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This time last year, we broke down which Big 12 players would most likely reach the benchmarks for their positions in 2011.

The benchmark for receivers is clearly 1,000 yards. Here's what I wrote about the Big 12's 1,000-yard receivers.

It's time to revisit those projections.

College football had 40 players top 1,000 yards receiving. The Big 12 had four. Here's who I picked to do it:

1. Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma: Don't read much into Broyles being over Blackmon. They'll both clear the 1,000-yard mark easily, barring injury. Broyles, though, has done it twice already and has more guaranteed touches in Oklahoma's short passing game.

Final 2011 yardage tally: 1,157 yards

Thoughts: Ugh, it's hard to read that "barring injury" part from last April, but Broyles cleared the 1,000-yard mark and set the FBS career record for receptions before tearing his ACL against Texas A&M. Broyles probably had the inside track at the Biletnikoff Award over Blackmon, but settled for finalist status after the injury.

2. Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State: Blackmon won't come from nowhere this year, but teams were well aware of him after a few games last year. Look for Blackmon and Broyles to clear the 1,500-yard mark like they did last year, when they ranked second and third nationally in receiving yards. Both were finalists for the Biletnikoff Award won by Blackmon, and both have a decent chance to be Heisman finalists next year.

Final 2011 yardage tally: 1,522 yards

Thoughts: Called that 1,500-yard mark on the button, no? Only three receivers in the country topped that mark, and Blackmon was one of them. He also repeated as the nation's top receiver, becoming the second Big 12 player to take home the Biletnikoff Award in consecutive seasons. Heck of a career for Blackmon.

3. T.J. Moe, Missouri: Missouri could help out Moe quite a bit by finding a deep threat to soften up defenses for his underneath routes, but he should be a nice safety blanket for the Tigers' new quarterback. Like we wrote earlier this week, Missouri is the only team in the Big 12 without a quarterback on the roster who has started a game.

Final 2011 yardage tally: 649 yards

Thoughts: Much of the step back was anything but Moe's fault. For one, Mizzou never really found a deep threat to help stretch the field and open things up for Moe, and though quarterback James Franklin played well, he carried the ball almost 200 times. Moe doesn't have eye-popping straight-line speed, and his ability to get open was marginalized by defenses that could afford to show a lack of respect for the long ball.

4. Jeff Fuller, Texas A&M: Fuller became the first Texas A&M receiver to ever reach the 1,000-yard mark last season, and there's no reason to believe he won't do it again. He's experienced, a good route-runner and near impossible to cover on the fade route.

Final 2011 yardage tally: 828 yards

Thoughts: Who knows what went wrong with Fuller last season? He struggled early on with a hamstring injury, but coach Mike Sherman said Fuller was healthy late in the season, and just never turned it on. Fuller is physically gifted, but to me, looked like he was lazy in his route-running, and struggled with drops, too. As a result, he went undrafted.

6. Alex Torres, Texas Tech: Torres was slowed last year by a back injury, but Texas Tech loses its top two receivers from last year's team, and Torres is likely the beneficiary.

Final 2011 yardage tally: 639 yards

Thoughts: Nope. Injuries got Torres again, capped by a torn ACL late in the season. He was banged up for much of the season, and had just two games with at least 100 yards receiving.

I almost picked Kendall Wright to have more than 1,000 yards, but narrowly decided not to. He'd never had 1,000 yards in a season before exploding for 1,663 yards in 2011, but I thought the depth of Baylor's offense would prevent him from hitting quadruple digits. Nope.

The other player I missed? Texas A&M's Ryan Swope, who emerged as a the top receiver in College Station while Fuller struggled. Never, ever saw that one coming.

How would you grade my projections?

2011 overall record: 5-7
2011 conference record: 2-7
Returning starters: Offense (9), Defense (10), P/K (1)

Top returners: QB Seth Doege, S Cody Davis, WR Alex Torres, S D.J. Johnson, S Terrance Bullitt, RB Eric Stephens, WR Eric Ward, WR Darrin Moore

Key losses: DE Scott Smith, TE Adam James, DB Brett Dewhurst

2011 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Eric Stephens* (565 yards)
Passing: Seth Doege* (4,004 yards)
Receiving: Eric Ward* (800 yards)
Tackles: Cody Davis* (93)
Sacks: Scott Smith (5.5)
Interceptions: D.J. Johnson* (2)

Three spring answers

1. An answer in the middle: When you recruit junior college talent, you never quite know what you're going to get. That was a good thing for Texas Tech this spring, which found a starting middle linebacker in Will Smith. He's already the team's best at the position, according to coach Tommy Tuberville. They found him while recruiting running back SaDale Foster in California, but Tech found a hidden gem that made a huge impact.

2. Depth developing at running back: Texas Tech was thin at running back during the spring with DeAndre Washington and Eric Stephens sidelined by knee injuries. Stephens' return in 2012 isn't guaranteed, but the spring gave Tech a nice chance to see what it had at running back. Newcomer SaDale Foster played well, as did Kenny Williams. The position's in good shape, even though Ronnie Daniels transferred.

3. Familiar unfamiliarity on defense: Art Kaufman arrived in Lubbock this spring to install his 4-3 defense, which on its own wouldn't be all that notable. What makes it notable? He's the fourth defensive coordinator in four years at Texas Tech. The biggest task in front of him is building depth and developing his linebackers, who were among the Big 12's worst in 2011, ranking dead last nationally in rush defense.

Three fall questions

1. Will Eric Stephens be back in time? Stephens' dislocated knee against Texas A&M looked ugly, but the impact was even bigger than anyone could have imagined. Stephens had tons of experience, and was not only the team's best runner, but was the best pass-blocking back (a huge deal in Tech's offense) and pass-catching back. Tech is hopeful he'll be back by the beginning of the season, but he'll be limited in fall camp.

2. Who's the top receiver? Is Eric Ward the most talented receiver on the team? I'd vote more for Alex Torres and Darrin Moore. Still, you can't deny Ward's production in Torres' and Moore's absence with injuries in 2011. They'll be in a derby this fall to catch passes from Doege, and look out for guys like Tyson Williams and Marcus Kennard, too. Hyped freshmen Dominique Wheeler and Reginald Davis are on the way, too.

3. Can Texas Tech stay healthy? Nothing's hurt Tech more the past two seasons than injury. They've been everywhere on defense, and last year, the team's top two receivers and running backs both suffered big injuries. There hasn't been a clear reason Tech seems to have been snake bitten so badly, but the injuries exposed the lack of depth in 2011. Reasons aside, Tech has to stay healthy to get back into a bowl after ending a nearly two-decade streak of winning seasons with the 5-7 campaign in 2011.

Time to continue our series breaking down each team's best and worst positions entering the 2012 season. Texas Tech is up next.

More spring superlatives:

• Baylor
• Iowa State
• Kansas
• Kansas State
• Oklahoma
• Oklahoma State
• Texas
• TCU

Strongest position: Quarterback

Seth Doege had a really strong start last year, pacing himself alongside the Big 12's best quarterbacks and setting the NCAA single-game record for completion percentage against New Mexico. Offensively, Doege can make it all run. Last year, it all just crumbled around him. His top two running backs got hurt. His best receivers couldn't stay healthy and receiver Alex Torres suffered a major knee injury late in the year.

When it was all over, Doege was third in the Big 12 in passing yards per game and topped 4,000 yards. Not bad, even though Tech stumbled to a 5-7 season. OC Neal Brown was really happy with what Doege did, the Red Raiders just had to rely on him too much. Putting up 28 touchdown passes to 10 interceptions is nothing to shrug off.

Weakest position: Linebacker

The good news? Tech knows who its best linebacker is. The bad news? He's a lightly recruited juco transfer named Will Smith who came in and made a huge impact. The Red Raiders found a good one in Smith, who could start for a lot of teams, but he illustrates the point that Tech had the league's worst linebacking unit in 2011.

New coordinator Art Kaufman is charged with revitalizing the unit. Coach Tommy Tuberville is moving back to the 4-3, where he's more comfortable, and moving away from the 4-2-5. We'll see if Daniel Cobb can help Smith, who won the middle linebacker job in the spring, make the defense look a lot better in 2012.

Thanks for all the emails this week. It's been fun.

On a related note, our bracket winner, wvewe1, has been MIA. I've emailed and tried to contact, but haven't gotten a response. You're missing out. We'll try to get in touch for next week's mailbag. If not, second-place finisher MonsterBack24 should contact me here and you can post whatever you'd like in next week's mailbag.

On to this week's mailbag:

Jeff Slayer in Wilmington, N.C., asked: UBBS! Everybody is talking about the possible expansion, but only when a new commissioner is set in stone. Have you heard any news on those possible candidates and any authentication on the rumors we have been hearing the past few months. Also if FSU was actually interested do you think they would leave their troublesome little brother in Miami? Thanks!

David Ubben: That's going to be a huge question for whoever steps into the role of commissioner in the coming months. Chuck Neinas will be gone on July 1 officially, but the new man could be on board before then. His opinion and stance on future expansion will be a huge question, the first big one he'll have to answer. The Big 12 is stabilized in the immediate future after the grant of rights.

It's important to note the Big 12 commissioner isn't quite as powerful as some in other leagues. He's mostly a representative of the membership more than a guy that calls the shots for the league like some of the others we've seen. That said, if he can sell the members on expansion (he may or may not try), it could become a possibility. That said, the Big 12's members haven't expressed much interest in expansion. That question will come up in the interview process, and the league's search committee would probably be tentative to bring aboard a commissioner who was fired up about expansion.

I just don't see any realistic scenario in which Florida State joins the Big 12, but like I've said before, Louisville and Cincinnati/BYU would probably make the most sense as the 11th and 12th members, but I don't really think it'll happen.

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Tyler S. in Red Bluff, Calif., wrote: No love for Bill Snyder and company! Ubbs, you may be new to the big 12, but there is one thing that all big 12 fans know. You underestimate Bill Snyder, you are going to get burned. Can you explain to me why, after 20 years of exceeding expectations, "experts" continue to put expectations so low for KSU and Bill Snyder?

DU: Yeah, I've talked a lot about K-State overachieving and doing it by the narrowest of margins last year, but no question, Snyder is the X-factor that makes me doubt a Wildcat recession.

K-State brings back so much talent from last year's team, and this is a Bill Snyder team. His entire program is based upon daily improvement, and he's proven he can get teams to do it so many times. I still think K-State is a 9-10 win team and I'll have them somewhere in the ballpark of the top 15 to start the season, but it's still hard for me to see the Wildcats actually winning the Big 12. Maybe I'm crazy. Either way, it'll be fun to watch. The Big 12 is really, really crowded at the top. OU, K-State, TCU and West Virginia are all legit contenders to win the league, and OSU and Texas could surprise some people and take the league, too.

And hey, for the record, I picked every K-State regular-season game correctly after the Baylor win.

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Dylan in Jacksonville wrote: Hey Ubbs great blog, but I have a really important question that I know all of Mountaineer nation wants to know. When do you plan on making your first trip to the mountain state since you said that you've never been? You've got the guide to our home turf, now you need to make a visit before football season starts so you get a taste of calm Morgantown. Do you plan on going for the spring game? A summer session? Or just the first week when you have us vs. our little sister Marsha as your Big 12 road trip that week?

DU: How's next week sound? This is where I would have a winking face, but I'll spare you all that one. See you soon, 'Eers.

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Robert Powell in El Paso, Texas,wrote: David,When Neal Brown was hired as Tech's OC, he was billed as "one of the top offensive minds in college football." After two seasons, I don't see it. First, neither Potts nor Sheffield had much success in his first year. Throw in a couple debacles like 150 total yards vs. UT, coupled with uninspired play versus Iowa State, aTm, and OU. Second, in 2011 Doege threw for 4,000 yards, but that's pretty commonplace anymore. And at least once a game, Brown substitutes players, and goes on a quick count to catch the defense unaware, but when the offense subs, the defense gets to sub as well, so the play is called back. Is Brown still highly thought of, or has everyone seen through the masquarade and figured out his predictability? Thanks!

DU: Well, let's step back and take a wide-angle look at this. One, the injuries last year have to be a factor. He lost his best back, Eric Stephens, and what I'd say are his two best receivers, Alex Torres and Darrin Moore last year. Torres was banged up in 2010, too.

But look at the numbers: Last season, Tech was 13th nationally in total offense. In 2010, the Red Raiders were 15th. They were in the top five in 2009, 2008 and 2007, but it wasn't a huge step back, and the talent Tech had in those seasons was more impressive.

Meanwhile, Tech was 114th last year in total defense, and ranked the same in 2010. In 2009, the Red Raiders were 49th in total defense and 80th in the previous season. They were up to 45th in 2007.

That should be obvious by now. It's really this simple. Tech's offense hasn't been good, but when it comes to losses, don't blame Neal Brown. He's been fine.

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Darren in Columbia, S.C., wrote: As a WVU fan, I am obviously excited and honored to be in the Big XII (or at least almost in the B12).As far as the ESPN blogs are concerned we are in a bit of a no-man's land, not quite in the B12, not quite out of the BE. Of course, understandably the BE blog isn't mentioning us at all now. I want to thank you for talking about the Eers as much as you are. You could completely ignore us, and it would be understandable if you did. Afterall, we are not really a B12 team yet. I and a whole helluva lotta other Eers are really looking forward to seeing the Flying WV logo appear on the right side of your blog page!

DU: Glad to have you, Darren. I'm pretty excited to learn about the new teams in the league and see them week to week. And, of course, interact with two brand-new fan bases.

Believe it or not, spring practice has arrived. Texas Tech will kick off spring practice Thursday.

We'll preview the league in full next week, but here's a look at the Red Raiders as they kick it off later today, the first team in the Big 12 to do so.

Schedule: Practice begins later today, and will conclude with the annual spring game on March 24.

What’s new: It's becoming a bit of a broken record, but the Red Raiders will try and adjust to a new defensive scheme. Art Kaufman comes to Texas Tech from North Carolina and brings a 4-3 scheme with him, a shift from Chad Glasgow's 4-2-5 last season. The Red Raiders dealt with lots of injuries and finished 114th nationally in total defense.

On the mend: Texas Tech will be missing 15 players this spring, including running backs Eric Stephens (dislocated knee) and DeAndre Washington (torn ACL). Receiver Alex Torres will also miss the spring with a torn ACL. Stephens' status for 2012 is still in flux, but Tech hopes to have him on the field by the season opener.

New faces: Kaufman isn't the only new face, especially on defense. Four new defensive coaches join the staff, though defensive line coach Terry Price came and went before spring even began. He took a new job at his alma mater, Texas A&M. Jim Turner did the same, but left for the Miami Dolphins. It's a bit confusing in Lubbock these days.

Additionally, the Red Raiders are looking for some immediate impact on the field. Nine of the 26 signees in 2012 were junior college transfers.

On the move: Cornerback (yes, cornerback) Cornelius Douglas is staying there. The former receiver was forced to move to defense because of injuries last year, but coach Tommy Tuberville loves Douglas' potential at his new spot, and is keeping him there. The Red Raiders are bringing on a few new receivers, too.

Question marks: The Red Raiders couldn't stop much of anything last year, but the center of the defense was a huge issue. A weak group of linebackers in 2011 didn't help, but we'll see if Kaufman can shore up the front seven this spring. Tech -- in the pass-heavy Big 12 -- gave up over 258 yards a game on the ground, the worst in college football by 12 yards per game. That can't continue if Tech wants to get back to its winning ways.

Breaking out: Receiver Darrin Moore has all the potential in the world -- like, Biletnikoff Award contender potential. Last year, he was slowed by injuries and the coaching staff wasn't happy with how he rehabbed those injuries. He was a non-factor until nearing top form late in the season, but this could be a big spring for the 6-foot-4, 215-pound target.

All eyes on: The defense. Seth Doege's pretty solid. The offense will be above average at worst. But the defense gave the Red Raiders no chance last year. Losing Stephens hurt, but Tech was still productive pretty often. The defense let the Red Raiders down, though. Tech gave up just under 40 points a game, 117th nationally. Kaufman's got his work cut out for him.

We're continuing our look at the postseason rankings for each position in the Big 12. Here's a look back at where the receivers ranked in the preseason.

In this position, unlike quarterback, depth is a major, major factor in these rankings.

More postseason position rankings:

• Quarterbacks
• Running backs

1. Oklahoma State: The Cowboys boasted two-time Biletnikoff winner Justin Blackmon, but he wasn't the only weapon. The Cowboys had nine (!) receivers with at least 19 catches and 200 yards receiving this season. Insane. Life is good with Brandon Weeden at quarterback.

2. Baylor: Kendall Wright actually outperformed Blackmon and Ryan Broyles on the stat sheet, catching 108 balls for 1,663 yards. The Bears didn't have the insane depth of OSU, but the trio of Wright, Terrance Williams (59 rec, 957 yards, 11 TDs) and Tevin Reese (51 rec, 877 yards, 7 TDs) were all in the Big 12's top seven receivers.

3. Texas A&M: Ryan Swope emerged to become one of just four Big 12 receivers to notch 1,000-yard seasons. Jeff Fuller's season was disappointing, but he still finished eighth in the league in receiving, and Uzoma Nwachukwu was in the league's top 15 in receiving.

4. Oklahoma: The Sooners weren't quite as solid as they thought to begin the season. Broyles was as advertised, though his Biletnikoff-contending season was cut short by a torn ACL. The unit was productive, but came down with the drops late in the season. Broyles and Kenny Stills were both in the league's top seven in receiving, and Jaz Reynolds caught 41 passes for 715 yards to crack the top 10.

5. Texas Tech: Tech's top target, Darrin Moore, battled injuries all year, but Eric Ward emerged as the team's most consistent target, catching 84 passes for 800 yards and 11 scores. Alex Torres missed two games, but added 616 more yards.

6. Missouri: The Tigers' receivers had their production dip with a dual-threat passer in James Franklin who ran the ball more than his predecessor, but they were still pretty good, despite lacking a true big-time threat. T.J. Moe caught 54 passes for 649 yards and four scores. Tight end Michael Egnew added 50 grabs for 523 yards and three scores. L'Damian Washington, Marcus Lucas and Wes Kemp had unremarkable individual seasons, but their production added up to a good year for Mizzou's receivers.

7. Kansas State: Kansas State was better than most thought to begin the season, but the ground-based offense limited their receivers' ability to finish with big production. Chris Harper (40 rec, 547 yards, 5 TDs) led the group. Tramaine Thompson and Tyler Lockett showed some good promise, too.

8. Texas: The Longhorns could get really good, really fast at this spot. The uncertainty/struggles at quarterback limited this group, but Jaxon Shipley and Mike Davis could both mature into absolute stars. For now, though, they didn't quite crack the top 15 in the Big 12 in receiving. Both topped 40 catches and 600 receiving yards.

9. Iowa State: Darius Reynolds' size downfield will be missed, but Aaron Horne and Josh Lenz are tough covers working the middle of the field. Reynolds caught seven touchdowns, and Horne and Lenz both topped 38 catches.

10. Kansas: Yikes. The Jayhawks didn't have a receiver in the league's top 20, but D.J. Beshears led the team with 40 grabs for 437 yards and three touchdowns. He was the only Jayhawk in the Big 12's top 32 in receiving.

Signing day is coming fast. Next Wednesday, the next round of players will sign up for their respective programs and start what could be storied careers.

Here's what each team across the Big 12 needs. You'll find Texas A&M and Mizzou on the SEC blog and West Virginia on the Big East Blog.

BAYLOR

Quarterback: This one's pretty simple. Robert Griffin III is taking his talents to the NFL early. Nick Florence is waiting to take over, and the Bears have Bryce Petty behind him, but more reinforcements at quarterback are needed. Dual-threat quarterbacks, ideally.

Defensive tackle: Baylor already was one of the nation's worst teams (102nd nationally) at stopping the run. Now it'll need to replace both its interior linemen, Nicolas Jean-Baptiste and Tracy Robertson.

Offensive linemen: Baylor's offensive line, meanwhile, has been solid. It loses junior college transfer and two-year starter Robert T. Griffin, as well as All-Big 12 center Philip Blake. John Jones, a reserve guard, also has exhausted his eligibility.

IOWA STATE

Receiver: This has been a weak spot for the team for several years, and its top overall talent, Darius Reynolds, is gone. Darius Darks is, too. Aaron Horne and Josh Lenz will be the team's best weapons in 2012, but the pair of shifty slot guys will be seniors. This position needs reinforcements.

Defensive back: The DBs have been a quiet strength for ISU, especially in 2011. Cornerback Leonard Johnson and safety Ter'Ran Benton both have exhausted their eligibility, though, and defensive backs coach Bobby Elliott left for Notre Dame. You'll see plenty of new faces in the Cyclones' secondary next year.

Defensive line: Experienced starters Stephen Ruempolhamer and Jacob Lattimer are both gone, and Iowa State has struggled to stop the run consistently the past few seasons.

KANSAS

Quarterback: Kansas landed high-profile transfers Dayne Crist (Notre Dame) and Jake Heaps (BYU), but this is still a huge position of need. Last year's starter, Jordan Webb, left the team. Quinn Mecham is out of eligibility. Heaps is sitting out his NCAA-mandated year after transferring. Crist is the starter, but he badly needs a backup, especially if Brock Berglund's transfer appeal allows him to leave.

Wide receiver: Kansas lacks a big threat at this position. It needs a talent upgrade in a big way. Oklahoma transfer Justin McCay is joining the team, but he's no guarantee to a) be granted immediate eligibility or b) become an impact player.

Defensive tackle: Kansas is thin here, too. Richard Johnson, Patrick Dorsey and Michael Martinovich are gone, and Kansas couldn't stop much of anything on defense. Some push up front could help make everything look better. A late addition to the 2012 class from a junior college seems like a no-brainer. The Jayhawks need physically mature players to contribute immediately.

KANSAS STATE

Offensive line: K-State's offensive line was much better in 2011 and could be again in 2012. It needs help replacing All-Big 12 lineman Clyde Aufner, though. Starter Colten Freeze is also gone.

Defensive line: Kansas State is bringing back about as many starters as anyone in the Big 12, but the biggest losses are along the defensive line. Kick-blocking specialist (five in 2011) Ralph Guidry is gone, along with tackle Ray Kibble. Juco transfer Jordan Voelker exploded onto the scene this year, but he's gone, too.

Defensive backs: Cornerback David Garrett leaves a huge hole behind. Tysyn Hartman may not be as talented as teammate Ty Zimmerman, but his experience leaves a big hole. Zimmerman will have to mentor a younger safety in the near future.

OKLAHOMA

Receiver: The Sooners are thin here in a big way. That was obvious late in the season when Ryan Broyles' storied college career ended a few weeks early with a knee injury. The team also lost Justin McCay (transfer) to Kansas. Jaz Reynolds and Kenny Stills are the likely top two targets, but they need help.

Tight end: This position inspired a bit of panic at the end of the season. Seniors James Hanna and Trent Ratterree are gone. Austin Haywood wasn't allowed back on the team, and two more tight ends left the team for various reasons. That left the Sooners suddenly without a scholarship player at the position returning in 2012.

Offensive line: Starting tackle Donald Stephenson must be replaced, as will guard Stephen Good, who moved in and out of the starting lineup throughout his career. The Sooners bring back a lot of talent and aren't dying for depth there, but those two will leave holes. Three more offensive line starters will be seniors in 2012.

OKLAHOMA STATE

Offensive line: The Cowboys need a whole lot of help here to fill in behind young players stepping into the starting lineup. Starters Levy Adcock, Nick Martinez and Grant Garner are gone. Backup center Casey LaBrue is gone, too. Those are two All-Big 12 linemen who leave big shoes to be filled.

Receiver: Justin Blackmon surprised no one by leaving a year early, and Josh Cooper leaves with perhaps the most underrated career of any receiver in school history. In OSU's offense, there's always room for depth here. Nine receivers had at least 19 catches in 2011. Blackmon and Cooper combined for 192, though.

Defensive ends: The pass rush was solid for Oklahoma State this year, but both starters, Jamie Blatnick and Richetti Jones, are gone. Replacing both is a necessity.

TEXAS

Receiver: Texas lacks a true game-changer at the position, though Jaxon Shipley and Mike Davis may develop into that role in 2012. Former blue-chip recruit Darius White left for Missouri, too.

Quarterback: David Ash and Case McCoy didn't show a ton of potential at quarterback this year, though Ash may grow with an offseason to prepare as starter. Garrett Gilbert got a big chunk of the work in the spring, summer 7-on-7 and fall preseason camp. Even if Ash does grow, the Longhorns need reinforcements at the position.

Linebacker: Two senior impact players are gone. Texas is left trying to replace Emmanuel Acho and Keenan Robinson, though Jordan Hicks may mature into a star in 2012.

TCU

Offensive line: TCU's offensive line is headed for some major turnover. OT Robert Deck, OG Kyle Dooley and OG Spencer Thompson are gone. Two more starters, OG Blaize Foltz and C James Fry, will be seniors in 2012.

Defensive linemen: TCU isn't losing a lot at this spot, but Ross Forrest and D.J. Yendrey will be seniors in 2012. The Horned Frogs would be well-served to prepare, and offer some depth next year.

Specialists: TCU will have to break in a pair of new starters on special teams next season. Kicker Ross Evans and punter Anson Kelton have exhausted their eligibility.

TEXAS TECH

Receiver: The Red Raiders' offense requires a lot of depth here. Tramain Swindall is the only loss at the position, but three more (Alex Torres, Cornelius Douglas, Darrin Moore) will be seniors. Douglas moved to cornerback this year after the team was racked with injury, but we'll see whether he moves back this offseason.

Offensive line: Tech has a huge need here. Four players won't be returning in 2012. Lonnie Edwards, Mickey Okafor and center Justin Keown must be replaced.

Defensive linemen: Tech's Donald Langley and Scott Smith are both out of eligibility, and juco transfer Leon Mackey will be a senior.

As quickly as it arrived, the Big 12 season is gone.

Alas, here's a look at the 10 moments we'll remember most from the 2011 season. These aren't necessarily the best or worst moments, but simply that: memorable. When we look back on 2011, this is what will stick out.

1. Heisman moment? Take your pick. There were plenty of them in Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III's run to an "unbelievably believable" Heisman win. What about his only reception of the season (that resulted in him getting the wind knocked out of him) on a dramatic final drive to beat TCU in the opener? What about a 21-point comeback in the fourth quarter of an overtime win over Kansas? The best on-field moment was probably his 39-yard TD pass to Terrance Williams in the final seconds to beat Oklahoma for the first time and thrust himself back into the Heisman race, despite three losses. And after beating Texas: "I think Baylor just won its first Heisman tonight," he said. Yep. It did.

2. Iowa State storms the field ... and bowl season. Oklahoma State looked headed for a showdown with Oklahoma to play for a national title, but Iowa State had other things in mind. Jared Barnett topped 375 yards passing and 75 yards rushing in just his third start to give the Cyclones a win over a top six team for the first time in 58 tries. It set off a party on the field at Jack Trice Stadium and put ISU into its second bowl in three years.

3. Texas A&M and Missouri say adios, muchachos. The Aggies had enough of Texas and wanted some of Alabama. Missouri had enough drama and wanted some stability. Texas A&M made it official in late September and Mizzou followed in early November. Texas A&M called it a "100-year decision."

4. The Big 12 says hello to two new friends. With Texas A&M and Missouri gone, expansion was the obvious necessary step. The Big 12 took it by welcoming Southwest Conference expatriate TCU home into the Big 12 on Oct. 11. And 17 days later, West Virginia followed, announcing its plans to help expand the Big 12's footprint wayyy, wayyy east.

5. The Aggies sound like a broken record. Shattered record, maybe. Texas A&M started as a Big 12 title contender with a top-10 ranking. It led 12 games by double digits. It lost six games. How'd it happen? Nobody knew, and as a result, coach Mike Sherman was fired. Over and over, it was the same story. The 20-3 and 35-17 halftime leads over Oklahoma State and Arkansas evaporated. The Aggies blew big leads over Missouri, Kansas State and Texas, too.

6. Oklahoma State finds new life ... twice. Most were resigned to Alabama and LSU meeting again for the title, but OSU made it interesting with a satisfying 44-10 embarrassment of Oklahoma, putting late pressure on voters and finishing behind Alabama by the slimmest margin in BCS history. And once OSU was in its bowl game, Stanford's Jordan Williamson yanked a 35-yard kick to send the game into overtime, where the Cowboys capitalized in a 41-38 win.

7. Texas grabs Lone Star Showdown bragging rights for...ever? The Longhorns were the underdogs in a veritable powder keg that was Kyle Field on Thanksgiving night. Then Colt, er, Case McCoy got loose for a 25-yard scramble that set up Justin Tucker's game-winning 40-yard field goal that gave Texas bragging rights in the now-defunct rivalry for as long as it would like. The Longhorns say they have no plans to continue the rivalry after the Aggies leave for the SEC.

8. The Little Apple hosts a classic. You never know when the longest game in Big 12 history is going to show up. Kansas State and Texas A&M played it. The Aggies led by 10 midway through the fourth quarter, but Collin Klein rallied the Wildcats and got the 53-50 win on — what else — a QB sneak for a game-winning touchdown.

9. Texas Tech ends Oklahoma's epic streak. The night began with ominous thunderstorms that delayed the game, but the Sooners struggled against Texas Tech's slip screens, and let Alex Torres go wild for three touchdown catches. The four-touchdown underdogs walked into Owen Field and became the second Big 12 team to ever beat Bob Stoops on his home field, and first since 2001. The Red Raiders also became the first team since 2005 to win there, ending the Sooners' 39-game home winning streak. The problem: Tech didn't win another game the rest of the season, and finished with the first losing season since 1992.

10. Dan Beebe gets the ax. The damage was done. Beebe was seen as someone who ceded to Texas at all costs, even if he did it as a last option to keep the Big 12 together in the summer of 2010. That hurt the league, and Oklahoma called for Beebe to be removed. He was, and replaced by interim commissioner Chuck Neinas, who had helped many of the league's ADs hire coaches. A permanent replacement still hasn't been named.

Honorable mention: OSU FB Kye Staley and Texas TE Blaine Irby score touchdowns in emotional returns from catastrophic knee injuries, K-State runs out of time in a near upset over Oklahoma State (and an earthquake followed), Kansas State becomes the first team to intercept RG3 and stays undefeated in an "upset" of Baylor, RG3 has his version of the "Immaculate Reception"; Missouri QB James Franklin goes beast mode on a 20-yard touchdown run in a win over Texas A&M; Missouri coach Gary Pinkel "ices" his own kicker in a loss to Arizona State; Kansas reaches a new low and trails Oklahoma State 56-7 at halftime; Ryan Broyles' career meets an unfair end with a torn ACL.

We'll take a look back at each team's season in the coming weeks, beginning with the squads who won't be in the postseason. First up: the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

Offense: Seth Doege started hot. He was among the nation's best quarterbacks early in the season and broke the NCAA record for completion percentage by hitting 40 of 44 passes in a win over New Mexico. However, he threw just one touchdown and five interceptions in losses to Kansas State and Iowa State. Those games sandwiched his best night of the season, a 441-yard, four-touchdown outing, in a win over Oklahoma. Running back Eric Stephens was on track to easily become the program's first 1,000-yard rusher since 1998, but dislocated a knee against Texas A&M. After the team surpassed 130 yards in every game before that loss, it topped the mark just once over the final seven games. The Red Raiders were 1-6 in those games. Darrin Moore showed potential with a strong start and finish, but injuries muddled most of his season. Seven of his eight scoring catches came in the first two and final two games. They were also his four highest receiving totals of the year.

Alex Torres is capable of catching more than 51 passes for 616 yards and four scores, though Eric Ward had a nice season after emerging as the team's top target once Moore went down.

The Red Raiders threw a touchdown pass in 69 consecutive games dating back to 2006. Twice in losses this season, Doege failed to throw a touchdown pass. Grade: C

Defense: Injuries were a theme on defense for a second consecutive season. Star juco transfer Leon Mackey suffered a lung injury and missed time early, and the secondary thinned out more and more as the season progressed. Late in the year, receiver Cornelius Douglas was forced into the starting lineup at cornerback. Still, the numbers told the story for a defense that gave up at least 31 points in every conference game and averaged more than 51 points allowed in the five-game losing streak that ended the season.

Texas Tech's 46 points allowed per game in conference play was the worst mark in the conference, even worse than 2-10 Kansas. The injuries hurt, but they didn't hurt that bad. Unacceptable. Grade: D-

Overall: Yes, injuries probably hurt Texas Tech more than any other team in the Big 12 this season. Even still, this team had a lot more potential, and had no excuses for a 5-7 campaign, the first losing season since 1992. The Red Raiders have issues. They bring back a lot of talent next season, but there are clearly issues in transitioning from Mike Leach to Tommy Tuberville. The defense has dealt with two coordinators in two years, but this was a disaster. The offense took a slight step back with a first-year starter at quarterback once conference play hit, but it was still good enough to compete. The defense didn't give the Red Raiders a chance.

Final grade: C-

The season started with promise, and ended early. Despite playing the Big 12's easiest nonconference schedule (Texas State, New Mexico, Nevada) and starting 4-0, Texas Tech endured a historically bad season. It had been 18 years since the last losing season in Lubbock, but Tommy Tuberville's Red Raiders (5-7) went through one in just his second year on the job.

Both sides of the ball struggled at times, but the biggest culprit was injuries. Leading rusher Eric Stephens was the first big loss, dislocating his knee in a loss to Texas A&M. The defense was riddled with injuries all year, bad enough that during the final few games, former receiver Cornelius Douglas was forced into a role as starting cornerback.

Despite a huge win over Oklahoma, one that ended the Sooners' 39-game home winning streak, this was a season to forget in Lubbock. After that game, the Red Raiders didn't win another game, and gave up 66 points in losses to both Oklahoma State and Baylor, sandwiched around a last-minute loss to Missouri.

Offensive MVP: Seth Doege, QB. Doege was on the money early in the season, and though he struggled at times, still put together a pretty good season. He set the NCAA record for single-game completion percentage against New Mexico, completing 40 of 44 passes and finished the season with, believe it or not, more passing yards than Baylor's Robert Griffin III. He completed 68.5 percent of his passes for 4,004 yards, 28 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Defensive MVP: Scott Smith, defensive end. You could maybe go with Terrance Bullitt or Cody Davis in this spot, but Smith, despite sitting out the first four games with a suspension, returned and had a huge impact. It's a bit ironic, considering Texas Tech was 1-7 once Smith returned, but he was a pass-rushing force. He finished with nine tackles for loss, only half of a TFL behind the team leader, Bullitt. He also had 5.5 sacks, 3.5 more than any other Tech defender. He forced three fumbles and made 37 tackles.

Turning point: You might think it's the Oklahoma win, but clearly, that's not the case. The 41-7 loss to Iowa State seemed shocking at the time, but it was clearly a sign of what was to come. That was a 5-2 Tech team losing to a 3-4 band of Cyclones, but Iowa State finished 6-6 and Tech finished 5-7. It was the first of three huge blowouts, and against Iowa State, Texas and Oklahoma State, Doege threw two touchdown passes and three picks, including zero touchdowns against Iowa State and OSU.

What’s next: Time to reassess what went wrong this season and get healthy. Texas Tech wasn't a great team even before the injuries. They've got plenty to fix. The good news is a lot of top talent returns. Stephens isn't a 100 percent guarantee, but he should be back next fall. Darrin Moore finally got back to health late in the year, though Alex Torres should be back after tearing his ACL against Mizzou. Doege will return with his top three receivers (five of his top six, too) and his running back, and the defense returns its top six tacklers. The upside for this team is high next year.

I wonder if Frank Haith made a mental list of people like LeBron did?

• Berry Tramel of the Oklahoman isn't buying the idea that arrogance from too much preseason exposure is the cause of the Sooners' downfall.
• Brent Zwerneman of the San Antonio Express-News takes you to the center of a small Texas town split by the A&M-Texas rivalry.
• The student papers from Texas and Texas A&M went head to head at Grantland.
• Texas and Texas A&M's athletic directors are virtually the same person, no matter how badly they don't want to admit it, writes Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman. He also adds that Mike Sherman's job is safe for 2012.
• Who cares what happens the rest of the year to Kansas State? It's a success regardless, writes Blair Kerkhoff of the Kansas City Star. Tony Adame of the Wichita Eagle fills you in on where the Wildcats will be during their off week.
• Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Todd Monken has been contacted by Tulane about the school's vacant head coaching job.
• Bob Stoops defended his decision to call a timeout late against Baylor, one that ultimately backfired.
• It sounds like Justin Blackmon's gone to the NFL from his comments this week, reports Bill Haisten of the Tulsa World.
• It's official: Two Texas Tech players tore their ACL in Saturday's loss to Mizzou, including receiver Alex Torres.
• Break out the queso: Iowa State is the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl team of the Week.
• The Missouri hate for Kansas was flowing this week in Lawrence, writes Vahe Gregorian of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
• Tommy Tuberville had to go to the "waiver wire" to find his new cornerbacks.
• OU running back Dominique Whaley is a semifinalist for the award given to the nation's top walk-on.
• What's harder: Swallowing pride or losing a century-old tradition," writes Gil LeBreton of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
• KU's struggling early, but looking to Iowa for inspiration, Kerkhoff writes.

Not exactly what we expected in this one, either.

Any given Saturday, I suppose. Texas Tech had lost its past three games by an average of 42 points, but leads Missouri 17-10 at halftime.

Missouri coordinators Dave Steckel and David Yost filled in for Gary Pinkel in the pregame festivities in Columbia. Pinkel was suspended one week and given other financial penalties totaling more than $306,000 after being arrested on drunk driving charges on Wednesday night.

Donnie Carona booted a solid 48-yard field goal into a stiff wind in the final minute of the half to give the Red Raiders a 10-point lead. Missouri's Trey Barrow countered with a field goal of his own after a long return by Gahn McGaffie and a 36-yard completion to L'Damian Washington.

Time for a look at the first half in Columbia.

Turning point I: Kendial Lawrence broke a run up the middle, but was stripped by former receiver Cornelius Douglas just short of the goal line and fumbled into the end zone, preventing Missouri from tying the game. Douglas also scooped up a fumble and scored for Tech's only points last week.

Turning point II: Missouri running back De'Vion Moore, in for the injured Henry Josey, broke a 54-yard run down the right sideline to set up a 5-yard touchdown run from quarterback James Franklin that cut Texas Tech's lead to 14-7. Missouri's offense needed a spark and Moore provided it to get them back in the game. The 90-yard drive was Missouri's longest of the season.

Stat of the half: Texas Tech prevented Missouri from scoring on five consecutive possessions. That's the longest streak Texas Tech's put together all season.

Best player in the half: Scott Smith, DE, Texas Tech. He's been a constant disruption, making four tackles and getting two sacks, both coming on third down. He also tackled Franklin short of a first down on a third-down scramble. He's made the plays necessary to make that five-possession streak happen.

What Texas Tech needs to do: Don't change a thing. The offense has moved the ball consistently, and the defense put its best half of the season together against the Tigers. The Red Raiders will be without leading receiver Alex Torres, who suffered a knee injury in the first half, but Seth Doege has been solid, and the defense is making enough plays to stay in the lead. The Red Raiders are winning the field position battle, too, thanks to some solid special teams play.

What Missouri needs to do: Like I wrote earlier, keep this game on the ground and keep pounding. The defense has had trouble with Tech's offense, and keeping them off the field is the best option at this point. Missouri's had a lot of success running the ball, and there's not much reason to believe that won't continue.

Alex Torres' finest moment this season came against Oklahoma, when he caught three touchdown passes in an upset of the Sooners.

Now, it looks like his day is done and maybe more.

Torres went down and trainers put a heavy wrap on his right leg before carting him off the field. Officials announced a right knee injury.

Bradley Marquez ran for a one-yard touchdown to give Texas Tech a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter.

Texas Tech's been hit arguably the hardest by injuries this season, and the team is already playing without its leading rusher, Eric Stephens.

Now, it'll have to move on without Torres and try to get its second win in its last seven games. Facing Missouri on the road will be tough, and look for the Red Raiders to rely on Eric Ward a bit more with Torres down.

Additionally, will this revive rumors of talk that Missouri's turf is dangerous? Missouri's leading rusher, Henry Josey, suffered a torn ACL, MCL and patellar tendon last week, and Texas running back Fozzy Whittaker also tore his ACL in last week's game.

Here's what I'm watching for in the Big 12 this weekend.

1. Kansas State Snydering so hard on Oklahoma. No risky plays for big losses. No head-scratching turnovers (seven in 2011, the fewest in the Big 12). No penalties (only OU has fewer than K-State's 41) and opportunistic special teams and defense. Oklahoma's more talented, but K-State has put itself in position to win games this year ... and then won them. I'd be surprised if K-State wasn't in position to win another game via Snyderball.

2. Bounce back for the Sooners' stars. Landry Jones' accuracy was off last week against Texas Tech. Ryan Broyles had a dropped pass and an inexplicable fumble that we haven't seen from him often, if ever. Kansas State's defense will be better than Tech, but will the Sooners' offense rebound? Those two will need to make it happen.

3. RG3 on the loose. Oklahoma State fans love noting that the most-often statuesque Brandon Weeden (19 yards) outrushed the track star Robert Griffin III (15) in last year's win over Baylor. Will that be the case again? Or will RG3 go back to having success as a true dual threat?

4. Brandon Weeden's complementary threats. The Cowboys think Justin Blackmon is going to play after getting "dinged" in the head last week and undergoing concussion tests this week. If he does, he won't have Hubert Anyiam with him. Isaiah Anderson slides into his role, but does Weeden look Josh Cooper's way more without his fellow No. 2 target?

5. Which Kansas shows up? Texas is a winnable game for KU, but the Jayhawks went from showing some fight for a game and a half against OU and Kansas State to getting trounced in the second half. A win on Saturday would be the biggest for Turner Gill at Kansas, and would go a long way toward inspiring some confidence in the future. The Jayhawks are just 1-18 in their past 19 Big 12 games, dating back to the final seven games of 2009, before Gill arrived.

6. The Texas quarterback shuffle. Case McCoy and David Ash have split reps in practice this week, despite Ash playing the entirety of a loss to Oklahoma State two weeks ago. Does anyone make a case for himself as the full-time starter this week against Kansas? Or does this dance continue? My bet is the latter.

7. Texas Tech's receivers. Darrin Moore was on the field, but clearly not healthy against Oklahoma last week. Alex Torres and Eric Ward picked up the slack very nicely. Does the offense get another boost as Moore returns to being the big-play weapon he was in the first couple of games this season?

8. Jared Barnett. Iowa State's freshman quarterback is making his first start, after filling in with lots of good moments and a few bad ones against Texas A&M last week. Can Darius Reynolds help out after struggling last week, and can Josh Lenz keep making plays to help the Cyclones pull the upset?

9. Big plays, but for whom? Texas A&M might have the most fascinating defense in the country this year -- leading the nation in sacks, but giving up more passing yards than anyone. Which does Missouri quarterback James Franklin see more of on Saturday? It'll be a tough atmosphere, but these are two of the best rushing teams in the league.

10. S-E ... see? I mean, this just has to be awkward. Do Texas A&M fans and Missouri fans engage in a flirtatious S-E-C chant? Does either team begin a misguided taunt before realizing the other is coming with them? Hopefully there's some pregame conversations to discuss chanting logistics.

Lightning delayed the game an hour-and-a-half. The Sooners have yet to recover, on either side of the ball.

Best player in the half: Texas Tech’s Seth Doege gets overshadowed by the other top Big 12 quarterbacks. But he has shredded OU’s defense so far, completing 19 of 32 passes for 234 yards and two touchdowns to Alex Torres.

Best call: On their opening possession, the Red Raiders scored a 44-yard touchdown on a slip screen to Torres. In the second quarter, Tech offensive coordinator Neal Brown came back to the play again. The result? A 33-yard Torres touchdown.

Stat of the half: The Sooners are without three defensive starters -- defensive tackle Casey Walker (hand), linebacker Tom Wort (bruised back) and cornerback Jamell Fleming (knee) -- and does it ever show. The Red Raiders have rolled up 330 yards of total offense, already. OU has allowed more than 400 yards only once (Missouri) all season.