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Spring football is already under way at Texas Tech, but in the coming weeks, the Big 12's other nine programs will join the Red Raiders in taking the field as a team for the first time since January, December or November for some.

Here's a preview of what to expect:

BAYLOR BEARS

Spring practice start date: March 19
Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

• Nick Florence: It's not official, but the Baylor quarterback job is Florence's to lose. That means he inherits the unenviable task of replacing the school's first Heisman winner. He replaced RG3 in 2009 with mixed results, but showed some major potential in a win over Texas Tech when RG3 took a shot to the head and sat out the second half. Can he keep the bowl streak alive at Baylor? We'll get an idea this spring.
• The defense's progression: You didn't need to see much more than the 67-56 Alamo Bowl win over Washington to know the Bears needed some work on defense. In the month of November, Baylor became the first team in FBS history to win four consecutive games in a single season while also giving up at least 30 points in each of those games. The defense can't make Florence pick up the slack to that level. Year 2 under Phil Bennett must be better. Baylor has no excuses. The Bears have the athletes on campus necessary to be at least a decent defense.
• The team's attitude/motivation: Baylor played with a lot of purpose the past two seasons, and made history in both, cracking a 16-year bowl drought and winning 10 games this year. Is that fire still there? Baylor has to prove it is without RG3 (and Kendall Wright) carrying the team on the field, emotionally and mentally.

IOWA STATE CYCLONES

Spring practice start date: March 20
Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

• The quarterback battle: Or is it? Jared Barnett looked like the man of the future in Ames late in the season, leading the Cyclones to an historic upset of No. 2 Oklahoma State. But in the ugly Pinstripe Bowl loss to a mediocre Rutgers team, Barnett's inaccuracy posed big questions. He was benched and Steele Jantz stepped in, though he didn't play much better than Barnett. Turnovers were an issue for Jantz early on, but Barnett has to bounce back in the spring to make sure the job doesn't come open.
• The receivers: Darius Reynolds was the big-play man for the Cyclones, but he's gone. It's going to be tough to replace him. Slot receivers Aaron Horne and Josh Lenz were productive, but did little to stretch defenses like Reynolds did. Can ISU find someone to fill the void?
• The new man at left tackle: Iowa State had the luxury of having a future pro, Kelechi Osemele, at left tackle for the past three seasons. He earned All-Big 12 nods in each of those seasons, but he's gone now. Junior Carter Bykowski was behind Osemele on the depth chart, but will the converted tight end be the new man at tackle for the Cyclones?

KANSAS JAYHAWKS

Spring practice start date: March 27
Spring game: April 28

What to watch:

• Uh, everything?: I mean, what's not to watch at KU? Charlie Weis steps in for the fired Turner Gill and tries to build KU up from nothing. The Jayhawks were one of the worst teams in Big 12 history last season, losing six games by at least 30 points. Weis will speak his mind and watching him rebuilding the Jayhawks is going to be fun. It all starts next month -- on the field, at least.
• KU's new pass-catch combo: Dayne Crist is on campus, and so is Oklahoma transfer Justin McCay, a former blue-chip recruit who didn't quite catch on in Norman. Quarterback and receiver were arguably the two biggest positions of need for KU last year, and we'll get a preview of what could be a productive combo next season. McCay isn't officially eligible for the 2012 season yet -- he needs the NCAA to waive its mandated redshirt year after a transfer -- but the coaching staff is confident he'll have it granted.
• The uncertainty on the depth chart: When a new staff comes in, you never know what to expect. Kansas' leading rusher in its final season under Mark Mangino, Toben Opurum, is now one of its best defensive linemen. Look for Weis to shake things up, too. Where? Who knows?

KANSAS STATE WILDCATS

Spring practice start date: April 4
Spring game: April 28

What to watch:

• Collin Klein's maturation: Kansas State's quarterback could be fun to watch this spring and next fall. His throwing motion isn't pretty, but his accuracy improved in a big way throughout the season. If that continues at a pace anything close to what we saw last year, K-State's going to be a load for everyone. Look out.
• Developing depth at running back: John Hubert is back, and so is seldom-used Angelo Pease. Bryce Brown is gone, though. Klein handles a lot of the heavy lifting in the running game, but it'd be some nice insurance if K-State could establish some more depth in the backfield. Making Klein carry the ball 300 times again is tempting fate.
• Stars becoming superstars: Kansas State brings back more starters than all but seven teams in college football, so this team is going to look remarkably similar in 2012 to the way it did last year. However, it should get better. And its two transfers could look dominant this spring. Cornerback Nigel Malone and linebacker Arthur Brown emerged as stars last year, but we could see the duo emerge as true game-changers this spring. Look out, Big 12 offenses.

OKLAHOMA SOONERS

Spring practice start date: March 8
Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

• New faces on, off the field: Mike Stoops' arrival as the defensive coordinator was the biggest news this offseason in the Big 12, and Brent Venables, who had been at OU for all of Bob Stoops' tenure, left for Clemson rather than become co-defensive coordinator. Hopes are high that Stoops can revitalize Oklahoma's defense. He was in charge when the Sooners rode a dominant D to the 2000 national title, and the Sooners have the talent to win it all in 2012. Receiver Trey Metoyer joins the team this spring, and could be a major contributor immediately. Two of the team's four new tight ends are also enrolled early.
• QB Blake Bell's role: The Belldozer is back … but so is full-time quarterback Landry Jones. How will the balance between the duo look this spring? And what new wrinkles will we see in Oklahoma's simple, yet near-unstoppable short-yardage formation that scored 13 touchdowns in the second half of 2011?
• The battle at defensive end: Oklahoma must fill two huge holes at defensive end. Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Frank Alexander is gone, as is possible first-round pick Ronnell Lewis. R.J. Washington contributed late and has potential, but David King filled in for Lewis in the final three games of the season. The duo could be great, but it could also be pretty pedestrian. We'll get an idea this spring, but Lewis and Alexander set a high, high bar.

OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS

Spring practice start date: March 12
Spring game: April 21

What to watch:

• The quarterback battle: This will easily be the highest-profile, highest-quality quarterback battle in the Big 12. It won't be at the level of Texas Tech in 2010, but it won't be too far off. Clint Chelf, J.W. Walsh and Wes Lunt will go head to head. All have plenty of potential, though Lunt may have the most. The big-armed true freshman also has the least experience. Anything could happen here.
• Which receivers rise: Justin Blackmon and Josh Cooper leave huge holes behind. It's not every day a two-time Biletnikoff Award winner walks on campus. Hubert Anyiam is gone, too. Michael Harrison is unlikely to play for the 2012 season, but the school has offered no confirmation on his status. He had the most potential, but OSU is deep at the position. Who emerges as the top target? Isaiah Anderson? Tracy Moore? Josh Stewart? Anything could happen there, too.
• Defense needs a leader: Safety Markelle Martin has been the heart of the defense the past two seasons, but his big-hitting days are over. Who becomes the new voice of the defense? It needs to find leadership this spring heading into summer voluntary workouts.

TEXAS LONGHORNS

Spring practice start date: Feb. 23
Spring game: April 1

What to watch:

• The quarterback competition: I still think having a competition at the spot, which Texas says it will, isn't the best option, but David Ash and Case McCoy will go at it alongside early-enrolling freshman Connor Brewer. If Ash secures the job, expect an announcement heading into summer officially anointing the sophomore.
• More sophistication on both sides of the ball: The progression is natural and likely. Offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin and defensive coordinator Manny Diaz had good first years in Austin, but this is Year 2. The spring won't be devoted to learning the playbook. It's time to master it. Both units could look markedly different, and much more refined next fall. Deny it all you like: Texas is back on its way to the top after a rough two years.
• Maturing offensive weapons: Last season, the Longhorns relied on two true freshman running backs (Malcolm Brown/Joe Bergeron), a freshman/sophomore rotation at quarterback and its top receiver (Jaxon Shipley) was a true freshman. No. 2 (Mike Davis) was a sophomore. I hope I don't have to tell you what freshmen and sophomores do in college football. Look. Out.

TCU HORNED FROGS

Spring practice start date: Feb. 25
Spring end date: April 5

What to watch:

• Can TCU shut out the scandal? Four team members were arrested in a recent drug sting and kicked off the team. How much of a distraction will that be for a program undergoing the most monumental change in its history? Quantifying the effects of the scandal will be pretty impossible, and we've got no idea how they'll handle the change, but will it be on players' minds?
• The offense tightens up: The Horned Frogs' offense is absolutely loaded and ready to go for 2012. Quarterback Casey Pachall returns and brings his top three weapons (Josh Boyce, Skye Dawson and Brandon Carter) with him. Running backs Waymon James, Ed Wesley and Matthew Tucker each topped 700 yards rushing in 2011 and all return. The spring will be all about fine-tuning an already stellar offense, and it'll be fun to watch.
• Replacing departed starters: All-America linebacker Tanner Brock was among the four football players arrested and booted from the team, as was all-conference defensive tackle D.J. Yendrey and likely starting safety Devin Johnson. Those were unforeseen losses, but TCU can't feel sorry for itself. Gary Patterson has no choice but to find new faces to fill those holes.

TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS

Spring practice start date: Feb. 17
Spring game: March 24

What to watch:

• Once again, a new defense: Texas Tech sounds like a broken record these days when it comes to defensive coordinators. This time, Art Kaufman will be stepping to the microphone as the fourth defensive coordinator in Lubbock in four years. He's bringing a 4-3, a shift back to what Ruffin McNeil ran in 2009. Chad Glasgow's 4-2-5 and James Willis' 3-4 failed miserably in 2011 and 2010, respectively, the first two years under Tommy Tuberville.
• The battle at running back: No one knows yet if Eric Stephens will be back next season. There's still a long way to go in his rehab from a dislocated knee he suffered last season in a loss to Texas A&M. DeAndre Washington is also out this spring after tearing his ACL against Missouri. Harrison Jeffers hung up his cleats. Who will prove to be reliable this spring? Look for the Red Raiders to try to use sophomore Bradley Marquez, freshman Javares McRoy and junior SaDale Foster in a manner similar to the way Oregon uses scatback De'Anthony Thomas, with lots of short passes and bubble screens to get them the ball in space, where they can use their speed and shiftiness to make plays.
• Team health: Tuberville said earlier this month that the team is missing 15 players this spring. It can't afford any more injuries. It's already going to be tough to get enough done this spring, but Tech can't start getting banged up.

WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS

Spring practice start date: March 11
Spring game: April 21

What to watch:

• Dana Holgorsen's offense in Year 2: Holgorsen didn't get a chance to coach his talented offense at Oklahoma State in its second year. The results could have been crazy. They might be at West Virginia in 2012, and the beginning steps will be taken this spring as Geno Smith & Co. get more and more comfortable with the system and Holgorsen adds more wrinkles.
• The battle at running back: Sophomore Dustin Garrison hurt his knee in practices leading up to the Mountaineers' 70-33 Orange Bowl win over Clemson, and won't be there for the spring. What does senior Shawne Alston have in store for the spring? Garrison was the featured back last season, but a big spring could help Alston earn a few carries next year.
• Defense needs help: Najee Goode leaves a big hole at linebacker, and defensive back Eain Smith's exit means the Mountaineers enter the season without two of their top three tacklers from a year ago. Bruce Irvin and Julian Miller's talents on the defensive line will be tough to replace, and in a league that requires a great pass rush, Irvin, Goode and Miller's 19 combined sacks must be replaced somehow.

We'll start taking a look at what each program in the Big 12 needs to deal with during the offseason, whether it be in the spring, summer or fall preseason camp. Maybe all three! Who knows?

It's about to get crazy up in here.

The Texas Tech Red Raiders are first.

Double-check the way the program is being run. Maybe they’ve all been freak incidents. At least a few were, especially some of the most notable ones like Eric Stephens’ knee injury against Texas A&M. But in each of the past two seasons, Texas Tech has dealt with more injuries than any other team in the Big 12. It has paid for it, too, especially with a five-win season in 2011. Now’s the time to examine practice habits and how hard players are being pushed before and during the season. Is that contributing to injuries? Only those deep inside the program would have a real idea, but the injuries can’t continue at this rate.

Figure out who’s in and who’s out at running back. Coach Tommy Tuberville recently expressed optimism that Eric Stephens would be able to return in 2012 from a serious knee dislocation he suffered in midseason 2011. What will his role be? DeAndre Washington also tore his ACL late in the season. It could be thin this spring in Lubbock at the positon, but figuring out that rotation in the fall could be pretty tricky.

Learn yet another defense. I don't envy Texas Tech defenders lately. When they're not getting injured, they're having to learn new system after new system. Art Kaufman was Tommy Tuberville's third defensive coordinator in three years, and once again, the Red Raiders will be learning a new system. It was a 3-4 in 2010 under James Willis and a 4-2-5 under Chad Glasgow last year. Now, it's a 4-3. That's not easy, and doesn't help a defense improve -- especially one that badly needs improvement after ranking eighth in the conference in total defense.

Former Texas Tech defensive coordinator James Willis pleaded guilty to a charge of assault, domestic violence, according to Fox34 in Lubbock.

He was sentenced to six months deferred probation. A violation could result in up to a year in prison, according to the report. He must also attend anger management classes and serve 30 hours of community service.

From the report:

According to a Wolfforth Police Report an officer responded to the Willis home on the morning of December 22, in reference to a report of domestic violence. Shalane Willis claimed her husband slapped her, hit her in the nose and threw her on the bed during an argument. Mrs. Willis says she ran out the front door to the neighbors' house to call 911.

Willis came to Texas Tech in Tommy Tuberville's first season, but the former Alabama linebackers coach was officially dismissed from the program on December 25, 2010, less than a week before the team defeated Northwestern in the TicketCity Bowl.

The program announced he had left the program with a sudden, terse, three-paragraph news release on December 26.

The domestic violation allegations surfaced after the announcement but Tuberville said they were not a factor in his dismissal.

According to a later report in the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, Willis had been speaking with Florida about joining new coach Will Muschamp's staff, and Tuberville became aware of the talks through a third party.

Willis and Tuberville then came to a mutual agreement that he should leave the program.

Willis was later hired as the linebackers coach for the Hartford Colonials in the UFL.

Tuberville hired Chad Glasgow to replace Willis in late January.

TEXAS TECH

2010 overall record: 8-5

2010 conference record: 3-5

Returning starters: Offense (5), Defense (8) P/K (0)

Top returners: RB Eric Stephens, WR Alex Torres, S Cody Davis, CB Tre Porter, CB Jarvis Phillips, S D.J. Johnson

Key losses: QB Taylor Potts, WR Lyle Leong, WR Detron Lewis, RB Baron Batch, DT Colby Whitlock, LB Brian Duncan, QB Steven Sheffield. LB Bront Bird

2010 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Baron Batch (816 yards)

Passing: Taylor Potts (3,726 yards)

Receiving: Lyle Leong (926 yards)

Tackles: Bront Bird (106)

Sacks: Brian Duncan (7)

Interceptions: Jarvis Phillips* (4)

Three spring answers

1. Quarterbacks all but settled. It’s not official, per se, but Seth Doege looks likely to slide into the starting spot as the next in a long line of Texas Tech quarterbacks. He has just one career start, but the junior is the most experienced among four Red Raiders quarterbacks vying for the job. He beat out Jacob Karam and Scotty Young this spring, and that figures to continue in the fall.

2. Defensive vision is clear. Texas Tech brought in new defensive coordinator Chad Glasgow from TCU, and he spent the spring installing his 4-2-5 -- a move away from the 3-4 under James Willis last year. That third safety spot, a nickel back, if you will, should be occupied by Terrance Bullitt, who drew praise from coaches for his effort during the spring.

3. More receivers found. The Red Raiders’ top two receivers, Lyle Leong and Detron Lewis, are gone, but Texas Tech did a good job of filling their roles during the spring. Alex Torres, Eric Ward, Austin Zouzalik and Darrin Moore are the starters, but there’s even more buzz surrounding backup Marcus Kennard, who showed up this spring from junior college.

Three fall questions

1. Is the secondary still a problem? Texas Tech’s secondary gave up more passing yards than all but two teams in college football last year. This offseason was about upgrading the pass rush and improving the speed in the secondary. It’s still early in Tommy Tuberville’s time in Lubbock, and his secondary is still young after injuries forced them to play last year, but we’ll see how much last year’s experience pays off.

2. How good is Seth Doege? It’s easy to assume Doege will step in and be solid, but will that be the case? Taylor Potts was a senior who had played for Mike Leach extensively. Doege is a newbie who hasn’t played extensively since his sophomore year of high school, after being sidelined by a pair of injuries. If Texas Tech’s offensive tradition is going to continue, Doege will keep it going. If it begins to decline, it will do it with Doege. My bet is on the former, but I’d caution assuming that’s the case.

3. Is the running game for real yet? Texas Tech isn’t known for its ability to run the ball, but Tuberville wants that half of the offense to be more efficient and more powerful moving forward. The Red Raiders have a good set of capable backs, and the entire offensive line returns. Does that mean the running game will get a boost?

• What happens when receivers Justin Blackmon and Ryan Broyles step in front of the camera with each other? We found out on Monday night at a banquet in Oklahoma City.
• It sounds like Blackmon's interview was only a part of an interesting night.
• KU's defense with a nice pop, scoop and score. I'm still loving these plays of the day coming out of Lawrence, and wish other schools would follow the Jayhawks' lead.
• Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables is really pleased with his defense this spring, writes Guerin Emig of the Tulsa World.
• One of the Jayhawks highly recruited young stars looks to have suffered a major injury in practice on Monday.
• Has Kansas found the next Kerry Meier in Kale Pick? Matt Tait of the Lawrence Journal-World examines the question. He also has some observations from practice on Monday.
• Is Tommy Tuberville to blame for Auburn looking like it will struggle this season? Colleague Ivan Maisel thinks so, and breaks my heart by suggesting college football should adopt the NFL's playoff overtime rules. How could you!?
• Former Texas Tech defensive coordinator James Willis has been named the linebackers coach for the Hartford Colonials of the UFL.
• Former Kansas State quarterback Dylan Meier's tragic death last year has inspired his friends to carry on his message through a foundation in his name that benefits young people who stand for what Meier did.

Spring football is in full swing. Three teams from the Big 12 (Texas Tech, Baylor, Texas) are already done, and the last team in the Big 12 to start (Kansas State) kicked off on Wednesday.

That leaves seven teams in the Big 12 on the field, but who's coaching them? We've had plenty of teams shift coordinators this season, so here's a quick refresher if you've been busy following basketball since the season ended and the coaching carousel began spinning.

BAYLOR

Defensive coordinator: Phil Bennett. He replaces Brian Norwood, who moved to associate head coach and secondary coach. Bennett was previously the defensive coordinator at Pittsburgh, where he coordinated the nation's No. 8 defense.

KANSAS

Offensive coordinator: David Beaty. He spent a year at Rice, but returned to Kansas to coach receivers and serve as co-offensive coordinator alongside Chuck Long. He replaces Darrell Wyatt, who left to coach receivers at Texas. Long retained play-calling duties.

OKLAHOMA

Offensive coordinator: Josh Heupel and Jay Norvell. They'll share offensive coordinator duties, with Heupel calling the plays. He did so during the Sooners' 48-20 win over Connecticut in the Fiesta Bowl. They'll replace Kevin Wilson, who left to become the head coach at Indiana. Heupel will continue to coach quarterbacks as he has since 2006. Norvell will continue to coach receivers as he has since 2008.

OKLAHOMA STATE

Offensive coordinator: Todd Monken. He'll replace Dana Holgorsen, who took over as offensive coordinator at West Virginia and is scheduled to replace Bill Stewart as the head coach in 2012. Monken previously coached receivers for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

TEXAS

Offensive coordinator: Bryan Harsin and Major Applewhite. Harsin spent a decade at Boise State and five years as offensive coordinator, and will replace Greg Davis, the longtime coordinator under Mack Brown who resigned after the 2010 season. Applewhite is the co-coordinator after coaching running backs since 2008, but Harsin will call plays.

Defensive coordinator: Manny Diaz. Another young coach, Diaz was at Middle Tennessee State in 2009 and coordinated the defense at Mississippi State under Dan Mullen last season. He replaces Will Muschamp, who left to become head coach at Florida.

TEXAS TECH

Defensive coordinator: Chad Glasgow. Previously the secondary coach at TCU, Glasgow helped the Horned Frogs win the Rose Bowl last year and parlayed his recent excellence into a coordinator gig in Lubbock, where he'll replace James Willis, who left the program in December, before the Red Raiders beat Northwestern in the inaugural TicketCity Bowl.

I was carried to Ohio in a swarm of bees.

• An appeals court has thrown out former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach's breach of contract claim regarding his 2009 firing.
• Texas Tech has filled the vacancy on its schedule after canceling a series with TCU. The Red Raiders will take on Texas State, coached by former Texas A&M coach Dennis Franchione, reports Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas.com.
• Texas' new deal with ESPN could be the first step to the Longhorns going independent, writes Ray Buck of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
• Don't worry about Texas going independent, writes Dennis Dodd of CBSSports.com. The Longhorns are already an independent, using the Big 12 for little more than scheduling.
• Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman examines if the new UT network will hurt Oklahoma.
• Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops took a new job after the season after all: He'll be coaching the Harlem Globetrotters later this month.
• Nebraska has a new running back commitment for its 2011 recruiting class, giving them 17 commits.
• KCBD in Lubbock, Texas has new details on the situation surrounding defensive coordinator James Willis' exit from Texas Tech's program, thanks to an open records request.
• Kansas State lost its defensive backs coach, Keith Burns, who went to Ole Miss to work for his old boss, Houston Nutt.
• New Oklahoma State quarterback and early enrollee J.W. Walsh says he's ready to go if needed for the Cowboys.
• Texas Tech may be playing another early-season Big 12 game like it did last year vs. Texas, reports Don Williams of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.
• Oklahoma's Cale Gundy made colleague Ryan McGee's list of the nation's top recruiting coordinators. Gundy, the brother of Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy, also coaches running backs for the Sooners.
• No guts, no glory, writes Gil LeBreton of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Texas Tech blew a chance to beat a TCU team in 2011 high on respect and low on quality.
• February won't be a quiet month for Kansas' football program.

Texas Tech won't be playing TCU next season, but it looks like the Red Raiders will be swiping one of the Horned Frogs' coaches.

TCU safeties coach Chad Glasgow will be joining Tommy Tuberville's staff as defensive coordinator, a source told ESPNDallas.com's Jeff Caplan on Thursday night.

Glasgow was a member of Patterson's first staff at TCU and helped the Horned Frogs finish No. 1 in total defense for a third consecutive season. They also finished No. 1 in the nation in pass defense, giving up 128.7 yards a game.

Glasgow will replace former coordinator James Willis, who left the program in late December. He's also a former Oklahoma State linebacker.

DALLAS -- Tommy Tuberville hasn't found his new defensive coordinator yet, but he's been working on the search during this week's American Football Coaches Association Convention.

"I've interviewed about 10 guys here," Tuberville said. "What I'm doing is I brought all my staff in and brought guys in for about 30-40 minutes each, and then I'm going to bring two or three of them to campus, probably next week."

Tuberville, of course, declined to highlight names of any of his possible replacements for James Willis, who left the program days before the team's win over Northwestern in the TicketCity Bowl, but he has a good idea of what he's looking for.

"First thing I look for is personality. Do they fit in with everybody? That's the No. 1 thing about your staff," he said.

Tuberville said he's willing to take steps backward in the process if none of the coaches he brings to Lubbock next week work out. Tuberville later said he's not sure he'd even categorize the conversations this week as "interviews."

"It's more of a get together," he said. "Feeling each other out, 'Hey, would this guy fit in with the other coaches? Fit in at Lubbock? Fit in in the Big 12?'"

Faithful readers (that's all of you, right) remember I tossed out 10 Fearless Predictions before the season.

Midway through the year, I graded their progress.

Well, the Big 12 season is over, so it's time to pass out final grades. So... here goes.

1. Oklahoma and Texas will play in another BCS bowl. Nebraska will be relegated to the Cotton Bowl. Well, this was bad in the middle of the season, and it didn't get much better over the second half. Granted, it didn't get much worse, either, except Nebraska's beeline for a BCS bowl meandered out to the Holiday Bowl in San Diego. Grade: C-

2. Texas will throw the ball 35 times against Oklahoma. I doubted Texas' ability to run the ball in the conference's marquee rivalry game, and I was right. Just how confident was I in this one? I used this stat to explain why in the midseason, and it's still applicable. Colt McCoy threw 18 passes in his first Red River Rivalry. Garrett Gilbert threw 41, and completed 27. Grade: A

3. Baylor will make -- and win -- a bowl game. First half was on the money. Baylor had seven wins by the end of October. However, the Bears got dominated by Illinois' ground game in the Texas Bowl. I picked the Bears to beat Michigan in the TicketCity Bowl in my first prediction, and I might have upped my grade if they had played the Wolverines, but alas, I'll live with a passing grade. Grade: B

4. Missouri's Aldon Smith will lead the league in sacks. Smith's season was derailed by a broken leg early, but it was a pretty underwhelming encore for the sophomore. He only had a sack in three games this year, and finished tied for 18th in the Big 12 with 4.5 sacks. My bad. Texas A&M's Von Miller took home the sack title for the second consecutive year. Grade: D

5. Daniel Thomas will win his second Big 12 rushing title in two years. Thomas got it done, and made me look good with a late push. Oklahoma State's Kendall Hunter looked like he was going to run away with it, but Hunter managed just 55 yards against Oklahoma and 32 in the Alamo Bowl against Arizona. Thomas, meanwhile, rolled over North Texas for 269 yards in the regular season finale and added 90 more in the Pinstripe Bowl against Syracuse. He also scored five touchdowns in the two games to score 19 rushing touchdowns, sixth-most nationally and three more than anyone else in the Big 12. Grade: A+

6. Kansas will finish as the Big 12's most improved team in November. Well, Kansas certainly set the bar low with 55-7 and 59-7 losses to begin conference play, but lost to Nebraska by just 17 and made a huge comeback to beat Colorado. Texas A&M gets my "most improved" label, but Kansas has a strong case as No. 2, doesn't it? Grade: B

7. Texas will lead the league in scoring defense, outdoing Oklahoma and Nebraska. Nope. Texas didn't outdo either team, and Missouri led the conference in scoring defense by a full point, giving up just over 16 points a game. Although really, anything anyone wrote about Texas in August is guaranteed to sound dumb now. In my defense, the Longhorns weren't awful in the category, finishing fifth in the league in scoring, giving up 23.7 points. Grade: D+

8. Brandon Weeden will lead the league in completion percentage. You're killing me Taylor Potts and Robert Griffin III. Weeden was a full two percentage points better than anyone else in the Big 12 at the midseason, but Potts and Griffin slipped ahead of him to close the year. Weeden finished at 66.9 percent, but Potts was at 67.1 and Griffin finished at 67. Come on, man. Weeden did take home All-Big 12 first-team quarterback honors. So, that's pretty good, right? Especially for a first-year starter. Grade: B+

9. Iowa State will be better than Kansas and Colorado. They will have a worse record overall and in conference. Hmm, another swing and a miss. Iowa State was definitely better than Kansas, and proved it on the field, but suffered a loss to an interim-coached Colorado team when the Cyclones were just a win away from bowl eligibility. The Cyclones finished 5-7 (3-5) and Colorado finished 5-7 (2-6). Kansas, who I never thought would be as underwhelming as it was, finished 3-9 and 1-7 in Big 12 play. Grade: C-

10. Texas Tech will be in the top third of the league in turnover differential. They will be in the bottom third in scoring defense. The Red Raiders finished second to last in scoring defense, giving up just under 31 points a game, which was 2.5 points fewer than last-place Kansas. In turnover differential, the Red Raiders finished ninth, but did force 23 turnovers, good for a tie for 5th in the Big 12. The offense turned it over 26 times, though, for a -3 differential. We'll see if that changes in Year 2 with another defensive coordinator after James Willis left the program. Grade: B+

What should my grade be on the whole?

1. Get one quarterback into a rhythm. If Texas Tech doesn't have success throwing the ball, it's not very good. If it does, it can beat a lot of good teams. The Red Raiders plan to play both Taylor Potts and Steven Sheffield at quarterback, which isn't bad in itself, but they have to figure out early who has the hot hand and who they plan on riding late in the game if it's close. The Red Raiders have struggled to run the ball all season, and need to get it done through the air to put up enough points for the win. That won't happen if Potts and Sheffield are uncomfortable or both have off days. Potts will likely be the guy for most of the game, but a couple bad drives early has the potential to throw the whole offense out of whack. If Northwestern capitalizes, a slow start by Tech could also produce some forced plays from whoever is under center for the Red Raiders, creating a deeper hole.

2. Stay grounded early. Texas Tech's defense has been unimpressive for most of the year, and now they'll be listening to a new voice in defensive coordinator Sam McElroy. It's been a year of transition for the Red Raiders, and this game is no exception. Early on, you might see some confusion. Maybe a costly delay on getting a play relayed to the players on the field. Whatever happens, Texas Tech will have to shake it off and get ready for the next possession. This game should have plenty of points, and the defense can't let an early miscue that can be easily fixed affect them later in the game.

3. Force Evan Watkins to make mistakes. The 6-foot-6, 240-pound freshman has lots of size, but not much experience. He'll be making his third career start, and in his last game against Wisconsin, he completed just under 60 percent of his passes and had three interceptions. He's also thrown for just 258 yards in those two starts combined. Texas Tech loved to blitz under former coordinator James Willis, but with the quality of quarterback play in the Big 12, that can come with a ton of risk. Against Watkins, that risk isn't quite as high. Come after him for 60 minutes, dare him to make a play downfield over the top of the defense, and there's a pretty good chance his mistakes will be more frequent than his big plays.

Texas Tech and Northwestern will kick off the New Year's Day bowls from Dallas in the inaugural TicketCity Bowl from the Cotton Bowl at the State Fair of Texas. With the appearance, Texas Tech stretches its streak of no losing seasons to a Big 12-best 18 years.

Here's a look at the matchup.

WHO TO WATCH: Quarterbacks Taylor Potts and Steven Sheffield. These two have been intertwined all season, and it won't change on Saturday. Coach Tommy Tuberville says both will play, which isn't necessarily anything new for the Red Raiders. In fact, both played during Texas Tech's best win of the season. Steven Sheffield got his only start of the season against Missouri, but struggled and was replaced by Potts. He rallied his team from a double-digit deficit and helped Texas Tech win three of its final four games to reach bowl eligibility.

WHAT TO WATCH: Texas Tech's defense. The Red Raiders struggled for most of the year defending everything, but especially the pass, where they rank last in the Big 12. Texas Tech is at the bottom in total defense, too. Northwestern will be starting Evan Watkins in place of injured, do-everything quarterback Dan Persa, but if the Red Raiders can right the ship against the inexperienced Watkins, they could win easily. Northwestern was blown out by Illinois and Wisconsin in its final two games. Complicating matters for Texas Tech is its situation at defensive coordinator. Defensive line coach Sam McElroy will take over for this game after James Willis left the program on Sunday.

WHY WATCH: There should be plenty of what fans like to see: offense. Even though Northwestern was blown out in those two games, it scored 27 and 23 points, giving up 48 and 70. Texas Tech's offense hasn't been consistent all year, but against the Wildcats defense, the Red Raiders should have some success. Potts has a pair of 800-yard receivers in Detron Lewis and Lyle Leong, and an 800-yard rusher in experienced senior Baron Batch.

PREDICTION: Texas Tech 38, Northwestern 27. I have my doubts about Watkins' ability to make plays in big spots like Persa did this year, and against a playmaking offense like the Red Raiders have, converting a few of those inevitable third-and-longs is necessary. Texas Tech should be able to do it. Northwestern won't.

It's like they say, sometimes God closes a door, but sometimes he closes it so hard, you can't get your wife out.

• Kevin Haskin of the Topeka Capital-Journal shares his humorous travel troubles while trying to get from Kansas City to New York for the New Era Pinstripe Bowl.
• Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Blaine Gabbert's performance in the Insight Bowl was tantalizing from an NFL scout's perspective.
• It's time for Oklahoma and the Big 12 to embrace the Fiesta Bowl like the Big Ten and Pac-10 do the Rose Bowl, writes Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman.
• Nebraska receiver Niles Paul says Washington liked to talk trash the entire game in September, and he's expecting the same this time around.
• Don't count on Wisconsin offensive coordinator Paul Chryst heading to Texas. At least not yet, according to his comments at the Rose Bowl earlier this week.
• Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville says a domestic violence incident at the home of James Willis had no effect on his subsequent exit from the program, reports Don Williams of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.
• Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III says Baylor has a chance to make a statement on a national stage in the Texas Bowl against Illinois.
• From field conditions to getting around the city, Kansas State is dealing with plenty on a snowy trip to New York City, reports ESPNNewYork.com.
• Tully Corcoran of the Topeka Capital-Journal reviews Lew Perkins' exit as Kansas' athletic director, the paper's No. 2 story of the year.
• Oklahoma State cornerback Andrew McGee came back from a broken neck, but he's still one of the most overlooked All-Big 12 honorees, writes Brandon Chatmon of The Oklahoman.
• The TicketCity Bowl used bikers and military members to boost ticket sales for the inaugural Jan. 1 game at the Cotton Bowl, reports Don Williams of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.

Texas Tech has added to the Big 12's coordinator exit parade.

Defensive coordinator James Willis has left to pursue other opportunities. The first-year coordinator's announcement was sudden, but according to a report in the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, was mutual.

"The Avalanche-Journal learned Sunday night Willis was talking about a job with the University of Florida and Tech coach Tommy Tuberville found out through third parties. The two came to a mutual agreement Willis should leave Tech."

Testy sounding for sure, but we'll see once more details emerge. Tuberville is expected to address the media in Dallas later Monday.

As for the Red Raiders, they join a long line of Big 12 teams forced to replace coordinators after the season, including two at Texas. Oklahoma State, Oklahoma and Colorado have all lost, or made changes, at coordinator since the season began.

Willis brought an SEC sensibility to a school known for its spread offense. Though the Red Raiders struggled (10th in the Big 12 in scoring defense, last in total defense) in 2010, it would have been fun to see how much the Texas Tech image could have changed with Tuberville and Willis. Tuberville was trying to implement a defense that hadn't been in Lubbock under Mike Leach. Look for Tuberville to stretch his wide-ranging SEC contacts to bring another to Lubbock, but Willis looked like one of the most promising young coaches from the conference. Now, after just a year, he's headed back.

Looking further down the road, Tuberville and Willis had secured a commitment from linebacker Derek David for Texas Tech's 2012 class. David is projected as one of the top prospects ready to sign in February of 2012. He is the type of recruit that never would have considered Texas Tech under Mike Leach but was one of the big early pickups for Tuberville. It'll be interesting to see if Willis' departure and whoever Tuberville hires has an effect on that commitment.

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Texas Tech lost a coach, but Nebraska had a few big gains over the weekend.

Junior cornerback Alfonzo Dennard says he plans on coming back for the 2011 season, and wide receiver Niles Paul returned to practice and is hopeful to play in Thursday's Holiday Bowl against Washington.

"Still don't know if I'm playing yet. Foot feels fine running straight ahead but it hurts to cut so we are taking it day by day," Paul tweeted on Sunday afternoon.

That would be big news for a Nebraska offense that struggled to throw the ball consistently without Paul in games against Colorado and Oklahoma to close the Big 12 season. Cody Green completed 10 of 13 passes against the Buffaloes, but managed just 80 yards. Taylor Martinez completed just 12 of 24 passes against Oklahoma and was sacked seven times.

Dennard was my pick for the All-Big 12 cornerback across from teammate Prince Amukamara. With Dennard's return in 2011 imminent, he looks like a possible All-American candidate. Dennard had to be encouraged by Amukamara's experience. The Huskers other corner returned for his senior season and looks like a sure bet as a top 10 pick or higher in April's NFL Draft. Amukamara was also a finalist for the Thorpe Award.

"I talked to my mom and stuff like that. She just got a new job. Her finances are doing well. Her health is getting better," Dennard told the Lincoln Journal Star. "So there's no need for me to leave now. I got other things to work on now. Just going to spring ball and try to get better next year."

Linebacker Lavonte David says he's also returning to Nebraska. The Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and junior college transfer told reporters in San Diego on Sunday that his main reason for coming to Nebraska was to receive a degree, and he did not plan on leaving without it.

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Oklahoma State, meanwhile, will be without a pair of players when it takes on Arizona in the Alamo Bowl on Wednesday. Punter Quinn Sharp and long snapper Marc Yerry didn't pass the required six hours, according to Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy.

It's not a huge blow, per se, considering Oklahoma State's offense isn't one that plays the field position game to win. But one shanked punt in a key spot or a snap over the head late in the game, and it becomes a fiasco.

Dan Bailey, the All-Big 12 first-team kicker, will replace Sharp on kickoff duties, but the punting replacement for Sharp, picked All-Big 12 first team by the media and coaches, hasn't been decided yet.

Gundy said earlier in the week that Bailey or Michael Richenstein would replace Sharp, who led the Big 12 in punting average at 46.24 yards per punt, which also ranked third nationally. He was one of just three punters to top an average of 46 yards per punt.

USA Today provided further analysis of its coaching salary information this week, after offering up the information for the Big 12's highest paid head coaches earlier this season. Here's a look at that list.

But what about the assistant? Their salaries are certainly not created equal. Here are the Big 12's highest-paid assistants for the 2010 season. Just as in the head coaching salaries, none of these figures include possible bonuses, which are listed on USA Today's chart. These numbers include just base salaries, both from university and non-university sources.

• Will Muschamp, defensive coordinator, Texas -- $907,000
• Greg Davis, offensive coordinator, Texas -- $477,084
• Brent Venables, defensive coordinator, Oklahoma -- $449,000
• Kevin Wilson, offensive coordinator, Oklahoma -- $445,000
• Tim DeRuyter, defensive coordinator, Texas A&M -- $400,000
• Shawn Watson, offensive coordinator, Nebraska -- $380,000
• Carl Pelini, defensive coordinator, Nebraska -- $375,000
• Joe DeForest (special teams/safeties), Bill Young (defense), Dana Holgorsen (offense), Oklahoma State -- $360,000
• Neal Brown, offensive coordinator, Texas Tech -- $355,400
• James Willis, defensive coordinator, Texas Tech -- $353,400

Again, you can see the full list here.

A few notes from those numbers:

• Muschamp was the nation's highest-paid assistant in 2009 by nearly $150,000, right above Alabama offensive coordinator Kirby Smart. No other Big 12 assistant was in the top 13.
• Interesting to note that three of the top four highest-paid assistants won't be back in 2010. Muschamp (Florida) and Wilson (Indiana) took head coaching jobs, and Davis resigned.
• That leaves Venables as the league's highest-paid assistant, and it's come with plenty of tenure. Next year will be his 13th season as at least co-defensive coordinator for the Sooners. He's been defensive coordinator since 2004.
• DeForest is the only non-offensive or defensive coordinator to crack the list, but he's also an associate head coach, and got nibbles from Louisiana-Lafayette, his alma mater, for its head coaching vacancy this offseason.

Additionally, three schools from the Big 12 made the top 10 for highest paid assistant coaching staff. See the full list here.

No. 3: Texas -- $3,032,820

No. 6: Oklahoma -- $2,744,300

No. 9: Oklahoma State -- $2,535,000