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The NFL labor dispute means undrafted college players were left without a job and no immediate football future. Teams aren't allowed to make transactions, so any free agents will remain so until a new collective bargaining agreement is reached and the lockout officially lifted.

But if you were unaware, the NFL isn't the only pro league in town any more. The United Football League is gearing up for its third season this fall, and had its annual draft on Monday night. The league is made up of five teams and mostly former NFL players. Among the most recognizable names to suit up in the league: Jeff Garcia, Maurice Clarett and Daunte Culpepper.

Because NFL teams weren't able to scoop up the remaining free agents, the talent pool was a bit deeper than usual. We took a look at some of the Big 12's NFL draft snubs on Monday, and a few of them had their names called by UFL teams.

• No. 1: Jerrod Johnson, QB, Texas A&M (Hartford Colonials)
• No. 8: Ugo Chinasa, DE, Oklahoma State (Sacramento Mountain Lions)
• No. 16: Ricky Henry, OL, Nebraska (Hartford)
• No. 20: Brad Thorson, OL, Kansas (Hartford)
• No. 21: Clint Ingram, LB, Oklahoma (Virginia Destroyers)
• No. 23: Mike Smith, OT, Nebraska (Omaha Nighthawks)
• No. 28: D.J. Jones, OL, Nebraska (Omaha)
• No. 32: Greg Smith, TE, Texas (Hartford)
• No. 37: Colby Whitlock, DT, Texas Tech (Hartford)

Great to see Johnson get a shot at the next level. He'll get a chance to prove his shoulder is back to full strength in the UFL and if he can do that, a ticket to the NFL might await. Traditionally, drafted players have a decision to make: Wait on the NFL or bank on the UFL. With no NFL, and the circumstances looking like it'll remain that way for awhile, that's not the case this year. Especially for Johnson, who sounds pretty reared up to go via Twitter.

Hartford,Connecticut it is... excited & blessed for the opportunity, thanx & gig em !! #makedreamsreality

Johnson will play for former NFL coach Jerry Glanville in Hartford.

That's a pretty good haul for Nebraska's offensive line, especially the pair of players headed to nearby Omaha to block for Clarett.

Chinasa is another player, like Johnson, who could parlay this into an NFL gig, but the athletic pass rusher is headed to Sacramento for now. He made one of the most athletic plays of the entire season in the Big 12, and I'd like to see him get a shot at the next level.

Texas Tech's Whitlock, coincidentally, ended up in Hartford, where he'll reunite with his old defensive coordinator. James Willis coached the Red Raiders last year, but after leaving the program, ended up coaching linebackers for the Colonials.

Ingram, a former Sooners linebacker, was actually drafted in the third round of the 2006 draft, but after landing in New Orleans with the Saints last season, was released in October.

A few other notable names to get drafted last night?

Boston College linebacker Mark Herzlich, who famously returned to the field this year after receiving cancer treatment and missing the 2009 season, was drafted in the 10th round by Omaha.

Controversial Ole Miss quarterback and former Oregon Duck Jeremiah Masoli went 38th overall to Omaha.

Thanks again for all the questions. Enjoy your snowless weekends. I know I will. As for All-Star Saturday Night: Give me Chris Paul, Kevin Durant and Blake Griffin.

Jason in Austin, Texas, writes: Ubbs, I've been talking to some friends about new names for the Big 12, and I've heard one thrown around that I wanted to get your take on: The Ten. What do you think?

David Ubben: On first glance, I really like it. It's aggressive, and a little brash, which might rub a few people the wrong way, but a move like that might be what the Big 12 could use right now. A little administrative brashness has been missing for a while in this league. Dan Beebe sounds like he wants to position the league uniquely, and as the only 10-team conference left, that might be a pretty good way to do it.

The "big" problem with it is you still have the Big Ten. While "Big" may still be a qualifier, the mass perception would be The Ten vs. Big Ten. Not good. For that reason, when you look at the big picture, I don't think it would work well.

I'm on record as believing the Big 12 should keep its name, if only because A) I believe the brand is strong enough where a change would significantly hurt and B) there's no other good options. Maybe reason B could change, and "The Ten" is probably the best suggestion I've heard recently, but it's not better than the Big 12.

Anything lame like "The Heartland Conference" or something along those lines sounds like it belongs in NAIA.

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Gary in Dallas writes: Did you really write that Texas Tech would contend for the national championship` in 2012? What in the heck makes you say that? Since when are the Red Raiders going to beat UT, OU, Mizzou, Oklahoma State and everyone else on their schedule in the same year?

DU: For the record, no. I was referring to the Big 12 title, which I do think Texas Tech will have a pretty good shot at winning in 2012. It'll be tough, sure. They won't be one of the favorites, but I don't consider them a team that has a great chance to win it this year. Next year, that may change. They can probably win 10-11 games. The question asked in the chat was kind of rambling, and those chats move pretty fast, but I would be very surprised if Texas Tech was in the national championship hunt as early as 2012.

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Guy King in College Station writes: You list Ryan Tannehill with a 5-1 record as a starter. Tell me the game that he lost? Check your records.

DU: If I were a Texas A&M fan, I'd want to forget about the Cotton Bowl, too.

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Bleedburntorange in Little Rock, Ark., writes: Being a Texas Longhorn fan I really enjoy your views and opinions. I can't help but notice that most of Longhorn nation, myself included, is expecting incoming freshman Malcolm Brown to breath some life into the Longhorns' rushing attack. How many touches do you see him getting and how many yards do you think he will get? Also do you see any specific players stepping up to help fix all the problems from last season?

DU: Well, it's obviously a little early for all that, and we haven't even seen Brown take the field yet. I'm not going to throw out a yardage figure, but my guess is he gets about 150-170 carries next year, and as he learns, starts to take a few more away from Fozzy Whittaker and Cody Johnson late in the season.

As for fixing the problems, it's not about one guy stepping up. They need everybody. You win in the Big 12 with offense. You become an elite Big 12 team with offense and good defense. The defense was OK last year, but the offense was a complete disaster. The offensive line didn't get it done. If that happens again, there's no point in worrying about what Malcolm Brown does. Garrett Gilbert had a historically bad year. And nobody consistently was a good target to throw to. Everybody has to be better.

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Mike in Dallas asks: Is the Cyrus Gray/Christine Michael RB duo the best in college football next year?

DU: As long as Christine Michael can come back next fall and look like he did last year, I'd probably make that argument. He was playing fantasticly before he broke his leg. Against Arkansas and Oklahoma State, the two games I saw him really up close, he was running with a power that we didn't see from him as a freshman. And Gray obviously closed the season with an unbelievable run of seven 100-yard games against some great defenses (Nebraska, OU, LSU) that very well could carry into next year.

Also, people always want to ask, "Who'll start? Who'll get more carries?" Does it really matter? They're both going to get a lot. They're both good. Whoever is running it best at the time will probably get more at the time. That'll vary. Don't worry about the distribution, Aggies.

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Ed in Chicago writes: It seems to me that the new ESPN deal with Texas essentially made the Longhorns an independent inside a conference. Do you think it made the Big 12 more likely to stay together since Texas is the kingpin and they have it both ways? Or do you think that jealousy will force other members to leave the horns shadow? It seems that Texas would be content to stay since it is a nice arrangement for them.

DU: I just don't believe it has as much of an effect on the Big 12's future as others do. Oklahoma is content to stay with Texas. Right now, with the television rights, money, scheduling and location, there's no question that Texas is happy in the Big 12 as it stands. Oklahoma would like much of the same. Texas A&M is the only other school that has the means to do anything about it, but all the decision-makers in College Station don't sound like they're seriously considering a move to the SEC this summer. They sound, for the most part, content in the Big 12.

The only other real option is if the Big Ten invited Missouri, an invitation which, in my opinion, Missouri would trip over itself to accept, but that "invitation" (yes, technically that's not how the Big Ten operates, but whatever. For the sake of simplicity, humor me here.) would require a sharp change of course from everything Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany has said of late. In short, they're not looking to expand past 12 teams. The only conference that might take the leap is the Pac-12, but without Texas as part of the package, a move to do so with just Texas Tech, Oklahoma State or Baylor isn't quite as appealing, and like I said before, Oklahoma is staying with Texas.

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Jeff in San Diego writes: David, Love the blog. Can you tell me how the Longhorns are in the pre-season Top 25 that ESPN put out. Where is all the love coming from? Mack replaced his entire staff and they have to teach the kids an entirely new offense and defense. Aren't expectations a little too high?

DU: Well, it's the beauty of polls. There's plenty of room for disagreement. Like I've said all offseason, Texas won't be sniffing any top 25 poll I vote in until they give me reason -- on the field -- to include them. Maybe it'll happen. Maybe it won't. But I'm waiting until mid-September at the earliest to even consider them. I don't care what anyone says/writes/does in the spring or fall camp. Show me in a game.

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Jim Calhoun in Claflin, Kan,. writes: What can KSU do to improve their defense? They have to improve greatly to be able to compete in the round robin Big XII.

DU: The biggest problem I saw for Kansas State last year was a severe, severe lack of speed. Obviously, the great teams and defenses have it, but K-State was arguably the slowest defense in the Big 12 last year. That's not going to be good for any scheme, so don't hang it all on the coaches.

More than anything else, K-State needs speed to get better.

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Kevin K. in Lawton, Okla., writes: So how is it now to go through a mailbag without getting any questions mentioning Nebraska?

DU: Oh, I still get Nebraska questions. Plenty of them, in fact. I just don't post them. We both know all you guys would get mad. Unless you really want to talk about Nebraska's new offensive scheme ...

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Adam in Kansas writes: Turner Gill came into Kansas saying they would run the football and even have fullback sets. With the new recruiting class featuring a couple of highly rated RBs, and James Sims and Brandon Bourbon returning, will the Jayhawks have a ground game that can carry the offense?

DU: It's getting closer, but no question, that's where Kansas needs to focus. They don't have a ton of talent at receiver -- guys who can break games open -- so a ball-control offense that features the running game is probably their best option. They tried to be pretty balanced early last season, and it just didn't work. Obviously, they have to throw the ball some time, but running the ball is what Kansas should do best next year. They lost Brad Thorson and Sal Capra from the offensive line, so the new starters will have to fill the role well, but they also added Darrian Miller from the 2011 class, and he enrolled early. They're deep at running back with some guys who have a lot of potential, so while they figure out what they're going to do at quarterback, they need to expend a lot of energy refining the running game.

Dumb parents don't make kids that smart. She got the best of both of us, kind of like if you combined the jaw strength of a crocodile and the ink-spraying capability of an octopus. You'd end up with something unstoppable.

• Robert Griffin III's arrival at Baylor changed the game in recruiting for the Bears, writes William Wilkerson in the Dallas Morning News.
• The bond between Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon is strong, writes Jenni Carlson of The Oklahoman.
• Two Baylor players will take part in the Texas vs. The Nation game early next month.
• Kansas offensive lineman Brad Thorson took part in an NCAA forum on overcoming adversity.
• B.G. Brooks of CUBuffs.com takes a look at Malcolm Blacken, Colorado's new strength coach.
• Texas Tech picked up a commitment from a juco defensive lineman.
• At least one mock draft has Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert going No. 1 overall.
• Success has Oklahoma State experiencing some new kinds of problems, writes Brandon Chatmon of The Oklahoman.
• New NCAA president Mark Emmert sees more realignment on the horizon, reports Jerry Briggs of the San Antonio Express-News.
• Jimmy Burch of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram checks in with the youth invasion that is Texas' new pair of coordinators.

The Big 12 has nine representatives on the Academic All-District team for District 6 and six from District 7, meaning they're now eligible to become ESPN Academic All-Americans.

Here's who made the midseason list.

District 6

• Derek Epperson, P, Baylor (3.62, Management & Management Information Systems)
• Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor (3.64, Political Science)
• Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M (3.59, Biology)
• Terrance Ganaway, RB, Baylor (3.80, General Studies)
• Brian Lepak, OL, Oklahoma (3.86, Finance)
• Demontre Hurst, CB, Oklahoma (3.32, University College)
• Michael Hodges, LB, Texas A&M (3.82, magna cum laude graduate, studying Sports Management)
• Jamarkus McFarland, DT, Oklahoma (3.32, Health and Exercise Science)
• Sam Acho, DT, Texas (3.55, honors Business)

District 7

• Nate Solder, OL, Colorado (3.52, Biology)
• Brad Thorson, OL, Kansas (3.58, Economics, Master's degree)
• Grant Ressel, K, Missouri (3.64, Biological Sciences)
• Austin Cassidy, S, Nebraska (3.88, Psychology)
• Tysyn Hartman, S, Kansas State (3.59)
• Drew Dudley, LB, Kansas (3.73, Civil Engineering)

We got our butts kicked by Penn State. The parade was awesome, though. Angela Lansbury was the grand marshal. Good times she wrote.

• Oklahoma State blue-chip running back recruit Herschel Sims is still solidly committed to the Cowboys, according to his high school coach, reports Bill Haisten of the Tulsa World.
• Tommy Tuberville says coaching is a heart attack waiting to happen.
• Texas coach Mack Brown is defending his offensive line coach after the two got into an argument on the sideline against Texas Tech.
• Kansas State center Wade Weibert is a little under the radar, just the way he likes it, writes Kellis Robinett of the Wichita Eagle.
• Iowa State left tackle Kelechi Osemele is trying to limit his penalties, writes Randy Peterson of the Des Moines Register.
• Nebraska better be ready to defend the long ball against South Dakota State, writes Steve Sipple of the Lincoln Journal Star.
• Justin Gilbert may be next in a long line of good return men at Oklahoma State, writes John Helsley of The Oklahoman.
• Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones says he's "98 percent" sure he wants to be a pastor after football, reports Mike Baldwin of The Oklahoman.
• Mental and physical challenges are what motivate Kansas' Brad Thorson, writes Jayson Jenks of the Topeka Capital-Journal.
• A group of students want to move the Red River Rivalry next year, reports Laken Litman of the Dallas Morning News.
• The line between a run and a pass is blurred at Missouri, writes Mike DeArmond of the Kansas City Star.

IRVING, Texas -- More good stuff from media days on Tuesday that you can't find on the blog is up on our notebook page, so head over and check that out. Pat Forde and I will be on hand again today, and things are scheduled to get started in about an hour, barring plane troubles like yesterday.

Here's today's schedule, and once again, the proceedings will be carried live from Big12Sports.com: (all times ET)

10:00 Kansas: Coach Turner Gill, DE Jake Laptad, CB Chris Harris, OL Brad Thorson.

10:45 Oklahoma: Coach Bob Stoops, DE Jeremy Beal, LB Travis Lewis, WR Ryan Broyles, RB DeMarco Murray

11:30 Colorado: Coach Dan Hawkins, CB Jalil Brown, WR Scotty McKnight, OL Nate Solder.

12:15 Texas: Coach Mack Brown, QB Garrett Gilbert, OT Kyle Hix, DE Sam Acho, DT Kheeston Randall.

• All of Kansas' star power has left Lawrence, but if the Jayhawks make it to Dallas this week, I think we can all agree Kansas isn't literally under the radar. Two linemen and a cornerback don't exactly move the meter (Kansas and Baylor were the only schools to bring no offensive skill players), but if Kansas is going to win this year, they'll have to do it up front with guys like Jake Laptad and Brad Thorson. And Kansas' real main attraction, new coach Turner Gill will get his first real time in front of a massive group of media, and situations like this are where he excels, so look for the first-year coach to earn some big points early in the day.
• Oklahoma will hear plenty about its string of injuries and the recent shift of power to Austin in the Red River Rivalry, after the Longhorns have taken four of the past five matchups. Bob Stoops didn't bring his quarterback, but he'll still hear plenty of questions about Landry Jones' progression and his first chance to truly grasp the starting quarterback position full-time.
• The waiting-to-be-finalized exit date for the Buffaloes will probably be discussed at some point, as well as general thoughts about the exit to the recently renamed "Pac-12." The big question for the Buffaloes' likely last season in the Big 12 is simple, even though coach Dan Hawkins hasn't talked as big of a game as he did before last season: Why will this season be different than the first four in Hawkins' time in Boulder? How well they can answer that -- and then deliver -- will decide how the Buffaloes fare in 2010.
• With media covering the other 11 teams in the conference, Texas might end up being grilled about the perception -- real or otherwise -- that after this summer's realignment, it's more powerful than ever before, and able to get whatever it wants. If that happens, I've got no idea what the Longhorns response would be, other than to suggest that none of that affects the game on the field. I'll be shocked if three questions pass before the words "national championship" or "Alabama" come up in a question, either about the defense or Brown's new quarterback, Garrett Gilbert, who made the trip to Dallas.

Eleven players from the Big 12 were among 56 FBS nominees for the AFCA Good Works Team, an honor given to players based on the positive influence they have on their communities.

Fifty-six more nominees from FCS and lower division schools joined the players from the Big 12. Later this year, 11 players from FBS schools and 11 from lower division schools will be selected to the team.

Last year, Kansas safety Darrell Stuckey, who later won the Big 12 Sportsman of the Year award for his off-the-field efforts, was the Big 12's sole representation on the 22-member team.

Here's who made the cut from the conference this season:

• Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor
• Alex Alvarez, OG, Iowa State
• Alex Hrebec, LB, Kansas State
• Andrew McGee, CB, Oklahoma State
• Jerrod Johnson, QB, Texas A&M
• Baron Batch, RB, Texas Tech
• Brad Thorson, OL, Kansas
• Dan Hoch, OL, Missouri
• Alex Henery, P/K, Nebraska
• Quinton Carter, S, Oklahoma
• Sam Acho, DE, Texas

Big 12 Media Days in Irving, Texas are only a couple weeks away, and the schedule for the three-day gabfest has been released.

First thing I noticed: Nebraska (first) and Texas (last) are as far away as possible. Though I don't think the week is going to be as conducive to fireworks as some believe, it should still be plenty entertaining.

Media Days run July 26-28, and here's when to look for who on your team. (all times ET)

Monday, July 26

2:00 Nebraska: Coach Bo Pelini, WR Niles Paul, DE Pierre Allen, CB Prince Amukamara

2:45 Baylor: Coach Art Briles, LB Antonio Johnson, OT Danny Watkins

3:30 Iowa State: Coach Paul Rhoads, QB Austen Arnaud, RB Alexander Robinson, DE Rashawn Parker

4:15 Texas A&M: Coach Mike Sherman, QB Jerrod Johnson, LB Von Miller, DT Lucas Patterson

Tuesday, July 27

10:00 Missouri: Coach Gary Pinkel, QB Blaine Gabbert, RB Derrick Washington, CB Kevin Rutland

10:45 Oklahoma State: Coach Mike Gundy, QB Brandon Weeden, LB Orie Lemon, DE Jamie Blatnick

11:30 Kansas State: Coach Bill Snyder, RB Daniel Thomas, S Tysyn Hartman, OL Zach Kendall

12:15 Texas Tech: Coach Tommy Tuberville, QB Taylor Potts, QB Steven Sheffield, DL Colby Whitlock

Wednesday, July 28

10:00 Kansas: Coach Turner Gill, DE Jake Laptad, CB Chris Harris, OL Brad Thorson

10:45 Oklahoma: Coach Bob Stoops, DE Jeremy Beal, LB Travis Lewis, WR Ryan Broyles

11:30 Colorado: Coach Dan Hawkins, CB Jalil Brown, WR Scotty McKnight, OL Nate Solder

12:15 Texas: Coach Mack Brown, QB Garrett Gilbert, OT Kyle Hix, DE Sam Acho, DT Kheeston Randall

A few quick thoughts:

• Definitely surprised that Texas' Garrett Gilbert will be making the trip. I saw firsthand how well-spoken he was this spring on my visit to Austin, but I'm still surprised Brown would trot out his first-year starting quarterback for the media horde outside Dallas. Although his presence guarantees there should be plenty to talk about with the Longhorns.
• Tommy Tuberville probably had to bring two or none of his quarterbacks, lest he tip his undecided hand at his starter and get people talking about a nonexistent decision. He chose the former. Interesting to note that Colorado's Dan Hawkins went with the latter.
• Not sure why DE Jamie Blatnick will be one of Oklahoma's State's representatives instead of DE Ugo Chinasa or S Markelle Martin. Chinasa is a senior two-year starter heading into his third, while Blatnick is a junior who started only part-time last season. Martin is one of the conference's rising stars.
• Baylor is the only team in the league bringing just a three-man contingent, and in Waco, they're the closest team to Media Days. A little surprised that Robert Griffin III won't be making the short drive, but at least that forces everyone to ask questions not about Griffin's knee. For that, I thank you, Art. But throwing WR Kendall Wright in the car at the last minute wouldn't be a terrible idea.
• Meanwhile, Texas is the only team with a five-man crew. Everything's bigger.
• Pretty good representation elsewhere, no real complaints. What do you think?

Turner Gill already has a difficult task ahead of him, trying to rebuild a program at Kansas from a team that lost its three best players from a 5-7 team in 2009 in quarterback Todd Reesing and receivers Dezmon Briscoe and Kerry Meier.

Those three, along with coach Mark Mangino, saw one of the highest moments in program history, winning the Orange Bowl to cap a 12-1 2007 season. But it also saw one of its lows, a seven-game losing streak to close 2009, capped by Mangino's contract being bought out by the school.

The road back for Gill wasn't made easier this spring, when his two best defenders, linebacker Drew Dudley and defensive end Jake Laptad, had to be held out of contact because of shoulder injuries.

Now, his job's gotten tougher.

The offensive line brought back all five starters from a season ago and was expected to be one of the positions of strength for the Jayhawks. But they'll have to do it without junior tackle Jeff Spikes, who injured his Achilles tendon and will miss the entire 2010 season, according to the Lawrence-Journal World. Spikes started 23 games over the past two seasons -- 10 last season -- and earned third-team All-American status in the 2009 preseason from pundit Phil Steele.

This comes a week after another offensive line starter, tackle Brad Thorson, suffered a broken foot. He's expected to be back for the start of fall camp on Aug. 3., but we'll see how much contact he'll be able to take part in when preseason camp begins.

The good news for Spikes is he'll likely be granted a medical redshirt, and come back next season with two more years of eligibility remaining.

Gill knows how to rebuild, eventually winning a MAC title over No. 12 Ball State in 2008 at Buffalo in his third season at a school that won six games in four seasons before his arrival.

He'll face another tough rebuilding project at Kansas in a much tougher league. He's got a mild quarterback controversy led by Kale Pick and his 2009 leading rusher, Toben Opurum, didn't show up on the post-spring depth chart after battling injuries throughout the spring.

Spikes injury assures the rebuilding job won't get any easier for Gill.

2009 overall record: 5-7

2009 conference record: 1-7

Returning starters: Offense (7), Defense (7) P/K (2)

Top returners: RB Toben Opurum, OL Brad Thorson, OL Jeremiah Hatch, LB Drew Dudley, WR Johnathan Wilson, LB Huldon Tharp, DE Jake Laptad

Key losses: WR Dezmon Briscoe, QB Todd Reesing, WR Kerry Meier, S Darrell Stuckey, RB Jake Sharp, S Justin Thornton, Coach Mark Mangino

2009 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Toben Opurum* (554 yards)

Passing: Todd Reesing (3,616 yards)

Receiving: Dezmon Briscoe (1,337 yards)

Tackles: Darrell Stuckey (93)

Sacks: Jake Laptad* (6.5)

Interceptions: Ryan Murphy* (2)

Three spring answers

1. This is how we do things. Coach Turner Gill set the tone for his program early, speaking out about his curse-free zone at practices and other team functions. That goes for coaches and players. Practices are slightly uptempo, and Gill gave each position a fresh start. Everyone wanted to know how Gill would run his program when spring began, and he gave a good look in his first 15 practices.

2. Pick leads the way. Kale Pick was the only one of Kansas’ six quarterbacks with past experience and looked like the front-runner to win the job. He and Jordan Webb emerged as the front-runners in the final week of practice before Pick took a firm hold of the job with his performance in the spring game. He threw a pair of touchdowns, including a game-winner to Christian Matthews—who he also beat out for the job.

3. Linebackers ready to play. Kansas entered the spring with way more questions on defense than offense. The linebackers answered those early on. Defensive coordinator Carl Torbush feels like he has six or seven linebackers ready to see action in the Big 12, led by Drew Dudley, the Jayhawks leading returning tackler.

Three fall questions

1. Can Gill compete in the Big 12? Gill accomplished a remarkable turnaround at Buffalo, but Kansas isn’t looking to rebuild and get back to winning eight games, Gill’s previous career high for wins in a season. Gill hasn’t competed in the Big 12 since coaching Nebraska’s wide receivers in 2004. Kansas likely won’t compete for any serious titles in 2010, but can he take a step toward doing it in the future?

2. Are the wide receivers ready? Pick is replacing record-holding quarterback Todd Reesing, but he won’t have two NFL draft picks, Dezmon Briscoe and Kerry Meier catching his passes. In their place, senior Johnathan Wilson and sophomore Bradley McDougald. McDougald has moved outside, but both will be counted on for major production this season.

3. Can Kansas find a defense? The Jayhawks finished 2009 on a seven-game losing streak, finishing at 1-7 in conference. During that span, they gave up an average of almost 36 points per game. With no major defensive stars taking the field this season, can Kansas find playmakers and make that number shrink? If they don’t, year one of the Turner Gill era won’t be much fun.

Links from around the Big 12:

• Missouri coach Gary Pinkel is torn on a move to the Big Ten, reports Vahe Gregorian of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
• Nebraska AD Tom Osborne discusses what Ndamukong Suh's $2 million gift will buy, reports Brian Christopherson of the Lincoln Journal Star.
• Brad Thorson leads the Kansas offensive line that could be one of the team's strengths, but he'll do it without a flowing mane this season, writes J. Brady McCollough of the Kansas City Star.
• Former Texas receiver Jordan Shipley could have to wait until the draft's third day, Saturday, to hear his name called.
• Two separate factors have pushed Dez Bryant and Jermaine Gresham out of the top 10, but they could both prove to be steals, writes John Helsley of The Oklahoman.
• The cornerstones of Bill Snyder's program haven't changed the second time around: hard work and effort, but he's still searching for consistency, writes Kellis Robinett of the Kansas City Star.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Let me give Kansas junior center Brad Thorson a hearty welcome to the blogosphere.

Thorson has started blogging and convinced others to join him at Jayhawk Chalk Talk, a portal for student athletes to provide their thoughts. The blog can be found at jayhawkchalktalk.blogspot.com.

Thorson, a transfer from Wisconsin, helped conceive the idea as a way of personalizing Kansas athletes.

"What is this? Well to be honest, I don't think many of us know exactly where we are going just yet," Thorson blogged. "But we here at the University of Kansas Student-Athlete Advisory Committee decided if everyone else has a blog, why not us."

Good reason. Even set-in-their-ways former newspaper reporters can become dedicated bloggers. Hopefully, Thorson and his friends can, too.

"You'll probably hear a lot of things about me but let me assure you they are all lies, even the one I'll be forced to write about my rendition of Whitney Houston in a purple crushed velvet pimp suit," Thorson blogged.

I can't wait to read that story, and a lot of others.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

The Big 12 should again be loaded in 2009. And the spring will feature several key positional battles and holes to fill that will go a long way in determining whether Oklahoma can make history and claim a fourth-straight championship this season.

Here a look at each team and three major items to watch in spring practice.

NORTH DIVISION

Colorado Buffaloes

Spring practice begins: March 31

Spring game: April 25

What to watch:

• The health of the team: The Buffaloes' players lost a combined total of 121 games to due to illness or injury last season. Some players like tight end Riar Geer, guards Devin Head, Maxwell Tuioti-Mariner and Mike Iltis, linebacker Jon Major and cornerback Jalil Brown will be limited during the spring because of past injuries. But others like tackle Ryan Miller, tailback Rodney Stewart and cornerback Benjamin Burney should be good to go throughout the spring. Coach Dan Hawkins won't push things, but it will be good to have as many regulars as possible practicing again.
• The return of Darrell Scott: The conference's most publicized running back recruit of 2008 never could get untracked, rushing for disappointing totals of 343 yards and 3.9 yards per carry last season. The spring will give him a chance to show why he was one of the nation's top recruits in the Class of 2008.
• Settle the kicking game: After Colorado kickers combined to shank 11 of 17 attempts last season, it might be the last chance for Aric Goodman or Jameson Davis to show what they can do after their struggles last season and the arrival of heralded recruit Zach Grossnickle in the fall.

Iowa State Cyclones

Spring practice begins: March 24

Spring game: April 18

What to watch:

• Paul Rhoads' early assimilation: After his hiring last Dec. 23, Rhoads has concentrated on recruiting and building a coaching staff. Being able to work on the field with his team will likely be a relief for him after such a hectic start.
• Help in the secondary: The Cyclones lose starters Chris Singleton and Brandon Hunley from a unit that ranked in the bottom 10 nationally in pass efficiency defense and pass defense. Rhoads' specialty is defense, but he'll have his work cut out with his new unit.
• Finding another starter at wide receiver: Darius Darks is back after an impressive freshman season, but Rhoads needs to find a replacement for 2008 leading receiver R.J. Sumrall. Look for Sedrick Johnson, Marquis Hamilton and Houston Jones all to have their chances at the starting unit during the spring.

Kansas Jayhawks

Spring practice begins: March 9

Spring game: April 11

What to watch:

• Finding starters at linebackers: The Jayhawks must completely rebuild their linebacking corps as James Holt, Mike Rivera and Joe Mortensen all are gone from last season. Arist Wright and Dakota Lewis are in the mix because of their experience. A bigger wild card could be converted running back Angus Quigley, who turned heads with his defensive instincts and tackling in work before the Jayhawks' bowl game last season.
• Get a consistent kick returner: The mystifying struggles of Marcus Herford last season resulted in a drop of more than 8 yards per kick return as the Jayhawks fell from seventh in 2007 to 118th nationally last season. Dezmon Briscoe showed flashes of being a productive returner late in the season, but more work from different players will be needed in the spring to shore up the area.
• Rebuild the center of the offensive line: Losing starting guards Chet Hartley and Adrian Mayes along with center Ryan Cantrell will be the biggest offensive concern this spring for the Jayhawks. Carl Wilson and Sal Kapra should get a long look at guard and Brad Thorson will given the first shot at center.

Kansas State Wildcats:

Spring practice begins: April 6

Spring game: May 2

What to watch:

• Bill Snyder's return to coaching: The wily Snyder will be facing the biggest challenge of his professional career after returning after a three-year coaching sabbatical. The Wildcats aren't as bad as they were in 1989 when Snyder originally took over, but the Big 12 is a much tougher than the Big Eight was in those days. And it will test the patience and legendary work ethic of Snyder to get the Wildcats back into Big 12 title contention in the immediate future.
• The quarterback battle: New offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig is one of the conference's most notable hirings after his strong recent work at Utah. Ludwig will be challenged as he looks at Carson Coffman or junior-college transfer Daniel Thomas to replace Josh Freeman as his starting quarterback.
• Looking for a defensive turnaround: The Wildcats were woeful last season, ranking among the bottom 10 teams nationally in rushing defense, scoring defense and total defense and 106th nationally in pass defense. It will likely try the patience of new coordinator Chris Cosh, who will be looking for replacements along the defensive front for Brandon Balkcom and Ian Campbell. One potential playmaker could be Jeff Fitzgerald, who started 13 games for Virginia in 2007.
  
  

Missouri Tigers

Spring practice begins: March 10

Spring game: April 18

What to watch:

• The changing of the guard on offense -- and then some: Gone are all-time greats like Chase Daniel, Jeremy Maclin and Chase Coffman, along with productive receivers Tommy Saunders and Earl Goldsmith. Offensive coordinator Dave Christensen has left for the Wyoming coaching job, meaning that Dave Yost takes over as the coordinator along with Blaine Gabbert at quarterback, Andrew Jones at tight end and Jerrell Jackson as the featured receiver. Collectively, it will be the largest transformation in Gary Pinkel's coaching tenure at Missouri.
• Finding a pass rush: Three starters are gone along the defensive front as productive starters Stryker Sulak, Tommy Chavis and Ziggy Hood all are gone from last year. Look for redshirt defensive end Aldon Smith to get in the fight for playing time immediately, along with holdover Brian Coulter at defensive end if he can recover quickly from labrum surgery. Terrell Resonno and Dominique Hamilton will get a long look at defensive tackle before the arrival of heralded "tight end" Sheldon Richardson in the summer.
• Secondary assistance: The Tigers need help after losing starting safeties Justin Garrett and William Moore and cornerback Tru Vaughns from last year's team. Considering all of the prolific offenses in the Big 12, this will capture much of defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus' attention as newcomers like safety Jarrell Harrison and cornerback Robert Steeples will show what they can do.

Nebraska Cornhuskers

Spring practice begins: March 21

Spring game: April 18

What to watch:

• The battle for quarterback: One of the nation's most intriguing quarterback battles will play out during the spring. Incoming freshman Cody Green arrived in college early intent to battle for the starting job and become the first four-year starting quarterback for the Cornhuskers since Eric Crouch. Holdovers Patrick Witt, Zac Lee and redshirt freshman Kody Spanos all are in the hunt to replace Joe Ganz. Witt has more experience, but it's not much more than any other contender. It should be interesting to see how offensive coordinator Shawn Watson handles the competition.
• Find starters at wide receiver: The Cornhuskers lose starters Nate Swift and Todd Peterson who combined for 125 receptions last season as the team's two major receiving threats. Menelik Holt has more experience than any other returner, although coaches are salivating about the chance to work with Antonio Bell, a 2008 recruit who wasn't on the team last season while he got his grades in order.
• Rebuild the right side of the offensive line: Powerful blockers Matt Slauson at guard and tackle Lydon Murtha both are gone from last season, leaving a huge void for offensive line coach Barney Cotton to fill. Marcel Jones and D.J. Jones should get the first crack at the starting jobs during the spring.

SOUTH DIVISION

Baylor Bears

Spring practice begins: March 3

Spring game: April 4

What to watch:

• Competition at offensive tackle: The Bears will be looking for two new starting tackles to replace Don Gay and Jason Smith along the offensive line. Sophomore Joe Korbel figures to get a look at one of the positions, but beyond him it's anybody's guess who will replace the talented pair that combined for 73 career starts.
• New starters on the left side of the defensive line: Starting defensive end Leon Freeman and defensive tackle Vincent Rhodes both will be gone after their eligibility expired. The only holes in Baylor's front seven will be found there as Jameon Hardeman and Zac Scotton will challenge at defensive end and Sam Sledge at defensive tackle.
• Better production in their pass defense: The Bears struggled mightily last season and could never seem to produce big plays when they needed them, ranking 103rd in pass defense, 84th in sacks and 109th in tackles for losses. Another spring learning the concepts of defensive coordinator Brian Norwood should benefit them and perhaps serve as a catalyst for a bowl berth with significant improvement.

Oklahoma Sooners

Spring practice begins: March 3

Spring game: April 11

What to watch:

• Help at wide receiver: After losing Juaquin Iglesias, Quentin Chaney and Manuel Johnson from last season's BCS title-game runner-up, the Sooners desperately need some players to emerge this spring. Ryan Broyles assumes the No. 1 position, although junior college receiver Cameron Kenney will help, along with Brandon Caleb from last season's two-deep roster. It will also be noteworthy to watch the work of running back Mossis Madu, who will receive some work at slot receiver.
• Competition in the offensive line: Trent Williams is the only returning starter from last season for a talented veteran group that will lose four starters who combined for 149 starts during their college career. The Sooners aren't devoid of talent, but it's just untested. It means they need a big lift this spring from players like tackle Cory Brandon, guards Brian Simmons and Alex Williams and center Jason Hannan.
• New look at safety: Nic Harris and Lendy Holmes seemingly had been at Oklahoma since
  the days of Brian Bosworth. That's a little bit of an exaggeration, but the Sooner duo combined for 83 starts and provided steady, efficient defense throughout their careers. Quinton Carter and Desmond Jackson appear poised to take over for them, although it will be impossible for the Sooners to match their experience.

Oklahoma State Cowboys

Spring practice begins: March 9

Spring game: April 18

What to watch:

• Bill Young's work: Oklahoma State has the offense to challenge for the Big 12 championship. But the success of the season ultimately will be determined by the defense generated by new defensive coordinator Bill Young. The Cowboys return six starters but must improve drastically after last season's late collapse that saw them blistered for 56, 61 and 42 points among their final three games of the season.
• Help at safety and defensive tackle: The Cowboys lose starters Tonga Tea and Jeray Chatham at tackle and starting safeties Quinton Moore and Ricky Price. Those key positions in the heart of Oklahoma State's defense will command much of Young's attention. He's particularly excited about the play of Swanson Miller and Shane Jarka and Johnny Thomas at safety. But other players need to step up when they get their chance.
• Develop depth at wide receiver: Dez Bryant accounted for a larger percentage of completions than any other wide receiver in the Big 12. His absence this spring as he recovers from knee surgery will enable others to have a chance to play and become acclimated with the first-string offense. The Cowboys' depth at the position is aggravated after Bo Bowling was suspended after his arrest earlier this week. It will provide players like Hubert Anyiam, Josh Cooper and DeMarcus Conner an opportunity to work with Zac Robinson while Bryant and Bowling are gone.

Texas Longhorns

Spring practice begins: Feb. 27

Spring game: April 5

What to watch:

• Build consistency in the running game: The Longhorns ranked 41st nationally in rushing last season -- their worst national ranking since 2002 -- and relied on Colt McCoy as their primary running threat. That dangerous strategy has to change this season if the Longhorns have any legitimate national title contenders. Key tasks during the spring will be to build cohesion in an offensive line that loses only starter Cedric Dockery from last season and additional work for Fozzy Whittaker, who struggled with injuries most of his freshman season last year.
• Rebuild the defensive front: The Longhorns had the nation's most productive pass rush, leading the country with an average of 3.62 sacks per game last season. It will be a challenge to replace key players like Brian Orakpo, Roy Miller and Henry Melton. But defensive coordinator Will Muschamp liked what he saw in limited playing time for players like Sam Acho, Russell Carter, Ben Alexander, Michael Wilcoxson, Kheeston Randall and Eddie Jones. Those players, along with possibly Sergio Kindle getting more playing time at defensive end, will be key to Texas' defensive hopes this season. And incoming freshmen Dominique Jones, Alex Okafor and Kyle Kriegel all arrived at college early to challenge for immediate playing time.
• Build confidence with young receivers: Leading receiver Quan Cosby graduated and Jordan Shipley will miss spring work after recovering from shoulder surgery. It will give McCoy a chance to build confidence in some of the younger members of his receiving corps, most notably Brandon Collins, Dan Buckner, Malcolm Williams and James Kirkendoll.

Texas A&M

Spring practice begins: March 26

Spring game: April 18

Spring practice ends: April 24

What to watch:

• Additional development of young talent: The Aggies were one of the nation's youngest teams last season as 10 true freshmen combined to see action in 90 games and start in 41 of them. The spring will provide an additional opportunity for those young players and others on the roster to gain much-needed experience.
• Improvement of the pass rush: The biggest hole on defense for the Aggies will be at defensive end where Michael Bennett, Amos Gbunblee and Cyril Obiozor accounted for most of the playing time last season from a group that ranked 11th in the Big 12 and 100th nationally in sacks. Paul Freeney is poised to assume one of the starting positions there. The other side looks like a wide-open battle that will play out throughout the spring and into summer camp.
• Find a running back: Coach Mike Sherman will be looking at Keondra Smith, Cyrus Gray and Bradley Stephens for the role as the Aggies' featured running back -- for a few weeks anyway. Whoever wins that battle may celebrate a kind of pyrrhic victory as heralded running back Christine Michael arrives for fall camp as the Aggies' likely featured back. But Sherman likely will be working on building depth in the spring.

Texas Tech Red Raiders

Spring practice begins: March 25

Spring game: April 18

Spring practice ends: April 20

What to watch:

• Any passing game regression?: Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree rewrote the national record book as one of the most prolific pass-and-catch
  combinations in NCAA history. But yet, the Red Raiders always have always had a potent passing attack with Mike Leach in charge. It will be interesting to see Taylor Potts' development at quarterback and the growth of wide receivers like Detron Lewis, Lyle Leong, Edward Britton, Rashad Hawk and Tramain Swindall as they try to fill those big shoes for the Red Raiders.
• Find a pass-rushing threat: Defensive end Brandon Williams is turning pro after leading the Big 12 with a school-record 12 sacks last season. McKinner Dixon was a big performer in spot duty last season and could be ready to emerge, as is junior-college transfer Daniel Howard.
• Rebuild the left side of the offensive line: Rylan Reed and Louis Vasquez were the two most decorated linemen in Texas Tech history during their careers. The productive duo will be missed, along with starting center Stephen Hamby. Chris Olson at left tackle and Lonnie Edwards at left guard aren't nearly as big or experienced as Reed and Vasquez. Growth during the spring for the unit will be important as the Red Raiders prepare for a difficult September schedule.