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2012 record: 9-4
2012 conference record: 5-4 (third in the Big 12)
Returning starters: Offense: 10; defense: 9; kicker/punter: 1

Top returners: QB David Ash, RB Johnathan Gray, WR Mike Davis, WR Jaxon Shipley, LT Donald Hawkins, RT Josh Cochran, G Mason Walters, DE Jackson Jeffcoat, LB Jordan Hicks, CB Quandre Diggs, CB Carrington Byndom

Key losses: P Alex King, S Kenny Vaccaro, DE Alex Okafor, WR Marquise Goodwin

2012 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Johnathan Gray* (701 yards)
Passing: David Ash* (2,699 yards)
Receiving: Mike Davis* (939 yards)
Tackles: Kenny Vaccaro (107)
Sacks: Alex Okafor (12.5)
Interceptions: Quandre Diggs* (4)

Spring answers:

1. Under center: Texas has finally ended all the debate about its quarterback situation and settled on David Ash. While Ash has yet to be stellar in his first two years at Texas, the junior has steadily improved -- he was top 25 in pass efficiency rating in 2012 -- and has won the trust of new quarterbacks coach Major Applewhite. Applewhite believes Ash is the quarterback best suited to run the new up-tempo, spread attack.

2. Loaded at linebacker: One year after being the worst tackling team in the Big 12, Texas went into the spring looking to shore up its linebacker position. And it had plenty of options. Texas has seven linebackers who have started at least one game. Included in that group is Jordan Hicks, who is back after missing 10 games last year because of a hip injury. Hicks will team with true sophomores, Dalton Santos and Peter Jinkens for what should be a much faster and aggressive unit in 2013.

3. Along the lines: While there were a sprinkling of injuries along the offensive line this spring (Josh Cochran and Trey Hopkins), Texas appears to have finally solved the depth riddle at that position. Tackle Kennedy Estelle was able to get quality snaps and should prove to be a solid backup and Sedrick Flowers finally emerged as an option at guard. While Texas returns all five starter from a year ago along the line, the Longhorns know that in the new up-tempo offense it will have to lean heavily on these backups.

Fall questions

1. Speed thrills: Texas wants to move the ball fast. So fast that the offensive players were even taught how to quickly get the ball back to the official so that they could put it down and Texas could line up and run the next play. But Texas only decided it wanted to play this way in mid-December when there was a change in playcallers from Bryan Harsin to Applewhite. So Texas has only had a handful of practices to get up to speed. With a schedule that has Texas at BYU for the second game of the season there doesn’t appear to be much time to get things perfected.

2. Safety dance: Texas’ defense was the worst in school history and that was largely due to the play of the back seven on defense. And now the best player in that back seven, Kenny Vaccaro, is gone. He was a first-round draft pick. That has left Texas wondering who will step up and make some stop at the safety position. Adrian Phillips takes over for Vaccaro, but he was inconsistent last season. The coaches blamed a shoulder injury and the fact he missed the spring. Mykkele Thompson and Josh Turner also missed their share of tackles but both are being called on to be possible starters.

3. Receiving praise: Texas has not had a 1,000-yard receiver since Jordan Shipley in 2009. Mike Davis had 939 yards last year and appears poised to break the 1,000-yard mark this season. But to do that he will need help. And right now there are some questions as to where that help will come from. Texas wants to go with four wide receivers but two of the four players expected to fill those roles -- Cayleb Jones and Kendall Sanders -- are currently suspended because of legal issues. Both will probably be back. But even then, Texas is very thin at wide receiver and needs some other players to step up to help take the double teams away from Davis.

Our friends at HornsNation were on the scene at Texas' spring game this weekend, so you can see more about what happened right here.

We'll break that down further for games we don't have people attending, but here's a few things I learned from Texas' spring game:

• Introducing Tyrone Swoopes into this offense really is fascinating. I do think it's time to pump the brakes a little bit on Swoopes "stealing the show." But he has impressive wheels, and if he can do what he did Saturday with consistency in fall camp, he'll at least force coach Mack Brown and offensive coordinator Major Applewhite to make a decision. Whether he's the full-time backup ahead of Case McCoy (and I still need more convincing that it will be the case in 2013), is it worth burning his redshirt to work him in with a package? Sounds like Brown doesn't need much convincing. "I think you could see tonight what he can do. He can run, he is big, he is strong … 6-foot 5-inches and 250 pounds … and he throws the ball well. He just needs to keep getting more reps," Brown told reporters. "We are trying to get the best quarterbacks. Obviously Case will be gone in a year, so somebody needs to be ready to go." It speaks volumes that Swoopes is already ahead of Jalen Overstreet and Connor Brewer on the depth chart, but I'm fascinated to see how (the full offense or a limited package) and how much Texas uses Swoopes while McCoy is still on campus. If nothing else, he will make for an intriguing summer on the 40 Acres, as well as fall camp.
• Great to see Jordan Hicks on the field and making stops. He's a great, instinctive player who we didn't get to play much of last season because of a hip injury. He picked off David Ash and made six tackles, including two tackles for loss.
• Back on the quarterbacks. McCoy all too often does little to help himself or give much confidence that he'll be a solid backup for Ash. He's certainly got far more experience than just about every backup in the Big 12, but tossing up easy interceptions into double coverage, like the one Sheroid Evans swiped off, has to have coaches shaking their heads a little bit. That's not a play a senior should be making, especially against a defense he's seen all spring. "It’s really hard to sit a guy who has that much experience," Applewhite said. "But my goal is that Tyrone, Connor and Jalen are strong enough to be able to go take a swing at [the No. 3 spot]."
• Maybe the best news for Texas this spring is that their banged-up running backs finally getting a string of good luck. It seems like every time Joe Bergeron, Johnathan Gray and Malcolm Brown got healthy, one of them would go down with a nagging injury. "All three of the running backs stayed healthy through the spring and are running really well. We developed more depth in the offensive line than we have had around here in a number of years," Brown said. Ash might have to hear that quote 1,000 times before it stops making him smile. That could make his life a whole lot easier. "We haven’t had a problem with how to play them. We’ve had a problem keeping them healthy. I’d love to have to figure out how to rotate them. I hope we can do that," Brown said.

You can only be inspired by our friends at the ACC Blog, but today, we'll start looking at a few of the Big 12's best teams and asking you the big question: Do you buy them as a Big 12 title contender?

Or is any talk of a title simply pretending?

Let's start with the team I believe will be the most polarizing in these debates: the Texas Longhorns.

Texas has recruited solidly, though it's not necessarily pulling in top-five classes with ease lately. The defense struggled to stop the run, but the offseason began with a good taste in Texas' mouths after a dramatic Alamo Bowl comeback against a good Oregon State team for one of the Big 12's best nonconference wins of the season.

Major Applewhite is finally taking over as playcaller and he's got to help David Ash mature and find the consistency to make Texas a contender for some major hardware for the first time since the 2009 season.

Two of Texas' best defenders -- linebacker Jordan Hicks and defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat -- will be back on the field after missing most of 2012 with injuries. Receiver Mike Davis elected to come back for his senior season after proving himself as a deep threat last season, offsetting a strong running game with four great backs headlined by Malcolm Brown and Johnathan Gray, two of Texas' best signees in its 2011 and 2012 recruiting classes.

The Longhorns won at least 10 games in nine consecutive seasons before missing a bowl game in 2010. Texas has steadily improved since that disaster, but is this the year Texas breaks back into the double digits and wins a Big 12 title?

Vote in our poll. Is Texas a contender or a pretender?

Turnover is an annual tradition in college football, but with that, teams' strengths and weaknesses constantly shift, too. Today, we'll continue our look at the biggest strengths and weaknesses for each Big 12 team.

Next up: Texas.

Strongest position: Running backs

You simply could not ask for anything more from one position, and I might make the case that this is the strongest unit in the Big 12 in terms of pure skill. The Longhorns lost D.J. Monroe from this unit last year, but they run four deep and each brings something special to the table. Johnathan Gray has the best balance of the quartet, and the rising sophomore looks like a favorite to win the starting job on the back of his strong first step. The starting position is a bit pointless ultimately, considering all four will get touches, especially Malcolm Brown, a balanced back with a great feel for space between the tackles who leans a bit more toward being a power runner.

The other two backs are pure specialty, but every backfield can use those. Joe Bergeron is a 240-pound bowling ball who rolled his way to 16 touchdowns a year ago, more than anyone else in the Big 12 except Collin Klein, who finished third in the Heisman voting. On the other end of the spectrum is Daje Johnson, a sophomore speedster who averaged 11.5 yards a touch last season. He had touchdown runs of 45 yards (New Mexico) and 84 yards (Baylor) that showcased his speed. This is a solid group with elite talent and tons of depth and versatility. Texas has recruited running backs so well lately, and it's showing up on the field. What more could you ask for?

Weakest position: Specialists

Texas has solid talent in the return game with Quandre Diggs and Jaxon Shipley, but the kicking game was a disaster last season and the Longhorns are trying to find an answer at punter to fill in for Alex King, who graduated after averaging better than 45 yards a kick on his 43 punts last year. The big problem that carried over from last season is at place-kicker. Texas finished last season just 11-of-19 on field goals, tied for the worst mark in the Big 12 and 107th nationally.

Penn State transfer Anthony Fera was the biggest hope at the position, but he was nagged with a persistent groin injury and has been working mostly at punter this spring after making 2-of-4 field goals last year. Freshman Nick Jordan made 9-of-15 kicks last season and has to be better to hold onto his spot.

Texas has recruited well all over the field and doesn't lose much from last year's team, but when I survey the depth chart, kicker and punter are clearly the biggest weaknesses for the Longhorns. The players currently on the roster are long on potential but short on real accomplishments.

More Weak and Strong.

Every year, we rank the top 10 players at positions across the Big 12 before the season and after. We kicked off our list with the quarterbacks on Tuesday. Today, we'll try to tackle the running backs.

This list is based only on what players did in the 2012 season, and you had to be a full-time running back to make the list. (That means no Tavon Austin, 'Eers. Sorry.)

1. Joseph Randle, Oklahoma State: Randle carried the torch as the Big 12's biggest standout all season long at running back. He was mostly consistent and led the Big 12 in rushing by more than 300 yards, racking up 1,417 yards and 14 touchdowns on 274 carries. Strong season from an experienced player who's leaving early for the NFL.

2. Lache Seastrunk, Baylor: Seastrunk wouldn't have even made this list heading into November, when he had just 181 rushing yards and was a non-factor in Baylor's offense. Then he sprinted ahead and near the top of this list by averaging more than 138 yards a game over the final six games of 2012. He ended the season as the Big 12's hottest player and helped Baylor finish the year 5-1 with the lone loss coming on the road against co-Big 12 champion Oklahoma. He says he's going to win the Heisman in 2013. We'll see.

3. James Sims, Kansas: Sims made a case for himself midseason as the Big 12's best back, racking up six consecutive 100-yard games and looking unstoppable, despite KU's passing game providing no balance for opposing defenses to respect. He's a physical runner who ascended near the top of this list despite missing the first three games of the season. He carried 218 times for 1,013 yards and led the Big 12 in rushing yards per game.

4. John Hubert, Kansas State: Hubert is criminally underrated because his partner in crime in the backfield, Collin Klein, attracts so much attention. He's got a low center of gravity at 5-foot-7 and 191 pounds, and is deceptively hard to bring down, despite his small stature. He's had nearly identical seasons the past two years, coming up just short of 1,000 yards in both seasons.

5. Damien Williams, Oklahoma: Williams broke out in a big way with a 65-yard touchdown run in the opener, and busted a 95-yard run against rival Texas. The juco transfer has a great balance of power and speed and provided a home-run threat that Oklahoma lacked after DeMarco Murray left. He finished with 946 yards and 11 scores on just 176 carries.

6. Tony Pierson, Kansas: Pierson proved himself early in the year when Sims sat, racking up a pair of 120-yard games. He's perhaps most valuable for KU in the passing game, though. His 760 yards came on just 116 carries, an average of 6.5 yards a touch. Only Seastrunk was higher among running backs with 75 carries. Pierson also caught 21 passes for 291 yards and two touchdowns, which is no small number in KU's offense. KU's leading receiver, Kale Pick, had zero touchdown catches and just five more receptions and 99 more yards than Pierson.

7. Glasco Martin, Baylor: Martin is the thunder to Seastrunk's lightning in the Bears' backfield. He's fantastic at getting tough yards when they're needed and provides a lot of power to Baylor's offense. His 15 touchdowns were tied for third in the Big 12, and he added 889 rushing yards on 179 carries.

8. Johnathan Gray, Texas: Gray's got as much potential as anyone on this list, and looked good when injuries forced him into full-time duty. The true freshman didn't quite look like a gamebreaker, but there's lots of time left in his career to prove himself. He became the second true freshman to lead Texas in rushing in two seasons, with 701 yards on 149 carries.

9. Kenny Williams, Texas Tech: Williams emerged as the best back in a crowded Red Raiders backfield. He runs against a lot of soft fronts because of Tech's wide-open offense, but Williams is tough to bring down and rumbled for 824 yards on 143 carries, scoring five times.

10. Andrew Buie, West Virginia: Buie will be remembered a long time for his legendary 207-yard performance in a win over Texas. He had just one other 100-yard game that season, but there's no denying his overall production. His 850 yards on 181 carries were eighth in the Big 12.

Honorable mention: Joe Bergeron, Texas; Brennan Clay, Oklahoma

Every year, there's lots of turnover and change for every college program. What do the Big 12 teams need to do before next fall? Let's continue our look with the Longhorns down in Austin.

1. Figure out the offensive identity. Bryan Harsin is gone, and he's probably taking most of his pre-snap shifts with him. Will Major Applewhite still look to run a power offense? Texas has recruited and developed its offensive line really well lately, but David Ash has matured, and even with a wealth of backs in Malcolm Brown, Johnathan Gray, Joe Bergeron and Daje Johnson, Texas hasn't been able to keep them healthy or get consistent production out of one for an entire season. Will Applewhite put more responsibility in Ash's hands? He was good at times last season, but the rising junior was inconsistent. His ceiling is probably a legitimate Heisman campaign. His floor is probably getting benched in favor Connor Brewer or Jalen Overstreet -- or maybe even incoming freshman Tyrone Swoopes. Where will he fall on the spectrum? Will Texas continue to try to pound the trenches?

2. Plug up the middle of the defense. Texas' defense made no sense last season. The personnel is absolutely there to be great up front. The defensive tackles are deep and talented, led by guys like Malcom Brown, Ashton Dorsey, Desmond Jackson and Chris Whaley. The linebackers were solid, even without Jordan Hicks, who should be back next season. Peter Jinkens is a rising star and a few others have potential. Coordinator Manny Diaz didn't take another job, electing to stay in Austin and attempt fix the most underwhelming unit in the Big 12. It all starts with the ability to stop the run, something Texas never did consistently last season. Fix that, and the rest of this defense comes around, I say.

3. Discover and develop leadership. Texas was still a pretty young team last season after rebooting on both sides of the ball after the 2010 season. The freshmen and sophomores who contributed in 2011 are juniors and seniors now, but the team is losing guys like Alex Okafor and Kenny Vaccaro, players who had been around awhile and served as role models for younger guys. Look for Jackson Jeffcoat and David to fill the role this year, but other players, like Malcolm Brown or Jaxon Shipley, might emerge, too. We'll see who steps up in the spring.

More offseason to-do lists:

• Texas Tech
• West Virginia

We're grading each Big 12 team's season right now, and we'll move on to the next team on the list: The Oklahoma State Cowboys.

OFFENSE: It was obvious from the start that this offense would only go as far as David Ash would take them, and the offense looked really, really strong in the first four games, including wins on the road against Ole Miss and Oklahoma State. He played well against West Virginia, but the wheels came off for everything in a blowout loss to Oklahoma. Ash was benched against KU and Case McCoy rescued a win, and McCoy got some run against TCU and K-State when Ash suffered a rib injury. Ash was OK this year, but has to eliminate the rough outings. The receivers were solid, but the running game still has yet to become the force that the raw talent at running back suggests it should be. It's been good, but the Longhorns still keep their backs healthy. The offense was better this year and earned Bryan Harsin a head-coaching job at Arkansas State, but there's a lot of room for improvement for this unit. GRADE: B-

DEFENSE: This is where it could get ugly, considering we generally grade these units on a curve relative to the talent present. Texas looked like a runaway candidate for the Big 12's best defense. The defensive line was beastly and deep at defensive tackle, and the linebackers were young, albeit promising. The secondary returned all of its best talents and Kenny Vaccaro and cornerbacks Carrington Byndom and Quandre Diggs could arguably be considered the Big 12's No. 1 and No. 2 corners. That was in the preseason, though. Texas never found much ability to slow the run, and Diggs and Byndom were disappointments compared to their 2011 seasons. The linebackers had to deal with the loss of leader Jordan Hicks for most of the season, so they get somewhat of a pass, and the defensive line recovered well from the loss of Jackson Jeffcoat. Alex Okafor was one of the Big 12's best defenders, but that inability to stop the run cost the Longhorns. GRADE: C-

OVERALL: That 4-0 start had plenty of folks, myself included, thinking Texas was back. The loss the following week to a top-10 West Virginia team (back then, anyway) was nothing to be ashamed of. That Red River loss, though, cast a huge shadow over the season and even a late four-game winning streak and a big win on the road at Texas Tech couldn't erase that. A Thanksgiving night disastrous loss to TCU might have repercussions on the recruiting trail in the future, and the Longhorns weren't ready to play 60 minutes with Kansas State, who ran away in the second half. The bowl win over Oregon State was Texas' best win of the season, but in a season in which Texas hoped to be back, it simply wasn't enough. Nine wins doesn't cut it at Texas. GRADE: C+

More Big 12 report cards:

• Baylor
• Iowa State
• Kansas
• Kansas State
• Oklahoma
• Oklahoma State

As we finish wrapping up the 2012 season, it's time to look forward today. Here's a look at a few players you need to keep an eye on in 2013:

Casey Pachall, QB, TCU: If Pachall returns to form, you can bet on TCU as the Big 12 favorite in 2013, especially after Joseph Randle left Oklahoma State. He's officially back on the team after spending last fall in a treatment facility for drug and alcohol addiction, and we'll see what reports are out of spring in Fort Worth. He'll have to prove he's the same player and earn his job back, but if he is and he does, and TCU's defense does what it did in 2012 ... look out. Pachall was completing 66 percent of his passes with 10 touchdowns and a pick before his season ended following a DUI arrest in early October. The entire Big 12 race could very well shift on Pachall's return and subsequent development.

Johnathan Gray, RB, Texas: Gray emerged as the most consistent back for the Longhorns this past season, becoming the second consecutive true freshman to lead the Longhorns in rushing. Gray rushed for more touchdowns than any back in high school football history, and if he can build on his 700 yards on fewer than 150 carries from 2012, he'll look more and more like the player Texas hopes he can be. He also might help Texas look like a real Big 12 title contender.

Lache Seastrunk, RB, Baylor: No player in the Big 12 was hotter at the end of 2012, and Seastrunk already made a well-publicized statement that he's planning on winning the Heisman Trophy in 2013. We'll see about that, but Seastrunk began November with fewer than 200 yards rushing. He ended the season as one of three Big 12 backs with at least 1,000 rushing yards. Craziness.

Karl Joseph, S, West Virginia: West Virginia's defense got all kinds of heat from critics and opposing offenses last year, but Joseph was the bright spot and a piece to build around for the future. He and fellow true freshman Isaiah Bruce showed real promise, but Joseph was sixth in the Big 12 with 102 tackles, forced three fumbles and had a pair of picks and seven tackles for loss. He's a stud.

Josh Stewart, WR, Oklahoma State: Stewart takes my title as the Big 12's most underrated player entering 2013. He doesn't have the same reputation as an elite receiver, but he has put up the numbers to support the idea that he's exactly that. He caught 101 balls for 1,210 yards and will be the Big 12's leading returning receiver in 2013 by more than 150 yards. Only three Big 12 receivers hit triple-digit receptions last season, too. No returning receiver had more than 82.

Jake Heaps, QB, Kansas: Heaps is a wild card, but if KU is truly going to get out of the Big 12 basement (or win a game in Big 12 play), it needs Heaps' transition after transferring to go better than Dayne Crist's. The BYU transfer, who signed on with the Jayhawks and Charlie Weis after Weis' hiring, threw 24 touchdowns and 17 interceptions in almost two seasons as the Cougars' starter. He very nearly quarterbacked BYU to a win at Texas in 2011, too.

Aaron Green, RB, TCU: Green is another high-impact transfer this year, or at least could be. The San Antonio native sat out last year after transferring in from Nebraska. He was the No. 3 running back in the 2011 recruiting class and No. 11 on the ESPN 150. We saw this year the kind of impact a super recruit like Seastrunk can have, and TCU needs a big hitter in the backfield. We'll see what Green can do after rushing for 105 yards and two scores on 24 touches at Nebraska in 2011.

Michael Brewer, QB, Texas Tech: Brewer followed in Garrett Gilbert's footsteps in high school with a huge career at Lake Travis in Austin, but here's guessing his college career will be much more impressive. Brewer earned a little time this year behind Seth Doege, but I love what I saw from him in spot duty, and he'll be responsible for what kind of a start the Kliff Kingsbury Era gets off to in Lubbock. Here's guessing it'll be a good one.

The Big 12 bowl season is over, but just as we did for the weekend rewind all season long, it's time to look back on the best and worst of the bowl season.

Best offensive performance: Stedman Bailey, WR, West Virginia. West Virginia got stuck in a snowstorm in New York City, and producing offense in that wasn't easy. Still, Bailey put together the best performance, grabbing seven passes for 126 yards and two touchdowns in the Mountaineers' loss to Syracuse.

Best defensive performance: Alex Okafor, DE, Texas. This was the best performance of any player in the Big 12 the whole bowl season. Okafor was unblockable in the second half, racking up 4.5 sacks and five tackles for loss in the Longhorns' comeback win against Oregon State. He made eight tackles and forced a fumble.

Best play: David Ash, QB, Texas. Ash was nearly dragged down in the backfield, but somehow slipped out of a sack and rolled to his left to extend the play. Running back Johnathan Gray leaked out of the backfield, and Ash threw a perfect strike across his body and hit Gray in the hands for a 15-yard touchdown pass to get the Longhorns to within three points midway through the fourth quarter. Honorable mention: Ash's 36-yard bomb to Marquise Goodwin to take the lead with 36 seconds to play.

Biggest impact play: D.J. Johnson, S, Texas Tech. The Red Raiders hadn't forced a turnover since Oct. 20, but Johnson intercepted a pass in the final minute, returning it 39 yards to set up a game-winning field goal. Minnesota was driving in a tie game, but the Red Raiders' late flurry produced an unlikely comeback win.

Best catch: Isaiah Anderson, WR, Oklahoma State. Anderson caught five balls for 78 yards, but his crazy, spinning, aerial catch in the back of the end zone for a 37-yard touchdown put OSU up 45-0 and provided the best highlight of the Big 12 bowl season.

Worst play: Cornelius Lucas, OL, Kansas State. Kansas State faced a fourth-and-1 at Oregon's 18, but tried to draw Oregon offside and probably planned to go for it anyway after taking a timeout. The Wildcats trailed 15-10, but Lucas inexplicably moved early on a play that probably never would have happened. It backed up Kansas State five yards, and the powerful short-yardage offense couldn't go for it. Anthony Cantele missed the 40-yard kick that ensued, and Oregon answered with a quick touchdown before half to go up 12.

Most boneheaded play: Jace Amaro, TE, Texas Tech. Amaro, who might be Tech's most talented player, missed half the season with a rib injury. He finally got to return, but he didn't seem to take that privilege very seriously. Right in front of an official, he pinned a Minnesota defender and threw a punch. He drew a flag and was ejected, but that flag backed up Texas Tech from the Golden Gophers' 1-yard line to the 16. The ensuing field goal was blocked, and Tech needed a late-game rally to win.

Craziest reaction to a boneheaded play: Texas Tech. According to a report from Don Williams of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, Texas Tech officials had to relay a message to Amaro telling him not to tweet about his ejection. Hours later, he tweeted a weak apology: "I want to apologize for being ejected. As bad as it seems, which it does, I had no intention of a punch. But the idea to get off of him," he wrote.

Best moment: Ash gets the win. It was an emotional bowl week full of distractions for Texas' team as two players were sent home after a police investigation into an alleged sexual assault. Texas' offense struggled for much of the first half, but Ash got hot late and capped the game with a 36-yard touchdown pass over the top to the speedy Goodwin. It gave Texas a huge win, the Big 12's best win of the entire season.

Worst moment: Michigan State takes the game back. TCU inexplicably blew a 13-0 lead when Michigan State's offense came alive, but Jaden Oberkrom gave the Frogs hope with a 53-yard kick to get the lead back, 16-14. It didn't last long. Michigan State strung together a drive and with 61 seconds to play, Dan Conroy boomed a 47-yard kick to take the wind out of TCU's sails after a difficult, emotional season.

The ESPN 150 are the best of the best when it comes to recruits, but how do they really stack up on the field? We check in each season with the freshmen who made an impact and those who didn't in Year 1.

You can look back on the ESPN 150 in 2012 right here, but how did the guys who landed in the Big 12 do? So glad you asked.

Also, here's how the last few years of Big 12 ESPN 150 recruits shaped up:

• Big 12 signees in the 2006 ESPN 150
• Big 12 signees in the 2007 ESPN 150
• Big 12 signees in the 2008 ESPN 150
• Big 12 signees in the 2009 ESPN 150
• Big 12 signees in the 2010 ESPN 150
• Big 12 signees in the 2011 ESPN 150

No. 2: Johnathan Gray, RB, Texas: Took over in midseason as the team's featured running back and led the team with 701 yards and three touchdowns. Had 22 more carries than any other Texas back.

No. 12: Malcom Brown, DT, Texas: Contributed as a reserve on Texas' strong defensive line. Made 19 tackles and two tackles for loss.

No. 54: Dominique Wheeler, WR, Texas Tech: Redshirted his first season for Texas Tech's deep receiving corps.

No. 57: Peter Jinkens, OLB, Texas: Started two games and played in every game this season. Made 27 tackles and three tackles for loss with a sack and an interception.

No. 58: Kennedy Estelle, OL, Texas: Missed five games with a shoulder injury but contributed as a reserve offensive lineman in three games.

No. 60: Sterling Shepard, WR, Oklahoma: Was one of the league's most promising freshmen in Year 1. Emerged with a breakout game against Kansas State with seven catches for 108 yards and a score. He finished with 41 catches for 578 yards and three touchdowns.

No. 64: Durron Neal, WR, Oklahoma: Played sparingly and contributed in nine games. Caught four passes for 62 yards.

No. 70: Alex Ross, RB, Oklahoma: Redshirted in 2012.

No. 77: Torshiro Davis, LB, Texas: Goes by "Shiro" now and moved to defensive end. Played in the final six games of Texas' season and made three tackles, one tackle for loss and broke up a pass.

No. 78: Curtis Riser, OG, Texas: Redshirted in 2012.

No. 79: Bryson Echols, CB, Texas: Redshirted in 2012.

No. 87: Reginald Davis, WR, Texas Tech: Redshirted in 2012.

No. 92: Dalton Santos, LB, Texas: Played in 12 games and made 24 tackles, mostly contributing on special teams. Added 2.5 tackles for loss.

No. 97: Alex Norman, DT, Texas: Redshirted in 2012.

No. 120: Michael Starts, OT, Texas Tech: Moved to defensive tackle but played in just three games. Made three tackles with a sack against New Mexico. Missed time because of a blood pressure issue.

No. 126: Dominic Ramacher, LB, Oklahoma State: Moved to fullback and redshirted in 2012.

No. 130: Connor Brewer, QB, Texas: Redshirted in 2012.

No. 137: Derrick Woods, WR, Oklahoma: Redshirted in 2012.

No. 141: Daje Johnson, ATH, Texas: Speedster made an impact as a big-play threat at running back for Texas. Carried the ball 27 times for 203 yards and a touchdown and caught 19 passes for 287 yards and a score.

No. 147: Cayleb Jones, WR, Texas: Played in 12 games but caught two passes for 35 yards and carried the ball once for 10 yards.

No. 148: Ty Darlington, OL, Oklahoma: Earned starts late in the season at center and proved to be a valuable piece of the Sooners' offensive line that provided an opportunity for versatility and ability to move Gabe Ikard to guard.

The Big 12 couldn't win a second consecutive Heisman Trophy after Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel bested Kansas State's Collin Klein, but the league might have a shot in 2013. Baylor's Lache Seastrunk already says he's going to win the trophy, but just in case he's wrong, let's look at the other possibilities.

There won't be any frontrunners from the Big 12 to begin the season, but the last three winners all came out of nowhere to win the award.

Here are the Big 12's best hopes for the award next season, in no particular order:

Joseph Randle, RB, Oklahoma State: Randle will be the most established offensive player in the Big 12 next year if he returns to Stillwater for his senior season. The Big 12's leading rusher already has two 1,000-yard seasons under his belt and if Oklahoma State makes a run back at a Big 12 title, you can bet Randle will earn plenty of Heisman attention along the way.

Lache Seastrunk, RB, Baylor: Seastrunk talked big, and he might be the best offensive weapon returning from the nation's No. 1 offense. His candidacy next year is largely tied to his huge finish after taking over the starting role for the Bears. He hardly got any touches in the first half of the season but racked up 693 yards over the last five games of the year.

David Ash, QB, Texas: Ash looked like a Heisman contender early in the season, leading the Big 12 in passer rating over the Longhorns' 4-0 start, which included a win at Oklahoma State. He'll have to do that for an entire season to win a Heisman, of course, but he showed major potential in the first half of his sophomore year.

Casey Pachall, QB, TCU: And you thought the debate over Johnny Manziel's legal past got heated this year. Pachall very well may be the Big 12's best quarterback if he returns to the team next year, and TCU looks the part of a Big 12 title contender. If TCU wins and Pachall leads them there, voters may have to decide if they're willing to buy that Pachall is a new man and his drug use and DWI arrest were part of his past.

Blake Bell, QB, Oklahoma: We've got no idea how good Bell really is. Heck, he might not even win the job in the spring. But he's got the biggest name recognition of any of the Big 12's likely new starting quarterbacks in 2013, and despite what his poor attempts in the Belldozer suggest, he really can throw the ball. Playing for a national power and a likely Big 12 title contender help his hopes.

Johnathan Gray, RB, Texas: Gray looked like Texas' most complete back this season and led the Horns in rushing as a true freshman with the Horns' other backs banged up. With Joe Bergeron and Malcolm Brown on the squad, earning enough carries won't be easy, but don't be shocked if Gray takes over the spot next year. Granted, don't be surprised if Brown does, either.

Time to continue our series on the best and worst moments of 2012 for each team in the Big 12. Next up: Texas.

Worst moment: Disaster in Dallas

Another Red River Rout. This is getting old for the folks in Texas, and the No. 1 topic of conversation in Austin in the week that followed was Mack Brown's job security. The Longhorns gave up four rushing scores to the Belldozer and a 95-yarder by Red River rookie Damien Williams. They were outgained by 388 yards, the most since 1950, and provided the biggest highlight of their biggest rival's season. Just ugly, ugly stuff for the Longhorns, who fell to 1-2 in Big 12 play and ignited doubts about whether another season without a bowl was possible. Texas added some garbage time TDs late to turn a 56-8 fourth-quarter deficit into a 63-21 final score. It didn't help much. It was Texas' second consecutive loss to Oklahoma by at least 38 points and fourth blowout loss to the Sooners since the birth of the Brown-Bob Stoops rivalry.

Best moment: Slumpbustin' in Lubbock

Texas had lost nine consecutive games to teams in the top 20, but showed some potential in a win on the road against Texas Tech, which was ranked No. 18 at the time. The Longhorns beat Tech on the way down in retrospect, but it was still a satisfying win for the Longhorns, especially for Mike Davis and Johnathan Gray. Davis caught two touchdown passes and was hilariously flagged for holstering his guns in a parody of Tech fans' "Guns Up" hand sign. Gray ran for 100 yards for the second consecutive game and proved he could be counted on, even though he was a true freshman. It was also a big day for the defense. Tech reached the red zone and settled for field goals on four occasions. That's ultimately where Texas won this one, but the Longhorns moved to 7-2 and 4-2 with the win to keep their Big 12 title hopes alive at the time with their third consecutive win of a streak that would eventually reach four.

As the bowl season approaches, we're going to be looking a little closer at each game. We'll go down the Big 12 bowl schedule in chronological order.

VALERO ALAMO BOWL

Texas (8-4) vs. Oregon State (9-3)

Where: Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas

When: Saturday, Dec. 29, 6:45 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

About Texas: No team in the Big 12 has been on a wilder ride this season than Texas. The Longhorns looked like they were back with a 4-0 start and hanging around the top 10. Then came a two-game losing streak capped by a beatdown in Red River. Everybody gave up on the Horns and more than a few fans were ready to be rid of Mack Brown. Then Texas won four consecutive games and revived its BCS and Big 12 title hopes. Then it got solidly beaten on its home field and nobody believed in Texas anymore. This wasn't the 10-win season or BCS bid Texas hoped for when the year began, but this team is built to win big next year if it gets more consistent play at quarterback. Can it start with a bowl win against a top-15 opponent?

About Oregon State: The Beavers feel Texas' pain when it comes to quarterback issues. A midseason injury sent Sean Mannion to the bench, but even when he returned, a four-interception outing against Washington had OSU turning back to Cody Vaz. The loss to Stanford, though, opened the door back for Mannion, who took back the starting spot after an ankle injury to Vaz and kept the job through a rout of Nicholls State in the season finale, rescheduled from earlier in the season. OSU began the season 6-0 and ascended to No. 7 in the polls, but the Beavers were brought back to earth with three losses in their final six games.

Longhorns to watch: Texas' defense was disappointing, but showed promise at times late in the season. When you're not watching the theatrics between Case McCoy and David Ash, keep an eye on defensive end Alex Okafor and safety Kenny Vaccaro. Vaccaro can lower the boom on anybody, and Okafor's remained productive, despite losing his partner in crime, Jackson Jeffcoat, for the season with a pectoral injury. Johnathan Gray led the Longhorns in rushing this season, but fellow backs Malcolm Brown and Joe Bergeron should both be back healthy.

Beavers to watch: No, Jacquizz Rodgers is not still there. The spectacularly named running back Storm Woods is, though. The freshman rushed for more than 800 yards, but the biggest threat Texas will have to stop is receiver Markus Wheaton. Despite the revolving door of injuries and benchings at QB, he racked up 1,207 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. Only USC's Marqise Lee, the Biletnikoff Award winner, had more of either this season in the Pac-12.

Did you know? Oregon State's only played a Big 12 team in a bowl game once, but it was a memorable one for the Corvallis Woodchuckers, and one the Big 12 would like to forget. Missouri held a two-touchdown lead with just over six minutes to go, but Oregon State rallied and appeared to tie the game in the final seconds. However, coach Mike Riley went for two and the win, and the Beavers got it to take home the Sun Bowl trophy back in 2006.

This week we'll be taking a snapshot look at all of the bowl games:

No. 23 Texas (8-4, 5-4 Big 12) vs. No. 13 Oregon State (9-3, 6-3)

Where: San Antonio, Texas, Alamodome

When: Sat. Dec. 29, 6:45 p.m. ET/3:45 PT

TV: ESPN

About Oregon State: What a wild year it's been for the Beavers, who have flipped last season's mark of 3-9 to 9-3. From the strange start of postponing the season opener to the quarterback switches, Oregon State has dealt with some bizarre distractions -- but it has also endured through it all. Quarterbacks Sean Mannion and Cody Vaz continue to be locked in a quarterback competition. But whoever gets the start will have one of the nation's best wide receiver duos to work with. And for as explosive as OSU's passing game has been with Markus Wheaton and Brandin Cooks (both 1,000-yard receivers), the defense has been just as potent, allowing fewer than 20 points per game. OSU went 2-2 vs. ranked competition this season, topping Wisconsin and UCLA in consecutive weeks, then falling to Stanford and Oregon late in the year.

About Texas: Like the Beavers, the Longhorns have quarterback issues. While we wait for Beavers coach Mike Riley's decision, we too must wait for Texas' Mack Brown to decide between Case McCoy and David Ash. Texas lost its final two games, against TCU and No. 6 Kansas State. Ash, who started the first 11 games, was benched against the Horned Frogs, and McCoy started the season finale against Kansas State. Twice the Longhorns couldn't hold a lead against No. 8 West Virginia (48-45), and they were routed by No. 13 Oklahoma (65-21) and dismissed by Kansas State (42-24). Their only victory against a ranked team was a 31-22 win at Texas Tech.

Key players, Oregon State: It starts with Wheaton and Cooks -- who have combined for 152 catches, 2,327 yards and 16 touchdowns. This pair represents the best mismatch for the Beavers, so whichever quarterback wins the gig, look for them to get this duo involved early and often. Defensively, All-American cornerback Jordan Poyer leads a defense that has 19 interceptions this season, which ranks sixth in the country. He has seven of those interceptions and returned one for a touchdown.

Key players, Texas: The Longhorns can score. They average just north of 36 points per game, and the two-back system of Johnathan Gray and Joe Bergeron has been pretty successful. Gray, a freshman, is the smaller, speedier back (though he has pretty good size at 5-11, 207). Bergeron (6-1, 230) is a sophomore and has 16 rushing touchdowns. He's the thunder to Gray's lightening. All-conference defensive end Alex Okafor can be disruptive. He's got a team best eight sacks, and 12 tackles for a loss this season.

Did you know: This is the third meeting between the schools and Texas has won both, the last coming in 1987 ... Texas' last and only appearance in the Alamo Bowl was in 2006 when it defeated Iowa 26-24 ... This is Texas' 14th bowl appearance in 15 seasons under Brown ... this is Oregon State's first appearance in the Alamo Bowl and first postseason appearance since 2009 ... The Beavers are 5-1 in bowl games under Mike Riley ... Oregon State has been ranked for a school record 11 consecutive weeks in the AP poll.

We took a look at our All-Big 12 Freshman team earlier today, but let's hand out a few superlatives from the young guys around the league.

Before we begin, a quick word: Devonte Fields was my defensive player of the year in the entire league. He is ridiculous. He would also dominate this post if we included him. As such, I'm excluding him from all of these awards so we can talk about a few other outstanding freshmen. We love Fields here at the Big 12 Blog. We also like talking about people other than Fields. So, no worries Frogs. He will continue to dominate Big 12 offensive lines. He just won't dominate this post.

Best offensive performance: J.W. Walsh, QB, Oklahoma State. Walsh lost the QB derby, but stepped up when Wes Lunt was hurt to lead Oklahoma State to a near-win over Texas, but did beat Iowa State and Kansas. After returning from a leg injury, he played a major role in a short-yardage package and accounted for five touchdowns in Oklahoma State's final three games. He finished with 11 touchdown passes to just three interceptions and completed 66.7 percent of his passes, the fourth-highest percentage in the Big 12. Walsh's passer rating of 165.67 led the Big 12.

Best non-Devonte Fields defense performance: Karl Joseph, S, West Virginia. Joseph was probably the single best player on a struggling West Virginia defense all season long. The freshman stepped in and made 95 tackles to lead the team, but his ballhawking ability is what earns him this award. He forced three fumbles, broke up six passes and intercepted two more, adding a sack and seven tackles for loss. Quite the debut for Joseph.

Biggest upside: Dalton Santos, LB, Texas. Santos' teammate, Kenny Vaccaro, has the current title of the Big 12's biggest hitter, but Santos reminds us of a young Ronnell Lewis in the special teams. He made one start at linebacker this year, but had his biggest impact in the special teams, looking like a cruise missile at times. He had just 18 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss, but hopes are high for him when he earns a bigger role on the defense. Honorable mention: Sterling Shepard, WR, Oklahoma.

Biggest impact: Johnathan Gray, RB, Texas. Texas needed help with Joe Bergeron and Malcolm Brown banged up, and Gray was there to pick up the slack. He racked up 100-yard rushing games in wins against Texas Tech and Kansas, and I don't think it's a stretch to say that if he's not out there logging those carries, Texas doesn't win those games. The Longhorns were 8-4, but could they be 6-6 without Gray? He led the Longhorns in rushing as a true freshman.

Best offensive lineman: Spencer Drango, Baylor. He was on our watch list for fresh faces to begin the season, and showed why with a huge year after beefing up during his redshirt season. The 6-foot-6, 310-pounder seized a starting position at tackle and helped block for the nation's No. 1 offense. Honorable mention: Le'Raven Clark, Texas Tech.