ESPN

The NFL began to look more like the college game last season with mobile quarterbacks, zone-read options and spread passing attacks. With some work, Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel has the tools to continue the evolution.

Robert Griffin III, Russell Wilson and Colin Kaepernick transformed the game with their speed and versatility, forcing defenses to adapt to a new style of play.

All three of those quarterbacks were also proficient passers. They each possess four qualities necessary to be a successful quarterback in the NFL: overall accuracy, ability to handle the blitz, downfield precision and composure under duress.

Manziel is skilled in all four categories, but he could improve in each next season to boost his draft stock if he decides to declare for the draft.

Overall accuracy
In 2012, Manziel completed 68 percent of his passes, which ranked ninth among FBS teams. He was at his best on short and intermediate passes, completing more than 76 percent of his throws within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage.

One of his greatest strengths was putting the ball in spots that enabled his receivers to run after the catch. Texas A&M ranked sixth among colleges in AQ conferences in yards after the catch, averaging 6.5 yards after the catch per reception.

Ability to handle the blitz
Opponents blitzed Manziel on fewer than 30 percent of his dropbacks last season.

Although Manziel’s completion percentage was significantly lower against the blitz, he exploited blitzing defenses with big plays.

Manziel averaged a play of 20 yards or more once every 6.4 dropbacks when opponents blitzed, compared with once every 8.5 dropbacks when they sent standard pressure.

His biggest plays came when scrambling, with him rushing for 389 yards and seven touchdowns on 32 scrambles against the blitz.

Downfield precision
This is probably the one area Manziel could improve the most. Last season, he completed 38.7 percent of his passes of 20 yards or longer with eight touchdowns and four interceptions.

To put that into perspective, Griffin III, Wilson and Andrew Luck all completed a higher percentage of their passes on throws of this distance in their final year of college.

Manziel can learn from those quarterbacks, who all increased their completion percentages on throws of at least 20 yards downfield in their final college seasons.

Composure under duress
Last season, Manziel completed 51.4 percent of his passes when under duress, about 11 percentage points higher than the FBS average.

He was at his best when forced to improvise. Manziel ran for 857 yards and 10 touchdowns on 86 scramble attempts in 2012. He also threw for 581 yards and eight touchdowns when forced to throw from outside the pocket.

Many question whether this aspect of Manziel’s game will translate to the NFL, given his size and the speed of NFL defenses. At 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, Manziel is small for an NFL quarterback. Of the 49 NFL quarterbacks who attempted at least 30 passes last season, only three were 6-1 or shorter, and only one weighed 200 pounds or less.

In terms of the speed of NFL defenses, Texas A&M faced its share of NFL talent last season; 26 opposing defensive players were taken in the 2013 NFL draft.

Last season against Alabama, the top defense in the nation, Manziel ran for 92 yards. It was the most rushing yards the Crimson Tide had allowed to an opposing quarterback since Nick Saban became Alabama's coach in 2007.

NORMAN, Okla. -- It’s rare to hear teammates rave about a player who has done so little on Saturdays. Offensive linemen who have to deal with him during practice at Oklahoma describe him with statements that include "future All-American," "the next Gerald McCoy" and "a handful."

Yet all that praise means nothing unless Jordan Phillips becomes a difference-maker at defensive tackle for the Sooners.

The past 12 months have seen progress from Phillips as he worked his way into the defensive tackle rotation in the season’s final few weeks in 2012. This spring, as all eyes turned his way as the lone defensive tackle on the roster with any experience, he continued to improve.

Sophomore center Ty Darlington, who spent a large portion of the spring battling Phillips, called him the toughest one-on-one matchup on the squad.

“He’s made me look like a child a couple of times,” Darlington said with a chuckle. “He’s athletic for his size, he moves so well and he has long arms.”

The sophomore followed up a strong spring with a strong Red-White spring game, as Phillips showed his continued improvement by spending a good portion of the game in the offense's backfield, finishing with three tackles and a sack. When he keeps his 6-foot-6, 318-pound frame low along the line of scrimmage, he can be a powerful force in the middle that is difficult for one offensive lineman to contain.

“He’s a monster on the inside,” defensive end Geneo Grissom said after Phillips’ inside pressure helped free Grissom up to record four tackles and one sack in the spring game.

Phillips, who can do a back flip and dunk a basketball with ease, has amazing athleticism. Those physical traits should provide a foundation that could make him a terror in the future for Big 12 offenses.

But the next three months could be the most critical time for the sophomore. And it could be even more important to the Sooners’ defense.

“He has to be a player for us,” defensive coordinator Mike Stoops said. “Getting Jordan to where he can play 50 snaps a game is going to be a necessity for us to be successful and play effectively for 50 snaps. And that is where he has to have to have a great summer, with conditioning, for us to be able to rely on him for 50 snaps.”

In other words the Sooners are counting on him to approach this summer as if the success of the entire defense is resting upon his broad shoulders. And, in some ways, it is.

“Jordan is real good, he just needs someone to push him,” linebacker Corey Nelson said. “Going against the offense he’ll get a little gassed and I’ll have to say ‘Jordan, pick it up.’ He’ll pick it up and get to the next gear. His potential is far beyond any potential I can think of as far as our defensive line goes. he has the potential to be one of the greatest to come out of here.”

Phillips knows he still has a long way to go. And Nelson -- who has expressed a desire to be one of the senior leaders on this year’s squad -- believes he knows how Phillips can change his potential into production.

“Play fast, play with a motor and be physical, even when he’s tired,” Nelson said. “Being physical, being able to play fast and play smart, that will make him the player he needs to be.”

The SEC will have a 24-hour-a-day home.

On Thursday at a news conference in Atlanta, the SEC and ESPN announced the SEC Network would launch in August 2014, an agreement that will run through 2034.

What’s it mean for fans?

Well, you’ll get your fill of SEC football, basketball, baseball and other sports on the 24-hour network, including 45 football games. There will also be special shows for such events as national signing day and pro timing days.

The network will be based in ESPN’s offices in Charlotte, N.C.

Colleague Brian Fremeau at Football projected the finish of each Big 12 team and calculated the odds of each Big 12 team winning the title.

He says Texas leads the way at 10-2 with a 39 percent chance of winning the league, but also says five teams in the Big 12 have zero chance of winning the Big 12.

You'll need ESPN Insider to read the full piece, but I'll definitely check in before the season with my own projections. It's not hard to see Texas winning the Big 12, but I don't buy the Longhorns as the league's favorite. I believe in advanced metrics to tell you more about games that have already happened and give you a better insight into team's strengths and weaknesses, but I don't buy them as reliable predictors of future games.

Such is life in college football.

Fremeau says Oklahoma State has the second-highest percent chance to win the league, at 30 percent. That's ahead of in-state rival Oklahoma, at 16 percent.

Big 12 sophomores TCU is the only other Big 12 team Fremeau gives a reasonable chance to win the league, with 14 percent. Kansas State is at No. 5 in his rankings, and the other big surprise for me is Texas Tech below West Virginia in his rankings.

Give the post a look. He also offers a win total range for each team in the Big 12, and says only one could go undefeated.

ESPN Midlands recruiting coordinator Damon Sayles stops by to talk about Josh Pelzel's commitment to Baylor, the strong crop of defensive backs in the state of Texas, and a small Texas high school that's providing several Big 12 recruits.

 
The Texas A&M board of regents announced approval of the redevelopment of Kyle Field with plans to expand capacity to 102,500, making it the largest stadium in the SEC and the third-largest stadium in college football.

Only Michigan and Penn State have greater capacity, and A&M's construction -- scheduled to be completed in 2015. will just surpass Tennessee's 102,455 capacity at Neyland Stadium.

1. Oklahoma State: The Cowboys don't know (or at least, won't say on the record) who their Week 1 starting quarterback will be, but Mike Gundy's team boasts the Big 12's top returning receiver and should have a great shot to win their second Big 12 title in three seasons. Adjusting to new defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer's more aggressive style shouldn't be too difficult, and new offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich sounds like a quick study in picking up the offense.

2. TCU: The Frogs should have the Big 12's best defense on paper after returning nine starters from the league leader in total defense last season, but Casey Pachall returning to his old form is key to the Frogs scoring enough points to win the Big 12 title in their second season in the league.

3. Texas: The Longhorns have the league's most experienced quarterback in David Ash and a deep, talented stable of running backs who complement each other well. But the defense has a lot to prove after being one of the biggest disappointments in the Big 12 last season. It's a crucial season for coach Mack Brown, too. This season feels like a BCS-or-bust type of year for the Longhorns, who have been vocal this offseason about nine wins not being enough.

4. Oklahoma: The Sooners' defense was embarrassed by some great offenses late in 2013 and lost most of its top talents to the NFL draft. Blake Bell looks to have secured the quarterback spot despite no official announcement, but the Sooners need young talents like Frank Shannon, Cortez Johnson and Julian Wilson to have breakout seasons.

5. Baylor: The Bears closed 2012 as the hottest team in the Big 12 and had the league's best performance of the bowl season. Bryce Petty looks ready to take the reins on offense, and a strong finish to 2012 by a defense that returns seven starters should carry over to 2013. The D is deeper, faster and will ultimately decide how far up the Big 12 ladder Baylor can climb.

6. Kansas State: K-State's returning fewer starters -- eight -- than any team in the Big 12, but nobody does more with less than Bill Snyder. The talent level will take a hit, mostly on defense, but underrated back John Hubert can make the transition from quarterback Collin Klein simpler for whoever wins the battle between Jake Waters and Daniel Sams. Linebacker Tre Walker's return from a knee injury will be a huge help for a defense that needs experience and talent.

7. Texas Tech: New coach Kliff Kingsbury inherits an experienced team with a lot of upside, but Texas Tech still has to prove it can do more than win eight games. It hasn't topped that total since 2008, when it reached No. 2 in the BCS and started 10-0. Tech boasts one of the Big 12's best defensive lines, and quarterback Michael Brewer has a lot of promise and a pair of great targets in receiver Eric Ward and tight end Jace Amaro.

8. West Virginia: The first season in the Big 12 was a learning experience for WVU, but it won't get any easier this fall. The Mountaineers return just three starters from a dangerous offense in 2012 and have to count on improvement from a defense that showed little flash or reason for optimism in 2013. Safeties Karl Joseph and Darwin Cook need to lead and push that defense along.

9. Iowa State: ISU is moving past the losses of linebackers A.J. Klein and Jake Knott and is hoping Sam Richardson provides the quarterback play that's been missing under Paul Rhoads. He's got a solid group of running backs and an offensive line that should be great, but the receivers leave a bit to be desired and have to improve.

10. Kansas: Charlie Weis turned tons of heads by bringing in almost 20 junior college transfers for 2013, but KU will go as far as new quarterback Jake Heaps, a BYU transfer, can take them. With a 21-game losing streak in Big 12 hanging over their heads entering the season, up is the only way to go. For now, though, they've got to start at the bottom.

SMU Mustangs

2012 record: 7-6

2012 conference record: 5-3, C-USA West

Returning starters: Offense: 6; defense: 6; kicker/punter: 2

Top returners

QB Garrett Gilbert, WR Der'rikk Thompson, DB Kenneth Acker, LB Randall Joyner

Key losses

RB Zach Line, WR Darius Johnson, DE Margus Hunt, LB Ja’Gared Davis

2012 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Line (1,278 yards, 13 TDs)

Passing: Gilbert* (268-of-506 for 2,932 yards, 15 TDs, 15 INTs)

Receiving: Jeremy Johnson* (679 yards, 3 TDs)

Tackles: Taylor Reed (97)

Sacks: Hunt (eight)

Interceptions: Acker*, Joyner* Reed (three each)

Spring answers

1. Garrett Gilbert looks sharp. Coach June Jones said after spring practice wrapped up that he was pleased with the way Garrett looked and improved in the biggest area of all -- accuracy. Gilbert only completed 53 percent of his passes last year but has a better grasp of the offense now and more chemistry with his receivers. It probably helps that he had Hal Mumme working with him, too.

2. Traylon Shead steps up. The Mustangs lost their best offensive player in Zach Line, but Shead stole the show this spring as he worked his way up to the first team. Jones called the Texas transfer “the real deal,” and is confident the running game will be just fine with Line gone.

3. Linebacker depth. Reed and Davis are gone, but there is depth at this position and some veterans returning to the starting lineup, too, in Joyner and Kevin Pope. Jones said Joyner had a great camp, and so did Lincoln Richard. Rishaad Wimbley moved over from running back as well.

Fall questions

1. Pass-rush specialist. Defensive end Margus Hunt proved just how special a talent he is this past weekend, when he was drafted in the second round. So how do the Mustangs go about replacing him and their other starting end, Kevin Grenier? Finding another pass-rush specialist takes on even greater importance now that the team is moving to a new league.

2. Offensive line depth. The Mustangs have to replace three starters and are going to be much more inexperienced at this position. Though Jones feels confident with his starting five, depth still has to be built in the fall. True freshmen may have to be relied on this season.

3. Receiver rotation. Jeremy Johnson and Thompson are back, along with Keenan Holman but otherwise, there are some young faces that are going to find themselves getting much more playing time. Line was also a big part of the pass game. Can Shead fill that role now?

I remember colleague Ted Miller over at the Pac-12 blog's incessant complaints about the league playing nine conference games well.

"You don't understand!"

"The math makes the standings look worse!"

"Why is no one else doing this?"

After a year of repeatedly sending the whambulence over to the West Coast, the Big 12 followed the Pac-12's lead and added a nine-game conference schedule.

With great trepidation, I admitted that my boy Ted was absolutely correct. With a nine-game conference schedule comes five additional guaranteed losses to the Big 12's pool, and though it helps the league's overall strength of schedule, it hurts the league's overall record.

That was never more evident in 2012, when five teams from the Big 12 finished 7-5 in the regular season. Chances are that if the Big 12 plays 10 more nonconference games instead of five conference games, it's going to win a whole lot more than five of those, the middle of the league gets stronger, and the road to an undefeated season gets easier.

TV money and a round-robin schedule were the biggest motivators to adding a ninth conference game despite the losses, but college football is changing.

As the sport prepares to begin its playoff system, though, it's no longer about perception. It's about fairness. Last week, the Big Ten announced plans to add a ninth conference game, but last fall, the ACC scrapped its plans to join the Big 12 and Pac-12 in playing nine league games.

The Big Ten won't begin playing nine games until 2016, but its move means that, by then, three of the major five conferences will be playing nine league games.

The SEC and ACC are sitting it out.

Could anyone imagine the NFC being forced to play 18 regular-season games while AFC teams just played 16, along with two preseason games that didn't really count? If that happened, would it not cheapen the Super Bowl?

That's what the College Football Playoff is facing from those who are paying attention. It's the most overlooked inequality in college football. It simply doesn't make sense, and though college football's conferences work as anything but a cohesive unit, the lopsided schedules make for obvious unfairness between the leagues, who will be chasing selection into the four-team playoff.

It would be easier for the Pac-12 to go back to eight games -- the Big 12 would have to sacrifice its round-robin schedule to do so -- but it's hard to see that actually happening and TV networks agreeing to keep writing the same checks with less inventory available.

The Big Ten is unlikely to scrap its plans, even though they've been moderately controversial. Money can make things happen, and more conference games can mean more money. Every conference moving to nine games is the more realistic option, but the end goal ought to be fairness.

Talk of the SEC adding a ninth game has been met with criticism, but what's there to be afraid of? It's time to turn that talk into reality.

If the conferences continue to play different numbers of conference games, the head-scratching inequality will continue. The biggest criticism is obvious: "Hey, the SEC already plays nine conference games! Ever heard of the SEC championship game?"

It's not exactly the same and only affects the top of the standings, but how about a trade-off?

The Big 12 brings back the title game, much to the chagrin of the coaches. The SEC and ACC add a ninth game.

Evening the playing field is the goal, and accepting that it just won't happen under the new playoff is silliness.

1. The shifting balance of power is continuing. Since Bob Stoops and Mack Brown's arrival, Texas or Oklahoma has never gone two years without representing the Big 12 in the BCS.

Until last season, that is. Stoops' Sooners shared a title with Kansas State, but lost the tiebreaker in Norman early in the season while Texas is still trying to rebuild from a big drop-off after playing for the 2009 national title. This season, there's a reasonable shot neither Texas or Oklahoma will be in the top two of the Big 12's preseason poll, possibly being passed up by Oklahoma State and TCU. We won't know if that's official until the fall, but every year offers more reminders of the Big 12's move toward a more balanced conference as Texas and Oklahoma's stranglehold on the league continues to slip.

2. If defenses are going to have a banner year, the time is now. The Big 12 could have some elite defenses in Texas and TCU, but Oklahoma State returns seven starters from an underrated defense in 2012. Meanwhile, Baylor's looking for improvement after looking legitimately dominant in lopsided wins over BCS No. 1 Kansas State and UCLA in its bowl game. And seven starters return to the Bears. Texas Tech's dealing with a new scheme but returns eight starters and almost its entire front seven from last season's improved defense. Only two Big 12 quarterbacks have more than a half-season of starting experience, which could mean more opportunity for a league with notoriously downtrodden defenses.

3. The top of the Big 12 could be pillowy soft. The Big 12 has never, ever opened a season without a team in the preseason top 10. This season looks likely to be the first. At least four Big 12 teams are probably in the Top 25, but it's entirely possible that the conference gets shut out of the top 15, too. We may see a surprise team rise, similar to Kansas State last season making noise in the national title hunt. But the Big 12 in 2013 is another wide-open league title race. Without an elite team in the mix, two losses might be enough to win a share of the league title, which means a larger pool of teams getting into the mix. Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas and Oklahoma look like the favorites, but don't be surprised if Texas Tech, Baylor and Kansas State control their own fates in the race come November.

Time to look at a few of the best things in the Big 12 this spring.

Biggest breakout star: Bryce Petty. The Bears' quarterback is an unknown for now, but he's learned a proven system under great coaches and great quarterbacks. This spring, he never let his competition come close to making it real quarterback battle in Waco. Despite windy conditions, he capped the spring with 181 yards and two touchdowns on 13-of-15 passing. Don't be surprised if he hangs similar stat lines in a first half or two next year.

Biggest flip-flop: Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy. Midway through the spring, Gundy offered some real clarity on his quarterback situation, which ended with Clint Chelf carrying the Cowboys through bowl practices and a lopsided win in the Heart of Dallas Bowl. "Clint Chelf is our starter, he takes all the reps with the ones right now. The other guys compete out there, but I don't necessarily feel like there's a battle out there to start in the first game," Gundy said. A week later, though, he said the Pokes "haven't necessarily said anything about the [starter for the] first game of the season." He says they won't be offering any updates on the QB situation until after the season opener against Mississippi State and Chelf is off-limits to media, along with his competition, sophomores J.W. Walsh and Wes Lunt.

Best spring-game performance: Jordan Thompson, WR, West Virginia. Dana Holgorsen joked that Thompson is earning a reputation as the greatest spring game player of all time after he recorded six catches for 123 yards and three touchdowns. Just don't spend too much time reading this paragraph. "Until he plays like that in a game, we're going to call it like it is," Holgorsen said. "I haven't seen him play like that in a game yet. Until he does that in a game, we're not going to talk about it."

Biggest surprise: TCU's quarterback indecision. Many assumed that Casey Pachall's return to the Horned Frogs meant Trevone Boykin's days as the starting quarterback were over, or at least on hold for another season. After 15 practices this spring, however, that hasn't been the case just yet. Coach Gary Patterson says Boykin's made big strides since the end of the season and Pachall looked rusty after not working out or throwing while he was in treatment for drug and alcohol addiction. More than a few folks are skeptical of Patterson's insistence that the competition is still open, but we'll know for sure when TCU opens against LSU.

Most to prove: Jake Heaps and Kansas. KU's Big 12 losing streak now stands at 21 games, and Heaps is looking like a much better passer than Dayne Crist was at this time last year. Charlie Weis is also stocking his roster with tons of juco talent, which could mean a quick turnaround. Will it, though? KU needs to get back to respectability and fast, but winning that first Big 12 game won't be easy.

Best new uniforms: Baylor and West Virginia. West Virginia had a ballyhooed debut before its spring game with three sets of white, blue and Old Gold pants, jerseys and helmets, giving WVU 27 possible combinations. The numbers on the jerseys are also inspired by miners' pick axes. Baylor also debuted new jerseys, highlighted by an all gold chrome helmet and most importantly, the elimination of a cartoonish bear claw mark on the pants.

As the Big 12 developed its reputation as a quarterbacking oasis in the past decade, an accepted truth emerged: If you don't have an experienced quarterback, you can count out a Big 12 title run.

Over the Big 12's 16-year history, only three quarterbacks have won a title as a first-year starter. Two of them played for Oklahoma, and one of them (Sam Bradford) went on to win a Heisman Trophy. The Sooners pulled off the improbable feat in 2006 after moving Paul Thompson back to starter when coach Bob Stoops kicked Rhett Bomar off the team, but the truth has been nearly ironclad: If you want to win the Big 12, you'd better have loads of experience behind center.

"This year is one of those years where there's a number of excellent quarterbacks [who] are moving on, so a new batch will be coming up," Stoops said.

For young quarterbacks, a rise to a league title or a BCS bid has never been more attainable.

Texas' David Ash, the league's sudden elder statesman, carries 18 career starts under his belt, but the next-most experienced quarterback in the league hasn't taken the field since October.

TCU's Casey Pachall hasn't officially regained his status as the Horned Frogs' starter, but he'll try to start his 18th game against LSU to open 2013 after sitting out the final nine games of 2012 to seek treatment for drug and alcohol addiction.

The rest of the league, though? Oklahoma State might be the favorite to win its second Big 12 title in three seasons, but it has no idea who its starting quarterback will be just yet after injuries led to three -- Wes Lunt, J.W. Walsh and Clint Chelf -- playing about a third of the season each and all of them topping 1,000 passing yards and winning a conference game.

Oklahoma's Blake Bell looks likely to claim Landry Jones' vacated job, but the Sooners will enter fall camp without an official announcement.

For those keeping count, that's three of the Big 12's top four teams who don't know (or at least, haven't announced) who will start their first game of 2013.

Baylor, Texas Tech and Kansas State might be in the mix for the Big 12 title, too, but only Baylor made an official announcement at quarterback, crowning Bryce Petty as the next in a long line of good quarterback play under Art Briles. Michael Brewer will continue to battle Davis Webb at Texas Tech, and Kansas State's derby between Daniel Sams and Jake Waters will leak into fall camp as well.

"There's a lot of question marks in our league, and that has not been the case the last couple of years," Texas coach Mack Brown said.

It's a whole new ballgame in the Big 12, and it's a wide-open race. The game is the same: To win in the Big 12, you have to have great quarterback play.

This season, though, the rules have changed.

"With new QBs, there are always question marks. I mean, you don't really know until you know. The only way to know is to get out on the field with them in the heat of battle and find out how they respond," Briles said. "It changes the dynamics of the league 100 percent."

Alabama might have fallen to No. 2 in ESPN colleague Mark Schlabach's Way-Too-Early Preseason Top 25, but I'd like to think that most of the college football world still considers the Crimson Tide to be the favorites to win the national championship again.

Alabama lost nine draft picks, including three first-rounders, but Nick Saban has a host of talent returning on both sides of the ball, and the Tide's schedule isn't too daunting after the first two games.

But there are teams that will test the Tide's road to a national championship trifecta in 2013. Colleague Travis Haney picked five teams from around the country that could challenge Alabama's title hopes this fall. Ohio State topped his list, while Texas A&M made it from the SEC.

No surprise there with the Aggies. Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel returns with a bundle of riches to accompany him in the Aggies' backfield.

Johnny Football might not have Luke Joeckel protecting him, but Jake Matthews provides quite the safety net with his move to left tackle, and there is still talent and experience up front. Mike Evans leads a young but talented group of pass-catchers.

The defense is a concern, with five members of last season's front seven gone, but the Aggies will still be equipped to win most shootouts.

A&M benefits from getting Alabama at home early in the season, but has to play Arkansas, Ole Miss, LSU and Missouri on the road. Even beating Alabama early doesn't guarantee the Aggies will make it to Atlanta over the Tide.

2012 record: 8-5
2012 Big 12 record: 4-5
Returning starters: Offense: 6; defense: 7; kicker/punter: 1

Top returners: OL Cyril Richardson, RB Lache Seastrunk, S Ahmad Dixon, WR Tevin Reese, LB Eddie Lackey, DE Chris McAllister, LB Bryce Hager, K Aaron Jones

Key losses: WR Terrance Williams, QB Nick Florence, WR Lanear Sampson, S Mike Hicks, C Ivory Wade, DT Gary Mason Jr.

2012 statistical leaders (*returners)

Passing: Nick Florence (4,309 yards)
Rushing: Lache Seastrunk* (1,012 yards)
Receiving: Terrance Williams (1,832 yards)
Tackles: Bryce Hager* (124)
Sacks: Chris McAllister* (6)
Interceptions: Eddie Lackey* (4)

Spring answers:

1. Bryce is the guy. It was going to take a lot for Bryce Petty to lose his starting spot, but he looked like a guy who suited up for his fourth spring this year and cemented his status as the heir apparent to a crazy-good quarterback tradition under Art Briles. He'll follow Robert Griffin III and Florence, who both set school records for passing yards.

2. Defense changes its identity. The Bears didn't have a ton of speed in the secondary last season, and as a result, relied heavily on zone and didn't play a lot of tight coverage. To start fixing the problem, Dixon moved back to traditional safety, and as the defense's most physically skilled talent, that was a wise decision. Baylor wants to play more man and play tighter this year, and we'll see if it pays off in the fall.

3. Offense finds its playmakers. Williams is gone and so is Sampson, two of the team's top three receivers. Reese returns, but Antwan Goodley and Jay Lee emerged to win starting spots this spring, and both look like big-time targets for one of college football's best offenses. Count on those guys and Clay Fuller to keep the tradition going.

Fall questions

1. Can the defense prove itself? The Bears were definitely one of the best defenses in the Big 12 over the last month of the season. The same unit, however, was also a big reason why Baylor limped to an 0-5 start in conference 12 play before ripping off four wins to end the season. The defensive line should be improved and young talents like Javonte Magee and Shawn Oakman could make names for themselves this fall.

2. Is the offensive line deep enough? Baylor's history under Briles at this position makes me pretty confident, and the Bears have a solid starting five. But losing Troy Baker this spring is a big knock, and the Bears only had 10 healthy offensive linemen this spring. Come fall, more injuries could force the Bears to force inexperienced players into the rotation. This was probably the biggest concern for Briles all spring.

3. Just how good is Petty? He looks good for now, and was productive and impressive during the spring. That's also the spring. RG3 and Florence broke school records for passing yards in consecutive seasons, though, so the bar is sky-high. There's every reason to believe in Petty, but expectations are high and reaching them won't be easy. The good news is he has a huge talent in Seastrunk and a solid receiving corps around him to support his efforts.

2012 record: 8-5
2012 Big 12 record: 4-5
Returning starters: Offense: 5; defense: 8; kicker/punter: 2

Top returners: WR Eric Ward, RB Kenny Williams, TE Jace Amaro, DE Kerry Hyder, DE Branden Jackson, LB Will Smith, CB Tre Porter, DE Dartwan Bush

Key losses: QB Seth Doege, S Cody Davis, S D.J. Johnson, WR Darrin Moore, OL La'Adrian Waddle, RB Eric Stephens

2012 statistical leaders (*returners)

Passing: Seth Doege (4,205 yards)
Rushing: Kenny Williams* (824 yards)
Receiving: Eric Ward* (1,053 yards)
Tackles: Cody Davis (101)
Sacks: Dartwan Bush*, Kerry Hyder* (5.5)
Interceptions: Cody Davis (3)

Spring answers

1. Springing to safety. Replacing Johnson and Davis at safety was a huge concern since that kind of experience and talent isn't easy to find. But J.J. Gaines and Tre Porter, had a strong spring and that position looks to be in good hands. There may be some trouble with inexperience, but defensive coordinator Matt Wallerstedt has to feel pretty good about the group.

2. More depth at quarterback. I don't buy that there's competition between Michael Brewer and Davis Webb. Brewer was consistently praised all spring, and coach Kliff Kingsbury remarked at how quickly he picked up the schemes and how well he kept the up-tempo pace. Webb, a true freshman, adds comfort as a backup, but this is Brewer's job.

3. A spring miracle in Lubbock. Injuries have just been a constant for the last few years. Every spring and fall, it's been surgery after surgery, injury after injury. Not this year. Apparently the Red Raiders' practice fields are not, in fact, cursed. Getting through the spring without any serious losses is a huge deal considering the school's recent bad luck.

Fall questions

1. Can they weather the storm? I've written about this in the past, but I'm curious to see how the young coaching staff handles the inevitable crises and issues that will come with a season of college football. Kingsbury's a first-time head coach in a big job and stocked Tech's staff with a ton of Red Raider alums. It's an interesting approach, but adjusting on the go in a season full of learning experiences will be interesting to watch.

2. Is there an identity crisis? Tech will air it out plenty, but the full identity on both sides of the ball is still forming and Kingsbury is still getting to know his team. The defense will play some three and four-man fronts and has a lot of strength on the defensive line, but both sides of the ball will adjust on the go to what works and what doesn't next season. Both sides could look different in December than it does in August.

3. Where will the running game factor in? Tech has a ton of strength at running back in Kenny Williams and SaDale Foster, along with DeAndre Washington and Quinton White adding some additional depth. The big question for any post-Mike Leach coach in Lubbock is how much they plan to run the ball. Kingsbury will throw it plenty, but can Tech break its streak of well over a decade without a 1,000-yard rusher? And how much will Brewer be asked/allowed to run? He's no Johnny Football, but he's got wheels and can keep Big 12 defenses on their toes.