ESPN College Football

The Lou Groza Award is given annually to college football's best kicker. Here are the Big 12 players on the watch list:

• Randy Bullock, Texas A&M
• Aaron Jones, Baylor
• Grant Ressel, Missouri
• Jimmy Stevens, Oklahoma
• Justin Tucker, Texas

The Groza Award is reasonably stat-based each year, so it's hard to peg true favorites. Grant Ressel is probably the most likely of this group to string together a good season, but Baylor's Aaron Jones got off to a strong start before struggling late in the year.

Oklahoma State's Dan Bailey won the award last year, over Nebraska's Alex Henery. He became the Big 12's second winner in the 19-year history of the award and the first since K-State's Martin Gramatica in 1997.

Florida State has three winners and is the only program with more than one, which, considering, you know, their righted tendencies, is a bit surprising.

Every player on the watch list would be the first Groza Award winner in their program's history.

The Ray Guy Award, given to the nation's best punter, also announced its five-man list.

Oklahoma State's Quinn Sharp was the only Big 12 player to make the cut.

Springtime is almost here. And here's a look at what to expect across the Big 12 when it gets into full swing here in the next couple weeks.

BAYLOR BEARS

Spring practice starts: February 28

Spring game: April 2

What to watch:

• Big changes on defense. Baylor brought in Phil Bennett as its new defensive coordinator, and he says his scheme will be multiple, built to fit the Bears' personnel. Considering the Bears' recent recruiting successes in the secondary, look for a 4-2-5 type of look.
• Recruiting stars: time to shine. Both safeties, Tim Atchison and Byron Landor, are gone. Baylor, though, has two former ESPNU 150 recruits at safety who would be well served to start filling their potential. Prince Kent was a reserve last season and at one time, the nation's No. 51 overall recruit who originally signed with Miami. Ahmad Dixon, meanwhile, was the No. 15 overall prospect in the 2010 class. The opportunity is there. Baylor needs big talent at the position. Briles has recruited it. Can they develop into players who make Baylor a contender?
• Running back competition. Jay Finley topped 1,200 yards in 2010, but he's gone. Who steps into his void? Terrance Ganaway is a bowling ball at 5-foot-11, 235 pounds, but the shifty Jarred Salubi could get a good amount of carries, too. They could begin to share carries this spring.

IOWA STATE CYCLONES

Spring practice starts: March 22

Spring game: April 16

What to watch:

• Quarterback competition. It should be a good one in Ames this spring. Jerome Tiller is the name most recognize after getting lots of meaningful time and starts because of injuries to Austen Arnaud over the past two seasons. But juco transfer Steele Jantz sounds confident he can win the job. Rising sophomore James Capello and redshirt freshman Jared Barnett will compete, too.
• Paging Cyclone receivers. Iowa State had one of the most underwhelming receiving corps in the league during the past season, and three of its top five pass-catchers won't return in 2011. Of those three, however, one is a tight end (Collin Franklin) and another is a running back (Alexander Robinson). The new quarterback will need some help, and Darius Darks and Darius Reynolds will need to provide it as seniors.
• Shontrelle's time or not? Freshman Shontrelle Johnson looked like the running back with the most pop behind Robinson for most of 2010, but two other freshmen running backs jockeyed for carries, too. Paul Rhoads is hardly handing the job over to Johnson, but spring could be the time when he really separates himself from the pack.

KANSAS JAYHAWKS

Spring practice starts: April 1

Spring game: April 30

What to watch:

• What are they doing behind center? Kansas never got much consistent play out of the quarterback position last year, but freshman Brock Berglund is one of the 2011 class' top recruits, and enrolled early to compete in the spring with Jordan Webb and Quinn Mecham. With a building program like Kansas, there's perhaps some value in handing the program to a younger player like Webb or Berglund, but they'll have to earn it. Doing so will start in the spring, but don't expect the Jayhawks to have a set-in-stone starter by spring's end.
• Top linebacker back on the field. Huldon Tharp missed all of 2010 with a foot injury, but he says he's 100 percent and ready to get back on the field. As a freshman in 2009, he was fifth on the team in tackles, with 59, and looked like one of the league's possible budding stars. Now, he'll get his chance to join fellow linebacker Steven Johnson as one of the team's top tacklers, and he'll do it as a sophomore after redshirting in 2010.
• Toben rising? Turner Gill raised plenty of eyebrows when he moved his team's leading rusher in 2009, Toben Opurum, to linebacker in fall camp, and eventually slid him up to defensive end. But toward the end of 2010, Opurum started showing some major signs of growth at the position. We'll get a better idea this spring if he's one of the league's most unlikely new stars at defensive end.

KANSAS STATE WILDCATS

Spring practice starts: April 6

Spring game: April 30

What to watch:

• Prodigal Kansan sons come home. There's no doubt that the Wichita native Brown brothers are the main attraction at Kansas State this spring, a season after transferring back home. Bryce Brown, the running back, was the nation's No. 8 prospect in the 2009 class. Arthur Brown, the linebacker, was the nation's No. 6 prospect in the 2008 class. Bryce transferred from Tennessee and Arthur from Miami. The Wildcats are pinning much of their hopes on the duo, and we'll get a good sense of what they can provide soon.
• Quarterback competition. Carson Coffman is gone, and two new faces will challenge for the job: juco transfer Justin Tuggle and Daniel Sams. Sammuel Lamur is also up for the gig. Collin Klein may or may not be; Bill Snyder hasn't explicitly confirmed a past comment from Sams saying Klein had moved to receiver. Don't expect a starter to be named by spring's end, but a general order could start to form.
• Can the defense show improvement? Kansas State had the Big 12's worst overall defense last year, and the worst rushing defense in college football, giving up 3,008 yards on the ground. Coordinator Chris Cosh looks like he'll still be around in 2011, and defensive backs David Garrett and Tysyn Hartman are solid pieces to try and build around. But this young maturing defense must get better to make a bowl game again with so many questions on offense. That starts in the spring.

MISSOURI TIGERS

Spring practice starts: March 8

Spring game: April 16

What to watch:

• Franklin comes alive! Blaine Gabbert bolted to the NFL early, and Missouri has a gaping hole a quarterback. The position, however, is surrounded by a lot of quality talent that likely makes the Tigers a Top 25 team. There's no understating the importance of the position for the Tigers, and that will begin to be decided in the spring. James Franklin, a rising sophomore, saw spot duty in 2010 as more of a runner, and may have the inside track on the job, but Tyler Gabbert, Blaine's younger brother, and Ashton Glaser should make it an interesting competition in the spring. If neither of them impress early, don't count out incoming freshman Corbin Berkstresser.
• Here is the new secondary. Same as the old secondary? After years of pass defense being one of the Tigers' biggest weaknesses, it became a strength in 2010 behind the leadership of senior corners Kevin Rutland and Carl Gettis. But the Tigers lose them and safety Jarrell Harrison. Rutland emerged as one of the team's most impressive players last spring, but was Missouri's success in the secondary a one-time thing or the beginning of a welcome trend?
• Time to dominate the trenches? Missouri played without likely first-round pick Aldon Smith for much of the previous season, but the defensive and offensive lines for the Tigers were as good as ever in 2010. How will they look in 2011? Impact juco transfer Sheldon Richardson won't be enrolled by the spring, but the four returning starters on the offensive line should get some solid work against Brad Madison, Jacquies Smith and Terrell Resonno.

OKLAHOMA SOONERS

Spring practice starts: March 21

Spring game: April 16

What to watch:

• Freshmen on display. Coach Bob Stoops hasn't been shy about saying his 2010 recruiting class was his best ever, but it could look even better after this spring. Two of his best emerging recruits, Justin McCay and Geneo Grissom, didn't even play in 2010, and could start to make an impact. The same goes for Corey Nelson, who will try to earn some more time somewhere backing up star Travis Lewis.
• Is there a golden boot in Norman? Jimmy Stevens was much more accurate in 2010, finishing 19-for-23, but his attempts outside 45 yards were sparse. The good news is he missed none of his 53 extra points. Field goals have been a bit of an adventure for the past couple years, but continuing in the spring what he started last year would be a good sign for Oklahoma. The Sooners are strong everywhere and need good special teams play to reach their lofty title goals.
• Are the Sooners' backs back? Roy Finch missed the Fiesta Bowl with a stress fracture, and his durability is certainly questionable entering 2011. When he's healthy, he looks like the next star in the Sooners' backfield, but they'll need some depth behind the 5-foot-8, 173-pounder. Jermie Calhoun, Jonathan Miller and Brennan Clay have all looked good at times, but there should be some good competition from newcomers Brandon Wegher, an Iowa transfer who'll be in camp this spring and eligible next season, and blue-chip recruit Brandon Williams, who enrolled early.

OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS

Spring practice starts: March 7

Spring game: April 16

What to watch:

• Every piece of the offense. The spring in Stillwater is all about keeping or improving upon the status quo. Had it kept Dana Holgorsen, there'd be little doubt that would happen, but Oklahoma State must make the most of its five returning offensive linemen, quarterback Brandon Weeden and receiver Justin Blackmon. The opportunity for a historic season is there, but they'll have to pick up the nuances of the new offense quickly in the spring like they did last year.
• What about the kicker? Dan Bailey won the Lou Groza Award as the nation's top kicker in 2010, but he's gone. Oklahoma State needs to fill that role quickly, and we'll likely know who will get the nod after the spring.
• Who steps up on the defensive line? The Cowboys lose three starters up front on defense, including All-Big 12 performer Ugo Chinasa and tackles Chris Donaldson and Shane Jarka. Can senior Richetti Jones become a star in the Big 12? We'll have a good idea if he, or any of the Cowboys' other defensive linemen, can by the end of April.

TEXAS LONGHORNS

Spring practice starts: February 24

Spring game: April 3

What to watch:

• New coaches and their students/players. Texas has five new coaches. Although it's hard to get a good read early on, how they relate with the players on the field, in the film room and around the facilities will have a big impact on how the 2011 season plays out in Austin. The young-blooded coordinators could serve themselves well by relating to players and the players will need to spend plenty of extra time learning new schemes and plays.
• Quarterback competition ... or not? Mack Brown says the gig is open and it is, for now. Garrett Gilbert can close it with a strong spring. If Garrett struggles on the field or has difficulty grasping the new system, the door will be wide open for Connor Wood or Case McCoy to step in and close it. Gilbert didn't get much help, but he did very little in 2010 to inspire a lot of breathing room with McCoy and Wood clamoring for playing time.
• And you've got to defend the pass, too. Texas loses its top three cornerbacks to the NFL, and only Carrington Byndom and A.J. White got much meaningful playing time last season. Younger players can earn some rare early playing time with a strong spring. Will anyone step up?

TEXAS A&M AGGIES

Spring practice starts: March 22

Spring game: April 16

What to watch:

• New linebackers in the running. Spring isn't so scary when you bring back nine defensive starters, but the two Texas A&M lost were the heart of its defense. Linebackers Michael Hodges and Von Miller are gone. Kyle Mangan didn't look fantastic when forced into action during the Cotton Bowl, but the time is now for Damontre Moore and Dominique Patterson, a pair of sophomores, to make their impact.
• Tannehill's tuning things up. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill played about as well as anyone could have hoped late last season, but he'll need it to continue his performance with a solid spring nailing down the timing with his receivers, who all return. He's already got a leg up on last year's quarterback, Jerrod Johnson, who was held out of team drills last spring after shoulder surgery that eventually derailed his senior season.
• Christine's back. Christine Michael missed the second half of the season with a broken leg, giving way to Cyrus Gray's rise among Big 12 backs. It should make Texas A&M's depth at the position even more impressive, but we'll see how Michael looks coming back from the injury.

TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS

Spring practice starts: February 19

Spring game: March 26

What to watch:

• Past defending that pass defense. Texas Tech had the Big 12's worst pass defense last season, but has a pair of big potential players at cornerback in rising sophomores Tre Porter and Jarvis Phillips. Starters LaRon Moore and Franklin Mitchem are gone, but if returning starters Cody Davis and Will Ford can continue to mature, the defense should improve in the area most important for success in the Big 12.
• And they're off! There's a four-man quarterback derby set in Lubbock this spring between Seth Doege, Jacob Karam, Michael Brewer and Scotty Young. I don't expect it to be settled until midway through fall camp, similar to last season, but there should be a solid front-runner and more clarity after spring. Coach Tommy Tuberville was extremely impressed with Doege and Karam last spring after Taylor Potts and Steven Sheffield went down with injuries.
• Time to find new stars. Most of the big names on Texas Tech's defense are gone. Colby Whitlock, Bront Bird, Brian Duncan will all continue their careers elsewhere. The leaders on the defense will have to begin to emerge in the spring. Is it Scott Smith? Cody Davis? A younger, unexpected player? We'll find out. Sometimes these types of situations aren't as easy to predict as they might seem, like Missouri's strength in 2010 emerging in the secondary.

Three things Oklahoma must do to win:

1. Stop the "other" guys. Running back Kendall Hunter and receiver Justin Blackmon are going to get theirs. They always do. Hunter has been held under 100 yards just twice this year, and Blackmon has at least 125 yards and a touchdown in all 10 of his starts. But Oklahoma State's offense really gets humming when players like receivers Bo Bowling and Josh Cooper and running back Joseph Randle get involved. Oklahoma can win if Blackmon and Hunter both have big days, but if quarterback Brandon Weeden clears 400 yards through the air thanks to 75 yards from Bowling and Cooper and another 75 or so from Randle, it's not going to happen for the Sooners.

2. Protect the passer. Oklahoma will lessen the pressure on Landry Jones with plenty of screens and swing passes, but when the Sooners do go downfield, they have to keep Jones off his back. Like most quarterbacks, a pressured Jones is a much more mistake-prone Jones.

3. Bring an aggressive defensive gameplan. The Big 12 team with the most success slowing Oklahoma State's offense was Texas A&M, which led 21-7 at halftime in Stillwater this year. The Aggies did it by bringing a wide variance of blitzes and making plays in the backfield. Oklahoma State's offense is capable of making big plays over the top, but that's what makes the Cowboys so good offensively. They're just as capable of dinking-and-dunking their way up the field. It's an efficient, precise offense. Force Weeden to make the difficult plays down the field to Blackmon. He'll probably still make a couple, but nobody's held Oklahoma State's full-strength offense to fewer than 33 points. Don't expect Oklahoma to be the first.

Three things Oklahoma State must to do win

1. Minimize the damage on the edge. Oklahoma is going to look for Ryan Broyles and DeMarco Murray on plenty of swing passes. If Oklahoma State's defenders on the edge tackle well and make those plays a consistent 1-2 yards instead of a consistent 5-8, it'll give the Cowboys a leg up and force Oklahoma to look for more difficult sources of offense.

2. Get the crowd involved. Baylor isn't known for its intimidating home-field advantage. Texas A&M is, and Missouri's fans were more riled up for their date with the Sooners than they've been for any other game in a long time. Oklahoma beat the Bears, and lost by 14 to the Aggies and by nine to the Tigers. The empirical data supports the notion that Oklahoma plays poorly on the road, and the Cowboys fans have to make sure Boone Pickens Stadium is more like Faurot and Kyle Field than Floyd Casey Stadium. Paddle people, your time is now. That said, the team has to give them something to cheer about. Missouri returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown. Texas A&M shut Oklahoma out in the first half and ran the opening kick of the second half back for a touchdown. A snap over Jones' head into the end zone for a safety on the first play against Texas A&M helped, too. The Cowboys would get a big boost from a big play or two early in each half to inject some energy into the building.

3. Take advantage of the kicking game. Tress Way and Quinn Sharp are close to a push as punters, but Oklahoma State has a huge advantage in the field goal-kicking department. Oklahoma's Jimmy Stevens is 10-of-13 on the year, but the reason for his lack of attempts is a lack of confidence from coach Bob Stoops. The Sooners rarely attempt kicks longer than 45 yards. Oklahoma State's Dan Bailey is 22-of-26, but all four misses have come in his past three games after a perfect start. Stevens, meanwhile, made three kicks last week against Baylor, even though the longest was a 33-yarder. Bailey missed against Kansas from 46 and 50 yards, but he was 8-of-8 on kicks longer than 40 yards before last week's game. His other two misses came from 39 yards against Texas and 31 at the end of the first half against Baylor. The return of early season Dan Bailey would be a welcome sight for the Cowboys, and one that could decide the game.

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Oklahoma has reached the red zone four times tonight.

It has seven points to show for them.

Missouri has made three trips, totaling 13 points.

Missouri leads, 20-14, the same six-point deficit that's evident in the two teams' red zone trips.

The problems may have never been more frustrating than on the past two possessions for Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops. Kicker Jimmy Stevens yanked a 31-yard attempt badly from the right hash, missing wide left.

Missouri promptly drove down the field and kicker Grant Ressel made a 30-yard attempt in the rainy conditions that have taken over at Faurot Field tonight.

Field goals have been a constant problem for Oklahoma for the past two seasons, with a revolving door of Stevens, Patrick O'Hara and punter Tress Way, with Way focusing just on punting this season.

In big games, in which scoring is at a premium, it hurts the most. Oklahoma is experiencing that now, against a Missouri team whose kicker is now 38-of-40 for his career on field goals.

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said last week that placekicking was his No. 1 concern entering the season. Stoops was expected to announce his decision on Wednesday, but did so on his radio show Tuesday night, selecting former walk-on Patrick O'Hara as his starter.

“It’s (based) over the past couple of weeks,” Stoops said. “(O’Hara), in my eyes, overall has been more consistent. He needs to be given an opportunity to keep it and improve with it as opposed to some knee-jerk reaction and change it every kick.”

O'Hara, a sophomore, made 6 of 9 kicks last season and all 15 PATs. Stoops says he won't have a quick trigger, but last year's starter, Jimmy Stevens, who made the Lou Groza Award watch list this preseason, will be relegated to the bench. Stevens lost the job midseason last year to O'Hara.

Stevens hit 11 of 13 kicks last season and 27 of 29 PATs.

Oklahoma's kickers struggled from beyond 40 yards last season, making just 1 of 8 attempts. O'Hara was 1-of-2 with a long of 47 yards against Texas Tech. Punter Tress Way, who will focus on only punting this year, was forced into placekicking duty last year but made just 1-of-6, with his only make coming from 28 yards out against Nebraska.

2009 overall record: 8-5

2009 conference record: 5-3

Returning starters: Offense (9), Defense(4) P/K (2)

Top returners: QB Landry Jones, RB DeMarco Murray, LB Travis Lewis, S Quinton Carter, WR Ryan Broyles, DE Jeremy Beal, DE Frank Alexander

Key losses: DT Gerald McCoy, OL Trent Williams, QB Sam Bradford, RB Chris Brown, DE Auston English, OL Brian Simmons, OL Brody Eldridge


2009 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Chris Brown (774 yards)

Passing: Landry Jones* (3,198 yards)

Receiving: Ryan Broyles* (1,120 yards)

Tackles: Travis Lewis* (108)

Sacks: Jeremy Beal* (11)

Interceptions: Brian Jackson (4)

Three spring answers

1. O-line no longer offensive. Coach Bob Stoops tabbed his offensive and defensive lines as two of the most improved units on the team, a big difference from a year ago when Stoops called out his offensive linemen for not working hard enough. Part of the problem last season was injuries, and right guard Eric Mensik was lost for six weeks with an MCL injury, but even without their three best blockers from a season ago, the line is further ahead as a unit than they were last spring.

2. Young talent rising. Plenty of young players didn’t get on the field in 2009, for various reasons, whether it be injury, more experienced talent, or still being in high school. But linebackers Tom Wort and Ronnell Lewis, along with cornerback Demontre Hurst and receiver Kenny Stills could be big parts of Oklahoma’s 2010 team. Lewis will help replace one of the linebacker positions vacated by Ryan Reynolds and Keenan Clayon, but moved around in the spring. Wort is a likely starter as well after missing all of last season with a torn ACL. Hurst will help replace one of the corner positions vacated by Dominique Franks and Brian Jackson. And Stills could start for a receiving corps that struggled in 2009.

3. Lewis takes the reins. Oklahoma’s defense won’t be short on talent, headlined by defensive ends Jeremy Beal and Frank Alexander. But junior linebacker Travis Lewis, the team’s leading tackler as a sophomore, is ready to take over as the voice of the team, talking plenty of trash before the spring game and backing it up with his play, helping his team pitch a shutout. Gerald McCoy was the heart of the defense last season. This year, it’s Travis Lewis.

Three fall questions

1. Can the Sooners stay healthy? The theme for last season was injuries everywhere for the Sooners. Stoops says confidently he isn’t changing a thing, and it’s the right move. But it won’t stop fans—and maybe a couple of coaches—from cringing every time a player goes down awkwardly. Injuries turned the Sooners from a national title contender into an eight-win team a year ago, and another year of getting beat up could add to the frustration.

2. How much better will Landry Jones be? Jones played well when forced into action early by Sam Bradford’s injured shoulder. He played poorly in games against Texas and Nebraska, but finished the season with a career-high 418 yards and three touchdowns against Stanford. Jones is loaded with potential, and Stoops is optimistic at how Jones will look after a full spring and fall as starter.

3. Do the Sooners have a kicker? Jimmy Stevens lost his job to walk-on Patrick O’Hara late last season, but the two combined were just 1-of-8 from beyond 40 yards last season. A rainy spring game did little to settle the spring debate, and a couple misses on reasonable kicks by whoever wins the job in the fall could lead to another switch.

What happened:

• The senior-picked teams were supposed to be even, but the White team beat the Red team 23-0 in a game with real scoring.
• Landry Jones threw two touchdown passes on 17 of 34 passing for 211 yards for the White team.
• 16,481 fans showed up to a rainy, chilly Owen Field.

What we learned:

• First and foremost, Oklahoma may have found an answer to its problems at receiver. Granted, it thought the same thing last season with Adron Tennell, but the upside of early enrollee Kenny Stills has to be encouraging. Stills had impressed all spring and won spring game MVP honors after catching six passes for 84 yards and a touchdown. Ryan Broyles doesn't necessarily need help to produce, but Jones might. Stills should contribute early for the unit that struggled throughout last season. Dejuan Miller would be the likely No. 2 at the position, but he had an underwhelming day with just one catch for 38 yards.
• Kind of a bizarre display by senior linebacker Travis Lewis, who had some fun talking smack all week and backed it up during the game so he could talk some more afterward. Lewis even playfully picked up a penalty flag and tossed it at offensive lineman Cory Brandon. He had two sacks and correctly predicted a White team shutout, showing up to postgame interviews in all white, including a white hat and dark sunglasses. Lewis was just having fun because it's spring, but defensive coordinator Brent Venables says the flamboyance isn't permanent.
• Oklahoma fans wanted to see The Hammer, Ronnell Lewis, have a big day, but redshirt freshman linebacker Tom Wort stole the show with a sack and a Bosworthian red Mohawk. Ronnell Lewis did have a tackle for loss and forced a fumble.
• The weather didn't help, but Oklahoma is far from settled at kicker. Jimmy Stevens made three field goals inside 40 yards, but his 39-yarder clanged off the upright before making it through. Walk-on Patrick O'Hara is the likely starter after taking starting job from Stevens, a kicker who set the national record with 50 career field goals during his high school career. But O'Hara missed two 43-yarders. It's a good bet that whoever starts the season at kicker for the Sooners won't finish it.

They said it:

"I'm going to hold the mustard. Whoever wants mustard for their hot dog, I'm gonna have it."

-- Oklahoma linebacker Travis Lewis, on Monday night's post-spring meal. The winning team, Lewis' White squad, gets steak. The losers get hot dogs and baked beans.

The gang over at ESPN RISE came up with a unique project where they ranked the top recruits coming out of high school over the last decade.

The Big 12 was liberally represented on all three teams, including offensive and defensive squads. Former Oklahoma standout Adrian Peterson was picked as ESPN RISE's Player of the Decade.

Here's a look at Big 12 players who were selected for the first three teams. The team is dominated by selections from Texas and Oklahoma -- the two programs that have dominated the conference during the past decade.

FIRST TEAM

• RB Cedric Benson (2000) Lee (Midland, Texas)/Texas
• RB Adrian Peterson (2003) Palestine (Palestine, Texas)/Oklahoma
• K Jimmy Stevens (2006) Heritage Hall (Oklahoma City, Okla.)/Oklahoma
• QB/DB Vince Young (2001) Madison (Houston, Texas)/Texas
• DL Tommie Harris (2000) Ellison (Killeen, Texas)/Oklahoma
• DL Gerald McCoy (2005) Southeast (Oklahoma City, Okla.)/Oklahoma
• DL Ndamukong Suh (2004) Grant (Portland, Ore.)/Nebraska

SECOND TEAM

• OL Tray Allen (2006) South Grand Prairie (Grand Prairie, Texas)/Texas
• QB/RB Chase Daniel (2004) Southlake Carroll (Southlake, Texas)/Missouri
• QB/RB Garrett Gilbert (2008) Lake Travis (Austin, Texas)/Texas
• LB Sergio Kindle (2005) Woodrow Wilson (Dallas, Texas)/Texas
• DB Reggie Smith (2004) Santa Fe (Edmond, Okla.)/Oklahoma

THIRD TEAM

• TE Jermaine Gresham (2005) Ardmore (Ardmore, Okla.)/Oklahoma
• OL Baker Steinkuhler (2007) Southwest (Lincoln, Neb.)/Nebraska

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Lost in all of the handwringing about Oklahoma's injuries this season is another chink in the Sooners' armor that doomed them against Nebraska.

The kicking slump by Tress Way was huge in the Sooners' 10-3 loss. The Sooners spent most of the game in Nebraska territory, but could produce only a field goal in the lowest-scoring game in Bob Stoops' coaching tenure.

Way converted a 28-yarder. But he also missed from 46 yards and 42 yards and had a 45-yard attempt blocked by Ndamukong Suh.

Stoops made a kicking change from Jimmy Stevens to Way because of Way's better range. Stevens converted 11 straight kicks inside 40 yards earlier this season, but missed his only two past that distance. His longest kick this season has been 39 yards.

Those struggles made Stoops already set that he would have gone for two and the victory if the Sooners had scored a touchdown on their final possession.

"I had already talked to the coaches about it,” Stoops told reporters at his weekly news conference. "The way both of our defenses were playing, you would think that we would force a bunch of field goals. And at that point, probably justifiably, I didn’t feel great about getting into a field goal-kicking contest.”

Considering Oklahoma's offensive and kicking-game struggles, it was likely a wise decision.

But it never came to be as Nebraska's Matt O'Hanlon produced the last of his three interceptions to ice the Cornhuskers' victory.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

I know this makes me sound like a coaches, but I actually think that special teams really does account for a third of a team's success. And I think that solid play in all facets is especially critical in the Big 12 because of the small margin of error in most games.

Here's a look at how I rank the special teams in the conference, giving each team a master rating including all facets of the kicking game.

1. Texas: The best combination kicking game in the league with two-deep talent at both kicker and punter and Jordan Shipley to take care of the returns. The Longhorns always have fast, talented athletes covering kicks as well. And I'm curious to see if Justin Tucker really will be able to produce rugby-style punts with both feet.

2. Oklahoma State:The Cowboys have the best kickoff/punt returners in the conference in Dez Bryant and Perrish Cox. Special-teams coach Joe DeForest always does an outstanding job, although he’ll be in tough spot replacing Matt Fodge as his punter this season.

3. Nebraska: Alex Henery was the best kicker in the conference with a knack for making huge kicks. It's curious that Nebraska coaches would risk that success by having him double up as a punter this season. But he actually came to college as a walk-on punter. Niles Paul will get the start as both punt returner and kick returner. And Adi Kunalic led the nation in touchbacks as a kickoff specialist.

4. Kansas State:I’m basing this as much on past success as anything else -- Ron Prince’s team blocked four punts for touchdowns last season. Brandon Banks is a threat to break a big return on every play and he’ll be doubling as a kick and punt returner this season. Even with Bill Snyder taking over, I’m still thinking this will be a productive unit as they break in new kicker Josh Cherry and new punter Ryan Doerr.

5. Baylor: The Bears have the most consistent punter in the conference with Derek Epperson. Look for improvement from kicker Ben Parks. One key will be boosting punt returns with new returner Krys Buerck after ranking only 118th nationally as a team last season.

6. Iowa State: I think that Jack Trice Stadium might be the toughest facility in the conference because of its swirling winds. Paul Rhoads has some confidence with Grant Mahoney back at kicker and Mike Brandtner at punter. Leonard Johnson is one of the most effective kickoff returners in the conference. But the Cyclones need a boost on punt returns and in covering kicks.

7. Oklahoma: For a team with as many athletes as the Sooners, I was surprised with their difficulties in covering kicks last season. That’s the immediate concern for them. DeMarco Murray was a threat on every return, but I doubt he plays there much because of his recent injury problems. Dominique Franks, Ryan Broyles and Cameron Kenney are expected to contribute in the return game. And Kenney might even push Tress Way for punting duties. Coaches have also been impressed with the improved range of kicker Jimmy Stevens. We’ll see if that holds up when the season starts.

8. Texas Tech: The story about Matt “Lynwood” Williams was one of the best in college football last year as he emerged from an in-game kicking contest to win most of the kicking honors for the Red Raiders. Donnie Carona was a disappointment as a kicker, but may emerge as a punter along with Ryan Erxleben (yeah, he’s the son of former Texas punter Russell Erxleben) as the Red Raiders wait for Jonathan LaCour to come off a Big 12-mandated suspension. Edward Britton and Jamar Wall will be involved in returning kicks, along with many others.

9. Texas A&M: Here’s a stat that shows how far Texas A&M’s once vaunting kicking game has fallen in recent years. The Aggies haven’t converted a field goal of 50 yards or more since 2000. Randy Bullock is back as the kicker and freshman Ryan Epperson and Ken Wood are still battling for the punting job. Christine Michael inherits the kickoff return duties, but look for heralded junior-college cornerback Coryell Judie to be involved some way.

10. Missouri: No Jeremy Maclin and Jeff Wolfert means that the Tigers will rebuild one of their strongest units last season. Their net punting figures to improve after Jake Harry’s strong start. Grant Ressel won the kicking job in a tight battle, but might be pushed this season. Gary Pinkel is sorting through his options in the return game but won’t have anybody nearly as gifted as Maclin. And they need to do a better job covering kicks after allowing a kickoff return for a touchdown for the first time last season.

11. Kansas: The Jayhawks desperately need some improvement in this category. Jacob Branstetter converted 75 percent of his kicks, but his longest was only 34 yards. Punter Alonso Rojas’ net average was only 33.9 yards. And the Jayhawks ranked 118th nationally in kickoff returns as Marcus Herford accounted for most of the returns. They showed some strong improvement late in the season when Dezmon Briscoe took over.

12. Colorado: The Buffaloes had the worst field-goal percentage in the country as they converted only 29 percent last season. They also lose Josh Smith, who set a school record for total kick return yards. Coaches think that Andre Simmons will be able to help here, but I’ll take a wait-and-see attitude before I get too excited.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Here are a few stories from around the Big 12 this afternoon.

Enjoy them.

• The Oklahoman's Jenni Carlson has T. Boone Pickens' comments after his first inspection of the renovations at Oklahoma State that he contributed much of the funding for.
• Wide receiver Jordan Shipley tells the Austin American-Statesman's Kirk Bohls about his budding musical career and starting his sixth season in the Texas program.
• Nose tackle Colby Whitlock's interception return for a touchdown highlighted Texas Tech's Monday night scrimmage, the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal's Don Williams reports.
• Iowa State Board of Regents Chairman David Miles told the Des Moines Register's Tom Witkosky that his board's goal is to provide no taxpayer money to Iowa State's athletic department in the future. Iowa State is expected to draw about $3 million of its $43.3 million budget from this source this year.
• The St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Gerry Fraley writes that Missouri is intent on becoming more of a running team after producing the fewest average carries per game last season in at least 60 seasons.
• Tulsa World beat reporter Bill Haisten wonders if Oklahoma State will live up to all of its preseason hype.
• The Waco Tribune-Herald's John Werner profiles massive Baylor defensive tackle Phil Taylor, who is expected to provide a talent infusion for the weak middle of the Bears' defensive front.
• The Tulsa World's Guerin Emig discusses the noticeable change in Oklahoma kicker Jimmy Stevens' accuracy during training camp.
• Robert Cessna of the Bryan Eagle writes about the increased versatility in Texas A&M's line -- as typified by sophomore Danny Baker, who played all five line positions at Monday's two practices.
• Nebraska's wide receiver Niles Paul is excited about his new role as the Cornhuskers' primary punt returner, the Lincoln Journal Star's Brian Christopherson reports.
• The Kansas City Star's Blair Kerkhoff provides his positional rankings across the Big 12.
• Senior Kansas defensive end Maxwell Onyegbule and his number-crunching plans after football are profiled by the Lawrence Journal-World's Andrew Hartsock.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

NORMAN, Okla. -- Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops thinks that Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford has come back noticeably improved for his junior season.

Bradford broke Oklahoma single-season records with 50 touchdown passes and 4,720 passing yards last season, but he appears to have more confidence and a better deep arm after the first week of Oklahoma's practices.

	AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki
	Sam Bradford has added 10 pounds on his frame since last season.

"He's strong, he's quicker and the ball comes out that much faster," Stoops said. "With another year of experience out on the field, he'll think much quicker, too."

Bradford appears noticeably bigger after adding 10 pounds of muscle since the end of last year.

"Sam is getting better each and every day," senior wide receiver Adron Tennell said. "Throwing the ball, rolling out of the pocket, he's done it all. You can tell he's better than before."

Stoops said there's little separation between his backups who are playing behind Bradford at quarterback.

Redshirt freshman Landry Jones was presumed to have the edge, but redshirt freshman Ben Sherrard, junior John Nimmo and freshman Drew Allen all are in the mix for playing time.

"Those guys are still splitting their reps," Stoops said. "We keep snapping the ball and giving them experience. They are working well together and doing a nice job."

• Sophomore defensive back Jamell Fleming has been hobbled by a back injury and sophomore defensive back Desmond Jackson "has an issue with academic misconduct" that he's working through, Stoops said.
• Oklahoma's special teams have looked strong in recent practices. Kicker Jimmy Stevens showed improved range at Thursday's open practice with field goals of 50 and 53 yards.

Stevens' length is a big development for the Sooners. His longest kick last season was 42 yards and he shanked five extra points.

Stoops playfully chided about 300 fans who attended the Sooners' open workout Thursday night that they weren't cheering loud enough for Stevens' big kicks.

"They only cheer when there's an offensive play," Stoops said. "When the defense intercepts the ball they are quiet over there or when the kicker gets a nice 53-yard field goal."

• One of the early revelations of fall practice has been wide receiver/punter Cameron Kenney, a transfer from Garden City Community College.

Kenney has jumped into the mix at wide receiver and also is challenging for the punting position against Tress Way. It's a weird combination of a speedy wide receiver who also is a strong punter.

"He's pretty good," Stoops said. "He's shows a lot of signs (as a receiver), but he needs to be more consistent, but he's doing a lot of good things.

"He's punted well, too. It's very rare because you don't see a lot of wide receivers who can punt the ball 40 yards like he can."

Oklahoma receivers coach Jay Norvell said that Kenney reminds him of former Oklahoma wide receiver Juaquin Iglesias because of his combination of size and strength.

"It's because of his quickness, his way of getting in and out of plays and the fact he's very strong to the ball," Norvell said. "Cameron can also run well after the catch. He's a hard worker and the guys who work the hardest get better faster."

• Despite the loss of key playmakers like Iglesias, Manny Johnson and Quentin Chaney from last season, Norvell thinks his current group has the chance to be better than last year's productive group.

The emergence of Kenney, Tennell, Ryan Broyles, Jameel Owens, Brandon Caleb, Dejuan Miller and Mossis Madu has provided the Sooners with a deep cast of productive receivers.

"I think we're more athletic and explosive than we were last year," Norvell said. "Whether that will correlate into productiveness, I'm not sure. But we have athletes and in that respect we probably have more deep threats than we did last year."

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Both Colorado and Oklahoma were careful not to reveal too much in open practices Thursday.

The Buffaloes scored only one touchdown -- a 1-yard jaunt by tailback Demetrius Sumler -- in a 126-play scrimmage that accounted for 579 total yards.

Quarterback Cody Hawkins told the Boulder Daily Camera that the Buffaloes utilized only about 5 percent of their total playbook in the scrimmage.

"We didn't do anything we've been doing in practice," Hawkins said. "When I was looking at the ready list today, it was unbelievably vanilla."

Hawkins completed 21 of 29 passes for 184 yards and no interceptions in his battle with Tyler Hansen, who completed 10 of 15 passes for 137 yards.

Hawkins also was the leading rusher in the scrimmage with 58 yards coming on scrambles. Sumler accounted for a team-high 37 yards to pace the rushing backs. And tailback Darrell Scott led the receivers with six catches for 47 yards.

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops allowed the public to watch the first hour of the Sooners' work Thursday evening.

The Sooners' special teams showed flashes during the brief glimpse of their work. Sophomore kicker Jimmy Stevens producing field goals of 50 and 53 yards while the crowds were watching.

And redshirt freshman Tress Way appeared to outkick Cameron Kenney in the battle for the punting job, the Tulsa World reported. Kenney also started in the Sooners' three-wide receiver groupings in Thursday's practice.

Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford earned the biggest cheers of the workout from the 500 fans in attendance when he hooked up with Adron Tennell on a 40-yard pass over cornerback Brian Jackson.

With projected starting center Ben Habern still hobbling, sophomore Stephen Good worked with the Sooners' first unit that also included tackles Trent Williams and Cory Brandon and guards Brian Simmons and Jarvis Jones. Williams, the team's most experienced returnee at offensive line, also got a few snaps at center.

And on defense, middle linebacker Ryan Reynolds appears to be rounding into form after missing the second half of last season with a knee injury. Reynolds wore pads, but was replaced by Mike Balogun during the team parts of the drill.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

A couple of interesting tidbits came out of Oklahoma recently that had nothing to do with the megabuck new contracts awarded to Bob Stoops and his assistants.

The Sooners have set their special-teams depth charts heading into fall camp. Sophomore Jimmy Stevens will head into summer camp as the Sooners' No. 1 kicker and redshirt freshman Tress Way is the No. 1 punter.

The ranking of Stevens, who kicked for Oklahoma last season, isn't a surprise. But he could be pushed during training camp by walk-on Bryce Easley, who will arrive later in the summer. Way and junior college wide receiver Cameron Kenney also might get a look.

Stevens scored 118 points for the Sooners last season when he converted 94 of 99 extra points and eight of 12 field goals. But his kicking was inconsistent at times as he missed two kicks between the 30- and 39-yard line. His longest was a 42-yarder against Texas A&M.  

Way appears to be in the driver's seat to replace Mike Knall. Easley and Kenney could challenge him if Way struggles during camp.

Stoops also appears ready to give up the idea of DeMarco Murray as a kick returner. Murray suffered a hamstring injury while returning the opening kickoff of the Big 12 championship game and missed the BCS championship game because of the injury.

Instead, cornerback Dominique Franks and wide receiver Ryan Broyles are listed as the Sooners' projected kickoff and punt returners. Both are starters, but Stoops appears to be pushing them into the roles rather than Murray, who averaged 27.6 yards per kickoff return last season.

Broyles was the Sooners' major punt returner last season. He averaged 9.9 yards on 24 returns including a 68-yard return for a touchdown against Kansas State.

Carter Whitson is listed as the Sooners' holder and walk-ons James Winchester and Ben Hampton are listed as the top two deep-snappers.

Stoops also told the Oklahoman during a stop Thursday in Tulsa that most of the injured players who missed spring practice are healthy heading into fall practice.

Only defensive tackle DeMarcus Granger (back) is still recovering from surgery.

The other players -- linebackers Austin Box (knee, elbow) and Ryan Reynolds (knee), Murray (hamstring), tight end Brody Eldridge (ankle) and defensive end Auston English (ankle, knee) -- should be at full speed for the workouts.

"From what I understand from our medical people," Stoops told the Oklahoman, "they're all cleared and fully released to do everything that we're doing."

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Oklahoma capped its spring practice with a strong defensive effort in the Red-White game. The Sooners entered the spring with few questions from a squad that had notched three consecutive Big 12 titles and looks primed to again challenge for the national championship.

	AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki
	Bob Stoops' offensive line will have some new faces for the 2009 season.

But there were still a few issues for Bob Stoops heading into spring practice. Here are some of the things we've learned about his team as the Sooners conclude their work Tuesday afternoon.

• Sam Bradford looked in midseason form, capping his work by completing 11 of 13 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown in the spring game. His backups, redshirt freshman Landry Jones and early arriving freshman Drew Allen, weren't nearly as sharp as they completed only 9 of 26 passes in the spring game. If Stoops needed any more reason to feel relieved coming out of the spring, watching Bradford play should have given him some comfort.
• The four new members of the offensive line clearly are still a work in progress. But don't read too much into their struggles in the Red-White scrimmage after producing 27 yards on 52 rushing attempts. Many teams are going to have problems against Oklahoma's defense this season. And the Oklahoma offense was hamstrung playing without running backs DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown. Chalk up the line's struggling performance to a tough opposing defense, a limited seven-man rotation and substitute backs playing in the spring game. I would expect to see some substantial improvement by the time the regular season arrives in early September.
• Concern about the wide receiver group coming into the spring might have been overstated. Both Adron Tennell and Ryan Broyles looked strong as outside receivers and Mossis Madu had his moments as a slot receiver. And Jermaine Gresham, who barely played this spring, might be the nation's most explosive tight end.
• Nobody gets up for the Red-White game quite like cornerback Dominique Franks. Over the past two seasons, Franks has produced five interceptions and returned two of his picks for touchdowns in the games against his teammates. Now, if he could transfer that over to the regular season ...
• The Sooners still need some more production from their kicking game. Tress Way doubled as a kickoff specialist and a punter in the spring game and needs improvement in both categories. Jimmy Stevens didn't have to kick a field goal, which was a problem throughout last season. Both areas were handicaps in the Sooners' losses against Florida and Texas, and must improve for the Sooners during the upcoming season.
• The departure of heralded center prospect Jason Hannan might have been a concern for offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson. But Brian Lepak, a transfer from Colorado State, alleviated some of those worries with his strong play. Redshirt freshman Ben Habern is set as the starter, but the Sooners don't lose much when Lepak plays. He even started at left guard for the spring game.
• Any doubts about the future appear to be tempered after the strong play this spring of incoming freshmen Tom Wort, Ronnell Lewis and Jaydan Bird, who all made surprising progress considering their youth. The trio combined for nine tackles, two tackles for losses and a deflected pass. And that's only the beginning.
• The Sooners' biggest position of strength may be at defensive end, even with Auston English missing the spring because of an injury. The rest of the rotation -- Jeremy Beal, Frank Alexander and David King -- all had strong springs. Alexander capped strong work with three sacks in the spring game and Beal added two more in a stellar effort.
• With Austin Box and Ryan Reynolds missing the spring as they recovered from injuries, Mike Balogun built on his strong performance in the BCS title game with a strong performance by filling in for Keenan Clayton in the spring game.
• The biggest producer this spring in the secondary may have been sophomore Desmond Jackson, who alternated between cornerback and safety. Look for him to use this as a springboard for playing time in the fall.
• Walk-on safety Emmanuel Jones has been a revelation in the secondary. After spending most of his time working with the cornerbacks, coaches pressed him into duty at safety after Quinton Carter tweaked a hamstring while heading into the corridor on his way to the scrimmage. Jones made the most of his opportunity with a strong performance. Can anybody say Wally Pipp?