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We're continuing our march across Big 12 country with your dream trek for 2013. Want to see the best of the best in the Big 12 this season? Come along with us.

We don't make the final decisions about where we spend our fall Saturdays, but I'm walking week by week through the 2013 season and forecasting where I'd like to be. Circumstances change as games happen, of course, but here's how I'd project the season. Road nonconference games count. Let's move on with the next week.

More 2013 Ultimate Big 12 Road Trip.

Here's the Week 15 schedule across the Big 12:

• Texas at Baylor
• Oklahoma at Oklahoma State

My pick: Oklahoma at Oklahoma State

I feel bad about blanking Floyd Casey Stadium on my Ultimate Big 12 Road Trip, and I've heard from a few unhappy Bears fans about it. Still, I can't abandon Bedlam in the final weekend of the season. I've said it for a year now: Bedlam is gaining quickly on the Red River Rivalry as the conference's best rivalry, and though Texas and Baylor very well may have a lot of Big 12 title repercussions, there's no doubt Bedlam will, too. The conference title has swung in this game in each of the past three seasons, including a pair of winner-take-all games in Stillwater in 2010 and 2011.

You can bet the folks in Stillwater remember two things: rushing the field at the end of the 2011 win, and the sting of last season's loss in Norman. They'll combine to make a great atmosphere in what's likely going to be a prime-time season finale for the Big 12. I'm betting Oklahoma State has more to play for in this game than Oklahoma, but 15 weeks into the season, there's no telling what the standings will look like. A sure thing, though: Oklahoma State fans will bring their "A" game on a big stage against a hated rival. Historically, this rivalry is extremely lopsided. Lately, though, the games have been unbelievably memorable. I'm sure this year will be no different, and a perfect venue to conclude a great Ultimate Big 12 Road Trip in 2013.

Honorable mention: Texas at Baylor

Is the season here yet?

• Wes Lunt's high school coach's phone got lit up after Lunt announced he was transferring from Oklahoma State, writes Jimmie Tramel of the Tulsa World.
• Ex-Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon says he doesn't have a substance abuse problem.
• Texas Tech released its parking details for its September game against TCU on a Thursday night. These things always get sticky.
• Texas football hype video!
• Colleague Ivan Maisel is glad Bob Stoops is taking the time to speak his mind.
• Could Iowa State's series with Northern Iowa be bracing for change?
• Cool story here: Get caught up with former Texas Tech lineman Brandon Carter, who Big 12 diehards surely remember.
• Some interesting answers from Mike Gundy on his daily Twitter Q&A, including Calvin Barnett's progression and the top four RBs in OSU history.
• Art Briles' offense helped the Bears reel in a tight end for its 2014 class, writes Brice Cherry in the Waco Tribune-Herald.
• Dana Holgorsen sounds pretty excited for Clint Trickett to join the QB race in West Virginia.
• Former Kansas offensive lineman Tanner Hawkinson is showing off his versatility in Bengals camp, writes Matt Tait of the Lawrence Journal-World.

Colleague Mel Kiper is counting down his top five at each position looking ahead to next year's NFL draft, and tackled the wide receivers and defensive ends first. You'll need Insider to see the full post, but a couple Big 12 players made his list.

No surprise: Texas' Jackson Jeffcoat showed up on his list of defensive ends, but all the way down at No. 5. There's going to be no dethroning No. 1 pick and slam dunk Jadeveon Clowney between now and next year, but I'm surprised to see Jeffcoat quite that low. Here's betting he makes a jump between now and next April before the draft. Kiper's biggest knock right now is that Jeffcoat has been "good" but not great, and has relied too much on his quickness relative to his size, rather than developing his technique.

Fair point. Jeffcoat's got a lot to prove in 2013.

I'm surprised to see Tevin Reese be Kiper's lone Big 12 player on his list of receiver. The position has been so stacked in the Big 12 for the last five years or so (Hey there, Michael Crabtree, Ryan Broyles, Justin Blackmon and Tavon Austin!), it feels like a really week class this season.

Reese is at the bottom of Kiper's "Next up" section, but that feels a bit too high. Reese is a great player, but I wouldn't be shocked to see him not be the Bears' leading receiver. The safe bet is he will be, but at just 5-foot-10, 165 pounds, he's got to do a bit more to convince NFL teams to take him, despite being undersized.

We're in the middle of counting down the top 10 players in the history of the Big 12. I'm sure you'll all agree with my selections.

See more on my criteria here.

Let's move on with the list:

No. 4: Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma (2006-2009)

Why he's on the list: Bradford was Oklahoma's starting quarterback for only two seasons, really, but they were two of the best of any quarterback in college football history. He finished his career as college football's all-time leader in career passer rating, at 175.62, but his season in 2008 was one of the greatest statistical years of any major quarterback ever. He tossed 50 touchdowns to just eight interceptions while helping Oklahoma score more points than any offense in college football history.

Bradford was as accurate as any quarterback to ever play college football, but he had a huge arm and made great decisions constantly. He was a modest, three-star recruit who struggled late in his high school career, but racked up 36 touchdowns and just eight interceptions after winning the Oklahoma job as a redshirt freshman in 2007. He threw for 8,403 yards in just over two seasons as the Sooners' starter, and fell just short in 2008 of grabbing Oklahoma's eighth national title. He finished that season with a Heisman Trophy, as well as the Davey O'Brien Award and the Sammy Baugh Trophy. He thrashed Missouri in the Big 12 title game in both seasons as a Sooners, earning a pair of Big 12 championship rings.

His career ended in frustrating fashion, essentially with a shoulder injury in the 2009 season opener. He came back in the middle of the season but re-injured it early in a loss to Texas and never made the field again as a Sooner after electing to undergo season-ending surgery. The St. Louis Rams made him the No. 1 pick in the 2010 NFL draft.

The rest of the list:

• No. 5: Colt McCoy, QB, Texas
• No. 6: Adrian Peterson, RB, Oklahoma
• No. 7: Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor
• No. 8: Jason White, QB, Oklahoma
• No. 9: Roy Williams, S, Oklahoma
• No. 10: Tavon Austin, WR/KR/RB/PR, West Virginia

DALLAS -- Charlie Weis remembers his wife's first response when he told her the school's athletic director had called and he was considering packing his bags and becoming the head coach in Lawrence.

"Kansas?"

That's the same reaction most high schoolers get when they tell folks they're considering the Jayhawks, unless a family member is an alum or they live inside state lines.

Weis' idea to revitalize Kansas' program isn't some crazy Hail Mary scheme he's hoping will be a magic fix to the problems that ail the Jayhawks, losers of 21 consecutive Big 12 games and 32 of their last 33 conference games.

It's the path to success that makes the most sense. For now, at least.

Since taking over at Kansas, Weis has removed 29 players from his program, and he says not one got a bus ticket home because he wasn't good enough. Problems in the classroom, dorm or "not buying in" were more common reasons for dismissals.

"I figure if we’re going to be 1-11, I can be 1-11 with you and me playing," Weis told ESPN.com in a recent interview. "So let’s go ahead and gut the program."

The idea was to re-stock the program with guys well aware of the kind of culture the program would be operating under.

"You got this roster that’s talent deficient, and now you get rid of 29 players," Weis said. "Well, you’ve got holes everywhere. There isn’t a position you don’t have a hole at."

As for talent upgrades, the source was obvious for Weis. Going the junior-college route was labeled by some a "quick fix." Weis saw it as the only path to success for a program that's floundered since an Orange Bowl win to cap the 2007 season.

"You’re a high school kid, unless you’re from Kansas or a legacy, why is Kansas going to intrigue you?" Weis said. " It’s different for junior college kids."

Players looking to make the jump from junior college to the FBS level want three things, Weis argues: A degree, immediate playing time and a chance to reach the NFL.

"This is much more of a business decision than when they were in high school," Weis said.

When Weis goes recruiting, he pitches all three. A number of nationally renown degrees are available at Kansas, but Weis and his assistant head coach Dave Campo have almost four decades of NFL experience and a combined six Super Bowl rings as assistants.

"The two of us know everybody in that league and have been involved with winning championships and are respected," Weis said. "They know that if I call somebody, they’re going to take the phone call and listen to what I have to say about a guy, good or bad."

Then, Weis can show them a game at Kansas or game film of the struggling Jayhawks.

"You can say to a guy, you look out there? You don’t think you can play here? Because if you can’t play here, where can you play?” he said.

It's a tailor-made pitch to a junior-college prospect and until the wins arrive, reaching out-of-state talent from high schools seems like a fruitless pursuit. Call it a quick fix, but for Weis, it looks like the only fix.

"If you look at that mentality, why wouldn’t you want to come? Not why would you want to come?" he said.

So far, it's working. Kansas landed five of the nation's top 100 junior college players this offseason, as well as a handful of other highly recruited juco stars.

Changing high schoolers' minds outside of KU's immediate recruiting territory can only come with wins, but KU will have to try and mesh almost 20 junior college players on next year's team. In fall camp alone, the Jayhawks will start with seven juco defenders on the depth chart who haven't participated in a practice yet.

"This year could be a really big year for us. Let’s say we have at least moderate success and it’s obviously going to be spearheaded by a couple transfers on offense (QB Jake Heaps and WR Justin McCay), and then all these juco kids. And you’re a juco kid sitting out there now trying to decide where you want to go, going, well, Kansas just took all these guys and they were crummy and all the sudden they start winning games," Weis said. "If we sit there and spit the bit and go 2-10 and get the crap kicked out of us five times, it’s going to be, well it’d be the same thing if you took high school kids. These guys have to have a chip on their shoulder knowing it’s not just Charlie Weis and Kansas, it’s their reputations, too. Are they good or are they not any good? They’ve got something to prove, too."

We're in the middle of counting down the top-10 players in the history of the Big 12. I'm sure you'll all agree with my selections.

See more on my criteria here.

Let's move on with the list:

No. 5: Colt McCoy, QB, Texas (2005-09)

Why he's on the list: McCoy started 53 games at Texas and won 45. Until Kellen Moore came along at Boise State, that was more than any quarterback in the history of college football, and it's one of the stats that defined McCoy's stellar career. Along the way, he was the portrait of consistency, carrying Texas football to great heights throughout his four years as starter. He was merely a three-star recruit from tiny Tuscola, Texas, but did more than anyone could have expected without possessing rare physical attributes like a huge arm or frame. He was deceptively fast and ran for 1,589 yards and 20 touchdowns to rank No. 3 all-time for Texas quarterbacks. Oh, and there were those 13,253 passing yards and 112 touchdowns, both school records. He also completed more than 70 percent of his passes. He completed nearly 77 percent in 2008, and was the only two-time All-American at quarterback in Texas history. No quarterback in NCAA history has won 10 games in all four seasons as a starting quarterback. Sure, McCoy had a lot of help with the Longhorns, but no way does that happen without McCoy's efforts.

He never captured a Heisman trophy, but the list of awards he did win rivals that of any player in history. He won the Walter Camp Award twice and the Davey O'Brien Award and Maxwell Award as a senior in 2009. His career came to a crushing end with a fluky shoulder injury in the first quarter of the 2010 BCS National Championship Game, robbing him of a chance to end the SEC's run of national titles. Who knows how that game might have turned out if he had remained healthy, but that forgettable finale was only a footnote on what was otherwise one of the greatest college careers ever.

The rest of the list:

• No. 6: Adrian Peterson, RB, Oklahoma
• No. 7: Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor
• No. 8: Jason White, QB, Oklahoma
• No. 9: Roy Williams, S, Oklahoma
• No. 10: Tavon Austin, WR/KR/RB/PR, West Virginia

It's been less than a week since former Oklahoma State quarterback Wes Lunt announce his decision to transfer, but he's looking at five different schools to play his remaining three years of eligibility.

From colleague Joe Schad:

Former Oklahoma State quarterback Wes Lunt is considering transferring to Southern Miss, Illinois, Louisville, Tennessee or Vanderbilt, according to a person familiar with his plans.

Lunt decided to transfer last week after competing with Clint Chelf and J.W. Walsh for the starting position.

Schad also added that Lunt was unlikely to expand his list.

Illinois is the flagship school of Lunt's home state, and his lead recruiter at Oklahoma State, Todd Monken, is now the head coach at Southern Miss.

I could see Lunt fitting in well at all five of those spots, and with three years of eligibility left and some starting experience at OSU, it's hard to see him landing anywhere he can't flourish. Louisville, Illinois, Vanderbilt each extended scholarship offers to Lunt out of high school, according to ESPN Recruiting.

We'll wrap up our analysis of the Big 12 schedules with league sophomore West Virginia. Here's a closer look at the Mountaineers' schedule.

Full schedule:

• Aug. 31: William and Mary
• Sept. 7: at Oklahoma
• Sept. 14: Georgia State
• Sept. 21: vs. Maryland at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Md.
• Sept. 28: Oklahoma State
• Oct. 5: at Baylor
• Oct. 19: Texas Tech
• Oct. 26: at Kansas State
• Nov. 2: at TCU
• Nov. 9: Texas
• Nov. 16: at Kansas
• Nov. 30: Iowa State

Non-con challenge: Maryland. The Terrapins gave WVU a tougher game than it expected last season, but heading to Maryland's home state for a rematch won't be easy. Stefon Diggs is a big-time player, and the program should be improved from last year's 4-8 season. Considering their other two games are against two poor teams from the FCS (Georgia State is making its FBS debut in 2013 after going 1-10 last season), this is the only thing close to a challenge outside of conference.

Chance to impress: at Oklahoma. Expectations are low for West Virginia, but Oklahoma's defense has big questions and the Sooners have shown vulnerability at home lately. There's plenty of question about whether or not West Virginia can even make a bowl game this year, but that conversation is going to change very, very quickly if the Mountaineers can spring the early season upset.

Sneaky-big game: Texas Tech. All you've got to do is the math. WVU has three nonconference games, and should be better than Kansas and maybe Iowa State, though that's no guarantee. I do think Baylor, Kansas State and Texas Tech are better overall teams than WVU, but if it's going to make a bowl game, it has to beat somebody people don't expect it to beat. The midseason game against Tech suddenly looks huge, no? This might mean the difference between a bowl game and no bowl.

Upset watch: Texas. WVU delivered a huge win in Austin last year, and gets to host the Longhorns this time. Texas will be on the road with a lot at stake, and by the time West Virginia's 10th game rolls around, it should be much improved offensively and be able to score with anybody in the Big 12. How will the Longhorns hold up in what should be a frenzied atmosphere against a team that should be able to put points on the board?

Eyeing revenge: at TCU. Last year's overtime loss in Morgantown was an absolute gut-punch of a loss, lowlighted by trick plays from the Frogs in overtime, a game-winning two-point conversion and a 95-yard bomb in the final minutes when all WVU had to do was keep TCU out of the end zone. Brutal. WVU is a much different team this year, but don't think that game has been forgotten.

Final analysis: West Virginia plays five road games this season, which makes its road to the postseason even more difficult. One of those games is at Kansas, but I'm betting the Jayhawks are far from an automatic win this year like they have mostly been the past two seasons. Simple odds will likely have WVU sitting at 4-6 before its final two games of the season against the Big 12's bottom two teams last year, but Iowa State or WVU overachieving could change that.

Collin Klein insisted on working out only at quarterback in advance of last month's NFL Draft, passing up opportunities to let scouts look at him at tight end or receiver.

Kansas State's quarterback a year ago isn't the first Heisman finalist to go undrafted, but he didn't even receive a free agent contract. The Houston Texans invited him to camp to try out, but he left Texans coach Gary Kubiak gushing.

"I don't want to get too far ahead of myself, but to watch how far the guy came in two and a half days; (he) really played probably his best day out here today," Kubiak told NFL.com. "He's found a way his whole career, and he's probably going to find a way this time, too."

Very interesting stuff. I'm still skeptical and don't buy Klein as anything close to an NFL quarterback, but Kubiak has been an NFL coach for almost two decades, half of which came as an offensive coordinator. He knows passers. Time will tell if Klein "finds a way," but after just a few days of mini-camp, it's crazy to hear that kind of praise coming Klein's way from an NFL head coach.

Later in the interview, Kubiak reiterated that Klein would "beat the bushes" and "figure out a way." Kubiak can put his money where his mouth is with an official contract soon. That's got to be the next step. Plenty of folks in college football will be taking notice now. However, Klein left camp on Sunday and told FOX 26 in Houston that he didn't sign a contract.

"He's got a ton (of talent)," Kubiak said. "For what he did in college and what (pre-draft quarterback coach) Jake (Plummer) has been doing with him, he's come a long way, as far as working under center and stuff. The arm strength is there. The delivery is a little different but you work with that. But his instincts as a football player you can't coach; the way he just takes off and stuff like that."

Hope you all treated your moms right yesterday.

• Gary Patterson talks about his quarterback battle, his team's expectations and says he'd have Oklahoma State as his Big 12 favorite in an interview with Randy Galloway of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
• Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman has a note on what the Big 12 is doing for WVU's travel troubles, and Texas' shameful move in recruiting.
• Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News says Geno Smith isn't showing any signs of being a diva in Jets minicamp.
• Texas Tech safety Cody Davis could catch on with the Rams, writes Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Davis blogs about his experiences.
• Is Clint Chelf the Big 12's best quarterback? A panel of Athlon writers weigh in.
• An Iowa State sports channel is close to becoming a reality. The Cyclones' latest commit is drawing comparisons to A.J. Klein already, too, writes Bobby La Gesse of the Ames Tribune.
• If you missed it on Friday, Oklahoma quarterback Kendal Thompson was arrested on complaints of public intoxication and interference with the official process. The details of the arrest aren't flattering.
• Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy invited the Duck Dynasty crew to a game in Stillwater, and opened up a bit more about Wes Lunt's departure.
• Bryce Miller of the Des Moines Register tells you what the fight against Alzheimer's disease means to Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads. He spoke with the Register in an exclusive offseason interview. He's not satisfied with six- and seven-win seasons.
• Bob Hertzel of the Times West Virginian looks at WVU's trio who headed to their rookie minicamps last week. Dana Holgorsen talked about the future of the program at a recent caravan stop.
• Ryan Aber of The Oklahoman explains how Oklahoma beat Alabama on the recruiting trail for a running back.
• Big 12 teams are preparing for $22-25 million payouts, reports Jeremy Fowler of CBSSports.com.
• Gina Mizell of The Oklahoman writes about Oklahoma State's chase for a quarterback in its 2014 class, and looks at players who might be breaking records for the Pokes this year.
• Kansas defensive end Josh Williams is gone, but he already left his mark on the program, writes Matt Tait of the Lawrence Journal-World.

NORMAN, Okla. -- In Bob Stoops’ first season in 1999, Oklahoma spread everyone out and threw it around.

In 2004, the Sooners put Jason White under center and handed off to Adrian Peterson.

As Stoops pointed out last week, the Sooners have often "played to their personnel." That includes last season, when, after it became abundantly clear the Sooners’ fourth-best receiver was better than any tight end, OU went almost exclusively with four-wide formations.

“We had some young [tight ends], a new guy from junior college,” Stoops said. “We weren’t the same with them on the field. Our best grouping was with wide receivers, which was quite obvious to anybody who watched us.”

In recent weeks, the Sooners have taken criticism from ESPN analysts Trent Dilfer and Jon Gruden for not using tight ends. They say it put too much pressure on quarterback Landry Jones to throw the ball downfield.

In several OU victories, Jones’ arm was good enough to overcome the limitations of not having a tight end checking off a route underneath the coverage, streaking down the middle of the field or helping to block in the run game.

But in the Sooners’ three 2012 losses, not having a tight end came back to haunt them, as OU was unable to maintain balance with the run or attack the Kansas State, Notre Dame and Texas A&M defenses off play-action.

The OU coaching staff recognized this liability and tried to lure another junior-college tight end to Norman before signing day. But after losing out on Beau Sandland and Emmanuel Bibbs -- the two juco tight ends they thought could provide an immediate impact -- the Sooners were forced to go with what they have.

Only this time, they won’t have Jones’ arm to fall back on. To be successful in 2013, the Sooners will have to run the ball with better efficiency. And they’ll have to also be lethal with play-action. Which means Sam Grant, Taylor McNamara and Brannon Green, whom the Sooners deemed weren’t ready last year, had better be ready to play this time around.

“I feel much better about it,” Stoops said. “The two freshmen [Grant and McNamara] have come along, are stronger blockers, have a stronger presence about what they’re trying to do. Same thing with Brannon Green, more experience in what we want him to do.

“I believe they’ll have more opportunities.”

Despite losing Kenny Stills and Justin Brown, the Sooners figure to be strong at wideout again. Jalen Saunders and Sterling Shepard should be prolific, and Trey Metoyer, Durron Neal, Dannon Cavil, Jaz Reynolds and others have big-play ability. But as OU transitions to an offense more reliant on the ground game -- as well as the running ability of its inexperienced quarterbacks -- tight end play will be paramount.

It’s no coincidence that when the Sooners have run the ball best, they’ve had stellar tight end play.

Quentin Griffin had Trent Smith.

Chris Brown and DeMarco Murray had Brody Eldridge and Jermaine Gresham.

Even Adrian Peterson had James "Bubba" Moses and Joe Jon Finley.

Stoops says he likes what he saw from the tight ends in the spring. After redshirting last year, Grant showed promise as a blocking specialist. McNamara has put on weight and is finally healthy after undergoing shoulder surgery last season, then tweaking a hamstring after being cleared for spring ball. Green has come along, too.

They’ll never be confused with the 2007 tight end grouping of Gresham, Eldridge and Finley. But if they can be just solid enough to be used, that might be adequate.

The Sooners are always going to play to their personnel. But OU has always been better when the tight ends are included.

DALLAS -- Kansas coach Charlie Weis spent a season as Florida's offensive coordinator under Will Muschamp in 2011. He joins Iowa State's Paul Rhoads (Auburn defensive coordinator in 2008) as the only Big 12 head coaches with experience in the SEC since its run of seven national titles began at the end of the 2006 season.

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops has been out of the SEC since his days as Florida's defensive coordinator from 1996-98, but made headlines with some sharp critiques of that conference's current status as college football's kingpin.

"You’re listening to a lot of propaganda that gets fed out to you. You’re more than smart enough to figure it out," Stoops told the Tulsa World. "Again, you can look at the top two, three, four, five, six teams, and you can look at the bottom six, seven, eight, whatever they are. How well are they all doing?"

Stoops' comments have ignited something of a debate in the past week, but Weis, who hadn't heard anything of Stoops' comments until I informed him of them Thursday, says the Sooners coach is speaking the truth.

"Do you know the stats? In the SEC, the record of the good guys and the bad guys?" Weis asked ESPN.com in a recent interview.

"The stats" to which Weis is referring have appeared a few times on this blog, and paint the SEC as a league devoid of parity, at least last season. The conference's bottom eight teams went 0-30 against the top six teams in 2012.

"I’m just sayin’, you look at the bottom of our league and the bottom of their league, just going based off the numbers, there’s validity in what he said," Weis said. "I’m just going based off the numbers, I mean, I’m a numbers guy. Just based off the numbers, you’d have to say he’s got a point."

The Big 12 and SEC both sent nine teams to bowl games, but that number meant 90 percent of the Big 12 participated in the postseason, the highest number of any conference in college football history.

"We were the only team in the whole league that didn’t play in a bowl game. It was us. We were the sole member," Weis said. "You talk about bottom-feeders, you think Iowa State was a bottom-feeder?"

Certainly not. The Cyclones have reached bowl games in three of the past four seasons, never finishing the regular season with a record better than more than three Big 12 teams. Iowa State reached a bowl in spectacular fashion in 2011, upsetting BCS No. 2 Oklahoma State and derailing the Cowboys' national title hopes.

The Big 12 hasn't been able to beat the top of the SEC on the field in quite awhile, but Stoops, Weis and I are in agreement on at least one front: The bottom of the Big 12 is anything but a sure victory for any team in the league.

Wes Lunt's exit from Oklahoma State surprised a lot of people, but what kind of results can he expect over the rest of his career?

Here's an update on the Big 12's recent notable transfers. The results are all over the map.

Garrett Gilbert, transferred from Texas to SMU in 2011: Struggled in 2010 during Texas' 5-7 season, despite a strong showing in relief of Colt McCoy in the 2009 national title game against Alabama. Earned a starting position in June Jones' offense in Dallas and threw for 2,932 yards, 15 touchdowns and 15 interceptions last season. He'll start as a senior in 2013.

Keith Nichol, transferred from Oklahoma to Michigan State in 2008: Nichol was a superstar recruit but lost a quarterback competition to some guy named Sam Bradford. After taking his talents to Lansing, he earned some time at quarterback as a sophomore in 2009, but found a home at receiver. He finished his career with 50 catches for 625 yards and four touchdowns, highlighted by a game-winning, Hail Mary touchdown to beat Wisconsin in 2011. He also threw for 826 yards and nine touchdowns.

Jevan Snead, transferred from Texas to Ole Miss in 2006: Played some in relief of Colt McCoy, but left for Oxford in search of playing time and found it. Carried the Rebels to a Cotton Bowl win and threw for 2,762 yards, 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 2008. A year later, he tossed 20 touchdowns and 20 interceptions and racked up 2,632 yards. He left Ole Miss early, but wasn't drafted.

G.J. Kinne, transferred from Texas to Tulsa in 2008: Kinne never cracked the field at Texas, but had a huge career as a Golden Hurricane. He threw for just under 9,500 yards, ran for 1,365 yards and accounted for 96 total touchdowns in three seasons as starter. He went undrafted and hasn't caught on in the NFL, but is under contract with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Connor Wood, transferred from Texas to Colorado in 2011: Wood couldn't get on the field at Texas, but sought playing time in Boulder, and it looks like he's found it. After Nick Hirschman transferred last week, Wood is Colorado's likely starter in 2013, and has three years of eligibility remaining.

Jacob Karam, transferred from Texas Tech to Memphis in 2012: Was eligible immediately because he had already received his degree. He won the Tigers' starting job and threw for 1,895 yards and 14 touchdowns with just three interceptions. He'll be a senior, and the starter again in 2013.

Scotty Young, transferred from Texas Tech to Louisiana Tech in 2012: Never got on the field for the Red Raiders and sat out the 2012 season at Louisiana Tech. He's in good position to be the Bulldogs' starter next season, replacing Colby Cameron.

Drew Allen, transferred from Oklahoma to Syracuse in 2013: Allen served as a backup his entire career, but after receiving his degree, started looking for a place to play out his career. He believes Syracuse is the place to do it, and he'll compete for the starting job in the fall.

Jared Barnett, transferred from Iowa State to Illinois State in 2013: Barnett earned a place in ISU lore when he led the Cyclones to a win against undefeated, BCS No. 2 Oklahoma State in 2011, but struggled after that and throughout 2012. He finished the season on the bench behind Sam Richardson and elected to become a Cardinal after the season. He's eligible immediately, because his new team is an FCS school.

Bobby Reid, transferred from Oklahoma State to Texas Southern in 2007: Reid was the subject of Mike Gundy's infamous "I'm a man, I'm 40!" rant, and later said he felt like that rant ended his "life", though Gundy was defending his player. He threw for 1,791 yards, 12 touchdowns and six interceptions at Texas Southern in 2008, but he and Gundy seem close again. He joined Gundy's staff in an administrative role this year.

Rhett Bomar, transferred from Oklahoma to Sam Houston State in 2006: Bomar's transfer wasn't his choice. Bob Stoops famously kicked Bomar off the team in the wake of reports that he had received payment from a local car dealership without doing the work. That was an obvious NCAA violation. He played just 19 games over the next two seasons, but finished as the school's all-time leader in passing yards, with 5,564 yards. He was a finalist for the 2008 Walter Payton Award as the nation's best FCS player. He was drafted in the fifth round of the 2009 draft by the New York Giants, but has been out of the NFL since May 2012.

Jordan Webb, transferred from Kansas to Colorado in 2012: Started two seasons for the Jayhawks, but left town when Charlie Weis brought Dayne Crist and Jake Heaps with him to Lawrence. He played 10 games last season, throwing for 1,434 yards, eight touchdowns and eight interceptions. He tore his ACL in spring practice, though, and is questionable to get back on the field this fall. He's not helping his case to regain his starting status by getting arrested on felony assault charges last weekend.

Max Olson breaks down what the decommitment of Daniel Gresham, the nation's No. 2 fullback, means for the Longhorns.

Thanks for all the mail this week. Here's where you can reach me if you've got more to say.

Mulley in Cleveland, OH writes: For the Playoff Committee, not that anyone would go for this, but wouldn't a Committee consisting of smaller schools (ie, AD's from old Non-BCS schools) work nice? That way the Big Boys would have to play nice with the little guys, as not to make them angry and give them a reason to not vote them into a playoff.

David Ubben: That's definitely an interesting idea, Mulley. Hadn't heard that one before. That said, I think you might run into some snags if some of those guys are angling for jobs at the bigger schools. A lot of major school ADs come from those smaller schools, so it's not a bad idea at all, but you're not going to find any suggestion for selection committee members that don't have some appearance of bias.

Interesting suggestion, though. I could be on board.

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Bobby in Portland, Ore. writes: At Kansas State, this coming year reminds me A LOT of the 2001 season. Bill Snyder was deciding between a potentially dynamic running quarterback (Ell Roberson/Daniel Sams) and a highly touted juco transfer (Marc Dunn/Jake Waters). He was also trying to replace several defensive stars (Beisel, Fatefehi, Cooper and Butler were all drafted). That year resulted in a see-saw battle between the quarterbacks that lasted all year, and a 6-6 record (3-5 Big 12) with a loss to Syracuse in the insight.com bowl. I fear that the 2013 Wildcats can expect a similar result this year.

DU: Decent comparison, Bobby. That 2001 team, though, was sandwiched between a pair of 11-win seasons. If that means enduring a six-win season this year, I'm betting K-State folk would take that one.

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Ryan in Austin writes: I have this scary feeling Baylor is going to be really good and people are sleeping on them. I flipped on that K-State game last year and didn't recognize Baylor. So I decided to watch the Bowl game. Again, that team looked incredible. And I can't believe Wright, Williams, Gordon and RG III were all on the same team at one time. I feel weird about this Art Briles guy. He knows something.

DU: His eye for offensive talent is just absurd. I agree with you on the Bears, but I would say this: The Bears have never had a better chance to win the Big 12 title than they do this season. That's the case for a couple reasons. For as much attention as offenses get, everybody in the Big 12 knows you can't win league titles without a good defense. Time will tell how good Baylor's truly is, but that spurt last year was good enough to win Baylor a Big 12 title in a number of seasons. They completely shut down UCLA and K-State. We'll see if it carries over, but I know this: They aren't short on athletes. Guys like Javonte Magee and Ahmad Dixon and Bryce Hager along with K.J. Morton and Demetri Goodson give Baylor a great shot athletically to have a fantastic defense. That hasn't been the case in the past. RG III was a transcendent player, but Baylor has a better shot to win a title this year than in any year Griffin was on campus. This is simply a more complete team. Briles has that crazy eye for offensive talent, but his development on the team defensively is what has Baylor in position to do some special things this year.

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Nathan Nely in Kansas City, Kan. writes: I get the sense from the blogs that it kind of bothers you that Bill Snyder is not more forthcoming when dealing with the media. I'm always wondering, would you feel more at ease if he gave up all his secrets about where his team is at and what direction the Wildcat's are moving in for their upcoming season? I know from being a K-State fan for many years now, it takes time but you get used to not knowing what kind of football team is going to show up on opening day. I guess for most of us, it's part of the magic!

DU: No, not really. Coaches are CEOs, and they've got a right to handle programs however they see fit. Is it easier and more fun for me to do my job if they open up practice and answer questions directly? Definitely. But I'm not going to blame a coach if he doesn't want to do things that way.

It's not really about me feeling at ease, though. I'm not nervous. I just like to be more informed, and that's hard to do when programs lock it up so tight. If I was a coach, I'd probably handle it more like Snyder than I would coaches who operate programs with a lot of openness.

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Bill in Orange County, Calif. writes: Geno Smith and Justin Blackmon could wind up teammates in the Arena League before you know it. When you're their age, you don't always see clearly how tenuous that link to your brilliant future can be. Here's hoping they both get a clue before it's too late.

DU: This is so, so misguided. Terrible comparison that's not even close to the same thing. Blackmon has gotten into trouble twice on alcohol-related offenses and now violated the NFL's substance-abuse policy. Geno Smith is battling anonymous reports with vague critiques that don't really fall in line with what his college coaches say and the reputation he had in college.

Both should be great players, though the deck is stacked against both with no offensive weapons in New York for Geno, and no quarterback in Jacksonville for Blackmon.

Blackmon's choices have gotten him suspended four games in the NFL and one game in college. They've put charges on his record.

The stories about Smith are reports people think will affect his ability to succeed at the next level. They might. They might not. If he plays well, they largely go away. He can also defeat them by being a good teammate and going about his business with the Jets whether he plays or not.

Neither of these guys will be in the Arena league anytime soon, but they're not even close to the same level of issues. That's silly.

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janorman74 in Fort Worth, Texas writes: In your recent post on the 2014 draft you mentioned that you were surprised not to see Jeffcoat as the biggest surprise -- what about Casey Pachall? No one is talking about this guy in terms of the 2014 draft despite his prototypical height and arm -- is his past really weighing him down so much? If he has a solid season and stays clean don't you think he'll run up the draft board?

DU: He has to prove he can play. He's got NFL-type size, and if he has a huge season, he'll definitely get a lot of NFL attention. His past is obviously a red flag, and those kinds of struggles are never 100 percent behind you. It's a daily battle. It sounds harsh, but it's the truth. For now, though, Pachall is a player whose troubles with alcohol and the law are more recent than his success on the field. He's got to change that this season.

If he does, you can bet he'll show up on NFL teams' draft boards.