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2012 record: 8-5
2012 Big 12 record: 5-4
Returning starters: Offense: 7; defense: 7; kicker/punter: 0

Top returners: QB Clint Chelf, WR Josh Stewart, CB Justin Gilbert, LB Shaun Lewis, LB Caleb Lavey, WR Blake Jackson, DT Calvin Barnett, S Daytawion Lowe, DE Tyler Johnson

Key losses: RB Joseph Randle, LB Alex Elkins, K/P/KOS Quinn Sharp, CB Brodrick Brown, DE Nigel Nicholas, WR Isaiah Anderson

2012 statistical leaders (*returners)

Passing: Clint Chelf* (1,588 yards)
Rushing: Joseph Randle (1,417 yards)
Receiving: Josh Stewart* (1,210 yards)
Tackles: Alex Elkins, Daytawion Lowe* (75)
Sacks: Tyler Johnson* (4)
Interceptions: Lyndell Johnson*, Daytawion Lowe*, Shamiel Gary* (2)

Spring answers

1. The defense's intentions are clear. Bill Young is out. Glenn Spencer is in, and he's all about playing aggressive. Tight coverage and blitzes are the name of the game, and we'll see if it pays off in a Big 12 lacking in quarterback experience. Last season, OSU's parade of turnovers came to an end, but Spencer seems intent on bringing it back. Nobody's stopping Big 12 offenses, but forcing turnover and holding teams to three in the red zone are how you succeed on defense in this league.

2. The offensive line is set ... for now. Center Evan Epstein and guard Lane Taylor are gone, but the Pokes are going with youth at left tackle in sophomore Devin Davis, moving last year's left tackle, Parker Graham, to left guard. Meanwhile, junior Jake Jenkins is sliding up to take Epstein's spot at center. That's how it ended in the spring, but OL coach Joe Wickline is kind of unpredictable, so those guys better continue to bring it in fall camp.

3. Athletic director Mike Holder is still running the show. Gundy and Holder had a disagreement on scheduling that nearly ended with Gundy packing his bags to succeed Derek Dooley in Knoxville. But Gundy's displeasure with Holder helping schedule Mississippi State this year and Florida State next year -- both on neutral fields -- hasn't changed much. OSU just announced a future home-and-home with Boise State. Who knows what Boise will look like then, but the intent is clear: Holder wants attention-grabbing, money-making games to start the season, not home games against patsies to help OSU run up an easy 3-0 mark before conference play begins.

Fall questions

1. Seriously, what's the deal at quarterback? Chelf is the safe bet at quarterback, but Gundy reneged on a statement midway through spring that he would hold onto his starting spot in Week 1 ahead of J.W. Walsh and Wes Lunt. Now, Gundy says the starter for Game 1 hasn't been decided, and quarterbacks are off limits to the media with no updates being given until after the season opener. We'll see if Gundy sticks to it, and if Chelf hangs onto the starting job he earned with strong play to close 2012.

2. Is Oklahoma State a new Big 12 power? The Pokes broke through and won a title in 2011, but one title doesn't mean anything in the big picture. OSU is in position to win another and just may be the league favorite to start the season. They are in my book for sure. Two Big 12 titles in three seasons? That's serious, and the Pokes have a chance to do some special things this season.

3. Is Mike Yurcich the next super coordinator at OSU? Mike Gundy's been a head coach less than a decade, but his coaching tree is already way underrated. He's churning out head coaches year after year, highlighted by guys like Dana Holgorsen at West Virginia, Larry Fedora at North Carolina and Tim Beckman at Illinois. Todd Monken just left for Southern Miss, and if Yurcich, who stepped into the new role from a Division II school, keeps the pace for this offense, I'm betting he may attract interest before too long, too. Watching how he handles Year 1 will be interesting. Monken came from being an NFL position coach and made parlaying that into a head coaching job look easy.

Mike Gundy had a front-row seat to see two of the best backs in Oklahoma State history, Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders, the latter of whom has a case as the best back in college football history. Few, if anyone, knows more or saw more of the so-called "glory days" of Running Back U in Stillwater. Both of those Oklahoma State backs went on to be NFL MVPs.

As Oklahoma State's head coach, Gundy oversees an offense that isn't shy about being a pass-first scheme. Despite that, he's still watching some of the best days running the ball in Oklahoma State history. The best, one could certainly argue, in the Big 12.

Joseph Randle led the Big 12 in rushing by more than 400 yards with 1,417 yards and 14 scores in 2012, electing to leave Stillwater a year early and enter the NFL draft. Quietly, it was Oklahoma State's sixth consecutive season with a 1,000-yard rusher, despite churning out great quarterback play over that same period with passers like Brandon Weeden and Zac Robinson, who was a strong runner as well.

That ties Pac-12 power Oregon for the nation's third-longest streak, behind only a pair of programs from the run-heavy Big Ten, Penn State and Wisconsin, according to ESPN Stats & Info.

But compared to the rest of the Big 12, it's even more impressive. The Pokes have had a 1,000-yard rusher every season since 2007, and four different backs (Dantrell Savage, Kendall Hunter, Keith Toston, Joseph Randle) have helped extend that streak.

Over that same period, here's how many 1,000-yard rushers the Big 12's other teams have had (with a hat tip to Oklahoma State running backs coach Jemal Singleton):

• Kansas State (4)
• Baylor, Oklahoma, West Virginia (3)
• Kansas (2)
• Iowa State, Texas, TCU (1)
• Texas Tech (0)

For all its prowess throwing the ball, you've got to respect Oklahoma State's ability to run it, too. Baylor's streak of three consecutive seasons with a 1,000-yard rusher is the closest to the Pokes' streak of six, but with senior Jeremy Smith stepping up to collect the majority of the carries in 2013, I wouldn't bet against OSU making it seven consecutive years in 2013.

Joseph Randle couldn't have been happy with his 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine, posting a disappointing 4.63 time that raised a few eyebrows about the two-time 1,000-yard rusher for Oklahoma State.

He changed a bit of that as the main attraction at the Cowboys' pro day Tuesday, posting a much-improved time of 4.51 seconds that puts him right back in mix for running backs in terms of speed. Only five backs at the combine were faster. A thumb injury kept Randle from bench-pressing in front of scouts from 25 NFL teams in attendance in Stillwater, but he did a great job erasing the biggest question mark that surfaced at the combine.

Randle's clearly faster than a 4.63 guy, so his new time seems like a more accurate reflection of what we saw on the field the past three seasons.

Kansas State also held its pro day Tuesday, but it was closed to media and no official results were released. Linebacker Arthur Brown was the main attraction, reportedly recording 21 reps on the 225-pound bench press clocking somewhere in the 4.5-4.6 range on his 40-time, validating his status as one of the draft's top linebackers. He sat out workouts at the combine because of a shoulder injury.

Back at Oklahoma State, offensive lineman Lane Taylor definitely drew some attention Tuesday after posting 31 reps on the 225-pound bench press. Despite being a two-time All-Big 12 talent, Taylor didn't earn an invite to the combine, but his performance on the bench would have been good for seventh among all prospects at the event in Indianapolis last month.

The Pokes weren't short on surprises, too. Hubert Anyiam, the team's leading receiver in 2010, showed up to work out after not catching on with a team in the NFL last season while also battling an ankle injury, but All-Everything special-teamer Quinn Sharp (and the lone specialist I've ever named to my top-25 players list) shanked a pair of kickoffs and missed three consecutive kicks from 45 yards.

Last season, Sharp was 7-of-10 from beyond 40 yards and 19-of-19 from inside 40 yards. He obviously wasn't happy with the performance, but especially for a kicker, his outrageous numbers from the past two seasons will mean a whole lot more than one rough day. I don't know about Sharp's chances to get drafted, but I'd be shocked if he didn't get a real chance in somebody's camp next fall.

Oklahoma State hits the practice field for the first time this spring later today. Here’s a closer look at the Cowboys.

Schedule: The Cowboys hold the first of 15 NCAA-allowed practices today with their Spring Football Finale set for April 20 at 1:30 p.m. at Boone Pickens Stadium.

What's new: What isn’t new could be the better question. The Cowboys open spring football with a new offensive coordinator, new defensive coordinator and multiple new assistant coaches. Linebackers coach Glenn Spencer takes over as defensive coordinator replacing Bill Young, making the transition on the defensive side of the football relatively easy. On offense, former Shippensburg (Pa.) offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich arrives to run OSU’s explosive attack and will have all eyes on him this spring. Inside receivers coach Jason Ray and defensive line coach Joe Bob Clements are the other newcomers to the staff.

New faces: Junior college transfers Sam Wren, a defensive end, and Brandon Garrett, an offensive lineman, should provide depth along the line of scrimmage with Wren appearing ready to make an immediate impact this fall. Meanwhile Alpharetta (Ga.) defensive end Naim Mustafaa, an early enrollee who spurned offers from Florida, Georgia, Florida State, Ole Miss and others to sign with OSU, will also participate in spring drills.

All eyes on: Mike Gundy raised plenty of eyebrows with his hiring of Yurcich. This spring is the first look at Yurcich in action so Cowboy fans will be intriqued to see how quickly OSU’s new offensive coordinator is learning the Cowboys attack and how he will put his own stamp on the offense.

All eyes on, part II: The quarterbacks. Senior Clint Chelf opens spring as OSU’s starting quarterback but the Cowboys have three proven signal callers and the competition to become the man should be fun to watch. Sophomore Wes Lunt has several games of experience under his belt and sophomore J.W. Walsh brings a running ability that is unmatched by the other two quarterbacks. And relatively unknown transfer Daxx Garman could insert himself into the competition as well.

Question marks: The Cowboys always seem to find a way to be productive offensively while maintaining a balanced attack. So Spencer’s defense will garner most of the attention and could ultimately decide if OSU can win its second Big 12 title in three seasons in 2013. In order to do that, the Cowboys will have to find a consistent pass rush and shore up it’s secondary, which took a step backward in 2012 after a stellar 2011 season. OSU needs senior cornerback Justin Gilbert to step up and play at an elite level and senior defensive end Tyler Johnson could use a stellar Heart of Dallas Bowl performance as a springboard to become a difference maker this fall.

Breaking out: Jeremy Smith. The senior running back has quietly been one of the Big 12’s best running backs for the past two seasons and has been a contributor in OSU’s offense since his freshman year. This year he finally gets a chance to be the headliner in OSU’s backfield with Joseph Randle leaving early for the NFL. It should be a career year for Smith if he stays healthy in his final season.

The NFL scouting combine has come and gone, but there are still plenty of workouts left on the table and guys who can make a name for themselves in the next month and end up getting drafted.

PODCAST
UT safety Kenny Vaccaro joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss reports that he wants to be a Cowboy, the emergence of A&M as the class of college football in Texas, what he brings to an NFL team and his friendship with TCU quarterback Casey Pachall. Listen

Campus pro days will kick off in March, and here's when the Big 12's teams will be holding theirs, according to NFL.com.

Baylor - March 20

Iowa State - March 26

• You'll be able to get a look at A.J. Klein and Jake Knott here for sure. Klein missed a few workouts this week after suffering a knee injury, and Knott is still waiting for his shoulder to heal up from surgery. Both should be on display at this workout.

Kansas - March 15

Kansas State - March 12

• An injury kept Arthur Brown from recording a 40 time and doing a handful of other workouts, so expect a whole lot of NFL teams to show up in Manhattan for this one. We'll see if Collin Klein sticks with his plan to stay at quarterback or does some other position work at pro day, too. I'm betting on the former, but you never know. This is probably the most interesting pro day of any in the Big 12.

Oklahoma - March 13

• Kenny Stills was blazing and did a nice job on the bench press at the combine, so expect him to take a seat for much of Oklahoma's pro day, but we'll see what Landry Jones has to offer, too.

Oklahoma State - March 12

• Not a ton of intrigue in Stillwater, but I'm interested in seeing if Joseph Randle can improve on a poor 40 time at the combine. He tallied a 4.63 40 time in Indianapolis. He doesn't have breakneck speed, but that seems about a tenth of a second slow for him. Something in the 4.55 range would help him out. He can get there. Randle should also do some position work and the bench press after sitting out following thumb surgery at the end of the season.

Texas - March 26

• Marquise Goodwin did some major damage at the combine with the fastest 40 time of anyone in attendance, but his position-specific work could talk more scouts into him and improve his stock. He's got to show a better ability to track the ball and haul it in.

Texas Tech - March 6

West Virginia - March 14

• Not a ton to see here. Geno Smith sounds like he was the best of the QBs at the combine, but USC's pro day when Matt Barkley throws may have more impact on Smith's stock. Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey are who we thought they were after a strong combine.

We're counting down the 10 best individual games of any Big 12 player in 2012. Bowl games and nonconference play counts, but these are the performances that topped them all at the end of the season.

No. 9: Oklahoma State RB Joseph Randle vs. Texas

Date: Sept. 29, 2012

Why it's on the list: Randle is one of only three players on our top 10 individual performances whose team didn't win, but the Pokes came up on the short end of a controversial late touchdown, and some fourth-down conversions by Texas converted were anything but Randle's fault. He averaged eight yards a carry on his 25 touches, racking up 199 yards and a pair of scores. He also caught a pair of passes for 12 yards, but his 69-yard scamper with a handful of broken tackles along the way came on the second play from scrimmage and ignited the Oklahoma State crowd. The Pokes were coming off a loss to Arizona, and the undefeated Longhorns carried a top 15 ranking into Stillwater. The run -- nevermind that Randle was flagged for spiking the ball after the emotional score, I couldn't blame him -- made it clear that the junior came to play and would be due for a big season, kicked off with his career night. No one knew Texas would have issues stopping the run, but don't let that take away from a major milestone in Randle's career, and a memorable night in Stillwater, despite the painful loss.

The rest of the list:

• No. 10: West Virginia WR Stedman Bailey vs. Baylor

The NFL scouting combine is the biggest annual showcase of future football stars before the NFL draft, where players who have entered the draft get measured, run through drills and show scouts and coaches what they can do without any pads on.

This year, a record 333 players have been invited, and the Big 12 landed 30 invitations.

Draft stock can swing wildly during the week, with the main event -- the 40 time -- often serving as the catalyst for that stock. Call it silly, and in some ways it is, but it's the reality of the process. Here's who's headed to Indianapolis from the Big 12:

• Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia
• Stedman Bailey, WR, West Virginia
• Josh Boyce, WR, TCU
• Arthur Brown, LB, Kansas State
• Anthony Cantele, K, Kansas State
• Marquise Goodwin, WR, Texas
• Chris Harper, WR, Kansas State
• Tanner Hawkinson, OL, Kansas
• Tony Jefferson, S, Oklahoma
• Lane Johnson, OL, Oklahoma
• Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma
• A.J. Klein, LB, Iowa State
• Collin Klein, QB, Kansas State
• Jake Knott, LB, Iowa State
• Joe Madsen, OL, West Virginia
• Stansly Maponga, DE, TCU
• Bradley McDougald, DB, Kansas
• Stacy McGee, DL, Oklahoma
• Tracy Moore, WR, Oklahoma State
• Alex Okafor, DE, Texas
• Joseph Randle, RB, Oklahoma State
• Lanear Sampson, WR, Baylor
• Quinn Sharp, K/P, Oklahoma State
• Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia
• Kenny Stills, WR, Oklahoma
• Matthew Tucker, RB, TCU
• Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas
• Terrance Williams, WR, Baylor
• Braden Wilson, RB, Kansas State
• Tom Wort, LB, Oklahoma

Pretty good set of players there. You can see them when the combine kicks off Feb. 20.

We’re continuing our countdown of the Big 12's top 25 players from the 2012 season. Here's more on my criteria for the list. You can take a peek at how the preseason list looked here.

The official list is locked away in a vault in an undisclosed location, but we'll be revealing one player a day moving forward.

On with the show ...

No. 16: Joseph Randle, RB, Oklahoma State

2012 numbers: Carried the ball 274 times for 1,417 yards and 14 touchdowns. Caught 28 passes for 224 yards. Completed 2 of 2 passes for 37 yards.

Most recent ranking: Randle was ranked No. 6 in our preseason list of the Big 12's top 25 players.

Making the case for Randle: Randle had a huge year and helped stabilize Oklahoma State's offense while three different quarterbacks started about a third of the season apiece. He led the Big 12 in rushing by more than 300 yards, though he was passed up a bit by other players in the league on this postseason list. It's not so much a knock on Randle, though his yards per carry average dropped more than half a yard from last season. He topped 100 yards in eight games this season, and had the best game of his career in a breakout, early season game against Texas that ended in a painful loss.

Randle's leaving Oklahoma State early, and is definitely ready for the NFL, capping his career in Stillwater with a strong junior season. A well-deserved spot on the list for Randle, the Big 12's best running back this season.

The rest of the list:

• No. 17: Tony Jefferson, S, Oklahoma
• No. 18: Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma
• No. 19: Lache Seastrunk, RB, Baylor
• No. 20: Jake Knott, LB, Iowa State
• No. 21: James Sims, RB, Kansas
• No. 22: Aaron Colvin, CB, Oklahoma
• No. 23: Josh Stewart, WR, Oklahoma State
• No. 24: Nick Florence, QB, Baylor
• No. 25: Quinn Sharp, K/P/KOS, Oklahoma State

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

Colleague Mel Kiper Jr. weighed in with a "good call/bad call" column this week, but the only Big 12 player mentioned was Oklahoma safety Tony Jefferson, and Kiper Jr. liked Jefferson's decision to enter the draft. Here are the Big 12 players who are going and staying in 2013.

Heading to the draft

Jefferson, S, Oklahoma: Probably the Big 12's best early entry prospect, he made 119 tackles this season. Expect the California native to go in the first two rounds.

Joseph Randle, RB, Oklahoma State: Randle has led the Big 12 in rushing in each of the past two seasons, and felt the need to cash in now after producing a 1,400-yard season despite turnover at quarterback.

Stedman Bailey, WR, West Virginia: He led the nation with 25 touchdown catches. He is getting out of Morgantown as the Mountaineers shift to a new quarterback after Geno Smith graduated.

Kenny Stills, WR, Oklahoma: He is disappointed with his 2012 season and leaves Oklahoma without a 1,000-yard season, but he improved in all three seasons in Norman.

Josh Boyce, WR, TCU: Boyce didn't produce a 1,000-yard season in his career, and it was a mild surprise that he left early. TCU's receiving corps will still be OK with Brandon Carter and LaDarius Brown.

Stansly Maponga, DE, TCU: Maponga's decision came late and out of nowhere. Most didn't think he was even pondering an early entry after a disappointing 2012.

Brandon Moore, DT, Texas: Moore started less than half the season, but the juco transfer made it a one-and-done stop in Austin. He never quite reached the hype from the spring, but he was a good contributor.

Tom Wort, LB, Oklahoma: Plenty of rumbling that he was unhappy with the defensive schemes and wanted to leave Oklahoma because the gap responsibility didn't showcase his skills. He had about 20 fewer tackles this season than in 2011.

Staying in college:

James Sims, RB, Kansas: Sims was one of the Big 12's best backs and led KU in rushing each of the past two seasons. KU has given him a ton of carries, but he's signing up for another year of it, and an attempt to win a Big 12 game.

Aaron Colvin, CB, Oklahoma: Colvin will be the Sooners' best player next season, and the lone returner in the secondary with an interception.

Jason Verrett, CB, TCU: Verrett might just be the nation's best cornerback next season, and he'll be a huge piece of TCU's defense in 2013, which could be one of the nation's best next season, too.

Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma State: Gilbert's 2012 was a disappointment, but he's still a physical freak. He'll have another year likely returning kicks, and it's hard to see 2013 going worse than this season.

Before the season began, I released my picks for the Big 12's 1,000-yard rushers in 2012. The Big 12 had five 1,000-yard rushers in 2011, but I picked the league to have four in 2012.

There were 61 1,000-yard rushers this season across college football, but only three came from the Big 12. Here's how I picked them from the Big 12 this year.

1. Joseph Randle, RB, Oklahoma State: Randle led the Big 12 in rushing by a wide margin this season. That's 404 yards, to be exact. He racked up 1,417 yards and 14 touchdowns in 13 games this year. Easy selection, and Randle delivered. He's on his way to the NFL now.

2. Collin Klein, QB, Kansas State: Klein averaged nearly a yard more per carry this season, but carried the ball just 207 times this year, compared to 317 last year. He came up just short with 923 yards, but had 23 touchdowns, seven more than any other player in the league. He also missed a little over half of the Oklahoma State win with a head injury.

3. Malcolm Brown, RB, Texas: Brown suffered an ankle injury and missed five games in the middle of the season. He never really regained his status as the featured back. He had two 100-yard games in his first three games, and the one he didn't, he had two carries. Brown averaged 5.3 yards on his 64 carries, but managed just 324 yards this year.

4. Waymon James, RB, TCU: James got off to a good start with a 99-yard game against Kansas in his second game of the year, but suffered a season-ending knee injury and finished with just 168 yards in two games.

Basically, the moral of this story is don't let me pick you to rush for 1,000 yards. You will get hurt.

I missed two players this season who topped 1,000 yards. Here they are:

James Sims, RB, Kansas: I loved Sims' talent, and might have picked him to hit 1,000 yards, but I wasn't sure how his season would look on a team with more promising backs and him having to wait out a three-game suspension under a new coaching staff. (Ask Christine Michael how adjusting to new staffs can go, even if you're talented.) Sims, though, emerged as the team's best back by far and led the Big 12 in yards per game. He averaged more than 112 yards a game and finished with 1,013 yards in just nine games.

Lache Seastrunk, RB, Baylor: Never saw this one coming, either. I thought Seastrunk could have a moderate impact this year on a team with a lot of serviceable backs, but he absolutely blew up after rushing for just 181 yards entering November. He had at least 136 yards in each of his final four games and had 1,012 yards after never receiving more than seven carries in a game before November.

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: You have to grade this unit on a curve. No other team in the Big 12 had to deal with this kind of injuries to the most important position on the field, quarterback. Wes Lunt was hurt twice (head, knee) and J.W. Walsh magically returned from a season-ending knee injury after missing a handful of games. Ultimately, the man who began the season as the third-stringer, Clint Chelf, was probably the most consistent quarterback on the roster, and mixing in Walsh's short-yardage package was fantastic. Running back Joseph Randle led the Big 12 in rushing by 300 yards, which is a testament to him and the offensive line, which was great again. Josh Stewart proved to be the team's No. 1 receiver, though Blake Jackson and Tracy Moore were a bit underwhelming. Dealing with those quarterback issues and finishing fourth nationally in total offense is pretty amazing. GRADE: A+

DEFENSE: Oklahoma State forced more than three turnovers in a game six times in 2011. This year, the Pokes did it just once, in the bowl game against Purdue. That was kind of the story for this defense, which will be coached by Glenn Spencer next year after Mike Gundy let veteran coach Bill Young go at the end of his contract. Giving up 59 points in a penalty-filled loss on the road to Arizona gave reason to believe this might be a long year for this unit, but Oklahoma State actually gave up fewer yards per play this season than it did in last year's Big 12 campaign. The cornerbacks were a huge disappointment this year relative to expectations following 2011's huge year, and there wasn't a huge standout on defense in Stillwater this year. Calvin Barnett and Daytawion Lowe had good years, and Alex Elkins and Shaun Lewis were solid at linebacker, but didn't get much notice in a super deep position across the Big 12. Oklahoma State dominated the Big 12's lower-tier offenses like TCU, Iowa State and Kansas, and played well against Texas Tech, but it did little to slow the elite offenses in the Big 12. GRADE: B-

OVERALL: You knew the expectations would be lower for this team after losing Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon alone, despite all the returning talent on defense. Winning five of six Big 12 games in the middle of the season with the lone loss coming to K-State set this team apart and made it clear they would again be an upper-tier Big 12 team, but the losses to Oklahoma and Baylor down the stretch kept them from truly exceeding the reasonable expectations. Oklahoma State can feel happy about a solid year that will build toward a big opportunity in 2013, and Gundy gets a pass for making 2012 the first season in his eight years in Stillwater that he didn't equal or surpass his win total from the previous year. That's what happens when you win 12 games and then lose the best parts of your offense. Kidding aside, kudos to the Cowboys. GRADE: A-

More Big 12 report cards:

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

Oklahoma State junior running back Joseph Randle says he will forgo his final year of eligibility and enter the NFL draft, a school official confirmed on Thursday.

You can see more in our news story here.

It definitely takes Oklahoma State's 2013 stock down a bit, but I like Jeremy Smith and Desmond Roland's ability to replace him. The Pokes could also really use Herschel Sims right about now, but that's not an option after he transferred in the wake of a theft incident last summer.

For Randle, it's somewhat of a fringe decision, but he'll be fine in the NFL. You could rationalize it either way, and he'll be taking a Big 12 title ring and BCS bowl experience to the next level. Good for him. Heck of a career.

The season has come and gone, and brought with it lots of change in the Big 12 Power Rankings. Still, with all the games officially over, here's how I ranked the Big 12 to close the season:

1. Kansas State (11-2, 8-1 Big 12, last week: 1) K-State's year met an unsatisfying end in the desert with another ugly bowl loss. Like last season, the loss was to a team not very far outside of the BCS title picture. Oregon knocked off K-State, but the loss didn't mar all the fantastic things K-State accomplished this year.

2. Oklahoma (10-3, 8-1, last week: 2) Oklahoma suffered a bad bowl loss too, but it mostly exposed defensive deficiencies that may get worse next year. Oklahoma shared a Big 12 title this season, but lacked a big, impressive win. It did have two home losses, but the gap between K-State and OU and the rest of the Big 12 is wide in the standings.

3. Baylor (8-5, 4-5, last week: 4) No team was hotter than the Bears, who closed the season with four consecutive victories, including a home win against then-BCS No. 1 Kansas State to kick off the finish. The streak that featured three wins against ranked teams and the blowout bowl victory over UCLA has Baylor thinking big in 2013.

4. Oklahoma State (8-5, 5-4, last week: 3) The Pokes were better than their record this year, with blowout wins over decent teams such as Texas Tech, West Virginia and TCU. OSU wishes it had those Arizona and Texas games to do over again, but winning eight games with the injuries at quarterback is no small feat. The Pokes will be loaded for 2013, especially if Joseph Randle returns.

5. Texas (9-4, 5-4, last week: 5) Texas rescued a bowl win against a top-15 team, but David Ash still must be better if the Longhorns are going to return to Big 12 prominence. The tenor of spring practice will be heavily influenced by how an ongoing sexual assault investigation plays out. Regardless, until it's over, it's a possible distraction that could substantially affect personnel.

6. TCU (7-6, 4-5, last week: 6) With a bowl win, TCU might have slid inside the league's top five, but coughing up a late lead put a really frustrating end to a gutsy season from the Frogs. Trevone Boykin and Matthew Tucker did their best filling in for injured players, but the Frogs didn't have enough offense without Casey Pachall and Waymon James to win big in 2012.

7. Texas Tech (8-5, 4-5, last week: 8) Tech's finish was ugly, and narrowly surviving against a barely mediocre Minnesota team didn't really impress many folks. The Red Raiders' losing four of five in Big 12 play didn't inspire much confidence, but the future will be really, really intriguing in Lubbock.

8. West Virginia (7-6, 4-5, last week: 7) West Virginia's ugly bowl loss to Syracuse removed any question about the conference's biggest disappointment in 2012. The defense is nowhere near good enough to be competitive in the Big 12, and the offense didn't have enough juice to outscore very many good teams.

9. Iowa State (6-7, 3-6, last week: 9) Beating teams twice is never easy, but Iowa State had an opportunity to move up in these rankings with a win over the Golden Hurricane. Instead, Tulsa dominated the final three quarters, and did so on the line of scrimmage. A second lopsided bowl loss in as many years is not the finish Paul Rhoads wanted.

10. Kansas (1-11, 0-9, last week: 10) No bowl, and not much to report, but the recruiting class is loaded up with about 70 percent junior college commits. We'll see how that looks in the fall, but this spring should be interesting, too.

The season is done, but ask any coach and he'll tell you the 2013 season already has begun. That's true on this blog, too. So, how would I slot the Big 12 heading into the fall? With a month before national signing day and a couple of months before spring football kicks into high gear, here's my first crack at slotting the conference.

To me, it looks as if we have four legitimate contenders for the conference title and three possible dark horses. We'll see how the latter three develop, but I'm sold on the top four as teams that could realistically win the league next season.

1. Oklahoma State: The Cowboys will be loaded, and that's especially true if running back Joseph Randle comes back. Cornerback Justin Gilbert is returning, but we saw this season that they can win with any one of their three quarterbacks. That's a recipe for success in this league. The defense was a bit streaky; this season was the first under defensive coordinator Bill Young that the Cowboys didn't finish in the top 15 in turnovers forced. If they can get back to forcing turnovers in bunches next season, another Big 12 title could be headed to Stillwater.

2. TCU: The Frogs are growing up fast, but their spot here is assuming that quarterback Casey Pachall will be back on the field this spring to reclaim his job. The defense looks likely to be the best in the Big 12, and as much offense as this league has, you can't win it without a solid defense. TCU's offense will win it some games; its defense might win it a Big 12 title. Look out for Devonte Fields' encore.

3. Oklahoma: The Sooners look like they may lack a true star on next season's team, but they are still solid across the two-deep and will be good enough to be in the mix for a title even without quarterback Landry Jones. A wealth of losses on the defensive end is a bigger concern, but receivers Jalen Saunders and Sterling Shepard also will have to navigate a transition to a new QB after three-plus years with Jones. The Sooners ought to feature fullback Trey Millard a bit more in the offense next year.

4. Texas: Believe it or not, but David Ash is the Big 12's most experienced passer. Can he look the part on the field? We'll see, but the biggest problem for Texas is continuing its defensive improvements. Jackson Jeffcoat could be back, and Jordan Hicks will be one of the league's biggest talents if he is able to recover from a hip injury. The time is now if the Longhorns' trio of backs are going to mature into true impact players.

5. Baylor: I'm a believer in the late-season run for these guys translating to 2013. The defense made big strides, and we'll see if those continue, but the offense will be fine. I buy Bryce Petty as a big talent and the next in the long line of Art Briles' quarterback disciples. Lache Seastrunk will help him out early, too. Don't be surprised if he surpasses Randle next year as the Big 12's best back.

6. Texas Tech: The Red Raiders are a huge wild card and might have the biggest upside of any team in the bottom half of these rankings. Michael Brewer is a promising QB, and he now has Kliff Kingsbury -- the former Texas A&M offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach who helped the Aggies far surpass expectations -- as his new head coach. Could Tech do the same? The Red Raiders have tons of talent on both sides of the ball, thanks to a couple of great recruiting classes from Tommy Tuberville (who left to become the coach at Cincinnati).

7. Kansas State: No Collin Klein and Arthur Brown? You know about that, but there's no Chris Harper, Travis Tannahill, Braden Wilson, and the entire defensive line is gone, including star DE Meshak Williams. Both starting cornerbacks are gone, too. Point is, K-State's probably a bowl team next season, but to come back from that mountain of losses and be in the top half of the Big 12 is going to be a tall, tall task.

8. West Virginia: The Mountaineers' trio of wide receivers Stedman Bailey and Tavon Austin and quarterback Geno Smith was outstanding this year. Not much else in Morgantown was. All three are gone, and that team only went 7-5. Coordinator Keith Patterson has got to fix this defense in the spring and apply some lessons learned in a disappointing Year 1 in the Big 12. The QB derby between Paul Millard and Ford Childress should be interesting.

9. Iowa State: Sam Richardson was severely ill while playing in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, but he still didn't inspire a lot of confidence in the future of the QB spot in Ames, despite a strong finish to the season. With linebacking pillars A.J. Klein and Jake Knott both headed to the NFL, the odds once again will be against Iowa State winning six games and getting to a bowl. Without consistency at the quarterback spot, it's going to be tough, especially with the defense likely to take a step back.

10. Kansas: Gotta prove something before the Jayhawks move out of the basement. Charlie Weis is bringing in tons of juco talent, but after the Dayne Crist experiment didn't work, BYU transfer Jake Heaps simply must be better for KU to begin its climb back to the postseason.

SEC

2. Texas A&M: The Aggies might have been the hottest team in the country at the end of the 2012 season. Maybe defenses will have a little better handle on Johnny Manziel the second time around, but Johnny Football will have a little better handle on defenses, too. If offensive tackles Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews return for their senior seasons, look out. Losing Damontre Moore on defense will hurt, but the Aggies like their young talent.