ESPN College Football

What's the bigger upset? KU winning the Big 12, considering its roster to start the season? Or KU winning tonight?

• West Virginia will be adding some sports some time, but which ones? AD Oliver Luck isn't so sure. "I think the conference office is probably grateful to us because it's forcing them to take a look at their bylaws," Luck said. "I don't think they'd paid much attention to some of the things that are in there." This is my unsurprised face.
• The Texas QBs? David Ash's chance to win the job this year looks as likely as Garrett Gilbert's did this time last year, writes Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman. And hey, why didn't UT attempt a field goal in the spring game?
• TCU is changing leagues, but its program's foundation is the same, writes Gil LeBreton of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
• Don Williams of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal sorts out who'll be playing and who won't among Tech receivers.
• Luck talks more about the Big 12 transition, noting that Florida State is still on the 2013 schedule.
• Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads offers a beard update, and linebacker Jake Knott talks about spending time off the field with Andrew Logue of the Des Moines Register. He also offers a look at former quarterback Jerome Tiller, who sat out last season because of academic issues, but is making an impact at receiver.
• It's not a big change, but Bobby Jack Wright is in charge of special teams at Oklahoma. Mike Baldwin of The Oklahoman explains exactly what that means.
• Cedric Golden of the Austin American-Statesman liked the physicality he saw from Texas in its spring game on Sunday.
• Former Baylor QB Robert Griffin III challenged Brittney Griner to a dunk contest. Hmm ... that sounds familiar.
• Texas unveiled its statue of Ricky Williams at the spring game on Sunday.
• The Sooners picked up a running back from Florida for the 2013 class.
• Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Todd Monken talks about his preparation for Year 2 with Gina Mizell of The Oklahoman.
• Ahmad Rashad checks in with Robert Griffin III and his parents.
• Richard Tijerina of the Austin American-Statesman has a few spare thoughts from Texas' spring game.
• The Statesman's Suzanne Halliburton tracks Baylor's recent rise as part of the "Baylor 2012" program, which sought to make the Bears the Baptist version of Notre Dame.
• Oklahoma would like you to begin drooling over receiver Trey Metoyer. Onward to YouTube!
• John Hoover of the Tulsa World catches up with former Sooner Brian Simmons, who tells what life is like in the Canadian Football League.
• Is Texas Tech moving a safety to defensive end? Looks like it.

Lots of good Oklahoma questions this week. Much appreciated. Had to cut out a bunch of solid ones.

Here's the rest of the teams we've covered so far:

• Texas Tech
• Texas A&M
• Texas
• Oklahoma State

Timm Decker in Louisville, Ky. asks: Do you prefer OU or Texas' method of scheduling? OU takes risk and schedules some big names which can help out in tie breaker situations and overall status, but that doesn't help if you don't win those games. I contend that had OU scheduled like Texas and played cupcakes, then Bradford probably wouldn't have been hurt and they meet Texas undefeated. People rip Texas's schedule but that didn't seem to matter last year as they played for the title. Over the course of many years, I think you are more likely to gain from the benefits of a Texas-like schedule (small chance of non-conference losses) vs. the benefits of an OU-like schedule (advantage in team comparisons / tie-breakers). What are your thoughts?

TBowman88 in Derby, Kan. asks: Why does Bob Stoops and David Boren continue to make one of the toughest schedules for themselves year after year while watching the majority or the other Big 12 powers play a cream puff non-conference schedule which in UT's case has sometimes help them go to a BCS game.

David Ubben: I’m not sure you can definitively say one is better than the other. I don’t have a strong preference, although Oklahoma earns a lot more street cred in the way they schedule. With the strength of the Big 12 in the past few years, any extremely difficult nonconference games were just gravy, but the tough schedule definitely helped push Oklahoma into the title game in 2008.

Oklahoma’s reasoning for scheduling the way it does is a desire to put a quality product on the field for fans to watch, and it obviously helps in December, too. But like last year, playing teams like BYU and Miami early in the season can hurt you (and your quarterback) pretty badly. Oklahoma doesn’t sound like it has any intention of changing the way it schedules, and they’ve got games with Tennessee, Notre Dame and Ohio State on the schedule in the future, in addition to Florida State and Cincinnati this season.

The one thing you have to watch out for is if Texas gets left out of a championship game, and the nonconference schedule becomes a reason, their nonconference scheduling strategy might change playing in a Big 12 without Nebraska, even if they’re playing an additional conference game.

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Coop-@-loop in McMinnville, Tenn. asks: So my wifes b-day is comin up, what should i get her, flowers and perfume or a #4 (Kenny Stills) jersey?

DU: Coop, I’m hardly an expert on the fairer sex, but you’d forever regret buying her a Kenny Stills jersey for her birthday. Trust me on this one.

Go with the classic Landry Jones QB jersey for the birthday. Save Stills for an anniversary. You know, a young guy with a future, just like your relationship.

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Vgg in OK asks: Do you think OU is just kind of sitting back happily and listening to all this UT/NEB stuff, and just quietly going under the radar a little bit? I know everyone is on this NEB bandwagon and maybe rightfully so, and i know they arent on OU's schedule. But it took 5 picks at home to barely beat my sooners. my point is, i guess, is that the biggest game on texas' schedule is not nebraska nor is it the toughest game.

DU: In some ways, Oklahoma might be. But it’s clear (judging by Texas’ lack of a response to any of the Nebraska talk) that Nebraska is taking this game much more seriously than Texas is. That’s not to say Texas is taking Nebraska lightly, but when you’ve had so many recent, memorable close losses to one team and so much controversy at the top of the decision-making chain, that’s pretty natural on Nebraska’s end. It also helps that the game is in Lincoln, and it helps Nebraska to further hype the game to its fans. But Texas knows who its historical rival is, even if the Huskers are gunning for them in 2010. No one has to tell them they’re responsible for showing up to both.

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Paul Johnstone in Chicago, Ill. writes: David: Many Sooner fans are concerned about the offensive line after last year. While it concerns me, with the rash of injuries, there was a new line every game last year giving the team as a unit this year invaluable experience. My real concern is breaking in 2 new CB's in a pass happy league. What is do you feel is the team's biggest question mark going into the 2010 season?

DU: Definitely the offensive line. They’ve got some talented guys in Stephen Good and Cory Brandon, but they really couldn’t ever put it together last year. In addition, they lose the three best blockers from last year’s team in Trent Williams, Brody Eldridge and Brian Simmons. The corners should do really well; they’ve got a lot of depth there. I expect Demontre Hurst to be everything Bob Stoops thinks he is. Jonathan Nelson and Jamell Fleming have a lot of game experience, especially Nelson, even if a lot of that experience came at safety last year for Nelson and on special teams for Fleming. Gabe Lynn has a lot of potential, too, and should get some valuable playing time this season.

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Jacob in Nebraska asks: Are you as high on Oklahoma's depth at Wide out as I am? There is experience all the way from Broyles to Reynolds. Plus you add on young guy's like Mccay and Stills.

DU: I’m not. I don’t have a lot of faith in any of those guys. Ryan Broyles is obviously a superstar, but past him, Oklahoma had an ever-spinning rotation of No. 2 guys in 2009. Dejuan Miller looks like the most likely guy to step into that role after finishing strong last year, but him becoming a non-factor like he was for most of the first half of the season wouldn’t shock me. There’s a lot of potential there in guys like Miller and Jaz Reynolds and the young receivers like Kenny Stills and Justin McCay, but they have to prove they can be consistent contributors on the field before I start claiming Oklahoma has any depth at receiver. Brandon Caleb has been underwhelming, but as a senior, he might even end up being the guy who Jones can count on opposite Broyles.

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Travis in Norman, Okla. asks: I'm hearing rumors that another quarterback (possibly Drew Allen) is the front-runner to become the Sooners' playmaker this fall. Any truth?

DU: Not much. It would take a monumental meltdown for Landry Jones to lose his starting job, but Drew Allen and incoming freshman Blake Bell should both be solid backups.

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Jon in Dallas, Texas asks: How realistic was the possibility of Oklahoma joining the SEC during the realignment talks?

DU: President David Boren said the Sooners had an offer, but like I wrote earlier today, Oklahoma didn’t sound real eager to break up with Texas. It's what was best for both schools.

Mark Schlabach has Oklahoma at No. 12 in his post-spring top 25. The Sporting News' top 100 lists the Sooners at No. 10. Most other early rankings had them just inside or outside that mark.

So when Phil Steele and his preseason magazine crew put the Sooners as their preseason No. 1, they had to know it'd garner some attention. Mission accomplished.

But even if Steele is overrating the Sooners, who finished last season 8-5, it's far from an insane pick. Call it a leap of faith in a group of five guys.

It's not hard to see why they're a top-10 team. They have a deep group of running backs with an experienced feature back. They have a quarterback in Landry Jones who threw for 3,198 yards and 26 touchdowns while being thrust into sudden action when Sam Bradford played only sparingly after suffering a shoulder injury in the season opener. He could be set for a big year.

They also have the conference's best receiver in Ryan Broyles, who caught 15 touchdowns in 2009, second-most in college football. He also emerged as Jones' safety blanket, catching 89 passes and notching fewer than seven receptions in just three games, including a loss to Miami when he was injured after a 37-yard reception on the opening drive.

The defense should have one of the best front fours in the country, headlined by defensive end Jeremy Beal. Junior linebacker Travis Lewis has taken control of the Sooners' leadership role after leading the team in tackles as a freshman and sophomore, and will line up next to a pair of promising young linebackers in Tom Wort and Ronnell Lewis, or experienced junior Austin Box.

The same goes for the secondary, which returns both safeties and should be deep at corner with Demontre Hurst, Jonathan Nelson, Jamell Fleming and Gabe Lynn.

In short, Oklahoma is well above average at nearly every unit.

But there's a unit missing from that breakdown, the unit Steele clearly must have faith in: the offensive line.

I can't speak for Steele's reasons, but if the offensive line doesn't improve -- and that's a big if -- then Steele's prediction is outrageous.

Oklahoma's current offensive line consists of Jarvis Jones, Stephen Good, Ben Habern, Tyler Evans and Cory Brandon. That's absent two NFL draft picks in Trent Williams and Brody Eldridge, along with outgoing senior Brian Simmons.

If last year is any indication, that lineup will change. The Sooners started nine different combinations on the offensive line in 2009, in part because of injury and in part because of injury.

Steele put Good, who started just seven games last season, on his All-Big 12 first team. He put Brandon on his second team. Habern made the third team and Jones, who missed the last four games of last season with a fractured heel, was on his fourth team.

Jones earned an All-Big 12 honorable mention nod, but the others on Steele's list didn't make any postseason lists.

As his preseason poll indicates, he disagrees with those assessments.

And we'll have to wait three more months to find out if he's right. And I'll wait for e-mails from Alabama fans ripping me for not calling Steele a houndstooth-hating fool.

Here's where the rest of the Big 12 sits on Steele's top 25:

1. Oklahoma

5. Nebraska

11. Texas

No dice for the Tigers or Aggies, who've slipped into the top 25 in a few pre-preseason polls.

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops made his way to Tulsa last night for the Sooner Caravan, giving him and other coaches within the program a chance to meet and speak with fans.

Though plenty was made of his comments about Oklahoma as it relates to possible realignment, he also had an interesting comment about running back DeMarco Murray.

From The Oklahoman:

In his first season as the team's primary ball-carrier, Murray has set a goal for himself to rush for 1,500 yards, which would be a career high.

OU coach Bob Stoops has even greater expectations.

"I don't think that's enough," Stoops said Tuesday during an OU carvan stop in Tulsa. "I'd sure like to see him at 1,900. Not like we haven't done it. Adrian (Peterson) and Quentin Griffin both were over 1,900. We'll see. Hopefully he can do something like that."

I've talked about Murray plenty on the blog. I think you'd have a tough time finding a more talented running back in the conference. An easier task: finding a more productive back. He's topped 1,000 yards just once in his career, and that was in 2008 when he sat out the Big 12 and national championship games with an injured hamstring. Murray and Chris Brown complemented each other well, but Murray never seemed to get enough touches. Offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said he wanted DeMarco to touch the ball 25 times a game last season. There's a lot that goes into that number, but Murray got 25 touches in a game just twice, and eclipsed 20 in just two other games.

If he's going to flirt with 2,000 yards (1,000 more than the number I think he flirts with this season) three things have to happen:

1) He has to stay healthy. He did that, for the most part, last season. He missed just one game (a road win over Kansas) with an ankle injury. That's been the biggest knock on him throughout his career, and if he goes down again, that knock will continue. It's worth noting that the injury criticisms are probably a little unfair. In three seasons, he's missed six games. The problem has been when he's missed games. In 2007, he missed the Bedlam game, the Big 12 championship and the Fiesta Bowl loss to West Virginia. In 2008, like I mentioned earlier, it was the Big 12 and national championships.

2) He needs more carries. With a struggling offensive line in 2009, Oklahoma constantly worked the flats against good defenses with Murray and receiver Ryan Broyles, their two biggest playmakers in space. He can get receptions there whenever he wants them, but Stoops sounds like he wants to pound it with Murray, who isn't lacking for size at 6-foot-1 and 214 pounds.

He only carried the ball 171 times in 2009. He'd have to average 11.1 yards per carry with that number of carries to hit 1,900 yards. Good luck with that.

But he has to prove he's productive enough to warrant those additional carries. Stoops isn't going to give him the ball because he's DeMarco Murray. He'll have to earn them with his play in games and in practice, and if he doesn't, there's plenty of backs behind him such as Jermie Calhoun or Mossis Madu ready to pick up the slack, not to mention incoming freshmen Roy Finch and Brennan Clay.

3) The offensive line has to improve. This is far from a given, especially after losing their three best blockers from last year's team in Trent Williams, Brody Eldridge and Brian Simmons. But Ben Habern and Tyler Evans have to stay healthy and consistent, and they need help from guys like Donald Stephenson, Jarvis Jones and Cory Brandon.

2009 overall record: 8-5

2009 conference record: 5-3

Returning starters: Offense (9), Defense(4) P/K (2)

Top returners: QB Landry Jones, RB DeMarco Murray, LB Travis Lewis, S Quinton Carter, WR Ryan Broyles, DE Jeremy Beal, DE Frank Alexander

Key losses: DT Gerald McCoy, OL Trent Williams, QB Sam Bradford, RB Chris Brown, DE Auston English, OL Brian Simmons, OL Brody Eldridge


2009 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Chris Brown (774 yards)

Passing: Landry Jones* (3,198 yards)

Receiving: Ryan Broyles* (1,120 yards)

Tackles: Travis Lewis* (108)

Sacks: Jeremy Beal* (11)

Interceptions: Brian Jackson (4)

Three spring answers

1. O-line no longer offensive. Coach Bob Stoops tabbed his offensive and defensive lines as two of the most improved units on the team, a big difference from a year ago when Stoops called out his offensive linemen for not working hard enough. Part of the problem last season was injuries, and right guard Eric Mensik was lost for six weeks with an MCL injury, but even without their three best blockers from a season ago, the line is further ahead as a unit than they were last spring.

2. Young talent rising. Plenty of young players didn’t get on the field in 2009, for various reasons, whether it be injury, more experienced talent, or still being in high school. But linebackers Tom Wort and Ronnell Lewis, along with cornerback Demontre Hurst and receiver Kenny Stills could be big parts of Oklahoma’s 2010 team. Lewis will help replace one of the linebacker positions vacated by Ryan Reynolds and Keenan Clayon, but moved around in the spring. Wort is a likely starter as well after missing all of last season with a torn ACL. Hurst will help replace one of the corner positions vacated by Dominique Franks and Brian Jackson. And Stills could start for a receiving corps that struggled in 2009.

3. Lewis takes the reins. Oklahoma’s defense won’t be short on talent, headlined by defensive ends Jeremy Beal and Frank Alexander. But junior linebacker Travis Lewis, the team’s leading tackler as a sophomore, is ready to take over as the voice of the team, talking plenty of trash before the spring game and backing it up with his play, helping his team pitch a shutout. Gerald McCoy was the heart of the defense last season. This year, it’s Travis Lewis.

Three fall questions

1. Can the Sooners stay healthy? The theme for last season was injuries everywhere for the Sooners. Stoops says confidently he isn’t changing a thing, and it’s the right move. But it won’t stop fans—and maybe a couple of coaches—from cringing every time a player goes down awkwardly. Injuries turned the Sooners from a national title contender into an eight-win team a year ago, and another year of getting beat up could add to the frustration.

2. How much better will Landry Jones be? Jones played well when forced into action early by Sam Bradford’s injured shoulder. He played poorly in games against Texas and Nebraska, but finished the season with a career-high 418 yards and three touchdowns against Stanford. Jones is loaded with potential, and Stoops is optimistic at how Jones will look after a full spring and fall as starter.

3. Do the Sooners have a kicker? Jimmy Stevens lost his job to walk-on Patrick O’Hara late last season, but the two combined were just 1-of-8 from beyond 40 yards last season. A rainy spring game did little to settle the spring debate, and a couple misses on reasonable kicks by whoever wins the job in the fall could lead to another switch.

Jackie Simmons in Raleigh, N.C., writes: I hoping you can help me with some answers. My son Brian Simmons played for OU last season as a OG beside Trent Williams and in front of Sam Bradford. He was not invited to the combine but scored top numbers at OU pro-day. We were thinking he would go in the 5 to 7 rounds which didn't happen. He hasn't received any free agent calls either. He has spent the last 10 years of his life preparing for this moment. This week he was told that he had been put on the NFL reject list because of his clubfoot. It has never been a problem for him so why would it be a problem for the NFL?

David Ubben: Jackie, I’m sorry to hear that, and to be honest, I wasn’t aware there was such a thing as an NFL reject list. I was aware of his clubfoot, but when I watched him last year, I never thought it had a huge effect on his gait and didn’t really seem to be a factor. He, Brody Eldridge, and of course, Trent, were by far the three best blockers on the team when they were healthy, and Brian absolutely has NFL size at 6-foot-4 and 318 pounds. I’m not a doctor, but my guess is teams see it as a higher risk for future injuries and don’t want to invest in him.

I was actually wondering myself what happened to him; I was a little surprised he hadn’t at least gotten a tryout somewhere.

I don’t know a lot about the medical specifics of the condition, but I do know that I spoke with Brian a ton during the last season, and he was easily one of the most intelligent and genuine players I've ever covered in any sport. It was pretty easy to see how much he enjoyed playing the game, too. Whatever he decides to do in the future, I don’t doubt he’ll succeed.

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Michael in College Station, Texas, writes: If you had to pick a game outside of the Red River Rivalry as the most important in deciding the winner of the south, which one would it be?

DU: Thanksgiving Day in Austin, Texas, could have big implications for the South winner. It’s going to be tough for the Aggies to win there, but they could be playing for a chance at the South title, or they could be playing to knock Texas out of the championship and put Oklahoma in. That game always seems to be a good one, and that should be the case again this year.

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Will in Nebraska writes: Hey David great bolg last few weeks. Now that spring ball is over how do you rate the team are they all the same as before or who moved up or down?

DU: Probably about the same, Will. Nebraska didn’t do much to change their position in my mind. They’re the solid favorites in the North, a borderline top 10 team nationally to start the season and should have a great defense. If the quarterback play improves, they could have a great season and win 11-12 games, or maybe more. If the offense plays the way it did last season, the defense is going to need more big efforts like they got in games against Texas and Oklahoma and if they don’t play as well as people think, the Huskers could slip down to eight or nine games.

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Chad in Parkville, Mo., writes: Hey David, I'm just confused about the expansions that might be happening. Mizzou to Big 10 and Colorado to the PAC 10? What will happen to the rivalries that Nebraska has with them?

DU: Missouri and Nebraska might be able to continue their rivalry in the Big Ten, but when conferences shift like they did in the 90s, rivalries get lost. It’s an unfortunate side effect of moves that universities feel are best for them in the big picture. Nebraska might try to continue some of them in the nonconference, but sometimes these rivalries go the way of JNCO jeans.

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Ryan Patrick in Houston asks: Assuming Griffin stays healthy, or even if Florence has a good Sophomore year, is Baylor's defense going to be up to the task of competing with anyone this year?

DU: That’s really the big question for the Bears. Nobody questions Robert Griffin's talent, and he’s got great receivers. But replacing guys like Joe Pawelek and Jordan Lake is a lot more difficult for Baylor than it would be for other teams in the conference. They’re bringing in a lot of talent in the secondary, but sometimes when great recruits go to schools with less tradition, they face more pressure than they would at schools that get them all the time. We won’t know how Baylor’s defense looks until the season starts, but if they can somehow win or stay close against TCU in Fort Worth, that would be a huge win for the program, and give them a great shot at starting the season 4-0. Even if they don’t, 3-1 is still a nice start for the Bears, and they play Kansas and Colorado in two of their first three conference games, two games they’ll have great chances to win.

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Guruprasad in Paris writes: There is always more than one way of interpreting the statistics. Here are the two possible scenarios, which will prove that the team that tops the 'Diversification Quotient' list is actually the least diverse team: (a) Having a 1000yrd receiver and rusher in your team means there are two skilled players how are more dominant than others in the team and hence a team runs its offense through them always (thus they end up with 1000+yrds). (b) On the contrary, having none might (not necessarily true but nevertheless a possibility) mean there are more than two skilled position players in the team who have to share the load and hence none of them individually probably reach the 1000 yds. Of the two scenarios listed above, one can argue that the (b) is more diverse because more players and possibly with different strengths are involved in the game. If 'diverse' is meant to mean the balance in receiving and rushing yards off a team's total offense then the 'diverse quotient' is probably not the best way to go about determining it.

DU: It’s definitely a flawed statistic, and I don’t know what you can really infer from it, but it’s mostly just cool to see it displayed like that. I don’t recall ever seeing anything like that anywhere. I don’t think you can tell much by the total number, or the “Diversification Quotient,” but if (excuse one of the four mathematical terms I know) you have a consistent mode in there, or something close, you’re clearly moving the ball in a lot of different ways. If a team has 5, 5 and 5, that’s a diverse offense. Texas Tech has 10 and 10, and they haven’t run the ball a lot, but they’ve still fielded one of the best offenses in college football over the past decade. No one is saying that “diverse” is necessarily “best,” but I think this was just an interesting way to look at offense and see stats displayed in a way we hadn’t seen them before.

Weak: Offensive line

The only thing the 2009 Oklahoma offensive line did more than get penalized was get injured.

In a season filled with disappointment, the offensive line began the season as a concern, and remained one throughout. Thinning numbers at nearly every position didn’t help, and after Trent Williams suffered a concussion before the season finale, Oklahoma was forced to start walk-on Brian Lepak, though he did perform well.

But the struggling line will lose its three best blockers from last season: Williams, Brian Simmons and Brody Eldridge.

For improvement, the Sooners need players like junior Stephen Good and sophomore Tyler Evans to fulfill their potential. Freshman Bronson Irwin enrolled early and will be in spring camp for the Sooners, and junior Donald Stephenson returns from a year-long suspension. He's drawn praise from Bob Stoops for his early work.

Strong: Defensive end

Oklahoma could once again contend for the best defensive line in college football, but its real strength is on the ends.

Senior Jeremy Beal had 11 sacks (fourth-most in school history) last season after grabbing 8.5 as a sophomore. Now, his senior season will be his third as starter after two consecutive appearances on the All-Big 12 first team.

Frank Alexander played extensively (nine starts) in his first two seasons and likely assumes a permanent starting role as a junior. Seven of his 23 tackles last season were for a loss and he also notched 1.5 sacks.

As a freshman, Alexander was named an All-Big 12 honorable mention performer and had five tackles as a starter in the national title game.
More Weak & Strong:

• Baylor
• Colorado
• Iowa State
• Kansas
• Kansas State
• Missouri
• Nebraska
  

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Happy Tuesday. Here are some of the questions that filled my e-mail earlier this week.

Jack Patterson of Amarillo, Texas, writes: Tim, I am an avid reader of your blogs. I check them at least once a day for new updates on all the Big 12. Lately though, I have had an issue with all the talk of the Big 12 North.

With the exception of Oklahoma’s offensive production against Nebraska this past Saturday night, the South Division has absolutely dominated our Northern rivals. Yet, there has been almost no talk about the fight for a second-place finish in the South. Let's say Texas runs the table, the winner of the Oklahoma State vs. Texas Tech game wins out, and the loser of that game wins their final two games. That would put the first, second and third place teams finishing above the first, second and possibly third place teams from the north.

Granted, the North Division has an exciting race to be played out over the next three weeks, but the South Division is playing solid football week in and week out. How will the bowls play out if this scenario occurs.

Tim Griffin: Victories by Nebraska over Oklahoma and Colorado over Texas A&M last week aside, the strength of the South looks much stronger than the strength of the North. Texas, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech are a combined 7-0 against the North. And if the rest of the season plays out as most would expect, it would be hard not to see those teams going perfect against the North.

I think the South Division will end up claiming three of the top four bowl spots. If Nebraska wins the North, their tradition and fan appeal will get them one of the top three bowls. But the other top two bowls will go to South teams when it’s all over.

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Tyler Asche of Columbia, Mo., writes: Tim, this Heisman race is really starting to get on my nerves. First, ESPN takes Ndamukong Suh off as a viable option, and then doesn’t even recognize him as the leader in their weekly text message. Suh is having one of the most dominant season that a defensive tackle has EVER put up in the history of college football helping a struggling offensive team stay in and win games. The list is full of great names and players, but how many of those young men are putting up numbers better than anyone in history at their position? It's a shame how the media is closing the door on such a phenomenal athletes chances to have to win a once in a lifetime award. I'm starting the feel that the Heisman just isn't what it used to be.

Tim Griffin: There’s no debate about Suh’s abilities. But it’s hard to argue for a defensive tackle because their statistics are hard to quantify. But for whatever it’s worth, remember that Jared Crick leads Suh in total tackles, sacks and tackles for losses this season. So I don’t know if I necessarily would say that Suh has the best statistics for a defensive tackle ever.

He’s clearly one of the most valuable players in college football. And his statistics don’t tell his story.

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Matt Howard from Virginia writes: Tim, I'm a pretty big Oklahoma fan and all of these injuries are really depressing me. Jermaine Gresham, Sam Bradford, Ryan Broyles, Bradford again, and now Auston English, Brody Eldridge, and Jarvis Jones. Has anyone else been hit as hard in their starting lineup as OU this year?

Tim Griffin: In my recent history, I can’t remember a team that has struggled with injuries like the Sooners this season. And also don’t forget to include Broyles, Brandon Caleb, DeMarco Murray and Brian Simmons have missed a combined eight games with injuries. Freshman linebacker Tom Wort, one of the revelations of early training camp, was lost with a season-ending knee injury. And linebacker Mike Balogun was declared ineligible before the season started.

It shows how good the current Oklahoma defense is, making them historical good for what will likely end up to be an 8-4 or 7-5 season.

This is a season that Bob Stoops will just choose to forget.

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Fred Dodge of Annapolis, Md., writes: Tim, I am Husker through and through and while I am really happy about the win over Oklahoma I see it as a different version of Iowa State's win over Nebraska. The gutty underdog getting a bunch of turnovers and beating an error-prone talented team. In truth, this does nothing to change my view that the Big 12 North is a second-tier division. Please compare the Big 12 North to the Mountain West and Western Athletic Conferences. Am I wrong (at least as far as football goes)? Does anybody in the North stack-up to TCU and Utah; and don't you think they would run the table in the North?

Tim Griffin: College football obviously is cyclical, but you have to admire the development in the Mountain West. TCU is 9-0 and Utah is 8-1 with only a loss at Oregon. BYU showed its strength earlier in the season by beating Oklahoma and has lost to only Florida State and TCU. All three of those teams I think are better than the Nebraska/Kansas State/Colorado concentration in the Big 12 North. The South, I’m not so sure about.

As far as the WAC, I’m not so sure if I would rank them with the Big 12 North. Remember that current WAC leader Nevada lost on its home field to Missouri, which is struggling to remain out of the Big 12 North cellar. Nevada has turned things around with a current six-game winning streak and Fresno has a five-game streak. Boise State is better than any Big 12 North team this season, but the rest of the WAC isn’t at that level.

And as far as running the table, I still think that those top Mountain West and WAC teams would have trouble winning consistently in the Big 12. But this season, TCU, Boise State and Utah would likely be at the top.

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Eric Owens of Orange, Texas, writes: Here’s a question about a hypothetical bowl scenario. Let’s assume Gator Bowl chooses a 10-2 Pitt over a 7-5 Notre Dame. Is the Sun Bowl obligated to take a Big 12 team, or could they still select Notre Dame and shut the Big 12 out of a bowl slot?

Tim Griffin: This is the final season of the combined Gator/Sun contract with the Big East/Notre Dame and the Big 12. The perimeters provided for two seasons for the bowl from each conference. The Big 12 has filled the Gator Bowl in each of the last two seasons with Texas Tech in 2007 and Nebraska last season. Under terms of the contract, the Gator Bowl is obligated to take a team from the Big East or Notre Dame this season. The Sun Bowl, which had Missouri in 2006, is obligated to take a Big 12 team this season.

The Sun Bowl won't have access to a Big 12 team after this season with its new contract beginning in 2010 when representatives from the Pac-10 and Atlantic Coast conferences meet.

Thanks again for all of the good questions. We’ll catch up again on Friday afternoon.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

DALLAS -- Mack Brown's attitude before these games against Oklahoma has changed over the years.

Brown used to appear uptight before his games against the Sooners.

I was struck by how much different he appeared this week. He might have been the most relaxed I've ever seen him before one of these games.

Obviously, Brown is secure in knowing he has a pretty good team. And the Longhorns will be facing a wounded Oklahoma team that doesn't appear to be nearly as formidable as it might have been before the season.

But weird things have a way of happening in this rivalry over the years. Here are some things that the Longhorns need to do to claim their fourth victory in the last five games of the series.

• Pressure Sam Bradford: Sergio Kindle's senior season has been a little bit of a disappointment with 19 tackles and two sacks. He'll have a chance to pressure the young Sooners' offensive line which is a little bit weaker after Brian Simmons' knee injury. The Longhorns' defensive line wore down the Sooners last season, causing Bradford more problems than in any regular-season game. They need to do the same thing today.
• Keep DeMarco Murray contained: Murray rushed for a season-best 113 yards against Baylor last week. But he's still the Sooners' most explosive offensive player and can be a force as a receiver, too. With Ryan Broyles still recovering from his injury, Texas needs to pay special attention to Murray to keep him from becoming a force.
• Be multi-dimensional on offense: The Longhorns rushed for only 46 yards last week against Colorado and it will be even tougher against Oklahoma's rigid run defense. Watch for them to try to dictate the running game early to try and establish some early tempo.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

DALLAS -- Oklahoma has taken the field to begin its pregame warm-ups.

As the Sooners make their final preparations, here’s what they need to do to spring the upset later today.

Account for Jordan Shipley: The Sooners can’t afford to let Shipley run free like he did last season when he produced 11 receptions and turned the game around with a pivotal kickoff return for a touchdown. Shipley has been even better this season as he’s produced double-digit receptions in his last three games for the first time in school history.

Play free and loose: Bob Stoops cultivated his “Big Game Bob” reputation with big performances against the Longhorns earlier in his career, winning three straight games as underdogs from 2000-02. In those games, the Sooners gambled, took chances and were successful. It hasn’t been that easy in recent years.

For Stoops to have success in his 11th battle against Mack Brown -- a record in coaching battles in the storied 104-game series of the history -- the Sooners need to return to that attitude where they were willing to take chances.

Protect Sam Bradford: The Sooners’ inexperience in the offensive line was already severe with four new starters surrounding left tackle Trent Williams. And the loss of starting guard Brian Simmons in last week’s game made it a little more pressing.

That unit will have to play its best collective game of the season in protecting Bradford, back for his second game of the season after spraining his shoulder earlier this year. Look for the Longhorns to bring the heat early to try to rattle Bradford and keep him from getting into an early comfort zone.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

It's a simple truth that seemingly is as old as the Red River Rivalry itself.

Even with the proliferation of passing games across the conference -- including at Texas and Oklahoma -- the importance of the running game in their annual matchup at the Cotton Bowl can't be overstated.

	Doug Benc/Getty Images
	DeMarco Murray and Oklahoma's other backs will be tested against the Longhorns' stout run defense.

In the Bob Stoops-Mack Brown era of the Texas-Oklahoma game, all six of Stoops' teams have won when they've outrushed Texas. And Brown's teams are 3-0 when they have outrushed Oklahoma. Texas' only other win under Brown came in 2006 when both teams ran for 124 yards.

That history will place huge pressure on both teams trying to run the ball against defenses that rank among the nation's top three in stopping the run.

Texas will be coming into the game with big questions at running back. Co-starters Vondrell McGee and Tre' Newton have been taken off the depth chart because of injuries.

That's on top of the Longhorns' struggles last week against Colorado, where they produced only 46 yards on 25 carries. It was the least productive rushing performance since they produced the same yardage total against Kansas State on Oct. 19, 2002.

“We have not consistently run the ball this year,” Brown said. “OU is one of the best at stopping the run in the country. So that's a big concern for us. We ran it so poorly Saturday night, that if that's the case, we've got a lot of work to do before Saturday."

If McGee and Newton can't go, look for the oft-injured Fozzy Whittaker to get the first crack at a Sooner defense that is third nationally against the run.

“You just kind of have to go with who's healthy,” Texas running backs coach Major Applewhite said. “You have to really rely on your doctors and your players for information and their input and how they feel and get a good read on those players.”

Despite the recent struggles, Applewhite remains confident in his running game.

“I was very optimistic about what I saw today. I feel good about that," Applewhite said. "When you've got guys like Vondrell and Tre' who have taken a lot of reps, it's good to get somebody else some reps to get them worked in the routine and those guys can get mental reps.”

The Longhorns were able to control the line of scrimmage last year against Oklahoma, gaining 161 rushing yards compared to 48 for the Sooners. Texas held the ball for more than 37 minutes, icing the victory when Chris Ogbonnaya exploded for a 62-yard run that set up the clinching touchdown in a 45-35 triumph.

"The Texas-OU game makes everyone healthy, because everybody wants to play," Brown said. "This is a game that gets you well fast."

Oklahoma is in a similar predicament, although the Sooners' running game picked up last week at Baylor late in the game.

The Sooners struggled for much of the game last week, producing only 52 rushing yards midway through the third quarter as Baylor committed to stopping the run.

Eventually, the running of DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown wore down the Bears and Oklahoma finished with 197 yards -- their best performance this season against an FBS opponent.

Murray first made his name in the Texas-Oklahoma rivalry with a breakthrough game two years ago. Murray rushed for 128 yards, including a 65-yard jaunt that catapulted the Sooners to their last victory in the series.

That was a marked contrast from last season, when he produced only 6 yards on seven carries as he was still slow to heal from a fractured kneecap suffered late the previous season.

But his rebound last week has given him confidence, even playing with an inexperienced Sooner offensive line that lost starting guard Brian Simmons last week with a knee injury. Oklahoma will be tested against a Longhorns defense that leads the nation in run defense and has permitted opponents to produce an average of 15 yards per game and 0.6 yards per carry over the last three games.

"We've been running the ball pretty good and we need to keep being physical, just like we've been doing,” Murray said. “I have a lot of confidence in this group and I think we'll be fine."

The history of this game demands patience. It's why you'll likely see both teams set an example early that they will try to run the ball.

“Running yards in this game have been hard,” Brown said. “You have to pick and choose. People can say Saturday night it was hard to run. It will be harder this Saturday than last Saturday.”

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Here are some of the tidbits that people are talking about across the Big 12 heading into games this week.

• After his receivers struggled to get acclimated in rainy conditions at Missouri, Nebraska receivers coach Ted Gilmore told his team to ditch the gloves and hand warmers and catch bare-handed. The biggest beneficiary was Niles Paul, who bounced back after two earlier drops to snag a pair of touchdown passes in the fourth quarter to key Nebraska’s rally.
• Iowa State coaches are enthused despite their 0-2 conference start. The biggest reason is the recent play of quarterback Austen Arnaud after the Cyclones have utilized a ground-heavy attack from the spread for most of the season. If Arnaud can continue to boost his passing, don’t be surprised if the Cyclones notch an upset or two that might be considered a surprise now.
• Robert Griffin’s knee surgery earlier this week ended any hopes he might have had of playing this season. What will be more important will be how Baylor coach Art Briles handles his starting quarterback job during the rest of the season. Blake Szymanski should get the nod as soon as he’s healthy to play. But it will be interesting to see if there’s a point later this season where Briles figures it’s more advantageous to get freshman Nick Florence the majority of the work to build for his future, rather than playing Szymanski, who is a senior.
• Colorado coaches believe that Tyler Hansen will be a different quarterback this season than the one who briefly claimed the starting position for the Buffaloes late last season. Hansen, they believe, won’t be quite as prone to run after progressing through his checks on offense. That maturity should help the Buffaloes become more productive offensively.
• The secret to Todd Reesing’s early success this season is the lack of hits he’s taken from opposing defensive linemen. Reesing’s diminutive size always makes that a concern -- particularly when the meat of the Big 12 schedule kicks in. After this week’s game against Colorado, the Jayhawks will play Oklahoma, Texas Tech and Kansas State to start a punishing finish that also will include games against Texas, Nebraska and Missouri. If he can remains well protected and upright during that time, Mark Mangino’s pitch for postseason honors for his senior quarterback won’t be out of line.
• One reason why Missouri’s ground game has struggled so much this season has been the Tigers' struggles with penalties. It’s been difficult for the Tigers to thrive in unfavorable down-and-distance situations. The Tigers were penalized for offensive holding four times last week against Nebraska. In 2008, the Tigers were flagged for 10 offensive holding penalties in a 14-game season.
• The key to success in the Texas-Oklahoma game Saturday -- as it almost always seems to be -- will be running the ball. Since the Big 12 was formed in 1996, the team that rushed for the most yardage has won 11 of the 13 games, including every game but once since 1997. Both teams will struggle against fearsome run defenses, but the team that is the most patient should have the most success.
• With the injury to starting guard Brian Simmons for the Texas game, look for Oklahoma offensive line coach James Patton to go with a player-by-committee rotation to fill in. Don’t be surprised if Tyler Evans, Stephen Good and Tavaris Jefferies all get a shot at snaps at Simmons’ position.
• Keith Toston’s role as the most valuable backup running back in the conference was re-emphasized with his big game against Texas A&M. He produced 204 yards of total offense and helped take the pressure off a young group of receivers with two critical big gains on screen passes early in the game.
• The experiment of moving Texas A&M tight end Jamie McCoy into the backfield as a running threat worked well enough that Aggies coaches plan to keep tinkering with the alignment. McCoy showed strong running as he picked up 24 yards on four carries in his first work as a ball carrier since playing briefly in the 2006 season as a quarterback.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Both Colorado and Oklahoma were careful not to reveal too much in open practices Thursday.

The Buffaloes scored only one touchdown -- a 1-yard jaunt by tailback Demetrius Sumler -- in a 126-play scrimmage that accounted for 579 total yards.

Quarterback Cody Hawkins told the Boulder Daily Camera that the Buffaloes utilized only about 5 percent of their total playbook in the scrimmage.

"We didn't do anything we've been doing in practice," Hawkins said. "When I was looking at the ready list today, it was unbelievably vanilla."

Hawkins completed 21 of 29 passes for 184 yards and no interceptions in his battle with Tyler Hansen, who completed 10 of 15 passes for 137 yards.

Hawkins also was the leading rusher in the scrimmage with 58 yards coming on scrambles. Sumler accounted for a team-high 37 yards to pace the rushing backs. And tailback Darrell Scott led the receivers with six catches for 47 yards.

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops allowed the public to watch the first hour of the Sooners' work Thursday evening.

The Sooners' special teams showed flashes during the brief glimpse of their work. Sophomore kicker Jimmy Stevens producing field goals of 50 and 53 yards while the crowds were watching.

And redshirt freshman Tress Way appeared to outkick Cameron Kenney in the battle for the punting job, the Tulsa World reported. Kenney also started in the Sooners' three-wide receiver groupings in Thursday's practice.

Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford earned the biggest cheers of the workout from the 500 fans in attendance when he hooked up with Adron Tennell on a 40-yard pass over cornerback Brian Jackson.

With projected starting center Ben Habern still hobbling, sophomore Stephen Good worked with the Sooners' first unit that also included tackles Trent Williams and Cory Brandon and guards Brian Simmons and Jarvis Jones. Williams, the team's most experienced returnee at offensive line, also got a few snaps at center.

And on defense, middle linebacker Ryan Reynolds appears to be rounding into form after missing the second half of last season with a knee injury. Reynolds wore pads, but was replaced by Mike Balogun during the team parts of the drill.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

All questions aren't settled during the course of spring practice as teams still have much work to upgrade their weaknesses heading into the season.

Obviously, some will receive a boost from incoming freshmen who will arrive later. But here's how each team's biggest liability shakes out heading into the summer.

Baylor: The Bears are desperately looking for help at offensive tackle after losing No. 2 overall draft pick Jason Smith and Dan Gay as their starters. Former Canadian firefighter Danny Watkins has established himself at Smith's old position protecting Robert Griffin's blind side. And on the right side, junior Chris Griesenbeck and redshirt freshmen Cameron Kaufhold are competing for the starting job with Tyler Junior College's Phillip Blake and Blinn College's Marquis Franklin set the arrive later this summer.

Colorado: Wide receiver has been a question mark for the Buffaloes throughout Dan Hawkins' coaching tenure. The Buffaloes return four scholarship wide receivers and had a chance to work out several new players with Scotty McKnight injured during the spring. Josh Smith and Markques Simas are the top playmakers coming out of the spring. Non-scholarship players like Jason Espinoza and Ryan Maxwell emerged, but the Buffaloes definitely need a big upgrade at the position from their arriving freshman class.

Iowa State: The Cyclones will be facing a big hole at left tackle, where two-year starter Doug Dedrick departs. It could be filled by Matt Hulbert, who started two games last season when Dedrick was hurt. Or it could be massive 354-pound junior Hayworth Hicks or freshman Brayden Burris at the position. Whoever emerges will face a huge challenge in filling Dedrick's experience as he protects the blind side of the Iowa State quarterbacks.

Kansas: Coach Mark Mangino will be facing a few huge rebuilding job at linebacker, where the Jayhawks lose key contributors Joe Mortensen, Mike Rivera and James Holt from last season. Mangino is talking about using a two-linebacker set as his base defense with fifth-year senior Jake Schermer and senior Arist Wright getting the starting jobs leaving spring practice. Sophomore Steven Johnson and converted running back Angus Quigley were competing for playing time during the spring and another boost is expected when junior linebacker Justin Springer, who is recovering from a torn ACL last season, returns in the fall.

Kansas State: Carson Coffman appeared to have claimed the starting job at quarterback -- at least for a few weeks -- after a strong effort during the latter stages of spring practice. But Coffman's late binge has to be tempered considering he is playing against the weak Kansas State secondary. So it's fair to say there are some lingering questions at the position. Coffman apparently has beaten back the challenge of challengers Collin Klein, Joseph Kassanavoid, Trey Scott and Milton McPeek. But the arrival of South Florida transfer Grant Gregory and heralded junior-college transfer Daniel Thomas will mean more competition in the summer.

Missouri: The Tigers will be facing a challenge of replacing NFL first-round draft pick Evander "Ziggy" Hood at defensive tackle to play opposite nose tackle Jaron Baston. Redshirt sophomore Terrell Resonno appeared to have claimed the job out of the spring, with Dominique Hamilton, Chris Earnhardt and converted linebacker George White perhaps earning their way into the rotation.

Nebraska: After the graduation of top receivers Todd Peterson and Nate Swift from last season, the Cornhuskers need to fill both positions. Leading returning receiver Menelik Holt appears to have a hammerlock on one position, but Niles Paul lost a chance to take a big step forward after missing the spring after he was suspended for driving under the influence. Antonio Bell was the biggest surprise, but converted I-back Marcus Mendoza, Chris Brooks, Wes Cammack and Curenski Gilleylen all showed flashes during the spring.

Oklahoma: There was concern before spring practice, considering the Sooners were replacing four-fifths of their starting offensive line with only Trent Williams back from last season's starters. And it got worse when Bob Stoops called out the young replacements because of their lack of diligence in their preseason conditioning. Williams emerged at left tackle with Brian Simmons and Stephen Good at guards, redshirt freshman Ben Habern at center and either LSU transfer Jarvis Jones or Cory Brandon at right tackle. The depth took a hit when center Jason Hannan left early in training camp and sophomore guard Alex Williams chose to leave after spring practice. The group struggled against the Sooners' talented defensive line, allowing Sam Bradford to be touch-sacked twice in three possessions in the spring game and produced only 27 rushing yards in 52 carries.

Oklahoma State: The loss of veteran center David Washington produced a huge hole in the center of the Cowboys' interior line. Andrew Lewis returns to his natural position, leaving Oklahoma State needing two new starters at guard. Noah Franklin and Jonathan Rush have staked claims to the starting positions with Anthony Morgan and Nick Martinez getting repetitions inside. This group needs to improve if it hopes to equal the standards of previous seasons, when the Cowboys led the Big 12 in rushing each of the last three seasons.

Texas: The tight end was rarely used for the Longhorns after Blaine Irby dislocated his kneecap last season against Rice. He still wasn't ready to go during the spring as Greg Smith, Ahmard Howard, Ian Harris and D.J. Grant all got work. None of them emerged. And with Irby's return remaining iffy, it means the Longhorns again could reduce the use of the tight end and utilize four-receiver sets when they want to move the ball. Don't look for the Longhorns to use the tight end much unless this production improves.

Texas A&M: T
he Aggies were wracked with injuries during the spring as projected starters Lee Grimes, Kevin Matthews and Lucas Patterson were sidelined all spring as A&M was down to only nine healthy offensive linemen for some practices. It still doesn't excuse the lack of offensive production for A&M's starting unit, which produced only 9 yards rushing on 24 carries against Texas A&M's first-string defense. Coach Mike Sherman will be counting on immediate production from an impressive group of incoming freshman at fall practice, but it's fair to characterize the Aggies' offensive line as the team's biggest spring concern -- especially after allowing 39 sacks last season and ranking last in the conference in rushing yards per game.

Texas Tech: The loss of productive starters Daniel Charbonnet and Darcel McBath left a gaping hole at safety for the Red Raiders. Junior Franklin Mitchem earned the free safety position leaving spring practice and redshirt freshman Cody Davis emerged at strong safety. Jared Flannel, Brett Dewhurst and converted linebacker Julius Howard also got some snaps at safety. It will still be a challenge to combat the explosive Big 12 defenses with such an inexperienced group at the position.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Oklahoma's already shaky depth in the offensive line took another hit Friday when Alex Williams was kicked off the team.

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops told the Tulsa World that Williams was no longer with the team.

Williams was a backup at guard behind projected starters Stephen Good and Brian Simmons coming out of spring practice.

The 6-foot-6, 300-pounder from New Orleans played in six games as a backup last season. Coaches had hoped he would challenge for a starting position somewhere on a rebuilding offensive line that will feature four news starters.

"Alex Williams won't be back with us," Stoops told the World. "He's not doing what he needs to do. I'm not going to renew his scholarship and he's going to transfer somewhere."

Trent Williams is the Sooners' only returning starter along the offensive line, which will protect returning Heisman Trophy quarterback Sam Bradford during the upcoming season.

Stoops obviously wasn't happy with Alex Williams' progression, but it makes the Sooners' biggest question mark a little more troublesome heading into fall practice.