ESPN College Football

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

The NCAA's denial of Dez Bryant's final appeal to play this season wasn't unexpected.

When Bryant was suspended by the NCAA for lying about his association with Deion Sanders, I thought his chances of ever playing again with Oklahoma State were nil.

Bryant's crime actually was much less than LeGarrette Blount's or Rhett Bomar's or some of the other notorious cases in recent years. But Bryant lied, and the NCAA takes a pretty dim view on that.

The Cowboys missed Bryant for the first time all season last week in their loss to Texas. He likely would have been OSU's most consistent offensive weapon against the Longhorns, both as a receiver and a kick returner.

I'm not saying that OSU would have won that game, but the margin would have been closer if he had played. Bryant would have caught the touchdown pass that Hubert Anyiam dropped early in the game. He likely wouldn't have fumbled like Anyiam did later in the game. And he would have provided another weapon that would have made Texas alter its defensive schemes.

OSU has two more upcoming games in which Bryant would have been handy -- tough ones against Texas Tech and Oklahoma.

So the difference between having Bryant all season and not having him will end up being challenging for a BCS bowl versus playing in a good one at the end of the season.

For Mike Gundy and his program, that gap is a huge one.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

It was a time of unbridled happiness and joy for Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops -- a moment he described as the “best recruiting day” he could have ever imagined earlier this year.

	AP Photo/Jeff Roberson
	Oklahoma's Bob Stoops is going to have to coach through injuries if he’s going to save the Sooners' season.

The return of standout players like quarterback Sam Bradford, tight end Jermaine Gresham, tackle Trent Williams and defensive tackle Gerald McCoy for another college season was hailed as one of the top moments of Stoops’ coaching career. Those four key players would serve as the cornerstones of the Sooners’ charge to another Big 12 title and perhaps provide a chance at that elusive BCS title that has been the program’s albatross in recent years.

But as injuries have wracked the Oklahoma program, that group of standout players that Stoops expected to have at his disposal have never all been available at the same time. Gresham suffered a season-ending knee injury before the season started and Bradford sprained a shoulder joint in the first game. It’s been a cruel reminder for Stoops on how football fortunes can change quickly.

And it got worse this past weekend in the Sooners’ 21-20 loss to Miami. Top playmaking receiver Ryan Broyles, the nation’s leader in touchdown receptions, went out with a fractured shoulder that could keep him sidelined until early November. His departure robs the 2-2 Sooners of their top deep threat and one of their few receivers who can stretch the field vertically.

That departure was evident on Oklahoma’s final drive against Miami. With no real deep threats to test a Miami defense that was missing a couple of key players in the secondary, the Sooners weren’t nearly as potent. On a pivotal drive late in the fourth quarter where the Sooners could have reclaimed the lead, offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson went conservative. Oklahoma ran on six straight plays before throwing a safe swing pass to DeMarco Murray for no yards on third down.

The Sooners then settled for a field goal and then never got the ball back as the Hurricanes closed out the one-point victory against a tiring Oklahoma defense.

It was a far cry from the Sooners’ offensive juggernaut of 2008. That group rolled up 60 or more points during a five-game stretch late last season to boost Oklahoma to an unprecedented third-straight Big 12 title.

It’s expected that Bradford will return to the lineup sooner than later -- perhaps even this week against Baylor. But the symptoms that have befallen the Sooners in the Miami game won’t be magically removed as the reigning Heisman Trophy winner returns.

The young offensive line has been a disappointment in pass protection and susceptibility to penalties. Those mistakes have kept the Sooners struggling in troublesome down-and-distance situations in their losses to BYU and Miami.

The loss of Broyles underscores the Sooners lack of depth at wide receiver. Top recruits Dejuan Miller and Jameel Owens haven’t fulfilled their promise. Adron “Pooh” Tennell has been a bust with three catches this season. Cameron Kenney produced six receptions against Miami, but now will be relied on as the Sooners’ primary offensive receiving threat. And tight end has all but disappeared out of Wilson’s offensive arsenal after Gresham’s injury.

The problems at wide receiver could be traced to last season, when highly-regarded recruit Josh Jarboe never joined the team after his scholarship was rescinded when he made a controversial rap video. His talent would fit this receiving corps nicely, even as channeling his behavior would have been challenging for Stoops and his staff.

Even with all of these problems building on top of another, the Sooners’ real season starts in Saturday's conference opener.

The Sooners won’t be playing for the BCS championship, but they can still make it to a BCS bowl game with a strong rebound. Their huge game against Texas approaches next week. They will be a heavy underdog in that game, but weird upsets always have a way of happening in the history of that bitter rivalry.

Stoops has always been his most effective over the years when he’s had to coach with a shortened roster. Remember his 2006 team claimed the Big 12 title after Rhett Bomar was kicked off the team before fall practice started and Adrian Peterson was hurt for most of the second half of the season?

That team overcame all of those problems and even a loss to Texas and still rebounded to win the fourth of Stoops’ Big 12 titles. He’s never said so, but I’ve always thought that had to be the most satisfying of his titles that he’s won considering all of the obstacles en route to the championship.

He’ll have another chance this season to duplicate that success with a similarly depleted roster. And if Bradford returns healthy, Stoops will have one big advantage that he’s lacked before.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Despite the dire straits their team is facing, Oklahoma players still can joke with new starting quarterback Landry Jones about the growing fame of he and his mustache.

	Tim Heitman/US Presswire
	If Landry Jones was nervous about taking over for Sam Bradford, he didn't show it versus BYU.

The redshirt freshman will replace Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford for the foreseeable future. And the Sooners' new quarterback’s facial hair is providing some levity for his teammates following the loss of Bradford and tight end Jermaine Gresham.

“We tease him about the mustache all the time,” Oklahoma tackle Trent Williams said. “I’m predicting before the year is over, he’ll shave that thing off.”

His teammates have quickly gravitated to the redshirt freshman who has been pressed into duty after Bradford’s shoulder injury last week against BYU.

Despite Bradford's absence, Jones is confident in his abilities for as long as he is needed.

“It's very unfortunate, but right now we have to move on and I have some huge shoes to fill,” Jones told reporters earlier this week. “So I have to pick my game up as well.”

His teammates have said that Jones reminds them of Bradford when he was younger because of his size, football acumen and his demeanor around his teammates.

“Landry is a laid-back dude,” senior wide receiver Adron Tennell said. “He’s a very easy-going guy. And with him now, when he talks we all listen.”

Jones’ first taste of action was a mixed mag in the Sooners’ season-opening loss to BYU, as he completed only 6 of 12 passes for 51 yards. But the Sooners didn’t turn the ball over with him in charge and he didn’t make a bad throw.

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops was particularly pleased with Jones’ reaction after he took over the team.

“He couldn’t have handled it better,” Stoops said. “I didn’t see him flinch once.”

During a heralded career at Artesia (N.M.) High School, Jones led his school to two state championships and threw 89 touchdown passes in his two seasons as a starter. He was an Under Armour ESPN All-American, a Parade All-American and the New Mexico Gatorade Player of the Year.

He’s brings a similar skill set as Bradford, without nearly the experience. His work as a redshirt gave him a slight edge over freshman Drew Allen for the backup job in training camp.

“I have no doubt he’ll do a good job,” Tennell said. “No matter what quarterback is out there, we’ll try to make it easier for him. We’ve just got to do a better job of catching the ball.”

The Sooners likely won’t be tested as much against Idaho State, an FCS school that started the season with a 50-3 loss at Arizona State. But it will still test Jones’ confidence, which has grown with his experience.

“I feel really comfortable now,” Jones told reporters earlier this week. “I have a year under my belt. I kind of have all my checks down and have a feel for the tempo. So I feel really good.”

No coach in the Big 12 has traditionally been able to circle the wagons in times of adversity like Stoops.

The Sooners claimed the Big 12 championship in two of the last three seasons after early-season losses to Texas. In 2006, they overcame the training camp loss of Rhett Bomar after he was kicked off the team. Later that season, Stoops coached around the injury of Adrian Peterson for the second half of the season and still won the Big 12 championship.

“Our guys know we expect whoever’s out there to do well,” Stoops said. “You have to move forward and play with the guys you have. Just like with all of the other injuries, somebody’s got to step up and play. That’s what a team does.”

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

News that Sam Bradford has either a Grade 2 or Grade 3 sprain of his throwing shoulder means that he won’t be back in the starting lineup for at least a couple of weeks.

Bradford likely won’t be ready to play before October. And even that could be pushing his return before he is ready to play.

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said Monday that Bradford’s upcoming status with the Sooners is undetermined.

“It will be a fairly long process, meaning it will probably be a week or two before we know more about it,” Stoops said. “A lot depends on how he feels and how he recovers through the week. In the end, it will be awhile.”

Stoops said that the loss of tight end Jermaine Gresham, out with a sprained knee, has changed how his offense works. Gresham was expected to be the Sooners’ leading receiver and an important checkdown receiver for a young offensive line with four new starters.

Not having a Heisman Trophy winner and a projected preseason All-American tight end has led to a dramatic change of production from an offense that set an FBS record last season for scoring.

After a 14-13 loss to BYU in the Sooners’ first game, the Sooners rank 73rd nationally in rushing offense, 90th in scoring offense, 92nd in passing offense and 95th in total offense.

“It affects us in a big way, there’s no denying that,” Stoops said. “Jermaine is a big presence and a go-to guy for us. It changes the complexion of our offense, but you just deal with it. It’s the same kind of things with him as Sam, and hopefully we’ll have an idea within a few days to see what the doctors and Jermaine decide to do.”

The Sooners won’t be pushed over their upcoming home games against Idaho State on Saturday and next week against Tulsa. And then they have a week off before they travel to Miami.

Getting both players back by then obviously is the goal. It would provide the Sooners with two games -- the game against the Hurricanes and against Baylor the following week -- to get their rhythm back by the crucial Texas game.

It won’t be easy. But the Sooners have been one of the most effective teams in the nation at overcoming adversity and injuries in recent seasons.

Stoops was able to coach around the preseason loss of Rhett Bomar after he was dismissed from the team in training camp before the 2006 season. Despite playing untested quarterback Paul Thompson, the Sooners still won the Big 12 championship that season to start their recent run of three consecutive titles.

That season was also marked by the loss of Adrian Peterson, who missed the final seven games of the season with a broken collarbone.

And despite early conference losses to Texas in 2006 and 2008, the Sooners rebounded to claim the title in both seasons.

Texas coach Mack Brown said that Stoops’ past history makes him confident that the Sooners will be able to overcome Bradford’s injury.

“Bob does a great job,” Brown said. “They’ve overcome more injuries than anybody and bounced back and won. Oklahoma will be good and I’ll say it will start this week. It was a one-point loss [to BYU] with two great players out and they still nearly won. It’s a credit to them.”

Stoops is the highest-paid coach in the Big 12. He'll be earning every penny of that salary over the next several weeks.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Let's throw open the mailbag on a Friday afternoon and see what you the readers are thinking and asking me about.

W. Dawson of Dallas writes: Tim, have you looked at Oklahoma State's schedule yet? How can they get away with having eight home games? I can't believe the Big 12 allowed this to happen, much less their competition. This is an incredible advantage, especially given the narrow margins that separate various Big 12 foes. Talk about running downhill before anyone else has snapped the ball.

Tim Griffin: Obviously, Mike Holder and Mike Gundy can do anything they want with their schedule. And it's a good home schedule with the four Big 12 games and home non-conference games against Georgia, Houston, Grambling and Rice. I guess the risk/reward is this. Most coaches want their team to face a non-conference challenge of some kind before they head into conference play. It doesn't have to be especially taxing - Texas going to Wyoming, Kansas to UTEP -- but most coaches believe that kind of experience is good before they head into conference play.

Obviously, Gundy doesn't think like that. The Cowboys will get a huge boost after playing four home games, but he won't know much about how ready his team will be to play on the road for their first trip to Texas A&M on Oct. 10. If I was coaching, I'd like a little more piece of mind before that first conference road game. And I bet Gundy will be thinking that way the week before the game.

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Ocean from Kemah, Texas, writes: Tim, I'm very interested to hear if there has been any shift of momentum due to freshman Chris Whaley's arrival this summer. Also an update on the other Big 12's other freshman prospects would be greatly appreciated.

Tim Griffin: Whaley has struggled keeping up with the other Texas backs after reporting to training camp with an ankle injury that was aggravated playing basketball before he ever arrived. It set him back in his battle for playing time in a crowded Longhorn backfield.

From what I'm hearing, Fozzy Whittaker will be the leading candidate to have more of the carries in the Texas backfield. But he's got to remain healthy, which is something he hasn't been able to do so far. Then, look for veteran Vondrell McGee to have the next shot. Cody Johnson will also be there along with Tre' Newton and Whaley. I look for Whaley to get more playing time as he shows coaches he is more comfortable with his role in the offense and particularly in pass-protection schemes. We'll see that later, rather than sooner for the Longhorns.

And also, look for a post early next week where I'll break down the conference's leading freshman producers so far in training camps.

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Mark M. from Arlington, Texas, writes: I know Baylor is pegged as your eighth team in the conference, but I think even that might be overrated! Why is no one talking about how incredible of a job Jason Smith did protecting Robert Griffin last year? Without his protection, combined with a very challenging non-conference schedule, I think Griffin takes a lot more hits and goes through a sophomore slump. I think they finish last in the Big 12 South as a result. Am I wrong?

Tim Griffin: Your scenario could very easily happen, although I do have the Bears winning six games and making a bowl trip. But I think that watching the Bears' left tackle position will be one of the most interesting positions in the conference.

Obviously, Smith was the best lineman in the conference last season, as evidenced by his No. 2 selection in the NFL draft by the St. Louis Rams. I've heard some great things about his replacement, muscular 6-foot-4, 315 pound former Canadian fireman Danny Watkins. But we won't know anything until he starts hooking up with players like Jeremy Beal, Sergio Kindle and all of the others.  

Watkins' inexperience will be one of Baylor's biggest question marks. And one missed blitz assignment could end the Bears' season in a hurty. Coach Art Briles has to hope that Watkins is ready for the challenge.

But we'll see how he does. It might be the major factor if the Bears are able to go 6-6 and make that elusive bowl trip, or end up in the Big 12 cellar and you hint. The margin between the two is very slim - particularly with the balance in the Big 12.

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Ross Jackman from Sioux Falls, S.D., writes: Tim, I saw the story you linked earlier this week about the conference's most underrated and overrated coaches from that guy in Lincoln. Who is your selection, as the most underrated head coach, offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator in the Big 12?

Tim Griffin: Ross, good question. For a head coach, I'll take Kansas' Mark Mangino, who quietly has taken the Jayhawks on their most successful, consistent run in school history. The Jayhawks made back-to-back bowl trips for the first time in school history the last two years and are poised for much more this season.

For my offensive coordinator, I'll take Nebraska's Shawn Watson. The work he did with Joe Ganz the last two seasons was simply phenomenal. Earlier work at Colorado with Gary Barnett's team was outstanding as well. Watson's past history is one of the reasons I think Zac Lee might be better than a lot of people expect for the Cornhuskers. I know he'll be ready, considering Watson's track record.

And for my most underrated defensive coordinator, I'll choose Texas Tech's Ruffin McNeill. The work he did with the Red Raiders to help develop their defense was a big reason the Red Raiders were able to forge a three-way tie for the South Division title last season. He'll have his work cut out trying to replace pass-rushing specialists like McKinner Dixon and Brandon Williams and safeties Darcel McBath and Daniel Charbonnet, but I expect McNeill will have another strong unit again this season.

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Mitch Nelson from Kansas City, Mo., writes: Tim, the Big 12 has four high-profile quarterbacks this year in Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy, Zac Robinson and Todd Reesing who will probably finish their college careers after this season. Can you break down who their possible replacements will be and which team has the best chance to not miss a step with a new quarterback next year?

Tim Griffin: I really am hesitant to pick which team has the best quarterback situation in the future because so many of these players don't have any game action. I'd like to reserve my decisions until I get to see some of the young kids play in a little bit of game action. But here's how I see those four schools in the future.

Oklahoma: The leader as far as experience would appear to be redshirt freshman Landry Jones, along with junior John Nimmo and Ben Sherrard. I've heard some good things about Drew Allen, a tall 6-foot-6 thrower from San Antonio Alamo Heights High School. But especially keep an eye out for Blake Bell of Wichita, Kan., a dual-threat thrower/runner who is one of the prizes of the Sooners' 2010 recruiting class. He will be the most heralded quarterback to enter the Oklahoma program since Rhett Bomar.

Texas: As far as promise goes, the Longhorns would appear to have it with Garrett Gilbert who I expect to play as a freshman and beat out Sherrod Harris for the backup role this season. And they also have two more quarterbacks coming in the 2010 recruiting class - Connor Wood of Second Baptist High School in Houston and Case McCoy, the 6-foot-2, 169-pound little brother of Colt McCoy.

Oklahoma State: I know that Gundy actually wasn't that disappointed with Zac Robinson's injury last week because it forced the action in the backu quarterback battle
between junior Alex Case and sophomore Brandon Weeden. Gundy told me he was a little angry that one of the two players hadn't jumped out and taken the backup role. Whoever wins that would appear to be in line to replace Robinson.

Weeden has a little bit more maturity because of his five-season career in minor-league baseball. But Cate has more game experience and comfort in the OSU offense. And the Cowboys also have a commitment from 2010 recruit Johnny Deaton of Sand Spring, Okla., who might be their long-term answer.

Kansas: I think the fact that redshirt freshman Kale Pick has won the backup job is significant here. First, it will enable Kerry Meier to move to wide receiver full time. It will also get Pick more snaps in practice and have him ready in the spring when the opportunity to replace Reesing will materialize for him.

Mangino is also high on a couple of freshmen quarterbacks he has in Christian Matthews, a taller, skinner thrower and Jordan Webb, who kind of looks like Reesing and followed his route by graduating early and reporting to college a semester early to boost his early assimilation into Ed Warinner's offense.

That's all the questions I have time for this week.

Thanks again and have a great weekend.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

The two-game schedule between Florida State and Oklahoma that will be starting next season in Norman apparently will get pretty spicy.

That realization comes after court records reveal that the Florida State compliance office turned in Oklahoma to the Big 12 for questioning about the case of senior linebacker Mike Balogun. Several Oklahoma reports indicate the re-opening of Balogun's eligibility investigation was sparked after a Florida State compliance officer watched the broadcast of the BCS National Championship Game in January.

Balogun stopped Florida running back Chris Rainey for a 3-yard loss on a play early in the first half. As Fox commentators told the story about Balogun playing semi-professional football before his college career, it reminded Florida State officials of a similar case for them.

Oklahoma papers reported that the Florida State compliance office was familiar with the rule since their own player, wide receiver Corey Surrency, had his college career cut short earlier last year when it was found that he had played a season of semi-pro football past the age of 21.

Balogun filed a civil lawsuit in Oklahoma District Court on Tuesday and received a temporary restraining order. The case will be heard on Monday.

Balogun's lawsuit is in reaction to the NCAA's investigation of Balogun's eligibility, which was certified before last season. But the NCAA now questions whether Balogun played football past his 21st birthday.

According to NCAA rules, for every season an athlete plays semi-pro football past his 21st birthday, he loses a season of eligibility. And since Balogun, 25, is a senior, it would end his college career if he is found to have violated those rules.

Interestingly, it appears that Florida State officers went to great lengths to check out Balogun's case. They initially told the Big 12 Conference, but were told the conference was satisfied with Oklahoma's original findings.

But Florida State's compliance office apparently delved much deeper after that, the Oklahoman reports.

(Read full post)

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Welcome.

Here are today's Big 12 links. Enjoy them. 

• Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione tells the Tulsa World's Dave Sittler that he still believes the Sooners will meet Notre Dame in a two-game series in 2012 and 2013.
• The Williams and Hyatt Show Blog lists a few things we won't hear at the Big 12 media gathering next week in Arlington, Texas.
• Austin American-Statesman columnist Kirk Bohls isn't buying Texas freshman running back Chris Whaley's nickname of "Zeus" -- yet.
• USA Today's Steve Wieberg details Bill Snyder's plans for returning the Kansas State program back to the level he once had it.
• Lane Johnson, a 6-foot-6, 250-pound high school quarterback-turned-tight end, has joined Oklahoma's program after playing at Kilgore College last season, the Tulsa World's Guerin Emig reports.
• The Topeka Capital-Journal's Tully Corcoran writes that Heisman hype for quarterback Todd Reesing would be completely out of character for the Kansas football program.
• Paul Myerburg of the New York Times' blog The Quad ranks Missouri No. 53 in his national preseason poll.
• Mike Sherman's understated dry wit is highlighted by Brent Zwerneman of the Houston Chronicle/San Antonio Express-News. 
• Kansas running back Jake Sharp tells the Lawrence Journal-World's Jesse Newell that he always has been motivated by having something to prove to his critics.
• Athlon Sports.com looks at what happened to the top 10 recruits in the 2004 recruiting class -- including No. 1 Adrian Peterson and No. 2 Rhett Bomar.
• Kansas City Star Big 12 reporter Blair Kerkhoff predicts a Kansas-Texas championship game in the conference this season.
• Nebraska officials hope to add to the game-day experience at Memorial Stadium with two new replay boards and two ribbon boards that will stretch longer than a football field, the Lincoln Journal-Star's Brian Christopherson reports.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Former Oklahoma quarterback Rhett Bomar apparently still has a few friends inside the Sooners program despite his ballyhooed departure a few years ago.

Bomar, who recently signed a four-year contract with the New York Giants, was recently seen at Bungalow, the chic rooftop lounge above Joyce Champagne Lounge in Dallas.

His companion there, according to the Alan Peppard of The Dallas Morning News, was current Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford.

One year after Bomar was kicked off the Sooners' team for an NCAA rules violation, Bradford replaced him as the starting quarterback.

Who knows? Maybe they were talking about how much the Sooners' offense evolved in Kevin Wilson's no-huddle offense last season.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

	J. Meric/Getty Images
	Sam Bradford has the ipportunity to become the first back-to-back Heisman winner in over 50 years.

While putting together a chart earlier this week, I was struck by the unique opportunity Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford will have during the upcoming season.

Bradford will obviously have a chance to become the first back-to-back Heisman Trophy winner since Archie Griffin in 1974 and '75. But he'll also be able to become the first player in recent memory to quarterback a team that won three-straight conference championships.

It also got me thinking about the different quarterbacks that have played for Bob Stoops over his coaching tenure at Oklahoma.

Stoops is a wise coach and has never made the comment about which quarterback accomplished the most for him while at Oklahoma.

So I'll take care of it for him. Here are my rankings. Please feel free to comment.

1. Sam Bradford (starter in 2007-08) -- The first quarterback to lead his team to back-to-back Big 12 championships won the Heisman after his sophomore season. And he's poised for even more in the upcoming season.

2. Josh Heupel (starter in 1999-2000) -- The transfer from Snow Junior College jump-started Stoops' tenure in his first season and capped his career by leading the Sooners to the 2000 national championship. He doesn't have the statistics of some quarterbacks I ranked below him, but he has the ultimate accomplishment with the national championship.

3. Jason White (starter for some of 2001, 2003-04) - Stoops' other Heisman winner led his team to back-to-back BCS title games by throwing for 40 touchdowns in 2003 and 35 in 2004.

4. Nate Hybl (starter for most of 2001, 2002) -- Georgia transfer led the Sooners to back-to-back bowl victories and the 2002 Big 12 title.

5. Paul Thompson (starter for one game in 2005, 2006) -- I've got to think that Thompson might be one of Stoops' favorite players. He unselfishly moved to wide receiver in 2005 without complaint. And he pulled together the pieces in 2006 after the Bomar fiasco, an early loss to Texas and a 3-2 start to still lead the Sooners to the Big 12 title. It might have been Stoops' most satisfying title.

6. Rhett Bomar (starter for most of 2005 season) -- Ah, what might have been. But Stoops probably doesn't give too much thought to all of that, considering he's won the Big 12 title every season since Bomar left Oklahoma.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

I know it's still more than four months away from the start of the regular season. And for some fans, the NFL draft just won't do more than merely whet your appetite for more football that won't be forthcoming.

That's why ESPN Classic is so cool, especially with its occasional offerings of previous Big 12 games.

Kansas State fans should tune in at 11 a.m. ET today to check out the 2002 Holiday Bowl game against Arizona State. Watching Darren Sproles and Ell Roberson rip through the Sun Devils might convince Wildcat fans -- and maybe even coach Bill Snyder -- how much better the past was.

And at 5 p.m. today on the same channel, Nebraska and Oklahoma will meet in the replay of a 2005 game between the two old rivals. That era -- with Rhett Bomar directing the Sooners against a Nebraska team coached by Bill Callahan -- probably isn't remembered nearly as wistfully by Sooner and Cornhusker fans.  

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Spring practice has sparked an outpouring of letters and e-mails about the events taking place across the Big 12. Here are some of the more notable missives I received this week.

Jonny from Chicago writes: Hey, Tim. Are any Big 12 schools known for the type of NFL positions prospects they have produced over the years. For instance, Penn State is commonly referred to as "Linebacker U" and USC has the nickname of "Tailback U". Any in the Big 12 you can think of?

Tim Griffin: Good question. There aren't any as notable as the ones you mentioned, but here are a few of the most notable trends I could find when I thought about the Big 12 and the NFL draft.

Colorado: Wide receivers. The Buffaloes have had four first-round selections since 1991, although none since 1997. Included in the list are Rae Carruth, Charles Johnson, Michael Westbrook and Mike Pritchard.

Texas: Defensive backs. This is the conference's most consistent factory at any position. The Longhorns have six first-round selections at the position since 1991 -- Stanley Richard, Bryant Westbrook, Quentin Jammer, Michael Huff, Michael Griffin and Aaron Ross. It's almost like a machine turning out No. 1 picks under defensive backs coach Duane Akina.

Nebraska: Defensive ends. The Cornhuskers have had six defensive ends picked in the first two rounds of the NFL draft since 1997. That's included key producers like Grant Wistrom, Adam Carriker, Mike Rucker, Kyle Vanden Bosch and Chris Kelsay.

Oklahoma: It's more quantity for the Sooners than top-round quality, with nine defensive backs picked since Bob Stoops took over. That list has included only two first-round selections -- Roy Williams and Andre Woolfolk.

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Steve from Overland Park, Kan., writes: Tim, if you were starting an NFL team and you could have your choice of any Big 12 player who is on a college roster this spring, who would you pick.

Tim Griffin: Given the choice, I think Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford would look awfully good on my team. I like his size and arm a little better than Colt McCoy, and I also think Bradford will hold up better in the NFL. Among others I would strongly consider include Oklahoma tight end Jermaine Gresham, Oklahoma defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant, Texas defensive end/linebacker Sergio Kindle and Baylor defensive tackle Phil Taylor.

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G from Gering, Neb., writes: Will you be attending any of Nebraska's spring practices this year? And what are you specifically looking for?

Tim Griffin: G, I'm headed up there to watch on Saturday morning if I don't get snowed out along the way. I know most coaches have vanilla workouts when the media is around. But I'll be curious if Zac Lee's arm is really as good as I've heard. I'm also going to be looking at Nebraska's receivers as they replace the sizable hole created by the departure of Nate Swift and Todd Peterson. And I'll be curious to see what kind of attitude the Cornhuskers have on defense. They need to be more aggressive in terms of creating turnovers. And if I know Bo Pelini, he's probably coaching that into them from their first spring practice.

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Jason from Fort Collins, Colo., writes: Tim: In an offensive conference like the Big 12, who do you see as having the top defenses for this upcoming season?

Tim Griffin: I would expect the conference's top two defenses to be Oklahoma and Texas, who I also think will have the conference's two best teams.

I like Oklahoma's just a little bit more because of the return of players like McCoy, Jeremy Beal, Travis Lewis and Dominique Franks. If the Sooners can find a couple of safeties, they'll be one of the best in the country.

And linebackers Austin Box and Ryan Reynolds and defensive end Auston English could be among the best players in the conference at their best position if they can come back from injuries. Their return will only boost the production of Brent Venables' unit.

I also like Texas if they can find some help for Kindle along the defensive front. I expect some of the younger players in the secondary to challenge existing starters for playing time.

And I think Nebraska can be very good as the Cornhuskers work for the second season under Pelini. They need for Barry Turner to come back healthy at defensive end. And it will be interesting to see if Jared Crick is as good as I'm hearing at defensive tackle next to Ndamukong Suh.

Not coincedentially, those three teams should be among the best in the Big 12 this year. I think the teams with the best defenses will have a huge advantage in a conference like the Big 12 where the offenses will be so potent.

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N. Hodgin from Alpharetta, Ga., writes: Tim, Where did Patrick Witt transfer to?

Tim Griffin: It still is undetermined, although I hear he's considering UCLA, Stanford, Duke and Yale.

Obviously, the question for him will be whether he wants to play immediately, which he could do if he went to an FCS school. Recent Big 12 transfers like Rhett Bomar and Bobby Reid were able to do that.

If Witt wants to play at another FBS school, he'll have to sit out a year.

His family has hinted to several Nebraska newspapers that he might move and give up his football career.

But I frankly don't see that happening. I would look for him to end up at another FBS school, getting a year to learn the offense before playing again 2010.

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Zeyad from Tulsa writes: Oklahoma has a good chance at going undefeated this year as long as they get by Texas. But with the Sooners' soft schedule and their recent letdowns in big games do you think there's a chance they will get voted out of the national championship game if they finish undefeated? Especially if it would end up being a rematch of last season?

Tim Griffin: Zeyad, I think that any team that goes undefeated in the Big 12 is going to have a great shot at playing for the national championship. And I would also argue about Oklahoma having a soft schedule. The Sooners will be playing bowl teams like BYU and Tulsa and also have a trip to Miami among their nonconference games. That's in addition to playing all of the schools in the Big 12 South along with road games at projected Big 12 North title contenders Kansas and Nebraska and a potential Big 12 championship game. The Sooners won't have to apologize for that schedule.

Thanks again for all of the e-mails and letters and please keep them coming. We'll check back again next week.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Here are some recruiting stories that are being discussed across the Big 12 as the recruiting period finishes up.

• Missouri is looking for heralded defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson to serve as a foundation to help recruit future top defensive line prospects, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Gerry Fraley writes.
• The Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Trae Thompson details the best and worst of Dallas-Fort Worth area recruiting so far this year.
• Natalie Meisler of the Denver Post writes about how Internet technology has changed recruiting.
• Look for heralded running back Christine Michael of Beaumont West Brook to get an immediate chance to jump-start Texas A&M's moribund running game, Brent Zwerneman of the San Antonio Express-News/Houston Chronicle writes.
• The Dallas Morning News' Brandon George looks back at top 100 Dallas-area players of the 2004 recruiting class. No. 1 player Rhett Bomar is projected as a first-day NFL draft choice. And No. 93 pick Jason Smith should become a top 10 pick in the NFL draft.
• The Lincoln Journal-Star's Brian Christopherson talks to Cody Green's high school coach for insight into the freshman quarterback who is expected to challenge for a starting position next fall.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell struggled through a difficult performance during Saturday night's Under Armour Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala.

Harrell completed 4 of 13 passes for the North team, which dropped a 35-18 decision to the South in the annual matchup of top senior talent.

The record-breaking Texas Tech quarterback started the game, but led the North on no scoring drives in his five possessions. His first three possessions were three-and-outs, directing the North to only two first downs in his playing time.

The most notable Big 12 performer was Oklahoma wide receiver Juaquin Iglesias of the North, who produced game-high totals of six receptions for 90 yards. Iglesias' 41-yard reception from Sam Houston State quarterback Rhett Bomar that was the game's longest play from scrimmage.

Here is how other Big 12 players performed in the game.

• Missouri's Ziggy Hood (North) started at left defensive tackle and produced one assist.
• Missouri's William Moore (North) started at strong safety, notched one tackle.
• Texas' Quan Cosby (South) produced one reception for 15 yards.
• Oklahoma's Phil Loadholt (North) started at right tackle and Oklahoma State's Brandon Pettigrew (North) started at tight end. Neither player had any recorded statistics.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Even some spotty cable service can't keep these links from being served today. Enjoy them.

• Former Oklahoma quarterback Rhett Bomar tells the Associated Press' John Zenor that he couldn't watch the Sooners' BCS championship game loss against Florida because of too many painful memories.
• Former Colorado players Bernard Jackson and Lionel Harris could receive reduced charges in a plea-bargaining deal in connection with a home-invasion style robbery for which they were jailed last summer, the Boulder Camera's Kyle Ringo reports.
• Former Texas defensive lineman Shane Dronett, 38, was found dead Wednesday at his home in suburban Atlanta. Austin American-Statesman beat writer Suzanne Halliburton has remembrances from his teammates and former coaches.
• Omaha Millard's Ty Kildow's recruiting story is a little different than most, Brian Christopherson of the Lincoln Journal-Star reports. The 5-foot-7, 170-pound Kildow will walk-on at Nebraska, where he ran the fastest 40-yard dash time at summer camp several days before tearing his ACL there in a 7-on-7 drill that caused him to miss his senior season.
• The Oklahoman's Berry Tramel writes that new Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Bill Young will become only the second coach to serve as a coordinator at Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Tulsa. The other was Larry Coker.
• Tulsa World sports editor Mike Strain doesn't agree with Oklahoma State's policy of making Georgia a premium game, but credits athletic director Mike Holder for trying to build the Cowboys' season-ticket base.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Here are 10 items to watch for across the Big 12 this weekend.

1. Chase Daniel's offensive surge: Missouri has scored on its last 13 possessions over the last two games with Daniel directing the offense. They should have another easy game Saturday against Buffalo, but can Daniel keep his amazing offensive production going? His Heisman candidacy is improving with each performance.

2. Texas A&M's starting quarterback: Stephen McGee's streak of 29 straight starts as Texas A&M's quarterback is in jeopardy after he sustained a sprained right shoulder in the Aggies' most recent game at New Mexico. Will he be ready to go Saturday against Miami? Or will Coach Mike Sherman instead opt for talented backup Jerrod Johnson, who passed for three touchdowns to direct the Aggies' first victory of the season after McGee's injury?

3. Texas' young secondary against Rice's sophisticated passing offense: Freshman safeties Earl Thomas and Blake Gideon made it through unscathed against UTEP. But they'll be taking a big step forward when facing Rice QB Chase Clement and the Owls' talented and underrated receivers James Casey and Jarrett Dillard.

4. Any lingering reaction from Miami's beat-down over Texas A&M last season: Dennis Franchione's program is gone for the Aggies. The Aggies will have a chance Saturday to blot away memories from one of the recent humiliations in school history stemming from last season's disappointing loss at the Orange Bowl. And new A&M coach Mike Sherman can regain some of his lost luster after his season-opening loss against Arkansas State with an upset on Saturday.

5. How will Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree react to the pointed criticism of Mike Leach? Harrell passed for 418 yards and five touchdowns and Crabtree won AT&T national Player of the Week honors after grabbing eight receptions for 164 yards and three TDs last week after a 43-7 victory over SMU. And Leach still wasn't happy. What will they do for an encore against a leaky Massachusetts defense that has allowed an average of 47 points per game in its last two games?

6. Iowa State's Vegas vacation: Gene Chizik says the Cyclones will bunk far away from the Strip in preparation for Saturday's game against UNLV. Will staying away from the bright lights of the casinos help them snap a 12-game road losing streak, including the last six games with Chizik?

7. Robert Griffin's encore: After breaking the Big 12 single-game rushing-average record last week against Washington State in only his second career start, the freshman Baylor quarterback now steps up in class against an underrated Connecticut defense in a national television contest. A big effort could be huge statement for Art Briles' rebuilding efforts.

8. Rhett Bomar's return to the Big 12: The former Oklahoma quarterback transferred to Sam Houston State after washing out with the Sooners. Bomar led the Sooners to a 19-3 victory over Kansas in his last game against them in 2005. Will he be as productive against a much improved Jayhawks team -- with a much diminished team in terms of talent around him?

9. Texas' running game: The Longhorns have struggled at times running the ball. But the emergence of Fozzy Whittaker might have given them a breakaway threat. He should have a lot of opportunities against Rice, which has been gashed for an average of 317.4 rushing yards per game in its seven games against Mack Brown's Texas teams.

10. Missouri's retooled secondary: Starting FS William Moore isn't expected to play Saturday against Buffalo after reinjuring his right foot last week. Converted CB Del Howard will start in his place. Howard will be challenged by Buffalo WR Naaman Roosevelt, who made headlines last week with his game-winning, final-play TD catch against Temple.