ESPN College Football

We're offering up grades for each team in the Big 12 after their seasons conclude, so here's a look at how the 7-6 Texas A&M Aggies graded out in 2011.

More report cards:

• Kansas
• Texas Tech
• Missouri
• Texas
• Baylor
• Iowa State
• Oklahoma

OFFENSE: The past two seasons, Texas A&M has had as much, if not more, offensive talent than any team in the Big 12 to begin the season. Yet, it never quite works out. Last season, Jerrod Johnson's shoulder was the biggest problem with an early-season swoon. This season, the late-game collapses didn't have a single culprit, but injuries to Jeff Fuller, Christine Michael and Cyrus Gray certainly didn't help.

Those weren't the biggest problems, though. Too often in the second half of crucial games the Aggies' offense sputtered. Every loss was something different it seemed. After scoring 20 points in the first half against Oklahoma State, it managed just seven in the second. A week later, a 35-point first half was followed by a three-point second half in a loss to Arkansas.

Ryan Tannehill's decision making, especially in those infamous second halves, was poor, and resulted in 15 interceptions for the season. Mike Sherman's play calling didn't help much, running the ball just six times in the second half of the OSU loss that started it all, despite rolling over OSU's defense in the first half.

The Aggies had a lot of firepower. That's hard to ignore. They finished fourth in the Big 12 (seventh nationally) in total offense and 11th nationally in scoring offense, with just under 40 points a game.

But it's impossible to ignore that when that firepower was needed most, it was mostly a dud. With the Aggies, you have to grade on a curve, considering the amount of talent on the field and the depth of offense in the Big 12.

GRADE: D+

DEFENSE: The loss of Von Miller was bigger than maybe anyone could have imagined. The Aggies' Wrecking Crew wasn't so fearsome this season, possessing a powerful pass rush, but doing so by bringing lots of blitzes.

The Aggies had 51 sacks in 2011, five more than any team in the nation. However, they gave up more than 275 passing yards a game, more than all but 11 teams in college football. When opponents passed on the Aggies, it seemed like it was always going to be a big play for at least one team.

Early in the season, the Aggies went 22 quarters without a turnover and finished the season minus-nine in turnover margin, forcing a Big 12-low 15 turnovers. That's unacceptable, and the coverage struggles in the secondary made the defense look hopeless at times, letting five quarterbacks set career highs for pass yardage throughout the season, including 510 yards to Arkansas' Tyler Wilson.

The Aggies were a fun team to watch, but defensively, were too often a mess.

GRADE: D

OVERALL: Well, its coach was fired, so you know this grade won't be a good one. Give the Aggies this, at least: They beat Texas at something. The Aggies were a far bigger disappointment this season than Texas in 2010, when the Longhorns went 5-7.

That was a young team with no proven offense. The Aggies were loaded on both sides of the ball, even without Miller. The pieces were there to win the Big 12 and maybe even the national championship. You don't lead by double digits in 12 of 13 games in the Big 12 without having tons and tons of talent. The Aggies had it.

They finished with seven wins, and only one (Baylor) was impressive. The second-half meltdowns were too much, and led to Sherman's firing after snatching the title of the Big 12's most disappointing team, and having an argument as the nation's biggest disappointment after starting the season in the top 10.

The losses piled up and ended with one final indignity: a loss to Texas that should never have happened. The program will have to live with that loss for decades at least, and perhaps forever. It'll go down as the most painful night in one of the most painful seasons in school history, and the defining moment in a season that Texas A&M would love to forget.

GRADE: F

Thanks for all the questions this week. A busy one in the Big 12, no doubt. Here's where you can find me if you'd like to drop a note in my Mailbag.

Louis in Houston asked: I do believe that Sherman was a knee-jerk reaction to the Texas loss. If we had won, things would be different; if Cyrus gray had played, things would be different. However, the way in which we lost makes the decision appropriate. If it wasn't for dropped passes and poor play calling, we would be much closer to a MNC game than a .500 record. These mistakes fall on the coaching staff in entirety.Further, giving credit to Sherman's arrival is specious. Considering the way Francionne handled our program and the way we recruit, any decent coach would normalize the program to certain extent.One more thought: If we don't have a coach by now, this may have been a mistake.

David Ubben: You make some interesting points, Louis. To some degree, I think you're right on your final point: Texas A&M has a lot of resources and there probably are a lot of coaches who could build programs using them. Doing so is a tricky process, though, with a lot of variables. To me, that's really what the Sherman Era ultimately will be remembered for. It was so, so close to being so different. Three losses by a combined seven points. Two more in overtimes. The oft-mentioned 11 double-digit leads in 12 games. That's without even factoring in the season-changing loss to Oklahoma State last year. The Aggies led 21-7 at halftime before losing on a last-second field goal after Jerrod Johnson's fifth turnover of the game. If A&M wins that game, it wins the Big 12 South outright and finishes the season 10-2.

There's no doubt in my mind that coaching played a big role in that not happening in both of the past two seasons. Sherman didn't get it done. That said, there's something to be said for putting your players in position to win games. He's not throwing interceptions in crucial spots. Ryan Tannehill, as a senior quarterback, made some odd decisions to throw game-changing interceptions in two of the most painful losses all season: Texas and Oklahoma State.

In the end, is Sherman responsible for that? Yes, he is. No question. But it's dumb to believe he's to blame for all of it.

Morris in Houston, Texas, asked: D.U. I'm not sure I agree 100% with the Ags letting Sherman go but after this seasons epic fallout and Sherman's inability to fix 2nd half issues (much less identify the problem) I can't say I entirely blame them. My question is, do you think Sherman's less than enthusiastic stance on the SEC move had anything to do with this decision? Seems like the administration viewed this as a great time to bring in a coach who may actually be excited about coaching the in SEC.

DU: To your first point, that's the most troubling thing and the biggest justification for firing Sherman. I can't disagree with you there. Sherman never pinpointed or fixed what the problem was. Every single week it was something else. The most common denominator was turnovers, but playcalling factored in as well, and that's on Sherman.

To your second point, I certainly think that factored in. Sherman reportedly was a no-show at the SEC celebration with Mike Slive and Co., and refused to talk about the SEC move for a long time. There's a bit of inference from that, but as a coach, it's pretty understandable that he wouldn't be real fired up about playing one year outside of a division with Oklahoma and Texas and moving into one with Alabama, LSU, Arkansas and Auburn.

Whoever the new coach is, I'll guarantee you he's going to be fired up about the SEC from Day 1 as a major talking point.

Matt Austin in Texas asked: Howdy Dubbs. Before the conference championship game last year, Cotton Bowl had already picked its team. I know you think an OSU victory Saturday puts OU in the Cotton Bowl, but any chance a victorious K-State gets an invite before Bedlam even happens?

DU: No, that won't happen. A&M last year was kind of an interesting deal, but to me, the Cotton Bowl has the most interesting decision of all the bowls after Bedlam. If Oklahoma loses, that's legitimately a really difficult decision. Either team is going to be mad if it's left out.

Oklahoma will have three losses, and two of them will come to teams Kansas State beat. The Wildcats will have finished second in the Big 12 to Oklahoma at No. 3. Oklahoma, though, torched K-State in Manhattan and is the bigger brand, flashier team and much more fun to watch.

My guess is, despite losing two of three games to finish the season, the Sooners will get the nod, barring a Bedlam blowout.

Colton in West Des Moines, Iowa, asked: Thanks for the love Ubbs, and nothing bad intended, but out curiosity only, why did you post the article about the Clones game not being a fluke when you did? Did you feel this way right after the game or did the Oklahoma game do the trick?

DU: I definitely didn't feel that way after the game. The Oklahoma game had some effect, but mostly, I was looking at defensive numbers over the past couple games and that popped out at me. Iowa State's defense has no ... we'll call it street cred, and that's a bit unfair, based on what's happened on the field.

What they did to Oklahoma (aided by the wind and drops, admittedly) and Oklahoma State (aided by, uh, 11 guys playing in position with a ton of passion) didn't get enough respect.

Casey in Chesterfield, Mo., asked: Hey Ubbs, one of these days you will respond to one of my questions. I know you have a lot of questions but maybe. I just got done listening to the podcast with you and the SEC blogger and I have a question: This is all coming from an OSU alumni that has watched many many OSU heartbreakers. 1. If OSU beats ou on saturday and thats a big if, can you really tell me that alabama is a better one loss team than OSU? Alabama has quality wins over Auburn and Arkansas and OSU would have wins over ou, kansas state, texas, baylor and a&m.

DU: People talk about "the eye test," and that's part of it, but when we say that, we mean this also: Where are all the close calls for Alabama? Oklahoma State got physically manhandled by a Texas A&M team that finished 6-6, trailing 20-3 at halftime and needed some second-half heroics to get the win. Nobody cares about that when you go undefeated, but when you're comparing to other one-loss teams? That matters. Kansas State led by double digits early and if they had probably 10-15 more seconds, would have beaten OSU with a touchdown and two-point conversion.

OSU won all the rest of its games by at least 12 points, but, look at Alabama's schedule: Why should the Tide not get credit for beating the everloving stuffing out of every other team they've played? Where are the Tide's close calls? Combine that with the quality of each team's loss, and you're getting a sense of why I, and most others, think Alabama's a lot better than Oklahoma State.

Bottom line: OSU had its chance to make this entire conversation moot. It lost to Iowa State.

Travis in Austin, Texas, asked: Dubbs, how many Longhorn and Aggie fans do you think will discover http://www.119thgame.com after you post this question on your blog?

DU: Hopefully a lot. I want that game back, and I'm sure just about everybody who cares about college football in Texas does, too.

Randy in Reston, Va., asked: Any word on if Baylor is removing the tarp for the game?

DU: Nope, the tarp, all too often an object of ridicule, will be in place on Saturday against Texas. Sorry, folks.

Pat Danley in Polson, Mont., asked: I realize that this question transcends the Big 12, but I'm just curious which head coach you would have rather been on the night of Saturday Sept. 10, 2011? Paul Wulff (2-0); Ron Zook (2-0); Dennis Erickson (2-0); Turner Gill (2-0); Luke Fickle (2-0); Mike Sherman (2-0); Tommy Tuberville (2-0); or Mark Richt (0-2)?

DU: Wow, that's kind of amazing. Readers coming strong with the fun facts this week.

Devane Plan in Piedmont, Okla., asked: This season Big 12 brand equity hit a bargain basement low for reasons that had nothing to do with on field play (27-3 Non Conference record overall). Voters on both coasts are dragging down BCS rankings across the board in many cases because of the negative publicity off the field. A small, and simple step back to the respect garnered in 2008 in my humble opinion would be for every Big 12 school to chant "Big 12" at the end of their bowl game victory.

DU: Interesting point here, Devane. To some degree, I think it might be true, but I don't know if that influences voters. Ultimately, leagues are judged by what's happening on the field, and the Big 12's been as good as anyone on the field this year. The top of the SEC is far superior to the Big 12, but the middle of the SEC is way, way overrated. The Big 12 is better than the SEC from top to bottom. The Big 12 has two elite teams, one really good team, three good teams, two OK teams, one just less than OK team and one bad team.

I'll leave it to you to draw the lines on that one.

Texas A&M doesn't need much of a reminder of its matchup with Missouri last year.

The 30-9 loss was the lowpoint in a season that included both a six-game winning streak and three-game losing streak, as well as a share of the Big 12 South title.

On second thought, the Aggies might need a reminder, considering coach Mike Sherman dramatically burned the game film in front of the team as an illustration to help them move forward.

"It was a terrible game for us. We got our butts kicked, but things did turn around after that," Sherman said.

The offense sputtered while Blaine Gabbert shredded the secondary. A team looking to find its legs got easily outrun by a squad hitting its midseason stride.

"We were trying to feel ourselves out, trying to find out what our identity was," Sherman said. "We were struggling with pass protection, struggling with run blocking and we continued to have struggles in that game. Our offensive line didn’t get settled down about halfway through the season."

Mizzou will face a much different Texas A&M team this time around, one that's well aware of its identity and how dangerous it can be on both sides of the ball.

That 4-2 record is nothing to be ashamed of, either.

"We lost to two top 10 teams by five points. I don’t look at it the way you guys do. We were obviously disappointed about losing the game, about giving up leads, but there were some positives in that game as well," Sherman said.

Texas A&M has pressured passers all season long, leading the nation in sacks, though it has the nation's worst pass defense by 17 yards per game.

PODCAST
Landry Locker and Trey Fallon of ESPN Dallas are joined by TexAgs.com's Brandon Leone to discuss A&M's win over Iowa State, the Aggies' current identity as a football team and how much trouble Missouri can give A&M this weekend. Listen

There's no struggling quarterback this year, as Jerrod Johnson was against Mizzou last season. In his place is Ryan Tannehill, who has thrown nine touchdowns and just one interception during the Aggies' three-game win streak that followed losses to Arkansas and Oklahoma State. He's also flanked by two of the Big 12's top seven rushers, Cyrus Gray and Christine Michael.

"We’re trying to find out the right mix and match between the run and pass," Sherman said.

Oklahoma lost last week, and one slip-up by Oklahoma State before its season-ending Bedlam could keep Big 12 title hopes alive in College Station.

"When you win three in a row, you have to be very critical, but you have to let those kids gain some confidence from those wins," Sherman said. "I’ll be hard on them today in things we have to get better at. It’s a lot easier to do that when you win a game than when you lose a game."

Before those Big 12 title scenarios can come into play, though, Texas A&M has to win the final five games on its schedule, which features two more top 10 teams.

Instead of being the low point from which to start, Missouri could be the next step forward for the Aggies this time around.

"We got a lot better between Games 7 and 12 last year, and I hope we do the same thing this year," Sherman said.

When the sun rose on Stillwater, Okla., the Friday morning following last season's dramatic 38-35 Oklahoma State victory over Texas A&M, the conference spotlight had quickly shifted to the league's premier rivalry -- Oklahoma versus Texas in the Cotton Bowl -- which was just more than 24 hours away from kickoff.

Sure, that Cowboys and Aggies game was fun. But eight turnovers? Neither team was begging to be taken seriously.

Neither team was ranked.

The Aggies returned a six-win team that just lost its first real test of the season. Oklahoma State was picked to finish fifth in the league and nearly lost to Troy at home weeks earlier.

You know what they say about hindsight.

Nobody knew it until months later, but the Big 12 race hinged on that game. Both teams shared a Big 12 South title with Oklahoma, one finishing higher in the division than ever (OSU) and the other having its best showing since 1998 (A&M).

There are no such problems this year. The stakes are monumental.

"It has explicit implications into who takes the early lead in the conference," Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman said. "It’s huge."

Both teams are ranked in the top 10, and through three weeks both have looked deserving of top-10 rankings, 10-win seasons and hopeful BCS berths. This time, it's the undeniable game of the week in the Big 12, if not the game of the year.

"I don’t think you have to make a big deal," Sherman said of approaching a game of Saturday's magnitude. "You don’t have to beat it into their head. They hear things. They see things. They’re not stupid. They understand how important this game is for us."

Texas A&M has a new quarterback this time in Ryan Tannehill. Last year quarterback Jerrod Johnson, who wasn't his normal self in 2010 because of a bum post-surgery shoulder, pulled the Aggies even with Oklahoma State in the fourth quarter with a pair of pressure-packed touchdown passes. But he handed the game back to OSU with a costly interception -- one of his four on the day -- that set up OSU's game-winning field goal as time expired. Three games later, he had been replaced by Tannehill.

This year's Aggies -- more sure of themselves after a late-season run saw them reach the top 15 and become a factor in the Big 12 race with wins over Oklahoma and Nebraska -- are armed with an additional burden: a future in the SEC.

The voices questioning Texas A&M's seemingly imminent move to the SEC have grown loud, and the best way for the Aggies to silence them is to leave with a crystal bowl tucked under their arm.

"Thanks for this. Adios. Here's an S-E-C chant for the road. See y'all in the Cotton Bowl."

Two games on Texas A&M's schedule will decide if that dream becomes reality.

This is the first. The second is Nov. 5 at Oklahoma.

Managing that pressure and expectation begins with preparation.

"[Players] feed off the head coach and the staff," Sherman said. "If the head coach and staff are tight and feel the pressure of the game, then the players certainly will feel the same thing. I think they have to see that we’re confident in our preparation and on game day that we’re ready to play."

Kyle Field will be rocking. A network broadcast audience will be watching. It's put up or shut up time for the Aggies.

Thanks for all the emails, everyone. I'm in Waco, Texas, for tonight's game between TCU and Baylor, so I'll be checking in from Floyd Casey Stadium shortly.

I. Am. Excited. ESPN, 8 p.m. ET and right here on the blog all night. See you there.

Matt in Bemidji, Minn., asked: Dave, i'm a Husker fan up here in the Great White North. I miss reading your blog, i really enjoyed your coverage even when i disagreed with you (which wasn't often). As someone with a lot more information, especially the kind that is not biased towards any specific team, not like what i read on my own teams board, nationally does this whole A&M thing sort of vindicate the Huskers or does it make them look even worse for "breaking up the conferance?"

David Ubben: Thanks for the kind words, Matt. And I do think you're absolutely right. I didn't blame Nebraska for wanting to leave a year ago. It was clearly the right move.

This time around, though, there's no question they're looking smarter than ever. My biggest question? How long until Nebraska makes sure we all know about it?

Say what you will about the confidence in the future of the Big 12, but I thought R. Bowen Loftin said it well when he took questions in College Station awhile back.

Look at the SEC's track record. Look at the Big Ten's track record. Those conferences are forever. Maybe the Big 12 is. But nobody knows for sure and most believe it isn't.

All other variables aside, Nebraska and Texas A&M will get stability in their new homes.

Daniel in Santa Fe, N.M., asked: David, I'm a concerned Aggie fan in NM. I wanted to get your opinion on whether A&M will suffer the same fate as Nebraska did last year with what seemed to be an obvious bias in officiating.

DU: I think the actual sense of what Nebraska faced was a bit overstated.

Looking back on it, here's what I see: Was that Eric Martin suspension incorrect? No. Was it enforced more strictly than others across the league? I would say yes.

The bad calls in the A&M game last year were all judgment calls except for one: The roughing the passer penalty on Courtney Osborne when he hit Ryan Tannehill "late." That was an awful call, but really the only one that was indefensibly bad.

I just don't buy the whole conspiracy talk.

Will Big 12 officiating in Texas A&M games this season be watched? It absolutely will, and more closely than any other officiating in the league. Will that show evidence of a conspiracy? I'm saying no.

Mark in Corpus Christi, Texas, asked: Why can't we all get along? Let's go back to the days when the NCAA regulated the TV contracts. Maybe some of the mess could have been avoided.

DU: Your solution isn't the answer, but I really do hate what college football seems to have been reduced to. I discussed this at length in a podcast with SEC blogger Chris Low and columnist Ivan Maisel. Check it out.

Kyle in Fort Hood, Texas, asked: Why would any stable school (like BYU) want to join an obviously unstable, uncertain conference like the Big XII (-2-1)? The idea of luring in a big name school, like BYU or ND, seems a bit assuming since the true colors of how the conference operates have been exposes fairly well in the last few weeks. Especially with legitimate teams leaving two years in a row.

DU: It's a great question, but one I think has a reasonable answer. I've addressed it a bit in the past, but if the Big 12 wants to really convince big-time programs like BYU to come to the league, it has to offer some sort of concrete, contractual agreement that keeps teams in this league for a minimum of 10 years, and perhaps longer.

Eliminating that concern would make it a lot easier to coax the Cougars to come to the Big 12, which I believe the league has to do, or else it risks watching Oklahoma strongly consider a move to the Pac-12 and bring a few teams with it.

Additionally, you'll probably see some concerns about league stability go away if it can convince all 10 teams (or 12?) to sign and commit to the Big 12 long-term. I thought the Big 12 made a mistake in simply taking each school at its word last season, and the league is paying for that mistake now with Texas A&M's move to the SEC.

Mike P in Houston asked: Hey Ubbs, Is Jerrod Johnson's "Thank you Aggieland" one of a kind? I can't think of another athlete leaving a school with any gesture as grand as this one. Thanks for all your work with the Ags in the Big 12, we're going to miss you next year.

DU: Great video from Jerrod. We've seen his singing chops before, but it was nice of him to take the time out and thank the folks that gave him a lot. He gave them a whole lot, too.

Jerrod's a class act, though. It didn't surprise me.

Cowgirl in Tulsa asked: Ubbs: I know you've rated each team's uniforms and helmet logos, but have you ever made a list of your favorite Big 12 mascots? After ranking each player and team in 100 different categories, why don't you just have fun with this one?

DU: Ha, this will no doubt get me in trouble, but here goes. I'm only taking each team's best mascot. Teams have a few too many these days. Also, I miss Ralphie.

1. The Sooner Schooner, towed by Boomer and Sooner
2. The Masked Rider, Texas Tech (Big 12's best entrance, post-Nebraska Tunnel Walk)
3. Bevo, the Texas Longhorn (iconic)
4. Cy, the Cardinal. I've never known why the Iowa State Cyclones have a Cardinal mascot, but Cy looks good
5. Bruiser, the Baylor Bear
6. Reveille, the Texas A&M collie, who is cool, but collies have a very low ceiling on awesomeness
7. Big Jay the Kansas Jayhawk, who is solid
8. Truman the Tiger, who is a bit too cartoony
9. Pistol Pete, whose head is much too large and made of gross plastic with a five o'clock shadow
10. Willie the Wildcat, who, well, I have all kinds of genetic origin questions about.

Honestly, I don't see what the big deal is with Patty Mayonnaise.

• Kansas State has essentially declared Collin Klein its starter, reports Kellis Robinett of the Kansas City Star. He also notes that Bryce Brown's work ethic hasn't impressed Bill Snyder, especially compared to linebacker Arthur Brown, who hopes to give his suffering defense a boost.
• Commissioner Dan Beebe knows that in the new world of college athletics, the Big 12 won't be getting the benefit of the doubt from anyone.
• Baylor's video staff followed quarterback Robert Griffin III for Big 12 media days. It's good stuff, and at the 1:50 mark, he confesses to the prank you can see in this video. Touché, RG3.
• Oklahoma linebacker Travis Lewis stole the show at media days, and John Hoover of the Tulsa World was there following him to see it happen.
• The early reviews for heralded Texas back Malcolm Brown are strong.
• When it comes to Big 12 jabs, Tommy Tuberville just can't help himself, writes Matt Hayes of Sporting News.
• Iowa State has drawn inspiration from Baylor's recent success, writes Andrew Logue of the Des Moines Register.
• Future Longhorns and Aggies had to put their rivalry on hold for the summer, writes Brian McLaughlin of Sporting News.
• Texas is looking to replace entitlement with accountability, writes Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman.
• Oklahoma is still recovering from the death of linebacker Austin Box.
• The Big 12's strength in the middle class will be a boon to the conference, writes Blair Kerkhoff of the Kansas City Star.
• Former Texas A&M quarterback Jerrod Johnson has signed a contract with the Philadelphia Eagles.
• Oklahoma may win a national title this year, but it won't be able to replace the mystique of the 2000 team, writes Dennis Dodd of CBSSports.com.
• Former Texas Tech running back Baron Batch writes about his recent road trip to Pittsburgh in his latest journal entry.
• Kansas center Jeremiah Hatch has enjoyed being the biggest loser this offseason, writes Matt Tait of the Lawrence Journal-World.
• The new goal for Kansas is clear: bowl eligibility, writes J. Brady McCollough of the Kansas City Star.
• The Longhorn Network has turned the Big 12 into a soap opera once again, writes Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman.
• Can Texas start a new string of 10-win seasons beginning in 2011?

Too much?

• Only Texas, coming off a 5-7 season and having no idea who its quarterback is, could dominate the conversation at media days, writes Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman.
• The Bronx Salute was the talk of Big 12 Media Days early on in Day 1, writes Kellis Robinett of the Kansas City Star.
• Gary Pinkel is still expecting defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson at practice when players report for fall camp.
• OSU safety Markelle Martin got in front of the camera and interviewed his teammate, Justin Blackmon, at Big 12 Media Days.
• Could Missouri and Oklahoma State be new rivals in the Big 12?
• Complain all you want, Big 12 programs. Texas will still do what it wants, writes Dennis Dodd of CBSSports.com.
• Kansas quarterback Brock Berglund pleaded not guilty to an assault charge back in his home state of Colorado, reports Matt Tait of the Lawrence Journal-World.
• Matt Hayes of Sporting News talks with the Aggies about the difficult decision to bench Jerrod Johnson last season, and its fruitful results.
• A reserve Iowa State defensive back was arrested for operating a vehicle while intoxicated, reports Andrew Logue of the Des Moines Register.
• Texas Tech says welcome to our world, former Big 12 North teams, writes Don Williams of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.
• Jenni Carlson of The Oklahoman writes that Oklahoma State quarterback Brandon Weeden is the Big 12's best in charisma. And also drops a "loquacious" on us. The use will be forgiven on account of this incident.
• Kevin Haskin of the Topeka Capital-Journal weighs in on the Big 12 pep rally, and sneaks in a bear poop joke. I'll take it.
• Safe to say colleague Ivan Maisel was not a fan of Dan Beebe's grand entrance on Monday.
• Gregg Doyel of CBSSports.com says Texas' TV drama could leave the Longhorns with lots of exes, and calls out Texas A&M for its hypocrisy.
• Matt Tait of the Lawrence Journal-World has a nice running wrap-up of the Day 1 events.
• Texas A&M is embracing its extra media day attention, writes Jason King of Yahoo.
• Missouri defensive end Jacquies Smith says no rivalry compares to Kansas-Missouri, reports Eric Sorrentino of the Lawrence Journal-World.

Yesterday's All-Big 12 team announcement delayed our chat wrap, but here are some of the highlights from our weekly chat.

And the full transcript.

Didn't get your question answered or comment run? My mailbag is always open.

Tony in Richmond, Calif., asked: Dave, caught CFB Live yesterday and they said Mr.Fleming was on campus and expects to suit up for the Sooners. Is this is a done deal? Or is Jamel simply being optimistic and has some more work to do before officially rejoining the team? Also, any word on Metoyer's eligibility? Thanks

David Ubben: No, it's official. Oklahoma confirmed it a week or so ago. Fleming is back. Metoyer is still up in the air, but his dad sounds like he's confident he's on the right track. I'd expect him to qualify.

Note: After this chat, The Oklahoman reached Metoyer, who says he'll need an A in one class and a B in the other to qualify, but is likely to miss the first week of camp.

Aaron in Lincoln, Neb., asked: Dave, have you played NCAA 12 yet? I know you already put Nebraska back in the Big XII since you miss us so much.

DU: Yes and yes. (Left out the Buffs, though.) 11-team conferences, they work!

Mason in Tulsa, Okla., asked: David,Who do you think is the most irreplaceable player in the conference? Go Pokes!

DU: Justin Blackmon. OSU's trip to Manhattan agrees.

Malcolm Brown in Austin writes: Ain't fair... I haven't even moved my stuff in yet and the pressure is on. I racked up 1700 yards last season in high school, but those college LB's are fast and nasty and the DB's can knock your head off. Will I rank in the top 5 Big 12 RB's this season? Will I break 1,000 yards?

DU: I'm going to say no and no. And yes, it's not fair. Brown's dealing with expectations that I'd argue no one else in the league has to face.

Joel in College Station asked: Hey Ubs i've never been a huge fan of Tannehill being the QB for A&M. I've always felt he was a much better WR than QB. What are your thoughts on this and any chance Manziel takes over the starting job? That senior curse hasn't been good to us Aggies lately...

DU: I don't get this at all. I hear from people who aren't sold on Tannehill all the time. I don't understand it. What do you guys want? he got the job done with almost no experience during the toughest part of A&M's schedule. He'll be solid, and it's a bit ludicrous to suggest he'll be benched for anyone, much less a true freshman. Jerrod didn't play poorly as much as he was injured. There's a difference.

Victor in Washington, D.C., asks: I'm a staunch Sooner fan, and although I like Landry Jones, I don't see where he should be a Heisman hopeful this year. What's your take on Jones as a SERIOUS contender for the hardware?

DU: I'm buying. He duplicates numbers from last year, or even does slightly worse, but Oklahoma is undefeated? Finalist for sure, at the very least.

sdm130 in Iowa asked: With the round robin schedule, do you see any potential new rivalries to start up?

DU: Missouri and Oklahoma need to bring back the Peace Pipe.

David in D.C. asked: Ubbs, the rumor mill is starting up in Aggie circles again that that we're moving to the SEC. I seem to be one of thew few voices of reason noting what a horrible move it would be for A&M. Everyone else seems to think it would be the best possible move. Please talk some sense into these people.

DU: I've tried. They're a stubborn bunch. My stance remains the same. The recruiting advantages won't be as large as TAMU fans believe they'll be (Texas kids don't grow up dreaming of playing in the SEC, and TAMU won't recruit Florida that well) and any edge TAMU thinks it will gain over Texas will be lost by simply losing games, which TAMU would do a lot more of in the SEC.

Island Rogue asked: I don't buy that ATM would loose more games in the SEC. I think they compare favorably with most teams there. This from a Sooner.

DU: Apparently you haven't seen A&M suit up against SEC teams in awhile. Didn't go well for them last year. Or the year before that...or any year since the mid-90s.

Wheat Farmer in Kansas asked: Do you think the politicians in Texas will let A&M go to the SEC? Also, will K-State own Texas again this year?

DU: Worth wondering, and it's one of the many questions that would have to be answered in A&M's favor for this to actually happen. And yes, I think K-State owns Texas again this year. Not in the standings, but on the field, yes.

Heading into the season, I see five teams in the Big 12 with a realistic chance to win the league. I'll be breaking them down in order (which won't be the same as my post-spring power rankings) of their chances to leave the season with the Big 12 title.

No. 1 on the list was the favorite: Oklahoma.

No. 2 was Texas A&M.

Oklahoma State came in at No. 3.

Why the Tigers will win the Big 12

1. Experience. Missouri returns 105 starts on the offensive line, losing only center Tim Barnes. That's the most in the Big 12 and 11th most in the nation on an offensive line that was fantastic in 2010. Just less than 80 percent of its total lettermen return, eighth-most in college football. That's a lot of guys who have been around, and the Tigers knocked over a big wall last year when they toppled the Sooners. Eliminate Mizzou's curious road hiccup at Texas Tech, and the Tigers would have been back in the Big 12 title game instead of sharing the Big 12 North with Nebraska after a third 10-win season in four years.

2. Dave Steckel. The Tigers' defense has steadily improved under Steckel, who previously coached linebackers under Matt Eberflus. Missouri had its best defense under Gary Pinkel last year, and that could continue this year with a great mix of experience and upside at linebacker, with Will Ebner and Zaviar Gooden set to knock around a few folks. Missouri's defense is noticeably tougher under Steckel, and though the Tigers must replace Aldon Smith and both starting corners, don't expect it to take a big jump back. Though Kip Edwards and E.J. Gaines lack the experience of Carl Gettis and Kevin Rutland, they may prove to be better corners very soon.

3. The defensive line. And what's the best way to negate inexperience at corner? How about the Big 12's best defensive line. Brad Madison is arguably the Big 12's best returning pass-rusher, and his counterpart at defensive end, Jacquies Smith, is one of the better ends in the Big 12, too. Missouri also has the best depth of any defensive line, with Michael Sam and Kony Ealy itching to spell Madison and Smith. At defensive tackle, Terrell Resonno could be poised for a breakout year, and blue-chip recruit Sheldon Richardson, if/when he actually makes it to campus, should join Dominique Hamilton at the opposite tackle spot, making sure Missouri's front four are not to be trifled.

Why the Tigers won't win the Big 12

1. The quarterback has never started a game. Sometimes, it's just this simple. James Franklin may blossom into a star at Missouri, but as a first-year starter, he's bound to have a few bad nights. Can Missouri survive them? Its Big 12 title hopes depend on it. If Blaine Gabbert had stayed, Missouri would likely be a top-15 or top-10 team and join Texas A&M and OSU as the chief contenders to knock off Oklahoma. Instead, the Tigers are relegated to a dark horse/wild-card role that depends heavily on how Franklin performs in his first year. The one advantage he has is after Tyler Gabbert's post-spring transfer, fall camp will be more about cementing his role as starter than winning it. Franklin walked in as a true freshman last spring and eventually won the No. 2 job behind Blaine Gabbert. That says a lot, and he earned some playing time last year, but his sophomore season won't be anything like 2010, when he threw all of 14 passes.

2. The passing game is limited. NFL teams knew Blaine Gabbert had a cannon, but he didn't get very many chances to showcase it to college fans last year, and Franklin may be forced to do the same. T.J. Moe and Michael Egnew are a great duo with some of the best hands in the league and a great sense of space, but without a deep threat to keep defenses honest, their production declined late in the season. Danario Alexander and Jeremy Maclin were able to stretch the field for guys like Chase Coffman and Martin Rucker in the past, but Moe and Egnew won't come close to 2010's production if the Tigers can't find someone to haul in a few passes over the top of the secondary.

3. Trips to Norman and College Station are on the schedule. I hear you, Missouri fans. I was there for the destruction of Texas A&M at Kyle Field last year. But that was a very different Texas A&M team than you'll be facing this time around. And the return trip may not be quite as enjoyable. Jerrod Johnson struggled against the Tigers, but the 30-9 loss was his penultimate start and Ryan Tannehill is driving the bus now. Also, don't count on this one being an 11 a.m. kickoff. I'd plan for prime time, and Kyle Field is a very different place at 8 p.m. than at lunch time. Ask Nebraska. Missouri knocked off Oklahoma last year, too, but don't think the Sooners have forgotten the fourth-quarter meltdown in Columbia. Oklahoma gets both of its losses in 2010 -- Missouri and Texas A&M -- in Norman this year, where it carries a 36-game home winning streak, the nation's longest, into 2011.

Heading into the season, I see five teams in the Big 12 with a realistic chance to win the league. I'll be breaking them down in order (which won't be the same as my post-spring power rankings) of their chances to leave the season with the Big 12 title.

No. 1 on the list was the favorites: Oklahoma

Today, we take a look at my No. 2: Texas A&M.

Why the Aggies will win the Big 12

1. They've got the most complete offense.

Center Matt Allen is the only offensive starter not returning, but the Aggies have a solid line, headlined by a maturing, but already talented pair of bookends with big potential, tackles Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews. At the skill positions, you won't find anything close to a weakness. Texas A&M returns the best running back corps in the league and maybe the best 1-2 punch in the nation with Christine Michael and Cyrus Gray. All of the team's top five receivers return, and Jeff Fuller, who chose to return for his senior season, is arguably one of the five best in the country. Ryan Tannehill doesn't have a ton of starts (six) under his belt, but he was great in a tight spot last year, and led the team in receptions his first two years on the field.

2. They're especially strong in great places on defense.

Those places: Secondary and pass-rushers. That's huge in the Big 12. New joker Damontre Moore, defensive end Tony Jerod-Eddie and linebacker Sean Porter should combine for more than 15 sacks this year and tons of quarterback pressures that could result in some big plays for another defensive strength: the secondary. All four starters return, and Terrence Frederick, Coryell Judie are experienced seniors at corner, while Trent Hunter and Steven Campbell hold down the safety spots.

3. They made it hard to win nine games last year.

Texas A&M already won a share of the Big 12 South last year, despite ranking 10th in the Big 12 in turnover margin at minus-5. Its 30 turnovers (15 INTs, 15 fumbles lost) were the most in the Big 12 and 111th most in the nation. You'd have to think that number will drop this year with Tannehill at quarterback. He struggled in the loss to LSU, throwing three interceptions, but he had just three in his six previous games at quarterback, compared to 11 touchdowns. Five of those 30 turnovers came from Jerrod Johnson in a loss to Oklahoma State, and if the Aggies take care of the ball then, or this time around, they're likely Big 12 champions.

Why the Aggies won't win the Big 12

1. The defensive losses will be too much.

Damontre Moore should slide in and replace Von Miller. I'd expect him to do well, but what about middle linebacker? Michael Hodges was the heart of the defense in 2010 and its leading tackler. When a knee injury forced him out of the Cotton Bowl against LSU, the Tigers gashed the Aggies' defense, which for the few weeks to end the season, looked like one of the Big 12's best and topped the league in rush defense. Hodges is gone for good now, and the Aggies left spring without a solid replacement. For now, it looks like Jonathan Stewart will slide in, but it could end up being true freshman Donnie Baggs. Either way, A&M won't be as strong there, and teams that can run the ball (i.e., OSU, OU) may take advantage. Lucas Patterson is the only other loss on the defensive side of the ball, but my money is on Hodges being missed the most on the field, even though Miller was the No. 2 pick in the NFL draft.

2. They have to travel to Norman.

Texas A&M has been outscored 107-24 in its last two trips to Norman, and Les Miles at Oklahoma State in 2001 is the only Big 12 coach to ever beat Bob Stoops at Owen Field. The odds are definitely against Mike Sherman becoming the second. The Aggies knocked off Oklahoma in College Station last year, but did it largely on the strength of the linebackers, and Hodges and Miller, who helped orchestrate those three goal-line stops to beat the Sooners, are gone.

3. Hype and the Aggies are not happy bedfellows.

Texas A&M looked like a possible Big 12 South contender last year, but the Aggies lost all three of their first real tests, and nearly lost to Florida International in College Station, erasing a 21-7 fourth-quarter deficit to avoid embarrassment. After being written off by most, they rallied for a share of the Big 12 South, but this year, the attention is back on the Aggies, who will likely be toting a top-15 ranking into the preseason. How will the team handle big games early in the season against Oklahoma State and an early trip to Lubbock before the showdown in Norman? Their recent history suggests "not well."

Good set of questions this week. Nice work, folks. Still time to make your presence known in the next one.

Justin in Forney, Texas asked: DU, Can you expound on your thoughts behind every school in the Big 12 having a network like Texas? Texas has a 14 billion dollar revenue, system wide. A&M, OU and Missouri could possibly have a network. I don't see your Iowa States and K States having a network. Maybe I'm wrong. Your thoughts?

David Ubben: I got a couple emails on this when I said last week I expected "the other nine teams in the Big 12 to form their own network."

Not nine separate networks, though. I meant one new Big 12 Network eventually, so they can reap the benefits of those third-tier rights without having to shoulder the start-up and operation costs, or trying to chase down a partner to make sure the network gets on a cable package.

Oklahoma is the only school that's seriously talked about forming their own network, but they seem to be doing a lot of backtracking since starting up the conversation last summer and saying they wanted to have their own network within a year or so.

I'm not sure I ever see Oklahoma making it happen. My guess is they take the safer route and package their rights along with the rest of the Big 12 for one big network with the remaining nine teams other than Texas.

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T.R. in Montgomery, Texas asked: Any truth to the A&M vs SMU move to Sunday rumors? Will the NFL CBA talks factor in to the potential move? I am a firm believer that High School football was made for Friday, College football for Saturday, and NFL for Sunday. What are your thoughts?

DU: If by rumors you mean an official announcement, then yes, there's something to them. That's done. The NFL doesn't have anything to do with it. College football always starts a week earlier, and usually puts a couple games on Sunday the first weekend. Last year, Texas Tech hosted SMU. That was actually the first game I went to last season.

I like the Sunday opener. It gave me -- and fans of the team -- a chance to sit back on Saturday and watch the opening weekend of games before heading out to a stadium the next day. Plus, SMU is a pretty good team. A&M won't lose, but that's hardly a laugher opponent.

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Colin in San Diego, Calif. asked: Hey Ubbs, not a Big 12 fan, but I like to use the mailbag columns as a way to keep up with what the fans of the other schools/conferences are wondering.My question for you, if I were to take a road trip out to catch a Big 12 game, which game (this year) would be worth the gas money? Excluding the Oklahoma-Texas game of course, which I think is clear number one because I could go to the Texas State Fair too.

DU: Yeah, the State Fair of Texas on Red River Saturday should be any casual college football fan's first stop in the Big 12. But this year, you ought to head down to College Station for the Sept. 24 game against Oklahoma State.

One, that should be one of the top three games in the Big 12 all year.

Two, you'll get an in-person introduction to the insanity that is all the absurdly complex Aggie Yells.

That's probably going to be a night game, so I'd recommend you sneak into Yell Practice at Kyle Field at midnight the night before the game. Nothing else in college football like 20-30,000 fans coming out to stadium the night before a game for the most unique pep rally you'll ever see.

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Tom in Iowa asked: Is Gene Chizik still the most hated man in Ames Iowa?

DU: He's probably up there. The players really felt betrayed when he left, and rightfully so. In the same breath, you can't blame Chizik for leaving. The price of going, as I'm sure he understood, was a locker room full of guys who probably wouldn't like you very much anymore.

It's worked out for both sides, though. Paul Rhoads is the right guy at ISU, and Chizik seems like he's done OK at his next stop, wherever that was. I highly doubt he has any regrets about leaving.

As for ISU fans, maybe they can move on to hating Nebraska safety Eric Hagg, who picked off that two-point conversion on a windy afternoon in Ames last year that kept ISU from a bowl game and stripped control of the Big 12 North from them.

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Ryan Tannehill in College Station, Texas writes: How much you wanna make a bet I can throw a football over them mountains?... Yeah... Coach woulda put me in fourth game, we would've been Big 12 champions. No doubt. No doubt in my mind. Love the blog.

DU: E-mail of the week here. Someone's done the impossible: Make Napoleon Dynamite funny again. To your point? Maybe so. In hindsight, of course Tannehill should have replaced Jerrod Johnson earlier. But at the time? I probably would have made the switch at the same time Sherman did. Maybe a bit earlier, like sometime during the Missouri game.

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Chris in Houston, Texas asked: Ubbs, I have sort of a problem. What am I going to watch on Saturday mornings now? Do I watch the new, all- Longhorn Gameday, or the same College Gameday I've come to know and love?

DU: Follow your heart, Chris.

As for me, if there's a big Texas game that week, I'll probably flip back and forth. I'll probably watch the first episode, too, just to see what it's like. Sounds like it'll be a lot of work, but it's a good idea. Any fan base would kill to have a GameDay show every week devoted solely to their team.

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Don Bowers in Oklahoma City, Okla. asked: Love the blog and all of your insights in to the world of college football. Great stuff man. Do you think the Longhorn Network's abundant programming on Texas football could be used by other coaches in their game plan against the Longhorns? With programs like "Game Plan with Mack Brown" in which Mack gives "an inside look at game preparation and a breakdown of the keys to victory," could other Big 12 coaches gain any insight they might not otherwise have had going in to game day? When Texas announced it was going to have its spring game broadcast on national TV, several coaches in the Big 12 said they would be tuning in because it was just another opportunity for them to learn about the Texas program. Is the Longhorn Network another opportunity?

DU: This is a fascinating point, and one I'm probably most interested in once the Longhorn Network gets going. I talked extensively with Oklahoma DC Brent Venables about this during the spring, not just about Texas' spring game, but about the idea of coaches giving away too much in general.

His consensus: Yes, some are very bad about it. Some aren't. He declined to name names and I won't venture a guess either.

But this is a whole new level of exposure for Texas' program, and the onus for providing insightful, compelling content, while not giving away too much, lies completely on the Longhorns coaching staff.

Coaches generally know what they're going to get from opponents, but Venables isn't the only guy looking for/reading/watching anything to gain an edge.

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Landry Jones in Norman, Okla. asked: You think mine and Whitney's son will be atop the ESPNU 150 class of 2031?

DU: Runner-up for e-mail of the week here, behind Texas A&M QB Uncle Rico from earlier.

And to your question: yes.

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Ben in San Antonio, Texas asked: David, How is your schedule for 2011 determined when visiting and attending games?Do you get to choose or does the front office pick which game you will attend?

DU: It's an open conversation. Sometimes, it's obvious and we know a week or two ahead of time. But more often than not, we'll talk late Saturday night or on Sunday afternoon and decide what the biggest game in the Big 12 that week is, and start prepping for travel.

Wednesday marks the release of the 2011 ESPNU 150, naming the nation's top 150 recruits. This year, we took a look back at the players who made the past five years of this list and signed with Big 12 teams, but it's time to direct our focus to the players who made last year's list.

Biggest impact players:

No. 21: Tony Jefferson, S, Oklahoma -- Jefferson was one of seven ESPNU 150 signees for Oklahoma in 2010, and shared Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year honors. The 5-foot-10, 199-pounder has drawn comparisons to Oklahoma legend Roy Williams for his work at the nickelback spot, and could be a dark horse candidate for Defensive Player of the Year next season.

No. 75: Shaun Lewis, LB, Oklahoma State -- Lewis was the Cowboys' lone ESPNU 150 signee, but he paid off in a big way. He shared Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year honors with Jefferson, and made two of the biggest plays of the season in 2010, picking off Jerrod Johnson to set up a game-winning field goal, and picking off Landry Jones for a touchdown in the regular-season finale.

Nos. 83 and 90: Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews, OL, Texas A&M -- The pair could be game-changing bookends for the offensive line. They were two of the Aggies' three ESPNU 150 signees. Joeckel took over as the starter at left tackle in his first spring and Matthews joined him midway through last season. Both are likely All-Big 12 performers as sophomores.

Ready to break out:

No. 2: Jackson Jeffcoat, DE, Texas -- Jeffcoat, one of the Longhorns' 14 ESPNU 150 signees, showed big promise early, but an ankle injury slowed his development as a freshman. He showed tons of raw talent, and if he stays healthy, could prove himself as one of the league's best pass-rushers.

No. 4: Jordan Hicks, LB, Texas -- Hicks missed the spring with a broken foot after making 21 tackles last season, including 11 in a win against Nebraska. An Ohio native, Hicks could be headed for a big season once he's back to full strength.

No. 13: Mike Davis, WR, Texas -- Davis was already second on the team with 47 receptions, 478 yards and two touchdowns. Coach Mack Brown was raving about his receiver this spring, saying he'd be the go-to guy in his new offense if the season began this spring.

No. 15: Ahmad Dixon, S, Baylor -- With experienced safeties on the roster last season, Dixon had a modest impact (16 tackles, one forced fumble). However, he's moved into a likely starting role at nickelback in Phil Bennett's new defense this spring. The Bears' only ESPNU 150 signee, Dixon offers a combination of size and speed not often seen on a Baylor defense.

No. 62: Corey Nelson, LB, Oklahoma -- Nelson had just 21 tackles last season, but blocked a punt against Texas A&M, the team he spurned for the Sooners on signing day. This spring, coach Bob Stoops called him the best player on the defense. Stoops should find a way to make sure Nelson is on the field this fall.

Redshirted last season, but look out:

No. 142: Justin McCay, WR, Oklahoma -- McCay, a 6-foot-3, 200-pounder, was rated by some recruiting services as one of the Sooners' top recruits. He suffered a knee injury this spring and missed the spring game, but could add more depth to the Oklahoma receiving corps as a big target in 2011.

Thanks for all the questions. Didn't get yours answered? My mailbag is always open.

Paul in Austin wrote: Hey David. Question today about recievers. It seems to me that Ryan Broyles' stats were hyper-inflated due to the bubble screens that OU runs. I may be biased (well, I am) but if you take the stats away and base it on pure ability here's my recievers list: 1. Blackmon 2. Fuller 3. Broyles 4. Wright Thoughts?

David Ubben: Nope. You're off base, Paul. Yes, Broyles' reception totals are inflated to some degree, but I still think he's the best receiver in the Big 12 -- and probably the country -- in terms of his ability to get open, as well as his talent for eating up yardage after the catch.

Blackmon isn't far behind in the "get open" category, but his ability to go up and get jump balls, along with his consistency, give him the edge over Broyles.

Fuller is a good receiver, definitely the third best in the Big 12, but he's not nearly as good at getting open or making plays after the catch. He's better than both Broyles and Blackmon at getting jump balls, but the other two do just about everything better.

As well as Fuller did against LSU's Patrick Peterson in the Cotton Bowl, his production took a huge dip late last season, which we didn't see from Blackmon or Broyles.

I'll rank the Big 12's receivers before the season, but Baylor's Kendall Wright will be challenged pretty closely for that fourth spot by T.J. Moe and Kenny Stills.

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CowboyKS in Kansas asked: DU, With arguably the 2 best pass rushers in the country NFL bound (Smith@Mizzu, Miller@A&M), do you predict the great passers of the Big 12 having even bigger years in conference play?

DU: No, I think it'll be a slightly above average year, and not because of pass-rushers. More than anything, it'll be secondaries. The Big 12 is pretty deep at receiver, but there are exactly zero elite corners in the league without Nebraska and Jamell Fleming.

This isn't like 2008 when the league had eight or nine crazy-good quarterbacks. Brandon Weeden, Landry Jones, Ryan Tannehill and Robert Griffin III are pretty clearly the elite class. James Franklin at Missouri should have a good year, but he's not going to get anywhere near 4,000 yards. I'd expect him to just barely clear 3,000. Seth Doege could cause problems for opposing defenses. Texas is a bit of a wild card.

It'll be a good year for offenses, but don't plan on seeing a ton of 51-48 games.

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Jake in College Station, Texas, asked: Hey David,How do you feel about the Big 12 throwing around the idea of increasing player's stipends and other forms of payment? Is getting a free education not enough? None of the other students are getting that kind of assistance.

DU: I like the idea of giving players more money, but it's going to take some finagling to come up with the money. Do school's finance it? Do they use the new television money? Does the NCAA foot the bill? We're still a long way from this becoming a reality.

But as much as people like to play the "What, getting a free education isn't enough?" card, let me answer that for you: In a lot of cases, no. It's not. Players can get by. Athletic cafeterias usually have top-notch food, especially at major programs, and scholarships can cover housing, but the majority of these players are broke, just like the rest of their classmates.

You've heard it before, but revenue-producing sports do a lot of revenue producing. Not everybody taking money is Reggie Bush. In a lot of cases, it's for basic needs, like making a parent's house payment or some extra spending money. If everyone can get together and agree on a way to slide these guys a few thousand dollars more per semester without coming at a huge cost to other sports, the universities or the programs themselves (and that might be difficult), I don't see any problem with it.

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Sam in Oklahoma City asked: In the upcoming season, my beloved Oklahoma State Cowboys have a lot of potential on offense. I realize that the defense is suspect, but a quick observation and question. Lou Holtz made an interesting observation last year. He stated that the defensive stats were skewed against the defence. His reasoning was that with the points OSU put up, offenses had to throw a lot more against them to keep up. Could I have your thoughts on the subject.

DU: Yeah, there's some truth to that. The raw numbers (yardage, points per game) don't really tell the whole story, especially with teams like Oklahoma and Oklahoma State who have a ton of possessions. Generally, the concept of math escapes me, so I'm not overtly attracted to sabermetrics for football, but most of the numbers make sense if you can wrap your head around them.

One pretty simple one is offensive and defensive efficiency, which I came across on Berry Tramel's blog for The Oklahoman this past season. I'm sure I'll get emails from statheads about how someone else came up with it first, but I don't have time for a history lesson on advanced statistics.

Anyway, he put together the numbers for every team in the Big 12 and a few others that's pretty simple: What percentage of your opponents' possessions end in points?

On those numbers, Oklahoma State actually looked pretty good.

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Andrew Millar in Houston, Texas, asked: David,It nearly broke my heart to watch Jerrod Johnson throughout the first half of this season in comparison to last season. I'm also saddened he went undrafted, but I'm not really surprised. The UFL will be good for him, but do you ever see him getting out of the UFL and into the big leagues? And if so, in any sort of meaningful fashion?

DU: Yeah, that was tough to watch at times last year. He wasn't even close to the same player. I'm excited to see him if he finally returns to form from his junior year. If that happens, I definitely could see him in the NFL very soon. He's clearly got the size and the arm strength.

My guess is he'll have to shorten his release -- it's elongated because his arms are so long -- and he'll undergo some other tweaks to his mechanics, but if he can show some potential next year, he'll get a shot. Any coach would love to have him in the locker room. He'll learn fast and Mike Sherman can vouch for him.

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Kareem in Los Angeles asked: Hey Dubs, you got a statue?

DU: Actually, at one time, I briefly did. He lived on my desk. My freshman year of college, a friend of mine went on vacation and came across a figurine a little bigger than a Coke can that looked exactly like me playing a guitar. Obviously, my friend had to bring him back. He was awesome, and his name was Little Davie Ubbs.

Unfortunately, when I was moving out of my college apartment, he fell off the top shelf of my desk and hit his head on my desk on the way down, shattering himself and his guitar.

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Kevbot in Norman, Okla., asked: What are the chances there is a three-way tie between OU, OSU, and A&M with each team having a road loss? Who do you think would get the nod to the Fiesta Bowl or the National Championship (wishful thinking of course)?

DU: I asked a Big 12 official a couple weeks back about the tiebreaker rules, and though it's not official yet, the league sounds like it intends to keep the spirit of the previous tiebreaker rules. So, expect the BCS to come into play if the teams all split their head-to-head matchups.

In that case, No. 1 would go to the top bowl as the Big 12 champ, and the remaining bowls, be it BCS or otherwise, could pick between the other two.

Former Texas A&M quarterback Jerrod Johnson, who went undrafted in the 2011 NFL draft, talks about being selected No. 1 by the Hartford Colonials in the UFL draft.

The Big 12's full schedule isn't out yet, but a few teams across the league have released their individual schedules. In no particular order, we'll take a look at them.

First up: Let's take a look at the Pokes of Stillwater.

Nonconference (with 2010 records):

• Sept. 3: Louisiana-Lafayette (3-9)
• Sept. 8: Arizona (7-6)
• Sept. 17: at Tulsa (10-3)

Home Big 12 games:

• Oct. 8: Kansas (3-9)
• Oct. 29: Baylor (7-6)
• Nov. 5: Kansas State (7-6)
• Dec. 3: Oklahoma (12-2)

Away Big 12 games:

• Sept. 24: Texas A&M (9-4)
• Oct. 15: Texas (5-7)
• Oct. 22: Missouri (10-3)
• Nov. 12: Texas Tech (8-5)
• Nov. 18: Iowa State (5-7)

Gut-check game: At Texas A&M. Last year, we didn't know how good either of these teams were at the end of the Cowboys' 38-35 win. It ended up deciding the Big 12 South. Had Texas A&M won, the Aggies would have won the division outright. This season, they'll get their shot in College Station, and the winner of this game could go on to a BCS berth. Texas A&M fans probably couldn't help but ask themselves what would have happened last season had Ryan Tannehill started, instead of Jerrod Johnson, who accounted for four interceptions and a fumble returned for a touchdown. We'll find out in this early season clash between two possible top 10 teams that will sort out the top of the new, divison-less Big 12.

Trap game: Baylor. The Bears will have two chances to prove themselves before their game in Stillwater at Boone Pickens Stadium. After TCU to open the season and Texas A&M before OSU, the Bears will come off a bye with what they hope is a renewed defense looking to erase an embarrassing lopsided loss on the same field in 2010.

Snoozer: Kansas. Last season, Kansas played pretty well against the Cowboys and kept it close early, leading after the first quarter and trailing just 20-14 at half. Then the Jayhawks were outscored 28-0 in the second half of the late-season matchup in Lawrence. Kansas should be better this season, but nowhere near good enough to make it interesting in Stillwater.

Non-con challenge: Arizona. Laugh if you must, Cowboys fans. But I recall a Nebraska team that laughed when it got matched up with Washington in a bowl game a few months after beating it by five touchdowns on the Huskies' home field. The Cowboys rolled over the Wildcats, 36-10, in the Alamo Bowl, capping off an 0-5 finish for Mike Stoops' team. But his quarterback, Nick Foles, is back. So is his best receiver, Juron Criner, a possible All-American and the best receiver in the Pac-12. It's hard to imagine Stoops, a defensive coach, not learning plenty from the bowl game, and the Cowboys will be facing their first real test of the season.

Must-see date: Oklahoma. Oklahoma State got the best break of any team in the Big 12 with the new nine-game conference schedule. Because of the tweaking to the schedule, the Sooners have to play in Stillwater for a second consecutive season, and last season's game decided the Big 12 South. This season's game, moved to championship weekend and likely set for prime time, could decide the Big 12 or even more.

Analysis: Big 12 teams better get used to unbalanced schedules in the new league setup. That means five road games and four home games, a sometimes overlooked aspect of a nine-game conference schedule. Teams that schedule ambitiously in nonconference play better do it with a home game. Oklahoma State caught a break with the Sooners' return north, but will be one of the league's teams that has to hit the road five times in conference play. A short drive east to Tulsa will be a tougher early season test than it sounds, but it's a solid nonconference schedule and a league schedule that sets the Cowboys up to do well.