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With the spring in the Big 12 over, it's time to hand out some awards.

Best newcomer: Brandon Moore, DT, Texas. Moore and offensive lineman Donald Hawkins were the first two juco transfers at Texas since 2002. This spring, Moore showed why, and Hawkins should start on the offensive line. Moore, a 330-pound force in the middle of the defense was reportedly "unstoppable" this spring. Conditioning may be an issue, but that could get better over the summer. If he's busting up offensive lines, Texas' defense is going to be terrifying. Honorable mention: Blake Jackson, WR/TE, Oklahoma State, Dayne Crist, QB, Kansas

Biggest shocker: Wes Lunt, QB, Oklahoma State. OSU OC Todd Monken said himself he'd be "shocked" if Lunt came in and won the QB job. Well, consider him shocked. Junior Clint Chelf didn't distance himself from his competition, and Lunt learned enough to surpass dual-threat J.W. Walsh and win the job. Chelf and Walsh don't sound like they're itching to transfer, which is a welcome sign for OSU's coaches, but Lunt could begin a storied career in Stillwater this fall, even if there are growing pains in the immediate future.

Best quote: Todd Monken, OC, Oklahoma State. Monken got the Sooners fired up with his take on how quickly things can change for a quarterback when it comes to confidence. "It didn’t take long when ol’ (Oklahoma receiver Ryan) Broyles went down and (OU) started running the dozer to think, 'Do we have our guy?' That didn’t take long," Monken said. "Landry Jones went from like, 'I’m the man,' to all of a sudden, 'I haven’t thrown a touchdown pass, I'm fumbling it over my head at Oklahoma State. I gotta go back and see my quarterback guru." Monken later apologized, and even though he made an example of a rival player, it wasn't explicit criticism. Out of line? Maybe. Definitely not what Mike Gundy wanted to hear. Above all, though, it was fact. Even Oklahoma fans who watched the Sooners in 2011 would admit that. It's the truth. Nice move to apologize, and Oklahoma can call it disrespect if it wants. I'll call it what it is: the truth.

Second-best quote: Glenn Gronkowski, FB, Kansas State. On the light-hearted side of things, the youngest of the Gronkowski boys explained his family slogan, "Get Gronk'd" on his bracelet ("It basically just means beasting as much as possible. It's about beasting and going as hard as possible at all times and in everything you do.") and what it was like growing up with his older brothers, notably New England Patriots' TE Rob Gronkowski. "We'd just break stuff, man. We were into WWE when we were little. One time, we got an old table and pulled it out into the living room. We got Rob and choke-slammed him through it. That thing broke right in half." Mrs. Gronkowski, you are a saint.

Biggest black eye: TCU drug scandal. TCU had a squeaky-clean image before this spring, but there's no doubt the newcomers picked a bad time to have it end. Not the best first impression. Four players were arrested in a campus drug sting, including former All-American linebacker Tanner Brock, who would have been the team's top defender. There's some debate about how widespread the problem was, but the impact, scope and attention of the scandal were a bigger problem for the schools than players at Baylor and Iowa State being under investigation for sexual assault. Isn't that a problem in itself?

Best spring-game performance: Collin Klein, QB, Kansas State. Klein was going up against second-teamers, sure. Other K-State quarterbacks have put up crazy numbers in this game, but Klein bested them all with an eye-popping stat line. He completed 47-of-56 passes for 480 yards and six touchdowns, though he threw an interception on the final drive with the game tied at 42. Most impressive? He called all the plays, as K-State QBs traditionally do in the spring game. Honorable mention: Charlie Moore, WR, Oklahoma State

Best viral video: Charlie Weis, Kansas. Weis allowed media access to one open practice, and at the end, ripped into his team for not being enthusiastic enough while celebrating what was supposed to be a game-winning field goal to beat TCU and go 3-0, he told them. "I can tell you guys aren’t used to winning. ... Winning a football game is not supposed to be an uncommon occurrence. I know that’s a novel concept around here," Weis yelled. "When you win a football game, there’s supposed to be a celebration that looks like a celebration. And that was a pile of crap." Was it legitimate? Was it a media stunt? I don't care. It was compelling.

A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men.

• According to a poll, 41 percent of West Virginians were indifferent to the Big 12 move. Another 40 percent favored the move and 19 percent opposed it. Jared Hunt of the Charleston Daily Mail has the report.
• Eyebrow-raising story from Iowa State. Defensive back Anthony Young believes he was run off by coach Paul Rhoads because of a knee injury he says was mistreated by ISU staff. ISU declined comment. Dan Tracy of the Iowa State Daily explains.
• Transfer? Oklahoma State quarterback J.W. Walsh doesn't sound like he's going anywhere after losing the QB job to freshman Wes Lunt.
• West Virginia had a memorable trip to the Orange Bowl, but it still lost more than $200,000 on the game.
• Former TCU linebacker Tanner Brock looks like he's transferring to UTEP. Brock was one of four TCU players arrested in a campus drug sting this spring. His brother, however, says the reports are mere rumor.
• Kansas State AD John Currie is joining the board of directors at the Fiesta Bowl.
• Oklahoma offensive lineman Austin Woods is now battling Hodgkin's lymphoma.
• Big 12 commissioner Chuck Neinas came away very impressed with the BCS meetings last week, writes colleague Ivan Maisel.
• How will Texas Tech handle its third-tier TV rights? AD Kirby Hocutt discusses the logistics with Don Williams of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.
• New Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly weighed in on Charlie Weis' prospects at his new home in Kansas.
• There's nothing left for WVU to do on the field for now. Coach Dana Holgorsen's hoping his players don't make headlines off the field this offseason, writes Mike Casazza of the Charleston Daily Mail.
• Kansas' backfield duo proved the running back position is in good hands after James Sims' suspension, writes Matt Tait of the Lawrence Journal-World.
• WVU defensive end Bruce Irvin talks about his pre-draft arrest and surprising draft night.
• Oklahoma State defensive lineman Calvin Barnett was arrested on four driving charges this week.
• What will the first round in 2013 look like? Plenty of Big 12 talents could hear their name called.
• Texas Tech looks like its adding a QB transfer from New Mexico.

The race was close, but not too close to call.

Wes Lunt will enter fall camp as Oklahoma State's starting quarterback, coach Mike Gundy announced Thursday. The true freshman enrolled early and outgunned redshirt freshman J.W. Walsh and junior Clint Chelf to earn the gig.

From our news story:

Illinois native Lunt, a 6-foot-4, 211-pound traditional passer, enrolled early this spring and outdueled his more experienced competition to win the job, coach Mike Gundy announced Thursday.

Lunt will be the first true freshman starter for Oklahoma State since Tone Jones in 1993, and no true freshman has ever started a season opener.

"We had to make a decision based on what we thought was best for our offense to score points and then give us the best chance to win football games," Gundy said in a statement. "All three players had good springs, but at some point the decision is made on the field. There's always a comment about who coaches are going to name as the starter at any position, but the coaches usually don't make that decision -- the decision is made by the players. Wes performed better than the other two quarterbacks in the spring."

Said Lunt: "I'm overwhelmed. It's such a humbling experience. Coming in early, I knew I had a chance to compete for the job, and to get it is just overwhelming. I know that we're still going to compete through summer and two-a-days, so it's not over."

It's not a huge surprise. This thing was close. Worth noting: Walsh was recruited by former offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen, and Chelf was a hometown kid.

Lunt, though? He's the only Illinois player on Oklahoma State's roster, and second-year coordinator Todd Monken went out and got his man. Once his man got on campus, Lunt delivered. Now, he's being rewarded, and it's time to develop him.

Oklahoma State won't be perfect next season, but oh my, will the Cowboys be fun to watch.

Additionally, the Pokes go from a 28-year-old starter who graduated high school in 2002, to an 18-year-old starter who technically hasn't walked at his own high school graduation yet. That's quite a jump, but Lunt's even temper was similar to Brandon Weeden's, and was a trait that no doubt aided him in winning the job.

This race isn't completely over yet, but Lunt can change that quick by validating his status as a leader over the summer and showing up and practicing strong come fall camp.

STILLWATER, Okla. -- Wednesday morning, Oklahoma State's coaches met, but at no point during the day did smoke of any color drift from above Boone Pickens Stadium, signifying that the torch had been passed from record-setting quarterback Brandon Weeden to his successor.

Nowhere inside the stadium did Pickens tap a fresh-faced quarterback on each shoulder with his orange scepter, designating him as the face of the program Pickens has pumped hundreds of millions of dollars into.

Well, not yet, anyway.

The decision might still come later this week. It might not. Either way, the delay says plenty. The target date of naming a starter by the end of spring has passed. Oklahoma State held its spring game Saturday.

"If we don’t know, then we won’t do it. But if we know, then we’ll certainly do it," coach Mike Gundy told ESPN.com in a recent interview. "That’s as important as anything we'll do in the offseason."

Gundy wants his new quarterback to spearhead offseason workouts and entrench himself as the guy his teammates follow. He can place deadlines on the decision all he wants, but ultimately, junior Clint Chelf, redshirt freshman J.W. Walsh and true freshman Wes Lunt will make the decision on the field.

"It’d be nice to have a starter named by the summer, but you’d better be in that position where you know for sure," Cowboys offensive coordinator Todd Monken said. "You wouldn’t want guys to be bummed all summer and not work as hard, and then one week into fall camp be like, did we screw that up?

"You want it to be done if you know, but if you don’t know?"

That's where Oklahoma State finds itself today. Do OSU's coaches know? Lunt, Walsh and Chelf didn't make it easy on them through 15 practices this spring.

Each received an equal share of work with the first team, and Monken says that's all that can truly be evaluated when making the decision. The second-team offense -- namely receivers and offensive line -- aren't good enough yet to provide a reliable measuring stick.

None of the three signal-callers fell behind enough to redistribute reps to the top two and thus allow the coaches a larger sample; giving players too many reps with a lesser supporting cast could be a fatal blow to the trait Monken and Gundy want most: confidence.

"We’ve got to continue to play well around these guys and allow them to function, because none of them right now are capable of carrying us themselves. We don’t have that guy right now. He’s not here right now," Monken said. "Maybe he will be, but right now, he’s not."

Monken's not exactly sweating. He had a guy who could do it last year in Weeden, but looking around college football, he knows few teams have a quarterback who can truly carry a team.

"It didn’t take long when ol’ (Oklahoma receiver Ryan) Broyles went down and (OU) started running the dozer to think, 'Do we have our guy?' That didn’t take long," Monken said. "Landry Jones went from like, 'I’m the man,' to all of a sudden, 'I haven’t thrown a touchdown pass, I'm fumbling it over my head at Oklahoma State. I gotta go back and see my quarterback guru.'"

There's no doubt Oklahoma State's coaches have pored over hours of tape from all three candidates in the past few weeks and months. Still, there's no resolution.

"They’re all doing really good," Monken said. "They wouldn’t say that, as much as I yell at them, but they’ve all done better than I thought they’d do for where they’re at."

Walsh has improved his mechanics. Chelf has proved his status as the group's elder statesman and embraced a role as a leader. Lunt has done his best to figure out what is going on and showcase his status as the quarterback with the most traditional build and arm strength.

Some of what coaches want, though, can't show up on game tape.

"The biggest thing is that the cats around him believe in him," Monken said.

Weeden is gone. Oklahoma State doesn't have a quarterback who exudes greatness. Yet, anyway. It does have three good ones, though, and even with a decision looming, Monken isn't all that nervous.

"You can go from a guy who makes everybody look a lot better to guys we’ve got to help out a little bit. But they’ll be fine. We’ll be fine. Winning and losing this year won’t be a matter of whether we find a quarterback or not," Monken said. "It’ll be, will we stay healthy with the guys we have and the depth that we have. That’ll be the big thing. The guys will play well around whoever we have."

Miss the Pokes' spring game on Saturday? We've got you covered.

What happened:

• The Cowboys' on-field quarterback derby came to an end: J.W. Walsh completed 16 of 27 passes for 310 yards and two touchdowns. Clint Chelf completed 18 of 31 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns. True freshman Wes Lunt completed 15 of 23 passes for 215 yards and two touchdowns. The Cowboys didn't announce a starter after the game. More on that later.
• Junior receiver Charlie Moore broke out with nine catches for 243 yards and three touchdowns, highlighting the offense's day.
• Defensive end Tyler Johnson made five tackles, a sack, two tackles for loss and recovered a fumble. Linebacker Caleb Lavey had five tackles and two tackles for loss.
• Gray won, 31-21, whatever that means. The 24-0 score at halftime was flipped in favor of the Gray.

What we learned:

• Oklahoma State's going to be just fine at quarterback. Oklahoma State's not sure who's going to grab the reins just yet. Coach Mike Gundy says the coaches will meet on Wednesday, and after that? "It should be shortly after that when we feel like we’ll have our quarterback," he said. Let's just say I have my doubts about an official announcement coming, but how can you not feel great about what you've got at quarterback after Saturday, and really, all spring? OSU's not going to have an All-Big 12 first-teamer behind center, but it'll certainly have a guy in the top half of the conference -- maybe even better. There is a lot of uncertainty, but in this offense all three can produce and have room for growth -- more so wit hWalsh and Lunt. My pick for the OSU quarteback race remains Walsh.
• We may have our breakout receiver in Stillwater. Everybody knew to watch Tracy Moore. The more-informed folks knew to keep an eye on sophomore Josh Stewart, arguably the best receiver in the spring for the Cowboys, and plenty more knew to watch juco transfer Blake Jackson. But Charlie Moore? A junior with seven catches, 114 yards and one touchdown in two seasons? I'd heard buzz that he'd excelled this spring, but no way anybody expected what he did on Saturday. He'll get plenty of hype in fall camp, and I'd caution the hype machine that Saturday was only a spring game. Doing that against teammates on a Saturday in spring is different from doing it every Saturday against Big 12 defenses. We'll see, but if a guy shows that kind of potential, it's hard to see him not being a major contributor.

They said it:

"I have an opinion on what I think is best. I mentioned to the offensive staff before prior to us starting that I didn't want to sway them one way or the other. I want to know what they have to say and then make a comparison. We'd like to name a quarterback this upcoming this week. That way we can move forward and know who our leader is this summer. I think that's best for our team."

-- Gundy, on his quarterback race

"There is an eyeball test. You look at something and you have to be careful of rushing to judgment without watching the tape. There are a lot of beautiful girls out there with terrible personalities. We'll have to see once we see the tape.”

Offensive coordinator Todd Monken, on the quarterback race. Monken also added that Walsh's day Saturday was his best of the spring after struggling in the middle of the 15 practices.

"You bet it does. Even though it's an orange and gray game and your teams are split and I'm blowing a whistle and it's not a real game, there's still competition out there. Players compete and the guys that really want to make plays, they don't care what the situation is -- they go out and play the game. It means a lot to me, the players that make plays out here today because this is as close as we can get to a game setting."

-- Gundy, on if Moore's performance means anything.

The spring is nearing its end with just a little over a week remaining for some.

Oklahoma State and West Virginia will wrap up their spring practices this weekend. Until then, it's time to break down where we stand in the quarterback competitions around the league.

Baylor: Bears coach Art Briles said it was Nick Florence's job to lose entering the spring, and Florence did nothing to let Briles down. Instead, he seized the job ahead of talented backup Bryce Petty, who has a bright future ahead of himself. Florence gave up his redshirt last season by playing the second half against Texas Tech, but he'll try to make his senior season count. For now, this is his team.

Iowa State: Nothing's been settled after Iowa State's spring game last Saturday. Steele Jantz got back into the race when Jared Barnett struggled in the bowl game, and the competition was too close to call at the end of spring. ISU coach Paul Rhoads even said redshirt freshman Sam Richardson isn't out of the race. Former QB Jerome Tiller is, though. He was in the four-man competition last spring, which Jantz eventually won, but missed the season because of academic issues. He's a receiver now, and doing well at the position.

Kansas: Charlie Weis brought in his guy, Dayne Crist, from Notre Dame, and last year's starter, Jordan Webb, transferred. Crist has entrenched himself as the starter midway through spring practice, which ends with the spring game on April 28. BYU transfer Jake Heaps is taking reps with the second team now, but he'll be phased out in the fall while he sits out his NCAA-mandated redshirt season after transferring.

Kansas State: Collin Klein is still developing as a passer, but he is K-State's offense. Moving on ...

Oklahoma: Landry Jones returned for his senior season, but with a healthy set of running backs, the Belldozer, a power formation named after big-bodied backup Blake Bell, may be phased out this season. Bell, though, showcased his arm in the spring game and outperformed the older Drew Allen. The backup QB race should be interesting to watch this fall.

Oklahoma State: Coach Mike Gundy really wanted to name a starter by the end of spring, but it doesn't look likely to happen. No quarterback has established any distance, but they'll have a huge chance in Saturday's spring game. For now, true freshman Wes Lunt is still in the race, though dual-threat man J.W. Walsh may be the favorite ahead of junior Clint Chelf, who has some game experience the past two seasons. This is the league's best race, but also its most difficult to predict. Just about anything could happen.

Texas: Coach Mack Brown isn't making anything official, but sophomore David Ash was getting nearly all the first-team reps in the spring, ahead of Case McCoy. There's no official title yet, but there would be major shock if anyone but Ash starts the season opener. Now, if Ash struggles...

TCU: Casey Pachall had a great first year, and brings back his top three targets in Josh Boyce, Skye Dawson and Brandon Carter. The sky is the limit for Pachall.

Texas Tech: The Red Raiders' staff liked what Seth Doege did as a first-year starter, but the defense and injuries to his offense put too much strain on him in 2011. He'll look a lot better if his receivers and running backs can stay healthy.

West Virginia: Geno Smith may be the league's best quarterback, and coach Dana Holgorsen can't quit calling him "special." That's not to say he should. It could be a special season for him and the Mountaineers as they join the Big 12.

STILLWATER, Okla. -- Mike Gundy's spent just under half of his 44 years on the planet playing for or coaching Oklahoma State in some capacity.

In 2011, he finally scaled the mountain and provided an outright conference title, the school's first and only since the birth of the Big 8 in 1958.

Gundy is preparing for his eighth season at Oklahoma State, but still holds the rare distinction of improving or equalling his record in every season in Stillwater.

This year's team doesn't have a player on the roster who has been on a team that won fewer than nine games, Gundy notes.

"These guys think they’re better than they really are, and I’ve kind of told them, 'You know, look guys, you've got a ways to go here,' but they don’t believe that. Just because they’ve been here," Gundy said. "And a good portion of them have won 11 or 12, so they don’t know any different, which is a good thing. Now, if it ever becomes an issue where they don’t think they have to practice hard, then I’ll have to deal with that, but they think they’re better than that."

The task ahead of Oklahoma State now is clear: The Cowboys proved they could do a great Texas or Oklahoma impression for one year, winning a Big 12 title.

The Cowboys are further along the road to becoming a national power than any other Big 12 team, but now must prove their worth in the most difficult of proving grounds: the "rebuilding" year.

Winning, or even being a factor in the Big 12 title race, in a season like this would be no greater proof that Oklahoma State has arrived.

This is not the purest of rebuilding years for Oklahoma State. Sixteen starters return from last year's team, 29th-most in college football. However, the loss of near-Heisman winner Brandon Weeden and two-time Biletnikoff Award winner Justin Blackmon is enough to demote the Cowboys from postseason top three to preseason top 20.

Gundy knows what has to happen if OSU's going to fight its way back to the top of the Big 12 in a season when few outside of Stillwater see it as a possibility.

"There are a small percentage of teams that can have good and/or great success with just a guy at quarterback. But there’s a large percentage of them that have good or great teams with good quarterbacks," Gundy said. "So, I think developing a quarterback is key as anything to continued success."

Anyone who watches the Big 12 knows that. Dominant defenses in the SEC make it easier to replace quarterbacks. In the Big 12, though, it's score or lose. Most places are like that.

Freshmen J.W. Walsh and Wes Lunt are competing with junior Clint Chelf to win the honor of replacing Weeden in the fall.

There have been plenty of conversations in the coaches' offices this spring about the quarterback race, and offensive coordinator Todd Monken told Gundy about celebrations in the NFL when teams see drafted quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers or Peyton Manning start to see success blossom in their first minicamp or fall camp.

"Everybody celebrates, because you know you’re good for eight or 10 years. Well, in college, you don’t have that luck. It takes them a year to get ready, and you only have three years out of them and then they’re out of here," Gundy said. "In the NFL , you hang onto those guys for so long, because you know you’re in good shape for a number of years. So, I think establishing a quarterback for us, and probably just about anybody other than your teams that dominate on defense."

OSU got its first taste of big-time success in 2011, capping the Big 12 title by beating likely No. 1 pick Andrew Luck and Stanford in the Fiesta Bowl, the program's first trip to the BCS.

Weeden, a former walk-on, and Blackmon, a moderate receiving recruit, emerged in the last rebuilding year. Oklahoma State was picked to finish fifth in something called the Big 12 South. It earned a share of the Big 12 South and won 10 games.

Oklahoma State will likely be near the middle of the pack in the Big 12 preseason poll this year. Gundy's already got his Big 12 title ring, but getting the Cowboys to finish at or near the top might be even more impressive.

I've been inspired by the boys at the Big Ten Blog, and this should be a fun walk through each week in the new-look Big 12 next season. I'll pick one game a week during the season that I'd attend if it were entirely up to me. I don't make the call, and things change as games are played, of course. But right now, this is how it'd look if it were up to me. I'll include road nonconference games, too.

• Week 1: West Virginia vs. Marshall
• Week 2: Kansas State vs. Miami
• Week 3: Texas at Ole Miss
• Week 4: Kansas State at Oklahoma

Here's the Week 5 slate in the Big 12:

• Baylor at West Virginia
• Texas Tech at Iowa State
• Texas at Oklahoma State
• TCU at SMU

My pick: Texas at Oklahoma State

Once again, no contest here. It'd be my first look at the reigning Big 12 champs, who would be sporting a brand-new look on offense without the team's top two receivers (Justin Blackmon, Josh Cooper) and quarterback Brandon Weeden. My money is on J.W. Walsh as the man to replace Weeden, but he'd face what would likely be the toughest test of his season in Texas' defense.

What a matchup. Last year, the Longhorns provided OSU's offense its toughest test, and this should be a close, classic game. OSU's offense won't be quite as potent and Texas' defense should be much better, as will its offense. Oklahoma State says its defensive tackles are much improved, but they'll get a tough test in the Longhorns' three-headed rushing attack with Joe Bergeron, Malcolm Brown and Johnathan Gray.

Neither team will be among the favorites to win the Big 12, but both teams have the potential to take the lead. Want to prove it? Win this game. Loser will get downgraded in the race for sure, and this one should go down to the wire after OSU beat the Longhorns by double digits in Austin in consecutive seasons.

STILLWATER, Okla. -- We've only scratched the surface of my notebook after my visit to Stillwater on Wednesday. Lots, lots, lots more to come. Here's a few spare thoughts, notes and quotes from my day with the reigning Big 12 champs.

• You've heard enough about Oklahoma State's QBs for today (Part 1, Part 2), with more to come on that trio, but whoever wins the job won't be short for targets. Receiver Josh Stewart's made the biggest improvement this offseason, but Tracy Moore has come on strong on the outside, too. Inside, you really do have to watch out for Blake Jackson. I regret not putting him on my "Top Newcomers in the Big 12" list from earlier this week. He's playing inside, but he's basically a tight end, and was the best of the junior college ranks last year. He's also a man. He's a huge target with great, great hands. Look for him to get some run on the goal line, but in this offense, he may actually be my frontrunner for Big 12 Newcomer of the Year. I'd almost guarantee him getting a high volume of touches, and he's going to be tough to bring down at 6-foot-3, 238 pounds. He's every bit of that, too. "He's a big body guy and has really good hands. If it's in the general area of him, he's going to catch it," quarterback J.W. Walsh said. "He's got really good leaping ability and great ball skills."
• Speaking of newcomers, you don't hear as much hype around him, but defensive coordinator Bill Young is hopeful that Calvin Barnett can have a big impact on the defensive line. Plenty of folks were after the one-time OSU commit, turned Arkansas signee, turned juco All-American, turned Cowboy signee. The 6-foot-2, 300-pounder has big-time potential, but he has to pick up the speed of the game and focus on technique. OSU's defense may ultimately depend on strength at the defensive tackle spot. "He's a very talented guy, he's really strong and powerful. Weight coaches have raved about what he's done in the weight room," said Young. "He's a big guy who can run and change direction. We're fortunate to have him." Big impact? "We're hoping he can," Young said.
• Fired Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt, an Oklahoma State alum, was back on OSU's campus on Wednesday visiting with the coaching staff. Colorado coach Jon Embree also showed up unannounced earlier this spring to meet with Gundy, who granted the request.
• Oklahoma State's corners and running backs are both having great springs, as expected. Those two spots might be the biggest strength on the team. OSU has a great case as the Big 12's best set of running backs, and is second to only Texas at cornerback.
• Defensively, Mike Gundy feels like this year's team is the most talented and deepest of any team he's had dating all the way back to even when Gundy was an assistant under Les Miles.
• Oklahoma State may be hurt the most of anyone with the new rule changes in special teams. Kickoffs have been moved up to the 35-yard line and touchbacks are now brought out to the 25-yard line. That negates two huge advantages OSU has had the past two season. Quinn Sharp boomed 61 touchbacks last season. No other kicker had more than 40. Meanwhile, Justin Gilbert is one of the most dynamic return men in the league, but he'll have fewer opportunities. He says he'll still plan on taking it out when he gets a chance, but he'll have to dial it back some and take the unselfish route a whole lot more. Sad to see that. He's electrifying.
• Oklahoma State moved safety Daytawion Lowe to nickel back and Lavocheya Cooper is holding down the free safety spot. The void at strong safety will be filled by committee, Young said. Zack Craig will be part of it, as and Shamiel Gary and Deion Imade will get a shot, too. "The good thing about is we have all the backups back," Young said.
• OSU is missing center Evan Epstein this week. He's out with pneumonia.
• Former OSU lineman Levy Adcock showed up briefly to Oklahoma State' facilities on Wednesday. I can confirm he's shaved his mullet, just like he said he would.

When it comes to quarterback, Bob Stoops lives a charmed life these days.

Not many coaches can boast a bona fide Heisman contender -- Landry Jones -- with 37 career starts to his name entering the 2012 season. Stoops can.

But looking at both of the Sooners' rivals, it's a different picture.

Texas is engrossed in a two-man derby between David Ash and Case McCoy. North of the Sooners, Oklahoma State is playing host to a battle between junior Clint Chelf and a pair of freshmen, J.W. Walsh (redshirt) and Wes Lunt (early enrollee).

Texas nearly has its man; Ash is handling the majority of the first-team snaps.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma State is still splitting first-team reps evenly and doesn't have much separation between the three. Neither Texas or Oklahoma State has named a starter.

Stoops will have to replace Jones next season, but if he were in Mike Gundy or Mack Brown's shoes, he wouldn't hurry to name a quarterback.

"There's so much that can happen from the end of spring," Stoops told ESPN in Norman this week. "Just think about the amount of time before you take a snap in a game. So, I always felt having our guys continue to remain very competitive was the best thing."

Brown didn't name Garrett Gilbert his starter until the week before the Longhorns' opener against Rice last season. Texas' spring ended with Sunday's spring game and once again, Brown didn't name a starter.

Gundy, meanwhile, has seven practices remaining in the spring and wants separation. What about the notion that a team needs a commanding presence during the summer, when coaches can't oversee player workouts and it's up to a team leader to organize?

"I think that's overrated," Stoops said. "What, Ryan Broyles can't do that? A big-time receiver can't orchestrate it? Or the two (quarterbacks) can't say, 'Hey, we're meeting at this time.'?

“Or your team pride. What, I need the quarterback to tell me I need to come in here and work hard? You've got 100 guys on a team … they oughtta all be pushing each other to get in here and work. Heck, (former OU tight end) Jermaine Gresham could have grabbed everybody by the throat and made sure they were here."

Gundy and offensive coordinator Todd Monken see it quite differently.

"I don’t think it’s overrated," Gundy told ESPN in Stillwater this week. "I think it needs to be there. Can you have a lineman do it? Yeah. It’s not the same. This’ll be a big summer for us, because whoever we feel like is going to be our quarterback, he has to develop some leadership and I feel like that’s all part of it."

Said Monken: "You’re staring at two guys who played quarterback, Mike and I. So from our end of it, that’s how we’re going to see it. Stoops, he played DB, so he doesn’t care. He sees it a different way, and he’s right, anybody can organize it, but that’s not usually the case."

Monken's biggest reason? Quarterbacks need it more than anyone else. OSU receiver Justin Blackmon lived with a walk-on quarterback during his career, and anytime he wanted to get some work, he had an arm who could throw him balls at full speed.

Quarterbacks, though? Work is work, but throwing to walk-ons or friends isn't the same as throwing to targets with sub-4.5 speed like they will in live games.

"Quarterbacks need those guys to function," Monken said. "I don’t blame anybody for their opinion. That’s their opinion, but the reality is that the guys that are usually in charge of the summer workouts are the QBs because it affects them the most."

He added: "There’s something to be said for the guy that leads your team being the organizer. It doesn’t have to be, but it certainly helps."

Oklahoma State doesn't know who its quarterback will be. It would love to name him by spring. But even with the stakes high during the summer, they have no plans to force a decision.

"If we don’t know, then we won’t do it, but if we do, then we’ll do it," Gundy said. "That’s as important as anything we do in the offseason."

STILLWATER, Okla. -- Spent all Wednesday talking to players and coaches around Oklahoma State's program, and came away with plenty of thoughts and several stories you'll see on the blog very soon. First things first, though:

I've officially switched my pick in the Oklahoma State quarterback race. I've tentatively leaned to Clint Chelf since the offseason, but after my visit, I'm going with J.W. Walsh. I'll have a much longer look at the race on the blog soon, but let me briefly explain:

One: This race is really, really close. It probably will be through the spring. Coach Mike Gundy noted after Wednesday's practice that true freshman Wes Lunt was still in the race.

That said, if Chelf, a junior, was going to win this race, he'd have done it, or at least distanced himself to some degree by now. As it stands, all three quarterbacks are still getting equal reps with the first team, but Walsh is sort of in the sweet spot. His major growing pains are over -- his head was spinning when he was in Lunt's shoes last spring -- and he grew up a lot despite getting no reps during the season from August to December. His understanding of the offense is there and expedited by being the son of a coach, with a lot of knowledge in his corner just a phone call away.

Two: At some point, you have to play the "potential" card if you're OSU. Chelf and Walsh are about even right now. I'd put Lunt just behind them, but like Gundy said, still a factor. But the upside? There's Chelf, a moderately rated recruit entering his fourth overall season in the program. Then there's Walsh, the nation's No. 10 recruit in the 2011 class and a guy who's been in the program just over a calendar year. And those two are even? Recruiting rankings aren't everything, but they're certainly something, and Walsh sounds like he's doing everything to make the most of what potential he does have.

So, if Chelf wins this job at the end of spring, could you believe without a doubt that Walsh wouldn't surpass him by the time preseason camp was at its midpoint? The additional first-team reps would help Chelf, but could it not also be argued that Walsh would be helped more by the same reps?

I spent time Wednesday with Gundy and offensive coordinator Todd Monken, and both emphasized the need for a vocal leader that teammates can believe in -- this above all else when I asked.

That's in Walsh's personality, and much less so in Chelf's.

OSU's coaches have a stated goal of naming a starter by the end of spring, but ultimately the players decide this. If Chelf distances himself in the final seven practices of the spring -- it might happen, it might not -- I think OSU's coaches designate him the starter heading into fall.

But if there's no smoke from the chimney and no announcement made? Advantage Walsh, in my opinion. Monken admitted Wednesday that at some point, you can't keep giving three quarterbacks first-team reps, and somebody has to step aside. For now, though, he's not as confident in his second team -- receivers and offensive line, namely -- to get a good feel for what the quarterbacks can do, so his only real assessments come when they're working with ones.

The easy guess is Lunt is fazed out of the race at some point: Monken explicitly said there's no way Chelf could fall any lower than No. 2 on the depth chart.

Bottom line, OSU will have two really good QBs for next fall.

Finally, a note on Walsh: Yes, his mechanics are still a bit rough. The staff still wants to get a feel for exactly what his legs can do in live 11-on-11 action. The mechanics are wonky, which could mean spotty accuracy at times, but he gets the ball where it needs to go.

Before I say this, important note: It was not a direct comparison. Anything but that, in fact. That said, Gundy said Walsh reminded him a little bit of Colt McCoy. The motion wasn't pretty, but it got there, and he's tough with a mean leadership streak.

Walsh's sidearm throwing motion will remind you a lot more of Nebraska's Taylor Martinez, but his accuracy is somewhere in between Martinez and McCoy. A wide variance, no? Well, we haven't seen him play a game yet. Give me a break. Walsh isn't going to complete 70-some percent of his passes like McCoy did, but he's got big potential to make plays with his feet.

It'll be a fascinating next few months in Stillwater for sure. I'm picking Walsh now for the reasons outlined above, but it's still wide open. Chelf could still win it. It's hard for me to see Lunt doing enough and proving himself enough to really win it this soon, but these three are going to be fun to watch for years. They can all three play, and I see a nice future for all of them.

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

More spring superlatives:

• Baylor
• Iowa State
• Kansas
• Kansas State
• Oklahoma

Strongest position: Running back

Oklahoma State's Brandon Weeden threw the ball more than all but one quarterback (Case Keenum, Houston; Seth Doege, Texas Tech) in college football last year, but look for those pass-attempt numbers to dip a bit in 2011 for the Cowboys.

First, Weeden is gone. Second, Joseph Randle and Jeremy Smith have more than proved they're capable of producing big numbers. Look for the offense to lean on the junior duo next year a bit more as Oklahoma State breaks in a new quarterback, whoever wins the competition between Clint Chelf, J.W. Walsh and Wes Lunt.

The pass attempts may go down, but look for Randle's 1,216 yards (second in the Big 12 in 2011) to go up next season. He also ran for 24 touchdowns. Smith added 646 yards and nine touchdowns, and those numbers could go up, too. OSU won't suddenly shift to a completely different offense, but these two are going to make the QB transition much easier. Sophomore Herschel Sims should add even more depth after a strong freshman year with extremely limited touches.

Weakest position: Defensive line

Oklahoma State lost two great pass-rushers in Jamie Blatnick and Richetti Jones, who combined for 12 sacks last season and were first and second on the team. There are no elite pass-rushers or players with a ton of potential waiting in the wings. Getting a pass rush will have to be up to some crafty blitz packages. Cooper Bassett and Ryan Robinson, both seniors, will get the first crack at replacing Blatnick and Jones, but it's tough to see the duo coming close to what its predecessors did.

Inside, defensive tackle was a weakness for OSU last year, and Nigel Nicholas returns, but he's moved to defensive end. Power rushing attacks like Texas A&M, Stanford and Texas gave Oklahoma State tons of trouble last year. Anthony Rogers and Davidell Collins begin the spring as starters, but James Castleman and Christian Littlehead should be major contributors, too. We'll see if juco transfer Calvin Barnett can make an impact in a much-needed position.

You know, it's harder than you'd think to find a good loofah in this town.

• Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Frank Alexander had a scare with what doctors thought was a heart problem at the combine. They were wrong, and he's back. Guerin Emig of the Tulsa World takes you inside his journey.
• Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram gets you a look at the biggest position battles on TCU's team this spring.
• The Border Showdown may be dead on the field, but it will for sure live on at the recruiting trail, especially in Kansas City.
• Here's a look at Oklahoma State's Big 12 championship ring.
• West Virginia QB Geno Smith is studying up on NFL quarterbacks, writes Josh Sickle of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
• Oklahoma DC Mike Stoops has high expectations, but his work's cut out for him, writes Mike Baldwin of The Oklahoman.
• How has being a coach's son influenced Oklahoma State's J.W. Walsh's life? And what about this year's QB derby at OSU? Gina Mizell of The Oklahoman tells you how. OC Todd Monken offers some nice insight into Clint Chelf's role in the contest.
• Iowa State football is getting some love in the New York Yankees' spring program.
• Get to know Texas Tech defensive coordinator Art Kaufman.
• Spring break was a welcome rest for West Virginia's tired-armed quarterbacks. OSU quarterbacks know what they're talking about.
• Oklahoma WR Jaz Reynolds offers an update on his scary kidney issue that developed last fall.
• Texas' 2005 national championship team is the one that turned the Horns into an NFL factory, writes Cedric Golden of the Austin American-Statesman.
• Iowa State may be preparing to start a true freshman at kicker this fall.

We wrapped up our list of the Big 12's top 25 players in 2012 last week, but it's time to look ahead.

Who was way off this year's list that could crack it in 2013? Here's a few names.

Quandre Diggs, CB, Texas: Diggs' fellow corner, Carrington Byndom, nearly made this year's list, and perhaps should have. Next year, though, Diggs could make both of UT's cornerbacks among the league's best. As a true freshman, Diggs led the team in interceptions, with four.

Josh Boyce, WR, TCU: Boyce (and his quarterback, Casey Pachall) would have been easy selections this year, but they weren't in the Big 12. They will be in 2012. Boyce caught 61 balls for 998 yards and nine scores, and figures to be as productive next year.

Quarty McBackerson, QB, Oklahoma State: Call this a placeholder. Brandon Weeden is gone, but Oklahoma State has a great offensive line and lots of weapons around whoever wins the Cowboys' spring quarterback derby. Look for Clint Chelf, Wes Lunt or J.W. Walsh to make this list next year.

Malcolm Brown, RB, Texas: Brown led the Longhorns in rushing as a true freshman, but was hampered by injury and the team limited his touches early in the season. There won't be any restrictions this year, and if he stays healthy, he could be a 1,000-yard back, even with Joe Bergeron and Johnathan Gray sharing carries.

Darrin Moore, WR, Texas Tech: If you read this blog, you know how big of a Moore proponent I am. I see Biletnikoff Award potential in him. Tech needs a new top receiver, and if Moore stays healthy, don't rule out a 1,500-yard season for the 6-foot-4, 215-pounder.

Terrance Williams, WR, Baylor: Williams wasn't too far off this year, but he didn't make our honorable mention. He had a quiet 900-yard season this year, but without Kendall Wright, Williams is the top target for new quarterback Nick Florence.

Corey Nelson, LB, Oklahoma: Nelson had a somewhat underwhelming year, but without Travis Lewis' leadership, Nelson could emerge as a breakout defensive player this fall.

Oklahoma State (aka the Big 12 champs) opens up spring practice later today. Here's a look at what to expect.

Schedule: Oklahoma State kicks off the first of its NCAA-allowed 15 practices Monday, leading up to the spring game on April 21. Practices are closed to fans and media.

What's new: The major characters in the story of the Cowboys' 2011 Big 12 title run (and subsequent Fiesta Bowl win) are gone. Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon hooked up for 232 completions and 38 touchdowns the past two seasons, carrying Oklahoma State to 23 wins in consecutive years that were each the best in school history. Replacing both is the primary issue in the spring.

New faces: Special teams coordinator Joe DeForest left after 12 years in Stillwater and leaves a big void of his own. New assistant Van Malone will coach OSU's safeties, but coach Mike Gundy won't decide who fills the special teams role until after the spring. Malone comes to OSU via Tulsa. Oklahoma State also welcomes four early enrollees: QB Wes Lunt, TE Blake Jackson, DT Calvin Barnett and LB Jeremiah Tshimanga.

Big shoes to fill: OSU's receiving corps. Blackmon is gone, but the search goes a lot deeper than just for OSU's No. 1. No. 2 receiver Josh Cooper graduated, as did No. 4 receiver Hubert Anyiam. The team's receiver with perhaps the most potential, Michael Harrison, also left the team after being suspended by the NCAA for the 2012 season. Last year, nine OSU players caught at least 19 passes for 200 yards. There's a lot of receptions to go around. Receivers have to step up this spring. Tracy Moore, Josh Stewart and Isaiah Anderson are the most likely candidates to grab 80-100 balls next year.

All eyes on: The quarterback battle, obviously. Gundy says junior Clint Chelf hasn't done enough to make the job his to lose. Freshman J.W. Walsh has a full year in the system under his belt, but can the dual-threat prove his mettle as a passer? Lunt enters this spring with what's likely the biggest arm of the three, but can he pick the system up fast enough to earn the job? Gundy says he wants to know his starter at the end of the spring, but all three will receive equal reps to begin practice today.

Breaking out: Jackson. We mentioned him earlier, and the early-enrolling tight end is already making a splash. He opens the spring at the top of OSU's depth chart at inside receiver. You don't see that every day. The 6-foot-3 juco transfer was an All-American last year and is already up to 238 pounds from 220 earlier this year. Don't be surprised if he makes major waves in the coming weeks.

Question mark: Markelle Martin wasn't the fastest safety in the league, but he provided valuable leadership, had tons of experience and was arguably the Big 12's biggest hitter. Lavocheya Cooper gets the first crack at replacing him, but will he be good enough? In the pass-happy Big 12, there's no overstating the importance of safeties that get in receivers' heads and prevent the big play.