summer checklists filled with to-do items over the offseason, any chance for a huge breakthrough this season appears remote. Iowa State must replace three mainstays. One is the top pass-catch combination in the program's history, quarterback Bret Meyer and receiver Todd Blythe, as well as linebacker Alvin Bowen, who was the nation's tackling leader in 2006. Those critical losses at least allow Chizik to apply his own signature to the program. In his first season, the Cyclones showed marked improvement on defense, which was expected after Chizik coordinated units on that side of the ball at Texas and Auburn. However, even with Meyer and Blythe, the Cyclones struggled mightily on offense, averaging just 18.2 points to rank 111th nationally.Baylor
Baylor returns 48 lettermen, including 17 starters from last year’s team which went 3-9 overall and 0-8 in the Big 12. Alltold, the Bears return nine starters on offense, six on defense as well as their first-team place-kicker and punter. Offensively, the Bears return nine starters from last year’s unit which averaged 351.2 yards per game, Baylor’s highest mark since 1995 (383.3 ypg).Baylor must replace running back Brandon Whitaker, who led the Bears in both rushing (40.7 ypg) and receiving (58-425), as well as offensive guard Chad Smith, a two-year starter along the o-line. Baylor lost its two starting cornerbacks a year ago, Josh Bell and Alton Widemon, to graduation. Fifth-year senior DwainCrawford played rover a year ago and ranked No. 8 on the squad in tackles (48) despite misssing three gamesdue to injury, but he’s moved to cornerback for his final Green & Gold campaign. Sophomore Krys Buerck, who made six starts at wide receiver a year ago,moved to corner prior to spring practice and came out No. 1 on the depth chart opposite Crawford. Lake, a consensus second-team All-Big 12 pick in 2007 missed all of spring practice recovering from off-season injury.