ESPN College Football

Coaches we love to hate week is rolling on at ESPN.com, and today, it's familiar territory for the Big 12.

Some coaches are hated because they simply win too much. For the Big 12, it seems like that's the only reason why any coaches earn the hatred from fans.

For the most part, the coaches in the Big 12 are a civil bunch, with hardly a heated rivalry between them that inspires hate from the fans.

Nobody catches more flack for winning than Bob Stoops and Mack Brown. That's what happens when you win and do it for a long, long time.

Stoops has been accused more than once of running up the score in some of those wins, and when you look back on the 2008 season, it's easy to see why some might feel that way. The Sooners memorably scored 60 points in five consecutive games leading up to the national title, and scored at least 52 points in four more games.

The "leaving starters in" debate is a timeless one, and I tend to fall on the side of, "If you don't like it, stop them." Others don't, and Stoops catches the flack for it.

Simply put, Big 12 teams love beating OU and Texas more than any other school, and those winning traditions are the biggest reason why.

Stoops and Brown also have to deal with the incessant chorus from fans who argue that coaching at Oklahoma and Texas is simple: You get the best players, and you get the best record, regardless of your coaching acumen.

That couldn't be further from the truth. Brown and Stoops both inherited losing teams, and turned them into perennial winners who do recruit well and sign the best players in the Big 12 every season. To think that happens automatically is silly. You need good coaches to make it happen, and Brown and Stoops have personified that, even if Brown hasn't won as big as some expect with the type of talent Texas reels in.

In this debate, though, I'd argue Stoops and Brown aren't alone. In recent seasons, they've been joined by none other than Art Briles at Baylor.

The former Texas high school coach is quick with one-liners that earn the media's favor, but he talks about doing big, big things at Baylor. Things like Big 12 titles and telling players they can win Heisman trophies.

To those on the outside, it sounds like crazy talk.

Then, he goes and inches closer to those goals. He achieved the second one last season, and does anyone want to rule out a Big 12 title for the Bears?

The same people who want to do that probably would have done the same for Oklahoma State. Mike Gundy equaled or surpassed his win total in every season at Oklahoma State.

Briles has done the exact same, even while losing Robert Griffin III in a four-win campaign in 2009.

He won seven games the following year, and did the unthinkable by winning 10 games in 2011. Losing RG3 is a big blow, but he's stocked his team with loads of offensive talent, and signed five-star talents like safety Ahmad Dixon and running back Lache Seastrunk.

It's a new day at Baylor, and thanks to Briles, the Bears will soon be playing in a new stadium, too. As much as the rest of the Big 12 wants to pretend BU will go back to the same ol' Baylor without RG3, Briles will soon prove that no such thing's going to happen in Waco.

A word of advice on how to view the trio? Don't hate. Appreciate.

Hey, you stay at the top long enough, people get tired of seeing you there.

Such is life as Mack Brown and Bob Stoops.

This year, we asked who got you fired up the most, and Brown and Stoops ran away with the poll.

Stoops hauled in 39 percent of the vote, while Brown checked in with 37 percent.

They couldn't be any more different in personality, but they have one big thing in common: They win. If a coach kept beating your team, you wouldn't like it much, either.

Stoops got the OSU faithful fired up last season when he needled them for recognizing a co-Big 12 South title in 2010. He's won the biggest of any coach in the Big 12, and until the past two seasons, Brown had won with the most consistency.

That streak of nine consecutive 10-win seasons came to a screeching halt with a 5-7 campaign in 2010, leading more than a few to question Brown's coaching prowess. Could he be as effective at another school? What if you plopped him right in the middle of Ames? Would you still be impressed?

And at Texas, which has all the resources -- both financial and recruiting -- anyone could ever want, shouldn't a coach win more than one national title in 14 seasons?

Maybe that's fair. Maybe it's not. Only eight coaches currently coaching college football even have one national title. Stoops and Brown are both in that group.

The duo has outlasted every other Big 12 coach. No one in the league has been at their current schools longer. (Yes, Bill Snyder's three-year sabbatical disqualifies him.)

Before last season, Snyder was the only coach to swipe a Big 12 title from Brown and Stoops since 2001.

Hate them if you must. Pardon them if they don't stop winning long enough to notice.

HornsNation has more coverage of the Texas Longhorns:

Sean Adams writes: Whether it's the 18 football players who graduated this spring or pushing players to finish degrees, Mack Brown and Texas are showing that academics are paramount.

Dalton Santos Q&A: The incoming linebacker wants to compete for a starting job at Texas and he isn't afraid to talk about it.

Thanks for all your mail this week. Here's where you can reach me if you've got more to say. On to your emails!

Justin in Austin, Texas, wrote: I'm sure I am not alone in disagreeing with your OOC Rankings by team (aside from OU, no team with an FCS opponent should be above those without one), but you are certainly right in the idea that this year's OOC schedule as a whole is pretty weak. With that said, what do you think the overall record will be for the Big 12? Care to take the time and break down what you think are the most likely losses?

David Ubben: Yeah, I see your point, but I don't think you can simply move a team below because it's playing an FCS team. You've got to take into account the top games on the schedule, too. The Big 12 went 33-5 in nonconference games last year, and very well could improve on that in 2012. Missouri and Texas A&M suffered two of those five losses last year, to Arizona State and Arkansas. To the second part of your question, here are the five games the league's most likely to lose in 2012:

• 1. Kansas at Northern Illinois: KU will still be finding its footing, and Northern Illinois' stabilized a solid program. On the road, too? KU needed some late-game heroics to win this one in 2011, but don't be surprised if the Jayhawks are an underdog.
• 2. Iowa State at Iowa: The Cyclones sprung a triple-overtime upset to give Paul Rhoads his first win over the Hawkeyes, but ISU hasn't won in Iowa City since 2002. At least ISU gets to keep the one-year redone version of the Cy-Hawk trophy either way.
• 3. Oklahoma State at Arizona: OSU will be finding itself on offense, too, and ask Missouri how early season trips out west go, even for good teams. Has Wes Lunt ever seen a 3-3-5? Better study up.
• 4. Miami at Kansas State: Miami is still growing under Al Golden, but the Hurricanes will be good enough to win this one. If they do, it'll be the first sign that the 2011 surprise was a whole lot of fool's gold.
• 5. TCU at SMU: SMU loses J.J. McDermott, who beat TCU in Fort Worth in overtime last year in a game SMU dominated. Ever heard of Garrett Gilbert? He might be the guy lining up across the Frogs this year.

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DoDoDo the Gundy in Tulsa wrote: I am the biggest Cowboy fan on your wonderful Blog, but I got into an OU argument with a guy at the bar last night. He said Mack Brown was a better coach than Bob Stoops because of recruiting. Again, don't know why I keep sticking up for OU, but you have to give credit where it is due. So, I told him he was crazy. What do you think David?

DU: Yeah, no question about it. Bob Stoops is unquestionably a better coach than Mack Brown. There's no question that Texas and Oklahoma have been the two best programs in the history of the Big 12, but Oklahoma's the school with seven Big 12 titles to Texas' two. Granted, Texas played for a national title in both of those seasons (2005, 2009), but Oklahoma's played for a national title four times since 2000.

Recruiting is also easier for Texas. That's not to say it's difficult for OU, but more kids from Texas grow up wanting to be Longhorns than Sooners. Such is life as the flagship of a state like Texas.

Brown's streak of 10-win seasons is remarkable, but you can't discount the program's recent fall, either. To me, there's no debate. Stoops tops Brown.

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Pablo in Lubbock, Texas, wrote: Still hating on TTU..... Thus you only post in big print negative stuff most of the time.Yet TTU had a major media day with 3 recruits. Stormy Butler and Darren Dotson scholarship guys along with believe it or not Tuby's son as a preferred walkon

DU: Yes, I'm positively brutal to the Red Raiders. Outside of links, you won't find much coverage of commitments on the Big 12 blog. There's simply too many to warrant a post for every one. If it's one of the nation's top recruits or an interesting situation, I'll post about it, but other than that, you won't see many commitments get a full post on the blog.

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Klocke in Athens, Ga., wrote: What is more likely? FSU/Clemson are actually considering joining the Big 12 OR that over the past two years, sports writers have become addicted to filling summer columns with realignment speculation? I don't even remember what you guys used to write about in the offseason before the past two summers, but now I read everyday. Well played, hype-machine.

DU: Ha, well, in our defense, Klocke, it's been a lot more than talk these past two years. The Big 12 lost two teams in 2010 and two more in 2011 before adding TCU and West Virginia. It'd be one thing if nothing ever happened, but these reports are a lot more than media rumormongering.

So, the chances of us filing summer columns without realignment speculation is pretty much nil. Florida State is still a possibility for the Big 12, though the two sides still have reportedly not discussed a partnership.

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Matt Rob in Pittsburgh wrote: David; Holy moly, I just read your post on Big 12 nonconference schedules. Quite a list of cupcakes and guaranteed wins.As a WVU fan, I thought this year's nonconf sched was weak (especially compared to last year's), but good gravy, it's like a murderer's row compared to most teams. Although, true be told, the conference schedule will be absolutely brutal, so maybe it is for the best.

DU: Yeah, it's a delicate balance. I think some schools definitely took a second look at how they scheduled once the Big 12 added a ninth conference game. There's no question that West Virginia is in that group. If the Big 12 had eight games or WVU is still in the Big East, the Mountaineers are probably still playing Florida State. They already went out and suited up against LSU last season. They're not shy.

With that ninth game, though, I think you're going to see more Big 12 teams back off scheduling tough games out of conference. That's especially true among teams who aren't exactly guaranteed a bowl game every year. For schools like Texas and Oklahoma and West Virginia, too, they need those strong out of conference games to state their case at the end of the season. But for others who won't be making cases for a BCS playoff? Where's the payoff?

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Holland Humphrey in Kansas City, Mo., wrote: Ubbs: Were you really born in 1957? In your blog about FSU (and if they match-up in the big 12) you say FSU last played TCU in 1965 and you were 8 years old. Surely you are joking because you look about 30 to me.

DU: Oh, readers. The number of emails I got with a similar sentiment made me very sad. I hoped we'd understood each other's senses of humor better by now.

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Carson in Fort Worth, Texas, wrote: Hey David, TCU fan here. I've been reading about how you think the players in the DFW metroplex could put TCU on par with some of the league powers, and I've got to agree with all that you have said. My question is, how long do you think it takes TCU to start pulling in the majority of top talent from DFW, and how long will it be before the Frogs win their first conference championship in the Big 12?

DU: Glad you feel that way, Carson. I also feel like you feel a certain fondness for purple, as well. It all comes down to if TCU can win consistently in the Big 12. Not necessarily win big, but win like Oklahoma State did before last year. Nine wins or so consistently. That's going to offer some feeling to recruits that they can be the guys who put TCU over the top. I'd expect the Frogs to win a Big 12 title within the next five years.

HornsNation has more coverage of the Texas Longhorns:

HornsNation roundtable : The HornsNation staff takes turns sitting in Mack Brown's throne to make their call about the Longhorns' quarterback decision.

Issues facing Texas : Sean Adams looks at the issues facing Texas and how depth at defensive end is a key factor facing the Longhorns in 2012.

Cayleb Jones Q&A: The incoming freshman wide receiver went to high school 10 minutes from the Texas campus but he's still viewing his transition as a very big move.

HornsNation has more coverage of the Texas Longhorns:

Carter Strickland writes : Usually by this time of year, Texas has a full deck of elite recruits. By changing gears and taking their time, the Longhorns are finding better fits.

Kendall Sanders Q&A: The 2012 signee starred as a DB in high school but is ready to make the transition to WR with the Horns.

Paul Boyette Q&A: The incoming freshman talks about being overlooked in the class and becoming the next great Texas DT.

Sean Adams writes : Mack Brown has looked at how he has handled his Texas quarterbacks. He's changing philosophies so that the Longhorns don't always have to rely on the quarterback.

Earlier this week, the Sporting News ranked the Big 12 coaches from top to bottom, but later on, it released its rankings of the nation's coaches from top to bottom.

How'd the Big 12 stack up?

Better than the rest of the competition.

Alabama's Nick Saban topped the list -- argue with that at your own risk and UMass' Charley Molnar brought up the bottom.

Where do the Big 12 boys rank?

• No. 5: Bob Stoops, Oklahoma
• No. 7: Gary Patterson, TCU
• No. 10: Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State
• No. 11: Bill Snyder, Kansas State
• No. 16: Mack Brown, Texas
• No. 40: Charlie Weis, Kansas
• No. 41: Art Briles, Baylor
• No. 44: Dana Holgorsen, West Virginia
• No. 48: Paul Rhoads, Iowa State
• No. 50: Tommy Tuberville, Texas Tech

That's everybody well above the top half of the line.

From the Sporting News:

• The Big 12 coaches have by far the best average ranking: 27.2, which crushes the second-best SEC’s average ranking of 43.3. Next in line: the Pac-12 (43.8), ACC (45.6) and Big Ten (46.8).
• In our top 25 are five coaches apiece from the SEC and Big 12, four apiece from the Big Ten and Pac-12, and two apiece from the ACC and Mountain West.

What do you think?

For me, Stoops is where he needs to be. I might bump Patterson down a few spots, and Snyder up a few, just outside the top five. If someone can explain to me exactly how Weis should be above Briles, I'm all ears.

Briles has built a legitimate program in a place where it looked impossible. Weis' history as a head coach is taking a place where it should be impossible to lose, and eventually declining it until he was fired. Briles should be near the top 25.

I'd definitely move Paul Rhoads up about 10 spots, too. You could probably move Mack Brown down a couple spots, based on the hiccup in Texas' run lately. It's still to early to get a great feel for where Holgorsen should be.

What would you change?

I haven't been judged by this many people since I forgot my canvas bags at Whole Foods.

• Mike Gundy doesn't sound like he'll make an exception to his program's rule and allow true freshman quarterback Wes Lunt to speak with the media.
• Texas coach Mack Brown says he took his players' recent arrests seriously, and took "very stiff action," reports Cedric Golden of the Austin American-Statesman.
• Florida State and the Big 12 have not discussed the Seminoles' possible future membership, reports Chuck Carlton of the Dallas Morning News. Florida State, meanwhile, says it's "committed to the ACC."
• A stipend from the NCAA could have prevented this week's player arrests at West Virginia, writes Bob Hertzel of the Times West Virginian.
• Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville says he's hopeful Eric Stephens will be running full speed by June, and gives an update on discipline for TE Jace Amaro and RB Kenny Williams.
• Louisville seems like it wants out of the Big East. Is there room in the Big 12?
• Kansas coach Charlie Weis opened up about his player dismissals at a recent stop in Salina, Kansas.
• Will Baylor replace Texas A&M as the biggest thorn in Texas' side?
• K-State fans: Your opening-week opponent kicked its starting QB off the team.
• Could a Big 12 coach take the job at Arkansas? Stewart Mandel of SI.com addresses the possibility.
• Kansas fan in Missouri? You could soon get a Jayhawk on your license plate.

Sent from one of my four iPads? This guy sounds amazing.

• How do the Big 12 coaches rank by age? You might be surprised, writes Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman.
• According to tax documents, TCU coach Gary Patterson will enter the Big 12 making more than every coach but Mack Brown, Bob Stoops and Mike Gundy, reports Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
• A Texas receiver and a TCU offensive lineman make CBS Sports' Bruce Feldman's annual "Freaks" list.
• One awful fall made Darrin Moore's 2011 season take a turn for the worse. Don Williams of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal tracks the Texas Tech receiver's road back.
• Looking around the Big 12, West Virginia will enter in better condition than most programs, writes Mike Casazza of the Charleston Daily Mail.
• Heisman winner RG3 has decided to try and copyright "RG3," "RGIII" and the catchphrase from his Heisman speech, "Unbelievably Believable." He's also made his own company, Thr3escompany, LLC.
• Matt Tait of the Lawrence Journal-World breaks down the wholesale changes on KU's roster this offseason.
• West Virginia is officially looking into how to monetize its Tier 3 media rights, which the Big 12 allows.
• Oklahoma's welcoming a transfer from Fresno State.
• Will West Virginia AD Oliver Luck leave for Stanford? He's not officially saying no, writes Mitch Vingle of the Charleston Gazette.
• Kansas legislature is honoring K-State coach Bill Snyder today.
• Texas A&M AD Bill Byrne and president R. Bowen Loftin disagree on Byrne's role in A&M's decision to move from the Big 12 to the SEC.
• A panel at Athlon discusses the big question at Oklahoma State: Is a Big 12 title possible with a true freshman quarterback?
• Paul Myerberg of PreSnap Read explains how you should judge Year 1 of the Weis Era at Kansas.
• One of the nation's top receivers is likely to receive an offer from Texas this weekend.

Sean Adams from HornsNation takes a look at the state of the Texas Football program. In this video, Sean looks at what it takes to develop a successful line of succession at the quarterback position.

AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas needed a wide receiver.

A threat for the quarterback. A toy for the offensive coordinator. A nightmare for the defense. Another No. 4.

Then it happened. That player was signed. And the hyperbole that had started with his commitment hit a crescendo with Mack Brown’s comments.

“He looks like some of the No. 4s [on film] that we have had around here,” the coach said. “He is tall, can run, and can make a difference for you.”

Now, he is gone.

Darius White transferred. He is one of 17 Texas players who have either elected to transfer or left the program for various reasons in the last 11 months. Texas signed 28 players in February. So the Longhorns are still plus 11 on the ledger.

Still, at first glance, the attrition rate for Texas has been alarming. Eighteen members of the 2009 and 2010 classes were gone before their eligibility expired. But a look back, and more importantly, a look ahead provides clear evidence that the panic button need not be pressed and the outrage should be stifled.

Quite simply the majority of the 17 players who have left in the past 11 months were not as good as the 22 players Texas signed in February of 2011.

Jaxon Shipley was a better wide receiver than White or Chris Jones. David Ash was a better quarterback than Garrett Gilbert. M.J. McFarland was a better tight end than Darius Terrell. And on it went.

Of the 17, only two, Calvin Howell, who was forced to leave Texas after an arrest for possession of a controlled substance, and Nolan Brewster, who had to quit for medical reasons, might have contributed in 2012.

What this spate of transfers does indicate is that Texas got lazy in its recruiting evaluations prior to the new assistants arriving in early 2011. Brown knows that. And he has at least talked about changing his ways.

“Everybody has a good recruiting class. It never changes,” he said. “The truth is, what will it look like in four years? What will it look like in five years? If you go back and study, that's our job. That's the young man's job. This is a starting point. This isn't the finishing.

“We need to make sure that we do a great job of bringing these guys along, making them productive players and hoping that their experience is good at The University of Texas and that they can win a lot of football games.”

The other clear signals sent by the transfers are that Texas now has a young core of players that it believes in and those players are buying into the system. The older players, those from the ‘09-‘10 classes, look around and realize their chances of playing are slim.

Ultimately, players want to play. And if they can’t play at Texas there are still places where they can play.

Adding to the pressures of the youth movement is the new zero tolerance attitude of the coaching staff. Because there are now younger players in the program who produce, the coaching staff is not so hesitant to hold everyone accountable to a higher standard.

The staff can push harder and if an older player who is used to coasting wants to leave, so be it, it will not adversely affect the product on the field. Essentially, the staff is telling the players they now have to prove their worth each and every day. In the past there was an attitude that if a player had received a scholarship, he was worthy enough to be a part of the team. Judging from the numbers, that attitude was pervasive.

Now what is sweeping through Texas is change. That means changing faces, attitudes and, above all, the expectations of those new players who are signed to scholarships for the express purpose of making those changes.

Thanks for all the questions in today's chat. It was one of the most fun in awhile. Here's the full transcript.

Got more to say? Reach me here.

Time for some highlights from today's chat.

Nick (Ames): Heard anything on the QB situation here? Steele Jantz looked real good in the spring game but Barnett lead the Cyclones down the stretch last year. High expectations here for this season!

David Ubben: Yeah, I still think Barnett is the guy for ISU. The difference is negligible, but the Cyclones need to keep building for the future. The 2012 team won't be all that different either way, but if you play Barnett, the 2013 team gets a whole lot better, without a doubt. That has to be taken into consideration. My expectations aren't too high, but ISU's going to be a good team. That said, it seems to me like the Big 12's depth is going to make it really difficult for the Cyclones to crack a bowl game.

Justin (Stillwater, OK): 41 wins in 4 years for an OSU program that has never experienced that much success. Give us your 3 keys to sustain that success over the next several years. Record wise, what would you consider to be a successful season next year for the Cowboys?

David Ubben: 1) Above all, make sure you have a QB and at least one more (preferably two) preparing to take over. 2) Keep instilling the idea that OSU can't do this without developing players and working. They're never going to bring in top 10 recruiting classes annually. 3) Give Mike Gundy everything he wants. As for this year, success would be probably nine wins.

W (Anaheim): D - What are the odds K-State repeats as the State of Texas football champs?

David Ubben: Not great. But here's hoping the Cats make "Back to Back Texas State Champs" shirts if they repeat.

David (Somewhere in Sooner Nation): I know it's highly unlikely, but let's say that OU runs the table in the Big 12, USC runs the table in the Pac 12, someone runs the table in the Big 10, and ditto on the SEC. Other than being a perfect argument for a 4 team playoff, who gets left out?

David Ubben: Ouch, that's tough. USC and the SEC team would probably play, for the simple reason that they started higher in the polls. It would depend on what each team's strength of schedule shook out to, but if it was close, the preseason polls would hold. Sad, but true.

Miles (Austin, TX): Do you think Texas can win the Big 12 with its new offensive identity? How about the SEC as it is more in the power run style that the horns are running now?

David Ubben: Yes. Its defense is going to be absolutely nasty. If they run it as well as they think they'll be able to by next year or so, Texas should be very, very scary.

Jason (Tyler): Are Coach Brown and Coach Stoops still by far the top 2 coaches in the Big 12 or are Coach Gundy and Coach Snyder catching up?

David Ubben: You could easily make the case Snyder is better than all of them. Gundy is knocking on the door of the nation's elite for sure. Big 12 lost a really good one in Pinkel, too. He was just behind Gundy in my book.

State43 (Iowa State): Have you been to a Big 12 game at your Father's Alma Mater yet in your capacity as Big12 Blogger? We would love to have you and will treat you like family.

David Ubben: Ha, I haven't as Big 12 blogger, but I've been to games there twice. Would have loved to have seen the field stormings last year vs. Iowa and Oklahoma State. Keep winning, Clones. I'll be there soon.

Curtis (Dallas): Percentage that everything can fall right and Texas can will the Big 12 this year? Percentage for 2013?

David Ubben: Eight percent. 37 percent.

Coty (WV): Best Football/Basketball school in Big12?

David Ubben: I mean, there's no question it has to be Baylor in 2011-12, right? It's not really even close.

Tony (Richmond, CA): Geno Smith is receiving most of the preseason love for 1st team All Big XII. Do you think the offseason work Landry Jones has put in with George Whitfield is enough to tighten up his footwork, leading him to a monster senior year, and first team honors?

David Ubben: That race will be really, really interesting. I'll have to do a lot of thinking on my ballot. I probably lean Geno for now, but man, I could see that vote getting split and them sharing first-team honors.

John (Tulsa, OK): Ubbernator. Does Lunt win the starting job in Stillwater? He seems to have the most long-term upside.

David Ubben: I don't know what to think anymore. I've talked myself into all three guys. For now, I'm sticking with my pick of Walsh.

Next Monday, start the countdown.

Big 12 commissioner Chuck Neinas will have two months left as the boss of a league that's seen plenty of tumultuous times over the past two years.

"We were kind of saved by the bell by Chuck Neinas. He kept it going in terms of getting us on the right track and getting everybody involved, all the teams in the conference," Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville said during the Big 12 coaches teleconference this week. "We had lost two teams each of the last two years, which has been devastating to this league, but with Chuck’s leadership, it’s come on pretty good."

TCU and West Virginia replaced Texas A&M and Missouri to bring the Big 12 back to 10 members, but now it's Neinas who must be replaced.

He agreed to stay on in an interim role through June 30, but his replacement could be named before then. What do the league's coaches want to see?

"The answer is very obvious. You’d like to have a good person. You’d like to have a very honest, forthright person, with a balance in how he operates the conference itself, with the idea that everybody is treated equally and what he would do would be in the very, very best interest of the 10-12 teams that would make up the conference itself," Kansas State coach Bill Snyder said. "Somebody that’s highly respected across the country and well-known across the country as well, has a reputation that would be very, very prominent as it relates to conference commissioners across the country."

For Tuberville, the new guy needs experience.

"Hopefully we get a strong-personality guy that can work with everybody, put their touch on it, somebody with experience, somebody that has maybe been a commissioner or a deputy commissioner for one of the other leagues," Tuberville said. "I think experience is going to be key for us, somebody that’s been there, done that, seen all the problems. It’s no different than coaching a football team in that experience usually pays off for you."

He added: "We’ve obviously had some setbacks the past few years, if we can get somebody who understands our league, maybe somebody from another conference looking from the outside in, understanding what’s going on and bringing their philosophy in would really help us."

For Texas coach Mack Brown, it's simple: He wants someone who can maintain stability, and unity is the first way to help establish it.

"We’ve been through so much turmoil over the past two years in the Big 12. I think what I would like to see is stability. I’d like to see someone come with confidence and new ideas and making sure that it sounds like our league is really stable at 10. I know some are looking at the possibility of 12," he said. "I’d like to see somebody who can really lead the group and get everybody on the same page, because it’s a wonderful conference. I love the additions that we’ve made, and I think it can be again, one of the top conferences in the country because the teams are all winning. But you gotta have a boss."