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For just the second time ever, the first round of the NFL draft will be the only part of the draft's first day, set for primetime on Thursday night.

This year, the Big 12 could have as many as five first-round picks, and five players from the league are in New York for the draft.

So, let's take a look back. Since the first NFL draft of the Big 12 era, who has the most first-rounders?

Texas: 16

• 2010: S Earl Thomas, 14th overall, Seattle Seahawks
• 2009: DE Brian Orakpo, 13th overall, Washington Redskins
• 2007: S Michael Griffin, 19th overall, Tennessee Titans
• 2007: CB Aaron Ross, 20th overall, New York Giants
• 2006: QB Vince Young, third overall, Tennessee Titans
• 2006: CB Michael Huff, seventh overall, Oakland Raiders
• 2005: RB Cedric Benson, fourth overall, Chicago Bears
• 2005: LB Derrick Johnson, 15th overall, Kansas City Chiefs
• 2004: WR Roy Williams, seventh overall, Detroit Lions
• 2004: DT Marcus Tubbs, 23rd overall, Seattle Seahawks
• 2002: OL Mike Williams, fourth overall, Buffalo Bills
• 2002: CB Quentin Jammer, fifth overall, San Diego Chargers
• 2001: OL Leonard Davis, second overall, Arizona Cardinals
• 2001: DT Casey Hampton, 19th overall, Pittsburgh Steelers
• 1999: RB Ricky Williams, fifth overall, New Orleans Saints
• 1997: CB Bryant Westbrook, fifth overall, Detroit Lions

Oklahoma: 12

• 2010: QB Sam Bradford, first overall, St. Louis Rams
• 2010: DT Gerald McCoy, third overall, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• 2010: OT Trent Williams, fourth overall, Washington Redskins
• 2010: TE Jermaine Gresham, 21st overall, Cincinnati Bengals
• 2007: RB Adrian Peterson, seventh overall, Minnesota Vikings
• 2006: OL Davin Joseph, 23rd overall, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• 2005: OL Jammal Brown, 13th overall, New Orleans Saints
• 2005: WR Mark Clayton, 22nd overall, Baltimore Ravens
• 2004: DT Tommie Harris, 14th overall, Chicago Bears
• 2003: CB Andre Woolfolk, 28th overall, Tennessee Titans
• 2002: S Roy Williams, eighth overall, Dallas Cowboys
• 2001: Stockar McDougle, 20th overall, Detroit Lions

Oklahoma State: 6

• 2010: OL Russell Okung, sixth overall, Seattle Seahawks
• 2010: WR Dez Bryant, 24th overall, Dallas Cowboys
• 2009: TE Brandon Pettigrew, 20th overall, Detroit Lions
• 2004: WR Rashaun Woods, 31st overall, San Francisco 49ers
• 2003: DE Kevin Williams, ninth overall, Minnesota Vikings
• 1998: CB R.W. McQuarters, 28th overall, San Francisco 49ers

Missouri: 4

• 2010: LB Sean Weatherspoon, 19th overall, Atlanta Falcons
• 2009: WR Jeremy Maclin, 19th overall, Philadelphia Eagles
• 2009: DT Ziggy Hood, 32nd overall, Pittsburgh Steelers
• 2001: DE Justin Smith, fourth overall, Cincinnati Bengals

Kansas State: 3

• 2009: QB Josh Freeman, 17th overall, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• 2003: CB Terence Newman, fifth overall, Dallas Cowboys
• 1997: DB Chris Canty, 29th overall, New England Patriots

Texas A&M: 2

• 2003: DT Ty Warren, 13th overall, New England Patriots
• 2003: DB Sammy Davis, 30th overall, San Diego Chargers

Texas Tech: 1

• 2009: WR Michael Crabtree, 10th overall, San Francisco 49ers

Kansas: 1

• 2008: CB Aqib Talib, 20th overall, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Baylor: 1

• 2009: OL Jason Smith, 2nd overall, St. Louis Rams

Iowa State: none since 1973 (George Amundson)

A few thoughts and observations:

• I doubt many would be surprised that this list is also a reasonably accurate reflection of overall success since the Big 12's inception in 1996. Obviously, Texas and Oklahoma have dominated. Since 2000, Texas has the nation's fourth-most first-rounders. Oklahoma is No. 6. Their success has paralleled that, along with recruiting rankings.
• In that same breath, it's impossible to look at this list and not once again be impressed with what Mike Leach did. He obviously has the reputation as an overachiever, but looking big picture, he was able to do it with one first-round pick. Nobody beat Texas and Oklahoma more and Leach helped put together what is still the Big 12's longest bowl streak.
• Texas' consistency sticks out, too. Since just 2001, Texas has had two first-rounders in six different seasons. If you've got two first-rounders on your team, you're probably going to be pretty good. The Longhorns, if you haven't noticed, have been. Those two first-rounders in six seasons are more or as many as half the league has in the history of the Big 12. What else you should note? Texas is unlikely to have a first rounder this year, and after Aaron Williams is drafted, Sam Acho probably will be the next to go, which won't be until the third or fourth round.
• Oklahoma State and Missouri's rise over the past three seasons has paid off in the NFL draft. Missouri had three first-rounders in the last two seasons and figures to add two more this year after having just one in the 12-year history of the league before 2009. That's quite a streak, and even more proof of what Gary Pinkel has built at Missouri. One more piece of evidence? Despite losing those two first-rounders, Missouri should be back in the preseason polls next year after losing two of its top players. That's definitely something new in Columbia. The Cowboys figure to add more soon with Justin Blackmon at least. As long as Pinkel and Gundy are at the helm for their respective programs, expect them to continue to rise.
• Don't be surprised by Texas A&M's swoon following R.C. Slocum's departure. From 1990-1998, the Aggies won nine games every season but one. From 1990-96, the Aggies had eight first-round picks. Since 1998? Two seasons with at least nine wins and just two first-round picks.
• More evidence you can't underestimate the importance of having first-round picks? None for Baylor in the history of the Big 12 before Art Briles. In just three years, Briles may have three if the Bears add two more this year with Phil Taylor and Danny Watkins. Taylor and Watkins both came from unlikely sources. Taylor was a Penn State transfer and Watkins a juco transfer that formerly worked as a fireman in Canada.

We took a look a while back at the former Big 12 stars suiting up on active rosters in the Super Bowl, and if you hadn't heard, they played the game last night.

A few of you may have seen it.

Anyway, here's a look at how they did.

Green Bay

Mason Crosby, K, Colorado

• 4-of-4 on extra points, made 23-yard field goal in only attempt of the night.

Graham Harrell, QB, Texas Tech

• Did not play, was active as third quarterback

Brandon Jackson, RB, Nebraska

• Caught one pass for 14 yards.

Jordy Nelson, WR, Kansas State

• Had nine catches for 140 yards, both game highs, and caught the game's first touchdown in his only score of the night.

Pittsburgh

Casey Hampton, NT, Texas

• Made one tackle

Justin Hartwig, C, Kansas

Tony Hills, LT, Texas

Jonathan Scott, OT, Texas

Ziggy Hood, DL, Missouri

• Had one tackle, but tackle was a sack for loss of four yards

Nelson had by far the biggest game of the group, and his nine catches and 140 yards were both career highs. Nelson has come on as one of Aaron Rodgers' most frequent targets in the playoffs. It's good to see a guy have the best game of his career on a stage like that, even if a few drops kept him from going over 200 yards and adding a second score, which likely would have been the case if he had hauled them in.

That said, he woke up this morning as a Super Bowl champion, so I think he'll get over it. Even still, not bad for a walk-on from tiny Riley, Kan. right?

On a final note, for those of you keeping score, former Texas Tech star Graham Harrell and former Missouri star Chase Daniel have collected Super Bowl rings in consecutive years as backups.

Zac Robinson, your day is coming.

Green Bay and Pittsburgh on Sunday punched their tickets to the Super Bowl, taking place in two week in Big 12 country. The game will be at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and both teams have plenty of Big 12 talent. Here's who'll be representing the Big 12 in The Big Game on both teams' active rosters.

Green Bay

• Mason Crosby, K, Colorado
• Graham Harrell, QB, Texas Tech
• Brandon Jackson, RB, Nebraska
• Jordy Nelson, WR, Kansas State

Pittsburgh

• Casey Hampton, NT, Texas
• Justin Hartwig, C, Kansas
• Tony Hills, LT, Texas
• Ziggy Hood, DL, Missouri

We're only a few hours away from tonight's first round of the NFL draft, one that could be unprecedented for the conference.

As many as five of the first six picks could come from the Big 12.

Oklahoma's Sam Bradford is the assumed first pick. Defensive tackles Ndamukong Suh and Gerald McCoy should follow. As will offensive tackles Trent Williams (Oklahoma) and Russell Okung (Oklahoma State).

Considering where the conference has been in recent years, that's not a surprise to the coaches sending those players to the next level.

"I don’t think there’s any question it’s been excellent, evidenced by what, us and Texas in the last couple national championship games," said Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, who was forced to play most of 2009 without Bradford, the 2008 Heisman winner. "And year in and year out we’ve been there. I’ve known that for a long time and it’s obvious the talent in this league is second to none and its throughout the league and it’s exciting."

Texas coach Mack Brown could also have a pair of Longhorns go in the first round: defensive back Earl Thomas and defensive end/linebacker Sergio Kindle. Both are Texas natives, with Thomas hailing from Orange and Kindle from Dallas.

"More of the kids are staying at home and wanting to play in the Big 12 area, where one of our schools is traditionally playing for the national championship, so we’re in the mix each year," Brown said. "And I also feel like since we’ve won in this league and we’ve been in the final game more often, that more national kids are starting to look at our schools more readily than before."

Missouri's program has reached new heights in the last few years, winning 12 games in 2007 and another 10 in 2008. Missouri's two first-round draft picks last season, receiver Jeremy Maclin and defensive tackle Ziggy Hood, helped make those seasons possible. The Tigers also had safety William Moore drafted in the second round of last year's draft.

"I remember Don James, my mentor who I worked for at Washington, he told me about three or four years ago, he says, ‘When you start getting more players drafted, a lot more high draft choices, you’re going to win a lot more games.’ And at this level, as it was at Washington, that’s the way it is," Pinkel said. "You’re not going to get six drafted every year, but certainly, if you’re going to win at this level, you’re going to get more players that go on and play in the NFL."

He could add another first-round pick, his third in two seasons, tonight in linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, giving the Big 12 as many as 10 selections among the first 32 picks.

"It shows schools are recruiting quality young men and good football players," said Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy.

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Gary Pinkel wants Michael Jordan as his quarterback.

"The good ones [do] what Michael Jordan did. He never played his best game," Pinkel said. "He says, 'I can do better.'"

Never in 15 seasons did Jordan put together that perfect game, and neither did Blaine Gabbert in his first. He won't in his second, and if there's a third, he won't then, either. At least, that's the idea.

"The good ones are never good enough. I tell our great players here that. I said that to [Martin] Rucker or [Chase] Coffman or Chase Daniel or Ziggy Hood or any of those guys," Pinkel said. "Those guys, they drive. They don’t ever get caught up in anything they’ve done well. They just keep driving forward and that’s why they do it. That’s what you tell Blaine."

There was plenty of good for Gabbert in 2009. He can count his three touchdowns and 319 yards in the season-opening 38-9 win over Illinois, his first career start, on that list. The same goes for a dominating performance (20-27, 298 yards, 3 TD) aided by the acrobatics of Danario Alexander in a 38-12 win over Kansas State. But those are the games Pinkel would prefer Gabbert forget. The spring was a step toward making sure sub-50 percent completion games like Nebraska and Navy never happen again. That's less about stats and more about the score, which favored the Tigers opponent on both occasions.

"We’ve just got to win football games," Gabbert said. "The individual stats and accolades are nice, but in the end, you’re judged on winning football games."

Pinkel made it clear early this spring what he thought his quarterback could achieve next season.

"The thing he has to do is come out here and practice like he wants to be the best quarterback in the country," Pinkel said earlier this month. "That's the bar he's looking for, to be the best quarterback in the country. And he has the ability to do that. He's driven. He works hard."

Statements like Pinkel's don't add to the pressure for the All-Big 12 honorable mention quarterback likely to ascend the ranks of the conference's passers next season. And it sounds like Pinkel's pushes and mindset have gotten inside Gabbert's head.

"There’s always things you can work on, it doesn’t matter if you’re Tom Brady or still in high school," Gabbert said. "When people label you, you’ve just got to work harder. There’s expectations you’ve got to live up to and that’s what our team is about right now. We want to win football games and the teams that are remembered win championships."

If Jordan isn't available, Pinkel could probably deal with Brady as his quarterback.

If it’s a Friday afternoon, it means we’ve got a few letters to answer before we start the weekend.

Here are a some that I’ve received over the last couple of days.

Austin from Arlington, Va., writes: Hey Tim, enjoy reading the blog, thanks for your reporting. I was interested in one of your comments today, when you mention you prefer the college version to the pros. I'm with you, but I was curious to hear you expand on that a little. What aspects of the game (excluding outside the game stuff like recruiting) make the college game a better version for you? Thanks again, keep up the good work!

Tim Griffin: I just think the college game lends itself more to the fans. You don’t have greedy owners threatening to move colleges at the drop of the hat if they aren’t satisfied with their stadium deal. I love the pageantry of a Saturday afternoon game. There’s color involved when you hit a college campus hours before a game you just don’t see in and around NFL stadiums. I’ve covered the NFL for many years, and it always seems too antiseptic for my tastes.

I also like the college game more. I think it skews a little bit more towards offense, which I like. I love the fact the clock stops after a first down, giving teams more plays over the course of a game. I hate the fact that television has made the NFL into a three-hour, 20-minute window with commercials after every kickoff.

I also will take recruiting over the NFL draft any day. And give me the college version of overtime where both teams have the opportunity to have the ball before a game is settled.

In my opinion, it’s really quite clear why the college game is better than the pro version.

---

Nate from Seattle, Wash., writes: Tim, love the blog, please keep the content coming during the offseason. That being said, on your "crystal ball" piece, in which you looked in to the Big 12's future, you got one thing terribly wrong. Bo Pelini is not interested in the LSU job. It has been mentioned before, but several reports have stated that his wife hated Baton Rouge and Bo wasn't a big fan of the area either. Ohio State may be an issue some day, but LSU? No.

Tim Griffin: Nate, thanks for the kind words. But I’ve heard from sources that Pelini wasn’t that all that happy with his experience in Ohio State, either. I just think that when some school from the Southeastern Conference waves a huge multi-million contract in front of Pelini, likely sometime in the future, he’ll have to think about it. And he left on great terms in the administration and among LSU fans. Not saying that would be enough to persuade his wife to start liking boudin and beignets, but a paycheck with a lot of zeroes at the end has a way of doing some not-so-subtle convincing.

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Thomas from Columbia, Mo., writes: Tim, I liked your crystal ball predictions but was a little disappointed that nothing more about Missouri came from your thoughts. I was hoping that the Big 10 blogger would comment on Mizzou, but that didn't happen. If Missouri does not leave the Big 12, what are your predictions for the Tigers through 2020? And if they do go to the Big 10, where do you think they would end up? Will they fit in with a heavy offense, and annually limited defense? Will they flop or soar in the Big 10?

Tim Griffin: I would think it would be a little harder for Missouri to compete in the Big Ten on a consistent basis than the Big 12. The reason why is because I think the Big Ten is deeper top to bottom than the Big 12. The Big 12 has more dominant teams at the top like Texas, Nebraska and Oklahoma, but there are still some teams that Missouri enjoys a natural advantage over.

I think they would be on a more even basis in the Big Ten. Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan and Iowa would replace their big rivals in the Big 12. But I think they would be challenged on a consistent basis with teams like Wisconsin, Northwestern, Michigan State and others in the Big Ten as well.

Another possible problem if they were to ever leave the Big 12 would be that Missouri’s developing recruiting presence in Texas would gradually dry up. The Tigers and Gary Pinkel are entrenched in the state and have done a nice job of picking up under-recruited players like Chase Daniel, Sean Weatherspoon, Stryker Sulak and Ziggy Hood from Texas high schools and developing them once they spend a few seasons in the program.

I don’t think Missouri would be quite as effective recruiting Texas if they ever left the Big 12, because I don’t know how excited Texas players like I mentioned would be to play against Big Ten schools rather than Big 12 schools. Those Texas players are excited about an occasional trip back to Texas where friends and family could watch them play.

It will be interesting to see what happens with the Tigers. And like I predicted in my piece earlier today, it wouldn’t surprise me if they decide to move if they get the opportunity.

---

Dan from Texas writes: Hey Tim, read the blog every day, keep up the good work. I was wondering with the recent success of the Flexbone/Triple Option run by Georgia Tech, and the military academies, do you see more teams hiring coaches that run that system? Are you surprised more schools haven't given it a shot?

Tim Griffin: Dan, I don’t see the triple option really taking off as a mainstream offense at many schools. The military academies recruit to that kind of offense because they have tradition in place in running them and coaches who are confident in playing that offense.

But it’s a big change for most coaches to go to that kind of offense. They worry that the offense doesn’t provide an opportunity to come back in games if they were to fall behind by a couple of touchdowns. It’s not attractive to many of today’s recruits who have been weaned on the excitement of pass-and-catch football. Also, it’s the kind of offense that places your quarterback in jeopardy of being injured on almost every running play if he carries the ball. Most coaches add all that up and see that the flexbone or the option provides much risk when compared with other offensive philosophies.

While the option has a place in college football, I just don’t see it getting a lot of acceptance by most coaches when other offensive avenues are available.

---

Julio Ramirez from Corpus Christi, Texas, writes: Tim, were you surprised that Mack Brown had such a quick hook with Dan Buckner when he decided to leave school last week?

Tim Griffin: I was stunned that Buckner elected to transfer as quickly as he did. I don’t suspect he was particularly happy with his shrinking role in the offense at the end of the season. I don’t know if the arrest necessarily triggered that or not. But Mack Brown’s statement when he was released mentioned that Buckner’s family was convinced he would be cleared once he goes through the legal process.

Buckner will be getting a fresh start at Arizona starting in 2011. It’s a rare move from a Brown-coached school to one directed by a Stoops brother. But in Arizona’s offense, I think that Buckner could flourish. I think he saw what former Arizona tight end Rob Gronkowski was able to do and likely thinks he could produce similar numbers with an opportunity to play for Mike Stoops’ team.

---

Charles Urich from Dallas writes: From your story about the hiring of Tim DeRuyter yesterday: "But duplicating that success against the offensive firepower in the Big 12 will be a different challenge? Particularly with the personnel the Aggies currently have." Tim, I'm curious to know what you meant by this statement. Are you saying the 4-star athletes we have in this new recruiting class on defense are lesser than what the Air Force Academy had? Are you saying that with the defense we had last year that almost beat Texas and beat Tech is a challenge to work with?

Tim Griffin: The Aggies do have some defensive talent, but in regards to the Texas game you were speaking of, I believe the Longhorns did gash the Aggies for 597 yards and 49 points in that game, didn’t they? The Aggies allowed more than 44 points in five games last season, including two in the sixties. They allowed 640 yards to Oklahoma, 520 yards to Texas Tech and even 521 yards and 31 first downs to Utah State, a team that went 4-8 this season.

DeRuyter will find himself with better defensive players, but he’ll be facing better offensive players, too. It’s a double-edged sword that will make turning around the Aggies’ defense a lot more of a challenge than his previous work at the Air Force.

Thanks again for all of your good questions this week. I’ll check back again on Tuesday.

After sputtering in the early part of the decade, the Tigers became consistent winners in the latter part of the decade, soaring as high as No. 1 nationally in the week before the 2007 Big 12 title game.

The Tigers are still looking for their first Big 12 title, but they've had many memorable players dot their rosters over the decade.

Here's a look at the best of them. The toughest decision was to leave Justin Gage off the team at wide receiver, although I opted to go with an alignment much like offensive coordinator David Yost preferred, with one running back, two wide receivers and two tight ends. My team is reflected with that strategy.

OFFENSE

QB: Chase Daniel

RB: Zack Abron

WR: Jeremy Maclin

WR: Danario Alexander

TE: Chase Coffman

TE: Martin Rucker

OL: Joel Clinger

OL: Tony Palmer

OL: Kurtis Gregory

OL: Rob Droege

C: Adam Spieker

DEFENSE

DL: Justin Smith

DL: Atiyyah Ellison

DL: Lorenzo Williams

DL: Ziggy Hood

LB: Sean Weatherspoon

LB: Marcus Bacon

LB: Brock Christopher

DB: William Moore

DB: Pig Brown

DB: David Overstreet

DB: Shirdonya Mitchell

K: Jeff Wolfert

P: Jake Harry

KR: Jeremy Maclin

Offensive player of the decade: QB Chase Daniel. Orchestrated the Tigers’ back-to-back North Division championship teams in 2007-08, finishing fourth in the Heisman race in 2007 and setting the school’s career total offense and passing records as a senior.

Defensive player of the decade: LB Sean Weatherspoon. Lightly recruited player who emerged to become the dominant defensive player for the Tigers during his three-season career as a starter, leading the team in tackles each season.

Coach of the decade: Gary Pinkel. After struggling in his first two seasons, has taken the Tigers to a bowl game in every season except one, including two Big 12 title games and a No. 4 finish in the 2007 season.

Memory of the decade: Missouri’s 36-28 victory over Kansas in a 2007 showdown for the Big 12 North title pushed the Tigers to their first Big 12 championship game appearance. Daniel completed 40 of 49 passes for 361 yards and three touchdowns, but the game wasn’t settled until Lorenzo Williams sacked Todd Reesing for a safety to ice the victory.

The Big 12's postseason policy has reared its ugly head again.

The conference's policy of enabling its bowl partners to place teams is marked by its lack of rules, standings or even head-to-head results.

It all came into play earlier this week when 6-6 Iowa State jumped over 8-4 Missouri for a berth in the Insight Bowl.

I can't really blame John Junker and the organizers of the Insight Bowl for opting for a chance at the Cyclones. They still probably remember the record number of fans that came in the past. I'm sure Phoenix-area merchants remember all of the margaritas and serapes that were sold to ISU fans. Some people have told me that the area around Bank One Ballpark hasn't ever been the same since the first invasion of Cyclone fans back in 2000 when they defeated Pittsburgh.

So considering a shot at attracting Minnesota and Iowa State, all of the merchants along Mill Avenue in Tempe are awaiting the cha-ching of the cash register when fans of the Gophers and Cyclones start flocking to Arizona later this month. They probably haven't heard as many "you betchas" as they'll hear in a few weeks.

"As hard as our economy has been hit, we had to have a school that travels well,” Insight Bowl spokesman Tony Alba told the Des Moines Register. “After what we saw from them from a fan standpoint in 2000, they certainly became the best choice for us.”

But try telling that to Missouri. The Tigers finished the season with a better record and beat the Cyclones, 34-24, late in the season.

The Tigers instead will be sent to the Texas Bowl in Houston, a game in a fine stadium in a great town where they will meet Navy.

"I think we're proud we had the fourth-best record along with one other school in the Big 12 as we battled through it all," Missouri coach Gary Pinkel told reporters earlier this week. "I certainly think the process in the Big 12 has been frustrating. But I also don’t think it’s really the appropriate time to discuss (their bowl frustration). That’s a conversation and discussion for a later point. I’m really excited about this game and feel really good about it."

It assuredly can't make Dan Beebe and the people in the Big 12 office happy. It almost undermines what competition is all about. What kind of message does it send when a team beats another and finishes higher but still gets lapped in the bowl proceedings?

The conference offices are at the mercy of rules set by its member institutions. It will be interesting to see if Missouri's snub prompts any change in the conference's rules at the league's next meetings.

In the meantime, the Tigers' freefall has prompted some conspiracy theorists.

Some newspaper pundits have said Missouri's snub is yet another reason why the Tigers should give consideration to moving to another conference in the future.

Like the Big Ten, where the sanctity of bowls apparently is stronger.

One problem with that logic. The Tigers would replace Big 12 titans Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska for a new set of bullies like Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Iowa and Wisconsin.

And the Tigers would likely forfeit much of their recruiting inroads in Texas, the state that has helped them find players like Chase Daniel, Sean Weatherspoon, Danario Alexander, Stryker Sulak and Ziggy Hood over the years.

Missouri would still snag a few players out of Texas each season if they moved to the Big Ten. But I doubt I would see nearly the number of Missouri sweatshirts or bumper stickers when I go to the mall in San Antonio that I've seen the last few years.

And in the long run, do the Tigers really want to trade Houston for Detroit as a potential bowl destination if they would move to the Big Ten?

Because given the choice, I'll take a trip to Otto's Bar B-Q in Houston over Detroit's Lafayette's Coney Island Hot Dogs any day of the week.

And that doesn't even include the difference in weather between the two cities.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

With a young defense still grasping the nuances of college football, Missouri coordinator Dave Steckel made an astute decision that belied his lack of experience in his new job.

Namely, why not unleash “The Scorpion?”

Steckel’s simplified four-man pass rush featured three defensive ends in the lineup at the same time to boost the athleticism of his defensive front.

“Coach Steckel said he got a little bored calling the same defense over and over,” Missouri linebacker Sean Weatherspoon said. “But why change anything when our base was working like it did?”

That assessment might have been one of the biggest understatements of the young season. The Tigers’ defense stung Illinois in a convincing 37-9 victory that ranked as the biggest surprise of the weekend in the Big 12.

Yes, that was the same Missouri defense that ranked 98th nationally in total defense and 117th in pass defense last season. The Tigers were also supposed to be reeling from the loss of first-round draft pick Ziggy Hood, top pass-rushing specialist Stryker Sulak and inspirational leader William Moore from last season.

But Missouri coach Gary Pinkel has been telling anybody who would listen this summer that his defense is faster and more athletic than any unit he has had at Missouri.

And “The Scorpion” proved that.

Steckel realized that he had so much talent at defensive end that it didn’t make sense not to play his best players together. So along with starting defensive ends Jacquies Smith and Brian Coulter, redshirt freshman defensive end Aldon Smith was added to the mix at defensive tackle.

Aldon Smith was the most productive of Missouri’s defensive linemen, producing a sack and six tackles, including three for losses. He saw action at both end and tackle and continually harassed Illinois quarterback Juice Williams.

“It was just a team effort and everybody did their job,” Smith said. “Some people might be surprised, but I’m not. We worked so hard in the off-season getting this down and Saturday’s game was the result of it.”

Yes, that was the same Illinois quarterback who torched the Tigers for 451 passing yards and five touchdowns in a wild 52-42 shootout that Missouri was fortunate to win in 2008. He was limited to 179 passing yards in Saturday’s loss.

The Missouri defense didn’t flinch this time around. And a secondary that was a running punch line last season didn’t allow a completion of longer than 24 yards against the Illini.

Obviously, the Tigers were helped when top Illinois wide receiver Arrelious Benn went down with an ankle injury early in the first quarter and produced only one catch. But the Tigers sat back and dared Williams to beat them with his arm – and he couldn’t do it.

Weatherspoon also credited Steckel’s presence on the sideline for helping the defense improve. In the past, Missouri defensive coordinators were situated in the press box. But Steckel, a former Marine known for his intensity, was on the field exhorting his team.

“I think our communication was a whole lot better,” Weatherspoon said. “Coach Steckel still has a few wrinkles that nobody has seen. Our defensive line got a little bit more pressure. It was a good day to show what we could do.”

Having their fiery coach so close to his team provided a little extra motivation for the Missouri defense, Weatherspoon said.

“Now, you would have to face him as you came on the field,” Weatherspoon said, chuckling. “In the old days, we could wait until halftime or after the game. But now, he’s right there waiting if somebody made a mistake.”

In Missouri's opener, "The Scorpion" kept Steckel relatively quiet.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

STILLWATER, Okla. -- Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe has to be smiling somewhere as he's watching the Saturday afternoon games transpire.

His conference is close to notching two big upsets if Missouri can maintain its stunning 37-9 lead over Illinois and Baylor can hold a 24-14 advantage at Wake Forest.

The Tigers' large victory might be one of the day's biggest stunners. Most observers expected Missouri to decline after key players like Chase Daniel, Chase Coffman, Jeremy Maclin and Ziggy Hood left for the NFL .

Blaine Gabbert has already thrown for more than 300 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for another touchdown. It continues a trend of previous starters like Daniel and Brad Smith, who both led the Tigers to victories over Illinois in their first career starts.

And Baylor's defense has produced four turnovers, including intercepting Riley Skinner three times to pace the Bears' lead.

Most importantly, the performances of Baylor, Missouri and Oklahoma State are showing that the Big 12 can play a little defense

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

It's time to unveil my preseason power rankings, which is a pretty good indicator that the season is fast approaching.

Unlike some of my coaching friends, I'm all about releasing these every week. Maybe Grant Teaff and my friends at the American Football Coaches Association could learn something about transparency in polling.

As far as the rankings, there's been little movement since May. I've boosted Baylor up a notch because Robert Griffin appears ready to direct the Bears back to a bowl game. Colorado is down because deep threats are becoming sparse in the Buffaloes' offense. And in the Big 12, you can never have enough deep threats.

Other than that, I still like Texas over Oklahoma by a smidge -- although the lack of a tight end or quick improvement from the Sooners' offensive line could cause those to change.

And in the North, I'm picking Nebraska over Kansas because of Ndamukong Suh, a better running game and the Cornhuskers' easier cross-division schedule. But it's not a great margin.

So read and remember these picks and check back in December when I'll take stock of how I did.

1. Texas: The Longhorns have long memories about what happened last season when the BCS standings kept them out of the Big 12 title game. If a running game can be cobbled together and Will Muschamp can work his magic on the defensive front, the Longhorns might not have to worry about polls this season.

2. Oklahoma: Bob Stoops has built the nation's quietest dynasty with an unprecedented three straight Big 12 championships. He's got a good shot at four straight if his young offensive line jells and that pesky recent problem at the Cotton Bowl with Texas can be taken care of.

3. Oklahoma State: No team in the conference is as balanced and explosive as the Cowboys, but the defense is another story. If veteran coordinator Bill Young can coax enough improvement from the defense, the Cowboys might shock their way to their first Big 12 title and BCS bowl game.

4. Nebraska: Last year's late finish has Cornhusker fans believing the magic is back with Bo Pelini. But breaking in a new quarterback and trying to find some deep receiving threats will keep the Cornhuskers from dreaming about a Big 12 title -- at least for this season.

5. Kansas: The Jayhawks are loaded offensively and have enough defense to arguably make this Mark Mangino's best team. The only problem, however, is that a tough cross-division schedule will make Kansas play Oklahoma, Texas and Texas Tech. It might be enough to keep the best North team from playing in the championship game.

6. Texas Tech: Why is Mike Leach smiling so much these days? It's not just his new contract. The Red Raiders have an underrated defense and Leach doesn't think the loss of Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree will be as grievous as most outside the program believe. The Red Raiders are rebuilding, but Leach likes his new players.

7. Missouri: The Tigers are breaking in new coordinators and looking for replacements for Chase Daniel, Chase Coffman, Jeremy Maclin and Ziggy Hood. Gary Pinkel's recruiting has improved -- typified by new quarterback Blaine Gabbert -- but there are likely too many holes to think about a third straight trip to the Big 12 title game.

8. Baylor: Could this finally be the team to break the bowl drought? Art Briles is starting to get the pieces in place -- starting with Griffin at quarterback. But the schedule is unforgiving in the South Division and the Bears could be a little thin in the trenches to think about bowling just yet.

9. Colorado: Whether Dan Hawkins said his team would win 10 games or not isn't the point. The fact is that a deep collection of running backs, an improving offensive line, an underrated defense and the North Division's most favorable schedule could make the Buffaloes a surprise challenger. But there are still many questions -- starting with the quarterbacks on hand and the lack of a proven deep threat.

10. Texas A&M: Expectations are lower for the Aggies than any time in recent memory. These Aggies bear little resemblance to the consistent winners of the early Big 12 era, particularly on defense. Jerrod Johnson gives Mike Sherman a playmaker to start building his offense around, but winning in the South with this group might be an impossible task.

11. Kansas State: Speaking of reclamation projects, Bill Snyder might have stepped into a big one as he tries to return the Wildcats to their earlier dominance of his previous coaching tenure. It will be a long trek back as Snyder settles on a quarterback and tries to improve a porous defense.

12. Iowa State: Paul Rhoads knows the culture at Iowa State after growing up near Ames and previously working as an ISU assistant. He has quarterback Austen Arnaud back to run a retooled high-tempo offense. But Rhoads will face a monumental rebuilding job as he tries to stem a nation-worst 17-game road losing streak.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said he prepared for two scenarios when recruiting heralded nose tackle/tight end Sheldon Richardson.

The Tigers' top product in their 2009 recruiting class failed to qualify to attend Missouri. Instead, he is expected to start summer classes today at the College of the Sequoias, a junior college in Visalia, Calif.

Pinkel told the Columbia Tribune that Richardson is expected to return to the Missouri program for the start of the 2011 season. He compared Richardson's path to the Tigers as similar to former tailback Damien Nash, who needed two years at Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College before arriving at Missouri.

"There was an A plan and a B plan," Pinkel told the Tribune. "If the A plan works, that's fine. Let's roll. If not, [Richardson] can still graduate from Mizzou. He can still be a great football player. He can still accomplish all his goals. There's just a little detour here.

"He's going to do Plan B. He can still be a great player and still graduate from college, which at Mizzou, he will."

Pinkel said that his staff prepared for the eventuality that Richardson might not qualify. He will be the only member of Missouri's recruiting class who did not qualify academically.

"We didn't wake up one day and say, 'Oh my gosh!'" Pinkel said. "We were aware of what's happening a year and a half ago, as we are with all our kids."

The loss of Richardson for the next two years is a big loss for the Tigers, who could have really used one of the nation's top defensive line prospects. But Pinkel and his coaches are obviously preparing to make sure he arrives two years from now.

His loss for the upcoming season places more pressure on projected starting sophomore tackle Terrell Resonno, Andy Maples, converted tight end Bart Coslet and Jimmy Burge to replace Ziggy Hood.

It will be one of the biggest challenges for new defensive coordinator Dave Steckel, who will have to wait for Richardson for two seasons.  

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

The Big 12 had its most productive draft in history in the first round, but failed to match those numbers in later rounds of the draft.

A record seven Big 12 players were selected in Saturday's first round, breaking the conference's previous record of six first-round draft selections in 2003.

But the Big 12 lagged throughout the rest of the draft, producing only 28 players in the seven rounds. That number was the lowest since 28 players were picked in 2007 and tied for the second lowest in conference history behind only the 24 selections in the 2000 draft.

Missouri led all Big 12 teams with six players selected and two chosen in the first round. Wide receiver Jeremy Maclin (19th pick, Philadelphia) and defensive tackle Evander "Ziggy" Hood (32nd pick, Pittsburgh) represented the first time Missouri has had two first-round selections in the first round since Morris Towns (11th pick, Houston) and Steve Pisarkiewicz (19th pick, St. Louis) were first-round choices in 1977.

The Tigers' six picks were even more remarkable considering they had only 15 players chosen in the previous 12 drafts of the Big 12 era starting in 1997.

Here's a look at how the Big 12 compared with the other conferences in first-round picks on Saturday.

First-round draft picks

• Southeastern: 8
• Big 12: 7
• Atlantic Coast: 5
• Pacific-10: 4
• Big Ten: 4
• Big East: 3
• Mid-American: 1

Here's a look at how the six BCS-affiliated conferences ranked in total draft picks in the 2009 draft.

• Southeastern: 37
• Atlantic Coast: 35
• Pacific-10: 32
• Big 12: 28
• Big Ten: 28
• Big East: 27

Also interesting were how traditional non-Big 12 power schools cleaned up early in the draft.

Baylor offensive tackle Jason Smith was the first Big 12 player in the draft, taken with the second pick by St. Louis. It tied for the highest pick in Baylor school history, with Jack Wilson by the Cleveland Rams in 1942 and Adrian Burk by Baltimore in 1950. He also is tied with Leonard Davis for the highest pick in Big 12 history. Davis was selected with the second pick by Arizona in 2001.

Here are some other school-specific draft tidbits I came up with after watching most of the draft.

• Colorado linebacker Brad Jones was not invited to the NFL combine, but was still selected in the seventh round by Green Bay. He was Colorado's only pick -- the lowest total of players selected for Colorado since the Buffaloes were shut out in 2005.
• Iowa State was shut out for the first time since 2004.
• Despite making back-to-back bowl appearances for the first time in school history, Kansas was shut out in the draft. It marked the third time in four seasons (2006 and 2007) that Kansas did not have a player drafted. Since 1999, Kansas has been shut out in six of those 11 drafts.
• Josh Freeman of Kansas State was the Wildcats first first-round selection since Terence Newman was picked with the fifth pick of the first round by Dallas in 2003. He was only the fifth first round draft pick in school history, joining Newman, Chris Canty (1997), Clarence Scott (1971) and Veryl Switzer (1954). Freeman was the only KSU player selected, making it the fewest Wildcats picked in the draft since one player was picked in both 2005 and 2006.
• Missouri's six players selected in the draft were their most in a single draft since seven Tigers were picked in 1981.
• Nebraska maintains its lead among Big 12 programs after having three players picked, boosting the Cornhuskers' total to 62 since 1997. But the Cornhuskers' three selections matched 2008 and 2000 as the fewest Nebraska players chosen in the Big 12 era.
• Most surprisingly, the Cornhuskers haven't had a first-day selection in the last two drafts and haven't had a player picked higher than the fifth round in either draft. The last time that happened in successive drafts was in 1969 and 1970.
• The biggest Big 12 surprise in the draft might have been Oklahoma guard George "Duke" Robinson, who was projected early as a potential second-round pick but lasted until the 27th pick in the fifth round when he was picked by Carolina. Robinson struggled with an arm injury that limited his work at the Senior Bowl and the NFL Combine. And he also missed parts of two games due to violations of team rules.
• The Sooners had five players selected in the draft, ranking only behind Missouri among Big 12 teams.
• Tight end Brandon Pettigrew of Oklahoma State (20th pick, Detroit) was the Cowboys' first first-round draft pick since Rashaun Woods was picked in the first round by San Francisco in 2004. Pettigrew was the highest OSU tight end picked in the first round since Reuben Gant was picked by Buffalo in 1974. And Pettigrew was the lone Cowboy selected in the draft after OSU had been shut out in the 2008 draft.
• Brian Orakpo of Texas was the Longhorns' first first-round draft pick since 2007, but gives the Longhorns a Big 12-best 15 first-round draft picks during the history of the conference.
• I was a little suprised that Texas wide receiver Quan Cosby didn't make a roster somewhere because of his productivity. I can only think that teams might have been scared away by his age, as Cosby turned 26 in December. His college career was pushed back four seasons by his minor-league career with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. It wouldn't surprise me if he made an NFL roster because of his character and his productivity -- both as a receiver and a kick returner.
• Although Texas A&M's Stephen McGee said he was disappointed with his placement as the first player chosen in the fourth round by Dallas, he still made history as the highest drafted Texas A&M quarterback of the modern NFL draft era and only the fifth A&M quarterback selected in an NFL draft during that period. Others included Reggie McNeal (sixth round, 2006), Bucky Richardson (eighth round, 1992), Gary Kubiak (eighth round, 1983) and Edd Hargett (16th round, 1969).
• Michael Crabtree made history as the first first-round draft selection of the Mike Leach era at Texas Tech. He was picked 10th in the first round by San Francisco. He was the highest Tech player selected in a draft since Donny Anderson was picked with the seventh pick in the first round by Green Bay in 1965.
• Crabtree and defensive back Darcel McBath (second round, Denver) were the first Red Raiders picked on the first day in Leach's coaching tenure. And along with guard Louis Vasquez (third round, San Diego) it was the first time in school history that the Red Raiders had a player picked in the first round, second round and third round picked in the same draft.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Sean Weatherspoon stops himself just short of saying that the final results of his last two seasons have been a disappointment.

His Missouri team qualified for two-straight Big 12 championship games, but lost convincingly to Oklahoma in the title game to cap both seasons.

	Brad Schloss/Icon SMI
	Missouri coaches are very happy top linebacker Sean Weatherspoon is back for his senior season.

With a rash of key personnel losses, few think the Tigers can claim make history as the first North team to make three straight championship game appearances.

Except maybe Weatherspoon and his teammates, whose cause was boosted when the senior linebacker opted to return after flirting with declaring for the NFL draft.

"When I decided to come back, I did so to help our football team," Weatherspoon said. "We still have a lot of great players, but just didn't put it together the way it should have been. This team has the opportunity to do that and over time, hopefully become a better team."

The Tigers lose offensive standouts like Chase Daniel, Chase Coffman and Jeremy Maclin. And their defensive departures will be sizable too, with Stryker Sulak, Ziggy Hood and William Moore among a group of seven starters who won't be back.

But in a balanced North Division without a clear-cut favorite, Weatherspoon thinks the Tigers will be able to confound observers who are already predicting their demise.

"It's great when you are the underdog," Weatherspoon said. "Everybody had said we'd win the North the past two or three years, but we still haven't gotten over the hump yet. With this team, we're going to surprise some people this year."

If they do, Weatherspoon will be a key reason.

He's become the face of the program as his visage adorns ticket promotions and the Tigers' preseason media guide.

But even after a strong finish that featured a 17-tackle effort that earned him the MVP honors in the Tigers' Alamo Bowl victory over Northwestern, Weatherspoon was projected as a third-round draft choice.

That realization was like a cold slap to Weatherspoon and provided some immediate motivation for his senior season.

"As soon as that happened, (Missouri linebackers) coach (Dave) Steckel called me up," Weatherspoon said. "He told me I could go back and show them what I really have by winning the Butkus and proving something to them."

Weatherspoon has returned with a different attitude. He's still the Tigers' most active and vocal leader heading into their Saturday spring game, but also is attacking other areas to help prepare him for the next level.

The most significant area he must improve is in separating himself from offensive linemen. His inability to "shed blockers" in scout speak is the major weakness that keeps him from comparing with potential first-round linebacker picks like Aaron Curry, Clay Matthews and James Laurinaitis.

"I just need to work harder in the weight room and become more diligent in my film study," Weatherspoon said. "I've got to spend more time in the film room and learn tendencies and stuff like that -- just become more of a student of the game."

Steckel, who has since been hired as the Tigers' defensive coordinator, is glad to have Weatherspoon back.

"Sean is a very, very good football player, but he just needs to take care of the little things," Steckel said. "He's intelligent, smart, fast and really knows our defense. Now, he just had to the little intricacies of the position to take him to the next level."

And an inspired Weatherspoon, with the low draft reports as a stimulus, might have a chance to become one of the nation's elite players.

"Knowing Spoon, that will spur him to great things," Steckel said. "Personally, I think he's close to getting to that level anyway. I was the happiest guy in the world when I heard he was coming back."

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

When I was a little kid, one element among my favorites of going to a football game was collecting a game program. I loved nothing better than to scan rosters and check the heights and weights of players as I looked at them through my father's binoculars.

It led me to collecting many programs that probably still are around my parents' house somewhere. I guess I just wanted to add to the clutter of my bedroom.

If I had known then what I know now, I might not have been so diligent about all of the effort. Little boys don't know those heights and weights for their football heroes aren't always correct.

The best way to analyze the discrepancy is by comparing the heights and weights of some of the Big 12 players who attended the recent NFL combine and compare them with what they were listed at during their college careers.

The before is their listed height and weight during last season. The after is what they were measured over the weekend by the NFL.

(Read full post)