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• The Dallas Morning News' Chuck Carlton explains how the AD change at Texas affects Mack Brown's future. Dodds' decision may be the start of a critical Texas two-step. Is Texas or USC the better head-coaching job?
• Baylor coach Art Briles says his team has an image to maintain: Fast and fearless.
• Oklahoma is focusing on improving its short-yardage offense this week. Sooner coaches are excited about what their receivers are doing so far.
• Charlie Weis is not hiding from the streak that Kansas hopes to break this weekend. Is more rushing on first down the answer for KU's third-and-long woes?
• Iowa State hopes its recent growth on defense will carry over into the Texas game. That unit has improved thanks to lightening its playbook.
• TCU's offensive line has held up well but is in for a serious challenge against OU.
• Clint Trickett is practicing, but Dana Holgorsen is still unsure what West Virginia will do at quarterback this week.
• Kansas State knows it has to stop several versatile weapons in Oklahoma State's offense. Its players are embracing a "talk is cheap" mantra to fixing mistakes.
• Texas Tech defensive coordinator Matt Wallerstedt didn't enjoy watching film of last season's KU game, especially Tech's run defense.
• The numbers Oklahoma State's offense and defense have put up so far don't lie. Joe Bob Clements is ready for the challenge of facing the school he left.

1. George DeLeone hired Paul Pasqualoni as an assistant coach at Southern Connecticut State in 1976, and the two have coached together for most of the seasons since, from Division III to FBS to the NFL. When UConn fired Pasqualoni on Monday after two-plus seasons as head coach, the school fired DeLeone, the associate head coach and offensive line coach, too. The Huskies are 0-4, scoring 18 points and gaining 272.5 yards of total offense per game. Pasqualoni has a solid record (151-94-1, .616) in 22 years as a head coach. Something tells me he and DeLeone aren’t done coaching -- together -- just yet.

2. Oregon has won its last 15 road conference games, the longest such FBS winning streak. The Ducks have won their last game at every Pac-12 opponent save Utah (in 2003, when Utes were in MWC. Does that count?) Alabama has won nine straight road SEC games. Stanford and Texas A&M each have won their last five road conference games. The Cardinal lost to Washington in 2012 at CenturyLink Field in Seattle. However, with the victory at that stadium Saturday over Washington State, Stanford has won its last game at every opposing venue in the Pac-12.


3. Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds will announce today that he is retiring next August after 32 years. All Dodds, a former track coach, has done is transform Texas into the premier sports program in the nation. It took him three coaching hires to find Mack Brown, but 150 wins and one BCS championship in 16 seasons indicate Dodds got that one right. It’s a measure of the resources and the expectations that Dodds has raised that fans wonder why the Longhorns don’t dominate every sport in which they compete.

DeLoss Dodds is stepping down as athletic director of Texas. The effects of that decision on the future of the Longhorns athletic department will be far-reaching.

Dodds will formally announce Tuesday his plan to leave the job he has held for 32 years and step down as AD at the end of August, 2014. The search for his replacement is already underway and could end as early as Dec. 1.

Whoever is tapped to replace the Texas legend inherits one of the most powerful thrones in college athletics, and could face one of the most important transition periods in school history. We’ll get into that in a moment, though it’s a topic we’ll be talking about throughout the next year.

Dodds is a powerful man with a legacy to match. He made the Longhorns the financial behemoth it has become today and oversaw one of the greatest periods of athletic success in school history. Whoever is deemed fit to take his place has Texas-sized shoes to fill.

By setting these plans in motion nearly a year in advance, he’s providing UT more than enough time to make a smooth transition. That Dodds will stick around as a consultant should help, too. This is a major move and one that must be handled carefully.

Just imagine the résumés that will wind up on UT President Bill Powers’ desk during the search process. He’ll eventually pick from an elite group of candidates, and there’s no doubt he’ll be seeking a leader with the kind of big-picture thinking, sharp judgment and business savvy that Dodds displayed during his long tenure.

In its report breaking Monday’s news, the Austin American-Statesman said West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck is one candidate to keep an eye on. Notre Dame AD Jack Swarbrick’s name has come up plenty in recent weeks, and more major players will in the next few weeks.

The successor could face a critical dilemma whenever he or she is finally chosen. What will be done about the coaches of three of Texas’ most important programs?

Mack Brown knows he has to win and win big this year, and a 2-2 start didn’t make life any easier. The Texas football coach has long said he has a tremendous relationship with Dodds and Powers, who have backed him throughout a trying month for Longhorn football.

“I’ve got the two best bosses in the world,” Brown said days after Texas’ loss to BYU. “They get it. They understand. I have great conversations with them. They put me in a position to run it, they want me to do it, and I’m responsible for it. That’s what I’ve got to do. DeLoss has been around a long time. I don’t have knee-jerk bosses. They get it.”

Well, one of those bosses is now leaving. Who knows how much success in 2013 will be enough to impress the next boss, or whether Brown’s sub-.600 record since 2009 will simply be too much to overcome.

Will the next AD be prepared to clean house? He or she could face similar big-picture decisions with Longhorns men’s basketball and baseball.

The legendary Augie Garrido hasn’t taken UT to a College World Series in two years and didn’t make the Big 12 tournament in 2013. Rick Barnes hasn’t advanced past the second round of the NCAA tournament since 2008 and didn’t make the field last season.

These are worst-case scenarios, to be sure, but not unrealistic ones. The candidates for Texas’ athletic director job will be well aware of these potential first-year decisions.

There are many other reasons why Texas must find the right person for the job. The truth is, there’s really no replacing Dodds. This day had to come eventually, though, and evidently the countdown to that day begins Tuesday.

AUSTIN, Texas -- Let’s get one thing straight: Mack Brown is not Lane Kiffin.

To compare the two coaches would be a laughable exercise. One has won a national title and is the winningest active coach in FBS. The other has a career record of 40-35 as a head coach.

Brown built a powerhouse, has won 150 games at Texas and is now trying to survive a four-year rebuild. The now-fired Kiffin inherited a powerhouse at USC, got hit by NCAA sanctions and couldn't get the job done.

Yet these two coaches have been tied together all season long. This really got rolling when Texas’ horrific loss at BYU fell on the same night that Washington State knocked off the Trojans.

The programs are two of the bluebloods of college football. Neither has won a national title since they squared off in 2006. Both programs face uncertain futures. The comparisons, though a bit lazy, aren’t unreasonable.

Regardless, Kiffin is now unemployed. His bosses, the ones who said they stood by him 100 percent entering the season, were ready to pull the plug by the third quarter of a 62-41 loss at Arizona State on Saturday.

It’s unlikely the events that are transpiring in Los Angeles this week will sway the leadership at Texas to view Brown’s situation differently. Texas is 1-0 in Big 12 play and seemingly getting better, with a very winnable game at Iowa State up next.

But if the overnight firing of Kiffin can teach Texas fans anything, it’s that there might be no anticipating when enough is enough.

The obvious answer, in the case of Brown, is the Oklahoma game. Give up 62 points in Dallas and it’s all over. But, hey, that was true before this season even began.

By all accounts, USC players were not unhappy with Kiffin’s dismissal. Even athletic director Pat Haden admitted that Sunday. It doesn’t seem like Brown has lost his own locker room, but suddenly more people -- and some of them are rather important -- are coming out of the woodwork to call for his firing.

What occurred Sunday was downright bizarre. Earl Campbell, the greatest player in school history, told a Houston TV station that Brown no longer has his backing.

"Nobody likes to get fired or leave a job, but things happen," Campbell told Fox 26’s Mark Berman. "I'd go on record and say 'Yes I think it's time.’

"I'd just say this, I take my hat off for USC for what they've done. They didn't mess around with it. They just said 'let's do it now.' I think at some point our university's people are going to have make a decision."

The source of those comments are as surprising as the timing. Campbell remains involved in the program, still works out in the Texas facilities and meets with prospects during recruiting events. Texas and Brown have long been strong supporters of Campbell. So where’s this coming from, and why say it now?

As a Longhorns legend, it is his right. Campbell even went ahead and said he’d support the candidacy of former Longhorn and Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Jerry Gray if Texas does make a change and declared that, quite frankly, he hopes Brown doesn’t stay.

Former Texas quarterback Chris Simms also stepped forward on Friday and said on a Fox TV show that he doesn’t think Brown will return in 2014 and that Texas doesn’t have the talent needed to save this season.

It’s hard to judge how much comments like those matter in the grand scheme of this situation. Losing the backing of alumni is a problem. The only way to silence dissent is winning -- and even if that does happen, will it be enough for Brown?

If the USC and Texas jobs both open up in the same offseason, college football will be in for a serious power shift. Both programs can be the game’s next powerhouses again. They can regain their status among the elite contenders.

Lane Kiffin was trying to get USC back there. Last August, he supposedly had the No. 1 team in the country and the Heisman front-runner. He didn’t win. His time was up.

Mack Brown still has time. If he doesn’t keep winning, it can run out quickly.

This week's Power Rankings feature a new No. 1, as last week's No. 1 takes a tumble:

1. Oklahoma (4-0, 1-0 Big 12, last week 3): The Sooners take over the top spot after delivering the most impressive Big 12 win of the season. Notre Dame is not the same team as last season, but the Irish hadn't lost in South Bend since October of 2011. OU has been a different team since Blake Bell took over at quarterback, and Bell was fabulous Saturday, throwing for two touchdowns without a turnover while churning out first downs with his arm and his legs. The OU defense is clearly better, too, picking off QB Tommy Rees on Notre Dame's first two possessions, with linebacker Corey Nelson returning one for a touchdown. The Sooners were clearly a team overlooked in the preseason, and, after five weeks, are looking like a clear Big 12 favorite along with Baylor.

2. Baylor (3-0, 0-0 Big 12, last week 2): After the off week, the Bears' offense will get its first real challenge this weekend from West Virginia's defense that appears to be the most improved unit in the league. Baylor has been unstoppable so far, but the level of competition is about to undergo an uptick. Can the Bears keep it up? They've shown no signs they can't.

3. Texas Tech (4-0, 1-0 Big 12, last week 4): Despite having the week off, the Red Raiders move up a spot with Oklahoma State's loss. The big question in Lubbock is who will be starting at quarterback for Tech come Saturday against Kansas. Baker Mayfield? Davis Webb? Michael Brewer, who has been progressing well from the back injury? The Red Raiders have been solid defensively, and the skill talent is legit. If Tech can get better play from its quarterback, this team could be a handful -- even for OU and Baylor.

4. West Virginia (3-2, 1-1 Big 12, last week 8): What a difference a week makes. The Mountaineers produced the most impressive in-conference win of the season with a 30-21 victory over preseason favorite Oklahoma State. West Virginia's defense continues to play at a high level (Maryland's 37 points were somewhat of an anomaly because of West Virginia turnovers) and Clint Trickett sparked the offense with his energy and leadership. West Virginia's offense is still pretty limited, but at least it no longer looks completely inept with Trickett at quarterback. The Mountaineers can't score with Baylor this weekend, but maybe they can slow the Bears down? Nobody thought West Virginia could slow Oklahoma or Oklahoma State, either, though Baylor's offense is at another level. We'll see.

5. Texas (2-2, 1-0 Big 12, last week 5): The Longhorns have a couple of interesting games looming. Thursday, Texas travels to Iowa State, which looked much better offensively in a 38-21 win at Tulsa this past Thursday. Then, Texas gets surging Oklahoma in Dallas. This figures to be the defining two-game stretch of the season for the Longhorns. Win the next two, and the season -- as well as Mack Brown's status in Austin -- looks totally different than it did two weeks ago. The off week could not have come at a better time for the Longhorns, giving acting defensive coordinator Greg Robinson another week to acclimate to his defense and quarterback David Ash another week to recover from the head injury that knocked him out of the Ole Miss and Kansas State games.

6. TCU (2-2, 0-1 Big 12, last week 6): Did TCU's offense finally uncover an identity during a rainy fourth quarter against SMU? The Horned Frogs poured on 31 points in the final quarter and did it with some new faces, as Ty Slanina, Ja'Juan Story and Cameron Echols-Luper all factored into the scoring onslaught in the first real action of their TCU careers. The Horned Frogs can really turn their season around with a win in Norman this weekend. That won't be easy, though, if All-American cornerback Jason Verrett (shoulder) and defensive end Devonte Fields (foot) can't play.

7. Oklahoma State (3-1, 0-1 Big 12, last week 1): The Cowboys plummet six spots after an uninspiring performance in Morgantown. It was just one loss, but it was a loss that exposed weaknesses across the board. For the first time in seemingly forever, Oklahoma State's kicking game is awful. The Cowboys' secondary gave up 320 yards to a West Virginia passing attack that previously had been completely futile. And on the other side of the ball, when the Mountaineers dared QB J.W. Walsh to beat them deep, he couldn't do it. That allowed West Virginia to stuff the Cowboys' running game, which also doesn't appear to have that bell-cow running back Oklahoma State has been accustomed to featuring. The Cowboys are better than they looked at West Virginia -- but how much better?

8. Kansas State (2-2, 0-1 Big 12, last week 7): Bill Snyder maintains the Wildcats will stick with the two-quarterback system, which has yielded mixed results. K-State has moved the ball better when Daniel Sams has been in at quarterback. But when he's in, the Wildcats are virtually no threat to pass. Sams has 29 rushes and only four passing attempts. Is Sams really that poor of a passer? Maybe it's time for K-State to find out.

9. Iowa State (1-2, 0-0 Big 12, last week 10): It's hard to believe a center could make that much of a difference. But the return of Tom Farniok sure seemed to do wonders for Iowa State's offense, which finally got going in a 38-21 win at Tulsa. The Cyclones also finally involved running back Aaron Wimberly, who ignited the running game with Iowa State's first 100-yard performance in more than a year. With former blue-chip junior-college transfer E.J. Bibbs emerging now at tight end, QB Sam Richardson no longer appears to be on his own. Jack Trice will be rocking Thursday night for the Longhorns, as Iowa State has a chance to land a signature win to build off of for the rest of the season.

10. Kansas (2-1, 0-0 Big 12, last week 9): The Jayhawks have a winning record but have been mostly unimpressive. Can they turn around the offense against Texas Tech? That will hinge almost entirely on quarterback Jake Heaps, who has talent but has been unable to find any rhythm so far with a collection of unproven wideouts. If the Jayhawks can be competitive this weekend, it will be a good sign they are moving in the right direction. If they get blasted, it could be a long season, especially with Iowa State and West Virginia seemingly having found their stride.

You can't accuse Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard of mincing words:

• Cyclones linebacker Jeremiah George will be facing off against Tulsa QB Cody Green for a fourth time tonight, the Des Moines Register's Randy Peterson points out.
• Texas Tech's linebackers are bringing the hammer, writes the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal's Don Williams.
• The Dallas Morning News analyzes Baylor's hot start to the season.
• It's been the same plan with worse results for West Virginia, writes the Charleston Gazette's Dave Hickman.
• Kansas State has many questions going into its open date, writes the Manhattan Mercury's Joel Jellison.
• Even after Texas' win over Kansas State, the Daily Texan lays out possible replacements for Mack Brown.
• Much has changed in Norman since the first time Bob Stoops faced Notre Dame, writes The Oklahoman's Jason Kersey.
• Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer is concerned about West Virginia's running backs and the way they catch the ball, according to The Oklahoman's Gina Mizell.
• Sophomore defensive back Derrick Kindred has been a versatile option for the TCU defense, writes Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
• Close victories haven’t resulted in momentum for the Jayhawks, writes the Kansas City Star's Blair Kerkhoff.

Thanks for all of your questions during my chat. You can find the full transcript here.

Chris Fiegler (Latham,NY) What Big-12 college football team has the best and the worst defense in 2013?

Brandon Chatmon That's an interesting question Chris because I don't think every team has been tested yet. For the best defense, I'm still going to go with TCU for now although I think Oklahoma State and Oklahoma are both better defensively this season. … As far as the worst defense? I'd have to say Iowa State. I don't like what I've seen from the Cyclones' D thus far. There's some talent there but they are so young it could make for a long season in Ames.

Jay (Michigan) How do you see OU/ND playing out?

Brandon Chatmon Jay, I initially had the Notre Dame winning this one. But as the week has gone on I'm starting to give OU the slight advantage. I think the Sooners have more playmakers on offense and I think their defense has improved. There isn't any outcome that would really surprise me though. I don't think we know a whole lot about OU yet.

Dale, the open-minded Sooner fan (<---That blew your mind huh?) People need to start giving it up to Baylor, I think they are the real deal. Dating back to last year, they have won seven straight games with an average margin of victory of 35 points, and three of the games were against K-State, OSU, and UCLA. Yeah their schedule sucks, along with OU and all other Big 12 games played so far (I don't count losses like TCU vs. LSU). I am more worried about OU vs. Baylor than OU vs. Notre Dame, even though OU could easily lose this weekend.

Brandon Chatmon I'm right there with you Dale. There's a bit of denial I have noticed among fans of other Big 12 schools when it comes to Baylor. The Bears are legit and they won't be an easy win for anyone. If that game happened today, I'd be picking Baylor.

Mike P (Greater KC) Any concerns over K-State and the way they played against Texas. … Or was Texas the better team and just outplayed KSU.

Brandon Chatmon Not really. I just think Texas was the better team.

Dominic (Irving Texas.) how much is Mack Brown truly hurting the University of Texas for future recruits and as a program in general?

Brandon Chatmon Not much. Texas will always be able to recruit, that's not a problem. Texas will always be Texas, so that's not a problem either.

Ted Flint (Kansas) Pick one coach to give a speech to get your team fired up for a must win, who is it and why.

Brandon Chatmon Rex Ryan … because I'd like to go get a snack. … But seriously, it would probably be Urban Meyer at Ohio State … in the Big 12? That's tough because of the limited opportunities to see those guys in their element but I'd probably go with Mike Gundy or Paul Rhoads.

Show me don't tweet me:

• Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds tells the Dallas Morning News' Chuck Carlton he'll make the tough decision if he has to. But Dodds also says that Mack Brown is energized and everything is in place for the Longhorns to turn the corner.
• TCU hopes its running back duo can help spark a stagnant offense, writes the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Stefan Stevenson.
• Kansas is still tinkering with a faster tempo, according to the Lawrence Journal-World's Matt Tait.
• The Cyclones are preparing to make the season's first road trip a boom, writes Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register.
• Texas Tech picked up a commitment from a junior-college defensive tackle.
• Oklahoma center Gabe Ikard will have his hands full on Saturday, says The Oklahoman's Ryan Aber.
• The Mountaineers are hoping a looser attitude will help, according to the Charleston Gazette's Dave Hickman.
• The Tulsa World's Kelly Hines goes up close with Oklahoma State linebacker Caleb Lavey.
• The Bears are cruising, but they can't relax, writes Brice Cherry of the Waco Tribune-Herald.
• K-State is regrouping after its loss at Texas, report the Topeka Capital-Journal's Ken Corbitt.

AUSTIN, Texas -- Greg Robinson can spend hours in the film room and at a dry erase board planning and scheming for opponents. That’s the easy part, the job he’s been doing for more than 30 years.

But getting to know his own kids takes time. Entering week three as Texas’ new defensive coordinator, Robinson is glad that familiarity is finally coming along.

“I don’t call them by their numbers anymore,” Robinson said with a chuckle. “Starting to call them by their names.”

Robinson arrived in Austin on a Sunday night two weeks ago with the daunting task of fixing up Texas’ defense with only three days of practice at his disposal amid the embarrassing 40-21 loss at BYU that cost Manny Diaz his job.

He’s been hard at work ever since, doing everything he can to prepare for Texas’ opponents and find solutions for the flaws he inherited. Nobody expected perfection in his first week on the job, but Mack Brown needed to see progress by week 2, when Big 12 play began. And time heals all wounds, right?

The time Robinson gets this week is invaluable. A bye weekend means no opponent, which means plenty more time to focus on his personnel and implementing his ideas. It means, finally, he can slow down.

“Having a bye this week is really, really helpful,” Robinson said.

He hasn’t installed everything he has planned, but an extra 10 days could do wonders for him and his players. Getting Iowa State on a Thursday night next week also means extra prep time for Oklahoma.

As Diaz learned the hard way, this is a results-driven business. No matter the challenges Robinson faced in taking over on less-than-short notice, he has to coax better play out of his Longhorns defenders. If Texas’ performance against Kansas State is any indication, he might have this defense back on the right track.

We could go over all the numbers that say Texas’ defense got better from week 1 under Robinson to week 2, but most of them aren’t going to tell the story. Frankly, Ole Miss’ offense is better than the one K-State brought to Austin. A few numbers are promising, though.

Ole Miss averaged 6.04 yards per rush. K-State, which ran only four fewer plays than the Rebels, was held to 3.03. Texas stopped twice as many Kansas State rushes at or behind the line of scrimmage than it did against Ole Miss.

An interesting measure of a bend-don’t-break defense is how often an opponent scored after getting its initial first down on a drive. Ole Miss scored on 75 percent of those occasions. K-State? 33 percent.

Some of that is scheme and preparation, and a lot of it is motivation. Texas was staring down the possibility of starting the season 1-3. That scenario was unacceptable to its seniors.

“We control our effort,” defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat said. “That’s the thing. They can’t coach effort. We have to go and play hard, executed everything. That’s what we did. We made sure we executed the plays they put it.”

In the moments after the BYU loss, the leaders of Texas’ defense offered their unconditional support to Diaz and said he was still the right man for the job. They didn’t know much about Robinson when he arrived, but they’re buying in to what he brings to the table as their new leader.

“He made the promise that he was going to give us all he had, and that’s what he did,” defensive tackle Chris Whaley said. “We make the promise that we’ll give him all we have, so it was a great second week.”

Brown said he’s proud of how Robinson has collaborated with the rest of Texas’ defensive coaching staff. He has an especially strong connection with Duane Akina, the veteran secondary coach whom he’d worked closely with back in 2004.

“They’ve done such an amazing job,” Brown said. “They argue, they fight, but they did in ‘04. Then they come up with good stuff.”

They’re just getting started. Senior safety Adrian Phillips – or No. 17, as Robinson probably called him -- said he’s looking forward to finding out just what kind of coach Robinson really is over this next week.

The defensive coordinator can appreciate that. He too is starting to get a better sense of what he’s working with.

“Just being in the room with these guys, I’d be shocked if they didn’t just keep doing what they’re doing,” Robinson said. “And that’s getting better.”

Texas moves back up in this week's Power Rankings, West Virginia moves back down and the top four remain steady:

1. Oklahoma State (3-0, 0-0 Big 12; last week: 1): When he was the coordinator in Stillwater, Dana Holgorsen recruited quarterback J.W. Walsh to Oklahoma State. This Saturday, Holgorsen's Mountaineers must deal with stopping Walsh, who’s been terrific since taking over the starting quarterback job in the opener. Walsh ranks sixth in the country in QBR and is a major reason why the Cowboys are three-touchdown favorites for their game in Morgantown.

2. Baylor (3-0, 0-0 Big 12; last week: 2): The Baylor-hasn’t-beaten-anybody argument only holds so much water. Who in the Big 12 has really beaten anybody? Oklahoma State over Mississippi State? Texas Tech over TCU? Oklahoma over West Virginia? The fact is, even against three doldrums, Baylor has been as impressive as any team in the league. This offense has a chance to be as prolific as the 2011 Oklahoma State Cowboys or the 2008 Oklahoma Sooners.

3. Oklahoma (3-0, 1-0 Big 12; last week: 3): After opening with three home victories, the Sooners will finally find out about their team during a road trip to South Bend, Ind., this weekend. They should find out a lot about quarterback Blake Bell, too -- he was marvelous after replacing Trevor Knight two weeks ago against Tulsa. But that was against Tulsa in Norman. This is Notre Dame in South Bend. If OU wins this game, people will begin to mention the under-the-radar Sooners as a possible dark horse national title contender.

4. Texas Tech (4-0, 1-0 Big 12; last week: 4): The Texas Tech defense continues to play well, but the offense was sluggish again in a 33-7 victory over Texas State. Kliff Kingsbury has to decide whether he’s going to stick with Baker Mayfield as his starting quarterback or go with Davis Webb, who has made plays the last two weeks in relief of Mayfield. Kingsbury might secretly and anxiously be waiting on the return of Michael Brewer, who’s been injured since the summer with a bad back but is close to rejoining the team on the practice field.

5. Texas (2-2, 1-0 Big 12; last week: 8): After winning their Big 12 opener 31-21 over Kansas State, the Longhorns still have plenty to play for. But they are also beaten up. Linebacker Jordan Hicks is out for the season again with a ruptured Achilles tendon, quarterback David Ash continues to deal with concussion issues and offensive playmaker Daje Johnson remains out with an ankle injury. The game with Oklahoma (Oct. 12) looms, too. A victory in Dallas is about the only thing that can save Mack Brown’s job and completely reverse momentum in Austin.

6. TCU (1-2, 0-1 Big 12; last week: 5): Gary Patterson was not pleased with his team during the off week. Patterson told reporters last week the Horned Frogs were “feeling sorry for themselves” after the 20-10 loss at Tech. “If we don’t grow up,” Patterson said, “we’re not going to win any more ballgames.” The Frogs had better grow up quickly if they want to avoid letting this season turn into a catastrophe. TCU faces road trips at Oklahoma and Oklahoma State in October.

7. Kansas State (2-2, 0-1 Big 12; last week: 7): Even though Texas had been a sieve stopping opposing quarterbacks on the ground, Bill Snyder elected to use Daniel Sams sparingly in Austin. Sams averaged 6 yards a carry but got only eight carries as Jake Waters again took the bulk of the snaps at quarterback. Even though wideout Tyler Lockett is having a monster season, the Wildcats with Waters behind center have been just average offensively, which is flirting with disaster in the Big 12. Especially when the defense is just average, too.

8. West Virginia (2-2, 0-1 Big 12; last week: 6): So much for the idea that the Mountaineers could just replace Geno Smith, Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey. West Virginia looked completely inept offensively in a 37-0 loss to Maryland, which is a good team, but not that good. The Mountaineers, who had one of the best passing attacks in the country last year, suddenly can’t pass. Quarterback Ford Childress threw for just 62 yards with two interceptions Saturday, not that Paul Millard fared any better in West Virginia’s first two games. Holgorsen said he’s sticking with Childress at quarterback, which is a sign the Mountaineers are building for the future. The present is not a pretty sight.

9. Kansas (2-1, 0-0 Big 12; last week: 9): With the bottom half of the Big 12 struggling so much, the Jayhawks have the opportunity to win a couple of games in the league. But Kansas has its own problems. An offense that was supposed to be improved actually has been worse so far this season. After scoring just a field goal over three quarters against Louisiana Tech, the Jayhawks had to scramble late to escape with a 13-10 win. Jake Heaps owns the worst Total QBR (32.2) in the league and the Kansas wide receivers so far have been a disappointment. There is some talent on Charlie Weis’ offense, especially in the backfield. But it has yet to manifest on the field.

10. Iowa State (0-2, 0-0 Big 12; last week: 10): The Cyclones have back-to-back Thursday night games on deck: at Tulsa and at home against Texas. If Iowa State can’t prevail in either, this will end up being the worst season of the Paul Rhoads era. The only way the Cyclones can avoid that fate is by conjuring something in the run game, which has been abysmal so far this season.

Iowa State, TCU, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State were all off. But we still learned plenty about the Big 12 in Week 4:

1. Baylor can’t be stopped: What the Bears have accomplished in three nonconference games has been incredible. Sure, the nonconference slate was bad. But the numbers Baylor is putting up are absurd. Capped with the 70-7 win over Monroe, the Bears outscored their three nonconference opponents by a combined score of 209-23 -- the largest scoring differential in an opening three games, according to ESPN Stats & Information, by any FBS team of the past 10 seasons. The Bears lead the nation in scoring, Bryce Petty leads in the nation in QBR and running back Lache Seastrunk is averaging 11 yards per carry. This offense, obviously, faces tougher tests ahead. But Baylor has the look of an offense that will be scoring on everyone it faces.

2. West Virginia can’t score: How far the West Virginia offense has fallen since that 70-point outburst in the 2011 Orange Bowl. In the first half against Maryland, the West Virginia offensive effort was futile. West Virginia compiled 65 yards compared to 61 yards in penalties; the Mountaineers also had as many first downs (two) as interceptions in the first half, as Maryland jumped to a 30-0 halftime lead before coasting to the 37-0 victory in Baltimore. Coach Dana Holgorsen said afterward he’s sticking with Ford Childress at quarterback, but the quarterback can only do so much with the West Virginia offensive line and receivers. Had running backs Charles Sims and Dreamius Smith not transferred in, this offense would be completely hopeless -- assuming it isn’t already.

3. Texas proved it doesn’t always lie down: During Big 12 media days, Kansas State linebacker Tre Walker was quoted saying that “Texas laid down a little bit” in their game last season because “that’s what they do.” Despite tumbling in with a two-game losing streak, the Longhorns didn’t lie down Saturday, instead grinding out a 31-21 win over the Wildcats. Who knows what -- if anything -- the win will do for Mack Brown or the Longhorns’ season? At the least, the win offered a little respite for a team that’s had to endure nothing but negativity since the first week of the season.

4. The Kansas schools have issues offensively: Both Kansas and Kansas State should be better offensively than what they’ve showed. Despite having former blue-chipper Jake Heaps at quarterback and one of the league’s better running back tandems in Tony Pierson and James Sims, the Jayhawks needed 10 points in the fourth quarter to edge out Louisiana Tech, 13-10. Meanwhile, against a Texas defense that had been porous stopping the run, the Wildcats managed just 115 yards rushing on 38 carries. If not for wideout Tyler Lockett, K-State might not have scored the whole night. Both the Kansas and K-State offenses have good players. Just not good offenses at the moment.

5. Texas Tech is back to square one at QB: For the second straight game, Davis Webb replaced fellow true freshman Baker Mayfield at quarterback. Last week, it was due to injury. In Saturday’s sloppy 33-7 win over Texas State, it was due mostly to the offense remaining stagnant, though Mayfield did get shaken up after taking a shot to his back. Mayfield completed 13 of 18 passes for 122 yards and an interception before getting replaced. But Webb didn’t fare all that much better, going 19-of-43 passing for 310 yards and an interception. Webb also badly missed Jakeem Grant and Jace Amaro wide open in the end zone near the end of the game. Coach Kliff Kingsbury said both quarterbacks would play going forward, but he also noted the position “just has to get better.” It’s unclear how Kingsbury will use his quarterbacks, but Michael Brewer is getting closer to practicing again after sitting out the past several weeks with a back injury. Brewer, the projected starter going into the preseason, could ultimately become Kingsbury’s answer at quarterback once he returns.

AUSTIN, Texas – Even after a must-win game over the defending Big 12 champion, Texas coach Mack Brown wasn’t ready to celebrate just yet. But surely he’s breathing a deep sigh of relief after this one, right?

“I’m not there yet,” he said. “Not there yet.”

It’s safe to say the significance of Texas’ 31-21 win over Kansas State isn’t lost on him. Nobody needed a win on Saturday more than Brown and Texas.

Many will knock Kansas State and say Texas just beat a team that had lost to an FCS school. Big whoop. Some will go a step further and laugh at Texas for celebrating a win over Kansas State, calling it a sign of the times if that’s the Longhorns' standard.

But Texas has every reason to overreact to a win over the Wildcats, its first since 2003. The Longhorns were entering season-on-the-brink territory. Win or fall apart. Frustrated players, angry fans, wild rumors. Lose this game and it all gets a whole lot worse, and we start questioning how Texas will even get to six wins.

Brown needed this to stave off all the negativity, to send a message that the season isn’t over.

“We had to get this game tonight. We had to get back on the right track,” Brown said. “I don’t think this team will let up, I really don’t.”

Ever the optimist, Brown can point to plenty of things he saw Saturday night that reinforce his belief in this team. His veteran offensive line finally began playing up to its potential in paving the way for 227 rushing yards, including 141 and two scores from Johnathan Gray.

"This was a crucial step for us to get things turned around, and it is a great feeling to get that accomplished and know that we are back on the right track," senior guard Trey Hopkins said.

And that maligned Texas defense, that one that was as porous as any in the country through three games, at last showed progress in Week 2 of the Greg Robinson regime. Holding Kansas State to 115 yards on the ground is tangible, unmistakable progress.

Somehow, the Longhorns overcame losing quarterback David Ash at halftime to concussion-related symptoms and linebacker Jordan Hicks in the second half to a sprained ankle.

The laundry list of Texas starters who are injured keeps growing, but the team has a week off before traveling to Iowa State for a Thursday night showdown.

More than anything, Texas just needed positive energy and momentum. The two losses made Brown and his team a national punching bag. Everyone got in their shots. Much of the chatter wasn’t unfair.

What Texas did to Kansas State won’t shut everyone up, but it’s a start. Brown tried his best to block out the negativity, but he let his players deal with it however they pleased.

“I actually said to those guys what I’ve said to you all: Handle it any way you want to, but beat Kansas State,” Brown said. “The rest of it doesn’t matter. If it bothers you, don’t look at it. If you enjoy drama, look at it. It’s up to you.”

Defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat has argued for weeks that this would be a player-led team. Texas was playing without six injured starters, and its players embraced a next-man-up mentality.

“I give all the credit to the players. This week was a tough week, obviously,” offensive coordinator Major Applewhite said. “We lost, lot of criticism, lot of chances to kind of get rabbit ears. But everybody put their nose to the grindstone and worked.”

The fourth-quarter stops and turnovers are a sign this season can get better. Leaning on and trusting the run game when Ash exited was a sign. Ending three straight years of futility against K-State was a sign, too.

There are reasons -- not many, but a few -- to believe Texas can eventually become the team it was hyped up to be. Brown saw that on Saturday.

“This is part of the team that I expected to see and expect to see for the rest of the year,” Brown said. “This can be a really good football team before we finish.”

It’s just one win. The intense scrutiny probably won’t dissipate much. But the toxic cloud over Brown’s program lifted for one night. Now would be a good time to exhale.

In today’s mailbag, Longhorns search for answers, Sooners hype up the Bellicopter and Red Raiders begin talking big after last week’s win over TCU.

To the bag:

Brian in Colorado writes: Texas has been trying to move toward becoming an SEC-style team, so what are the odds that Texas will have Mack Brown step down and then try and steal Kirby Smart from the Tide? Smart would be a perfect fit for a talented team that needs a younger coach to bring an energetic style.

Jake Trotter: Smart is a tremendous coordinator, but I imagine Texas will go after an established head coach first. Besides, Texas only tried to become an SEC-style team because of Brown.

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Josh in Oklahoma writes: Given Texas' inability to stop the option, how great would it be to see the BellDozer turn into the BellBone for OU-Texas?

JT: Great for who? Certainly not Texas. Then again, I’m not sure Blake Bell’s skill set is tailored for the read option. Bell is tough to tackle, but he doesn’t have the requisite quickness to operate the option, play in, play out. That’s one reason why Trevor Knight beat him out during the preseason. But if Bell throws like he did against Tulsa, he won’t need to run the option all that often, anyway.

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Ric in Moore, Okla., writes: My guess is Blake Bell will be a very average QB, and OU loses 3-4 games this season. Your thoughts?

JT: Bell showed me a lot in that Tulsa game. I think he’ll hold onto the job. I still don’t see OU winning more than 10 games, though.

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Nicholas in Houston writes: In the last chat, you said, "Bottom line, if Texas and OU aren't carrying their weight, the Big 12 is going to be viewed as a sub-par conference.” Do you think that if one non-OU-Texas team goes undefeated and another comes really close, would that Big 12 perception improve?

JT: Honestly, not really. Oklahoma State went 12-1 in 2011 and it didn’t do much for the conference’s perception nationally. The Cowboys still got left out of the national title game, even though really they were more deserving than Alabama on paper. Now, if OSU and Baylor won 10 games annually over the course of a decade, that would be something different. But the OU and Texas brands were built over the course of 70 years, and when their brands suffer, so does the Big 12. A great season here or there from the non-flagship schools does little to change that.

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John in Tulsa, Okla., writes: I know it's not the case for every team, but I'm wondering what the advantages and disadvantages are for having the defensive coordinator on field level. Logic would say that having the coordinator in the box would aid in reading the formations, personnel, tendencies and plays of the opposition. The only explanation I could come up with was that having the defensive coordinator on field level helps make adjustments real time instead of via headset. But how effective are the adjustments that are made at that point?

JT: John is correct -- offensive coordinators usually call plays from the box, while defensive coordinators often call plays from the sideline. Maybe it’s because offense is more analytical, and defense, more emotional? Also, offensive coordinators are on their own time to some degree when making adjustments, giving them time to relay calls from the box. Defenses are on the offense’s time, meaning defensive coordinators have just moments to holler in their adjustments before the snap.

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Jeff in Austin writes: The perception is that if UT, OU, or OSU were undefeated after the regular season they would likely play for the trophy in January. What would the likelihood of Baylor or Texas Tech playing for the national championship if they went undefeated while everyone else was at 12-1?

JT: Assuming the SEC filled one side of the title game, Baylor and Tech would probably need Oregon, Stanford, Clemson, Ohio State, Louisville, Florida State, UCLA, Michigan, Notre Dame and Miami to all go down. The Bears and Red Raiders, however, have never won a Big 12 title. Isn’t it a bit premature to be talking national title after three games?

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Ali in Fort Worth, Texas: What do you make of three Big 12 teams beginning conference play against West Virginia?

JT: I didn’t even realize this was the case until you brought it up. It should be an advantage for West Virginia in the Oklahoma State and Baylor games.

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Brian from the Apache forward operating base in Afghanistan writes: Jake, love the blog. If Mack Brown does lose his job what are you early thoughts on the man who would replace him? I mean, I would think Texas would warrant a big name guy for the job right?

JT: Given its proximity to high school talent and its infinite resources, Texas is probably the most attractive head-coaching job in college football. Stanford’s David Shaw was the name I kept hearing when I was in Austin last weekend. But don’t rule out Texas making a pitch to Nick Saban, either.

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Shelby in Big Spring, Texas, writes: How concerned should Raider Nation be that Tech's offense did not move the ball much during the TCU game? Scoring on the first and last possessions is a little unusual for Tech's offense? Also, yay or nay on the gray unis?

JT: I’m a fan of the gray uniforms. I’m not overly concerned. Despite its problems on the other side of the ball, TCU is still really good defensively. The one concern I might have is the Tech offensive line. Can they protect the quarterback? If so, the skill talent is there for this Tech offense to be prolific.

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P.J. in El Paso, Texas, writes: How much of UT’s woes can be attributed to lack of a top QB? It seems that the top teams in the Big 12 all boast pretty good QBs. Texas has top talent everywhere else.

JT: Quarterback is the least of Texas’ worries this season. Have you seen this defense? Even with Johnny Manziel back there, this Texas team would not be going anywhere.

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Clint in Houston writes: Looking back, Texas failed to recruit or offer a scholarship to some of the best QBs in the country. With Texas' shoddy QB play and comparatively horrible record since Colt McCoy, shouldn't Mack be let go for the program's lack of interest in Andrew Luck, RG3, Johnny Manziel and Jameis Winston?

JT: This will ultimately be part of Brown’s undoing. But only part of it. Brown has also whiffed on coordinator hires, failed to forge offensive and defensive identities since the ’08-09 teams and struggled to recruit mentally tough players.

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SoonerPaintJob in Oklahoma City writes: After an impressive performance through the air, where do you see Bellicopter and company ending up by season’s end? Does it feel a little like 2000?

JT: I don’t see a Roy Williams on defense or a Josh Heupel on offense. So no, this doesn’t feel like 2000. Bell looked good against Tulsa, but it was against Tulsa. I’m nowhere near ready to proclaim this a team of destiny after home wins over Louisiana-Monroe, West Virginia and Tulsa.

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Jay in Midland, Texas, writes: Jake, you promised a revised ceiling for Texas Tech should they beat TCU. Time to get your Guns Up!! How do you see the conference shaking out, now that we are three weeks into the season?

JT: I still see the conference title being decided by OU, OSU and Baylor. But the Red Raiders are looming. If they slip past these next four games -- all winnable games -- to get to 7-0, I might be compelled to move them into the upper tier.

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Finkaboutit in Ames, Iowa, writes: The past two years Iowa State has had some talent on the offensive side of the ball, and we have not had any form of solid offense. Does ISU need to start looking for a new offensive coordinator?

JT: Why do Iowa State fans keep insisting the Cyclones have had talent on the offensive side of the ball? The last Iowa State offensive skill player to get drafted was Seneca Wallace 10 years ago. A different play-caller doesn’t change the fact that Iowa State is deft of playmakers offensively. The Cyclones’ offensive woes stem from mediocre recruiting more than anything else.

Joe Schad reacts to the report that a Texas regent talked to Alabama coach Nick Saban's agent about Saban coaching the Longhorns if Mack Brown retired.

Each week, HornsNation teams up with the ESPN Stats & Info crew to dig into the numbers that matter most and find three statistics which could make a big difference on Saturday. Let's take a look at Texas’ first Big 12 game of the season against Kansas State (7 p.m. CT, ABC).


No. 1: Five

In the first half against Ole Miss, Texas produced five consecutive scoring drives, including on all three second-quarter possessions. Mack Brown said Wednesday he needs to see Texas' second-quarter offense show up for all four quarters this Saturday.

Texas went nine plays or more on three of those five drives. For an offense that too often gets derailed by three-and-outs when struggling, that was promising. The next step: finishing with touchdowns. Texas settled for field goals on three of the five drives, including one occasion in which Texas had first and goal at Ole Miss 2.

No. 2: 3-16

If you're searching for a reason why Kansas State has won five straight against Texas, here's an easy clue: In their past five matchups, Kansas State has turned the ball over a total of three times. The Longhorns, on the other hand, have 16 turnovers. That's a significant disparity in turnover margin.

Here's what's strange about that stat, though: Texas' offense has turned the ball over only one time in its two losses. That was the bizarre play when Case McCoy and Malcolm Brown collided for a fumble against Ole Miss. Turnovers are not the reason the Longhorns have come up short in back-to-back weeks. Getting a few more from its defense wouldn't hurt, though.

No. 3: 37

Once again, Texas is back among the nation's leaders in missed tackles. The Longhorns have missed 37 through three games, which is tied for second worst in FBS behind Northwestern's 38. Texas has recorded 12 more missed tackles than any other school in the Big 12.

There could be any number of reasons for this, though if last season told us anything the culprit is probably confidence. Texas is still getting inconsistent tackling from its linebackers and safeties, and players have said all along that the defensive schemes are putting them in the right place to make plays. They just need to execute.

Three more to remember

9: The number of passing yards Kansas State had in its 34-14 win over Texas in 2010.

23: The number of rushing yards Kansas State had in its 45-42 win over Texas in 2006.

1956: The last time Texas started its season 1-3. That was one year before Darrell Royal took over the program.