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

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

It's time to revisit those projections.

Forty-seven players in college football topped 1,000 yards rushing last season. I ranked the Big 12 backs in order of the likelihood they'd hit 1,000 yards, not how many yards I projected them to reach. The Big 12 had five of them. Here's who I picked to do it:

1. James Sims, Kansas -- As a true freshman in 2010, Sims didn't play in the opener, but it was clear as the season went on that he's the Jayhawks most consistent runner. Kansas is deep at the position, but Sims figures to get the biggest share of carries for a team with big questions at quarterback. The Jayhawks averaged nearly 40 rushing attempts per game last year. I don't see that number dropping this year. Sims got just 168 of those 470 carries, and he still managed 742 yards.

Final 2011 yardage tally: 727 yards

Thoughts: Sims simply didn't improve his production as expected from his true freshman year in 2010, even though his carries jumped from 168 to 182. I thought he'd get a few more touches, but the production wasn't there, and Kansas was limited in how often it could run the ball, considering some of the lopsided losses it suffered.

2. Cyrus Gray, Texas A&M -- Gray and his teammate in the backfield, Christine Michael, should both have very good years. I like both of them to clear 800 yards, and it's possible they both hit 1,000 yards, but there's only so much offense to go around. Ryan Tannehill and Jeff Fuller, along with the rest of the talented receiving corps, will have to get theirs. Considering the way Gray closed the season, he's likely to start out with the biggest share of carries.

Final 2011 yardage tally: 1,045 yards

Thoughts: Right on the money for Gray. Yes, Christine Michael was injured, which allowed Gray to grab a few more carries, but remember, Gray didn't play in the final two games of A&M's season. Still, a strong senior campaign.

3. Joseph Randle, Oklahoma State -- Randle will also be in split backfield along with Jeremy Smith, but he showed plenty of pop as a true freshman last year. Only DeMarco Murray caught more passes as a running back last year, so he may clear 1,000 yards of offense without doing it on the ground. But the Cowboys run an Air Raid system with a commitment to the run, so the touches should still be there for Randle with Kendall Hunter gone to the NFL.

Final 2011 yardage tally: 1,216 yards

Thoughts: Nailed the upside on Randle. Unlike Sims, he took a huge step forward as a sophomore, in part because of his featured role. Randle finished second in the Big 12 in rushing, and added 24 touchdowns, too.

5. Roy Finch, Oklahoma -- Finch has the talent to do it. No doubt. But there's no getting around doubting his health. A stress fracture in his foot caused him to miss almost half his freshman season, and the Sooners are mindful of that with a good group of backs behind him that might sap a few carries. Finch will have to hit a few big runs to get to 1,000, but if he gets hurt again, perhaps true freshman Brandon Williams or Brennan Clay could step in.

Final 2011 yardage tally: 605 yards

Thoughts: Whiffed on this one. Finch inexplicably couldn't get on the field early in the season while walk-on Dominique Whaley dominated before breaking his leg in a win over Kansas State. In Finch's defense, after he started getting touches, he topped 83 yards four times in five games late in the season. He also averaged 5.45 yards a carry.

In 2011, I missed out on three of the five rushers. Baylor's Terrance Ganaway rumbled to 1,547 yards rushing and led the Big 12. Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein led the league in carries and rushed for 1,141 yards and 27 touchdowns.

Missouri running back Henry Josey took advantage of the injuries to two backs ahead of him on the depth chart and had a breakout year, rushing for 1,168 yards before suffering a catastrophic knee injury against Texas. He likely won't return in 2012, and just underwent an additional surgery earlier this week.

How would you grade my projections?

NORMAN, Okla. – When Bob Stoops brought his brother back to Norman, he envisioned recapturing the magic that generated some of the best defenses in Oklahoma history.

Instead, Stoops will now have to hire a linebacker coach.

Wednesday night, co-defensive coordinator Brent Venables announced that he has left Oklahoma to become the defensive coordinator at Clemson, leaving the Sooners with another coaching vacancy.

In hiring Mike Stoops last week, Bob Stoops believed he was getting the band back together.

With Mike Stoops calling the defense and Venables co-coordinating, the Sooners ranked third nationally in fewest yards allowed in 2003. In 2001, Oklahoma ranked fourth.

And in the 2000 national championship game, the Stoops brothers and Venables devised a defensive game plan for the ages as the Sooners kept Florida State’s high-powered offense from scoring.

Too much time, however, had passed. And Bob Stoops’ hopes proved to be short-lived. After Venables and Mike Stoops took a recruiting trip together to Florida, Venables and his wife flew to Clemson. And the allure of a new challenge, a massive pay raise and the chance to call his own defense again won out.

Because of the success the Sooners endured while Mike Stoops was the senior partner in the relationship, Venables was never fully appreciated by the Oklahoma fan base. Moreover, the explosion of Big 12 offenses after Mike Stoops left made it virtually impossible to produce top five defenses.

But Venables still coordinated some gems that helped catapult the Sooners to Big 12 championships in ’06, ’08 and ’10.

In 2008, the Sooners wiped out second-ranked Texas Tech by holding one of the nation’s top offenses to a single touchdown in the first half. OU went on to play for a national championship that season.

But perhaps his most memorable coaching job came in the final game of the ’10 regular season against Oklahoma State. Faced with the task of slowing down the high-powered Cowboys, Bob Stoops and Venables elected to revamp the entire defense, going to a 3-4 scheme. The shift stunned the Cowboys, and Oklahoma State managed only three offensive touchdowns as Oklahoma prevailed.

But as much as the Sooners will miss Venables as a coordinator and linebackers coach, they will miss him just as much as an ace recruiter.

Ronnell Lewis, Demontre Hurst, Tom Wort, Corey Nelson, Austin Box, Jamell Fleming and DeMarco Murray are just a few of the standouts Venables had a hand in recruiting to Norman in recent years.

He also was the assistant who secured two of OU’s top verbal commitments in this recruiting class: safety Eric Striker and running back Daniel Brooks. Venables also was the primary assistant recruiting California cornerback Brandon Beaver, who is scheduled to visit OU this weekend.

Bob Stoops tried to get the band back together. With his brother and Venables blazing the recruiting trail as a tandem, then forging those ferocious defenses again on the field.

Instead, the Stoopses will be on their own. Turned out, the band didn’t get back together.

Unranked Texas A&M's 33-19 upset of then-No. 8 Oklahoma last season left two lasting images.

For the first time in a long time, players left the field to chants of "Wrecking Crew," the moniker ultimately reserved for the best Texas A&M defenses.

The other was the dominant play on the line of scrimmage that birthed those chants.

Three times, Von Miller's crew stuffed Oklahoma at the goal line, the biggest coming in the final minutes to seal the win, denying DeMarco Murray the end zone on three runs inside the 5-yard line.

Once again, Texas A&M is unranked and facing Oklahoma with three losses. This time, it travels to Norman, where it was beaten 65-10 in its last trip back in 2009.

The Sooners and Aggies are the two most physical offenses in the Big 12, and if A&M is going to spring another upset, it will have to win the battle of the line of scrimmage. The Big 12, with its elite skill-position talent and deep stock of quarterbacks, doesn't always have games decided up front. This one will be.

"Our offensive line is coming around," said Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman, who played true freshmen last year at both offensive tackle spots. "Until this last ballgame, defensively, we’ve been pretty good against the run."

Consider: Oklahoma leads the nation with 34 sacks. The Sooners have allowed three sacks, tied with Boise State for the fewest nationally.

Texas A&M, meanwhile, has given up just seven sacks and is third nationally with 30 sacks.

"A lot of us have definitely stepped up," said Texas A&M defensive lineman Spencer Nealy. "We definitely always play with a lot of effort, and at times, like any other position, we’ll have mistakes, but as a whole, we played pretty good."

The Aggies, though, have ascended to second in the Big 12 at 224 yards rushing per game while Oklahoma has sunk to eighth, though the Sooners possess the league's top passing attack.

Oklahoma will be without leading rusher Dominique Whaley, too, who suffered a broken ankle in Saturday's win over Kansas State.

Texas A&M fields the league's best 1-2 punch at running back, and last year's growth took place without one of them even on the field.

"The maturation of [the offensive line] really helped us. We struggled early in the season. We gave up a lot of sacks in the first half of the season. We didn’t run the ball very well," Sherman said. "We weren’t protecting well, we weren't running the ball well. They started to come into their own. A couple of our young tackles were talented but they didn’t have the experience. I thought they grew up in the second half of the season and we emphasized the run game more and took some pressure off the passing game and tried to stay out of long-yardage situations. ... They had a big part in the second-half run last season."

It's only continued into 2011. Christine Michael's broken leg that forced him out of the second half of the season has healed, and he's on course for a career season with 811 yards, third-most in the Big 12. Cyrus Gray has 704 yards of his own to rank ninth in the league.

Those two are fully capable of carrying the Aggies to the upset.

Despite the high sack numbers for A&M, it's given up more passing yards per game than any team in the country. How?

"It’s not ability at all. We’ve got some of the best players in the Big 12," Nealy said, pointing to fundamentals.

The best way to slow Oklahoma's passing attack is to keep it off the field. That means running the ball well and pressuring Landry Jones.

Texas A&M's offensive and defensive lines can do that. They proved it last year.

Now, it's time to do it again.

Joseph Randle had a career game in Oklahoma State's 61-34 season-opening win over Louisiana- Lafayette, running for 129 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

His first 100-yard rushing game came in his first-ever start, and his two scores equaled his rushing total from his freshman year in 2010.

Oklahoma State will need a whole lot more of that from Randle very soon.

"He has to step up to that role now," coach Mike Gundy said. "He has to be that guy that we lean on."

Gundy loved the versatility that Randle brought his offense last season with Kendall Hunter busy topping 1,500 yards for the second time in three years.

Randle caught 37 passes for 427 yards and his lone receiving touchdown was a game-changer early on in a win over Texas A&M. Oklahoma's DeMarco Murray was the only running back in the Big 12 with more receptions in 2010.

But now, he'll have to do everything.

"We need him to make plays for us, we need him to protect well in our throwing game," Gundy said. "He needs to be able to convert short yardages, and when we get him the ball in space on normal down and distances, he has to be able to make guys miss."

He did that well as a freshman, but now, if nothing else, he's earned the respect of his offensive line.

"I love blocking for Joe because he encourages the linemen a lot, and he really appreciates the blocks that he gets," center Grant Garner told reporters this week. "He can definitely be explosive when he runs."

Randle has bulked up this offseason, adding 10-12 pounds after going through a second year in Oklahoma State's strength and conditioning program with coach Rob Glass.

What Randle hasn't done is change his running style.

"That’s stuff that’s established at 8 or 10 years old, so his running style has remained consistent," Gundy said.

Randle's explosiveness makes him special, though. Combine that with his bigger frame, and we could see a big season from the sophomore get a kickstart, despite all the attention paid to the high profile quarterbacks and receivers in tonight's game against Arizona on ESPN.

"Good running backs turn 6-8 yard runs into 18-28 yard runs," Gundy said, "and that’s what we’re expecting him to do this fall."

Thanks for all the questions during the week of media days. It was a busy one, helped by you guys. Short day today, so have a great weekend.

Robert in Salt Lake City: With Scott being aggressive, and implying there is future expansion, on the horizon for the PAC-12, any chance that A&M takes our disgruntled selves and goes there instead of the SEC? Could the original PAC-16 notion from last summer come to pass without Texas?

David Ubben: It's possible, I suppose. Obviously, the SEC is a good fit, and on their end, I'm sure would love to have the Aggies as an addition. However, Mike Slive has kept pretty quiet and you never know what they'll do. If not, I could see the Pac-16 being an option. That said, I still feel pretty confident that this latest dustup in the Big 12 is mostly just a speed bump and once it's settled, the Big 12 will remain at 10 teams for quite awhile, well through the next TV contract. Fans aside, I think each school's decision-makers did their due diligence last summer to really decide what conference suited its university's needs best. The 10 teams all came to the conclusion that it was the Big 12. Not that much has changed.

And, for the 500th time on this blog, my mailbag tells me I need to reiterate that my employment is not contingent on the existence of the Big 12.

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Connor in Beaumont, Texas, asked: Ok, here's the dealio. Of course everyone knows about the Longhorn fiasco from last season. I figured i would ask an unbiased expert about a possible theory I have created. Could their offensive lack of production be attributed fully on the offensive line? After the failure of the "Power run-game offense for which they spent most of the pre-season and spring preparing, they seemed to abandon that and revisit the spread which did not function either. Is this a plausible or even a likely cause?

DU: Well, that's hardly a stretch for a theory. Honestly, I think it's the biggest reason. Texas doesn't have skill position guys that make you say "Wow!", but the Longhorns have some athletes. When Garrett Gilbert has had time, he's looked OK. The running backs aren't great, but they got no help last season. I really do believe the O-line was the biggest problem for the offense last year, with Gilbert's decision-making a very close second.

So, to your theory, I'm buying. It's amazing how much better an offense can look behind a good offensive line. If Stacy Searels gets those guys going this year, guys like Gilbert, Fozzy Whittaker and Mike Davis are going to look a whole lot better.

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William in De La Playa, Calif., asked: Hi David, One of the most impressive things about DeMarco Murray was his ability to catch swing passes in the flats, and gain tough inside yardage behind an offensive line whose ability to drive block was mediocre. From what you've seen, is there anyone among OU's new crop of backs that has good enough hands to keep the swing pass option viable for next season?

DU: We haven't gotten a chance to see a lot of the young backs at Oklahoma, but my understanding is the best guy in OU's backfield for that part of the job was Brennan Clay. His injury last seaon against Florida State happened on a swing pass. If I'm guessing, I bet Clay leads the team in receptions among running backs.

With Oklahoma though, get ready to see that Diamond, or "Backs" formation plenty next season. The same is true at Oklahoma State. They have so many running backs that can contribute, you've got to find a way to get them on the field. That's a great way to handle them along with fullback Trey Millard. Stoops loves Millard and he should become a quiet star in this league, if only because of the position he plays. He was one of the league's most impressive freshmen last season.

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Brandon in Austin, Texas asked: I'm hoping to see Jackson Jeffcoat make the top 25 players list. Doesn't necessarily have the stats to compare to some of the other DL players that will make it (only a sophomore and the ankle injury last season), but his freak athleticism and superior technique made him a powerful weapon last season. Despite Okafor's dominating performance in the spring game, I think Jeffcoat improves on his early season performance from last year and becomes the next big sack machine for Texas.

DU: Well, I'll go ahead and burst your bubble on this one. Jeffcoat's not making it. That said, he may have a great shot at making the postseason list. I loved what he did early in the 2010 season, especially against Texas Tech, but you can't put him on the list when you look at his entire freshman year.

That said, he's got some of the best raw skills of any pass rusher in the league. I wouldn't be surprised at all if he competed with Brad Madison for the league lead in sacks, and even cracked the All-Big 12 first-team by the season's end. I'm not really sold on Ronnell Lewis as a reliable defensive end on that team, and there's really not a lot of great pass rushers in the Big 12 this season.

The door's wide open for Jeffcoat to become a star opposite Alex Okafor for the Longhorns. He's got it all. Great size, great speed, great technique, he's smart and every indication from their staff is he's extremely coachable. It helps having a dad like Jim Jeffcoat, a 15-year pro with Dallas and San Francisco who now coaches the defensive line at San Jose State.

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Nicholas in Houston asked: Why wasn't Dan Bailey on your March postseason Big 12's best 25 list?

DU: Don't let a Nebraska fan hear you. When Alex Henery wasn't being awesome at punting and kicking 80-yard field goals, he was saving the lives of countless small children across the world.

The uproar about Bailey winning the Groza Award over all-everything Henery aside, my policy is I don't put special teams players on my top 25. I understand their profound impact on games, but I simply don't believe they're on the field for enough plays to be designated as one of the top 25 players in the league. Sorry. Not all of us bloggers agree, but nobody's changing my mind on that.

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Husker Nation in Everywhere asked: Dave, is it too early to say we told you so?

DU: Yes.

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Zachary Krider in Leonard, Texas, asked: What teams do you see getting upset early on and what games?

DU: All the top teams in the Big 12 better show up in these games against good teams very capable of beating them. Obviously, the Oklahoma-Florida State game will get a lot of attention, but a bad outing for Oklahoma State against Arizona could quickly turn into a loss.

The same is true for Texas A&M against SMU in its opener. And Missouri surely grasps the difficulty of its trip to Tempe to play Arizona State in a Friday night game. Every single one of those games could be an upset and derail big seasons before they even get rolling into October.

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James C in College Station asked: Better nickname, C-Mike the Motorbike or Cyrus the Virus?

DU: I gotta go with C-Mike, if only for its versatility. You've got C-Mike the Motorbike, but want the long version? Well, obviously, there's C-Michael the Motorcycle. Can't beat that. Best backs in Beebe's Dozen, right?

We wrapped up our position rankings by team a bit earlier, but we'll move on in ranking the 10 best players at each position.

Here's the top 10's you've missed so far:

• Quarterbacks

Running back is one of the weakest position groups in the Big 12 heading into 2011, a change from last year's extremely strong class. Just one of the league's top 11 rushers returns, and part of the success from last season was because of so much experience at the position. There are a few guys on this list with upside, but only a few are truly established. Some guys might make good on their upside, but for now, running back joins cornerback and defensive line as the league's weakest positions.

Also, if you haven't played a snap in the Big 12, you're not included on this list. (Also, if your last name is Brown.)

1. Cyrus Gray, Texas A&M -- Gray took over late last season and returns as the only Big 12 player to rush for more than 750 yards last season. He finished with 1,133 yards and 12 scores, but 938 of those yards and 10 of those touchdowns came in the season's final seven games, most of which came after the No. 2 guy on this list got hurt.

2. Christine Michael, Texas A&M -- Before Gray took off, Michael was far outperforming his teammate and looked headed for a 1,000-yard season after rushing for 844 yards and 10 scores in 2009. He was at 631 yards through eight games before breaking his leg, and no player in the Big 12 could top his 2009 effort. Despite playing just over half the season, he still ranked 14th in the Big 12 in rushing. Considering 10 of the top 11 rushers in the league are gone, it's easy to see why the powerful, 5-foot-11, 215-pounder is No. 2 on the list.

3. Roy Finch, Oklahoma -- Finch showed lots of flash last season in spot duty behind DeMarco Murray before aggravating a foot injury that kept him out of the first half of the season. He'll have to stay healthy to make good on his potential, and despite being on the All-Big 12 preseason team, he's not on his own team's depth chart just yet. He'll have to jump over Brennan Clay and Jonathan Miller to get his touches in a crowded backfield that will likely carry the load by committee this season.

4. Joseph Randle, Oklahoma State -- Randle was extremely valuable last season out of the backfield, catching 37 passes for 427 yards and a key touchdown against Texas A&M. That was more receptions than any running back outside of DeMarco Murray, but this year, he'll join Jeremy Smith in trying to replace Kendall Hunter, who ran for more than 1,500 yards last season.

5. Eric Stephens, Texas Tech -- Stephens has been underrated and underexposed behind starter Baron Batch, but his time looks like it has finally come. The Red Raiders have a deep backfield, but Stephens is its top talent, averaging 5.26 yards on his 127 carries last season, leading the team with six touchdowns.

6. James Sims, Kansas -- Sims was one of the bright spots in a dark year for Kansas football last season, taking over the starting role after a season-opening loss to North Dakota State and rushing for 101 yards in an upset win against Georgia Tech. Sims also scored four of his nine touchdowns in a comeback win against Colorado. I'd expect Sims' touches to take a slight hit with Darrian Miller on campus now, but he was extremely productive considering the Jayhawks' lack of a passing game, which ranked 105th nationally last season.

7. Shontrelle Johnson, Iowa State -- Johnson's lateral movement reminds me a bit of Finch, but he's got a lot of speed and if Iowa State's offensive line gets him a crack, he can be a home-run hitter. He was stuck behind Alexander Robinson last season, but Johnson averaged 6.2 yards on the limited carries he got, turning them into a pair of touchdowns. That's the highest average of any returning Big 12 back.

8. De'Vion Moore, Missouri -- Missouri doesn't have a big time back, but it doesn't need one. Moore led a group of four backs that combined to rush for more than 1,500 yards and 19 touchdowns last seaosn. Look out for shifty Henry Josey to slide in and unseat Moore to lead the team in rushing, but Moore will get lots of touches in the red zone this season, and he's great at finding a crease. No Tigers running back got more than 100 carries last season, and that might still be the case, but Missouri truly proved that a running back platoon can be extremely successful, even if it lacks a game-changer at the top of the depth chart.

9. Terrance Ganaway, Baylor -- Ganaway is the bowling ball third of a good trio at Baylor. Jarred Salubi is the shiftier third and Glasco Martin is the young guy with lots of hype. All three should form a solid group. Art Briles said this week at media days that he'd love for one of them to separate themselves, but also understands it might not happen with this group.

10. Fozzy Whittaker, Texas -- Whittaker has struggled to stay healthy throughout his career, but rushed for 351 yards last season and enters the season as the starter ahead of Cody Johnson. He'll have to hold off promising freshman Malcolm Brown as well as Johnson, but for now, the Longhorns' running backs have a lot to prove in a new offense built to help them succeed.

We'll have plenty of Heisman coverage as the season nears (and happens, eventually), but ESPN Stats & Info got the party started with a look at all the contenders, broken up by their classification.

The stats folk took a look at the system quarterbacks, the pro-style quarterbacks, and finally, the spread quarterbacks.

The top two contenders? Both from the Big 12 and both from Oklahoma schools.

Landry Jones, Oklahoma

The blueprint for a pocket passer to win the Heisman is simple: put up big numbers and win games. With the Sooners projected to be one of best teams in the country, Jones will have a chance to achieve both.

...

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Tim Heitman/US PresswireQuarterback Landry Jones should have the Big 12's best shot at winning the Heisman.

Jones could lead the nation in many passing categories because of Bob Stoops’ quick-strike offense. In 2010, Jones attempted more passes than any other quarterback, and almost 28 percent of his pass attempts were at or behind the line of scrimmage.

These slants and screen passes allowed Jones to increase his yards and completion percentage on relatively easy passes. It also allowed his receivers to make plays and gain yards after the catch.

My take: They're on point here. Jones is my frontrunner and the Big 12's best shot at a Heisman. I've taken a look at the value of those short passes on the blog before, and it was clear: they're a huge part of what Oklahoma does.

One more interesting point uncovered by the Stats & Info crew: Of Landry Jones 26 career interceptions, 20 have come on the road. That's astounding.

Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State

If Weeden can replicate his 2010 performance, then he’ll put up the numbers necessary for Heisman consideration. Last season, Weeden ranked third in the nation in passing yards, and his career pass efficiency mark of 155.42 is fourth among active quarterbacks.

Yet Weeden may not even be the best bet for the Heisman Trophy on his team.

If he has a big year in 2011, then Biletnikoff Award winner Justin Blackmon probably will as well. In 2010, Blackmon was one of the best big-play receivers in the country and Weeden’s go-to guy on third down, in the red zone and when facing added pressure.

My take: I don't buy that Justin Blackmon is the biggest detriment to Weeden's Heisman chances. For me, the big question is will Oklahoma State win enough games for Weeden to take it home. If the Cowboys are undefeated, he's going to New York, at the very least. I'd bet quite a bit on that. One loss, it will be close. Two losses? No way, no matter what he does.

Is that right? Maybe not, but don't blame me. That's how the Heisman works. You should know this by now. I've got a vote for a handful of the CFB awards, but the Heisman isn't one of them. (Though I'd like one, Heisman Trust. Hint hint.)

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One of the receivers from Oklahoma, Jones and Weeden's top targets, could end up in New York as a Heisman finalist, but the two Biletnikoff finalists from a year ago would shock me if they had a legitimate chance to win the Heisman when it came down to it.

Here's what Stats & Info had to say:

Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma

This season, Broyles’ numbers could be mind boggling.

Last season, he averaged more than nine catches per game and did not drop one ball. In his last two seasons, Broyles has 29 touchdown receptions, 20 of them have been for 10 yards or more. Both figures are tops in college football.

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AP Photo/Stillwater News Press, Chelcey AdamiJustin Blackmon's big advantage over Oklahoma's Ryan Broyles is Blackmon's ability to go up and get jump balls.

Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State

Last season, Blackmon averaged 10.8 yards on receptions made at or behind the line of scrimmage. He also caught 63.6 percent of passes that targeted him 15 yards or more downfield. The ability to turn any throw into a big gain helped Blackmon lead FBS last season in receiving yards per game.

What could possibly haunt Blackmon in 2011? He dropped five passes last season, which may not seem like a lot. But it is when you consider that [South Carolina's Alshon] Jeffery had just one drop last season and Broyles had none.

My take: Those drop numbers are interesting, and I don't know about you, but I hadn't seen those stacked up against each other before. Stats & Info described Blackmon as a "monster," and I'd agree. The big advantage he has over Broyles is his ability to go up and get jump balls, but Broyles' experience (he's been a major contributor for three seasons already vs. Blackmon's one) may make him an even more difficult cover. I still consider Blackmon No. 1 and Broyles No. 2 nationally for receivers, but like I've said, it's a stretch to see either of these guys actually win the Heisman. Biletnikoff? Yeah, one of them will get it.

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No Big 12 running backs made the list, but a big attraction? ESPN Insider's a look at a few dark horses. It's a fascinating list full of Big 12 talent. Most of these could, in theory win it. They're all dark horses for a reason, but I could see it happening for almost all these guys.

3. Jeff Fuller, WR, Texas A&M

If Aggies quarterback Ryan Tannehill continues to progress as he did after taking over in the middle of last season, Fuller could end up vaulting over Oklahoma wideout Ryan Broyles as the best pass-catcher in college football.

My take: Disagree! Fuller's great, and probably a top 5 receiver in the college game, but I don't see him overtaking Broyles in any scenario that involves both Broyles and Jones staying healthy. And what about Blackmon?

4. Roy Finch, RB, Oklahoma

Finch had a higher rushing yards per attempt (YPA) average last season than DeMarco Murray and, unlike Murray, all of his numbers were posted against Big 12 competition.

My take: Finch has already missed more games in one year than Murray did his entire career. Oklahoma is likely to employ a committee approach at running back, but if Finch proves he can handle 20-25 carries a game and stays healthy, he's got the best chance of any Big 12 back to win it. (If they're both healthy, Cyrus Gray and Christine Michael will siphon too many carries from one another to have a realistic chance to win, even if A&M goes undefeated.)

6. James Franklin, QB, Missouri

This might seem like a complete long shot on its face, but consider this: Over the past five seasons, Missouri's two starting quarterbacks (Chase Daniel and Blaine Gabbert) averaged the following Heisman Trophy-caliber statistical line: 324 completions, 493 attempts, 3,789 yards, 28 touchdowns/11 interceptions (including more than 3,500 yards each in their debut seasons).

My take: This boils down to winning games. I doubt Missouri's ability to win the 11-12 necessary for Franklin to win it, but if they do, he'll be a big reason why. He'll have a lot of help with his entire receiving corps returning, all of his running backs and four offensive linemen back, and supporting casts can make quarterbacks look great.

Ask Garrett Gilbert.

Is it September yet?

• Colleague Pat Forde senses college football's shifting landscape and asks: Is this The Big One?
• Calvin Watkins at ESPNDallas.com checks in with Oklahoma running backs coach Cale Gundy to offer an assessment of what DeMarco Murray brings to the Cowboys.
• Todd Monken and Mike Sherman make the top 30 of CBSSports.com's most influential things for the upcoming season.
• Texas Tech added a linebacker from the Dallas area to its 2012 class, writes Don Williams of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.
• Touted Missouri signee Sheldon Richardson has been delayed from arriving in Columbia once again, reports Vahe Gregorian of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
• Former Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen has encountered controversy at his new home in West Virginia.

Good questions this week. Much appreciated on my end. If yours didn't get answered, or you were too lazy to ask it, feel free to send it my way.

Paul in Oklahoma City asked: Ubbs...who do you see taking over at QB at OSU after Weeden leaves? A lot of people think JW Walsh will but is there any chance Clint Chelf or Johnny Deaton take over instead?

David Ubben: It's pretty tough to tell early on, and we haven't had much chance to see these guys. J.W. Walsh's head was still spinning when I visited Stillwater the spring, but when the game slows down for him, we'll get a better feel of how good he could be.

It should be a pretty fun competition, but experience like Chelf got last season and probably will get this season is impossible to duplicate. Too many times people lose sight of the importance of the backup quarterback race and making sure you have a guy that's ready. Landry Jones narrowly beat out Drew Allen in 2009, and like the Sooners learned the hard way, the old adage of "You're only one play away" is a cliche that's far from meaningless.

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Kevin Bright in Oklahoma City asked: David, Should the Sooners trade Westbrook? How will the loss of Murry effect the Thunder? You know he scored a bunch of touchdowns to get them to the Western Conference Finals? And speaking of the Finals why did Stoops go small and allow the Mavs all those rebounds. And do you think Scott Brooks would leave for the Ohio State job if Tressel gets handed his gold pants? I am so confused, is it August yet? Any way, no way Alabama is going to beat the Thunder next year! Sooners should be #1. Always have been, always will be. At least to me. And sometimes in the polls. You da man.

DU: Ha. I'm not sure why, but this e-mail made me laugh. I had to share. But seriously ... is it August yet?

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Keyser Soze in Houston asked: Big 12 talk is always about the offense. Tell me which teams you think are going to do the most damage on the defensive side of the ball. NU is out so the conference is losing some of the little defensive credibility it had. Texas played pretty well considering they had no offense to give them a breather, but they have to replace the secondary. A&M started off pretty porous but was playing pretty impressive late in the year, unfortunately they have von miller to replace. Missouri could be pretty good and an unconfirmed rumor says tubberville can teach red raiders to spell tackle.

DU: I generally think Oklahoma, Missouri, Texas and Texas A&M will battle it out for the Big 12's best defense. Tech is still a year away on both sides of the ball, but if they can stick around and win 7-8 games this season, the Red Raiders could be in position for a Big 12 title run in 2012.

Those first four defenses are pretty complete, with a few minor problems. Whoever fixes them the best will come out on top. The Aggies have to figure out how to replace Michael Hodges, which I actually think will be harder to do than replacing Miller. Missouri has to make sure its new corners are as good as the coaches think they are.

Texas' secondary, as you mentioned, is really young. But there's no denying Texas' ability to pump out DBs and getting Duane Akina back was huge for the Horns. Oklahoma has some inexperience in the secondary and some questions at defensive tackle, but I doubt those two positions will drop below average at worst.

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Lou in USA asked: You seem to post on the comment section more than the other bloggers. What do you think of the new format? I personally like it.

DU: I like it a lot. I think it'll make it easier for people to carry on conversations about linear topics without a lot of distraction. That's what the comments section is all about, and helping accomplish that is a good thing.

Everyone on the Internet generally hates every change at first, but they get used to it over time. I'm sure the comments section will be the same.

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Matthew in Rolla asked: Hey David! I read the article about Big 12 rivalries that "should be." How about Missouri vs. Arkansas or Iowa?

DU: Missouri needs one, but it's best nonconference rivalry (Illinois) just ended. Arkansas already plays its old SWC rival, Texas A&M, and with an SEC schedule looming, doesn't need to add Missouri. The same with Iowa, who plays Iowa State every year in nonconference anyway.

In theory, those games would be great, but Iowa and Arkansas are busy with other series to add Missouri. The Tigers have a nice marquee nonconference matchup in probably Pac-12 South favorite Arizona State this year, but finding a geographic rival outside of Illinois would be a nice move in the future.

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Larry Scott in Walnut Creek, Calif., asked: David, in my massive marketing deal for the 12-Pack, I used a company called Pac-12 Media Enterprises and that company is a for-profit holding company for the conference. Does creating a FOR-profit company to collect hundreds of millions of dollars for NON-profit educational institutions make you nervous?

DU: I'll just say this: yes.

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Matt in Dallas: Should the conference look at each team playing a 4-4-1 "Big 12" schedule? As in 4 home games, 4 away games, and 1 neutral site? If so, which teams should play which and where should they play the games?

DU: Yeah, teams definitely need to look into doing that. It can be tough to fill the seats in games like that (see: Missouri versus Kansas and Iowa State versus Kansas State at Arrowhead last season) but playing five away games in conference seems like a rough deal for coaches.

As the league's strength fluctuates, somebody is going to get completely hammered on a road schedule one of these years, too. Could see some really good teams lose 2-4 games as a result.

I've done it. You've done it.

"Hey, is that guy still around?"

Even with two fewer teams, it's hard to keep track. Our next series, which we did last year, too, takes a look at two key players for every team in the league that are taking their talents elsewhere, returning to campus, or arriving to try and write a legacy of their own.

So really, this series isn't so much for the fans of the teams in the posts, but more for everyone else. It wouldn't be a bad idea to bookmark this series.

Next up: Oklahoma

Going:

Jeremy Beal, DE

Beal will go down as one of the greatest Sooners ever, after notching 28 sacks in his final three seasons and establishing himself as one of the program's great pass rushers. He appeared in 54 games and started 43 in his four-year career, earning All-American honors as a Hendricks Award finalist in 2009. The 6-foot-3, 267-pounder was drafted in the seventh round by the Denver Broncos.

DeMarco Murray, RB

Murray's 13-year Sooner career (we kid, but seriously, he and Beal have been around forever) finished with his name atop the storied Oklahoma record books for the career touchdowns (64) and career all-purpose yardage (6,498 yards). Throughout his career, Murray earned a reputation as an injury-prone back, but the 6-foot-1, 207-pounder played in 50 of 55 games for the Sooners, including 26 of 27 in his final two years on campus, missing only a road win over Kansas with a sprained ankle. Murray was drafted in the third round by the Dallas Cowboys, and looks likely to be replaced by a committee of running backs.

Staying:

Landry Jones and Ryan Broyles, QB and WR

The past two seasons, this has been one of the best pass-catch combos in college football. Broyles has 220 catches for 2,742 yards in the past two seasons, despite missing two games and nearly all of two others in 2009 with a fractured shoulder blade. In 2010, Jones made big strides as a passer, finding a second target opposite Broyles, Kenny Stills, and a host of other young receivers on the way to 4,718 yards and 38 touchdowns, both significantly more than any other passer in the Big 12.

Travis Lewis, LB

Lewis, like Beal and Broyles, will have four years in the spotlight after next year. Lewis has 360 tackles in three seasons, and enters 2011 as the likely favorite for the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. The 6-foot-2, 233-pounder is one of the league's best run-stopping linebackers and the leader of the Sooners defense. The San Antonio native earned a reputation as one of the league's biggest trash talkers over the past season, but when you back it up on the field like Lewis does, it remains safely on the side of entertainment, rather than annoyance.

Coming:

Brandon Williams, RB

Williams is likely to be a big part of the running back platoon that replaces Murray. He enrolled early and made an immediate impact, sliding into a rotation along with Roy Finch and Brennan Clay at the top of the depth chart. The 5-foot-11, 189-pounder is a good balance of size and speed and came to Oklahoma as the nation's No. 7 running back.

Trey Metoyer, WR

Metoyer hasn't officially qualified yet, but if he does and makes it to campus this fall, he should give an already solid Oklahoma receiving corps a big boost. The Whitehouse, Texas, native was the nation's No. 8 receiver and at 6-foot-2, 194 pounds, could offer a big-time threat as he matures. Oklahoma already has Broyles and Stills, as well as Trey Franks and Dejuan Miller, but redshirt freshman Justin McCay, last year's top recruit, and Metoyer could make the unit even deeper.

Click here for more from The Revolving Door.

College football is all about promotion and development. Players undergo enormous growth in their time on campus, but every year, there's a handful of guys who make the jump from good to great. Who will make the biggest jump in the Big 12?

Brad Madison led Missouri in sacks last season, but did it as a backup. Fellow defensive end Aldon Smith is gone now, though, and Madison slides into a starting role. What's he have in store for 2011?

Like Madison, Damontre Moore filled in for an injured future top 10 pick early in the season, and excelled. Moore, though, did it as a true freshman. Once Von Miller got to full strength from his ankle injury, Moore was relegated back to the bench. Will he become a household name as a sophomore?

Baylor's Josh Gordon showed some flash as a sophomore in 2010, but has the size and speed to become one of college football's top receivers. Will that potential turn to production?

Joseph Randle caught more passes last year than every running back but DeMarco Murray. This year, though, he'll be counted on in a bigger role in the running game. What will be bring as a sophomore?

Corey Nelson made huge waves this spring, further intensified when Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops called him the best player on the defense. There's no room for him, it would seem, in the starting lineup for the Sooners, but he'll be on the field somehow. Can he crash the party?

We'll kick off our polls with a look at which players across the league leave behind the biggest voids. Lots of big names stuck around for 2011, but others will take their talents to the NFL next season.

Von Miller is the only defensive player on the list, but can Texas A&M find a way to replace his one-of-a-kind combination of size and speed?

Kendall Hunter was a constant for the Cowboys last year, running for 100 yards nine times in 2010. Can Jeremy Smith and Joseph Randle fill in?

Blaine Gabbert left early, and his younger brother transferred earlier this week. Is James Franklin the answer?

DeMarco Murray scored more touchdowns than any player in Oklahoma history. Will the Sooners' committee approach to replacing him be enough to prevent a drop-off?

Despite having a struggling passing game, Daniel Thomas led the Big 12 in carries and rushing yards the last two seasons. Can Bill Snyder's team get back to a bowl game behind Bryce Brown and John Hubert?

Which player will be the toughest to replace?

OKLAHOMA

2010 overall record: 12-2

2010 conference record: 6-2

Returning starters: Offense (8), Defense (7) P/K (2)

Top returners: QB Landry Jones, WR Ryan Broyles, LB Travis Lewis, S Tony Jefferson, WR Kenny Stills

Key losses: RB DeMarco Murray, DE Jeremy Beal, S Quinton Carter, S Jonathan Nelson, OL Eric Mensik, WR Cameron Kenney

2010 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: DeMarco Murray (1,224 yards)

Passing: Landry Jones* (4,718 yards)

Receiving: Ryan Broyles* (1,622 yards)

Tackles: Travis Lewis* (109)

Sacks: Jeremy Beal (8.5)

Interceptions: Jamell Fleming (5)

Three spring answers

1. Replacing Fleming. Jamell Fleming, the team’s top corner from a year ago, isn’t enrolled. Gabe Lynn slid in his starting spot opposite Demontre Hurst and did well, while the Sooners moved former corner Aaron Colvin to safety. Fleming’s status is still very much in flux, but Stoops played it coy when asked about the position in the future. He’s “confident” the Sooners will be OK. We’ll see if that means faith in Lynn or faith that Fleming gets reinstated.

2. Sooners shake off a major injury. Oklahoma’s starting right tackle, Jarvis Jones, went down with a knee injury early in spring camp and may miss a few games next year, but the Sooners may have found a solid replacement in converted tight end Lane Johnson. That’s a big help for an offensive line that struggled to get a push up front at times last season.

3. Future star in the making. Linebacker Corey Nelson turned heads throughout the spring for his play, prompting coach Bob Stoops to call him the best player on the defense. For now, he’s stuck behind three-year starter Travis Lewis, but Stoops vowed to find a way to get the sophomore on the field somehow.

Three fall questions

1. Road woes officially over? Oklahoma finished strong last season, winning four huge games away from Owen Field, including wins over top 25 foes Oklahoma State and Nebraska to win the Big 12 South and Big 12, respectively. Will that maturity carry over to 2011? We’ll find out quick. The Sooners travel to Florida State, a likely top 10 opponent, in the season’s first month.

2. Running back by committee? DeMarco Murray was the featured back in 2010 after spending much of his career splitting carries. This year, though, a committee approach could return for the Sooners. Roy Finch, Brennan Clay and incoming freshman Brandon Williams are likely to split duties, but will any other back crash the party? And how will those carries be distributed?

3. What to expect from the safeties? Jonathan Nelson and Quinton Carter were outstanding, but both safeties are gone. Aaron Colvin showed big potential as a new starter this spring, and Javon Harris looks likely to slide into the opposite safety spot. Nickel back Tony Jefferson is also working at a traditional safety spot periodically. How will they look in the thick of conference play?

The NFL draft has come and gone, and I hope you're all prepared for no more NFL anything for awhile. I know I'm not.

Anyway, here's how the Big 12 shook out over the weekend, with a few thoughts to follow.

First round (8)

• No. 2: Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M (Denver)
• No. 7: Aldon Smith, DE, Missouri (San Francisco)
• No. 10: Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri (Jacksonville)
• No. 17: Nate Solder, OT, Colorado (New England)
• No. 19: Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska (New York Giants)
• No. 21: Phil Taylor, DT, Baylor (Cleveland)
• No. 23: Danny Watkins, OL, Baylor (Philadelphia)
• No. 27: Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado (Baltimore)

Second round (2)

• No. 34: Aaron Williams, CB, Texas (Buffalo)
• No. 62: Daniel Thomas, RB, Kansas State (Miami)

Third round (2)

• No. 71: DeMarco Murray, RB, Oklahoma (Dallas)
• No. 95: Curtis Brown, CB, Texas (Pittsburgh)

Fourth round (6)

• No. 103: Sam Acho, DE, Texas (Arizona)
• No. 105: Roy Helu Jr., RB, Nebraska (Washington)
• No. 108: Quinton Carter, S, Oklahoma (Denver)
• No. 115: Kendall Hunter, RB, Oklahoma State (San Francisco)
• No. 118: Jalil Brown, CB, Colorado (Kansas City)
• No. 120: Alex Henery, K, Nebraska (Philadelphia)

Fifth round (3)

• No. 146: DeJon Gomes, S, Nebraska (Washington)
• No. 155: Niles Paul, WR, Nebraska (Washington)
• No. 164: Chykie Brown, CB, Texas (Baltimore)

Sixth round (1)

• No. 196: Keith Williams, OL, Nebraska (Pittsburgh)

Seventh round (8)

• No. 216: Mikail Baker, CB, Baylor (St. Louis)
• No. 227: Scotty McKnight, WR, Colorado (New York Jets)
• No. 229: Jonathan Nelson, DB, Oklahoma (St. Louis)
• No. 232: Baron Batch, RB, Texas Tech (Pittsburgh)
• No. 234: Andrew Gachkar, LB, Missouri (San Diego)
• No. 246: Jay Finley, RB, Baylor (Cincinnati)
• No. 247: Jeremy Beal, DE, Oklahoma (Denver)
• No. 248: Eric Hagg, S, Nebraska (Cleveland)

Here's how the Big 12 teams ranked in terms of total draftees:

1. Nebraska - 7
2. Baylor - 4
2. Colorado - 4
2. Oklahoma - 4
2. Texas - 4
6. Missouri - 3
7. Kansas State -1
7. Oklahoma State - 1
7. Texas A&M - 1
7. Texas Tech - 1
11. Iowa State - 0
11. Kansas - 0

And the major conferences (counting where players actually played):

SEC - 38
Pac-12 - 33
Big 12 - 30
Big Ten - 29
ACC - 35
Big East - 22

• Texas A&M had just one player drafted, but the Aggies will have plenty next year, including a handful of possible first-rounders. Cyrus Gray, Ryan Tannehill and Jeff Fuller could all go very early in 2012, depending on what happens between now and then.
[+] Enlarge
Matthew Emmons/US PresswireOklahoma defensive end Jeremy Beal was drafted in the seventh round by Denver.
• Interesting that Miller went 245 selections before the Big 12's Defensive Player of the Year, according to the media, Jeremy Beal. Also an interesting coincidence? The same team drafted both. I do think Beal will have a productive NFL career, and there's no denying what he did at Oklahoma, but the measurables were never quite there for Beal. What's not measurable? How difficult he is to block. That said, Miller was my vote for the Big 12's Defensive Player of the Year.
• Good to see some hard-working, perhaps under-respected guys get drafted. This was an important year for that, considering those left over won't be able to get into NFL minicamps until the lockout ends and won't be able to do anything to further their NFL careers besides work out on their own. I'll have a post later today on some of those snubs. There's no guarantee that late-drafted guys like Baron Batch, Scotty McKnight, Jay Finley or Eric Hagg will catch on in the the pros, but I'd be willing to guarantee they'll do everything in their power to maximize what opportunities they get.
• One of the most interesting selections? Mikail Baker. He wasn't invited to the combine, and played just one full season on defense at Baylor after working as a kick returner and a cornerback in 2009 before a season-ending knee injury. You don't see that kind of impressive athleticism at Baylor traditionally.
• Let the debate continue: Kendall Hunter vs. DeMarco Murray. Murray getting drafted 40-some spots earlier only intensified that discussion, if you ask me.
• Also, what's more impressive from Art Briles? That Baylor had four picks, the most in school history since 1996? Or that despite those four picks, Baylor's returning an even better team than last season, when it ended a 16-year bowl drought?
• Colorado's draft, meanwhile? Not exactly a ringing endorsement for Dan Hawkins' coaching job in Boulder.
• Alex Henery didn't win the Lou Groza Award, but his fourth-round selection makes him the earliest kicker draft pick since 2006. Will that end the state of Nebraska's blood feud against respectable OSU kicker Dan Bailey, who did win the Lou Groza Award? I doubt it. (Save your emails. For the 100th time, I agree, Nebraska fans. Henery > Bailey.)
• A few guys who went way lower than I thought they would. In order of my surprise level: Beal, Gabbert, Amukamara, Hagg, Hunter.
• A few guys who went way higher than I thought, in the same order: Aldon Smith, Batch, Gachkar, Baker.

You've surely seen plenty of mock drafts and draft boards by position by now, but those are all put together by mashing together players' total skill sets.

So what would happen if you broke down those skill sets and re-ranked players in the draft? Todd McShay did exactly that for every draftable offensive player.

Here's a look at what he had to say.

Quarterbacks

• Missouri's Blaine Gabbert was No. 3 in intelligence and decision-making, behind Greg McElroy of Alabama and TCU's Andy Dalton.
• Gabbert was No. 1 in throwing accuracy.
• He's the Big 12's only draftable quarterback, according to McShay, and ranked No. 1 overall on his positional draft board.

Running backs

• McShay ranked DeMarco Murray as the No. 1 running back in the draft, according to receiving skill.
• Murray was also No. 1 in pass blocking. Kansas State's Daniel Thomas was No. 2.
• Oklahoma State's Kendall Hunter is the Big 12's top back on his positional draft board. Hunter ranks No. 4. Thomas is No. 5. Murray ranked 10th.

Offensive line

• Baylor's Danny Watkins ranked No. 2 in pass blocking among draftable guards.
• Watkins also ranked No. 2 in run blocking among guards.
• He ranked No. 1 in "toughness" among guards.
• Watkins was the No. 6 overall offensive line prospect available. Texas' Kyle Hix was his No. 42 available and Missouri's Tim Barnes was No. 50.