ESPN College Football

ARLINGTON, Texas – Colt McCoy could joke after the game about how much he saw of Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.

“Yeah, we’re best friends,” McCoy said.

Suh had one of the great games in Big 12 championship game history, producing a career-best 4.5 sacks among his team-high 12 tackles -- seven of which were for a loss.

But it wasn’t enough as the Longhorns escaped with a wild 13-12 victory that cost the Cornhuskers their first chance to win a Big 12 title since 1999.


The massive 300-pound senior defensive tackle was a consistent force throughout the game. He slung McCoy around like a rag doll and dominated the interior of the Texas offensive line from the opening snap.

“He’s the staple of our defense,” Nebraska safety Matt O’Hanlon said. “He makes plays that not a lot of other guys could. So for us to have him in the trenches, you know, he just plays his butt off. He makes a lot of plays that no one else makes. So he definitely kept our defense in it.”

If a defensive player ever could have made a statement to win a Heisman Trophy, Suh’s game Saturday night looked like one. Texas guards Michael Huey and Charlie Tanner and center Chris Hall found it impossible keeping him out of the backfield all night long.

“I think he’s the best defensive player at his position in the country,” Nebraska coach Bo Pelini said. “If that means the Heisman Trophy, so be it.”

The finish left Suh subdued and disappointed.

“My initial emotion is that it was very unfortunate how things played out,” Suh said. “But I mean, this team played very, very hard and that’s what we all really do. Like our coach said, the chips fall where they may. Just go out and play as hard as you can.

“They’re going to handle the score, they’re going to do everything to put us in the right position as they did. And all we have to do is go out and play.”

Unfortunately for the Cornhuskers, one play remained at the end of the game. After the controversy on the next-to-last play, Suh was convinced the Cornhuskers had won and that the clock had expired.

“As far as I’m concerned, I thought the game was over, but obviously, it wasn’t,” Suh said.

Longhorn players and coaches were raving about Suh’s performance after the game.

“He’s the best defensive player we’ve played all year,” Texas offensive coordinator Greg Davis said. “He and (Nebraska defensive tackle Jared) Crick are as good a pair as we’ve faced all year. They are so tough to handle because they really get after you.”

Suh came back for his senior season for an opportunity to play in conference championship games and improve his draft stock.

He obviously did both this season, finishing with 82 total tackles and 12 sacks. That total is the third most in Nebraska history and the most since linebacker Trev Alberts notched 15 in 1993.

It’s hard to believe many NFL teams could find a better player on the film than him tonight.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Who said that May is supposed to be the "dog days" of college football?

How great is it that some topic or another seems to percolate for conversation about the Big 12 almost all the time?

Today was no exception.

• Tulsa World sports editor Mike Strain wonders if Texas fans will fly banners over the Big 12 meetings later this month as conference athletic directors gather to discuss tiebreaking rules. And Bryan Eagle columnist Robert Cessna thinks that Big 12 coaches made a wise move by not changing the tiebreaking rules.
• Colorado could be facing a reduction in the number of available football scholarships after player attrition could affect the school's Academic Progress Rate, Boulder Daily Camera beat writer Kyle Ringo reports.
• Former Texas Tech quarterback Sonny Cumbie will be headed back to Lubbock this fall as a graduate assistant coach for the Red Raiders, the San Angelo Standard-Times' Bill Nance reports (hat tip Double T Nation.com). But first, he's got some playing still left as the quarterback for the San Angelo Stampede of the Indoor Football League.
• St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Jeff Gordon says there's some merit to Missouri soliciting an invitation to join the Big Ten, although he thinks adding an Eastern school would be more beneficial to the conference.
• The Omaha World-Herald's Tom Shatel provides his takes on a potential move in the future for Nebraska-Omaha athletic director Trev Alberts back to Nebraska and his stance on a potential penalty for wide receiver Niles Paul.
• The St. Louis Post-Dispatch's staff kicks around whether Missouri can maintain its recent success produced after making back-to-back championship game appearances.
• Austin American-Statesman columnist Kirk Bohls catches up with two Florida fans who are making a cross-country trek in an RV to rally support against the Bowl Championship Series.
• After washing out at their first NFL minicamps, Dave Matter of the Columbia Daily Tribune reports that Tommy Saunders and Chase Patton will likely get another shot with new NFL teams. Saunders has signed with the Detroit Lions and Patton is close to accepting an offer with the Kansas City Chiefs.
• Steve Sipple of the Lincoln Journal-Star had some interesting comments from Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne about some dissatisfaction in the Big 12's current television contract:

"One thing we're looking at [in the Big 12] is television because the SEC kind of stole the march on us with its pact with ESPN, which is very lucrative," Osborne told the Journal-Star. "The Big Ten has its own network. We think that's probably OK but not necessarily a super arrangement for them. So I think there's some thought in the Big 12, with our Fox contract expiring in a couple years, that we need to be ready to make a move. That's something in the next year or so that will need to be more clearly defined."

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

A variety of links from across the Big 12 came through today.

Here's a look at the most topical ones to go with a late lunch.

• Oklahoma signee Justin Chiasson has agreed to a plea-bargaining deal in Clark County (Nev.) Court that will reduce three felony charges to gross misdemeanors, the Oklahoman's Jake Trotter reports. Chiasson has been sentenced to a year of domestic-violence counseling after being accused of holding a screwdriver to the neck of his ex-girlfriend and threatening to kill her.
• Cory McCartney of Sports Illustrated ranked Texas A&M wide receiver Jeff Fuller among his biggest winners of the spring and the Missouri offense as collectively one of his biggest spring losers.
• The Dallas Morning News' Kevin Sherrington has an interesting column with Mike Leach about his running feud with Texas A&M over Stephen McGee's pro prospects. The highlight was a great quote from Leach, who fills notebooks with more regularity than any coach I've ever seen.

"In all my life, I've never been mad at Texas A&M about anything," Leach told the News. "I've always respected their traditions and what makes the school special. It just seems like once every six months, they get upset with me."

• New Nebraska-Omaha athletic director and former Nebraska All-American linebacker Trev Alberts has hit the ground running with some ambitious plans for his new job, Omaha World-Herald reporter Rob White writes. And the World-Herald's Tom Shatel writes that Alberts' hiring could work, despite his lack of previous athletic administrative experience.
• Big 12 coaches will discuss a change in the conference's tiebreaker rule during their meetings in Phoenix next week, the Dallas Morning News' Chuck Carlton reports.
• Kansas athletic director Lew Perkins defends big coaching salaries as money well spent if the coaches are productive, the USA Today's Steve Weiberg reports.
• The Oklahoman's Berry Tramel figures out that the Big 12 is playing only 22.9 percent of its 2009 nonconference games against teams from BCS-affiliated conferences -- the lowest total among any of the six BCS conferences.
• Courtney Linehan of the Ames Tribune has a few links about Cyclones from the past in her blog.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

We're 100 days into Barack Obama's presidency. It also appears that we are no closer to the college football playoff that the nation's chief executive apparently would like to see.

As such, the more important number today is 127 -- as in the number of days until the first game of the season when North Dakota State visits Iowa State on Sept. 3. That's when we'll begin the season-long playoff that eventually leads to two teams that will play in the BCS title game at the Rose Bowl.

Until then, here are some links to get you ready:

• Former Duke point guard Greg Paulus could be headed to Nebraska by Thursday as he looks for a place to play college football for his senior season, Brian Christopherson of the Lincoln Journal-Star reports.
• Mike Sherman doesn't mind Mike Leach laughing - but not at Texas A&M's expense, Brent Zwerneman of the San Antonio Express-News/Houston Chronicle reports.
• Quarterback Tyler Hansen was among five players who made the most significant push for playing time during spring practice, Boulder Daily Camera beat writer Kyle Ringo reports.
• Kansas State running back Logan Dold will be moved to safety to provide depth in Vic Koenning's hybrid 4-2-5 defense, the Topeka Capital-Journal's Austin Meek reports.
• The Lawrence Journal-World's Eric Sorrentino celebrates Mike Leach's status as the Big 12's most quotable coach. But Oklahoman columnist Berry Tramel wonders if Leach is hurting his own cause with his pointed criticism of other conference rivals.
• With three of the four other finalists being told they are no longer in consideration for the job, former Nebraska All-American linebacker Trev Alberts appears to be the only applicant still being considered for the Nebraska-Omaha athletic director job, the Omaha World-Herald reports. An announcement could come as soon as today.
• The Oklahoman's Jenni Carlson conducts a question-and-answer session with Sam Bradford and Zac Robinson.
• The Tulsa World's Guerin Emig writes about the changes at Missouri starting with new quarterback Blaine Gabbert in place. It's part of a massive preview of the North Division in today's World that also includes previews for Nebraska and Colorado.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Only one team has spring practice continuing, but it still should be a busy week around the Big 12 with a variety of activities.

Kansas State will conclude Bill Snyder's first spring practice since his return Saturday in Manhattan. The Wildcats traditionally drew very well for their spring games when Snyder had the program contending for Big 12 championship and BCS bowls. It will be interesting to see the kind of crowd they will attract for Saturday's spring game and fan fest, which will feature an afternoon of activities including a pregame concert and carnival.

Before that, we'll have the announcement of a new College Football Hall of Fame class Thursday in New York City. The Big 12 was strongly represented in the finalists that were announced earlier this year.

Among the players who could receive the call to the Hall of Fame include Nebraska linebacker Trev Alberts, Oklahoma linebacker Brian Bosworth, Texas A&M defensive end Ray Childress, Kansas quarterback Bobby Douglass, Texas A&M kicker Tony Franklin, Texas defensive tackle Steve McMichael, Nebraska guard Will Shields, Baylor quarterback Don Trull, Colorado linebacker Alfred Williams and Nebraska defensive end Grant Wistrom.

The remnants of the draft will play out with free-agent signings this week after a record-setting haul in the early stages. The Big 12 set a record on Saturday with conference players selected in the first round of the draft. But several top players weren't signed, leading to some negotiation going on early this week for players like Graham Harrell.

And it will be interesting to see Mark Helfrich's coaching opportunity at Oregon play out. Helfrich will interview this week at Oregon for a position on new coach Chip Kelly's staff. It might be hard for Colorado to match Helfrich's offer in Oregon, considering he grew up in the state and would likely have the security of a multiyear contract with the Ducks. Those contracts are rarely -- if ever -- granted to Colorado assistant coaches.

It's not a good situation for a search to be made for an offensive coordinator after spring practice. Colorado coach Dan Hawkins hopes he won't be making that hire if he can help it.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

As spring practices conclude, several reporters are taking stock of the conference in today's missives.

Here are some of the more notable stories for your lunchtime edification. Enjoy.

• Sporting News pundits Dave Curtis and Matt Hayes agree that Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Bill Young is positioned to have the biggest impact in college football among new coordinators.
• The Topeka Capital-Journal's Kevin Haskin wonders if Kansas should be the preseason favorite in the Big 12 North next season.
• The Dallas Morning News' Chuck Carlton provides an extensive review of the Big 12's spring so far.
• Baylor coach Art Briles told the San Antonio Express-News/Houston Chronicle's John Whisler that the Bears are "miles ahead" of where they were last season.
• Former Nebraska All-American linebacker Trev Alberts came off as a polished potential candidate for the Nebraska-Omaha athletic director's job during a public forum for candidates, Lincoln Journal-Star columnist Steve Sipple reports. If hired, it would be Alberts' first job in athletic administration.
• Oklahoma likely won't have a first-round draft choice for the second straight season in Saturday's NFL draft. But Tulsa World columnist Dave Sittler reports that the Sooners could be headed for a historic draft next season with a record four players likely to be picked in the first round -- quarterback Sam Bradford, tackle Trent Williams, defensive tackle Gerald McCoy and tight end Jermaine Gresham.
• Converted 6-foot-4, 229-pound quarterback A.J. Steward is thriving at his new position of wide receiver for Kansas, the Lawrence Journal-World's Dugan Arnett reports.
• Baylor picked up its second receiving commitment this week when Midland's Antwan Goodley selected the school, John Werner of the Waco Tribune-Herald writes.
• It was another day of triple-digit scoring on both sides as Texas A&M's defense claimed a 109-103 scrimmage victory over the offense, Bryan Eagle beat writer Robert Cessna reports.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

With only two teams still holding spring games, we're nearly down to the bitter end in terms of practices across the Big 12. 

Colorado and Kansas State still have work to do. But there are other stories around the conference today that merit some consideration as well.

• Dave Matter of the Columbia Tribune writes an outstanding story that delves into the unconventional coaching background of new Missouri offensive coordinator Dave Yost.
• Former Nebraska All-American linebacker Trev Alberts has emerged as the leading candidate for the Nebraska-Omaha athletic director job, Rob White of the Omaha World-Herald reports. Alberts is set for two days of meetings with school officials and students in Omaha later this week.
• Dave Curtis of the Sporting News lists Kansas State running back Keithen Valentine and Nebraska wide receiver Curenski Gilleylen as prime examples of "Mr. April" from 2008.
• Former Texas A&M football coach Jackie Sherrill tells Victoria Advocate reporter Mike Forman why he remembers Texas fans chanting "Poor Aggies" only once during his coaching career.
• Robert Cessna of the Bryan Eagle proposes a way for Texas A&M athletic director Bill Byrne to make his budget by selling the roughly 200 empty seats in the press box for the Aggies' spring game.
• An argument with a former girlfriend lead to felony and misdemeanor drug charges for Oklahoma State wide receiver Bo Bowling, the Oklahoman's Scott Wright reports.
• Fast-rising former Oklahoma tackle Phil Loadholt could sneak his way into the first round of this weekend's NFL draft, according to the Oklahoman's Jake Trotter.
• David Youngblood of the Oklahoma State Daily O'Collegian writes about the Cowboys' defensive progress this spring.
• Bobby La Gesse reports for the Omaha World-Herald that new Iowa State defensive coordinator Wally Burnham has started his transformation of the Cyclones' defense, but still has much work to do.
• Record-breaking Missouri kicker Jeff Wolfert expects to be a free-agent selection in this weekend's draft, but told Randy Covitz of the Kansas City Star he remains confident he can play in the NFL.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Former Nebraska All-American linebacker Trev Alberts has emerged as one of four finalists for the vacant athletic director job at Nebraska-Omaha -- despite no previous experience as an athletic administrator.

The Omaha World-Herald reported that Alberts, 38, a former Butkus Award winner with a long broadcasting career at several networks, is interested in the job.

"I was the poster child for positive experiences as a student-athlete," Alberts told the World-Herald. "I loved being a student. I loved going to class. The University of Nebraska prepared me for so many things. And I've always had this deep-seated longing to make a contribution back to athletics."

UNO chancellor John Christensen has three other candidates along with Alberts for the job. UNO is Division II in football but has a Division I hockey program that turns a profit.

The World-Herald reported others that will be interviewed with Alberts include Millard South Athletic Director Nolan Beyer, Dana (Neb.) High School Athletic Director and football coach Bill Danenhauer, and Mike Marcil, commissioner of the Sunshine State Conference and former head of the North Central Conference.

Alberts said he talked with his former coach, current Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne, before he applied for the job.

"I asked Tom Osborne about it, because he was a nontraditional candidate himself [as Nebraska's athletic director]," Alberts said. "He knows my skill set, and I asked if he thought what I've done is transferable -- and he said he thought it was. There's plenty to learn, but the great thing about being an A.D. is that it isn't about one person -- it can't be, because it doesn't work that way. It's about developing a team and relying on others. The big thing is earning trust."

Alberts' name still resonates across the state of Nebraska and would produce a huge splash for the Mavericks. But it would be interesting to see how long he stayed at that job if he has success in his new position.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

So much for this being a holiday weekend around the Big 12.

There's a lot of news around the conference, starting with spring games tomorrow at Oklahoma and Kansas.

And here are some daily links to get you ready for your Easter egg hunts.

• The Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Mike Jones reports how Oklahoma's offensive line has responded to Bob Stoops' pre-camp admonitions.
• The Lawrence Journal-World's Dugan Arnett lists 10 things to watch for in Kansas' spring game on Saturday.
• Missouri tight end Michael Egnew will undergo surgery Friday morning for a high ankle sprain, Columbia Daily Tribune beat writer Dave Matter reports.
• Texas offensive coordinator Greg Davis likes what he's seen in tailback Cody Johnson, but wants him to report back this summer weighing 240 pounds - down 15 pounds from his listed spring weight, Dallas Morning News Big 12 reporter Chuck Carlson writes.
• Colorado coach Dan Hawkins explains why he has decided to close practices to media members, the Denver Post's Natalie Meisler reports.
• Kansas sophomore offensive line Ben Lueken was released from KU Hospital Thursday afternoon after being struck by a vehicle early Sunday morning outside a Lawrence apartment complex, the Lawrence Journal-World reports.
• The Lincoln Journal Star's Steve Sipple wonders if the vacant Nebraska-Omaha athletic director position could serve as a training ground for Tom Osborne's eventual successor at Nebraska. Among the potential candidates that Sipple names are former Nebraska All-American Trev Alberts and current Nebraska radio football analyst Adrian Fiala.
• The Oklahoman's Berry Tramel opines about what happened to the quaint notion of competitive, interesting spring games.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Ten players from seven different Big 12 schools have been nominated for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, according to the 2009 FBS ballot that was released on Tuesday.

The group were among 76 players and six coaches who were included in this year's final ballot.

The FBS Hall of Fame Class will be announced live on ESPNEWS at a press conference in New York City on April 30. The group will be inducted at The National Football Foundation's Annual Awards Dinner on December 8 in New York City and enshrined in the Hall of Fame in South Bend next summer.

Here's the Big 12 representatives for this year.

• Nebraska LB Trev Alberts (1990-93).
• Oklahoma LB Brian Bosworth* (1984-86).
• Texas A&M DE Ray Childress (1981-84).
• Kansas QB Bobby Douglass (1966-68).
• Texas A&M K Tony Franklin* (1975-78).
• Texas DT Steve McMichael (1976-79).
• Nebraska G Will Shields (1989-92).
• Baylor QB Don Trull (1961-63).
• Colorado LB Alfred Williams (1987-90). 
• Nebraska DE Grant Wistrom (1994-97).

*Indicates first-time nominee.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin 

Picking my four selections for the Nebraska Mount Rushmore of football was excruciatingly difficult. But after bouncing ideas around for several days, I realized I'm going to have to leave at least one Heisman Trophy winner off my mountain, no matter which way I lean.

And that's tough.

Here are my four choices:

• Bob Devaney -- Led the Cornhuskers to a pair of national championships and produced eight conference championships in his 11-season coaching career.
• Tom Osborne -- Set the school record with 255 victories in his 25-season career as coach, including three national championships and at least nine victories in every season.
• Johnny Rodgers -- Heisman Trophy winner in 1972 who helped lead the Cornhuskers to a pair of national championships. When he left school he owned the NCAA records for all-purpose yards and punt returns for touchdowns.
• Mike Rozier -- Two-time consensus All-American won the Heisman Trophy in 1983, leading the nation with 2,148 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns.

It was hard not putting Tommie Frazier or Eric Crouch up on my Nebraska Rushmore. Same with Rich Glover, Dave Rimington, Dean Steinkuhler, Grant Wistrom and Trev Alberts.

Ultimately, I'm satisfied with my four picks. I'm hoping it would get the Herbie Husker seal of approval.