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What are you looking at, Jar Jar Binks?

• Could Wes Lunt lose his spot as OSU's starting QB? Offensive coordinator Todd Monken says if he doesn't play well in fall camp, it's possible.
• Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads is fighting for Alzheimer's research. Why? "Because it's personal to me," he said. Andrew Logue of the Des Moines Register has the story. Will Rhoads always be at Iowa State? He talks about the complicated issue.
• West Virginia starting defenders Darwin Cook and Terence Garvin were arrested for shoplifting after stealing snacks from a convenience store.
• Baylor received a large donation that will go toward naming rights of the field inside its new stadium. It'll be called John Eddie Williams Field.
• Would you like to go to a Texas football game with Longhorns superfan Matthew McConaughey? Today is your lucky day, friends.
• After a handful of suspensions, Berry Tramel of the Oklahoman breaks down the winners and losers at Oklahoma.
• WVU is searching for a media partner for its third-tier media rights, and could have one by September, writes Mike Casazza of the Charleston Daily Mail.
• Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy sits down for a wide-ranging Q&A with Bill Haisten of the Tulsa World.
• Paul Myerberg at Pre-Snap Read pegs five transfers to watch in the Big 12.
• Coley Harvey of the Orlando Sentinel addresses the idea of Florida State to the Big 12 in the wake of the ACC media deal.
• Texas Tech safety Cody Davis takes you inside the last few weeks of the semester in the life of a college athlete.
• Brandon Weeden helped former Oklahoma State teammate Josh Cooper become his current teammate with the Cleveland Browns.
• Turner Gill's poor recruiting classes are hurting KU in 2012, writes Tom Keegan of the Lawrence Journal-World.
• Colleague Ivan Maisel points to what's unique about Oklahoma's new transfer.
• The Big 12's website takes a post-spring look at Texas Tech.
• And because WVU fans have been begging me all day to put this in lunch links ... here you go.

Kansas conclude its spring session on Saturday, but coach Charlie Weis has seen enough.

He opened up a vote to his new team, which elected three captains: Quarterback Dayne Crist, offensive lineman Tanner Hawkinson and defensive lineman Toben Opurum.

A fourth, special-teams captain will be named before each game in the fall.

"I don’t think it’s fair for a guy coming in, in June to be able to be picked a captain. They have not paid the price that these guys have paid since (Scott) Holsopple started the weight program in January," Weis told reporters Tuesday. "Now is the time that I need the leadership. I don’t need it in June, I need it now, when the coaches are on the road recruiting and when I am flying from place to place to speak at luncheons and dinners. I need veteran guidance for these players to make sure there is somebody there saying, ‘Hey, don’t do that’, or ‘Why would you do this?’"

There's no surprise in any of the three being named, but Crist's and Opurum's stories are unique. Hawkinson has been one of the team's best and most consistent linemen for each of his three seasons on campus.

Opurum led the team in rushing in 2009 before coach Turner Gill moved him to the defensive line. He picked up his new position late in the season and was named a captain for 2011.

Crist spent four seasons at Notre Dame but was benched early in 2011. He transferred at the end of the season and rejoined his former coach, Weis. Teammates have already labeled Crist as a go-to guy for questions about Weis' system and coaching style.

Kansas opens spring camp today. Here's a closer look.

Schedule: The first of 15 spring practices allowed by the NCAA begins Tuesday afternoon and they'll conclude with the spring game on April 28.

What's new: Well, pretty much everything. Former Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis shocked a whole lot of people when he left his post as Florida offensive coordinator to become the head man in charge. He'll call the plays and bring in his offense, and old Cowboys coach Dave Campo will coordinate the defense for the Jayhawks. It should be fascinating to see this spring and next fall for a program that needed a big jolt of excitement after an awful 2-23 record in Big 12 play the past three seasons.

New faces: The two biggest are two you'll recognize. Dayne Crist will make his debut at quarterback after transferring from Notre Dame, where Weis recruited him. His physical skills will be there, but will it mean production? Former Oklahoma receiver Justin McCay is coming, too. He struggled to catch on at OU, and his NCAA waiver that would make him eligible for 2012 is in question, but he was a blue-chip recruit when he came to Norman. Will a fresh start help either?

Question mark: The defense. Kansas had the worst scoring defense in the country last season and lacks a lot of big playmakers on that side of the ball. Campo will walk in and it's clear that tearing up the depth chart from last season is the best approach. Let players prove themselves and go out and recruit players who are better to motivate the ones on campus. That's how you build a program. Kansas is starting anew from a tough spot. The big question is whether Campo can make an impact with a better scheme for a unit with nowhere to go but up.

All eyes on: Crist. A good quarterback can make a lot of things look a lot better in this game, and Crist qualifies. He'll have a good set of backs, but will he find enough weapons to make an impact? Look at the rest of the league's top passers? Landry Jones, Geno Smith, Casey Pachall and other passers from last season all had a lot of guys to get the ball to and make plays. KU needs to find some in a hurry.

Breaking out: DE Toben Opurum. Opurum led the Jayhawks in rushing in 2009, but when Turner Gill arrived, he moved Opurum to the defensive line. It was rough at first, but he's gotten better and better as time has progressed. He led the team with 10.5 tackles for loss last season, but he could be due for an even bigger year in a new system. Truth be told, you never know how any guys will fit in a new system, but Opurum's had maybe the most interesting career of any player in the Big 12 right now.

Big shoes to fill: Whoever wins the linebacker job replacing Steven Johnson. The former walk-on led the Big 12 in tackles last season with 119, and did it all with measurables that wouldn't wow very many. He was an instinctive, tough player who was good for the program, and the Jayhawks will need to replace his leadership as well as his production.

On the mend: Weis' coaching reputation. This is what everyone around the nation will be watching this year. Kansas' Weis hire was panned by most, but he learned a lot in his shortcomings at Notre Dame, and Kansas is a very, very different place and a very different job. Weis wanted to come here and build a program. He won't have to deal with a fan crush or crazy expectations, but he'll have recruiting limitations that weren't present in South Bend. Is this the beginning of a new start for Weis?

Spring football is already under way at Texas Tech, but in the coming weeks, the Big 12's other nine programs will join the Red Raiders in taking the field as a team for the first time since January, December or November for some.

Here's a preview of what to expect:

BAYLOR BEARS

Spring practice start date: March 19
Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

• Nick Florence: It's not official, but the Baylor quarterback job is Florence's to lose. That means he inherits the unenviable task of replacing the school's first Heisman winner. He replaced RG3 in 2009 with mixed results, but showed some major potential in a win over Texas Tech when RG3 took a shot to the head and sat out the second half. Can he keep the bowl streak alive at Baylor? We'll get an idea this spring.
• The defense's progression: You didn't need to see much more than the 67-56 Alamo Bowl win over Washington to know the Bears needed some work on defense. In the month of November, Baylor became the first team in FBS history to win four consecutive games in a single season while also giving up at least 30 points in each of those games. The defense can't make Florence pick up the slack to that level. Year 2 under Phil Bennett must be better. Baylor has no excuses. The Bears have the athletes on campus necessary to be at least a decent defense.
• The team's attitude/motivation: Baylor played with a lot of purpose the past two seasons, and made history in both, cracking a 16-year bowl drought and winning 10 games this year. Is that fire still there? Baylor has to prove it is without RG3 (and Kendall Wright) carrying the team on the field, emotionally and mentally.

IOWA STATE CYCLONES

Spring practice start date: March 20
Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

• The quarterback battle: Or is it? Jared Barnett looked like the man of the future in Ames late in the season, leading the Cyclones to an historic upset of No. 2 Oklahoma State. But in the ugly Pinstripe Bowl loss to a mediocre Rutgers team, Barnett's inaccuracy posed big questions. He was benched and Steele Jantz stepped in, though he didn't play much better than Barnett. Turnovers were an issue for Jantz early on, but Barnett has to bounce back in the spring to make sure the job doesn't come open.
• The receivers: Darius Reynolds was the big-play man for the Cyclones, but he's gone. It's going to be tough to replace him. Slot receivers Aaron Horne and Josh Lenz were productive, but did little to stretch defenses like Reynolds did. Can ISU find someone to fill the void?
• The new man at left tackle: Iowa State had the luxury of having a future pro, Kelechi Osemele, at left tackle for the past three seasons. He earned All-Big 12 nods in each of those seasons, but he's gone now. Junior Carter Bykowski was behind Osemele on the depth chart, but will the converted tight end be the new man at tackle for the Cyclones?

KANSAS JAYHAWKS

Spring practice start date: March 27
Spring game: April 28

What to watch:

• Uh, everything?: I mean, what's not to watch at KU? Charlie Weis steps in for the fired Turner Gill and tries to build KU up from nothing. The Jayhawks were one of the worst teams in Big 12 history last season, losing six games by at least 30 points. Weis will speak his mind and watching him rebuilding the Jayhawks is going to be fun. It all starts next month -- on the field, at least.
• KU's new pass-catch combo: Dayne Crist is on campus, and so is Oklahoma transfer Justin McCay, a former blue-chip recruit who didn't quite catch on in Norman. Quarterback and receiver were arguably the two biggest positions of need for KU last year, and we'll get a preview of what could be a productive combo next season. McCay isn't officially eligible for the 2012 season yet -- he needs the NCAA to waive its mandated redshirt year after a transfer -- but the coaching staff is confident he'll have it granted.
• The uncertainty on the depth chart: When a new staff comes in, you never know what to expect. Kansas' leading rusher in its final season under Mark Mangino, Toben Opurum, is now one of its best defensive linemen. Look for Weis to shake things up, too. Where? Who knows?

KANSAS STATE WILDCATS

Spring practice start date: April 4
Spring game: April 28

What to watch:

• Collin Klein's maturation: Kansas State's quarterback could be fun to watch this spring and next fall. His throwing motion isn't pretty, but his accuracy improved in a big way throughout the season. If that continues at a pace anything close to what we saw last year, K-State's going to be a load for everyone. Look out.
• Developing depth at running back: John Hubert is back, and so is seldom-used Angelo Pease. Bryce Brown is gone, though. Klein handles a lot of the heavy lifting in the running game, but it'd be some nice insurance if K-State could establish some more depth in the backfield. Making Klein carry the ball 300 times again is tempting fate.
• Stars becoming superstars: Kansas State brings back more starters than all but seven teams in college football, so this team is going to look remarkably similar in 2012 to the way it did last year. However, it should get better. And its two transfers could look dominant this spring. Cornerback Nigel Malone and linebacker Arthur Brown emerged as stars last year, but we could see the duo emerge as true game-changers this spring. Look out, Big 12 offenses.

OKLAHOMA SOONERS

Spring practice start date: March 8
Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

• New faces on, off the field: Mike Stoops' arrival as the defensive coordinator was the biggest news this offseason in the Big 12, and Brent Venables, who had been at OU for all of Bob Stoops' tenure, left for Clemson rather than become co-defensive coordinator. Hopes are high that Stoops can revitalize Oklahoma's defense. He was in charge when the Sooners rode a dominant D to the 2000 national title, and the Sooners have the talent to win it all in 2012. Receiver Trey Metoyer joins the team this spring, and could be a major contributor immediately. Two of the team's four new tight ends are also enrolled early.
• QB Blake Bell's role: The Belldozer is back … but so is full-time quarterback Landry Jones. How will the balance between the duo look this spring? And what new wrinkles will we see in Oklahoma's simple, yet near-unstoppable short-yardage formation that scored 13 touchdowns in the second half of 2011?
• The battle at defensive end: Oklahoma must fill two huge holes at defensive end. Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Frank Alexander is gone, as is possible first-round pick Ronnell Lewis. R.J. Washington contributed late and has potential, but David King filled in for Lewis in the final three games of the season. The duo could be great, but it could also be pretty pedestrian. We'll get an idea this spring, but Lewis and Alexander set a high, high bar.

OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS

Spring practice start date: March 12
Spring game: April 21

What to watch:

• The quarterback battle: This will easily be the highest-profile, highest-quality quarterback battle in the Big 12. It won't be at the level of Texas Tech in 2010, but it won't be too far off. Clint Chelf, J.W. Walsh and Wes Lunt will go head to head. All have plenty of potential, though Lunt may have the most. The big-armed true freshman also has the least experience. Anything could happen here.
• Which receivers rise: Justin Blackmon and Josh Cooper leave huge holes behind. It's not every day a two-time Biletnikoff Award winner walks on campus. Hubert Anyiam is gone, too. Michael Harrison is unlikely to play for the 2012 season, but the school has offered no confirmation on his status. He had the most potential, but OSU is deep at the position. Who emerges as the top target? Isaiah Anderson? Tracy Moore? Josh Stewart? Anything could happen there, too.
• Defense needs a leader: Safety Markelle Martin has been the heart of the defense the past two seasons, but his big-hitting days are over. Who becomes the new voice of the defense? It needs to find leadership this spring heading into summer voluntary workouts.

TEXAS LONGHORNS

Spring practice start date: Feb. 23
Spring game: April 1

What to watch:

• The quarterback competition: I still think having a competition at the spot, which Texas says it will, isn't the best option, but David Ash and Case McCoy will go at it alongside early-enrolling freshman Connor Brewer. If Ash secures the job, expect an announcement heading into summer officially anointing the sophomore.
• More sophistication on both sides of the ball: The progression is natural and likely. Offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin and defensive coordinator Manny Diaz had good first years in Austin, but this is Year 2. The spring won't be devoted to learning the playbook. It's time to master it. Both units could look markedly different, and much more refined next fall. Deny it all you like: Texas is back on its way to the top after a rough two years.
• Maturing offensive weapons: Last season, the Longhorns relied on two true freshman running backs (Malcolm Brown/Joe Bergeron), a freshman/sophomore rotation at quarterback and its top receiver (Jaxon Shipley) was a true freshman. No. 2 (Mike Davis) was a sophomore. I hope I don't have to tell you what freshmen and sophomores do in college football. Look. Out.

TCU HORNED FROGS

Spring practice start date: Feb. 25
Spring end date: April 5

What to watch:

• Can TCU shut out the scandal? Four team members were arrested in a recent drug sting and kicked off the team. How much of a distraction will that be for a program undergoing the most monumental change in its history? Quantifying the effects of the scandal will be pretty impossible, and we've got no idea how they'll handle the change, but will it be on players' minds?
• The offense tightens up: The Horned Frogs' offense is absolutely loaded and ready to go for 2012. Quarterback Casey Pachall returns and brings his top three weapons (Josh Boyce, Skye Dawson and Brandon Carter) with him. Running backs Waymon James, Ed Wesley and Matthew Tucker each topped 700 yards rushing in 2011 and all return. The spring will be all about fine-tuning an already stellar offense, and it'll be fun to watch.
• Replacing departed starters: All-America linebacker Tanner Brock was among the four football players arrested and booted from the team, as was all-conference defensive tackle D.J. Yendrey and likely starting safety Devin Johnson. Those were unforeseen losses, but TCU can't feel sorry for itself. Gary Patterson has no choice but to find new faces to fill those holes.

TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS

Spring practice start date: Feb. 17
Spring game: March 24

What to watch:

• Once again, a new defense: Texas Tech sounds like a broken record these days when it comes to defensive coordinators. This time, Art Kaufman will be stepping to the microphone as the fourth defensive coordinator in Lubbock in four years. He's bringing a 4-3, a shift back to what Ruffin McNeil ran in 2009. Chad Glasgow's 4-2-5 and James Willis' 3-4 failed miserably in 2011 and 2010, respectively, the first two years under Tommy Tuberville.
• The battle at running back: No one knows yet if Eric Stephens will be back next season. There's still a long way to go in his rehab from a dislocated knee he suffered last season in a loss to Texas A&M. DeAndre Washington is also out this spring after tearing his ACL against Missouri. Harrison Jeffers hung up his cleats. Who will prove to be reliable this spring? Look for the Red Raiders to try to use sophomore Bradley Marquez, freshman Javares McRoy and junior SaDale Foster in a manner similar to the way Oregon uses scatback De'Anthony Thomas, with lots of short passes and bubble screens to get them the ball in space, where they can use their speed and shiftiness to make plays.
• Team health: Tuberville said earlier this month that the team is missing 15 players this spring. It can't afford any more injuries. It's already going to be tough to get enough done this spring, but Tech can't start getting banged up.

WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS

Spring practice start date: March 11
Spring game: April 21

What to watch:

• Dana Holgorsen's offense in Year 2: Holgorsen didn't get a chance to coach his talented offense at Oklahoma State in its second year. The results could have been crazy. They might be at West Virginia in 2012, and the beginning steps will be taken this spring as Geno Smith & Co. get more and more comfortable with the system and Holgorsen adds more wrinkles.
• The battle at running back: Sophomore Dustin Garrison hurt his knee in practices leading up to the Mountaineers' 70-33 Orange Bowl win over Clemson, and won't be there for the spring. What does senior Shawne Alston have in store for the spring? Garrison was the featured back last season, but a big spring could help Alston earn a few carries next year.
• Defense needs help: Najee Goode leaves a big hole at linebacker, and defensive back Eain Smith's exit means the Mountaineers enter the season without two of their top three tacklers from a year ago. Bruce Irvin and Julian Miller's talents on the defensive line will be tough to replace, and in a league that requires a great pass rush, Irvin, Goode and Miller's 19 combined sacks must be replaced somehow.

We took a look at the best atmospheres on Tuesday, and today, it's time to rank the top 10 games involving Big 12 teams of 2011.

1. Kansas State 53, Texas A&M 50 (4 OT): Kansas State erased a double-digit lead in the final half of the fourth quarter to force overtime. Collin Klein burrowed into the end zone on a quarterback sneak to earn a huge win and a memorable night in Manhattan.

2. Baylor 50, TCU 48: The first game of the entire season for the Big 12 began in style. Robert Griffin III began his Heisman campaign with five touchdown passes, but the Bears blew a 47-23 lead in just over 11 minutes, giving up 25 fourth-quarter points. Griffin, though, hauled in his only catch of the season to extend a game-winning drive on third down, and Aaron Jones booted a 37-yard game winner with just over a minute left, cueing the Baylor fans to storm the field after a game-clinching interception.

3. Oklahoma State 41, Stanford 38 (OT): This was what we thought it was. Neither defense could stop the opposing offense, and Oklahoma State converted a fourth down from Brandon Weeden to Justin Blackmon to extend the game and take the lead, but Stanford drove back down the field and missed a 35-yard field goal as time expired. It missed another kick in overtime, and OSU kicked a game-winning field goal after Colton Chelf's game-winning touchdown was overturned to just a 24-yard gain.

4. Baylor 45, Oklahoma 38: This gave way to the signature moment of Robert Griffin III's Heisman campaign, and it wasn't the 87-yard touchdown pass to Kendall Wright off Tevin Reese's helmet. The teams traded second-half leads and Oklahoma erased a 14-point, fourth-quarter lead before Griffin extended a play and hit Terrance Williams for a 34-yard, game-winning touchdown pass with eight seconds left.

5. Iowa State 37, Oklahoma State 31 (2 OT): This game made our top 10 moments of 2011, too. The Cowboys lost a 24-7 second-half lead and missed a game-winning field goal. Brandon Weeden threw an interception in the second overtime and Jeff Woody set off the biggest party in Ames in a long while with his game-winning, four-yard touchdown run in the second overtime.

6. Texas 27, Texas A&M 25: The Aggies led 10-0 and 16-7, but once again, it didn't matter. Jeff Fuller gave the Aggies back the lead with a big 16-yard touchdown with 1:48 to play. The two-point conversion failed, though, and Case McCoy got free for a 25-yard scramble that set up a 40-yard, game-winning field goal by Justin Tucker as time expired to give the Longhorns bragging rights in the heated rivalry for as long as they want, perhaps forever. The two teams aren't scheduled to meet again after A&M leaves for the SEC.

7. Oklahoma State 52, Kansas State 45: OSU fell behind 24-14 early after a pick six by Weeden, putting the undefeated season in doubt. The teams traded three touchdowns in just under two minutes, and Joseph Randle's 23-yard run gave OSU the lead for good with 3:16 to play, making it four touchdowns in three minutes. Kansas State drove to tie the game and possibly win it with a two-point conversion, but two Collin Klein passes fell incomplete, and OSU survived to move to 9-0.

8. Baylor 31, Kansas 30 (OT): This game wasn't televised, but it was quietly a classic. Baylor struggled to stop the run, and trailed 24-3 in the fourth quarter before RG3 broke a 49-yard run and hit on two long touchdown passes to tie the game. The two teams traded touchdowns in overtime, but Kansas failed to convert a game-winning two-point conversion, and Turner Gill's guts went unrewarded. Kansas also went without a win in conference play. Baylor loses this game, and RG3 doesn't win the Heisman.

9. Missouri 31, Texas Tech 27: This is a sneaky pick for our top 10 list. Texas Tech jumped out to a 14-0 lead, and Missouri trailed by 10 in the fourth quarter, but James Franklin threw one touchdown pass and ran for another to take the lead. Texas Tech drove inside the Missouri 10-yard line in the final minute, but a tipped Seth Doege pass was intercepted to give Mizzou a dramatic win.

10. Missouri 38, Texas A&M 31 (OT): The SEC bowl helped bury Texas A&M's season and spark Missouri's. The Tigers trailed by 14 early and 11 points at half before taking the lead in the fourth quarter. Randy Bullock tied the game with a field goal in the final minutes to force overtime. James Franklin hit Marcus Lucas for an 11-yard score and Ryan Tannehill's final pass was batted down as Missouri stormed the field and celebrated the end of their three-game losing streak. The Tigers would win four of their final five games, and that bounced Mizzou to 4-4 instead of 3-5. That loss for then-No. 16 Texas A&M keyed off four in the final five regular-season games, including two in overtime (K-State, Mizzou) and another as time expired (Texas).

Honorable mention: Kansas State 28, Miami 24; Baylor 67, Washington 56; Iowa State 44, Iowa 41 (3 OT); Texas 17, BYU 16; Arkansas 42, Texas A&M 38; Oklahoma State 30, Texas A&M 29.

When he arrived, new Kansas coach Charlie Weis said to expect changes.

The biggest arrived on Monday.

Ten players will be leaving the team, but Weis introduced his three highest-profile arrivals on Monday, too.

Quarterbacks Dayne Crist and Jake Heaps transferred from Notre Dame and BYU after spending seasons there as starters. Receiver Justin McCay transferred in from Oklahoma after failing to catch on in two seasons as a Sooner.

McCay's eligibility is in flux, but the school is petitioning the NCAA to allow him to play this season. If granted, he would be a sophomore and have three years of eligibility remaining. If it’s not granted, he would have to sit out this season and could compete as a junior beginning in 2013. McCay redshirted in 2010 at Oklahoma

Kansas running back Darrian Miller's departure will have the most impact. He was arguably the team's most electrifying player on offense this season, and was second on the team with 559 rushing yards.

"I don't care if they're all starters. It doesn't make a difference," Weis told reporters of the players who left. "There's a right and wrong way of doing things, and you're going to do it the right way. That's all there is to it. It's a whole combination of things, but there's a right and wrong way of doing business. You can't make decisions, especially coming into a program, based on how good they are."

JaQwaylin Arps, Dexter McDonald, Adonis Saunders, Brock Berglund and Keeston Terry were the other five players Weis dismissed. Terry was a four-star recruit and ranked fourth on the team with 66 tackles.

Berglund, a quarterback, was one of the top players in Colorado, but returned home after enrolling early to deal with an assault charge stemming from an incident last year. He sat out the 2011 season, but it looks like he won't be back for 2012.

"In every one of the players' cases that had to be dismissed, these were clear-cut. They were gone, and I was fighting to give them opportunities to be able to stay," Weis told reporters. "Then they decided not to take advantage of the opportunities."

Jordan Webb, Tyrone Sellers and Tom Mabry left voluntarily, but will remain enrolled at KU. Webb started at quarterback in 2011, but could graduate and transfer to another school without having to sit out a year, like Crist did.

Offensive lineman Travis Bodenstein also plans to transfer.

Seeing that Weis saw fit to dismiss six players is a bit surprising, especially considering two were major contributors in 2010. Gill earned a reputation as a disciplinarian, but perhaps the difference in Weis and Gill's rules didn't sit well with leftover players. Weis declined to get into specifics in any case, but the number still seems high.

As with any coaching change, there's a natural attrition, but I never expected the number to be as high as it is, especially before players got a feel in practice for what life in the Weis Era will be like.

Even still, it's a new start, and a place to build from for Weis.

Welp, this is it. The college football season is over, and two teams have closed up shop in the Big 12. This will be Texas A&M's and Missouri's last time to make an appearance in the Big 12 Power Rankings.

After 14 weeks of the regular season and eight bowl games (the Big 12 went 6-2), here's how the league sits.

1. Oklahoma State (12-1, beat Stanford, 41-38 in overtime): The Cowboys needed some help from Stanford's kicker to get their BCS win, but their spot atop the Big 12 was never at stake. The Cowboys proved themselves as the Big 12's best team throughout the season and beat Stanford to make history. Stillwater's never seen a season like this, and Mike Gundy was rewarded with a $1.6 million raise after the season for his efforts.

2. Kansas State (10-3, lost to Arkansas, 29-16): The Wildcats' Cotton Bowl experience wasn't a fun one after early mistakes, but K-State earned its first double-digit-win season since 2003 and earned the tiebreaker against Baylor on the field. Arkansas, too, is a whole lot better than Washington. This was a disappointing end for the purple folks from the Little Apple, but they bring back almost the entire core of the 2011 team. The Wildcats look like 2012 Big 12 title contenders.

3. Baylor (10-3, beat Washington, 67-56): The Bears put on a show and Terrance Ganaway's 200 yards, along with two other 100-yard rushers, iced the win over the Huskies. That gave Baylor the third 10-win season in school history and the first bowl win since 1992. Now, the big question awaits: Is RG3 gone, or is the allure of one more year in college for the Heisman winner enough to convince him to provide one more memorable season in Waco?

4. Oklahoma (10-3, beat Iowa, 31-14): The Sooners stumbled at the end of the season, but closed it in fine fashion, not playing their best game but soundly beating Iowa. Landry Jones will return. Will former DC and former Arizona coach Mike Stoops? Oklahoma's secondary was a liability this year, and Sooners fans would love to see Bob Stoops' brother put in charge to change it.

5. Missouri (8-5, beat North Carolina, 41-24): Missouri's season wasn't too memorable, but the Tigers rebounded from a 3-4 start to win eight games, including the best offensive performance of the season against the Tar Heels. That gave Mizzou eight wins for a sixth consecutive year. Only a handful of programs have duplicated that feat.

6. Texas (8-5, beat California, 21-10): The Longhorns' defense shut down the Bears and David Ash made a few big throws to make Texas' return to the postseason a good one. Ash has to show he's the guy for Texas moving forward. He'll get more offseason work than he did last year, which may show up in the fall. Freshman Connor Brewer will be joining, but it looks like a juco quarterback won't.

7. Texas A&M (7-6, beat Northwestern, 33-22): The Aggies head to the SEC after the most disappointing season in recent history. A team stocked full of NFL talent and toting a top-10 ranking lost four of its final five Big 12 games, with the only win coming at home over 2-10 Kansas. Now, new coach Kevin Sumlin returns to lead A&M into its new conference after coaching four years at Houston and winning 10 games in two seasons.

8. Iowa State (6-7, lost to Rutgers, 27-13): Paul Rhoads is already only the second coach to win a bowl game at Iowa State, but he couldn't win his second bowl in three years in Ames. Either way, the Cyclones have a good shot to be even better in 2012. Redshirt freshman Jared Barnett showed a lot of promise, and he'll progress during the offseason, even though he was benched in the bowl game for Steele Jantz, who started the season's first half.

9. Texas Tech (5-7, idle): A disappointing season gave way to a tumultuous offseason in Lubbock, with a handful of new assistant coaches and defensive coordinator Chad Glasgow heading back to TCU, who joins the Big 12 next season. The Red Raiders have to be better. Offensively, they were good enough, despite injuries, in 2011. They weren't great, though, like Texas Tech has been. Defensively, they've been awful for both seasons under Tommy Tuberville. Injuries have played a role in that, but improvement starts there.

10. Kansas (2-10, idle): Get ready to see much-needed new blood in Kansas. Turner Gill is out after two terrible seasons and a 2-10 record in 2011 that included six losses by at least 30 points. Now, it's time for Charlie Weis to take over, and he's brought two big quarterbacks and a receiver with him.

Time to take a look back at each team's season in the coming weeks, beginning with the squads who won't be in the postseason. Next up: the Kansas Jayhawks.

More report cards:

• Texas Tech

OFFENSE: There was plenty of early promise, spearheaded by an improved Jordan Webb and young skill-position talent that pushed the Jayhawks to 42 and 45 points in season-opening wins over McNeese State and eventual MAC champion Northern Illinois.

It didn't last. Webb threw for six touchdowns and no interceptions in those two games, including a 281-yard performance in a comeback win against the Huskies. He'd only top that number one more time the rest of the year, and the Jayhawks trailed 56-7 at halftime of that game. He followed up the six scores in the first two games with just seven over the next 11, including just two touchdowns over the final seven games. He closed the season with one touchdown and six interceptions in the final three games. That won't cut it, even though Webb's numbers were up across the board, compared to last season.

The running backs are the strength of the team, but even still, it ranked just ninth in the Big 12 in rushing offense. Part of that is trailing for most of the season and being forced to throw with an offense poorly equipped to do so, but James Sims and Darrian Miller offered promise with 727 and 559-yard seasons, respectively, though each's yards per carry was around only 4 yards. Tony Pierson (5.58) and Brandon Bourbon (6.79) were much more productive with their select touches.

Shine it up however you want: At the end of the year, Kansas ranked 106th nationally in total offense, and last in the Big 12 by nearly 17 yards per game. It also ranked last in the Big 12 and 95th nationally in scoring. That's not good enough in this league. GRADE: D-

DEFENSE: Oh my. For all the offense's struggles this year, it never had a chance because of the defense. You saw the grade for the offense. What's it supposed to do when the defense gives up at least 59 points in four games, and gives up at least 40 points in eight games?

No chance. Kansas got better late in the season, holding Iowa State to just 13 points and notching a halftime lead in a 24-10 loss to Mizzou, which prevented the Jayhawks from making history as what would have statistically been the worst defense ever. Big 12 offenses had a lot to do with that, but even the ground-based Georgia Tech offense racked up 66 points and a school-record 604 yards rushing, so don't blame fast-paced passing offenses across the Big 12 for the ballooning numbers.

Kansas ranked dead last nationally in total defense by 6 full yards per game, and last nationally by two full points per game. No other grade makes sense. GRADE: F-

Overall: It's pretty easy to see how Kansas went 2-10 with a 10-game losing streak and six losses by at least 30 points. It's also easy to see why Kansas felt it needed to make a change. Generally, two years is too quick to make a change, but this Kansas team was awful and didn't show anywhere near enough progress to warrant a third year for Turner Gill. You don't need to win championships in two years to keep your job, but you can't be worse after going 3-9 in your first year as Gill did. Kansas would like to forget these past two seasons and focus on what should be, if nothing else, an exciting future with Charlie Weis and two big-time quarterback recruits-turned-transfers: Dayne Crist of Notre Dame and Jake Heaps of BYU. GRADE: F

This week, we'll take a look at the biggest surprises across the Big 12 this season.

1. Robert Griffin III is a lot more than just a good player on a bad team. That's mostly what you heard about Griffin before this year. The Bears got walloped by the Big 12 powers in 2010 and didn't make a bowl with Griffin in 2008. What more could Baylor really do, even if it had a transcendent quarterback? Uh, apparently, a whole lot. Griffin nabbed the school's first Heisman Trophy and the 9-3 Bears finished third in the Big 12, including the school's first win over Oklahoma.

2. Iowa State can truly play giant killer. All of Iowa State's early benchmark wins under Paul Rhoads had something in common: They mostly came to middling teams with big names and no offense. Texas in 2010 was in the top 25, but the Longhorns finished 5-7. Nebraska gifted the Cyclones eight turnovers and scored seven points in ISU's upset in 2009. But Oklahoma State? That was near impossible. The Cowboys were maybe the best offense in the nation and played well, jumping out to a 24-7 lead before the Cyclones rallied for a shocking upset and shook up the college football landscape.

3. It's possible to get fired in two years. It seems odd and perhaps unfair for a coach to only get two years, but Turner Gill came to Kansas as one of the hottest coaches in college football, fresh off an unbelievable rebuilding job at Buffalo. But Gill's Kansas teams were permanent fixtures in the Big 12 basement, losing the final 10 games of 2011 and six of them by at least 30 points.

4. Collin Klein deserves Heisman buzz and a spot on the All-Big 12 team. Klein came into the year as a former receiver with an ugly throwing motion that he'd only actually used in a game 19 times before 2011. He left the regular season with a staggering 26 rushing touchdowns. Only two players in college football had more. He carried the ball 293 times, more than anyone in the Big 12 and nearly 100 more times than the Big 12's third-most used back. He's no polished passer like Brandon Weeden, Landry Jones or RG3, but his play compelled some to create an "all-purpose" position on the All-Big 12 first team.

5. Missouri is an ... SEC school? Missouri's desire to leave the Big 12 for the Big Ten was the league's worst-kept secret in the summer of 2010, but the SEC? Oklahoma dropped a bombshell back in September when it openly admitted it was shopping around for conferences. A bigger bombshell came later that month when reports indicated the SEC was interested in Mizzou. Months later, that relationship was consummated and the Big 12 had lost its fourth member in the past year and a half.

More on Friday...

• Barry J. Sanders will be a conflicted man watching this year's Fiesta Bowl. Jason Kersey of The Oklahoman reports the Cowboys and Cardinal are the blue chip recruit's top two schools.
• Blaine Irby is an amazing story at Texas, but it's coming to an end after the Holiday Bowl.
• Kansas added a new 2012 commitment, a defensive lineman. He's the second since Weis took over in Lawrence. Turner Gill is getting settled in his new home at Liberty, and some of KU's staff may be coming with him.
• Weis' contract looks smarter by the day, writes Tom Keegan of the Lawrence Journal-World.
• One quick photo made an unforgettable night timeless for some Oklahoma State fans, writes Jenni Carlson of The Oklahoman.
• This year's Cotton Bowl will be full of nostalgia for K-State athletic director John Currie, writes Kellis Robinett of the Kansas City Star.
• Oklahoma State scored big again in Kansas on the recruiting trail, reports colleague Damon Sayles.
• Travis Haney of The Oklahoman offers five players to watch for Oklahoma in the Insight Bowl.

We're not done spinning just yet, but if you're a bit lost, here's the changes to the coaching staffs across the Big 12 thus far.

BAYLOR (9-3)

• Out: Receivers coach Dino Babers took the head-coaching job at Eastern Illinois. No replacement named.

IOWA STATE (6-6)

• Out: Offensive coordinator Tom Herman took the offensive coordinator job under Urban Meyer at Ohio State. No replacement named.

KANSAS (2-10)

• Out: Head coach Turner Gill fired. Other staff positions up for discussion.
• In: Florida offensive coordinator Charlie Weis hired to replace Gill. Akron QB coach Ron Powlus hired to coach quarterbacks. Bishop Miege (KS) coach Tim Grunhard hired to coach offensive line. Running backs coach/recruiting coordinator Reggie Mitchell retained from Gill's staff.

KANSAS STATE (10-2)

• No changes.

MISSOURI (7-5)

• Out: Safeties coach Barry Odom left to become defensive coordinator at Memphis. No replacement named.

OKLAHOMA (9-3)

• No changes.

OKLAHOMA STATE (11-1)

• No changes yet, but OC Todd Monken has drawn interest from several programs.

TEXAS (7-5)

• No changes, though Texas was forced to proactively shoot down rumors of Mack Brown's retirement. Defensive backs coach Duane Akina is also a candidate for the Hawaii job.

TEXAS A&M (6-6)

• Out: Fired coach Mike Sherman. Defensive coordinator/interim coach Tim DeRuyter took head-coaching job at Fresno State but will remain on staff through the bowl game. Other staff positions up for review.
• In: Hired Houston coach Kevin Sumlin. Sumlin will recruit while the other coaches prepare for the bowl game.

TEXAS TECH (5-7)

• Out: Fired DBs coach Otis Mounds and offensive line coach Matt Moore. Moved defensive line coach Sam McElroy into a non-coaching role on staff.
• In: Hired former Miami DC John Lovett to coach defensive backs and former Ole Miss defensive line coach Terry Price to coach the defensive line. No offensive line replacement named yet.

Two Big 12 jobs came open and have been filled since. Where do they rank in the scale of college football?

Analyst Brock Huard weighed in on ESPN Insider, ranking nine of the most recent hires. Urban Meyer came in at No. 1, but Texas A&M's hire of Kevin Sumlin checked in at No. 3, under the heading of "The ideal fits."

It was paramount for the program to find a coach with established recruiting contacts in Houston and the state of Texas and a charismatic figure who could attempt to infiltrate the recruiting hotbeds of the Southeast.

It would be preferred if that coach had an understanding of the culture and expectations in College Station and a track record of success.

Therefore, Sumlin's the fit. I liked the hire for the Aggies, but like I've said, he's in a difficult spot with a lot to prove. He won't be starved for motivation.

Huard ranked Kansas' hire of Charlie Weis last, at No. 9, calling it a "head-scratcher."

Mark Mangino went 50-48 in eight seasons in Lawrence and was just 23-41 in conference play. If those are the expectations for Weis, who finished 16-21 in his final three years as coach at Notre Dame, then this move is understandable. However, Weis brings a pedigree, name, Super Bowl rings and a resume of success as the Kansas City Chiefs' offensive coordinator that far exceeds mediocre standards.

This rebuilding job will take significant time. Turner Gill went the developmental route through the recruitment of high school players and the disparity in size, speed and strength on the field was pronounced in 2011. Weis will bring Kansas recognition and conversation, and Jimmy Clausen, Brady Quinn, Matt Cassel and Tom Brady can attest that he knows how to make a quarterback and an offense better.

I'm not quite as down on the Weis hire as most, even if it's pretty easy to see this becoming one that both sides regret. That said, this is a valuable second chance for Weis at a place that couldn't be more different than Notre Dame. Maybe the results are different this time around, too.

Believe it or not, bowl season kicks off in two days. Granted, it's 11 more days before the Big 12 begins play.

• Missouri says it's absolutely leaving for the SEC next year, regardless of what happens with the Big 12 and West Virginia. That and more insight into the move by Chancellor Brady Deaton from Vahe Gregorian of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
• Kansas State linebacker Arthur Brown's breakout year was bittersweet without his brother, Bryce Brown, writes Austin Meek of the Topeka Capital-Journal. Recently, Brown said he was "not too sure" what Bryce was up to.
• Texas A&M's search for a defensive coordinator got a bit more complicated after interim coach Tim DeRuyter became the new head coach at Fresno State.
• Here's what life is like when the Heisman moves to its new home in Baylor's office. (RG3 gets his own, too, of course.)
• And the scene at halftime of last night's game when RG3 took to the court with the Heisman. Fans chanted, "One More Year!"
• Texas Tech could be bringing in a longtime assistant for Houston Nutt to coach the offensive line.
• Could he give Baylor the recruiting momentum to land the next RG3?
• The late Kansas coaching legend Don Fambrough might be getting a street named after him, reports Chad Lawhorn of the Lawrence Journal-World.
• Oklahoma is chasing a few of the best receivers in the country for its next recruiting class, writes Ryan Aber of The Oklahoman.
• Missouri assistant Barry Odom is leaving to take the defensive coordinator job at Memphis.
• Jenni Carlson of The Oklahoman offers up the case for every coach to vote in the coaches poll.
• The Fort Worth Star-Telegram hands out some season-long awards and names its All-Big 12 team.
• Charlie Weis has his first commit at KU, and it's a player from his new offensive line coach's school. Weis also did an interesting Q&A with Brian Hamilton of the Chicago Tribune, looking back at his Notre Dame tenure.

Turner Gill didn't go very long before finding a new job.

He'll be introduced at 1 p.m. today as the new head coach at FCS school Liberty, a Christian university in Lynchburg, Va.

"In our search for a new head football coach, almost every advisor recommended Turner Gill," chancellor and president Jerry Falwell, Jr. said in a university release. "Every indication is that he is a perfect fit for Liberty University. His experience is at the level where we would like to take our football program. His Christian faith is strong and sincere and what any new recruit would expect to see in a Liberty University head football coach. I think Liberty University and Turner Gill were made for each other."

Seems right to me. Gill, 49, went just 5-19 as Kansas coach before being fired Nov. 27. Kansas replaced him with former Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis, who had served as offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs and Florida Gators in the interim.

Both Big 12 coaching vacancies have been filled. Charlie Weis replaced Turner Gill at Kansas and Kevin Sumlin replaced Mike Sherman at Texas A&M.

There's still a few coaching openings, though, and colleague Gene Wojciechowski, in a cool column, pieces together the perfect coach made up of his favorite traits from coaches around the country.

A few Big 12 gems:

The perfect coach loves to win, but like Oklahoma's Bob Stoops, doesn't put winning above his values or sense of perspective.

And [has] the calm, reassuring presence of Kansas State's Bill Snyder.

The perfect coach has the ego of Kansas' Weis.

The perfect coach, such as Baylor's Art Briles, rebuilds patiently.

The perfect coach doesn't distance himself from a school's traditions, but instead, like Mack Brown did at Texas, gives them a huge bear hug.

The perfect coach knows you have to be willing to fail in order to succeed, which explains all those calculated risks Texas Tech's Tommy Tuberville has taken with the game on the line.

The perfect coach answers an honest question the same way Oklahoma State's Mike Gundy answered them this season: honestly, and from the heart.

The perfect coach can win on the road like Texas' Brown (of coaches with 35 or more road games, Brown has the best winning percentage and is 43-8).

The perfect coach remembers where he came from, like Iowa State's Paul Rhoads.

The perfect coach … doesn't exist. And never will.

What else does the perfect coach do?

The perfect coach earnestly cares about his players as men and people, not just as football players, like Gill did.

The perfect coach, like Sherman, never lets his team forget its potential, no matter what its record says.

The perfect coach isn't afraid to cry in front of anyone, like Rhoads.

The perfect coach mans up when he makes a mistake, no matter how embarassing, like Gary Pinkel.

The perfect coach "never misses an opportunity to promote his program," as Tuberville often says.

The perfect coach is subtly funny and keeps everyone but his team guessing about his intentions, like Snyder.

What else does a perfect coach do?