ESPN College Football

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

It was a debut that couldn’t have gone much worse.

Robert Griffin hoped to lead Baylor’s first game last season against Wake Forest. Instead, he sat helplessly on the bench watching his team fall into a huge early deficit before he was ever inserted into his first college game.

After battling Kirby Freeman all summer long for playing time, Coach Art Briles went with experience with the safe choice of starting Freeman against the Demon Deacons in his first game coaching the Bears.

“Last year was very uncomfortable,” Griffin said. “There were a lot of unknowns for us. We had a new quarterback, a new coach, just a whole new philosophy and system. It was pretty tough.”

By the time Griffin entered early in the second quarter, the Demon Deacons had charged to a 17-0 lead. The freshman had a credible appearance with flashes of productivity, but it was too late as Wake claimed a decisive 41-13 victory.

Only a year later, those bad memories are in the past for the Bears as they come into the season a fashionable pick as one of the nation’s surprise teams.

Before any of that comes about, Baylor and Griffin will face an immediate challenge. Their first task in trying to change the culture of a program with the Big 12's longest bowl streak will come Saturday at Wake Forest.

The difference between now and last year’s opener is stunning, Griffin said.

“We’re a lot more confident going into this game,” Griffin said. “We know the quarterback. We know the philosophy. We know what the other team is going to try and do so we’re hoping to go out there and get a win.”

The Bears made strong progress under Griffin as the season went on. Their offense perked up as they rushed for at least 200 yards in four of the last five games in the season.

And they should be able to build on that late surge with an improved cast of surrounding players on offense with their sophomore quarterback.

Leading rusher Jay Finley is back at I-back after rushing for a team-best 865 yards, capped by back-to-back 100-yard games to finish the season. He’ll be supported in the backfield by transfer running back Terrance Ganaway and redshirt freshman Jarred Salubi.

Kendall Wright led the Bears with 50 catches last seasons, but coaches have been raving about the progress of 6-foot-6 freshman Willie Jefferson throughout fall camp.

The biggest question for the Bears’ offensive success remains their offensive line and in particularly their new pair of starting tackles to replace Jason Smith and Dan Gay. How well they protect Griffin, who accounted for a school-record 28 touchdowns last season, could determine if the Bears will go bowling.

“Last year, I had confidence but not really experience,” Griffin said. “And that wasn’t only myself but the rest of the team. That’s something we’ve been building. There's a big difference when we go out now with all of the weapons I have around me.”

The Bears repeatedly came close last season, losing three games by a touchdown or less in a 4-8 season that could have turned on a couple of plays.

After those close finishes, the Bears are hopeful of being better prepared during Griffin’s second season as a starter.

“We might have opened some eyes and turned heads, but we didn’t finish many people off,” Briles said. “To have total respect, you have to win some of those games. People will pat you on the back and say you played well if you play somebody close. We don’t want that. We just want to win.”

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin
Here's a look at how I rank the Big 12 offenses heading into the season.


1. Oklahoma State – The conference’s most balanced offense also features the best rushing/receiving combination in Kendall Hunter and Dez Bryant and one of the Big 12's best offensive linemen in Russell Okung. Zac Robinson still has meltdown moments, but he’s gotten much better with experience. The big questions will be finding a No. 2 receiver and a tight end to replace Brandon Pettigrew.


2. Oklahoma: The Sooners have the most productive quarterback in school history in Sam Bradford with the conference’s best backfield combination in Chris Brown and DeMarco Murray and college football’s best tight end in Jermaine Gresham. The offensive line, however, isn’t nearly as good as some from the program's past. The line's development will largely determine if the Sooners can claim four-straight Big 12 titles.


3. Texas: Colt McCoy is back for his fourth season as starter and Jordan Shipley seemingly has been around long enough to collect a pension. That’s a great start. Vondrell McGee has emerged as a steady back who might end up earning the majority of carries running behind a deep offensive line. It will be interesting to see if they can find a tight end who will block consistently enough to keep the team from running multiple wide-receiver sets down the stretch. Developing that bruising running game will be the biggest challenge for the Longhorns.


4. Kansas: Todd Reesing might be the nation’s most underrated quarterback and the development of a tandem backfield in Jake Sharp and Toben Opurum will provide balance to the conference’s best receiving corps. It will be interesting to see how much better Kerry Meier can become by concentrating on offense. He adds with top deep threat Dezmon Briscoe, the underrated Jonathan Wilson and freshman addition Bradley McDougald. The Jayhawks’ title hopes will hinge on better pass blocking, particularly from new left tackle Tanner Hawkinson, a converted high school tight end.


5. Texas Tech: There are more questions with the loss of Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree, although Mike Leach seems very happy with Taylor Potts and his current group. The Red Raiders might be deeper at wide receiver with a collection of players than when Crabtree commandeered most of the catches. Baron Batch’s recovery from an elbow injury will be critical, but the Red Raiders have a big nasty offensive front keyed by All-Big 12 candidate Brandon Carter and the underrated Marlon Winn.


6. Baylor: Robert Griffin makes these guys go and he should be even more comfortable in his second season as a starter. Jay Finley might be one of the least-appreciated backs in the league and a deep collection of wide receivers will help boost production. The biggest concern will be the play of tackles Danny Watkins and Phillip Blake, who will be replacing decorated former starters Jason Smith and Dan Gay.


7. Missouri: This offense will be different from the attack in the Chase Daniel era. Look for new coordinator David Yost to utilize a strong running game keyed by Derrick Washington, who is finally healthy after being hurt most of the second half of 2008. New quarterback Blaine Gabbert obviously doesn’t have the experience in the Tigers’ offense as Daniel, but he might have a better deep arm which will give Yost more chances to attack with long passes. It’s a typically deep collection of receivers with Danario Alexander poised for a breakout season if he can stay healthy.


8. Colorado: Other than the fact that Dan Hawkins can’t decide on a starting quarterback, this unit might be a little underrated and ready to blossom. I really like their collection of running backs with Darrell Scott poised to fulfill his recruiting promise. Rodney Stewart and Demetrius Sumler add different running styles behind a nice line keyed by Ryan Miller, Nate Solder and Mike Iltis. The passing game might sputter early as Markques Simas misses the first two games and Andre Simmons plays his way into the rotation after missing most of fall practice. But it might be surprisingly productive by the time conference play rolls around.


9. Nebraska: Lack of an experienced quarterback and tested running backs behind Roy Helu Jr. cause them to drop a little after Quentin Castille’s dismissal. I’m hearing the Cornhuskers will feature more deep passing with Zac Lee, which might allow receivers Menelik Holt and Niles Paul a chance to go deep. The best part of their offense is their five-headed monster at tight end keyed by Mike McNeill and Dreu Young. Ricky Henry’s emergence at right guard has enabled Jacob Hickman to stay at center where he’ll anchor a developing line.


10. Texas A&M: Jerrod Johnson won the starting quarterback job this summer, but I was surprised that Ryan Tannehill will remain behind him as a backup rather than a wide receiver where he was the team’s leading receiver this season. Jeff Fuller might be one of the Big 12’s most underrated wide receivers and Jamie McCoy is a productive, pass-catching tight end. A bigger, stronger Cyrus Gray will get the start at tailback, although heralded freshman Christine Michael will push him for playing time. The biggest question remains an offensive line that struggled with injuries and produced only 89 yards rushing and 39 sacks. If they are healthy, they might be a surprise after last year’s consistent struggles.


11. Iowa State: New coordinator Tom Herman will attempt to retrofit his no-huddle attack that was so successful at Rice for the Cyclones. He has a tough, savvy quarterback in Austen Arnaud and a multi-talented running back in Alexander Robinson. Keep an eye out for Darius Reynolds who has emerged as the team’s slot receiver as Darius Darks overcomes a training-camp injury. The largest offensive line in FBS will be protecting Arnaud, but needs to do a better job of dominating at the point of attack.


12. Kansas State: Carson Coffman and Daniel Thomas were named as starters today by Bill Snyder. Coffman was effective at times last season as Josh Freeman’s backup, but remains a question mark as he takes over the starting job. The position changes of Lamark Brown and Logan Dold opened up the running back job in training camp and the 227-pound Thomas took advantage. Brandon Banks is a strong player who belies his size as a receiver and kick returner. The offensive line remains a question after a season-ending injury to Brock Unruh leaves only Nick Stringer and a cast of unknowns to share playing time.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

WACO, Texas -- It's supposed to be the thought that keeps Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin awake at night: Who will be protecting his blind side from the headhunters playing defensive end in the Big 12?

Griffin developed a level of comfort and confidence in his freshman season when he was protected by Jason Smith and Dan Gay, two experienced players who combined for 73 starts in their careers with the Bears. They were the bookends who helped Griffin produce 2,934 total yards and 28 touchdowns last season, including 843 rushing yards that led all Big 12 quarterbacks.

His concern might be intensified considering that Smith, the No. 2 overall pick in the most recent NFL draft, will be replaced by a player with more experience putting out fires and playing hockey than withstanding bull rushes from defensive ends.

If Griffin is worried that Danny Watkins, a 23-year-old native of Kelowna, B.C., with barely two years of experience playing American football is taking over, he isn't letting on. In fact, Griffin is confident that Watkins and another new starter at right tackle are ready to withstand the challenges of playing in the Big 12.

"I trust those guys," Griffin said. "I know if they make a mistake in one game or one play, they'll recover and make up for it on the next. It's not a problem like I'll be looking over my shoulder on every play to check and see somebody is coming."

The two new tackles will be the Bears' biggest offensive question marks and perhaps the biggest determining factor in whether Baylor can break a 15-season bowl drought that ranks as the longest in the conference.

Baylor coach Art Briles realizes the magnitude of the personnel losses at the tackle positions. But he is confident in his incoming tackles after watching them develop over the spring.

(Read full post)

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

A fast finish made Baylor running back Jay Finley wish that the 2008 season could have lasted a few weeks longer.

Finley capped 2008 with 100-yard rushing efforts in the Bears' final two games, finally showing the potential he had longed to meet since arriving at college.

	Karl Anderson/Icon SMI
	Jay Finley averaged 5.8 yards per carry last season and rushed for seven touchdowns.

The closing spurt started with 116 rushing yards in the Bears' impressive victory over Texas A&M and was followed with 105 yards in Baylor's season finale against Texas Tech.

"I have confidence that I can keep doing it and going into the offseason, those games have made me work extra hard," Finley said. "We were rolling and I hated to see the season end."

Finley's late charge came after he made a conscious decision to relax in the backfield, waiting on his blocks rather than attempting to blast through holes that weren't there.

"To tell you the truth, it was just the case of trying to be more patient and letting my blocks come to me," said Finley, who finished with a team-high 865 rushing yards to finish fifth in the conference. "It's made me work hard in everything I'm doing. I'll keep working hard. My personal goal is that I want to be a 1,000-yard back this season."

That aim appears doable as Finley enters his junior season as the Bears' featured back. But his supporting cast will be much stronger with the arrival of transfer Terrance Ganaway, who rushed for 550 yards and scored six touchdowns in 2007 at Houston in Art Briles' final season coaching there.

Briles' arrival at Baylor has transformed the Bears' attitude into a more blue-collar rushing team, emphasizing the run after several seasons of neglect.

Finley and other Bears chafed at the lack of rushing production in 2007 under former coach Guy Morriss. It made Finley, a 5-foot-11, 205-pounder from Corsicana, Texas, feel like he was being used as much as a receiver and pass-blocker as a rushing threat. The Bears ranked 113th nationally in rushing that season, averaging a paltry 3.13 yards per carry.

That philosophy was transformed last season as Briles emphasized a physical nature in the trenches. The result was that the Bears finished the season with an average of 195.8 yards per game, good for 21st nationally.

In the process, the Bears improved their yards per carry by 1.75 yards per tote from 2007 last season. And Baylor's rushing improvement of 117.9 yards per game rushing from 2007 to last season ranked as the nation's second-biggest jump behind only Army's 154.0 yards-per-game rushing improvement.

"I think it will be more of the same this year," Finley said. "We were able to grind it out when we needed to, but still have our receivers and a passing game when we needed them, too."

Any improvement will come despite the loss of former starting tackles Jason Smith and Dan Gay, who both are on NFL rosters.

"Our line will be physical and we'll be able to do everything we did last season," Finley said. "It's going to be hard to replace guys like Jason and Gay, but I'm confident in the new guys that we have. During the spring, it doesn't look like we've missed a step."

Some of the confidence comes because of the return and continued development of sophomore quarterback Robert Griffin, who rushed for 843 yards and 13 touchdowns and passed for 2,091 yards and 15 touchdowns last season.

Despite a promising career in track and field, Griffin has concentrated on football this spring in hopes of leading his team to a bowl for the first time since 1994.

Finley can see a difference in Griffin's approach and in his command of the Baylor offense after concentrating on football this spring.

"Robert already works harder than anybody," Finley said. "And he's just doing what he did last season, only better."

After working together during the spring, Finley said that the Baylor offense is more productive and confident.

"Our rhythm is faster and we're moving faster," Finley said. "You can tell a difference in what we're doing."

Finley and the rest of the Bears have been conducting informal workouts with preparations for the start of training camp in early August.

That early work hasn't been any vacation for Finley or his teammates over the past several days, he said.

"It must be about 120 degrees out there," Finley said after another blistering practice earlier this week. "It's really hard to stay focused because of the heat and the conditions. It's hot out there."

Those blast-furnace conditions have only intensified Finley's determination to lead his team. He exhibits that attitude with a quick needling for his teammates during their work.

"You've got to keep people motivated," Finley said. "I've always found you forget you're tired if you're laughing. That's what we're trying to do to get better is come out and work hard to get ready for the season."

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

The Sports Nation poll that went with my Big 12 spring wrapup had a few of the bigger questions involving the conference during the upcoming season.

I've gotten a bunch of e-mails from readers wondering how I think on the questions.

Here's a look at the results and my take on whether I agree or disagree with you, the readers.

1. Which Big 12 quarterback will be tougher to slow down in 2009

SportsNation results (15,721 votes)

Sam Bradford -- 41 percent

Colt McCoy -- 40 percent 

Robert Griffin -- 10 percent

Zac Robinson -- 6 percent

Todd Reesing -- 4 percent   

My take: I agree and by roughly the same margin.

It's a close decision for me, but I would think that Bradford will be the most productive quarterback - by a slim margin over McCoy. Bradford will be playing behind a rebuilt line with a new set of wide receivers. And McCoy will largely have the same returning cast from last season - with the exception of versatile wide receiver Quan Cosby. But I think that both will have big offensive seasons. We likely could see both in New York City again in early December at the Heisman Trophy presentation.

2. Which is the team to beat in the Big 12 this season?

SportsNation results (10,118 votes)

Texas -- 52 percent

Oklahoma -- 48 percent

My take: Agree.

Again, by a slight margin I favor the readers. I think Texas should be slightly favored because of a productive two-deep secondary, McCoy, Jordan Shipley and one of the nation's best offensive lines. Oklahoma has Bradford, DeMarco Murray, Chris Brown, Ryan Broyles, Jermaine Gresham and nine starters back on defense headed by Gerald McCoy and Travis Lewis. But I think the snub of not making the national championship game, along with Oklahoma's green offensive line , ill be the biggest differences in the two teams.

3. Will Baylor make a bowl game this season?

SportsNation results (10,315 votes)

Yes -- 63 percent

No -- 37 percent

My take: Disagree.

The Bears will be better this season with Griffin back for another season, the return of top rusher Jay Finley, leading receiver Kendall Wright and the arrival of massive transfer defensive tackle Phil Taylor. The Bears have starpower on defense with linebacker Joe Pawelek and safety Jordan Lake back. But they are playing in the Big 12 South. They haven't won at Texas A&M since 1984. Their game against Texas Tech -- a likely pick 'em contest if it had been played in Waco -- has been moved to the new Dallas Cowboys' Stadium in Arlington where Tech will have more fans. They lose experienced tackles Jason Smith and Dan Gay, who combined for 71 career starts. And their non-conference schedule is a tough one with games at Wake Forest and at home against Connecticut. Baylor could be significantly better than last season and still only have a 5-7 record to show for it. So I'm guessing they don't snap a bowl drought that dates to 1994 -- tied for the longest among teams in BCS-affiliated "Big Six" conferences.  

4. Which of these teams has the best shot at moving up in the Big 12 standings?

SportsNation poll (10,060 votes)

Baylor -- 53 percent

Texas A&M -- 18 percent

Colorado -- 18 percent

Kansas State -- 11 percent

My take: Disagree.

As mentioned above Baylor will have a hard time jumping past Texas Tech if they don't beat them. My pick as the Big 12's surprise team among the four listed is Colorado, which could be just below Nebraska and Kansas among Big 12 North contenders if they can remain healthy. I'm not buying their 10-2 record that Coach Dan Hawkins predicted at the end of last season, but it wouldn't surprise me to see the Buffaloes winning seven or eight games and returning to a bowl game.

5. Which Big 12 defender will have the biggest impact in 2009?

SportsNation results  (9,851 votes)

Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh -- 44 percent

Oklahoma DT Gerald McCoy -- 34 percent

Texas DE Sergio Kindle -- 23 percent

My take: Agree.

I think that Suh and McCoy are virtual equals at defensive tackle and easily the two best inside players in the conference. I give Suh a slight edge because of overall production. He'll also play some offense and likely stand out more for the Cornhuskers because his surrouunding teammates on defense won't be as good as McCoy's are with the Sooners.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Baylor Bears 2008 overall record: 4-8 2008 conference record: 2-6 Returning starters Offense: 9, defense: 9, kicker/punter: 2 Top returners QB Robert Griffin, TB Jay Finley, WR Kendall Wright, C J.D. Walton LB Joe Pawelek, LB Antonio Johnson, S Jordan Lake Key losses T Jason Smith, T Dan Gay, DE Leon Freeman, DT Vincent Rhodes, DB Jake La Mar. 2008 statistical leaders (* returners) Rushing: Jay Finley* (865 yards) Passing: Robert Griffin* (2,091 yards) Receiving: Kendall Wright* (649 yards) Tackles: Joe Pawelek* (128) Sacks: Leon Freeman (4) Interceptions: Joe Pawelek* (6) Spring answers 2009 Schedule Sept. 5 at Wake Forest Sept. 19 Connecticut Sept. 26 Northwestern State Oct. 3 Kent State Oct. 10 at Oklahoma Oct. 17 at Iowa State Oct. 24 Oklahoma State Oct. 31 Nebraska Nov. 7 at Missouri Nov. 14 Texas Nov. 21 at Texas A&M Nov. 28 Texas Tech (at Arlington) 1. Robert Griffin: His freshman season was one of the most memorable in Big 12 history and he's back for more. Griffin was sharp in the spring, passing for 310 yards and three TDs in the spring game. And he's intent on honing his football skills after giving up track, adding weight and boosting his strength to be ready to play in his sophomore season. Big 12 defensive coordinators should consider themselves warned. 2. Skill-position strength: Griffin will have most of his weapons back from last season, including leading rusher Jay Finley, top receiver Kendall Wright and the depth provided by valuable runner/receiver Terence Ganaway, a transfer from Houston who should provide immediate depth. 3. Phil Taylor: The Bears need some help in the trenches after the loss of starting linemen Leon Freeman and Vincent Rhodes. Taylor, a massive 340-pound transfer from Penn State, will provide all of that and more. Coach Art Briles unabashedly talks about Taylor having All-Big 12 talent. If he plays that way, he could be the missing piece leading the Bears into a bowl game. Fall questions 1. Help along the flanks: It's a risky proposition protecting Griffin with two new offensive tackles. The Bears will switch from Jason Smith, the No. 2 pick in the NFL draft, to former Canadian fireman Danny Watkins. Briles is also sorting through his options on the right side where Dan Gay graduated. Obviously, protecting the Bears' franchise quarterback will be a prime task this season -- perhaps the biggest facing the team. 2. Punt returns: The Bears were looking for help returning punts after struggling all of 2008 with the lack of a breakaway special-teams threat. Baylor ranked next-to-last nationally, producing only 25 yards all season long on punt returns and a long return by Joe Crawford of 11 yards. Baylor needs a big upgrade and should have some productive playmakers like Wright and David Gettis ready to contribute. 3. Breakthrough needed: For all of the talk about closing the gap with the challengers in the Big 12, Baylor needs to step up and beat a highly ranked team. The Bears have lost 19 straight games to ranked teams and are 2-45 against ranked foes in the history of the Big 12. Seven of last season's eight losses came to ranked opponents. The Bears need an upset or two if they are to emerge as legitimate bowl threats.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Happy Friday afternoon.

As usual here are some of the best questions I received this week from readers.

D.J. from San Diego, Calif., writes: Hey, Tim. Can you explain to me why Tommie Frazier is not in the College Football Hall of Fame? Do you believe he belongs there and how long does it usually take for a super quarterback like him to get in?

Tim Griffin: D.J., I'm similarly mystified why Frazier hasn't made the Hall. When I see lesser quarterbacks like Don McPherson and Major Harris get into the Hall before him, I wonder what the electors are thinking.

Remember, Frazier came within a missed field goal at the end of the 1994 Orange Bowl of leading his team to three-straight national championships. His play really defined those great Nebraska teams of the mid-1990s. And he was the focal point of the 1995 Nebraska team - which in my opinion is one of the three or four greatest teams in college football history.

Frazier didn't pile up the statistics that a lot of his contemporaries did. But he won games and championships. And I think that should be one of the primary determiners for Hall of Fame inclusion.

It sometimes takes too much time for players to get inducted. Tim Brown just made it this season and he even had the appeal of a Heisman Trophy and the fact he played for Notre Dame working for him.

But there are several players who merit inclusion out there. We can only hope that the Hall's selectors can find some room for Frazier and Pat Tillman in the near future.

Because both definitely deserve inclusion.

---

James Coulter from Corpus Christi, Texas, writes: I'm surprised after seeing your chart earlier this week that you don't have Baylor finishing in a bowl game. They were only one win away last year, and had three losses that could have gone either way. This year their luck in those games should change, so why don't you think Baylor will be bowl-eligible?

Tim Griffin: Actually, James, the Bears were two games away from bowl eligibility last season with a 4-8 record. But I don't like a couple of factors for the Bears that I think will keep them away from a bowl this season.

First is their non-conference schedule. A building program shouldn't be playing teams like Connecticut and Wake Forest in their formative stages. With all of the challenges that the Bears will face in the Big 12 South, it would be understandable if they cut back on the ambitiousness of their non-conference scheduling a bit.

I think Robert Griffin is one of the top young players in college football, but remember the Bears lost two veteran tackles in NFL No. 2 pick Jason Smith and Dan Gay. I think those personnel losses are going to be huge -- both literally and figuratively -- in pass protection, leadership  and in run-blocking.

The Bears also didn't do themselves any favors in their Big 12 scheduling. Their three home games will be against Oklahoma State, Texas and Nebraska. I think it would be an upset if the Bears can win any of those games.

And their other designated Big 12 home game will be the Texas Tech game that will be moved to Arlington, Texas. I would like Baylor's chances of beating the Red Raiders a lot more in Waco than there.

I think an absolutely pivotal game for their bowl hopes will be the road game at Texas A&M. The Aggies appear to be struggling and are picked by most to finish last in the Big 12 South. But Baylor hasn't won at Kyle Field since 1984 and it will be a long streak of bad karma in one place to overcome.

It wouldn't surprise me if the Bears were significantly better than last season, but only have a 5-7 record to show for it.

---

Bob from Sioux Falls, S.D. writes: Tim, great blog. I enjoy reading it every day. You provide some of the best mainstream coverage of the conference that I can find anywhere.

Quick question for you. Do the NFL scouts have something against the Big 12 quarterbacks? If anybody had seen last season in the Big 12 and determined that the best draft-eligible quarterbacks were Josh Freeman and Stephen McGee, somebody would have laughed them out of their "scouting rooms."

What gives?

Tim Griffin: I agree with some points that you make. I think NFL scouts and teams get caught up on a "profile" of a quarterback that if he isn't the right size or has the necessary they won't consider them.

But I think the biggest quality that NFL scouts sometimes don't consider is previous production. Guys like Graham Harrell and Chase Daniel aren't the biggest or fastest quarterbacks, but I think it says something that both were wildly productive players in winning programs.

If you had ranked Big 12 quarterback last season, Freeman and McGee both would have been behind Colt McCoy, Sam Bradford, Todd Reesing, Harrell, Daniel and Zac Robinson. I think Robert Griffin's playmaking ability makes him a better college player than Freeman or McGee. And Joe Ganz, despite his NFL detractors, was a capable leader who turned Nebraska into a solid bowl team last season.

It will be interesting to see if the so-called bias against the spread offense will affect the draftability of some of the current Big 12 quarterbacks.

I don't think it will matter with Bradford. I think Griffin's raw athleticism will make him an intriguing NFL quarterback if he can stay healthy. But I will be really curious about McCoy, who has played in a spread offense for much of his college career. Will that hurt his draft status? I guess we'll see next year.

---

Brad from Denver writes: Tim, Your article about APR ratings in the Big 12 left the door open for people to criticize Colorado. The Buffaloes' rating is in peril primarily because of recent attrition of players that were ineligible because of academics, an area that Colorado is more stringent on than just about any other school. Players don't study, they don't play; they don't play, they leave. All schools are created equally, and it is more difficult to achieve a 2.6 GPA at some schools than others.

Accordingly, I do not find it a coincidence that Baylor and Colorado, arguably the two Big 12 schools with the most rigorous academic standards, are at the bottom of the list.

Tim Griffin: I agree with your point about grades at some schools than others. But to steal a line from Tony Soprano, Colorado's APR score is what it is. It's close to falling below the level where punitive penalties start kicking in. If Coach Dan Hawkins is having trouble keeping players eligible and then they transfer, he might consider attracting players who would be more likely to stay.

The APR is the first piece of academic reform that actually has some teeth in it. The NCAA does a lot of things wrong. But I think this piece of legislation that is good for college athletics.

---

Ivan Martinez from Waco, Texas, writes: Since you talked about throwback uniforms and helmets, Baylor is actually bringing back the white helmet with the green interlocking BU for the first game against Wake Forest, along with an all white uniform like Oregon. They made some other uniform changes that are more "contemporary," according to athletic director Ian McCaw, which actually discourages me a little bit.

Tim Griffin: Ivan, like I said in my post, I love the idea of throwback uniforms on a limited basis. Texas and Oklahoma both have worn those uniforms for select games in recent seasons. I'd like to see every Big 12 team wear them on a specific weekend that could be designated by the conference office. I think that would be something really cool that would differentiate the conference from all else in college football that weekend.

And they don't have to wear single-bar facemasks, either.

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Jason Lewis from Kansas City writes: Tim, I love your blog, but you missed one of the biggest surprises of spring ball in the Big XII. That was Patrick Witt transferring from Nebraska. After all, he was considered the favorite to take over at quarterback for the Huskers. How could you miss that?

Tim Griffin: I didn't consider Witt's transfer because it happened before spring practice started. And I don't know much of an edge that Witt really had over Zac Lee or Latravis Washington or Cody Green or any of Nebraska's quarterbacks after the 2008 season.

Sure, Witt was the player who Bo Pelini turned to when Ganz was dinged in the Gator Bowl. But Witt's struggling performance probably didn't do much to set him apart from the rest. It might have even brought him back to the rest of the other players. And if he was the favorite after the end of last season, it was by a very slight margin.

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Rick from Boulder, Colo., writes: It stung a little that you didn't see any Buffs make your top 40 in the Big 12. Would you say a couple might have made the list if it were a top 50 instead? I think Colorado has some talent just about to have a breakout season.

Tim Griffin: I included Darrell Scott on my list of 10 players who nearly made the list. If Markques Simas plays up to his ability, I think he can develop into a solid Big 12 player. Josh Smith is a versatile player who does a lot of things well. Jimmy Smith looks like he might develop into a lockdown cornerback. And I like their offensive line collectively, although one player doesn't stand out for me.

And I think a big performance this season might enable them to have several players on the 2010 list.

---

Roger Smithson from Wichita, Kan., writes: Tim, who do you think is the best special teams player in the league? By that, if you could have one player to start your special teams, who would it be?

Tim Griffin: I might consider Oklahoma State's Dez Bryant or Perrish Cox or Colorado's Josh Smith. But for my money, the most valuable special-teams player in the conference might be Alex Henery of Nebraska. He was the best long-distance kicker in the conference late last season. He's working as a punter and showed some flashes in the spring of being able to do both. I'm curious to see if he can do both consistently.

Thanks for all of the great questions. I'll check back again next week.  

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

I'll be back later today with a complete breakdown of the Big 12's draft.

But here's something to watch as Monday plays out.

There are still some pretty good players available from Big 12 schools who were not drafted.

Most notably are three quarterbacks who set records and took their teams to bowl games this past season.

Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell, Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel and Nebraska quarterback Joe Ganz all went undrafted.

Look for teams to be dickering with them for free-agent contracts throughout the day.

Here's a list of some of the more notable Big 12 players who went undrafted.

• Texas A&M DE Michael Bennett
• Texas A&M P Justin Brantly
• Kansas State DE Ian Campbell
• Oklahoma C Jon Cooper
• Texas WR Quan Cosby
• Missouri QB Chase Daniel
• Texas G Cedric Dockery
• Oklahoma State P Matt Fodge
• Nebraska QB Joe Ganz
• Baylor T Dan Gay
• Texas Tech QB Graham Harrell
• Oklahoma S Lendy Holmes
• Nebraska I-back Marlon Lucky
• Texas CB Ryan Palmer
• Texas Tech T Rylan Reed
• Nebraska WR Nate Swift
• Oklahoma OL Brandon Walker

There are some pretty good players on that list. I wouldn't be surprised to see a couple of them make an NFL roster if given the opportunity.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Every team is green someplace. Here are the specific areas of the most inexperience for each Big 12 team.

Baylor offensive tackle: The Bears need to break in two new starters after losing Jason Smith and Dan Gay.

Colorado defensive line: Help is needed along the defensive front where the Buffaloes lose starting defensive end Maurice Lucas, starting defensive tackle George Hypolite and starting nose tackle Brandon Nicolas.

Iowa State defensive line: Coach Paul Rhoads desperately wants somebody to emerge on the defensive line where the Cyclones lose starting defensive tackle Michael Tate, starting defensive end Kurtis Taylor and top backup defensive back Travis Ferguson.

Kansas linebackers: Even as Mark Mangino is contemplating going to a two-linebacker base defense because of the Big 12's spread offenses, he still needs to find those two players. The Jayhawks lose starters James Holt, Mike Rivera and Joe Mortensen at the position from last season.

Kansas State quarterback: Josh Freeman departed for the NFL early, leaving Carson Coffman and junior college transfer Daniel Thomas to compete for the starting job. It's not a pleasant introduction back to football for returning KSU coach Bill Snyder.

Missouri skill-position players: The Tigers need a quick infusion of playmakers after losing quarterback Chase Daniel, wide receiver/kick returner Jeremy Maclin and tight end Chase Coffman. All of them arguably were the greatest players at their respective positions in Missouri history. Blake Gabbert will receive first look at quarterback and Andrew Jones will work at tight end. It could take several players to fill in for what Maclin did.

Nebraska quarterback: It will be tough for the Cornhuskers to replace all that Joe Ganz did for them, both as a playmaker and a leader at quarterback. Zac Lee will get the first shot, along with freshman Cody Green and redshirt freshman Kody Spano. Maybe the Cornhuskers really could use former Miami quarterback Robert Marve next season.

Oklahoma offensive line: The departure of starting center Jon Cooper, tackle Phil Loadholt and guards Duke Robinson and Brandon Walker means that Sam Bradford will have an inexperienced group protecting him next season. Trent Williams moves to left tackle and Bob Stoops likes his incoming talent, if not its early work habits.

Oklahoma State defensive tackles: The Cowboys ranked last in the conference in sacks last season and lost starting defensive tackles Tonga Tea and Jeray Chatham. It will mean that new defensive coordinator Bill Young will need somebody to step up in the trenches to help shore up that weakness.

Texas defensive line: The major question dogging the Longhorns' national title hopes will be rebuilding a defensive front that loses All-American defensive end Brian Orakpo, defensive tackle Roy Miller, defensive tackle Aaron Lewis and defensive end Henry Melton from last season.

Texas Tech offensive line: New quarterback Taylor Potts will be relying on a retooled offensive line protecting his blind side after left tackle Rylan Reed, left guard Louis Vasquez and center Stephen Hamby all departed from last year.

Texas A&M running backs: The Aggies' offensive backfield will need to restock players: Michael Goodson left school early to declare for the NFL draft and fullbacks Jorvorskie Lane and Nick LaMantia are gone. Look for Cyrus Gray to get most of the work this spring with heralded freshman Bradley Stephens arriving in the summer.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Baylor senior linebacker Joe Pawelek has emerged as one of the nation's most productive playmakers, leading the conference in average tackles per game. Pawelek also led the nation's linebackers in interceptions and finished in the top-10 nationally in tackles and interceptions, regardless of position.

	Tom Hauck for ESPN.com
	Now a senior, Baylor linebacker Joe Pawelek is looking to bring Baylor to its first bowl since 1994.

In a wide-ranging interview, Pawelek talks about the challenge of taking Baylor to a bowl game, the changes he's made after his redshirt season and his enjoyment of playing college baseball earlier in his career.

I know you were quite a baseball player in high school and started your career as a catcher for Baylor. Do you get the itch sometimes at this point in the spring where you wish you were still playing?

JP: Yes, sir. Whenever we have a big conference series or some nonconference games it makes me think about still playing. I got to play here for a year. I was All-State twice in high school. I wasn't a superstar, or anything like that, but I could play a little bit.

Is there a little bit of a similarity between playing catcher in baseball and middle linebacker in football because you are so involved in everything your team is doing at both positions?

JP: I think some people like to show that comparison and I agree with it. Just being in the middle of everything, directing the defense and calling pitches and things like that. It's pretty similar.

Back to football, how much more comfort level do you have with defensive coordinator Brian Norwood's defense in your second season of working with his concepts.

JP: We know it now. We're not working on the basics and we're just trying to fine tune some things. But more than anything, we know our coaches and what they want from after learning it last spring.

This season, we're just really focusing on the small details and coming back and watching how we do things this year. The little things are what hurt us. There's nothing big and glaring in what we need to do. But there are just so many little things -- a guy not filling his gap or maybe two guys who might not be on the same coverage. More than anything, we're just need to keep working on the small things.

Your team was very close to qualifying for a bowl game last season. Even though you were 4-8 in 2008, three of your losses were settled by a touchdown or less. How much does going through something like that prepare you for this season?

JP: More than anything else, we have a good core of guys coming back. Sure, we're going to be missing some key guys like Jason Smith and Dan Gay and a couple of our starters who graduated in the offensive and defensive lines. But we've got a good group coming back. Now we know we can play with anyone, whether they are in the Big 12 South or anywhere. I think knowing that gives us a lot of confidence coming into the season.

How much did Coach Briles change the mindset when he arrived?

JP: We've always had that attitude we could play with anybody. But know we've finally seen some results on the field. Last year, we were able to take some big steps. And more than anything else, Coach Briles and his staff have really changed the program.

From the second Coach Briles stepped on the field for us, it was a completely different attitude and mindset. We're no longer just trying to compete; we want to try to win all of our games. And whether people give us a shot or not, there are 100 guys in the locker room who truly believe we can. We've really come a long way.

You had a remarkable year producing turnovers last season with six interceptions. How did you develop that skill?

JP: It's a combination of things. Coach Norwood really made an impression on me that it's more than just studying film. As a linebacker, I never really spent a lot of time learning receiver routes or getting inside their heads. There are just so many little things that Coach Norwood and Coach Hoefer pointed out for me. I study film more efficiently and know what to look for. It's just things like that.

Can you sense an increase of excitement on campus and around the program after what you did? And how is that fueled by the opening of your new football training center?

JP: Sure, the kind of season we had last year definitely helps with that. And opening up the new practice center is exciting and something you can't miss feeling.

And It's really unbelievable what we have here, from the weight room to the new locker rooms to the film room and everything else. It's all top of the line. And to top it off, we have our academic study area right here. It makes it nice where we can come once a day and get everything we need to have done in one place.

You are one of the more notable products of a player who was transformed by having a redshirt season. How did doing something like that help you develop and get ready to play college football?

JP: When I came to school, I weighed about 208 pounds. I weigh about 236 and I really feel good. There's been a big change in what Coach Kaz (Baylor strength coach Kaz Kazadi) and his group have done in getting me ready. It's made everything easy for me.

Specifically, what did the redshirt season do for your development?

JP: The year redshirting was tough. I came from a program in high school where I was used to playing and having to sit out for a year was an adjustment. But redshirting gave me a year to get used to the speed of Big 12 football. It also gave me an opportunity to learn a defense that was far more complicated than anything I had ever been involved with. And from the academic standpoint, it helped me get my work ready and set a good foundation for me in getting my stuff done.

There's been a lot of talk about what Phil Taylor, a transfer from Penn State will be able to do for you this season. How is he going to transform your defense?

JP: Phil is going to be a guy who will come in and really help us from a defensive standpoint. He'll draw a bunch of double teams because of what he can do. As a linebacker, you love to see that in front of you. Phil came in here and worked extremely hard and has really transformed his body. He's going to help us out.

Baylor has the longest bowl drought in the Big 12 and one of the longest in the country with you guys not making a bowl trip since 1994. What would it mean for your senior class to be the group to take your team over the hump and back to a post-season appearance?

JP: It would be huge for us. This group of seniors, a bunch of us got redshirted together and have been plugging along the whole time we've been here. It's our last go and I think we're finally ready to take the next step. It's been way to long for Baylor since that last bowl trip. Our attitude as a team and program is far beyond anything I've seen since we've been here. We're ready to make a run at it.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Baylor came close to making its first bowl appearance in 14 seasons last year.

Take away three losses in a 4-8 season that were settled by a touchdown or less and the Bears weren't far away from breaking the longest bowl drought in the Big 12.

	Manny Flores/Icon SMI
	Baylor's Robert Griffin is looking to be even better in his second season quarterbacking the Bears.

That realization is spurring Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin and the rest of the team as they prepare for the start of spring practice on Monday.

"We're a better team than we showed last season," Griffin said. "We know that we are in the toughest division in the nation and there's no game you can overlook. Every game is a threat, but for us and what we are developing, we realize that the minimum we will do around here is go to a bowl game.

"We won't put a limit on ourselves, but we are going to a bowl game."

Griffin's confidence was forged in a breakout season where he emerged as one of the nation's top freshman performers.

Among his accomplishments, Griffin tied the school record with 13 rushing touchdowns and also established an NCAA FBS record for consecutive passes without an interception at the start of his career with 209.

And he figures he can improve. A lot.

"There are always areas to improve," Griffin said. "I can improve in the running game. I can throw better. I didn't have many problems, but you can always get better."

After resting his arm for several weeks at the end of the season, Griffin is back throwing and hoping to improve his aerial form that helped him pass for 2,091 yards and 15 touchdowns against only three interceptions in 2008.

"I let my shoulder heal itself and since then, I've come back and am throwing the ball a lot better," Griffin said. "I'm happy about that. When I first got here, my coaches worked on my form and helped me get better. It's squared away, but I think you can always improve. I'm just out working on my velocity and technique."

The Bears return most of the skill-position starters to surround Griffin. But they'll need to rebuild an offensive line that lost potential NFL first-round draft pick Jason Smith and three-year starter Dan Gay among its biggest losses.

"We're going to miss those guys, but we got a lot of guys in our signing class and some others who should help us," Griffin said. "I'm excited about the competition we'll have during the spring and I think we'll get some good tackles from the class who will help us."

One key element that helped Griffin's start came after he skipped his final semester of high school to join the program last spring. That early work gave him an early working concept of coach Art Briles' offense that helped make his transition easier.

It helped him beat out incumbent Blake Szymanski and transfer Kirby Freeman for the starting position, winning the job for good by his second game.

That quick start makes Griffin an unabashed advocate of quarterbacks reporting early to join their teams.

"It was just coming in and getting to know the guys," Griffin said. "I didn't come with an attitude I was going to be 'the man.' I just came in, was humble and showed people with my actions what I could do. That will only help accelerate the learning curve and your growth as a quarterback."

Griffin is determined to continue that growth during the Bears' upcoming spring practice. He's added about four pounds over the off season, boosting his weight to 205 pounds. His added bulk feels comfortable, he said.

"The weight will only help me," said Griffin, who earned the nickname of "Rambo" from his teammates last season because of his zeal in conditioning drills. "I think by doing this will only help me take on a bigger work load and give me more strength. It should be good."

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

When I was a little kid, one element among my favorites of going to a football game was collecting a game program. I loved nothing better than to scan rosters and check the heights and weights of players as I looked at them through my father's binoculars.

It led me to collecting many programs that probably still are around my parents' house somewhere. I guess I just wanted to add to the clutter of my bedroom.

If I had known then what I know now, I might not have been so diligent about all of the effort. Little boys don't know those heights and weights for their football heroes aren't always correct.

The best way to analyze the discrepancy is by comparing the heights and weights of some of the Big 12 players who attended the recent NFL combine and compare them with what they were listed at during their college careers.

The before is their listed height and weight during last season. The after is what they were measured over the weekend by the NFL.

(Read full post)

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Here's the official list of 41 Big 12 players who have been invited to the NFL combine Feb. 18 through Feb. 24 in Indianapolis.

Oklahoma led all Big 12 teams with eight players invited to the combine, followed by Texas, Missouri and Nebraska with six players each and Texas Tech with five players.

All Big 12 schools were represented with the exception of Colorado, Iowa State and Kansas.

All players are expected to attend with the exception of Texas wide receiver Jordan Shipley, who was granted an extra season of eligibility and will remain in college. Shipley recently underwent shoulder surgery and will not be able to participate when spring practice begins for the Longhorns later this week.

NFL officials have calculated that players invited to the NFL combine typically are drafted 64 percent of the time. So these players would appear to have the best chance of being picked among eligible players from the Big 12.

Here's a list of invited players listed by their schools.

Baylor: T Dan Gay, T Jason Smith.

Colorado: None.

Iowa State: None.

Kansas: None.

Kansas State: QB Josh Freeman, DE-LB Ian Campbell.

Missouri: TE Chase Coffman, QB Chase Daniel, DT Ziggy Hood, WR-KR Jeremy Maclin, S William Moore, DE Stryker Sulak.

Nebraska: LB Cody Glenn, RB Marlon Lucky, T Lydon Murtha, DE Zach Potter, G Matt Slauson, WR Nathan Swift.

Oklahoma: C Jon Cooper, S Nic Harris, S Lendy Holmes, WR Juaquan Iglesias, WR Manuel Johnson, T Phil Loadholt, G Duke Robinson, G Brandon Walker.

Oklahoma State: P Matt Fodge, TE Brandon Pettigrew.

Texas: WR Quan Cosby, DT Roy Miller, RB Chris Ogbonnaya, DE Brian Orakpo, CB Ryan Palmer, WR Jordan Shipley.*

Texas A&M: DE Michael Bennett, P Justin Brantly, RB Michael Goodson, QB Stephen McGee.

Texas Tech: WR Michael Crabtree, QB Graham Harrell, S Darcel McBath, G Louis Vasquez, DE Brandon Williams.

*  Note: Shipley has elected to stay for a sixth season of eligibility with Texas. He will be available for the 2010 draft.