ESPN College Football

2009 overall record: 10-4

2009 conference record: 6-2

Returning starters: Offense (8), Defense (8) P/K (2)

Top returners: RB Roy Helu Jr., DT Jared Crick, CB Prince Amukamara, QB Zac Lee, RB Rex Burkhead, WR Niles Paul, OL Keith Williams, P/K Alex Henery

Key losses: DT Ndamukong Suh, S Larry Asante, LB Phillip Dillard, S Matt O’Hanlon, DE Barry Turner, C Jacob Hickman

2009 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Roy Helu Jr.* (1,147 yards)

Passing: Zac Lee* (2,143 yards)

Receiving: Niles Paul* (796 yards)

Tackles: Ndamukong Suh (85)

Sacks: Ndamukong Suh (12)

Interceptions: Matt O’Hanlon (6)

Three spring answers

1. Defensive identity. The word “Peso” took on a whole new meaning in Nebraska this spring. Though not as revolutionary as some figured it to be, the five defensive back set helped the Huskers finish strong in 2009 and inspired the Mexican currency-inspired moniker in spring 2010. The lynchpin of the Peso is defensive back Eric Hagg, who plays the safety/linebacker hybrid position.

2. Taylor Martinez emerges. Tales of his speed leaked out during spring practices, and Martinez put on a show in the spring game, running for 60 yards and throwing for 79. The redshirt freshman injected himself into the quarterback race this spring, further muddying a logjam at the top for the Huskers.

3. Second target found. Mike McNeill moved from tight end to receiver this spring, but will still play some tight end in a hybrid role, and Nebraska needed to find a second option opposite Niles Paul. Brandon Kinnie looks like the answer. He’s been competitive with Paul in the spring and caught a 36-yard score in which the 230-pounder dragged the pile 10 yards into the end zone. Will Henry caught a 72-yard score in the game, and should be a factor in the passing game as well.

Three fall questions

1. Who’s the QB? Last year’s starter, Zac Lee, sat out the spring after undergoing offseason surgery on his throwing arm. Sophomore Cody Green played in spots last season, and had a good spring. But Martinez has some fan support after his spring and will likely play at least some role in the offense. Nebraska needs its quarterback play to improve if it wants to make the jump to national title contender this year, but who gets the task hasn’t been determined.

2. Is the defense going to sustain? The Pelini brothers aren’t fretting about their defense, despite losing five members of the Blackshirts to the NFL, saying the defense will be “five times better” than it was last season. An improvement is a possibility in the fall, but the defense allowed a nation-best 10.4 points a game in 2009, a tough number to duplicate for a second season without players like Ndamukong Suh, Larry Asante and Phillip Dillard.

3. Burkhead vs. Helu. Rex Burkhead returned from a stress fracture in his foot and received more carries than Roy Helu Jr., who finished the season with 1,147 yards. Burkhead, a former high school quarterback, allows Nebraska’s Wildcat formation to be more versatile, and is shiftier than Helu, but Helu is more experienced, and runs with a slashing style. They’ll enter the fall likely receiving near equal carries, but that balance could shift as the season progresses.

Here, we'll take a look at a couple of key players going, staying and coming for each team in the Big 12.

Going:

Ndamukong Suh, DT

What's left to say about the House of Spears? Heisman finalist. No. 2 pick in the NFL draft. Future NFL star?

Suh dominated the college game last year and received plenty of accolades for it. The AP named him its player of the year. He took home the Bednarik, Lombardi, Outland and Nagurski awards. He was also the conference's defensive player of the year. Baker Steinkuhler will step in and help replace Suh, but his $2.6 million donation to the athletic department and university assures he won't be forgotten in Husker lore.

Larry Asante, S

Asante joined Matt O'Hanlon as the back line of the Blackshirts and helped the unit become the nation's best in 2009. Asante was drafted in the fifth round of last weekend's draft, one of three Nebraska defenders to be drafted. Suh and linebacker Phillip Dillard, who probably belongs on this list, too, will be playing in the NFL next season. The conference's coaches voted Asante to the All-Big 12 first team after Asante added 79 tackles in 2009, bringing his career total to 224. Asante picked off two passes as a senior, returning one for a touchdown against Louisiana-Lafayette.

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Staying:

Jared Crick, DT

Critics say Crick -- and his numbers -- benefited from playing alongside Suh. It certainly helped, but Crick wasn't gifted any of his 9.5 sacks in 2009. His highlight came in a win over Baylor, when he notched five sacks against the Bears. He enters 2010 as a possible preseason All-American and a big reason coach Bo Pelini is confident in his defense despite losing five starters from last year's unit.

Prince Amukamara, CB

Amukamara is one reason Pelini isn't scared of trusting in his new starters. A first-year starter in 2009, Amukamara emerged as one of the conference's best corners, intercepting five passes and breaking up 11 passes. He also added a pair of sacks, and has caught the eye of NFL scouts, who will be watching much closely as Amukamara joins Crick as two key pieces to a Nebraska defense hoping to validate high expectations in 2010.

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Coming:

Andrew Rodriguez, OL

Rodriguez, Nebraska's only ESPNU 150 recruit in 2010, comes to Lincoln as the No. 7 offensive guard in his class. Hardly lacking in size (6-foot-6, 298 pounds), the homegrown Nebraska product was the state's top prospect.

Corey Cooper, S

Don't look for Cooper on the field this season, but the 6-foot-1, 193-pound safety provides textbook size and 4.5 speed. He'll have a chance to learn from a group of safeties competing in front of him, and could blossom into another great Nebraska defender. A Proviso, Ill., native, Cooper also returned kicks in high school, but was ranked the No. 20 safety in the country.

More Revolving Door:

• Baylor
• Colorado
• Iowa State
• Kansas
• Kansas State
• Missouri
  

The Big 12 had 30 players drafted over the weekend, fifth most among the major six conferences.


Here's a look at who went where when:

First round (9):

1. Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma (St. Louis)

2. Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska (Detroit)

3. Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma (Tampa Bay)

4. Trent Williams, OL, Oklahoma (Washington)

6. Russell Okung, OL, Oklahoma State (Seattle)

14. Earl Thomas, DB, Texas (Seattle)

19. Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri (Atlanta)

21. Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma (Cincinnati)

24. Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State (Dallas)

Second round (2):

43. Sergio Kindle, DE, Texas (Baltimore)

44. Lamarr Houston, DT, Texas (Oakland)

Third round (3):

80. J.D. Walton, C, Baylor (Denver)

84. Jordan Shipley, WR, Texas (Cincinnati)

85. Colt McCoy, QB, Texas (Cleveland)

Fourth round (4):

110. Darrell Stuckey, FS, Kansas (San Diego)

115. Phillip Dillard, LB, Nebraska (New York Giants)

121. Keenan Clayton, LB, Oklahoma (Philadelphia)

131. Roddrick Muckelroy, LB, Texas (Cincinnati)

Fifth round (6):

135. Dominique Franks, CB, Oklahoma (Atlanta)

137. Perrish Cox, CB, Oklahoma State (Denver)

141. Joshua Moore, DB, Kansas State (Chicago)

160. Larry Asante, SS, Nebraska (Cleveland)

162. Brody Eldridge, TE, Oklahoma (Indianapolis)

165. Kerry Meier, WR, Kansas (Atlanta)

Sixth round (4):

191. Dezmon Briscoe, WR, Kansas (Cincinnati)

196. Jamar Wall, CB, Texas Tech (Dallas)

198. David Gettis, WR, Baylor (Carolina)

202. Jordan Pugh, DB, Texas A&M (Carolina)

Seventh round (2):

228. Reggie Stephens, OL, Iowa State (Cincinnati)

250. Zac Robinson, QB, Oklahoma State (New England)

When you arrange those by team, Oklahoma comes out on top, with seven selections.

1. Oklahoma (7)

2. Texas (6)

3. Oklahoma State (4)

T-4. Nebraska (3)

T-4. Kansas (3)

6. Baylor (2)

T-7. Iowa State (1)

T-7. Kansas State (1)

T-7. Missouri (1)

T-7. Texas Tech (1)

T-7. Texas A&M (1)

12. Colorado (0)

Brandon in Austin, Texas asks: If you were a Big 12 Head Coach and you were able to pick any quarterback out of the Big 12 who would you take and why?

David Ubben: If we’re talking about from now on, I’ll take Garrett Gilbert. He might not be in the conference’s top three quarterbacks right now, but he will be very soon, and he might already be in the top five. Obviously, with his pedigree, his upside is enormous.

If we’re talking about just this season, I’d probably go with Jerrod Johnson, but Blaine Gabbert and Robert Griffin are right there, too. Gabbert’s a little more accurate than Johnson, and Griffin is definitely a better runner, but Johnson is a nice balance of both. He’s got a solid deep ball, and with his size, he’s not going to get knocked around much.

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Scott Anderson in Manhattan, Kansas asks: David, i was wondering what your thoughts were about the chances that Daniel Thomas could potentially be thrown into the Heisman contention talk.

David Ubben: Interesting question, Scott. I don’t think so, but here’s how he might do it:

He has to have a big start. Go for over 100 yards and beat UCLA, and then maybe hit 200 against Missouri State and UCF. Break 100 and beat Iowa State in the middle of that stretch. If he can have a big number in the bank and be in the top five nationally when Nebraska comes to town, he’ll get a lot of attention as being the reason for the Huskers’ first big test. For him, that means name recognition, something he doesn’t have very much of on the national stage. Part of that is because he’s a juco transfer, which also works against him in the Heisman discussion. Outside of O.J. Simpson, I can’t think of another juco transfer to win the Heisman.

That means his numbers are going to have to be literally outstanding, probably 1,700 or above, and he’ll have to at least be in the top three nationally in rushing, preferably leading. That’s going to take going over 100 yards the majority of his games, and not getting held to under 50 or so in games against Texas and Nebraska. When he can, he’ll have to go off for 175-200+. If that sounds like a tall order, it’s because it is.

For him, the most important stat is wins. Knocking off one of those teams would certainly help his case. K-State has to be good and he has to be best. If the Wildcats aren’t at least in the North conversation in the final few weeks of the season, he has no shot.

Now, if the Heisman was given to the Big 12’s best running back, he’d be my frontrunner.

EDIT: Nebraska's Mike Rozier played a season at Coffeyville (Kan.) Junior College, but had played two full seasons of Division I before winning the Heisman as a senior.

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Chris Jackson in houston, texas asks: Is it fair to say the Longhorns remind me off the group from 2008, except maybe this time they don't win 10 games this season?

David Ubben: Chris, your question caught my eye because Mack Brown told me exactly that. Here’s what he said when I spoke with him in Austin:

“This team will be very similar to the ’08 team in that the expectations will be lower. A lot of question marks, a lot of young guys that have to come through. In ’08 they did, so we’ll just have to see how these guys respond.”

That’s really all it boils down to. Texas has a lot of guys with that lovely spring buzzword, “potential.” None of them have delivered on it just yet -- if only because they can’t until the season begins.

If they do, a BCS bowl is easily within reach for the Longhorns. If they don’t, so is third place in the South, behind the Sooners and Aggies.

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Pete in Omaha asks: Whose got the best running back duo in the Big XII in 2010

David Ubben: I know who you want me to say, but it’s not the Huskers, Pete. If you want to see the Big 12’s best running back duo, take a trip down to College Station. The Aggies were the only team to have two backs among the top 10 rushers in the conference, and they bring them both back. Rex Burkhead and Roy Helu Jr. are in the discussion at No. 2, but No. 1 is locked up by Texas A&M.

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Zeke in Lawrence, KS says: Is anyone else noticing the potential at QB this league has again? Jerrod Johnson can be nasty good, Landry Jones did great in my opinion considering the stuff he went through, Blaine Gabbert was pretty darn good before he tweaked his ankle I thought. Garret Gilbert showed some real promise in the 2nd half of the NC game. Looks like to me our conference will be loaded at QB again.

David Ubben: It should be another great year at quarterback, but it’s a little jarring when you look at where all those quarterbacks are coming from. Five of the six schools in the South have one guy who should be a solid starter for their team, and Texas Tech is deciding between two experienced seniors. Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden is somewhat of a question mark with his limited experience, but he’ll be the almost-unquestioned starter entering the season.

Now, look up North. It’s Blaine Gabbert… and some guys. Austen Arnaud is likely a lock at starter for the Cyclones, but he was wildly inconsistent last year, and is more effective as a runner than a passer.

The other four teams have huge question marks at quarterback. Nebraska’s deciding between two guys with experience and a dark horse in Taylor Martinez. Kansas State has a three-way battle led by Collin Klein and Carson Coffman. Kansas is deciding between about three guys, none with extended experience, with three more trying to find their way into the discussion. And Colorado’s Cody Hawkins, far from a fan favorite, is working to get back the job he lost last year, with presumptive starter Tyler Hansen finishing the spring atop the depth chart.

The North is superior when it comes to running backs, but the Big 12 won’t be a quarterbacks’ league as much as just the Big 12 South.

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Benjamin in St. Louis asks: I keep hearing people talk about how Nebraska is a possible national title contender now, or could take the Big 12 title this next year. I don't get it. They lost a freakishly good player this year, a player that doesn't come around very often. Without Suh injuring Gabbert in the Mizzou game, the Tigers would have beaten Nebraska. Now Gabbert, from what I have read, is blowing his 2009 performance out so far in spring practices. My question is WHY is Nebraska getting all these shoe ins from people and not Mizzou?

David Ubben: Nebraska is hardly a shoe-in, but if I had to put a percentage on it, I’d give the Huskers about a 55 percent chance of winning the North, and Missouri 30. If Nebraska had to play at Missouri again, I might put it a little closer to 40/40. Nebraska’s big fourth quarter last year makes it easy to forget, but they were losing 12-0 in the fourth before ripping off 27 points.

They did lose Ndamukong Suh, and the Husker defense has to replace a pair of safeties and Phillip Dillard, too. Bo Pelini has talked up the Huskers’ defense once again, and while I have my doubts that it will be better, it should be, at the very least, close to what it was a year ago. I’d be surprised if they weren’t hovering around the top 15 in the major defensive categories.

As for the offense, it showed signs of life late in the year, and there’s almost no way it could be worse than it was in the middle of last season. Two good running backs and a quarterback (whoever it is) with more experience under its belt should assure that.

Missouri’s 18 returning starters should have a great shot to get back to the title game, but even going 6-2 might not win the North this season, especially if they lose the tiebreak in Lincoln.

If you want to see your question here next week, drop me a line.

Brandon in Boulder writes: Hey David, love how you do the blog. Most people believe Hansen is the sure starter next year for the Buffaloes, but at last week's scrimmage, Hawkins threw the ball 44 times to Hansen's 29. Uh-oh. I'm pretty sure that if Hawkins walks out onto Invesco Field to start against CSU, CU fans will start leaving the stadium before the 2nd quarter starts. Do you think there's any chance that Hawkins will actually start this season, or do you think it was just a scrimmage thing and Hansen's still the guy?

David Ubben: I wouldn’t get too worked up about it. It’s definitely early, but I still think it’s Tyler Hansen’s job to lose. Both quarterbacks need to limit their interceptions, and Hansen sounds like he’s committed to doing that.

He’s limited his turnovers quite a bit early in the spring. In doing that, though, you have to be careful not to start playing tight and become afraid to make a play. Quarterbacks have to take risks, but knowing when and not taking foolish risks with the football is going to help Hansen hold off Cody Hawkins.

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Dennis in Airville, Pa., writes: David: I'm interested in your comment that NFL drafting is a bigger crap shoot than college recruiting. College coaches have thousands more players to look at, they are 4 years younger than NFL prospects, and have 4 fewer years playing against stiff competition. I would think college recruitng was far more difficult.

DU: All good points, and I think the evaluation process is more difficult, but plenty of coaching staffs do use information from recruiting sites.

I should probably clarify my comments. The odds of high-pedigree players succeeding are probably close to the same, but the stakes are so much higher at the next level.

In college, everybody comes in and is worth the same. You’re paying them all the same amount: whatever tuition is.

If a five-star recruit doesn’t pan out, so what? Start the three-star that’s outperformed him and move on.

In the NFL, if a first-round pick doesn’t turn out, his team is handcuffed to his ludicrous contract for at least a few seasons after the team knows he won’t contribute.

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Bruce from League City, Texas, writes: If I'm ever put on trial for mental competence, I hope the standard is Urban Meyer going off on a reporter. I'll look like Dr Spock/Mike Gundy You asked for input and I thought that a good chuckle put a little meat on the mailbags bones. David have you ever been called to task by a coach for something you wrote or said? Care to share?

DU: I have a couple of times, and most reporters I know have, too. But the smart and classy way to handle it is privately, whether in person or on the phone. It doesn’t have to be, but sometimes the coach-reporter relationship is an adversarial one.

A “we only talk to each other because we have to” kind of relationship.

I’ve never spent time around Urban Meyer, but from what I understand, that’s often the case.

When major disagreements arise, a coach that handles it privately instead of at a press conference or on a practice field with cameras rolling accomplishes his intended goal without inspiring an avalanche of YouTube parodies. It's worth noting that, as I write this, Urban Meyer is No. 11 on Google's most-searched terms.

I have no idea if Meyer consulted Deonte Thompson before he confronted the reporter. I hope he did. Bobby Reid has since changed his tune, but at the time, he wasn’t pleased when his coach defended him -- or a least in the manner he did it.

I’d be interested to hear Thompson’s thoughts on his coach’s defense.

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Adam in Lincoln, NE writes: Nebraska's D looks solid heading into the spring ball but it lacks a Suhperman presence. How important is having a single dominant player/personality to becoming a transcendent unit? Who are the Big 12's defensive candidates for filling this role?

DU: First off, I am no fan of puns. But I have to hand it to you, Adam. I hadn’t seen that. You put yourself in the mailbag.

Now, to your question.

A defense doesn’t have to have one dominant force, but often, great defenses do. And with so much attention being paid to one player, it elevates the play of those around him. You could see that last year in Phillip Dillard and Jared Crick.

A few that immediately come to mind this year are Texas A&M’s Von Miller, Texas’ Aaron Williams, Missouri’s Aldon Smith, Oklahoma’s Jeremy Beal and look out for Crick and cornerback Prince Amukamara at Nebraska.

The main attraction at Nebraska's pro day on Wednesday duplicated his rival's day of work, and departing seniors from Nebraska's stifling defense showed off for scouts, improving on their efforts from the NFL scouting combine.

Defensive lineman and Heisman finalist Ndamukong Suh participated in brief position-specific drills, running through tackling dummies and making no attempt to improve on his 32 reps at the 225-pound bench press and his absurd 35.5-inch vertical jump at 6-foot-4 and 307 pounds.

“They’ve seen everything they need to see out of Suh,” former Husker safety Larry Asante told the Lincoln Journal-Star.

Twenty-four NFL teams showed up to catch another glimpse of the possible No. 1 pick in next month's draft, including Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo, who also watched Oklahoma's Gerald McCoy go through a similar workout on Tuesday in Norman, Okla.

Asante trimmed his 40 time to 4.55 seconds, down from the 4.63 he ran at the combine. Safety Matt O'Hanlon ran a 4.58 in the 40 and showed off a 37.5-inch vertical jump. He also broad jumped 10 feet.

Linebacker Phillip Dillard improved his 20-yard shuttle time to 4.29 seconds and broad jumped 9-4. He opted out of the 40 after posting a 4.64 at the combine.

Of the twelve participants on Wednesday, four weren't members of last season's team, including running back Marlon Lucky. Lucky spent last season with the New York Sentinels in the United Football League after being waived by the Cincinnati Bengals, who signed him as an undrafted free agent last offseason.

Some of you have asked for it, and since it makes sense to do it early on, I’ll be breaking down the Big 12 over the next couple of days. Today, I’ll give my take on the North and South races. Tomorrow, I’ll put them together for my own pre-spring power rankings.

Update: My pre-spring power rankings will go up later this afternoon.

Here's how I see the North shaking out next fall:

1. Nebraska
The Huskers will do without the services of the House of Spears, but the Pelini brothers’ defense was hardly built around one player. Replacing linebacker Phillip Dillard and safeties Matt O’Hanlon and Larry Asante won’t be easy, but the Nebraska defense should still be stout.

As for the offense, last season’s home loss to Iowa State in which the Huskers had more turnovers (8) than points (7) would suggest the only way to go is up.

To repeat in the North, the Huskers must defend Memorial Stadium, where they’ll get to face Missouri and Texas.

2. Missouri
Missouri returns 18 starters, including junior quarterback Blaine Gabbert, who threw for 3,593 yards and 24 touchdowns as a sophomore.

He’ll need support from still-maturing senior corners Carl Gettis and Kevin Rutland, who gave up 427 yards passing to Baylor freshman quarterback Nick Florence (almost 200 more yards than he had in any other game last season) in an ugly home loss to the Bears, negating Gabbert’s career high of 468 yards.

For Missouri, taking back the North will mean surviving a difficult early conference schedule, which opens with Colorado but then forces the Tigers to play at Texas A&M before hosting Oklahoma. The next week, they travel to Lincoln for another showdown with Nebraska that would give the winner the inside track at a North title.

3. Kansas State
The Wildcats busted in their bowl-or-bust game against Nebraska to close out last season, but will try and rebound with a run at the North title. They’ll miss Brandon Banks’ kick returns, but Daniel Thomas (1,265 yards in 2009) wouldn’t mind getting his number called almost 250 times again like he did last season. For Kansas State, the earlier the uncertainty ends at quarterback, the better. Three candidates enter spring with a chance to start.

4. Kansas
The personnel behind Kansas’ missing offensive firepower last season is gone. Kansas standouts QB Todd Reesing, receivers Dezmon Briscoe and Kerry Meier and running back Jake Sharp won’t return, and new coach Turner Gill will try to patch back together a team that finished last season on a seven-game losing streak after winning its conference opener against Iowa State.

Sophomore running back Toben Opurum provides a nice foundation for Gill’s new offense after playing well when Sharp sat out or was slowed with injuries.

5. Iowa State
Paul Rhoads’ team showed progress in 2009, finishing the season with a win over Minnesota in the Insight Bowl for the program’s first winning season since 2005. He’ll try to improve on that with only four defensive starters returning this season.

Quarterback Austen Arnaud and running back Alexander Robinson return, but on the Cyclones’ schedule, so do Oklahoma and Texas. They’ll also face Utah, Iowa and Northern Illinois in nonconference games. Returning to a bowl for a second consecutive season won’t be easy.

6. Colorado
The Buffaloes didn’t earn much respect around the conference after giving up 54 points to Toledo in an early-season loss in 2009. They finished with three close losses at Iowa State and Oklahoma State before finishing the season with a home loss to North champ Nebraska.

If Colorado wants to dig itself out of the North basement, it’ll need Tyler Hansen to play like he did in the first half of a win over Kansas in Hansen’s first start, when the Buffaloes charged to a 24-3 second-quarter lead behind two Hansen touchdowns.

Let's see what's happening in Big 12 country today.

• Oklahoma State once again goes to Denton, Texas, for a coveted recruit, this time defensive end Jimmy Bean, Adam Boedeker writes in The Dallas Morning News. NFL scouts like what they see from former Cowboys quarterback Zac Robinson, Brandon Chatmon writes in The Oklahoman.
• Texas Tech's first step toward a Big 12 championship is getting excellent play from its defensive line, Don Williams writes in the (Lubbock) Avalanche-Journal. Don't forget to chat with Tech head coach Tommy Tuberville today at 2 p.m. ET.
• Nebraska needs a quarterback to separate himself this spring, Tom Shatel writes in the Omaha World-Herald.
• Former Kansas stars head off to the combine knowing it's not totally about football, Matt Tait writes in the Lawrence Journal-World.
• His former Nebraska teammates get the hype at the combine, but linebacker Phillip Dillard hopes to make waves in Indy, Rich Kaipust writes in the Omaha World-Herald.
• As basketball struggles at both Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, there will be plenty of attention on the state's NFL hopefuls at the combine, Dave Sittler writes in The Tulsa World.
• Texas added its 14th (!!!) commitment for 2011 in linebacker Steve Edmond, Randy Riggs writes in the Austin American-Statesman.

With spring practice set to begin soon -- Texas opens its camp on March 2 -- here’s a quick look at how I have the teams ranked heading into spring practice. In formulating my rankings, I took into account returning players, transfers, arriving freshmen and a teams’ schedules.

1. Texas (14 starters back: 6 offensive, 7 defensive, 1 special teams). Garrett Gilbert got a head start on replacing Colt McCoy with his considerable playing time in the national title game, an invaluable learning experience for a young player. The Longhorns return most of the defense that improved in its second season under Will Muschamp. The biggest chores will be for offensive coordinator Greg Davis, who has to boost running game production and find a replacement for record-breaking wide receiver Jordan Shipley.

2. Nebraska (18 starters back: 8 offensive, 8 defensive, 2 special teams). Bo Pelini has the Cornhuskers positioned for a potential top-10 preseason ranking. Most of the offensive weapons will be back from a unit that sputtered down the stretch before breaking out in the Holiday Bowl victory. Quarterback Zac Lee will miss some of spring practice as he recovers from postseason surgery. Cody Green and Kody Spano will get most of the work until Lee returns. Nebraska coaches think the defense can be better this season, even without the up-the-middle strength of Ndamukong Suh, Phillip Dillard, Larry Asante and Matt O’Hanlon.

3. Oklahoma (15 starters back: 9 offensive, 4 defensive, 2 special teams). The Sooners overcame a debilitating run of injuries last season to finish with a flourish, knocking Oklahoma State out of a BCS game and winning the Sun Bowl in their final two games. Landry Jones will be infinitely better in his second season as a starter and Ryan Broyles and DeMarco Murray may be the best one-two receiving/running back combination in the conference. Bob Stoops will be facing a big renovation on defense where key players like Gerald McCoy and Dominique Franks left early for the NFL draft. Look for Travis Lewis to be the key to a defense that will need to improve by the time Big 12 play begins if the Sooners are to have any hope of claiming a seventh Big 12 title this season.

4. Missouri (19 starters back: 9 offensive, 9 defensive, 1 special teams). The Tigers will miss Danario Alexander and linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, who were arguably the best players at their positions in the conference last season. But Blaine Gabbert is back for a second season as starting quarterback and some talented recruits are expected to emerge on defense. A key for the Tigers’ success will be a more productive running game and consistency from the offensive line. Improvement on both will be critical for coordinator David Yost during the spring.

5. Texas Tech (15 starters back: 7 offensive, 6 defensive, 2 special teams). New coach Tommy Tuberville immediately will have to sort through a potentially difficult decision at quarterback between Taylor Potts and fan favorite Steven Sheffield. New coordinator James Willis hopes to install a 3-4 defense that should be a haven for athletic linebackers. But the group’s success will hinge on replacing Jamar Wall at cornerback and finding some pass-rushing threats to replace Brandon Sharpe, Richard Jones and Daniel Howard along the front.

6. Texas A&M (19 starters back: 8 offensive, 9 defensive, 2 special teams). With Jerrod Johnson, Jeff Fuller, Uzoma Nwachukwu and Christine Michael back, the Aggies shouldn’t have trouble scoring points, although the line needs to do a better job of protecting Johnson. But the Aggies’ success will depend on the returning starters quickly taking to new coordinator Tim DeRuyter’s teachings. The group was blistered for at least 35 points in seven games last season and allowed at least 30 points in two other games. So needless to say that even with nine starters back, DeRuyter has his work cut out.

7. Kansas (16 starters back: 7 offensive, 7 defensive, 2 special teams). New coach Turner Gill inherits an uncertain quarterback situation, but has the framework for a strong running attack with all of his starting linemen back, along with Toben Opurum and heralded back Brandon Bourbon as running threats. The Jayhawks will need to fill in for the loss of Darrell Stuckey in the secondary, but new coordinator Carl Torbush should find the elements for a blitzing, attacking defense among the returnees. But the biggest reason the Jayhawks might be bound for a bowl game in Gill’s first season is swapping Texas, Texas Tech and Oklahoma for Texas A&M, Oklahoma State and Baylor in their cross-divisional schedule.

8. Iowa State (13 starters back: 8 offensive, 4 defensive, 1 special teams). Paul Rhoads returns most of the offensive weapons that led the Cyclones to the Insight Bowl, most notably quarterback Austen Arnaud and running back Alexander Robinson. But the team loses all of its starting linebackers; veteran coordinator Wally Burnham will be challenged to cobble together a serviceable unit. The Cyclones could actually be a better team in 2010 but post a worse record. A tougher schedule featuring nonconference games against Utah, Iowa and Northern Illinois and the addition of South Division powers Oklahoma, Texas and Texas Tech will make last season’s bowl trip much tougher to duplicate.

9. Oklahoma State (10 starters back: 4 offensive, 4 defensive, 2 special teams). The Cowboys must find replacements for key players like Zac Robinson, Keith Tosten, four offensive linemen (including Outland finalist Russell Okung) and six of their back seven on defense. New offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen finds an uncertain quarterback situation but will lean heavily on a healthy Kendall Hunter. A manageable nonconference schedule should have them in bowl contention, but this should be a step back from Mike Gundy’s last two teams.

10. Kansas State (15 starters back: 7 offensive, 6 defensive, 2 special teams). The Wildcats missed out on a bowl trip last season only because they scheduled two FCS teams, but they surprisingly challenged for the Big 12 North title up to their last game of the season. It might be tougher to do that this season, although Daniel Thomas will provide the foundation on offense. Carson Coffman has the inside track at quarterback, but keep an eye out for Oregon transfer Chris Harper at either that position or wide receiver. Players like Jeffrey Fitzgerald and John Houlik will be missed on defense, but all four starters are back in the secondary.

11. Colorado (16 starters back: 8 offensive, 7 defensive, 1 special teams). Dan Hawkins’ seat is the hottest in the Big 12 and arguably in college football after missing a bowl for a second straight season last year. Tyler Hansen returns as the starting quarterback, but the Buffaloes need to find some help in the backfield with only three scholarship backs in spring practice. The defense was young last season and should be improved, but will miss the leadership provided by Jeff Smart and Cha’pelle Brown. A bowl trip likely will be necessary to save Hawkins’ job and a tough nonconference schedule featuring games at California and against Hawaii and Georgia will prove troublesome even before Big 12 play begins.

12. Baylor (14 starters back: 6 offensive, 6 defensive, 2 special teams). The Bears’ hopes of stopping the conference’s longest bowl drought will hinge largely on the health of Robert Griffin, who is recovering from knee surgery that forced him to miss the final nine games of the 2009 season. New offensive lineman “Big” Robert Griffin will have to protect his quarterback if coach Art Briles has any hope of making a bowl trip. Jay Finley and Kendall Wright are underrated offensive threats, but the Bears will miss key defensive leaders like Joe Pawelek and Jordan Lake who were stalwarts for several years.

I couldn’t leave for a weekend without checking the e-mails and seeing some of the questions that the readers had for me this week.

Here are some of the best ones I received over the last several days:

L. Edgar from St. Louis, Mo., writes: Many fans and almost all the media have said that the weakness in Missouri coach Gary Pinkel's program is the lack of a running game. There is evidence to support this view: when they get ahead they are unable to take time off the clock and they are not that effective in the red zone. To me, it looks as if this recruiting class ignored that need. Do you agree?

Tim Griffin: While it might have looked like Pinkel didn’t put a lot of importance in attracting backs, I really like the signing of Greg White of DeQueen, Ark. He’s a different kind of back than the Tigers have had in recent seasons. In fact, the 215-pounder might be considered Missouri’s first true power back since Zack Abron left school. I think he can emerge into a key contributor for the Tigers if he can stay healthy.

And I also think that the addition of two mammoth bookend offensive tackles like Nick Demien and Mitch Morse bodes well for the future of Missouri’s interior line play. It’s been lacking in the last couple of seasons and might be as big a reason for the Tigers’ red-zone problems as anything else. I think these additions will help address the problems that have been there for the Tigers in recent seasons.

Jason Lewis from Kansas City, Mo., writes: Tim, I know recruiting is subjective but I'm wondering why you ranked Nebraska as the seventh-best class in the Big 12. You ranked them behind Baylor, when Nebraska's class was ranked 23rd overall and Baylor's was ranked 39th overall by Rivals. Can you explain your ranking for the Huskers? Thanks.

Tim Griffin: Jason, those were not my rankings but those of ESPNU’s talent evaluators. But I think I can speak for them that the biggest question is the lack of offensive skill players and the inability to land Owamagbe Odighizuwa, who instead accepted the offer at UCLA.

Nebraska desperately needs those big-time receivers to consistently challenge Texas and Oklahoma.

And I know I’ve heard from many Nebraska fans who claim they don’t need Odighizuwa because Bo and Carl Pelini will develop a lesser recruit into as good a player as Odighizuwa would have been.

But remember, he’s a special five-star talent. It always hurts when you lose a chance to get those difference makers. And for anybody to say that the Cornhuskers couldn't have used him don't understand the reality of how the big defensive end could have developed after working with the Pelinis.

Mike Wehling from Lincoln, Neb., writes: Tim, great job with the blog. It remains the main reason why I go to ESPN.com. What teams do you think will win the Big 12 North and South for next season?

Tim Griffin: Mike, I’ll have my definitive early answers sometime next week, but for now I’ve got Nebraska winning the Big 12 North and either Oklahoma or Texas winning the South. I’m leaning to the Sooners now, but could change my mind between now and Wednesday when the pick will be released.

The major reason I give Nebraska the edge is all of the weapons returning from this season’s team, along with the framework of a strong defense. I know that Nebraska will miss Ndamukong Suh, starting safeties Matt O'Hanlon and Larry Asante and linebacker Phillip Dillard, but I’m thinking another year of work with the Pelinis could turn Jared Crick into a monster. And I also like some of the Cornhuskers' returning defensive talent.

And I’m leaning to Oklahoma because they will have an experienced quarterback in Landry Jones with multiple starts. Texas loses Colt McCoy, but will have the inexperienced Garrett Gilbert back. I’m still working over who I think will be the best heading into spring practice and I’ll have an answer next week.

Bear Brown from Denton, Texas, writes: What do you think the Texas Tech fans should do about this whole post-Leach thing? I believe since he's not coming back we should just try to move on. Thanks!

Tim Griffin: That’s why new coach Tommy Tuberville wasted little time connecting with Tech alumni across the state of Texas as soon as the recruiting period was over. The day after National Signing Day, Tuberville was pressing the flesh in both Dallas and Houston to reassure Tech fans that drastic change won’t be resulting in the Red Raiders' program after the controversial firing of Mike Leach.

It will be interesting to see how Tech fans handle the switch. The fact is that both Oklahoma and Texas probably will be down a little next season in the Big 12 South. Tuberville has some nice offensive weapons and I’m convinced he’ll have a strong defense with the Red Raiders some day. But whether that comes next year or not will likely determine if they can challenge for the South Division title.

Tuberville has his work cut out to make Tech fans forget about Leach, the most important figure in Tech football in the last 40 years. But Tuberville is an outstanding coach who had an Auburn team on the brink of a national championship. He was able to consistently compete in the SEC. I'm thinking he'll be able to duplicate that success at Tech, too.

Steve Shoemaker of Las Cruces, N.M., writes: Tim, I loved your post earlier today about the Pro Football Hall of Fame and potential Big 12 players joining in the future. I’ve got two who I think are absolute locks. How about guard Will Shields of Nebraska and punter Shane Lechler of Texas A&M? Both of them were on the NFL’s All-Decade that was released earlier this week. I think what both players have accomplished during their pro careers should make them strong candidates.

Tim Griffin: Steve, I agree with you on both players. I think Shields will end up being one of the great offensive linemen of the NFL’s recent history. It’s hard to argue with his credentials of having made a Pro Bowl in 12 consecutive seasons and nine All-Pro teams. His work with the Kansas City Chiefs was a big reason why that franchise was so successful in the early part of this decade.

And Lechler might go down as the greatest punter in NFL history. His current career average of 47.3 yards per kick after the 2009 season is nearly a yard per kick more than the second-place NFL career punter, Glenn Dobbs. His 51.1 yard-per-kick average in 2009 was the second-highest season total in NFL history and trailed only Sammy Baugh's 51.4 average in 1940.

So it’s safe to say that Lechler’s place in Canton one day looks pretty secure if he can keep his punting average consistently high as its been during the first 10 seasons of his NFL career.

Thanks again for all of the good questions. Enjoy the Super Bowl and will check back again next week.

The NFL has released its final list of late additions to its annual pre-draft player combine, which will take place in Indianapolis from Feb. 24 to March 2.

The Big 12 is well represented on the list of invited players, with every team but Iowa State and Texas A&M having at least one representative.

Here's the final list. The late invitations, typically from underclassmen who declared for the draft, are listed in bold.

BAYLOR (2)

WR David Gettis

C J.D. Walton

COLORADO (1)

TE Riar Geer

KANSAS (3)

WR Dezmon Briscoe

WR Kerry Meier

S Darrell Stuckey

KANSAS STATE (3)

WR Brandon Banks

TE Jeron Mastrud

CB Joshua Moore

MISSOURI (4)

WR Danario Alexander

G Kurtis Gregory

WR Jared Perry

LB Sean Weatherspoon

NEBRASKA (4)

S Larry Asante

LB Phillip Dillard

C Jacob Hickman

DT Ndamukong Suh

OKLAHOMA (9)

QB Sam Bradford

RB Chris Brown

OLB Keenan Clayton

TE Brody Eldridge

CB Dominique Franks

TE Jermaine Gresham

CB Brian Jackson

DT Gerald McCoy

T Trent Williams

OKLAHOMA STATE (6)

S Lucien Antoine

WR Dez Bryant

CB Perrish Cox

T Russell Okung

QB Zac Robinson

RB Keith Toston

TEXAS (7)

DT Lamarr Houston

DE Sergio Kindle

QB Colt McCoy

LB Roddrick Muckelroy

WR Jordan Shipley

S Earl Thomas

T Adam Ulatoski

TEXAS TECH (2)

G Brandon Carter

CB Jamar Wall

As we all pore over the recruiting ratings of each school for the next few days, it's wise to take all of these rankings and ratings with a healthy grain of salt.

Recruiting is, always has been and always will be an inexact science. For every can't miss product, there are others who emerge out of nowhere to become standout players.

This trend was shown after I analyzed the first- and second-team All-Big 12 teams from the 2009 season and went back to check their original ESPNU grades. On some, the service hit. But on many others, it missed like Sean Weatherspoon and Danario Alexander.

Both had scores of 40 when they came out in their recruiting class. Weatherspoon weighed 195 pounds. Alexander was projected as a safety. And both put aside their dubious recruiting marks to develop into two of the best players in the country at their position over the course of their college career. I thought it was interesting to go back and look at the best players in the conference and see where they were ranked coming into college.

The ESPNU ratings database goes back only to 2006. That does not allow us to get ratings for players who took a redshirt year during their college careers. But it gives a pretty accurate picture about the crap shoot that college recruiting really is.

Here's a look at the Big 12's coaches' first and second teams for 2009. The positional rankings, typically listed second for most players, are national rankings.

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE

QB: Colt McCoy, Texas: Class of 2005, no information available.

RB: Daniel Thomas, Kansas State: Junior college class of 2009.

RB: Keith Toston, Oklahoma State: 77 rating; ranked 44th among all safeties; ranked 73rd in state.

FB: Bryant Ward, Oklahoma State: Walk-on.

WR: Jordan Shipley, Texas: Class of 2004, no information available.

WR: Danario Alexander, Missouri: 40 rating (as safety), ranked 229th in state.

WR: Dezmon Briscoe, Kansas: 40 rating, ranked 363rd in state.

TE: Jeron Mastrud, Kansas State: 40 rating, ranked 13th in state.

OL: Russell Okung, Oklahoma State: 73 rating, ranked 61st among all tackles, 138th in state.

OL: Trent Williams, Oklahoma: 76 rating, ranked 22nd among all guards, 78th in state.

OL: Nick Stringer, Kansas State: Class of 2005, no information available.

OL: Brandon Carter, Texas Tech: Class of 2005, no information available.

OL: Nate Solder, Colorado: 40 rating (as tight end), ranked 48th in state.

PK: Grant Ressel, Missouri: Walk-on.

KR/PR: Brandon Banks, Kansas State: Junior college class of 2008.

---

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE

DL: Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska: Class of 2005, no information available.

DL: Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma: 89 rating, ranked 2nd among all defensive tackle, ranked first in state, ranked 21st in nation.

DL:Von Miller, Texas A&M: 77 rating, ranked 37th among all defensive ends, ranked 52nd in state.

DL: Brandon Sharpe, Texas Tech: Junior-college class of 2007.

DL: Jared Crick, Nebraska: 73 rating, ranked 86th among all defensive ends, ranked seventh in state.

LB: Jesse Smith, Iowa State: Class of 2005, no information available.

LB: Sean Weatherspoon, Missouri: 40 rating, ranked 294th in state.

LB: Travis Lewis, Oklahoma: 75 rating, ranked 86th among all running backs, ranked 96th in state.

DB: Earl Thomas, Texas: 71 rating, ranked 75th among all cornerbacks, ranked 170th in state.

DB: Perrish Cox, Oklahoma State: 77 rating, ranked 25th among all cornerbacks, ranked 57th in state.

DB: Dominique Franks, Oklahoma: 74 rating, ranked 53rd among all cornerbacks, ranked 15th in state.

DB: Prince Amukamara, Nebraska: 78 rating, ranked 31st among all running backs, ranked fifth in state.

DB: Larry Asante, Nebraska: Junior college class of 2007.

P: Derek Epperson, Baylor: 76 rating, ranked 15th among all kickers, ranked 87th in state.

---

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE

QB: Jerrod Johnson, Texas A&M: 79 rating, ranked first among all athletes, ranked 29th in state.

RB Roy Helu Jr., Nebraska: 73 rating, ranked 113th among all running backs, ranked 97th in state.

RB: DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma: 92 rating, ranked first among all running backs, ranked first in state, ranked sixth in nation.

FB: Jamie McCoy, Texas A&M: Class of 2005, no information available.

WR: Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma: 77 rating, ranked 58th among all wide receivers, ranked fourth in state.

WR: Kerry Meier, Kansas: Class of 2005 , no information available.

WR: Brandon Banks, Kansas State: Junior college class of 2008.

TE: Riar Geer, Colorado: Class of 2005, no information available.

OL: J.D. Walton, Baylor: Class of 2005, no information available (transfer from Arizona State).

OL: Chris Hall, Texas: Class of 2005, no information available.

OL: Kurtis Gregory, Missouri: Class of 2005, no information available.

OL: Adam Ulatoski, Texas: Class of 2005, no information available.

OL: Brody Eldridge, Oklahoma: Class of 2005, no information available.

OL: Lee Grimes, Texas A&M: Class of 2005, no information available.

PK: Alex Henery, Nebraska: Walk-on.

KR/PR: Perrish Cox, Oklahoma State: 77 rating, ranked 25th among all cornerbacks, ranked 57th in state.

---

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE

DL: Sergio Kindle, Texas: 92 rating, ranked first among all outside linebackers, ranked second in state, ranked seventh in nation.

DL: Lamarr Houston, Texas: 78 rating, ranked seventh among all fullbacks, ranked fourth in state.

DL: Jeremy Beal, Oklahoma: 80 rating, ranked 11th among all defensive ends, ranked 17th in state, ranked 137th nationally.

DL: Jaron Baston, Missouri: Class of 2005, no information available.

DL: Daniel Howard, Texas Tech: Junior college class of 2007

LB: Joe Pawelek, Baylor: Class of 2005, no information available.

LB: Roddrick Muckelroy, Texas: Class of 2005, no information available.

LB: Phillip Dillard, Nebraska: Class of 2005, no information available.

DB: Jamar Wall, Texas Tech: 72 rating, ranked 79th among all safeties, ranked 142nd in state.

DB: Quinton Carter, Oklahoma: 77 rating, ranked 39th among all safeties, ranked third in state.

DB: Brian Jackson, Oklahoma: Class of 2005, no information available.

DB: Jordan Lake, Baylor: Class of 2005, no information available.

DB: Cha’pelle Brown, Colorado: 40 rating, ranked 287th in state.

DB: Trent Hunter, Texas A&M: 68 rating, ranked 90th among all cornerbacks, ranked 250th in state.

P: Tress Way, Oklahoma: 78 rating, ranked sixth among all kickers, ranked sixth in state.

It's interesting to note that only four members of the two teams were ESPNU top 150 selections: Oklahoma's Gerald McCoy, DeMarco Murray and Jeremy Beal and Texas' Sergio Kindle.

Oklahoma State quarterback Zac Robinson needed a big week at the Senior Bowl to help his chances in the upcoming NFL draft.

Robinson got that and more in strong play for the South team at Saturday's game at Mobile, Ala.

His efforts in practices during the week enabled him to get most of the playing time for the South team in its 31-13 loss to the North.

The South team struggled, but it wasn't necessarily Robinson's fault. He completed 12 of 21 passes for a game-high 176 yards as he outplayed fellow South quarterbacks Tim Tebow of Florida and Jarrett Brown of West Virginia. Robinson hooked up with Colin Peak on a 19-yard touchdown pass shortly before halftime to account for the South team's only touchdown.

Robinson, like Tebow, had two fumbles including one lost. And Robinson had minus-9 yards in four carries including two sacks.

Here's a look at the individual statistics and participation for the Big 12 alumni in the game.

NORTH

• Missouri linebacker Sean Weatherspoon: Started, two tackles, three assists, .5 tackle for a loss, one interception for 43 yards, one pass broken up.
• Nebraska linebacker Phillip Dillard: One tackle, two assists.
• Nebraska safety Larry Asante: Started, one tackle, one forced fumble.
• Oklahoma running back Chris Brown: Saw action.
• Missouri wide receiver Danario Alexander: Saw action.

SOUTH

• Oklahoma State cornerback Perrish Cox: Started, One tackle, one kickoff return for 11 yards.
• Texas linebacker Roddrick Muckelroy: One tackle.
• Texas defensive tackle Lamarr Houston: One assist.
• Baylor center J.D. Walton: Saw action.

Happy Friday afternoon.

I wouldn’t think of jumping into the weekend without answering some of my better letters from this past week.

So here I go.

Steve Russell of Loveland, Colo., writes: Tim, quick question for you. If you were picking a conference coach of the year including the bowl games, who would you select?

Tim Griffin: After the regular season and conference championship game, I picked Mack Brown because of his 13-0 record. But including the bowl results, I would lean to Bo Pelini, with Brown closely followed by Paul Rhoads of Iowa State.

I think Pelini was able to get a lot out of a team that struggled offensively for much of the season. The Cornhuskers had one of the most imposing defenses in recent Big 12 history with Ndamukong Suh, Jared Crick, Prince Amukamara, Larry Asante, Phillip Dillard and Co. They had a 10-4 record, but the Cornhuskers were very close to a couple of more wins. With a fortunate break or two, the Cornhuskers could have ended up winning the Iowa State and Virginia Tech games during the regular season and the Big 12 championship game. They came legitimately close to a 13-1 record this season. Pelini deserves much of the credit for getting them into the championship game and for their victory over Arizona in the Holiday Bowl.

And as far as Rhoads, I think he did a masterful job with his team. The fact he was able to go to Nebraska and beat the Cornhuskers while starting a backup quarterback and running back while Austen Arnaud and Alexander Robinson were out of the lineup was one of the biggest upsets in the nation this past season. Capping the season with an Insight Bowl victory over Minnesota and finishing with a winning record completed a strong first season for the Cyclones.

Caleb from the Foothills of Colorado writes: Tim, I saw in your last mailbag that you weren't certain Colorado was nailed down as a conference member. Can you please elaborate on where you think they might be going and why? I can't see them in any other conference that makes geographical sense except the Mountain West and while the Buffs have been (sometimes painfully) bad for a few years now I don't think they deserve being relegated to the MWC.

Tim Griffin: Caleb, I was speaking from a gut feeling I have about Colorado in comparison with the rest of the conference. The Buffaloes program is nowhere near its level in football in the 1990s or even in the early stages of the Big 12. They obviously need a shot of enthusiasm. The report of the $50 million donation from boosters might produce that, but they clearly need a boost of some kind to jump into competition with schools like Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska.

I’ve always wondered if Colorado might be a better fit in the Pac-10 if that conference ever chose to expand. New Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott is said to be considering that. Maybe the Buffaloes might be a team he would look at.

And I’ve often thought that if the Mountain West ever got an automatic berth into the BCS if Colorado would be more competitive in that conference. Playing against schools like Colorado State, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and BYU would make geographic sense. But I don’t know if it would be palatable to Colorado fans after playing Big Eight and Big 12 opponents for all of these seasons.

My point was that if the Big 12 becomes serious about making the jump into Utah by adding either BYU or Utah at some point, they need to be sure that Colorado is on board for the duration. The move that direction doesn’t make much sense if the Buffaloes aren't committed.

Roger Stringfellow of Katy, Texas, writes: Tim, I read your post earlier today about Dat Nguyen returning to Texas A&M. What do you are his legitimate chances of returning to Aggieland? And do you think that Mike Sherman is smart enough to make this hire?

Tim Griffin: I think that Dat Nguyen would bring cache to Sherman’s coaching staff unlike many hires he could make. Nguyen legitimately is the most decorated Aggie football player of the last 40 years.

But you have to remember that Sherman is facing huge pressure after going 10-15 in his first two seasons at A&M. Hiring Tim DeRuyter from Air Force was a bold, popular move among most A&M fans. But I’m wondering if DeRuyter and Sherman believe they can gamble on a new coach with little true coaching experience and none in college football by hiring Nguyen.

To me, the hiring is a no-brainer. Getting Nguyen back in the program would be huge for Sherman and his staff. But if they believe they only have a one- or two-season window to turn things around, I can understand why they might opt for a new defensive coach with more experience.

Michael Hengel of Pine Bluff, Ark., writes: Hey, Tim, thank you for the nice column on Freddie Steinmark. Seeing his name in the headline of your piece brought back a flood of memories -- even before reading the feature, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I confess that I had not thought about his great story in years. What an inspiration.

Tim Griffin: Michael, thanks to you and everybody else who wrote to me to comment on my piece on what would have been Steinmark’s 61st birthday earlier this week. He’s still an iconic figure in Texas football history. But his story needs to be shared with more people who might have forgotten about him, or never heard of his inspiring life.

David Macrander of Omaha, Neb., writes: Tim, What do you think the chances are of all three of the major recruits Nebraska is after end up signing with them on signing day? If not all of them, how many (if any) do you think will sign with the Huskers?

Tim Griffin: Out of the three players remaining, I’ll rank the chances of them coming like this. I think the Cornhuskers’ best hopes come with attracting Owamagbe Odighizuwa because of their success with Ndamukong Suh. Odighizuwa saw what Bo Pelini’s staff did with another raw but talented defensive line prospect from Oregon in Suh. I’ve heard that really resonates with him. After that, I think their chances are next best with Corey Cooper, who likely sees that the Cornhuskers need immediate help at safety and likely could use him in the 2010 season if he develops quickly.

Quarterback Brion Carnes obviously has some family history with the Cornhuskers, considering he’s the cousin of legendary Nebraska quarterback Tommie Frazier. But I’m wondering if Jamal Turner’s announcement last night that he’s coming in the Class of 2011 will have any effect. Also, I know that Carnes is close with Western Kentucky coach Willie Taggert, who is a former quarterback at Manatee High School in Bradenton, Fla., where Carnes played.

So I’d rank Odighizuwa first, Cooper second and Carnes third in terms of their chances at arriving at Nebraska. Getting one player from that group would be a big late surge for Pelini. Two would be huge and a hat trick of all three players might be beyond even his most optimistic hopes. It will be interesting to see how many late recruiting commitments the Cornhuskers will get.

Thanks again for all of the good questions this week. Enjoy the Senior Bowl and I’ll check back with you again next week with another batch.

It wasn't the best of days for Nebraska linebacker Phillip Dillard at Thursday's Senior Bowl practice in Mobile, Ala.

The Scouts Inc. reporters at the scene for ESPN.com didn't paint the brightest of pictures for Dillard after watching him in the North team practice with helmets and shorts.

Here's their report:

"Dillard's lack of athletic ability really showed up on Day 4, since players were in shorts and helmets, Dillard's ability to be physical between the tackles was negated. He looked tight during drills and struggled to make sudden changes of direction, and he also lacked good closing burst and straight-line speed during drills. Dillard struggled to stay with running backs in coverage during 7-on-7 drills (he was consistently two or three steps behind), and he showed a lack of natural ball skills. In pads, Dillard can mix it up inside, but we saw on Day 4 that his athletic limitations likely will drop him into the later rounds."

And here are some nuggets from Thursday's practices for Big 12-related players.

• Baylor C J.D. Walton was getting adequate hand placement but has no real power base and struggled against mammoth Alabama DT Terrence Cody.
• Texas DT Lamarr Houston exhibited a strong upper body and extended his arms well, using that combination to keep Arkansas OL Mitch Petrus off his frame during the team period of practice.