ESPN College Football

Seems like a great day for nonbinding mediation, no?

• Is West Virginia nearing a settlement with the Big East? There seems to be conflicting information. Will it pay $20 million? Or $11 million? Mike Casazza of the Charleston Daily Mail has a little more on what it all means. He's also saying $11 million is the number.
• Don't look for Oklahoma AD Joe Castliglione to be the new Big 12 commissioner, or even a candidate, writes The Oklahoman's Berry Tramel.
• Very cool stats and a graphic on where all the high school prospects in Texas spread out and signed to play their college football. Nice work from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
• Kansas State looks like it has its defensive coordinator, writes Kellis Robinett of the Kansas City Star.
• Don Williams of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal offers up his preview of Tech's receivers before the team leads off as the first Big 12 team to start spring practice.
• Former Kansas State coach Ron Prince is jumping from the Indianapolis Colts to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
• An Iowa State defensive back has left the team after being charged with fourth-degree robbery.
• The gap between the haves and have nots has been widened by realignment, writes Matt Hayes of Sporting News.
• Changes to the BCS are probably coming, but not for a while, says SEC commissioner Mike Slive.

Collin Klein was handed a laminated card at the first team meeting after Bill Snyder had been re-hired as coach at Kansas State.

On it were the building blocks upon which Snyder started one of the greatest program turnarounds in college football history: Snyder's 16 Goals.

Meetings in which Snyder doesn't reference one or more of them are rare. He's spent the past three seasons imprinting his philosophy on his players.

"You really want me to recite them?" the Wildcats junior quarterback asked.

Oh, yes. Yes, we do.

No problem.

"Commitment. Unselfishness. Unity. Improve. Be tough. Self-discipline. Great effort. Enthusiasm. Eliminate mistakes. Never give up. Expect to win. No self-limitations. Don’t accept losing. Consistency. Leadership. Responsibility," Klein said. "I think that’s in order, if I’m not mistaken."

The philosophy is working. Snyder's team has become a reflection of himself: hard-working, disciplined and making the most of what it puts out on the field every Saturday.

The team didn't feel strongly one way or another about the set of largely abstract objectives when Snyder first introduced them back in 2009.

But now?

"We’ve come to see the value and the importance of their role more recently," Klein said. "The more we’re around them, the more we appreciate them, for sure."

It's no wonder. The media picked the Wildcats to finish eighth in the Big 12. Oddsmakers told Kansas State it would lose the past four weeks.

Snyder's team, though, is 6-0 and ranked No. 11. It's only 60 minutes against rival Kansas on Saturday from setting up one of the biggest games in school history, a showdown with national title contender Oklahoma at, of course, Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium.

This, despite being outgained in each of the past four games: road victories over Miami and Texas Tech and home wins over Missouri and a ranked Baylor team.

"I’m not so sure that statistics win ballgames for you. I don’t think many coaches really believe in that. I think we’ve been-- a lot of things happen. I think we’ve had good fortune. I think our youngsters have played hard," Snyder said. "We’re fortunate to be where we are. I certainly understand that, can appreciate that ... There’s not a great deal of thought given to what’s happened in the first six ballgames, other than mistakes that we’ve made and how we might improve on those and get them corrected."

You can figure by now, his team feels the same way, having long since bought into Snyder's way.

His team has the third-fewest penalties in the Big 12. No Big 12 team has turned the ball over fewer times than the Wildcats' seven.

Can't win in total yards? Win everywhere else. The Wildcats blocked two field goals against Texas Tech and returned an interception and a kickoff for touchdowns.

"We have been able to avoid beating ourselves in most instances. We haven’t put ourselves in extremely bad positions," Snyder said. "We’ve been a little more disciplined during the season that have allowed us not to make mistakes that put your football team in jeopardy. And I think they have the spirit, passion and belief in what they’re doing. They’re doing it and they play together very well."

If you're keeping count, Snyder, in one quote, referenced six of his 16 goals. Nine if you want to count liberally.

It's not hard to get behind Snyder, as his team has. His status as a coaching legend speaks for itself. And that's before Snyder speaks to his players.

Klein, a Colorado native, and safety Tysyn Hartman knew who Snyder was in grade school, and Hartman didn't even follow college football before he began the recruiting process.

"It was kind of one of those awe moments," Hartman says of his first in-person meeting with Snyder after the coach took over for Ron Prince.

What sticks with Klein still is how much Snyder cares about his players. Even from the first meeting, it was obvious, though Klein can't put his finger on exactly what's so attractive about it.

"I was walking into the complex, and he obviously wasn’t coaching at that time, but I met him, shook his hand. He asked how I was doing," Klein said, "but it seemed like he really cared how I was doing. He really cared about me. He obviously didn’t even know me at that time. That was pretty special. ... Once you get to talk to him, once you get to know him, you just feel it. It’s genuine, it’s sincere. It’s constant. I respect it and it's something I definitely will emulate in my own life.

Special is a perfect word for what Kansas State is doing this season. And to see the reason why, just look for that purple windbreaker and silver hair roaming the sidelines.

"Nobody really expected this out of us. We started the season and most people had us winning like four games all season," Hartman said. "It's great."

Bill Snyder's name carries a lot with it at any mention.

He's one of the greatest coaches to ever roam the sidelines, turning one of the worst programs in major conference football into Big 12 champions.

Hey, you're the guy they named K-State's stadium after! And the highway driving into Manhattan, Kansas!

But he also has a reputation -- one he is not ashamed of, and has fair reasons -- for being a coach that loves his cupcakes. He loves them every year and loves them at home.

Eastern Kentucky? Kent State? Puerto Rico A&M? Delicious. (I may have made that last one up.)

So, how, exactly, did Kansas State end up gearing up for a trip to Miami to play the Hurricanes on Saturday?

"I have absolutely no idea," Snyder said Monday.

Ron Prince, that's how. The man tabbed to replace Snyder at Kansas State didn't share Snyder's affinity for baked goods and scheduled games against Auburn, Louisville, UCLA -- all on the road. Kansas State didn't win a single one. Prince lasted three seasons and finished with a 17-20 overall record.

But he scheduled ambitiously in the future, as well, leaving behind future games with Oregon, Virginia Tech and yes, Miami, as part of his legacy.

K-State canceled those matchups against the Ducks and Hokies. But the Hurricanes?

"It’s probably something we couldn’t get out of," Snyder said.

Miami returns to Manhattan -- or at least, is scheduled to -- next year. Auburn hosted the first half of a home-and-home against K-State in 2007. The back half is still slated for 2014.

Those are the last pieces left of the Ron Prince Era, which ended after the 2008 season. Playing two FCS teams (UMass, Tennessee Tech) actually kept Kansas State out of a bowl game in 2009, but in the future, regardless of which conference Kansas State is playing in, expect the Wildcats to stay at home.

"It’s always been my preference to play our nonconference schedule at home," he said. "In past years we’ve been able to do that, and unfortunately, we weren’t able to this year."

Last spring, Snyder joked that he wouldn't be on the sidelines for games against Oregon and Miami, regardless if the games remained on the schedule. Here's guessing he'll be on the team charter to South Beach this weekend, but his stance has remained consistent.

"The Big 12 is tough enough in its own right, as we all know. You go through the season and halfway through you’ve got seven or so of the Big 12 teams are in the top 15 in the country. So you’ve got a very strength-based conference," he told ESPN.com last March. "We already play eight games in the conference. We don’t need to play the same kind of games throughout the entirety of the season."

But for now, Snyder is faced with reality. The Hurricanes are engulfed in turmoil, and will be throughout the season, despite beating Ohio State 24-6 on Saturday.

So how does K-State deal with a reality it would rather not experience?

"I’d try to find a way to become twice as fast as we are right now, and I’m not sure I have the solution for that," Snyder told a reporter on Monday's Big 12 coaches teleconference. "Maybe you could help."

Ron Prince's tenure at Kansas State lasted just three seasons, and the Wildcats finished just one of them in the postseason and with a winning record -- in 2006, Prince's first.

According to a report in the Manhattan Mercury, it almost never happened.

In 2005, Bill Snyder had a change of heart shortly after "retiring."

"About two weeks after he retired, he met with president (Jon) Wefald, Mr. (Bob) Krause and Mr. (Tim) Weiser, and indicated that he'd had a change of heart and wanted to resume his position as head football coach," former K-State associate athletic director Jim Epps testified during a deposition in the case involving former coach Ron Prince. "I wasn't there. I was told this."

That's what we like to call a fascinating anecdote.

Snyder also reportedly considered retiring after the 2004 season, but decided to give it another season.

After that brief change of heart, Snyder looked to settle into retirement while Prince took over at Kansas State, rebuffing interest from six other schools wondering if he'd be open to coaching again.

So why didn't Kansas State decide to keep its legendary coach who had logged 17 seasons in Manhattan, a Big 12 title and a stadium that's now named after him?

Wefald told The Mercury this week that he felt Snyder's heart wasn't fully invested into actually returning and that it was simply a case of Snyder being uneasy about retiring. That's why the former KSU president said the decision was made to move forward in finding a new football coach.

Snyder's teams won 11 games in six of seven seasons from 1997-2003, but suffered through a pair of losing seasons in 2004 and 2005 before Snyder retired.

Since returning to the field in 2009, Snyder's teams are 14-12 and returned to a bowl game in the 2010 season.

Take heed, football fans: Three months from Monday we'll be digesting our first weekend of college football. That means nonconference play.

No team in the Big 12 has a schedule stocked solely with cream puffs, but like we all know, not all nonconference schedules are created equal. Here's how they rank in the Big 12, according to toughness.

1. Oklahoma -- Tulsa, at FSU, Ball State

The Sooners' headliner is a mammoth matchup in Tallahassee with Florida State on Sept. 17, but in-state opponent Tulsa visits Norman to open the season. The Golden Hurricane won 10 games last season. Oklahoma also faces Ball State.

2. Texas A&M -- SMU, Idaho, Arkansas

The Aggies and Hogs will meet up in Cowboys Stadium for the Big 12's second-best nonconference game. June Jones is building a solid program at SMU, which has been to bowl games in two consecutive seasons. Idaho will also visit College Station.

3. Texas -- Rice, BYU, at UCLA

Texas' nonconference slate should give a solid indication of what to expect in Year One of Mack Brown: Redux. After opening with Rice in Austin, Brigham Young comes to town. The Cougars can beat the Longhorns in Austin, and a trip to UCLA won't be easy, even with revenge in mind from last season's 34-12 embarrassment at home.

4. Iowa State -- Northern Iowa, Iowa, at UConn

The Cyclones' trip to Connecticut isn't as daunting as it could have been last season. The reigning Big East champs lose five starters on offense, including All-American running back Jordan Todman. Paul Rhoads will host Iowa and try to get his first win over the Hawkeyes, and the Cyclones host in-state opponent Northern Iowa.

5. Oklahoma State -- Louisiana-Lafayette, Arizona, at Tulsa

A rematch with Alamo Bowl opponent Arizona is the highlight of the Cowboys nonconference schedule, but OSU also travels to Tulsa. Avoiding the early struggles they had in last season's Friday night win over Louisiana-Lafayette in the Bayou would be welcomed in the Ragin' Cajuns return game to Stillwater.

6. Baylor -- TCU, Stephen F. Austin, Rice

The Bears, hosting TCU this time around, would like to atone for last season's 45-10 beat down in Fort Worth. Weaker in-state opponents didn't give the Bears trouble last season, but Stephen F. Austin and Rice will try to trip up the Bears in Waco after the opener against the Horned Frogs.

7. Missouri -- Miami OH, at Arizona State, Western Illinois

The Tigers got gypped in last season's nonconference schedule rankings, after Illinois and San Diego far exceeded expectations. A trip to Tempe to face the Sun Devils is the highlight this season, but Miami (OH) and Western Illinois won't have fans stuffing Faurot Field early on.

8. Kansas State -- Eastern Kentucky, Kent State, at Miami

Miami, like the Wildcats themselves, is a wild card this season in the program's first year under Al Golden. The trip to Coral Gables, Fla., won't be easy for the Cats. The back end of Ron Prince's ambitious scheduling is nearly finished, but in the new Big 12 under Bill Snyder having opponents like Eastern Kentucky and Kent State will be more common.

9. Kansas -- McNeese State, Northern Illinois, at Georgia Tech

Kansas got its best win last season against defending ACC champs Georgia Tech, but the Yellowjackets disappointed the rest of the way and finished 6-7. Northern Illinois is a good MAC team capable of beating Kansas, but the Jayhawks should be able to handle McNeese State.

10. Texas Tech -- Texas State, at New Mexico, Nevada

Nevada loses franchise quarterback Colin Kaepernick and New Mexico has shown no reason it won't be dreadful once again after winning only two games in two years under Mike Locksley. Texas State, meanwhile, is adjusting to life in the FBS.

Colleague Mark Schlabach recently took a look at every major program, handing out a 1-5 health rating on the state of the program.

Here's his scale:

5: Consistent winner with potential to be BCS bowl contender every season
4: Potential to join the sport's elite in the near future
3: Recent mediocre results but seems to be building momentum
2: Recent success but seems to be headed in wrong direction
1: Below-average program with little success in past or future

And here's what he had to say about each team in the Big 12:

Baylor
Rating: 3
The Bears have a star quarterback (Robert Griffin III) and underrated coach (Art Briles), who guided them to their first bowl game in 16 years in 2010. Building a consistent winner will be Briles' biggest challenge.

My take: Agreed. The Bears are moving in the right direction, but still far from becoming an annual elite team.

Iowa State
Rating: 2
The Cyclones can't seem to get over the hump, going 7-6 in 2009 and 5-7 in '10 in coach Paul Rhoads' first two seasons. At least Rhoads won seven more games than Gene Chizik did in his two seasons at Iowa State from 2007-08.

My take: I'd probably give the Cyclones a 3. Iowa State's fall from the postseason had more to do with its schedule, and Paul Rhoads' teams have gotten better every year. This year's team, he feels, is still his best yet, despite losing most of his offense in Austen Arnaud and Alexander Robinson.

Kansas
Rating: 2
Turner Gill's first season as the Jayhawks' coach was an unmitigated disaster, as they limped to their second straight losing record at 3-9. Gill had a lot of success at Buffalo, but competing in the Big 12 might be a different animal.

My take: Agree. There's no telling what's in store for Turner Gill at Kansas, but last year's team was one of the worst in Big 12 history. The Jayhawks should be better in 2011, but KU hasn't proved its two-year free fall in 2009 and 2010 is officially over.

Kansas State
Rating: 2
Even legendary Wildcats coach Bill Snyder is having a hard time cleaning up the mess former KSU coach Ron Prince left behind. In Snyder's second go-around in Manhattan, the Wildcats are 13-12 in two seasons combined.

My take: The 'Cats are straddling 2-3, but 2011 will be a telling year. The Brown Brothers will have a big influence on if Snyder succeeds in "calming the waters" for his second successor.

Missouri
Rating: 4
Gary Pinkel has guided the Tigers to unprecedented success, winning 40 games over the last four seasons and going to six straight bowl games. The only things missing: A Big 12 championship and BCS bowl game.

My take: Agreed. Missouri and Oklahoma State are the closest two teams in the Big 12 to joining college football's elite, and the Tigers took a huge step last year by beating Oklahoma for the first time under Pinkel.

Oklahoma
Rating: 5
Even the sport's best teams suffer a mediocre season every once in a while (OU went 8-4 in 2005 and 8-5 in '09), but Bob Stoops has built one of the most consistent winners in the country. Under his watch, OU has won seven Big 12 titles and played in four BCS National Championship games since 2000.

My take: Eight BCS appearances and one title make anything but a 5 impossible to argue here.

Oklahoma State
Rating: 4
The Pokes won 29 games during the last three seasons combined, including a school-best 11-2 record in 2010. Of course, in-state rival Oklahoma might be OSU's biggest obstacle in joining college football's upper crust.

My take: Oklahoma State missed a golden opportunity to get over the hump last year against Oklahoma, but there's no doubt the Cowboys are getting closer and closer under Mike Gundy, beginning with last year's historic season.

Texas
Rating: 4
The Longhorns have more talent, money and resources at their disposal than just about every other program in the country. That's what makes last season's 5-7 finish so perplexing. With a new coaching staff in place, it shouldn't take Mack Brown long to get UT back on track.

My take: Handing out a three would be a little harsh for the Longhorns, who made it easy to forget this season that they were in the national title game 17 months ago. But is 2011 the next step towards the end, or a rebound year from a shocking 2010?

Texas A&M
Rating: 4
Mike Sherman led the Aggies to a 9-4 record in 2010, nearly equaling his victory total (10-15) from his first two seasons in College Station. Sherman has upgraded the Aggies' talent and has them in position to become a Big 12 challenger every season.

My take: The Aggies finally had their first winning season under Sherman in 2011, and this year's team should be even better. This game is tough to predict, but it's hard to see A&M not ending up in a BCS bowl in the very near future.

Texas Tech
Rating: 3
The Mike Leach fiasco seemed to suck life out of the Texas Tech program, but then former Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville produced an 8-5 record in his first season in Lubbock. At least Tuberville is teaching the Red Raiders how to play defense.

My take: He's teaching them to play defense, but last year, the Red Raiders weren't fast or healthy enough to do it. Changing that is step one to getting Tech back to contender status.

High school players can begin signing today, but the vast majority of them won't make an impact until much later in their careers.

That's not the case for junior college transfers, who could begin signing back in December and preparing to begin their careers at FBS schools.

The Birmingham News compiled the numbers on every school's juco transfers over the past four years, and the Big 12 is a major player. Of the six major conferences, the Big 12 signed the most junior college players on average over that period, with 13.8 signings per team.

The Big 12 has two outliers. Texas, who doesn't bother with junior college players, was one of 12 teams without a juco signee in the past four years. Kansas State, known for mining junior colleges under Bill Snyder and Ron Prince, signed more than any other program in college football, with 39. That's four more than anyone else in college football and 13 more than anyone else in the Big 12.

Here's how the league shook out from the 2006 to 2010 classes:

Football, Cornell-Hofstra. Slaughter. Then quick nap at my place, and we hit the tizzown.

• Over 15 years ago, Dan Beebe's solution to the agent problem was to allow players--and their universities--to sign contracts with the agents, reports Chuck Carlton of the Dallas Morning News. "Then it's all on the table," Beebe said.
• Colorado may be making a second recent addition to its receiving corps, Paul Richardson, a former UCLA player who was kicked off the team in June for an arrest and is facing possible felony theft charges, reports Kyle Ringo of the Boulder Daily Camera. The Buffaloes are finalizing the transfer of former USC receiver Travon Patterson.
• Former Kansas State coach Ron Prince maintained in a deposition that he was guaranteed the money from his five-year, $5.5. million contract, reports Austin Meek of the Topeka Capital-Journal.
• One more position change is nothing new for Texas Tech linebacker Bront Bird, writes Joel Erickson of the Odessa American.
• Nebraska's quarterback uncertainty will test the coaching chops of third-year head man Bo Pelini, writes Steve Sipple of the Lincoln Journal Star.
• Dirk Chatelain of the Omaha World-Herald tells the stories of a few fans fired up for Nebraska's rematch with Texas.
• No, rookie Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant will not carry your pads, Roy Williams. Plenty of room for debate on this one.
• Commissioner Dan Beebe further detailed his efforts to save the Big 12 in a pre-media days interview with The Associated Press.
• Former Longhorn Sergio Kindle is in stable condition after suffering a head injury in a fall down two flights of stairs at a friend's house in Austin, Texas, reports Jamison Hensley of the Baltimore Sun.
• Baylor receiver and 2010 signee Eddie Johnson did not qualify academically and will go to junior college, reports John Werner of the Waco Tribune-Herald. He was ranked as the nation's No. 61 receiver.
• Former Jayhawk Darrell Stuckey's impact is still obvious in Kansas' safeties still in Lawrence, writes Jesse Newell of the Lawrence Journal-World.
• Tom Shatel at the Omaha World-Herald takes some pretty funny shots at the Big 12's summer shake-up in his own Big 12 media days itinerary.
• The Dallas Morning News tabs three freshmen who could make an impact for Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Tech.

New York Post wins for best World Cup headline after the Ghana loss: "This sport is stupid anyway." America, the beautiful.

• The Columbia Tribune's David Briggs looks at the possibility of Missouri starting its own TV network.
• Meanwhile, the startup costs for Texas' network mean trying to earn big money will be a big risk, report Mark Rosner and Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman.
• Should the Big Ten or Big 12 change its name? Brian Christopherson at the Lincoln Journal Star tackles the question, and the answer is probably what you thought.
• Former coach Ron Prince's ambitious scheduling has put Kansas State in an awkward position, writes Tim Bisel in the Topeka Capital-Journal. Here are Bill Snyder's thoughts on the issue from a few months earlier, also.
• Texas Tech chancellor Kent Hance takes the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal's Matthew McGowan through the realignment process from Texas Tech's perspective.
• Bowl officials aren't complaining about what the new Big 12 has to offer, reports Dave Matter of the Columbia Tribune.
• Iowa State's newest recruit is ready for a family in-state rivalry.
• The Oklahoman's Brandon Chatmon looks at how each position on the OSU defense breaks down between current players and incoming recruits.
• Nebraska receiver Niles Paul pleaded guilty to a minor in possession of alcohol charge stemming from a May incident and was ordered to pay $400.
• Turner Gill beat out Florida State for an offensive lineman from California, reports Matt Tait of the Lawrence Journal-World.
• Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman says Oklahoma and Texas are attached at the hip--and it's best for both.
• Lee Barfnecht at the Omaha World-Herald surveys Nebraska's assumed financial gains after joining the Big Ten.
• Life is good for former Colorado linebacker and new Hall of Fame inductee Alfred Williams, Chris Dempsey of The Denver Post reports.

Chris in Houston asks: Why do people keep picking A&M as a dark-horse contender for the Big XII. I realize the offense will be good, but what indications are there that the defense will be able to stop anyone with a pulse?

David Ubben: A lot of it is based on potential, but the Aggies fate rests almost entirely on the defense. New defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter brings a lot of excitement to campus after coaching the No. 11 defense in college football last year.

The offense is replacing three linemen, so they’ll have to be solid for it to happen, but there’s so much talent at the skill positions, they should be at least as good as they were last season.

If the defense can’t get better, the Aggies probably won’t win many more than six games. But they’re bringing nine starters back, and by all accounts, are adjusting well to DeRuyter’s new 3-4 scheme.

The interesting thing about Texas A&M this year is how their schedule sets up. They could possibly be 8-0 heading into November, but that month will define their season. They host Oklahoma and Nebraska before finishing the season in Austin. If they can at least be 7-1 heading into that stretch, they’ll control their own destiny.

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Sam in Albion, Wash., asks: Hey David, which would you bet on: Missouri scores an average of 40 points per game or more or Nebraska's opponents score an average 15 points per game or less?

DU: Interesting question, Sam. Both have plenty of questions. Nebraska’s replacing a lot everywhere, but they’ve got guys who have potential to be great, and the coaches like their chances to become great. They also have a budding star in Jared Crick on the front line of the defense.

Same with Missouri’s offense, which is replacing a big-play guy in Danario Alexander, but has a lot of talent ready for bigger roles.

But, playing percentages, only two teams in college football scored more than 40 points a game last year. Seven teams held opponents to under 15 points a game.

That would make me lean Nebraska, but the best bet is neither.

Now, if you want to say 30 points a game, one more than Missouri averaged last season, it could be pretty close.

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Rhett in Boulder, Colo., asks: Hey David,I'm a student at CU in Boulder, but am a frim Nebraska fan, it's tough. My question may be from left field, but is there any way the north could come down to the Nebraska-Colorado game the day after Thanksgiving?

DU: Maybe, but the only impact it could have would be playing spoiler. Colorado’s not winning the North this year, and I don’t like their chances of winning in Lincoln with Nebraska possibly looking to clinch the division.

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Matt in Dallas, Texas, asks: Look--your articles on your Big 12 blog, not unlike the Big 12 itself, take on a decidedly pro-Texas slant. So can you take the glasses off and tell us why no one in the Big 12 press is wanting to address the elephant in the room re: Big 10 expansion--that the logical and likely grab from the Big 10 won't be Missouri, but will likely be Nebraska instead? There are only three teams with any sort of national prominence in this conference--taking one away makes the Big 12 wholly irrelevant past the OU/UT tilt in October, doesn't it?

DU: There’s been plenty of talk in the Big 12 media about expansion, but at this point, there’s not much more to talk about beyond speculation. Everything is very fluid, and yes, Nebraska and Missouri are both in play, but until, like Elvis said, there’s a little less conversation and a little more action, there’s very little to talk about that isn't entirely speculation.

But you’re right. On a national stage, if Nebraska leaves, the whole conference would lean in the direction of that game.

However, we like to refer to that phenomenon as “the 2008 season.”

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Brett in Kansas City asks: David, how many years do you think Bill Snyder will continue coaching and who do you think will replace him when he retires

DU: I talked to him about that same question before spring began, and as of now, there’s no real plan in place. The reason he came back was to “calm the waters,” he says. His plan is to elevate the program back to where it once was, when bowl games were commonplace. They haven’t been to one since 2006, and they were blown out by Rutgers under Ron Prince.

If Kansas State can string together a couple 8-9 win seasons, I’d expect a final ride off into the sunset for Snyder.

As for who replaces him, it’s still a little bit early, but I think the Wildcats would want a more established coach as opposed to a first-time head coach like Prince.

But that coaching search could be even five years away.

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Matt in Houston/Texas asks: Ubben, I'm enjoying the blog.I'm just curious, what fanbase pesters you the most (I'm guessing Nebraska) and the least (I'm guessing Baylor or Iowa State). Also, what questions are you sick of hearing?

DU: Nobody really “pesters” me, but I certainly hear from some more than others. Most of my mail is from Nebraska and Texas fans, but I hear from Oklahoma and Texas A&M fans a lot, too. A few Nebraska people thought I was making fun of them with my all-Husker mailbag earlier this spring, but I couldn’t help but notice the change that week, and it made me laugh. It was the first week of the NCAA tournament, and mail from Texas and everyone else kind of tapered off. But if anything, I got more from Nebraska people that week than in a normal week.

I almost never hear from Baylor fans, but I’ve gotten a few notes from Iowa State people. Everyone else is kind of in the middle.

As for your second question, allow me to illustrate my point with a pair of e-mails I received early this week less than six hours apart.



Chris from Tuscon, Ariz., wrote: I know you have a huge mancrush on the Big 12 South so just come out and say it.

M. Hancock in Lubbock, Texas, wrote: After reading your postings for better than two months, I have noticed a definite bias in favor of the North Division of the Big XII.

DU: Whatever people are looking for here, they’re going to find it.

But I think the real lesson in all this is that I’m biased against/hate every team in the Big 12 ... especially yours.

Signing day is just around the corner, and each Big 12 team is doing what it can to keep together its class while adding a late upgrade in talent.

Here's a look at what immediate recruiting needs each North Division team must address first.

Colorado

Running back: With the departure of Darrell Scott and Demetrius Sumler, Dan Hawkins needs to find some talent at running back. With only three scholarship backs on the roster, an immediate talent infusion is needed. Tony Jones is the only commitment and the Buffaloes could use size from a bigger back.

Tight end/H-back: All of the positions are important in Kent Riddle’s offense, and six players graduated from those positions in December. The only player who will return with experience includes junior tight end Ryan Deehan, so Hawkins needs players at the position who can help immediately.

Quarterback: With Tyler Hansen set at quarterback and Cody Hawkins set to graduate after next season, the Buffaloes still would like to add some depth at the position. Nick Hirschman has enrolled early to get a head start on his development, and Josh Moten appears ready to enroll after failing to make his grades before last season.

Iowa State

Across the board talent infusion: The Cyclones already have added 24 commitments for the upcoming season. Junior college players like massive offensive lineman Jon Caspers, defensive end Rony Nelson, wide receiver Anthony Young and tight end Ricky Howard should provide an immediate lift. And look for coach Paul Rhoads to add a couple of more to capitalize on the late momentum from the Insight Bowl victory.

Running back: Preparing for the future will be important as Alexander Robinson will be entering his senior season. Freshmen Beau Blankenship still has some developing to do and Jeremiah Schwartz has left the program. The Cyclones have added depth with the addition of Duran Hollis and Shontrelle Johnson. Don’t be surprised if Hollis moves positions once he comes to college if Johnson develops as expected.

Wide receiver: The Cyclones had trouble making big plays and could use a talent boost at the position. Leading 2009 receiver Marquis Hamilton has graduated and Jake Williams will be a senior next season. Recruits Jarvis West and Chris Young appear to have addressed those needs.

Kansas

Defensive end: The Jayhawks could use a talent upgrade here with occasional starters Jeff Wheeler and Maxwell Onyegbule graduated, and Jake Laptad and Quintin Woods entering their senior seasons in 2010. It became more of a need after Oklahoma beat out the Jayhawks for top defensive end prospect Geneo Grissom earlier this week.

Quarterback: With unproven Kale Pick set to take over for Todd Reesing, the Jayhawks have added junior college transfer Quinn Mecham of Snow Junior College to immediately contend for playing time. Meacham threw for 3,091 yards and 40 touchdowns last season and has already captured the attention of new offensive coordinator Chuck Long because of his experience in the spread offense.

Secondary: New coach Turner Gill also needs help in the secondary where starters Darrell Stuckey and Justin Thornton were seniors and Philip Strozier, Chris Harris and Calvin Rubles will be seniors next season.

Kansas State

Adjust time-held notions to recruiting: Bill Snyder said recruiting seemed “out of kilter” in his first season back because of how teams now are in a hurry to link up with rising juniors. This strategy has caused Snyder to change his recruiting strategy, looking into signing more players earlier than in his previous coaching strategy.

Junior-college additions again will be critical in the trenches: Snyder has attacked the junior colleges with his traditional fervor as he attempts to unearth a couple of under-recruited gems in the offensive line and defensive lines -- the Wildcats’ two primary needs. Also, the Wildcats need some immediate help from the junior colleges after a recruiting imbalance during the last two seasons under Ron Prince that has left them with a need for immediate contributors. Snyder has estimated that up to 13 players will enroll at the semester break to contend immediately for playing time.

Quarterback: Even with a crowded group of potential contenders at the position, Snyder is still considering another quarterback. Carson Coffman, Sammuel Lamur, Collin Klein and Oregon transfer Chris Harper all are in the mix at the position heading into spring practice.

Missouri

Wide receiver: The Tigers have a lot of talent returning, but still will lose leading 2009 receiver Danario Alexander and Jared Perry. The opportunity for eventual playing time will be there for new arrivals, although Jerrell Jackson, Brandon Gerau, T.J. Moe and Wes Kemp will be back.

Nose tackle: The graduation of Jaron Baston and Bart Coslet’s senior-to-be status opens up a position for a contribution in the trenches for the Tigers.

Secondary: All four of Missouri’s projected starters next season -- cornerbacks Carl Gettis and Kevin Rutland and safety Jarrell Harrison and Jasper Simmons -- will be seniors. The Tigers need to restock depth at the position and perhaps move it forward from this class.

Nebraska

Defensive end: The Cornhuskers could use an additional player with Barry Turner graduating and Pierre Allen set to enter his senior season in 2010. They are in the hunt with Oregon for Owamagbe Odighizuwa, a heralded speed rusher from Portland, Ore., who would be the crown jewel in the Cornhuskers’ incoming class if he commits.

Wide receivers: Many players are back, although the Cornhuskers could use an infusion of speed at the position. Niles Paul will be a senior and more talent is needed to make the Cornhuskers competitive with the athletic teams in the South Division like Texas, Oklahoma and Texas Tech.

Safety: Starters Matt O’Hanlon and Larry Asante both will be graduating and Eric Hagg will be a senior in 2010. The Cornhuskers will need some help to join with youngsters Courtney Osborne, Austin Cassidy and P.J. Smith at the position.

The arrival of Mack Brown and Bob Stoops late in the 1990s helped rejuvenate dormant programs at Texas and Oklahoma. By the end of the following decade, both traditional powers were clearly the Big 12's top two programs and among the nation’s best.

The return of Bo Pelini to Nebraska helped the Cornhuskers close the decade strongly and claim a spot just below the Big 12's "Big Two." Texas Tech has been among the nation's most consistent teams of the decade. North teams like Colorado, Kansas State and Missouri all popped up to make at least two appearances in the Big 12 title game.

But Oklahoma and Texas have been the Big 12's behemoths during the recent decade. Here's how I rank the programs ranked based on their accomplishments in the last decade.

1. Oklahoma: The Sooners earn a slight edge over Texas despite the same number of victories in the decade because Bob Stoops took them to six Big 12 titles. The earlier teams depended more on defense, while Stoops’ more recent squads have been offensive juggernauts to reflect the overall change in the Big 12.

2. Texas: A victory in the BCS title game earlier this month might have catapulted Texas into the top slot. Mack Brown has pushed his program into parity with Oklahoma after struggling with the Sooner dynasty built by Stoops earlier in the decade.

3. Nebraska: The Cornhuskers withstood more tumult in the last decade than in any era since Bob Devaney turned the program in 1962. Even with two coaching changes, Bo Pelini has the Cornhuskers steered to the top of the North Division and poised for much more heading into the new decade.

4. Texas Tech: Mike Leach took the Red Raiders to an 84-43 record during the decade, with another victory added by Ruffin McNeill in the Valero Alamo Bowl for third place among Big 12 teams in victories. They fall behind Nebraska because they still have never advanced to the Big 12 title game or claimed a BCS bowl berth. That will be Tommy Tuberville’s task to change the culture and break that ceiling for the program.

5. Kansas State: The program was at its best during the early part of the decade when Bill Snyder took the Wildcats to the last title by a North Division team in 2003. The program dipped under Ron Prince, but could be poised to make another step forward after confounding prognosticators by remaining in the North Division title hunt until the last game in 2009.

6. Missouri: Gary Pinkel has the program humming with two title-game berths, strong incoming talent and a reputation as the conference’s foremost developers of unheralded recruiting talent. Pinkel's growth has been strong, but he still needs to take them another step where they start winning conference championships and appearing in BCS bowl games.

7. Oklahoma State: The infusion of T. Boone Pickens’ money has helped make the Cowboys’ facilities as good as most in college football. That growth has helped pick up recruiting as Mike Gundy’s program has made a bowl trip in four of his five years coaching the Cowboys.

8. Colorado: Gary Barnett had the Buffaloes as the North Division’s most consistent program with four championship game appearances in five seasons, including the 2001 Big 12 title. They haven’t been nearly as successful since Dan Hawkins took over with one bowl trip, no bowl victories or trips to the championship game.

9. Texas A&M: The Aggies still have the elements that could return them to prominence with rich tradition, strong facilities and an ideal recruiting location. But it’s tougher for them to challenge in the South Division with Oklahoma and Texas at the highest levels in recent history and growing programs at Texas Tech, Oklahoma State and even Baylor.

10. Kansas: Mark Mangino has awakened football interest here, but it will be up to Turner Gill to build on that growth. The North Division looks open, but Gill will be challenged to match Mangino’s achievements early in his coaching tenure without an immediate replacement for Todd Reesing at quarterback.

11. Iowa State: Dan McCarney's turnaround of this program in the early part of the decade is one of the more underrated building projects in recent college football history after taking the Cyclones to five bowls in the first six seasons of the decade. Included in that run were two near-misses where the Cyclones legitimately could have made a championship-game appearance with more consistent kicking. Athletic director Jamie Pollard went for the sizzle when he hired Gene Chizik to replace McCarney. He now appears to have found a McCarney clone with steady Paul Rhoads in charge.

12. Baylor: The last decade will be marked by an incredible series of building projects at Baylor, but still no bowl game. The Bears appeared poised in 2009 before Robert Griffin's unfortunate season-ending knee injury. Art Briles turned down a couple of intriguing possibilities to remain at Baylor and try to stem the bowl drought, currently at 15 seasons and counting.

It's understandable why Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard had so many good remarks to say about Paul Rhoads' first season as the Cyclones' head coach.

Rhoads has taken the Cyclones to their first bowl trip since 2005 by qualifying for the Insight Bowl after a 6-6 record. They will meet Minnesota in the Dec. 31 bowl game in Tempe, Ariz.

“When we hired (Rhoads) the expectation between Paul and myself is you want to be in positions like this,” Pollard told the Ames Tribune. "I can’t say I’m completely caught off guard by it, but I wouldn’t be honest if I said I expected it.”

The Cyclones will face a much tougher challenge next season when they trade Baylor, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M for Texas, Oklahoma and Texas Tech in their cross-divisional schedule. But Pollard said Rhoads' first season represents a strong first step.

“It’s a great starting spot,” Pollard said. “But what it is, is a reward on a long journey that will hopefully have greater destinations in the future.”

Rhoads improvement is one of the biggest turnarounds in the nation this season, fashioning a four-game improvement over the 2-10 mark posted by Gene Chizik at ISU last season. If Rhoads can win the Insight Bowl, he would tie Steve Sarkisian's five-game turnaround at Washington.

Here's a look at the first-year coaches around the country and their net improvement they have been able to produce at their new jobs. The 2008 records reflect bowl games, while the 2009 records are complete through the regular season.

Kansas State coach Bill Snyder expects to hit the junior college recruiting trail hard over the next several weeks looking for potential players.

But Snyder doesn't necessarily think he needs an infusion of talent at quarterback.

The Wildcats, who lose starting quarterback Grant Gregory from this season's 6-6 team, have several players on the roster who will get the first shot at the position.

Among the returning players will be Carson Coffman, who played in six games and started the first four games of the season before he was replaced by Gregory. The Wildcats also have Sammuel Lamur, Collin Klein and Oregon transfer Chris Harper at the position.

"That doesn't mean we wouldn't necessarily take a quarterback because it is such a prominent position," Snyder told reporters Tuesday at his year-end press conference. "But I'm not uncomfortable with what we have returning."

Snyder expects to lean heavily on junior college additions to help alleviate a depth problem that was aggravated by the loss of a large number of junior college players who were recruited by former coach Ron Prince.

"The immediate needs will be community college recruits, some that we thought might come in and compete at a high level for starting positions," Snyder said. "It will probably be an offensive lineman, a defensive lineman or two, perhaps a linebacker. Those are areas that we're looking a little bit more into."

The Wildcats just missed out on a bowl trip, failing to qualify because they defeated FCS opponents Tennessee Tech and Massachusetts as a part of their 2009 non-conference schedule. Only one of those games could be counted for KSU's bowl eligibility.

Snyder said he looks at his first season back after a three-season sabbatical with some regret about his team's late-season performance. The Wildcats were in first place in the North Division in early November and controlled their destiny before losing games to Missouri and Nebraska to finish the season.

"There were some very good things that happened and there were some things that were not very good that happened. There were some disappointments," Snyder said. "But the bottom line for me is that it was a disappointing finish. I was pleased that we made progress during the course of the year. But like everyone else, I was disappointed with the way that we finished."

The Wildcats did show enough improvement over the course of the season that energized Snyder about the upcoming season.

"I think we're ahead of where we were last year when I signed back up for this," Snyder said.