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If you haven't already seen the video of Dana Holgorsen sipping Red Bull on the sideline, enjoy.

• Texas AD DeLoss Dodds is expected to announce plans for his resignation today. A look at some potential candidates to replace him. The Longhorns also lost a legend Monday in former quarterback James Street.
• One year after giving up 807 yards in Morgantown, Baylor is ready to show how far its defense has come against West Virginia.
• Could Oklahoma find a way to use both Blake Bell and Trevor Knight to challenge opposing defenses?
• Even after one of the best games of his career, TCU safety Sam Carter remains his own toughest critic.
• Texas Tech is sticking with Baker Mayfield at quarterback this week. Is staring the season 7-0 a realistic possibility?
• Charlie Weis still remembers drafting Kliff Kingsbury while with the Patriots. What's going on with the receivers at Kansas? Ex-Jayhawk Marquel Combs has transferred to Southeastern Louisiana.
• Still no word on whether Oklahoma State CB Justin Gilbert will be punished for getting ejected from the WVU game. J.W. Walsh regrets audibling out of a goal-line run in that loss. OSU landed the fastest recruit in the country Monday.
• WVU is down to one healthy quarterback, creating one big question mark for Saturday.
• Paul Rhoads has found his guy at running back in Aaron Wimberly.
• Kansas State is preparing for a disappointed Oklahoma State team this week and trying to fix its own flaws.

After the win over Tulsa, Bob Stoops scoffed when asked if Blake Bell would be his starting quarterback at Notre Dame.

“Well, that’s pretty obvious, yeah,” the Oklahoma coach replied. “So much for your (quarterback) controversy.”

So much, indeed. The Sooners have found their quarterback -- just in time for the Fighting Irish.

In a 51-20 rout of the Golden Hurricane, Bell was tremendous replacing freshman Trevor Knight, who was injured and benched last week after back-to-back ineffective outings. Knight beat out Bell for the job during the preseason. But Bell will be OU’s starting quarterback for the foreseeable future.

He completed 27 of 37 passes for 413 yards and four touchdowns with no turnovers, breaking Sam Bradford's school passing yardage record (363) in a starting debut.

On top of that, Bell finished the game with a Total QBR of 96.7. According to ESPN Stats & Info, that was the highest QBR (before opponent adjustment) for any qualifying OU quarterback in one game since Bradford registered a 99.9 at Baylor in 2008.

Before Saturday, Bell’s reputation was hardly that of a competent passer. In fact his career Total QBR as a passer (pass attempts and sacks) was below 2. But against Tulsa, Bell’s Total QBR as a passer was 99.0, thanks in large part to six completions of more than 20 yards and only one negative play, a sack.

The Sooners, obviously, will face tougher competition ahead, notably in two weeks when they travel to South Bend, Ind.

But Bell’s performance gave OU plenty of confidence about its passing attack for the rest of the season while ending any semblances of controversy about who the Sooners’ quarterback will be moving forward.

Recognizing the best and brightest from around the Big 12 in Week 3:

QB Blake Bell, Oklahoma

Turns out Bell is a better passer than anyone realized. He threw for 413 yards and four touchdowns against Tulsa, showing impressive confidence and rapport with his receivers. Bell only ran for 24 yards, too. Considering how badly the OU passing attack fared a week ago, the 400-yard showing was a real eye-opener against a Tulsa team that went 11-3 a year ago. The question marks surrounding Bell and his ability to replace Trevor Knight were answered on Saturday, at least for one week.

WR Quenton Bundrage, Iowa State

Bundrage exploded against Iowa for seven catches, 146 yards and three touchdowns in the close 27-21 loss. His touchdowns came from 67, 26 and 17 yards out, and those final two came late in the fourth quarter as Iowa State mounted a rally.

CB Kip Daily, Kansas State

The senior cornerback nabbed an interception in the first quarter against UMass and returned it 38 yards for the first touchdown of the game. He picked off a second pass on a fourth down late in the third quarter, ensuring KSU would have no trouble in a 37-7 win over the Minutemen. Those were the first two interceptions in his career. Daily is up to 16 tackles and two pass breakups on the year after recording only one tackle in six games last season.

QB Ford Childress, West Virginia

Not bad at all, kid. In his first career start, Childress threw for 359 yards and three touchdowns in a 41-7 win over Georgia State. The redshirt freshman and former ESPN 150 recruit hit on 25 of his 41 attempts and recorded a solid QBR of 74.2. He might be just what the Mountaineers are looking for in their hopes to end their quarterback battle.

RB Jeremy Smith, Oklahoma State

Smith found the end zone three times in an easy 59-3 win over FCS Lamar. He had a modest 40 rushing yards on the day, but OSU really didn’t need much from Smith to get the victory. Smith now leads the Big 12 in rushing touchdowns with six.

Let's take a look the top storylines in the Big 12 for Week 2:

1. Will Trevor Knight make a major jump from Week 1 to Week 2? Oklahoma’s redshirt freshman quarterback had lackluster passing yards (86) in his first collegiate start, but the Sooners put up 34 points thanks in part to his legs (103 rushing yards) and red-zone efficiency (three touchdown passes). But if OU expects to make it through September without a loss, Knight will have to make defenses pay with his arm.

2. Dana Holgorsen’s plan. West Virginia’s simplified offense in the opener left the Sooners very little to go off of as they prepare for the Mountaineers. Expect Holgorsen to break out the creative offense that has earned him his reputation as a superb offensive mind this weekend. Yet, Holgorsen has no idea how quarterback Paul Millard will react in a hostile environment in front of 80,000 fans so it might not matter how creative the offense is if the team or quarterback can’t execute.

3. Will the Longhorns send a message? Texas travels to Provo, Utah to face a BYU squad coming off a 19-16 season-opening loss to Virginia. Much like Knight, there are mixed reviews after UT’s win to open the season. The Longhorns’ offense looked unstoppable at times and very average at other times, but all will be forgotten if UT looks dominant in its first road test of the season.

4. Kansas State needs to get back on track. KSU coach Bill Snyder isn’t happy with the leadership on his team, that much is clear after his postgame comments following the Wildcats’ shocking 24-21 loss to North Dakota State. "I would like to see a whole bunch of mad guys in all honesty,” Snyder said about the postgame locker room. “I did not see any. That is concerning, that is for sure.” The Wildcats will look to regain some confidence when Louisiana-Lafayette visits Manhattan on Saturday. Rediscovering their running game and playing more physical on defense should be high priorities if KSU plans to get back to its winning ways of 2012.

5. How will TCU’s quarterback situation continue to develop? Casey Pachall started against LSU but was replaced by Trevone Boykin, as the Horned Frogs tried to put a spark into the offense. It will be interesting to see how Gary Patterson’s squad plans to use the duo when Southeastern Louisiana comes to Amon G. Carter Stadium.

6. Saturday will provide the first look at the Kansas Jayhawks. The lone Big 12 team that didn’t participate in a bowl game, KU hopes to change that this season. The Jayhawks feature some explosive threats on offense with running backs James Sims and Tony Pierson returning to go alongside transfer quarterback Jake Heaps and receiver Justin McCay. Coach Charlie Weis has some talent at his disposal so it will be interesting to see how he plans to use that talent in 2013.

7. Will OSU, Baylor or Texas Tech suffer a letdown? Week 1 should serve as a wake-up call to all three teams, as the conference watched K-State and Iowa State lose to FCS opponents. The Bears (versus Buffalo), Cowboys (at Texas San-Antonio) and Red Raiders (versus Stephen F. Austin) could continue to impress by challenging themselves to play at a high level regardless of their opponent on Saturday. Or they could take a step backward by allowing lesser opponents to hang around until deep into the second half.

8. Were Week 1 performances a fluke? Texas Tech’s Baker Mayfield, OSU’s J.W. Walsh, Texas’ David Ash and Baylor’s Bryce Petty were among the Big 12’s stars in Week 1. Will they come back down to earth in Week 2? Consistency is what turns a good player into a great player. If those players match their performances in the season’s opening week, the Big 12 could be on its way to regaining its reputation as a conference filled with quality quarterbacks.

9. Dee-fense. OU, OSU and Baylor allowed three points or less, and Texas joined those three Big 12 squads in holding an opponent to single digits. With the majority of the conference facing teams that don’t feature Big 12-level offensive attacks, we should see similar results in Week 2. What if we don’t?

10. Will more new names emerge? Charles Sims burst onto the Big 12 landscape with a 120-yard rushing performance in his first game at WVU. TCU's B.J. Catalon showed he’s a name to know with his 233 all-purpose yards, and UT's Daje Johnson put fear into the hearts of defenses around the conference with his two-touchdown outing in Week 1. Expect other offensive skill players to make their mark on their teams this weekend.

For this season, ESPN launched a new metric of measuring quarterbacks, called QBR. What exactly is QBR? A quick refresher:

QBR measures quarterbacks on a scale of 0 to 100, evaluating all plays they're involved in that contribute to victories. In other words, how a quarterback factors into wins. QBR factors in such components as where on the field a pass is completed and what the down-and-distance. A 3-yard pass on third-and-two counts for more than a 10-yard pass on third-and-20. Runs, sacks and penalties are also accounted for. And a month into the season, when there is enough information, the strength of the defense the quarterback facing will be factored in, too.

After Week 1, here are the QBRs (remember, the opposing defensive strength is not factored in yet) in the Big 12:

1. Bryce Petty, Baylor: 92.8
2. David Ash, Texas: 85.2
3. J.W. Walsh, Oklahoma State: 83.6
4. Baker Mayfield, Texas Tech: 78.5
5. Paul Millard, West Virginia: 62.7
6. Sam Richardson, Iowa State: 53.4
7. Jake Waters, Kansas State: 48.1
8. Casey Pachall, TCU: 45.2
9. Trevor Knight, Oklahoma: 42.9
10. Trevone Boykin, TCU: 20.4

A few thoughts and observations:

• Even though Petty and Ash have the best QBRs, Mayfield had easily the top pass EPA (expected points added on pass attempts) with a score of 11.6. No other Big 12 quarterback had a score higher than a 6.1. What kept Mayfield’s overall QBR from topping the league were the four sacks he took in the SMU game. That underlines a major concern for Tech moving forward: offensive line. The Red Raiders didn’t run the ball well at all against SMU, either. It won’t be easy for Mayfield to continue to shine if he’s not protected better.
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AP Photo/Richard CarsonJ.W. Walsh's rushing prowess was a big factor in his lofty QBR score in Week 1.
• While Mayfield had the best pass EPA, Walsh delivered the best run EPA, with a score more than double any other quarterback. That’s hardly surprising, as Walsh currently leads all players in the Big 12 in rushing. Yet for the Cowboys to reach their full potential offensively, Walsh will need to improve upon a pass EPA of 1.4.
• Even though Pachall had only a marginally better QBR, TCU coach Gary Patterson elected to go with Boykin for most of the second half. Boykin had the worst Week 1 QBR among qualifying quarterbacks, though it should be noted Boykin’s QBR from the LSU game will look much better once defensive strength begins factoring into the equation. But neither quarterback really distinguished himself in the LSU game. This could be a quarterback controversy that lingers.
• Knight’s first game numbers don’t look good through the QBR prism. He had the third-best run EPA behind Walsh and Richardson, but he actually had a negative pass EPA. Pachall was the only other quarterback with a negative pass EPA. Knight seemed to gain confidence with his arm as the game against Louisiana-Monroe wore on. But there’s no doubt Knight will have to be more precise with his passing if the Sooners are to win in South Bend, Ind., at the end of the month. Notre Dame’s Tommy Rees looked sharp in their opener, and has the seventh-best QBR (94.9) in the country.

QBR is useful in determining where quarterbacks struggled and where they succeeded in the first week. But the true value of the formula won’t come to fruition until opposing defensive strength is factored in later this month. It’s a safe bet that quarterbacks such as Boykin, Pachall and Walsh would have scored higher with that component; and others, like Petty and Ash, a bit lower.

Here's what we learned after an up-and-down opening week in the Big 12:

Baker Mayfield might be a walk-on, but he can play: It didn’t take long for the rest of us to see why freshman walk-on Baker Mayfield won Texas Tech’s starting QB job. While accounting for five touchdowns in the 41-23 win over SMU, Mayfield displayed a rocket arm, an aggressive mentality and a great deal of savvy. The Red Raiders are hoping to get Michael Brewer back, perhaps as soon as next month. But if Mayfield keeps performing the way he did against SMU, it’s difficult to see coach Kliff Kingsbury going with a different quarterback.

The defenses in the Sooner State might be better: Inconsistent defense has plagued Oklahoma and Oklahoma State in recent seasons. Both teams have fielded some of the most prolific offenses in the country, but this season, they might have the defenses to go along with those offensive attacks. In their opener, the Cowboys obliterated Mississippi State up front, and kept the Bulldogs from scoring again after the opening drive. The Sooners completely blanked Louisiana-Monroe in a 34-0 rout. Both Oklahoma State and Oklahoma will face better offenses down the line. But it was a promising debut for both units.

Kansas State, West Virginia and Iowa State have a long way to go: Mountaineers coach Dana Holgorsen said as much after his club narrowly escaped FCS opponent William & Mary. Kansas State and Iowa State weren’t so lucky. The Wildcats fell at home to North Dakota State, while Iowa State lost to Northern Iowa. All three Big 12 teams are in rebuilding mode, which was pretty evident this weekend.

TCU is winless, but it is going to win plenty of games: In a 37-27 defeat to LSU, TCU showed it belonged on the field with one of the top teams in the SEC. Even without All-American defensive end Devonte Fields, TCU’s front held up against LSU’s powerful run game, and the Horned Frogs' defensive backs made several plays against the pass. Quarterbacks Casey Pachall and Trevone Boykin made their share of plays, too, especially Boykin, who pulled TCU to within a field goal midway through the fourth quarter. The Frogs will have to hash out their quarterback situation. But the defense is in place, and enough playmakers exist on offense for this team to contend in the Big 12.

The QB run game will be a big part of the Big 12: Over the years, the Big 12 has been defined by the arms of its quarterbacks. This season, it could be their legs, too. Both Oklahoma State and Oklahoma won their openers by leaning on the quarterback run game. J.W. Walsh replaced starter Clint Chelf and rushed for 125 yards to lead the Cowboys to the win. In his debut, Oklahoma’s Trevor Knight ran for 103 yards. Boykin and Kansas State’s Daniel Sams also pulled off big plays with their wheels in relief of starters Pachall and Jake Waters. Even Mayfield and Texas’ David Ash showed plenty of mobility in their openers. The pass will remain the Big 12’s calling card. But many of these passers can really run, too.

The season's first weekend is behind us and we know more about these teams than we did a week ago. There's been some moment in the power rankings, which will likely become a weekly occurrence with the Big 12 race so wide open this season.

1. Oklahoma State (1-0, last week 1): The Cowboys' defense was impressive in the season-opening 21-3 win against Mississippi State, recording three sacks and grabbing two interceptions. Defense has always been the question mark in Stillwater. If OSU’s defense continues to rise under new defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer, the Cowboys will be tough to beat.

2. Oklahoma (1-0, last week 3): As impressive as OSU’s defense was, the Sooners’ D might have been even more eye-opening. The Sooners looked fast, physical and aggressive as they shut out a quality Louisiana-Monroe team. Add a solid debut from redshirt freshman quarterback Trevor Knight, and OU continues to make a case to sit atop this list. West Virginia comes to town this week to start the Sooners’ Big 12 schedule.

3. Texas (1-0, last week 4): The Longhorns scored 42 points and gained 459 yards in the second half, averaging 10.67 yards per play, after a relatively slow start against New Mexico State. It was a pretty dominating performance in the game’s final 30 minutes. All the skill-position talent on the roster was on full display against the Aggies. This week’s trip to Provo, Utah will be a stern test for the Longhorns.

4. Baylor (1-0, last week 5): Easily the Big 12’s most impressive team in Week 1 -- against Wofford. Nonetheless, the Bears looked to be in midseason form offensively and had a strong defensive showing against their FCS opponent. Quarterback Bryce Petty looks as good as advertised, and Lache Seastrunk continued to make game-altering plays. They looked every bit like a Big 12 title contender.

5. TCU (0-1, last week 2): Is it fair to drop TCU three spots after a hard-fought loss to SEC power LSU? No, not really, but a loss is a loss. Nonetheless, there’s no major difference between OSU, OU, UT, BU and TCU. All five squads could win this league without it being considered a big surprise. The Horned Frogs lost, but there were some reasons to be encouraged, particularly the explosive performance from running back B.J. Catalon.

6. Texas Tech (1-0, last week 8): The Red Raiders ride the arm of Baker Mayfield to sixth on this list after the walk-on true freshman passed for 413 yards and four touchdowns (and added a rushing TD) to earn Big 12 offensive player of the week honors. It's clear Kliff Kingsbury has brought enthusiasm and excitement to his alma mater.

7. West Virginia (1-0, last week 7): The Mountaineers escaped with a 24-17 win against William & Mary but were far from impressive. But a win is a win, and WVU has the chance to impress when they visit Norman, Okla. this Saturday to face the Sooners. Win against OU and all is forgotten.

8. Kansas State (0-1, last week 6): Everyone knows what happened to the Wildcats on Friday. Nobody seems to know why. KSU’s loss to North Dakota State was the story of the weekend, and it’s become clear the Wildcats aren’t on the level of last year’s squad. Anyone believing KSU should be higher on this list need only to watch NDSU’s final drive to secure the upset.

9. Iowa State (0-1, last week 9): The other Big 12 team to start with a loss to an FCS team, the Cyclones will have to regroup quickly. ISU’s defense was nonexistent in allowing 457 yards in a 28-20 loss to Northern Iowa. A bye week comes at a good time for the Cyclones, who need to shore up a defense that was solid in 2012.

10. Kansas (0-0, last week 10): The Jayhawks will finally kick off their 2013 season against South Dakota on Saturday as the Jake Heaps era begins in Lawrence, Kan.

Let’s take a look at the top storylines in the Big 12 heading into Week 1:

1. New quarterbacks. Geno Smith, Landry Jones, Nick Florence and Collin Klein have moved on, making the Big 12 the land of opportunity for quarterbacks. Bryce Petty is set to replace Florence at Baylor, Jake Waters will step in at Kansas State, and Trevor Knight will start at Oklahoma. Texas Tech, West Virginia, TCU and Oklahoma State could use two quarterbacks this weekend, as those teams search for standout signal-callers.
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Tom Pennington/Getty ImagesGary Patterson's Horned Frogs face a tough test against LSU on Saturday.
2. Big 12 vs. SEC. The Cowboys and the Horned Frogs will have the conference’s reputation on their shoulders as they battle SEC foes Mississippi State and LSU. OSU coach Mike Gundy is 8-1 in his last nine games against current SEC teams, including a 24-10 season-opening win over Georgia in 2009. But seven of those wins came against former Big 12 rivals Texas A&M and Missouri. It will be TCU’s first game against an SEC opponent since a 30-14 win over Vanderbilt in 2003.
3. TCU can send a message. The Horned Frogs battle LSU in a game that should be physical, low scoring and intriguing. If TCU is the more physical and aggressive team on its way to a surprise victory, everyone will stand up and take notice.
4. Any signs of defense? The Big 12 and good defense don’t seem to go hand-to-hand. The league average was 29.4 points and 418.4 yards per game in 2012. Conference defensive coordinators insist it is the Big 12’s offenses that make the difference. Against nonconference opponents, now’s the chance to prove it.
5. Oklahoma State aims to reaffirm its favorite status. The Cowboys could show the nation why they’re the favorite in the Big 12 with an impressive win over Mississippi State. If they stumble, however, that could be a sign that expectations were too high in Stillwater. There’s been plenty of change in the program with two new coordinators, but the Cowboys are excited about the overall talent and potential on the roster.
6. Can Lache Seastrunk back up his words? The Baylor running back didn’t mince words when talking about his goals and trying to win the Heisman Trophy this season. If he expects to insert his name in the race, he needs to start strong with a stellar performance against Wofford. The junior rushed for more than 100 yards in five of the last six games in 2012, so he's hoping to keep that momentum going.
7. Will offensive stars start to emerge? The Big 12 is known for offense, so it's pretty much a given that some unknown names will become "SportsCenter" regulars on Saturdays this fall. Seastrunk is the biggest offensive name in the conference with Texas Tech’s Eric Ward and OSU’s Josh Stewart also making strong cases as returning starters. Yet, undoubtedly, other stars will emerge, and they'll probably start showing signs of their playmaking potential this weekend.
8. Kliff Kingsbury’s debut at Texas Tech. Kingsbury takes over in Lubbock with an eye on having a similar impact as Kevin Sumlin did with Texas A&M in 2012 when Kingsbury was the Aggies’ offensive coordinator. The Red Raiders travel to SMU with a freshman quarterback, either Davis Webb or Baker Mayfield, under center. Nonetheless, we should be able to tell if the energy of Kingsbury’s young coaching staff is permeating through the program.
9. Will Trevor Knight show why the Sooners are so high on him? The redshirt freshman beat out preseason favorite Blake Bell for the job, and Saturday will be Knight's first chance to show his skills in OU’s opener against Louisiana-Monroe. The coaches have praised Knight’s playmaking ability, but he’s never done it in front of 80,000 at Memorial Stadium.
10. Can any of the underdogs shock a Big 12 squad at home? Kansas State, West Virginia, Iowa State, Texas, OU and BU are looking to rebuff upset bids in games where they’re the clear favorites. ULM might provide the sternest test of any underdog after upsetting Arkansas in Little Rock a year ago. But don’t overlook Northern Iowa, which travels to Ames for an in-state battle.

An intriguing opening week in the Big 12, including a pair of neutral-site showdowns with the SEC.

My picks for Week 1 -- and I wouldn’t go to Vegas with them:

FRIDAY

Texas Tech 35, SMU 27: All eyes will be on Texas Tech’s quarterback, whether that’s Davis Webb or fellow true freshman Baker Mayfield. Whoever it is, Eric Ward and Jace Amaro will provide enough support to give Kliff Kingsbury the win in his Tech debut.

Kansas State 31, North Dakota State 22: The last time the Bison visited the Sunflower State, they came away with a victory. Even though this game won’t be in Lawrence, the two-time defending FCS champs won’t go out easy. K-State and its veteran offensive line, however, eventually wear down the Bison in the second half as the Wildcats pull away in QB Jake Waters' first start.

SATURDAY

West Virginia 48, William & Mary 14: Running back Charles Sims begins his West Virginia career with a monster debut, prompting the MountaineerS faithful to forget about Tavon Austin. Well, for a night anyway.

No. 13 Oklahoma State 38, Mississippi State 24: Mike Gundy makes good on his word of playing both Clint Chelf and J.W. Walsh. And both quarterbacks shine in a two-quarterback system as the Cowboys defeat an SEC opponent in their opener for the second time in five years.

No. 16 Oklahoma 31, Louisiana-Monroe 14: The Sooners have been dreadful in openers under Bob Stoops, and playing a freshman quarterback doesn’t help things early, either. But Trevor Knight finally finds his groove in the second half and shows everyone why he ultimately beat out Blake Bell for the job.

Baylor 49, Wofford 21: Lache Seastrunk launches his Heisman campaign with a big season debut, but freshman receiver Robbie Rhodes steals the spotlight with a pair of touchdown receptions, showing why he’s been generating so much buzz this preseason.

No. 15 Texas 56, New Mexico State 6: The Longhorns waste no time attacking with their new up-tempo offense and bury the Aggies in the first quarter. The three-headed monster of Jonathan Gray, Malcolm Brown and Joe Bergeron looks crisp, too, racking up 250 yards rushing against a hapless New Mexico State defense.

Iowa State 24, Northern Iowa 21: Sam Richardson carries Iowa State to victory over the always-pesky Panthers with some clutch fourth-quarter passing. In the second half, junior college transfer Aaron Wimberly delivers a run and later a catch both for more than 40 yards, showing signs he might be the game-breaker the Cyclones have been coveting offensively.

No. 12 LSU 26, No. 20 TCU 21: TCU has the front-line talent that LSU does on both sides of the ball. But the Tigers have two advantages: superior depth and the experience of playing in these kinds of games. That proves to be the difference, as LSU strips the Big 12 of a potential weekend sweep.

NORMAN, Okla. -- Few people are better prepared to explain how new Oklahoma quarterback Trevor Knight can test opponents defenses than Mike Stoops.

The Sooners defensive coordinator looked on as Knight opened eyes while running the scout team offense in 2012, then watched this August as the redshirt freshman continued to make plays against his defense during preseason scrimmages. First he learned to respect Knight’s ability, now he’s quick to praise his skills.

“He can make explosive plays,” Mike Stoops said. “He can make a bad play [into] a good play, he has that uncanny ability to make plays on his feet and he can make plays with his arm."

It’s fair to say Mike Stoops is a fan of OU’s decision to name Knight its starter over Blake Bell, who was the favorite to land the job.

Eyebrows raised around the country when the Sooners turned to a quarterback who has never played a game over Bell, who has spent the past three years preparing to be a starter including two seasons playing a short yardage role in the offense. But Knight beat out Bell for the job during the offseason and preseason camp by combining his terrific physical abilities with strong leadership traits and a solid grasp of the OU offense.

“It’s fair to say overall, through all of these practices, there’s just been more consistency [from Knight],” coach Bob Stoops said Monday. “He’s very athletic, has great speed, he’s got a very strong football he throws, quick release and he’s a strong leader.”

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While Bell was playing an active role with the Sooners, scoring 11 touchdowns as the Belldozer in OU’s short yardage offense last fall, Stoops still noticed Knight’s unique ability as he quietly redshirted. It was at that point the Sooners veteran coach started to realize his redshirting freshman had some special abilities.

“I saw it every day at practice running the scout team,” Stoops said. “You see it early in the year then in the middle of the year it’s like, ‘This doesn’t change, it’s every day. This guy is on the mark, he throws a great ball.’ Watching practice a year ago we’d sometimes shake our head, ‘Wow did you see what he just did?’ He was making plays like that in practice quite often.”

Making plays on the scout team offense and running the Sooners’ attack are two different things. The mental tests increased during the spring and preseason as Knight had to start running the Sooners offense, including the reads and progressions required, instead of making pre-conceived reads as a scout team signal caller.

All the physical gifts would have meant nothing if Knight could not show Stoops and the Sooners’ coaching staff he had the ability to mentally process everything as well during the past eight months.

“I think for any young player it comes down to consistency and limiting mistakes and getting us into the best things we can get in,” Mike Stoops said. “And he’s done a great job of that.”

The decision to go with Knight is a clear sign the Sooners believe he is mature beyond his years with the ability to run the offense at a high level. Offensive coordinator Josh Heupel said during preseason camp that the Sooners’ starter will be expected to play at a high level from Game 1 and Bob Stoops reiterated that point on Monday. Stoops said the Sooners won’t strive to ease Knight into the heat of battle simply because he’s a freshman.

“He’s got to come out and run the offense,” Bob Stoops said. “Coach Heupel is very good at what are [their] favorites, the things he really likes and play to his comfort early, but you have to run your offense.”

His teammates, who were the first to start praising his talents in 2012, are confident he's ready to accept the challenge and have noticed a change in Knight since those days of making big plays against the No. 1 defense.

“He’s done a great job from then to now, we’ve seen him mature,” cornerback Aaron Colvin said. “His game has matured a lot, he just goes out there and makes plays, he can do it with his feet or in the passing game.”

As a defensive player who has had to deal with the likes of Robert Griffin III, Johnny Manziel, Geno Smith and Ryan Tannehill during his first three seasons in crimson and cream, Colvin knows how difficult it is to defend passing quarterbacks who can also take off and run. Therefore, it excites him to think Knight might be able to do similar things for OU’s offense in 2013.

“It opens up a lot of things for those guys on the offensive side,” Colvin said. “Receivers can find a way to get open longer, he can make more time for them. But he can still throw, it’s not like there’s a drop off in passing. His running game opens up a lot of options for them. I have all the confidence in the world in Trevor, I’m excited to see him show what he can do.”

Preseason camps have wrapped up around the Big 12, and it’s time teams focused on their openers this weekend.

It’s also time for the first Big 12 power rankings, which will appear on the blog at the beginning of each week throughout the season.

This list will change, obviously, but here is the starting point for how the Big 12 teams stack up going into Week 1:

1. Oklahoma State: The Cowboys were competitive last season, despite shuffling through three inexperienced quarterbacks. Even if Mike Gundy makes good on his promise to play both Clint Chelf and J.W. Walsh, quarterback figures to be a strength this time. Weapons abound offensively, and seven starters return on defense. The schedule also favors the Pokes, with TCU, Oklahoma, Baylor and Kansas State all slated to visit Stillwater.

2. TCU: The Horned Frogs have the best defense in the league, maybe by far. Among the contenders, they also have -- by far -- the most difficult schedule, which begins this weekend with a neutral-site showdown with LSU. Can TCU survive the gauntlet? That hinges heavily on Casey Pachall, who has the talent to quarterback the Frogs to the Big 12 title -- even against a brutal schedule.

3. Oklahoma: Bob Stoops stunned the college football world last week by announcing Trevor Knight as his starter. There could be bumps in the road early for the redshirt freshman quarterback. But Knight’s potential appears to be vast, and he could become a lethal weapon out of the Sooners’ new read-option offense. If that happens, and Mike Stoops can get something out of an unproven defense, there’s no reason OU can’t win a ninth Big 12 championship.

4. Texas: On paper, the Longhorns would deserve to be at the top of this list. Unfortunately, for them, football is not played on paper. Texas returns 19 starters and appears formidable at every position on either side of the ball. Something, however, has been missing intangibly from this program the past three years, underscored by two consecutive no-shows in the Red River Rivalry. Can the Horns rediscover their mojo? If so, the rest of the league could be in trouble -- because the talent and experience is there in Austin.

5. Baylor: The Bears deserve to be in the same tier with Oklahoma State, TCU, OU and Texas. In other words, they are a viable Big 12 title contender. Seven starters return on a defense that uncovered an opportunistic identity last November, and the offense is, well, loaded. Then again, there’s something to be said for having done it before, which Baylor has not. The schedule is favorable early, but the Bears’ mettle will be put to the test in November-December when they face all four teams ahead of them in the power ranks.

6. Kansas State: Bill Snyder’s bunch has surprised the past two years with heady quarterback play and stingy defense. With a QB battle ongoing and only two defensive starters returning, it’s difficult to envision K-State winning double-digit games again with the same formula. That said, the Wildcats might have the best blocking line in the league, and three of the better playmakers in Tyler Lockett, Tramaine Thompson and John Hubert. You know Snyder will have his team well coached, too. In other words, the Wildcats should not be discounted.

7. West Virginia: West Virginia lost three of the best offensive players in the history of its program, and yet there’s still a lot to like about this offense. The Mountaineers added some talented junior-college transfers, and Houston transfer Charles Sims could be a star in the Big 12. Even though the defense will be improved, it probably won’t be good enough for West Virginia to contend; but it might be enough for the Mountaineers to top last year’s win total.

8. Texas Tech: The Red Raiders are in a state of flux at the moment with their quarterback situation. Projected starter Michael Brewer continues to battle a bad back, which means first-year coach Kliff Kingsbury could wind up starting a true freshman Friday night at SMU. With running back Kenny Williams, wideout Eric Ward and tight end Jace Amaro, there’s more than enough around the quarterback for Tech to be prolific offensively. But unless Brewer gets healthy, it’s hard to see Tech maximizing its offensive potential.

9. Iowa State: Consistent quarterback play has been the one thing that’s kept Iowa State from becoming anything more than a .500 team in the Paul Rhoads era. Can sophomore Sam Richardson finally be the guy who turns that around? The Cyclones are banking he is. Richardson has some tools, and he played well in limited action last year with eight touchdowns compared to just one pick. He’ll need to stay efficient to offset a defense in rebuilding mode.

10. Kansas: Coach Charlie Weis said last month Kansas doesn’t deserve to be put anywhere but in last place. The Jayhawks should be better than last season, especially with former blue-chip prospect Jake Heaps now quarterbacking them. Running backs James Sims and Tony Pierson are dynamic, too. But will that be enough to pull Kansas out of the basement?

The Big 12 has been known as a quarterback conference. This season, at least early on, it might be known as a two-quarterback conference.

During the Big 12’s weekly teleconference on Monday, five coaches indicated they could play two quarterbacks this weekend.

Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said he would play Clint Chelf and J.W. Walsh against Mississippi State.

TCU coach Gary Patterson said not only would Casey Pachall and Trevone Boykin both play against LSU, but they would serve as the offensivee captains for the game.

West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen narrowed his competition to two, but said Paul Millard and Clint Trickett are still fighting for the No. 1 job.

Kansas State coach Bill Snyder at least named Jake Waters his starter, but added that Daniel Sams would play.

Texas Tech’s quarterback position remains unclear, too, with true freshmen Davis Webb and Baker Mayfield battling to start against SMU on Friday.

Red Raiders coach Kliff Kingsbury said Monday that he normally would like to have a starter named by this point but said he isn’t against playing both freshmen against the Mustangs as neither guy has really separated.

“We’re not opposed to playing two guys,” Kingsbury said, “if we think that will help us win the game.”

The same goes for the rest of the league, apparently. Other news and notes from the Big 12 teleconference:

Stoops hints Belldozer will continue

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops was asked several questions about Blake Bell following the Sooners decision to name Trevor Knight as the starter against Louisiana Monroe on Saturday.

Unlike previous years when the Sooners have named a starter and given him the majority of the reps in practice, Stoops said the situation will be different with Bell and Knight this season.

“Blake will continue to get reps,” he said.

The Sooners head coach also hinted that Bell could continue to play his role as the “Belldozer” in short-yardage situations. Bell rushed for 24 touchdowns in the role during the past two seasons, helping the Sooners finish second in the Big 12 in red zone efficiency, scoring touchdowns 64.8 percent of the time they ventured inside an opponent’s 20-yard line. Nonetheless, Stoops refused to say for certain if using Bell in spot situations is definitely in the Sooners’ plans this season.

“It wouldn’t make sense to tip our hand,” Stoops said.

Kansas OK with Week 1 bye

Kansas’ season doesn’t begin until next week. Usually that would bother coach Charlie Weis, but not this year.

The Jayhawks open their regular season next Saturday vs. South Dakota. Kicking off the year with a bye is fine by Weis because he’s convinced his players could use the extra preparation.

“Normally, I wouldn’t like the extra week now,” he said. “But because we have so many guys that we’re counting on who were junior college guys and just arrived here, I think it’s given us an opportunity to take this week this week and go through a simulated game week as if we’re playing this Saturday.”

Weis said “90 percent” of KU’s position battles have been decided. This week is more about giving his players time to get adjusted as classes begin Monday. Kansas will have a 7 a.m. practice on Saturday, and then the coaches will spend the day watching KU’s upcoming opponents.

“In this isolated incident, it really plays, in our case, to our advantage for us in this calendar year,” Weis said.

Baylor working on identity

Baylor is one of the few teams in the league entering the season with a settled situation at quarterback. Junior Bryce Petty will be the guy under center for the Bears after spending three years behind Robert Griffin III and Nick Florence.

Nonetheless, Baylor coach Art Briles still isn’t certain how things will play out this fall.

“We’ve talked to Bryce about creating an identity,” Briles said. “Right now, he’s an unknown. I’ve mentioned to him, ‘What are people going to say about you after you’ve played a game?’”

Petty has looked solid in the Bears’ preseason scrimmages, completing 46 of 65 passes for 582 yards and five touchdowns in three outings.

As the Sooners prepared to meet Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl this past December, Trevor Knight was given the role of impersonating Aggies quarterback Johnny Manziel.

It was an impersonation that came rather naturally for the redshirting freshman.

The same way Manziel would do in the game, Knight carved up Oklahoma’s starting defense daily in practice, offering a glimpse into his vast potential.

A year ago, Manziel jump-started a Texas A&M program that had been growing stale. This season, the Sooners are banking Knight can do the same for them.

In what would have been deemed a stunning move just a month ago, coach Bob Stoops tabbed Knight as his starting quarterback Thursday. Knight beat out establishment candidate Blake Bell, who was the overwhelming favorite to win the job going into the preseason.

Perhaps this shouldn’t have been so stunning.

Dating back to that December bowl prep, Knight’s teammates kept raving about how dazzling this scout-team quarterback was.

On multiple occasions, Knight made the first-team defense look so bad during practice that defensive coordinator Mike Stoops would slam his paper script to the ground in disgust.

“Trevor has a chance to bring some noise,” cornerback Aaron Colvin told ESPN.com then. “When we go against him in the scout team, he makes some throws that are kind of unreal.

“I’m very curious to see what he does, because I think he has a bright future.”



For Knight, the future is a lot sooner than anyone would have imagined.

Out of Oklahoma’s short-yardage “Belldozer” package, Bell had become a fan favorite and a devastating weapon, piling up 24 touchdowns over the past two seasons. Bell also beat out Drew Allen for the No. 2 job last fall to put himself in prime position to succeed four-year starter Landry Jones.

Even during the spring, Bell’s trajectory remained on track. He got the start in Oklahoma’s spring game, and outplayed Knight and Kendal Thompson, who bowed out of the competition on the first day of preseason practice when he fractured his foot.

Yet, even as Bell appeared to be the most comfortable quarterback in the spring game, there were signs Knight was beginning to find his stride. After scuffling early with turnovers and missed reads, he finally began to settle in, engineering two touchdown drives late in the scrimmage.

“I felt more comfortable throughout the day, and that's obvious,” Knight said after the spring game. “The more reps, the more comfortable you feel."

From then, Knight has only continued to surge.

And aiding his cause along the way has been Oklahoma’s new-look offense, which is expected to feature plenty of zone-read and designed quarterback run plays.

While it’s been a bit awkward for the lumbering Bell, the offense has been a perfect fit for Knight and his skill set, which includes a 4.5-second 40-yard dash time. At his San Antonio high school, Knight operated a similar attack, throwing for more than 2,000 yards and 27 touchdowns while rushing for another 1,000 yards and 15 touchdowns.

"He's very gifted," Knight's high school offensive coordinator, Jason Thomasson, told ESPN.com over the summer. "He has a big arm, he can make every throw, but people don't realize how fast he is. I don't know if he's as fast as Manziel, but he's incredibly athletic -- so athletic that he can make you look silly sometimes.”

Last fall, Manziel made defense after defense look silly -- including the Sooners’ -- while making the Aggies relevant in college football again for the first time in years.

Oklahoma hasn’t exactly tumbled out of relevancy. Still, a tinge of staleness has enveloped the program, as the Sooners have failed to seriously challenge for a national championship over the past five years, despite recurring high preseason expectations.

Manziel proved what one game-changing quarterback can do for a team and a school. This time last year, it was him besting a presumed heir-apparent to win his offense’s starting job.

Now, Knight has done the same. And the impersonation carries on.

Not long ago, Big 12 media days was an event worthy of a red carpet, with star-studded quarterbacks annually filling the halls.

Many -- like “Vince” and “Sam” -- were on a first-name basis with their fans. Others -- like “RG3” -- donned catchy nicknames.

This year, though, there were no rock stars at media days in Dallas. Because, well, there are no marquee quarterbacks returning.

As the SEC with defense, the Big 12 has become synonymous with quarterbacking. Of the past 13 quarterbacks taken in the first round of the NFL draft, six are Big 12 alums.

But these are foreign times in the conference. For a change, quarterbacking is the Big 12’s big unknown.

“We're in the same situation as seven or eight others,” said West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen, who is replacing his school’s all-time leading passer, Geno Smith.

“Pretty much everyone is in the same boat.”

A boat that seats virtually everyone in the league.

Texas' David Ash is the Big 12's only expected starter who started more than five games last season. Six other teams are still officially involved in quarterback derbies, including Texas Tech, which could wind up starting true freshman walk-on Baker Mayfield in its opener with projected starter Michael Brewer dealing with a back injury.

Such quarterback uncertainty has rendered the Big 12 as wide open as ever, with six teams receiving first-place votes in the league’s preseason poll.

“I think it would be unfair to even predict what could happen in the league this year,” said Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy, who has hinted he won’t announce Clint Chelf or J.W. Walsh as the starter until the opener against Mississippi State. “You have a certain number of teams, five or six, who if they stay healthy and get quality quarterback play, have a chance to win the league.

“For the fans and for the media, this year is as exciting as it gets -- because I don’t think anyone really knows.”

But the lack of marquee returning quarterbacks is also predominantly why for the first time in its history the Big 12 doesn't have a team ranked in the top 10 of the preseason polls. Oklahoma State was the league’s highest-ranked squad at No. 13.

Ash started every game but one for the Longhorns last season. But he also was benched against Kansas and TCU.

TCU’s Casey Pachall had a banner 2011 campaign. But he left four games into last season to seek treatment for substance abuse.

And while Chelf and Walsh both won games for the Cowboys as starters last year, it’s unclear at the moment which of the two will get the majority of snaps.

“The preseason polls for the majority in my opinion are based on returning quarterback play, because we all know how important quality quarterback play is to winning games,” Gundy said. “They look on paper and see there’s not a lot of returning quarterbacks in this league and so you’re not going to get recognized as much as other schools.”

Coaches and players around the conference, however, caution not to dismiss this batch of quarterbacks just because they’re new.

“There’ll be a bunch of names you’ll be talking about next year -- that they’re all back,” Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said.

While there’s no Vince Young, Sam Bradford or Robert Griffin III yet, there is talent.

Blake Bell and Trevor Knight, who are vying to replace four-year starter Landry Jones in Norman, were both four-star recruits. So was Kansas’ Jake Heaps, who sat out last season after transferring from BYU.

Baylor’s Bryce Petty had offers to play at Nebraska and Virginia Tech coming out of high school.

And Kansas State’s Jake Waters, who is fighting Daniel Sams to succeed Heisman finalist Collin Klein, was the No. 1-rated quarterback to come out of junior college this year.

“The quarterback play in the Big 12 last year was phenomenal,” Holgorsen said. “And it's always going to be phenomenal.

“It's just going to be with newer people.”

Earlier Tuesday, I wrote about how the Big 12’s lack of marquee returning quarterbacks will affect the league race.

In this roundtable, the Big 12 blog team addresses four key questions about the conference’s quarterbacks:

Which quarterback battle will drag on longest?

Jake Trotter: I could see Oklahoma’s lasting a while. Freshman Trevor Knight outplayed Blake Bell in both preseason scrimmages, even though Bell entered the preseason as the favorite to win the job. Whoever comes out of camp with the nod will have to go against the tough defenses of Notre Dame and TCU. If the starter struggled, there’s a decent chance the Sooners would give the other a shot to spark the offense. A scenario like that might also spark a quarterback controversy in Norman.

David Ubben: Probably Texas Tech, but only by necessity. Michael Brewer's back injury doesn't sound like a minor situation, and true freshmen Davis Webb and All-Name Teamer Baker Mayfield may have to take over until he's back to 100 percent. And what if he takes another shot to his back during the season?

Brandon Chatmon: I have a feeling Oklahoma State's quarterback battle will last deep into the season. The Cowboys have proved they can win with both guys, so there should be no hesitation to look toward J.W. Walsh if Clint Chelf starts against Mississippi State or vice versa.

Max Olson: Texas Tech. Having to roll with true freshmen Webb and Mayfield to open the season is far from ideal. Whenever Brewer heals up, you have to think he’ll be right back in the mix to regain the starting job. I wouldn’t be shocked if all three earn starts this season.

Who is most likely to use a two-quarterback system all season?

Trotter: Oklahoma State. The Cowboys have two quarterbacks they have won with, and because Chelf and Walsh have different styles, there would be an advantage to using both. Because neither really has previous claim over the other and because the Cowboys run so many plays, this would be a unique circumstance where playing two quarterbacks would seemingly leave offensive chemistry undisturbed.

Ubben: Can we really call Oklahoma State a two-quarterback system? If so, I'm going with the Pokes. Chelf's going to start, but Walsh's short-yardage package is really valuable, and he proved last season that he's definitely skilled enough to make defenses respect his arm. He'll have opportunities to throw the ball more than people expect this season.

Chatmon: TCU' Casey Pachall brings passing skills and overall production that cannot be matched by Trevone Boykin, while Boykin brings running skills that make him too valuable to leave on the sideline indefinitely.

Olson: Nobody is better suited to handle that conundrum than Oklahoma State, right? Cowboys players know they can win ballgames with either Walsh or Chelf running the show. They trust both guys, and I think Mike Gundy does, too. Of all the league’s quarterback battles, OSU might be the only school that can’t go wrong.

Who ultimately will be the All-Big 12 quarterback?

Trotter: I’m going with Baylor’s Bryce Petty. Unlike most quarterbacks in the league, there’s no looming threat to take snaps away from him. And with the firepower around him, he could really have a monster season.

Ubben: Petty. He has great running backs for balance and one of the Big 12's best offensive lines, as long as it stays healthy. There are zero questions about his NFL-caliber arm strength, and if he can prove himself a competent decision-maker, he has 3,500 yards and 30 touchdowns in his future, as well as a good shot to clear 500 rushing yards.

Chatmon: So many possibilities, so little time. Let’s give the nod to Petty because he’s secured the starting spot at Baylor and promises to be surrounded by some of the Big 12’s most explosive skill players. It’s hard to imagine him not being productive in 2013.

Olson: Tough call. I’ll reluctantly go with Petty simply because he’s most likely to be the statistically superior candidate in December. He’s surrounded by too many offensive weapons; it’s just hard to picture him struggling. In the end, though, I won’t be surprised if the All-Big 12 quarterback honor goes to whoever wins the league title.

Who will be the biggest surprise quarterback?

Trotter: First, he has to win the job. But if Jake Waters can emerge out of the quarterback battle with Daniel Sams, he could become K-State’s great transfer quarterback. Waters set a junior college record for completion percentage on his way to winning a national title. That kind of precision would fit in well with an offense that returns seven starters.

Ubben: Dana Holgorsen's track record with quarterbacks is too good for Clint Trickett not to make a big splash in a new offense that's pretty easy for players to learn on the fly. He's my pick to win the WVU job, and even though the receivers are inexperienced, guys like Kevin White, Ivan McCartney, Mario Alford and KJ Myers should give him plenty of targets who will allow him put up big numbers.

Chatmon: Nobody is talking about Iowa State quarterback Sam Richardson, but the sophomore should be much more comfortable in Year 2 and could be poised for a breakout season for the Cyclones.

Olson: David Ash. The Texas junior is poised to really open some eyes this fall. Ash was better in 2012 than most people realize, but he’s always been judged more by his bad games than his good ones. I think that changes this season. Honorable mention goes to whoever starts at K-State. You know he’ll exceed expectations.