College Football Nation: Bill Snyder
Next Monday, start the countdown.
Big 12 commissioner Chuck Neinas will have two months left as the boss of a league that's seen plenty of tumultuous times over the past two years.
"We were kind of saved by the bell by Chuck Neinas. He kept it going in terms of getting us on the right track and getting everybody involved, all the teams in the conference," Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville said during the Big 12 coaches teleconference this week. "We had lost two teams each of the last two years, which has been devastating to this league, but with Chuck’s leadership, it’s come on pretty good."
TCU and West Virginia replaced Texas A&M and Missouri to bring the Big 12 back to 10 members, but now it's Neinas who must be replaced.
He agreed to stay on in an interim role through June 30, but his replacement could be named before then. What do the league's coaches want to see?
"The answer is very obvious. You’d like to have a good person. You’d like to have a very honest, forthright person, with a balance in how he operates the conference itself, with the idea that everybody is treated equally and what he would do would be in the very, very best interest of the 10-12 teams that would make up the conference itself," Kansas State coach Bill Snyder said. "Somebody that’s highly respected across the country and well-known across the country as well, has a reputation that would be very, very prominent as it relates to conference commissioners across the country."
For Tuberville, the new guy needs experience.
"Hopefully we get a strong-personality guy that can work with everybody, put their touch on it, somebody with experience, somebody that has maybe been a commissioner or a deputy commissioner for one of the other leagues," Tuberville said. "I think experience is going to be key for us, somebody that’s been there, done that, seen all the problems. It’s no different than coaching a football team in that experience usually pays off for you."
He added: "We’ve obviously had some setbacks the past few years, if we can get somebody who understands our league, maybe somebody from another conference looking from the outside in, understanding what’s going on and bringing their philosophy in would really help us."
For Texas coach Mack Brown, it's simple: He wants someone who can maintain stability, and unity is the first way to help establish it.
"We’ve been through so much turmoil over the past two years in the Big 12. I think what I would like to see is stability. I’d like to see someone come with confidence and new ideas and making sure that it sounds like our league is really stable at 10. I know some are looking at the possibility of 12," he said. "I’d like to see somebody who can really lead the group and get everybody on the same page, because it’s a wonderful conference. I love the additions that we’ve made, and I think it can be again, one of the top conferences in the country because the teams are all winning. But you gotta have a boss."
Big 12 commissioner Chuck Neinas will have two months left as the boss of a league that's seen plenty of tumultuous times over the past two years.
"We were kind of saved by the bell by Chuck Neinas. He kept it going in terms of getting us on the right track and getting everybody involved, all the teams in the conference," Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville said during the Big 12 coaches teleconference this week. "We had lost two teams each of the last two years, which has been devastating to this league, but with Chuck’s leadership, it’s come on pretty good."
[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Alonzo J. AdamsChuck Neinas' stint as Big 12 interim commissioner is up June 30.
AP Photo/Alonzo J. AdamsChuck Neinas' stint as Big 12 interim commissioner is up June 30.He agreed to stay on in an interim role through June 30, but his replacement could be named before then. What do the league's coaches want to see?
"The answer is very obvious. You’d like to have a good person. You’d like to have a very honest, forthright person, with a balance in how he operates the conference itself, with the idea that everybody is treated equally and what he would do would be in the very, very best interest of the 10-12 teams that would make up the conference itself," Kansas State coach Bill Snyder said. "Somebody that’s highly respected across the country and well-known across the country as well, has a reputation that would be very, very prominent as it relates to conference commissioners across the country."
For Tuberville, the new guy needs experience.
"Hopefully we get a strong-personality guy that can work with everybody, put their touch on it, somebody with experience, somebody that has maybe been a commissioner or a deputy commissioner for one of the other leagues," Tuberville said. "I think experience is going to be key for us, somebody that’s been there, done that, seen all the problems. It’s no different than coaching a football team in that experience usually pays off for you."
He added: "We’ve obviously had some setbacks the past few years, if we can get somebody who understands our league, maybe somebody from another conference looking from the outside in, understanding what’s going on and bringing their philosophy in would really help us."
For Texas coach Mack Brown, it's simple: He wants someone who can maintain stability, and unity is the first way to help establish it.
"We’ve been through so much turmoil over the past two years in the Big 12. I think what I would like to see is stability. I’d like to see someone come with confidence and new ideas and making sure that it sounds like our league is really stable at 10. I know some are looking at the possibility of 12," he said. "I’d like to see somebody who can really lead the group and get everybody on the same page, because it’s a wonderful conference. I love the additions that we’ve made, and I think it can be again, one of the top conferences in the country because the teams are all winning. But you gotta have a boss."
Post-signing day Big 12 Power Rankings
February, 6, 2012
Feb 6
11:00
AM ET
By
David Ubben | ESPN.com
Signing day has come and gone.
NFL decisions have been made.
Coaching staffs -- the major moves, at least -- have been settled.
The league membership looks close to being settled.
With all that stuff behind us, it's time to update our Big 12 Power Rankings with spring football quickly approaching.
I mentioned this in our last update, but I'll reiterate just how wide open the Big 12 is going to be in 2012. That won't change for awhile. In 2011, the league only had three teams that could realistically win the Big 12: Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M.
This year, I could see each of the top six teams winning the league. Oklahoma's the favorite, but nowhere near as heavy a favorite as it was in 2011. The preseason voting should be interesting.
Here's how I slate it:
1. Oklahoma: The Sooners brought in old defensive coordinator Mike Stoops but lost Brent Venables to Clemson. Stoops' biggest task will be fixing a secondary susceptible to big plays by big offenses in 2011, but Oklahoma will need its strong recruiting class of receivers to contribute immediately.
2. Kansas State: K-State, in accordance with the founding principle of Bill Snyder's coaching method, should be a much-improved team by the fall. Snyder will keep his squad close to the vest this spring, but there won't be nearly as many new faces on the field in 2012. This 10-game winner will be a Big 12 title contender in 2012.
3. West Virginia: The Mountaineers are still fighting the Big East to leave for the Big 12 in 2012 instead of 2014, and it may cost them more than the $5 million exit fee they originally planned to pay. On the field, though, the Mountaineers have tons of returning offensive talent, a play-making QB and an innovative mind running it. Even if your defense is awful, Baylor proved that offense will get you a long way in this league.
4. Oklahoma State: The Cowboys' program has stabilized, and even while breaking in a new quarterback and new top receivers, the defense should be improved and the running backs are capable of carrying the offense. The Cowboys won't throw the ball 595 times this year like they did in 2011, but this is probably an eight- or nine-win team that has some upside.
5. TCU: TCU's definitely a Big 12 title contender, but in a deep league, there's no telling how it'll handle the jump from the Mountain West to the Big 12. The offense is loaded. The defense should be better. But the transition will be a bit easier for West Virginia. We'll see how TCU handles the week-to-week grind.
6. Texas: The Longhorns must develop some offensive consistency, but I'm banking on UT having the best defense in the Big 12 once again. Texas' D was dominant at times in 2011, which is difficult in a league with the kind of offenses the Big 12 has. The running game will be great, but the QB spot must be settled and excellent for UT to have any chance to actually win the league.
7. Baylor: Baylor has the athletes on defense, and it should be better in Year 2 under defensive coordinator Phil Bennett, but without Robert Griffin III elevating the team and making plays, it'll be tough for the Bears to win more than 10 games like they did in 2011. Nick Florence has experience and should be a good replacement, but he's no Heisman winner.
8. Texas Tech: Tech has a lot of upside, and should get back to a bowl game in 2012, but it'll have to prove it for now. Injuries have hounded this team for two years, but the Red Raiders have more returning starters than any team in the Big 12 and all but one team in college football. They'll be missing 15 players in the spring, but Tech's time at the bottom of the Big 12 would seem to be ending.
9. Iowa State: Iowa State's trying to build, and it slid in another good building block in 2011 with six wins, a bowl berth and two benchmark wins over Iowa and Oklahoma State. The Cyclones will return a solid team, but in a deep Big 12, its athletes will be tested.
10. Kansas: The Jayhawks' road back up begins now. Is Charlie Weis the man to make it happen? Plenty of folks don't think so, but that doesn't matter all that much. For now, he's already provided an instant talent upgrade at important positions like QB and receiver. KU needs a lot more after losing six games by more than 30 points in 2011's 2-10 campaign.
NFL decisions have been made.
Coaching staffs -- the major moves, at least -- have been settled.
The league membership looks close to being settled.
With all that stuff behind us, it's time to update our Big 12 Power Rankings with spring football quickly approaching.
I mentioned this in our last update, but I'll reiterate just how wide open the Big 12 is going to be in 2012. That won't change for awhile. In 2011, the league only had three teams that could realistically win the Big 12: Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M.
This year, I could see each of the top six teams winning the league. Oklahoma's the favorite, but nowhere near as heavy a favorite as it was in 2011. The preseason voting should be interesting.
Here's how I slate it:
1. Oklahoma: The Sooners brought in old defensive coordinator Mike Stoops but lost Brent Venables to Clemson. Stoops' biggest task will be fixing a secondary susceptible to big plays by big offenses in 2011, but Oklahoma will need its strong recruiting class of receivers to contribute immediately.
2. Kansas State: K-State, in accordance with the founding principle of Bill Snyder's coaching method, should be a much-improved team by the fall. Snyder will keep his squad close to the vest this spring, but there won't be nearly as many new faces on the field in 2012. This 10-game winner will be a Big 12 title contender in 2012.
3. West Virginia: The Mountaineers are still fighting the Big East to leave for the Big 12 in 2012 instead of 2014, and it may cost them more than the $5 million exit fee they originally planned to pay. On the field, though, the Mountaineers have tons of returning offensive talent, a play-making QB and an innovative mind running it. Even if your defense is awful, Baylor proved that offense will get you a long way in this league.
4. Oklahoma State: The Cowboys' program has stabilized, and even while breaking in a new quarterback and new top receivers, the defense should be improved and the running backs are capable of carrying the offense. The Cowboys won't throw the ball 595 times this year like they did in 2011, but this is probably an eight- or nine-win team that has some upside.
5. TCU: TCU's definitely a Big 12 title contender, but in a deep league, there's no telling how it'll handle the jump from the Mountain West to the Big 12. The offense is loaded. The defense should be better. But the transition will be a bit easier for West Virginia. We'll see how TCU handles the week-to-week grind.
6. Texas: The Longhorns must develop some offensive consistency, but I'm banking on UT having the best defense in the Big 12 once again. Texas' D was dominant at times in 2011, which is difficult in a league with the kind of offenses the Big 12 has. The running game will be great, but the QB spot must be settled and excellent for UT to have any chance to actually win the league.
7. Baylor: Baylor has the athletes on defense, and it should be better in Year 2 under defensive coordinator Phil Bennett, but without Robert Griffin III elevating the team and making plays, it'll be tough for the Bears to win more than 10 games like they did in 2011. Nick Florence has experience and should be a good replacement, but he's no Heisman winner.
8. Texas Tech: Tech has a lot of upside, and should get back to a bowl game in 2012, but it'll have to prove it for now. Injuries have hounded this team for two years, but the Red Raiders have more returning starters than any team in the Big 12 and all but one team in college football. They'll be missing 15 players in the spring, but Tech's time at the bottom of the Big 12 would seem to be ending.
9. Iowa State: Iowa State's trying to build, and it slid in another good building block in 2011 with six wins, a bowl berth and two benchmark wins over Iowa and Oklahoma State. The Cyclones will return a solid team, but in a deep Big 12, its athletes will be tested.
10. Kansas: The Jayhawks' road back up begins now. Is Charlie Weis the man to make it happen? Plenty of folks don't think so, but that doesn't matter all that much. For now, he's already provided an instant talent upgrade at important positions like QB and receiver. KU needs a lot more after losing six games by more than 30 points in 2011's 2-10 campaign.
Final Big 12 recruiting scorecard for 2012
January, 31, 2012
Jan 31
9:00
AM ET
By
David Ubben | ESPN.com
The big day is so, so close. National signing day will get started bright and early Wednesday morning, but it's time to take a look at where the Big 12 teams sit with one day left before players can officially sign.
This will change quickly in the next couple days, but here's how they look before things get real crazy. Here's how the rankings looked two weeks ago, when we last updated the Big 12 scorecard.
This scorecard is written in pencil. Tomorrow, players will sign in ink.
1. Texas Longhorns
National ranking: No. 3
Total commits: 27
ESPNU 150 commits: 11
Key commits: RB Johnathan Gray, DT Malcom Brown, WR Cayleb Jones, QB Connor Brewer
Latest news: Texas recently added the nation's No. 1 inside linebacker, former Tennessee commit Dalton Santos. That may help its national ranking, which fell from No. 2 to No. 3 since our last update. The Longhorns also added No. 14 ATH Daje Johnson, a former TCU commit. Both were ESPNU 150 prospects. Texas also added defensive end Bryce Cottrell, who had previously been committed to Oregon.
2. Oklahoma Sooners
National ranking: No. 10
Total commits: 20
ESPNU 150 commits: 5
Key commits: RB Alex Ross, WR Sterling Shepard, WR Durron Neal, OL Ty Darlington, WR Trey Metoyer
Latest news: Oklahoma surpassed Texas A&M since our last update, and added Sam Grant, the nation's No. 18 TE. David Smith, the nation's No. 124 ATH, also joined the fold for the Sooners. One of the nation's top juco offensive tackles, Will Latu also pledged to Oklahoma and could make an immediate impact. Oklahoma swiped Zack Sanchez on Monday, a cornerback who had been committed to Baylor since July.
3. Texas A&M Aggies
National ranking: No. 12
Total commits: 22
ESPNU 150 commits: 5
Key commits: OLB Jordan Richmond, RB Trey Williams, ATH Bralon Addison, QB Matt Davis
Latest news: The nation's No. 33 defensive end, Polo Manukainiu, became a late addition to the Aggies' class, and the nation's No. 30 safety, Edward Pope, also gave new coach Kevin Sumlin a commitment.
4. Texas Tech Red Raiders
National ranking: No. 17
Total commits: 26
ESPNU 150 commits: 3
Key commits: WR Reginald Davis, WR Dominique Wheeler, OT Michael Starts, QB Clayton Nicholas
Latest news: The Red Raiders added juco cornerback Ola Falemi to their class, but look out for Tuberville on signing day. Switches on the big day are no surprises with him at Tech.
5. Baylor Bears
Total commits: 22
ESPNU 150 commits: 0
Key commits: ATH Corey Coleman, OT Kyle Fuller, DT Javonte Magee, OLB Brian Nance
Latest news: Baylor swiped Kansas QB commit Seth Russell, No. 47 nationally at the position, to make a big wave across the Big 12. It also grabbed cornerback Patrick Levels out of Dallas. Nance and Magee both pledged to Baylor after the new year.
6. Missouri Tigers
Total commits: 18
ESPNU 150 commits: 1
Key commits: OG Evan Boehm, QB Maty Mauk, ILB Donavin Newsom, OLB Torey Boozer
Latest news: Missouri may be in the lead in the DGB sweepstakes after hosting the nation's No. 1 receiver on a visit on the final weekend of the recruiting season. The nation's No. 105 ATH John Gibson and No. 151 DT, Harold Brantley, are the latest additions to Mizzou's class.
7. Oklahoma State Cowboys
Total commits: 21
ESPNU 150 commits: 1
Key commits: TE Dominic Ramacher, OLB Jeremiah Tshimanga, OT Michael Wilson, QB Wes Lunt
Latest news: OSU has added five commits since our last update, including Wilson, the nation's No. 22 offensive tackle. Receiver Chance Allen (No. 141) joins the squad as well. CB Kevin Peterson came to OSU after originally committing to Oklahoma. OSU also added receiver Jhajuan Seales. Juco offensive tackle Chris Grishby committed on Jan. 22.
8. Iowa State Cyclones
Total commits: 21
ESPNU 150 commits: 0
Key commits: OT Daniel Burton, WR P.J. Harris, WR Quan West, ATH Damien Lawry
Latest news: The Cyclones have two fewer commits than the last time we checked in, but added Devlyn Cousin, the nation's No. 154 defensive tackle.
9. Kansas State Wildcats
Total commits: 18
ESPNU 150 commits: 0
Key commits: WR Vernon Vaughn, DT Travis Britz, RB Jarvis Leverett, QB Tavarius Bender
Latest news: Kansas State added five commitments in the last two weeks, highlighted by Demonte Hood, the nation's No. 111 DT. RB Charles Jones is headed to Manhattan via Louisiana, too. S Donovan Starks is coming from Crosby, Texas, and receiver Judah Jones is a Wildcat after wrapping his high school career at power Evangel Christian in Louisiana. OT Ellwood Clement gave K-State five juco players in this class, low by Bill Snyder's standards.
10. Kansas Jayhawks
Total commits: 18
ESPNU 150 commits: 0
Key commits: TE Jordan Smith, OG Brian Beckmann, S Gregg Allen, DT Tyler Holmes
Latest news: New coach Charlie Weis has added four commits since our last update. QB Seth Russell, the team's top commit, is gone, but the Jayhawks have the QB spot settled for the next three years with transfers Dayne Crist and Jake Heaps. Greg Allen (No. 89 safety) is the top new addition, and Charles Brooks gives the class a second tight end. The Jayhawks also added a pair of juco defensive tackles that figure to have immediate impacts, Chaquil Reed and Jordan Tavai.
This will change quickly in the next couple days, but here's how they look before things get real crazy. Here's how the rankings looked two weeks ago, when we last updated the Big 12 scorecard.
This scorecard is written in pencil. Tomorrow, players will sign in ink.
1. Texas Longhorns
National ranking: No. 3
Total commits: 27
ESPNU 150 commits: 11
Key commits: RB Johnathan Gray, DT Malcom Brown, WR Cayleb Jones, QB Connor Brewer
Latest news: Texas recently added the nation's No. 1 inside linebacker, former Tennessee commit Dalton Santos. That may help its national ranking, which fell from No. 2 to No. 3 since our last update. The Longhorns also added No. 14 ATH Daje Johnson, a former TCU commit. Both were ESPNU 150 prospects. Texas also added defensive end Bryce Cottrell, who had previously been committed to Oregon.
2. Oklahoma Sooners
National ranking: No. 10
Total commits: 20
ESPNU 150 commits: 5
Key commits: RB Alex Ross, WR Sterling Shepard, WR Durron Neal, OL Ty Darlington, WR Trey Metoyer
Latest news: Oklahoma surpassed Texas A&M since our last update, and added Sam Grant, the nation's No. 18 TE. David Smith, the nation's No. 124 ATH, also joined the fold for the Sooners. One of the nation's top juco offensive tackles, Will Latu also pledged to Oklahoma and could make an immediate impact. Oklahoma swiped Zack Sanchez on Monday, a cornerback who had been committed to Baylor since July.
3. Texas A&M Aggies
National ranking: No. 12
Total commits: 22
ESPNU 150 commits: 5
Key commits: OLB Jordan Richmond, RB Trey Williams, ATH Bralon Addison, QB Matt Davis
Latest news: The nation's No. 33 defensive end, Polo Manukainiu, became a late addition to the Aggies' class, and the nation's No. 30 safety, Edward Pope, also gave new coach Kevin Sumlin a commitment.
4. Texas Tech Red Raiders
National ranking: No. 17
Total commits: 26
ESPNU 150 commits: 3
Key commits: WR Reginald Davis, WR Dominique Wheeler, OT Michael Starts, QB Clayton Nicholas
Latest news: The Red Raiders added juco cornerback Ola Falemi to their class, but look out for Tuberville on signing day. Switches on the big day are no surprises with him at Tech.
5. Baylor Bears
Total commits: 22
ESPNU 150 commits: 0
Key commits: ATH Corey Coleman, OT Kyle Fuller, DT Javonte Magee, OLB Brian Nance
Latest news: Baylor swiped Kansas QB commit Seth Russell, No. 47 nationally at the position, to make a big wave across the Big 12. It also grabbed cornerback Patrick Levels out of Dallas. Nance and Magee both pledged to Baylor after the new year.
6. Missouri Tigers
Total commits: 18
ESPNU 150 commits: 1
Key commits: OG Evan Boehm, QB Maty Mauk, ILB Donavin Newsom, OLB Torey Boozer
Latest news: Missouri may be in the lead in the DGB sweepstakes after hosting the nation's No. 1 receiver on a visit on the final weekend of the recruiting season. The nation's No. 105 ATH John Gibson and No. 151 DT, Harold Brantley, are the latest additions to Mizzou's class.
7. Oklahoma State Cowboys
Total commits: 21
ESPNU 150 commits: 1
Key commits: TE Dominic Ramacher, OLB Jeremiah Tshimanga, OT Michael Wilson, QB Wes Lunt
Latest news: OSU has added five commits since our last update, including Wilson, the nation's No. 22 offensive tackle. Receiver Chance Allen (No. 141) joins the squad as well. CB Kevin Peterson came to OSU after originally committing to Oklahoma. OSU also added receiver Jhajuan Seales. Juco offensive tackle Chris Grishby committed on Jan. 22.
8. Iowa State Cyclones
Total commits: 21
ESPNU 150 commits: 0
Key commits: OT Daniel Burton, WR P.J. Harris, WR Quan West, ATH Damien Lawry
Latest news: The Cyclones have two fewer commits than the last time we checked in, but added Devlyn Cousin, the nation's No. 154 defensive tackle.
9. Kansas State Wildcats
Total commits: 18
ESPNU 150 commits: 0
Key commits: WR Vernon Vaughn, DT Travis Britz, RB Jarvis Leverett, QB Tavarius Bender
Latest news: Kansas State added five commitments in the last two weeks, highlighted by Demonte Hood, the nation's No. 111 DT. RB Charles Jones is headed to Manhattan via Louisiana, too. S Donovan Starks is coming from Crosby, Texas, and receiver Judah Jones is a Wildcat after wrapping his high school career at power Evangel Christian in Louisiana. OT Ellwood Clement gave K-State five juco players in this class, low by Bill Snyder's standards.
10. Kansas Jayhawks
Total commits: 18
ESPNU 150 commits: 0
Key commits: TE Jordan Smith, OG Brian Beckmann, S Gregg Allen, DT Tyler Holmes
Latest news: New coach Charlie Weis has added four commits since our last update. QB Seth Russell, the team's top commit, is gone, but the Jayhawks have the QB spot settled for the next three years with transfers Dayne Crist and Jake Heaps. Greg Allen (No. 89 safety) is the top new addition, and Charles Brooks gives the class a second tight end. The Jayhawks also added a pair of juco defensive tackles that figure to have immediate impacts, Chaquil Reed and Jordan Tavai.
Kansas State officially needs a new DC
January, 19, 2012
Jan 19
11:00
AM ET
By
David Ubben | ESPN.com
Kansas State's defensive coordinator search is now official.
Chris Cosh is headed to South Florida.
South Florida has hired Kansas State assistant Chris Cosh to be its defensive coordinator, reuniting him with coach Skip Holtz.More on this story here.
Cosh served as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the Wildcats since 2009. Kansas State improved in a big way in 2011, cutting almost 100 yards per game off of its rushing defense to rank 37th nationally.
Holtz and Cosh worked together as assistants at South Carolina under Lou Holtz from 1999-2003. In all, Cosh has been a defensive coordinator for 15 of his 28 seasons as an assistant, with stops as well at Maryland, Michigan State and Illinois.
It's clear that Brent Venables won't be heading back to Kansas State, but Bill Snyder's got a big void in his staff to fill with Cosh's exit.
Brent Venables' time at K-State is now
January, 18, 2012
Jan 18
10:00
AM ET
By
David Ubben | ESPN.com
Bill Snyder famously returned to Kansas State with the intention of "calming the waters" and restoring stability to Kansas State's program.
Well, it appears the seas at Kansas State are notably less stormy these days, fresh off a 10-win season and returning a team with the pieces to win a Big 12 title.
Down south in Oklahoma, though, the seas look a bit rockier.
Willie Martinez was let go to make room for Mike Stoops, whose arrival paved the way for what can only be classified as a demotion for Brent Venables. He's gone from the man in charge of Oklahoma's defense since 2004 to the man sharing coordinator duties with Stoops, the exact spot he sat in back in 2003.
Between now and then, head coaching opportunities have surfaced but were never consummated.
Now, it's a little different.
The new arrival at Oklahoma has Venables mulling a reported offer from Clemson, an unthinkable move in any other scenario. In this situation, it's understandable. Stoops, through no one's fault, now stands as a rather large deterrent to Venables ever becoming a head coach.
Until, well, Monday.
News out of Clemson has been quiet, and Monday night, a report surfaced that sent Kansas State DC Chris Cosh to South Florida.
Venables has a decision to make. But after a new opening at Kansas State, it should be easy for both sides.
Hire Venables immediately. Do whatever it takes to bring him back to his alma mater and have Snyder walk away from Kansas State one more time on top.
Then hand the program off to Venables.
After Will Muschamp left Texas, no coordinator in the Big 12 was more ready for a head coaching job. Venables spent six years at Kansas State coaching linebackers from 1993-98 before leaving to join Bob Stoops at Oklahoma.
Now's the time to come back. It's fallen into place for both sides.
Venables' head-coaching opportunities have slimmed a bit, but the man can still coach and put together a defense. Why else would programs like Clemson be chasing him? His road to a head coach job becomes clearer under Dabo Swinney.
But it won't be clearer anywhere else than if Snyder decides to bring his pupil back on board and hand him the reins to the program in 2013.
The dead period is over in recruiting, and the late move complicates matters on the trail, but in coaching, coaches do what's best for themselves. No one would blame Venables for leaving, just like no one blames Bob Stoops for demoting Venables in favor of a veteran head coach who's also his brother. Kansas State would get an ideal candidate for the job, someone familiar with Snyder's ways and knowledgeable about the challenges the program has to overcome to be successful.
Snyder mastered that. Venables seems the most likely to continue it.
That leaves three big questions:
It should. The problem that derailed Muschamp at Texas was the open-ended time frame for Mack Brown to step down.
One or two years makes sense at Kansas State.
What about West Virginia? Please. Snyder's not going to be spreading salacious rumors about his understudy, and this is only a good idea if Snyder is on board. Bill Stewart was forced into handing his duties to Dana Holgorsen.
Kansas State is a different place than Oklahoma. He won't have the nation's top talent to craft his defenses anymore. Life's going to be more difficult in The Little Apple, but is anyone more ready to handle it than Venables?
He hasn't exactly offered many hints that he is. That's another big hurdle to clear, and something Snyder has to eventually decide. The 72-year-old just finished his third season back at Kansas State.
But for both sides, this move makes too much sense. If Venables wants to be a head coach, Kansas State is the best and quickest option for him to do it.
If Kansas State wants the best coach to succeed Snyder a second time, the Snyder disciple and Kansas native, Venables, is their man.
Well, it appears the seas at Kansas State are notably less stormy these days, fresh off a 10-win season and returning a team with the pieces to win a Big 12 title.
Down south in Oklahoma, though, the seas look a bit rockier.
[+] Enlarge
Peter G. Aiken/Getty ImagesThe fastest way for Brent Venables to get his own team is by leaving Oklahoma and heading to Kansas State.
Peter G. Aiken/Getty ImagesThe fastest way for Brent Venables to get his own team is by leaving Oklahoma and heading to Kansas State.Between now and then, head coaching opportunities have surfaced but were never consummated.
Now, it's a little different.
The new arrival at Oklahoma has Venables mulling a reported offer from Clemson, an unthinkable move in any other scenario. In this situation, it's understandable. Stoops, through no one's fault, now stands as a rather large deterrent to Venables ever becoming a head coach.
Until, well, Monday.
News out of Clemson has been quiet, and Monday night, a report surfaced that sent Kansas State DC Chris Cosh to South Florida.
Venables has a decision to make. But after a new opening at Kansas State, it should be easy for both sides.
Hire Venables immediately. Do whatever it takes to bring him back to his alma mater and have Snyder walk away from Kansas State one more time on top.
Then hand the program off to Venables.
After Will Muschamp left Texas, no coordinator in the Big 12 was more ready for a head coaching job. Venables spent six years at Kansas State coaching linebackers from 1993-98 before leaving to join Bob Stoops at Oklahoma.
Now's the time to come back. It's fallen into place for both sides.
Venables' head-coaching opportunities have slimmed a bit, but the man can still coach and put together a defense. Why else would programs like Clemson be chasing him? His road to a head coach job becomes clearer under Dabo Swinney.
But it won't be clearer anywhere else than if Snyder decides to bring his pupil back on board and hand him the reins to the program in 2013.
The dead period is over in recruiting, and the late move complicates matters on the trail, but in coaching, coaches do what's best for themselves. No one would blame Venables for leaving, just like no one blames Bob Stoops for demoting Venables in favor of a veteran head coach who's also his brother. Kansas State would get an ideal candidate for the job, someone familiar with Snyder's ways and knowledgeable about the challenges the program has to overcome to be successful.
Snyder mastered that. Venables seems the most likely to continue it.
That leaves three big questions:
- Does Kansas State want to take the leap and go down the coach-in-waiting role that has failed others?
It should. The problem that derailed Muschamp at Texas was the open-ended time frame for Mack Brown to step down.
One or two years makes sense at Kansas State.
What about West Virginia? Please. Snyder's not going to be spreading salacious rumors about his understudy, and this is only a good idea if Snyder is on board. Bill Stewart was forced into handing his duties to Dana Holgorsen.
- Does Venables want to take the leap?
Kansas State is a different place than Oklahoma. He won't have the nation's top talent to craft his defenses anymore. Life's going to be more difficult in The Little Apple, but is anyone more ready to handle it than Venables?
- Is Snyder ready to leave again?
He hasn't exactly offered many hints that he is. That's another big hurdle to clear, and something Snyder has to eventually decide. The 72-year-old just finished his third season back at Kansas State.
But for both sides, this move makes too much sense. If Venables wants to be a head coach, Kansas State is the best and quickest option for him to do it.
If Kansas State wants the best coach to succeed Snyder a second time, the Snyder disciple and Kansas native, Venables, is their man.
Big 12 ill-suited to knock off SEC in 2012
January, 11, 2012
Jan 11
11:00
AM ET
By
David Ubben | ESPN.com
Things were a lot different this time a year ago.
Oklahoma looked ready to assume the role of preseason No. 1, and did. The Sooners were the prohibitive favorites to win their first BCS National Championship since 2000.
"We have high expectations, and I don’t shy away from them," Stoops said in August. "My feeling is it is about time. We need to win one."
Don't look for any bold proclamations from anyone in the Big 12 this year. Oklahoma stumbled early and late, losing three games and finishing the season with an unremarkable Insight Bowl win.
Oklahoma State emerged as the only legitimate title contender in the Big 12 as 2011's dark season dragged on. Even the Cowboys' chances were doomed on a chilly Friday night in Ames, Iowa in November, a day after a plane crash killed four people, including head women's basketball coach Kurt Budke.
No one other team was close.
And if any Big 12 team is going to be close in 2012, it'll have to overachieve. Oklahoma enters the season as the most likely candidate, but it'll probably begin the season on the back half of the top 10 at best, outside of it at worst. Of course, the last time Oklahoma won a national championship, it began the season at No. 19. The way the Sooners are built in 2012 requires Landry Jones to string together 13 performances without a big mistake in a big spot. He's started for three seasons, and given plenty of reason to doubt his ability to do so. Will that change in 2012, when he's a senior, four-year starter? It'll have to for Oklahoma to reach the title game.
Oklahoma State? Good luck winning the Big 12, much less a national championship. A first-year quarterback's only won the league twice, and the Cowboys have a three-way quarterback derby to replace Brandon Weeden set for the spring. Justin Blackmon? You don't replace a two-time Biletnikoff Award winner in one season.
Kansas State could start the season in the top 15 at best, but they'd need a lot more Bill Snyder magic to climb back into the national elite. The core of the team returns, with quarterback Collin Klein and linebacker Arthur Brown headlining the team, but can Klein handle another 317 carries? Can Kansas State improve upon its need to go 8-1 in games decided by a touchdown or less? It can't duplicate that kind of success.
Conference movers haven't made a big splash in their first year in new leagues, but not many have joined new leagues as conference champions returning most of the team's major contributors. Could TCU and West Virginia change the trend?
Here's guessing a more difficult Big 12 schedule trips both up in Year 1 inside their new digs.
Texas? The Longhorns won eight games in 2011, but the road from winning eight to 12 is by far the most difficult, and it isn't easily traversed without a savvy, accurate, big-armed quarterback leading the way. Texas has a lot of work to do in that area.
The odds are good that the SEC's reign continues for a seventh season.
Maybe it doesn't, but it'll take a Big 12 team overachieving to do it.
Oklahoma looked ready to assume the role of preseason No. 1, and did. The Sooners were the prohibitive favorites to win their first BCS National Championship since 2000.
"We have high expectations, and I don’t shy away from them," Stoops said in August. "My feeling is it is about time. We need to win one."
[+] Enlarge
Matthew Emmons/US PresswireLandry Jones will be heavily relied upon next season to carry the Sooners' offense again.
Matthew Emmons/US PresswireLandry Jones will be heavily relied upon next season to carry the Sooners' offense again.Oklahoma State emerged as the only legitimate title contender in the Big 12 as 2011's dark season dragged on. Even the Cowboys' chances were doomed on a chilly Friday night in Ames, Iowa in November, a day after a plane crash killed four people, including head women's basketball coach Kurt Budke.
No one other team was close.
And if any Big 12 team is going to be close in 2012, it'll have to overachieve. Oklahoma enters the season as the most likely candidate, but it'll probably begin the season on the back half of the top 10 at best, outside of it at worst. Of course, the last time Oklahoma won a national championship, it began the season at No. 19. The way the Sooners are built in 2012 requires Landry Jones to string together 13 performances without a big mistake in a big spot. He's started for three seasons, and given plenty of reason to doubt his ability to do so. Will that change in 2012, when he's a senior, four-year starter? It'll have to for Oklahoma to reach the title game.
Oklahoma State? Good luck winning the Big 12, much less a national championship. A first-year quarterback's only won the league twice, and the Cowboys have a three-way quarterback derby to replace Brandon Weeden set for the spring. Justin Blackmon? You don't replace a two-time Biletnikoff Award winner in one season.
Kansas State could start the season in the top 15 at best, but they'd need a lot more Bill Snyder magic to climb back into the national elite. The core of the team returns, with quarterback Collin Klein and linebacker Arthur Brown headlining the team, but can Klein handle another 317 carries? Can Kansas State improve upon its need to go 8-1 in games decided by a touchdown or less? It can't duplicate that kind of success.
Conference movers haven't made a big splash in their first year in new leagues, but not many have joined new leagues as conference champions returning most of the team's major contributors. Could TCU and West Virginia change the trend?
Here's guessing a more difficult Big 12 schedule trips both up in Year 1 inside their new digs.
Texas? The Longhorns won eight games in 2011, but the road from winning eight to 12 is by far the most difficult, and it isn't easily traversed without a savvy, accurate, big-armed quarterback leading the way. Texas has a lot of work to do in that area.
The odds are good that the SEC's reign continues for a seventh season.
Maybe it doesn't, but it'll take a Big 12 team overachieving to do it.
Hogs give K-State a taste of its medicine
January, 7, 2012
Jan 7
2:16
AM ET
By
David Ubben | ESPN.com
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Arkansas punt returner Joe Adams made one quick cut through a wall of Kansas State defenders and sprinted toward the sideline before turning upfield.
Around 40 or so yards later, Adams crossed the goal line and emphatically slammed the ball into the Cowboys Stadium turf.
The Hogs were rolling. They led by double digits. The red half of the 80,956 in attendance was going hog wild.
All that, and Arkansas' offense hadn't even recorded a first down yet on the way to its 29-16 victory over the Wildcats in Friday night's AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic.
So much for Snyderball.
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Tim Heitman/US PresswireQB Tyler Wilson helped Arkansas win 11 games for the first time in 34 seasons.
Tim Heitman/US PresswireQB Tyler Wilson helped Arkansas win 11 games for the first time in 34 seasons."That's why it's a team game," Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said. "Our defense gave us three points right off the bat. Special teams scored seven."
All season, Kansas State's physical running offense plodded along to a ninth-place finish in total offense in the pass-happy Big 12 while an opportunistic defense and special teams waited for opponents to make mistakes.
Earlier this season, the Wildcats won four consecutive games as an underdog while also being outgained.
This time, against Arkansas, Kansas State made the mistakes it had collected from opponents all season.
"We got off to an awfully bad start and really couldn't overcome the damage that we did," said K-State's 72-year-old coaching savant, Bill Snyder, "and most of it was pretty obvious."
Yeah, it was.
On the game's second possession, Arkansas defensive end Jake Bequette slipped into the backfield and stripped Wildcats quarterback Collin Klein from behind, but Arkansas' offense couldn't capitalize on the great field position and settled for a 26-yard field goal.
The Wildcats fielded an Arkansas punt on the next possession at the 3-yard line, getting stuffed at the 4 and tightening up an offense that was bothered by dropped passes for much of the first half.
A predictable three-and-out followed to set up Adams' key return.
"It obviously made a major difference. How did I like it? I didn't like it a bit," Snyder said. "But, you know, we knew he's a talented player. We knew that he could make you miss him. We knew they were probably tired of me talking about being able to contain Joe Adams and not let him bounce the ball outside. Sure enough, he bounced it outside.
"But he's a very, very talented player. That's not the first time he's done that."
In fact, it was the fifth time -- and fourth this season, an SEC single-season record. That was highlighted by a work of art against Tennessee in which Adams made approximately 52 tacklers miss on the way to an impossible return that might be the greatest highlight of the 2011 season.
"It was another one of those where you just go, 'Wow!" Petrino said. "You could see when he made the catch he had in mind what he was going to do. ... Joe showed great acceleration, made another spectacular play for us."
Kansas State's special teams wizardry was muted. Ralph Guidry blocked his fifth kick of the season. Nigel Malone scooped up the extra point and ran it back for two points, but it wasn't enough. The Wildcats' answer for Adams, kick returner Tyler Lockett, dressed but didn't play after suffering a lacerated kidney. He ran back two kicks for scores and emerged as the Big 12's most dangerous special teams player this season. He could only watch as Adams did to his team what he'd done to so many others in 2011.
"The difference in the game was how well we played on defense and the field position we were able to give our offense," Petrino said.
Kansas State's running game was mostly unproductive foot-shuffling that got it nowhere. The Wildcats carried the ball 40 times for just 86 yards and gave up six sacks.
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"This game was about we need to stop this run, stop this quarterback. We tightened them up," Petrino said. "Once it became third down, [our defensive ends] widened out and teed off, made huge plays for us, the turnover early and the sacks."
The mistakes were too much. On an off night for Kansas State's offense, it had far from enough.
Kansas State and Arkansas left Dallas with a pair of memorable double-digit-victory seasons, but Arkansas, like the three SEC teams in this game before it, will look back fondly on the finale.
"We really wanted to get them 11 wins," said Petrino, who has won 21 games in the past two seasons, giving Arkansas its first 11-win season since 1977 and third in program history. "Make sure that everybody remembered this football team."
Arkansans will. And so will Kansas State.
Cotton Bowl: Three keys for Kansas State
January, 6, 2012
Jan 6
10:30
AM ET
By
David Ubben | ESPN.com
K-State and Arkansas will get it started Friday in Cowboys Stadium at 8 p.m. ET on FOX, and here are three keys for Kansas State to grab a win.
1. Absolutely slow the big plays. K-State was blown out once all season. Oklahoma did it with touchdowns of 61, 31, 29 and 18 yards in a 58-17 win. Arkansas has the capability to blow Kansas State's doors off, but the Wildcats have proven mostly capable of at least slowing or keeping up with high-octane offenses such as Baylor and Oklahoma State's. Arkansas' not quite on that level, but the Razorbacks are really potent. The biggest way to let this get out of hand is pretty simple: quick scores and yardage coming in chunks.
2. Grind, grind, grind. We all know there ain't nothin' wrong with that. Even in the Big 12. Kansas State's a unique team, but it may finish this game with two 1,000-yard rushers. Collin Klein's already there, but running back John Hubert -- far underrated in his own right -- needs just 67 more yards to cross that mark. He's averaging nearly 5 yards a carry. This running attack can wear down Arkansas' defense, but the less the Hogs have the ball in their hands, the better for K-State. The Wildcats are fourth nationally in time of possession for a reason. They run the ball, and they've turned the ball over just 13 times in 12 games. Five teams have fewer turnovers.
3. Snyderball, baby. This is what K-State does. Chances are high it gets outgained in this game. That's nothing new. Earlier this season, it won four consecutive games in which it was both an underdog and outgained. This will almost certainly be another one. It wins by making defensive stops and forcing turnovers and capitalizing on special-teams play. Kick returner Tyler Lockett, who took two kicks back for scores, is the only piece missing. He's out with a kidney injury. Raphael Guidry loves to block kicks (he has four this season), and Anthony Cantele has been solid in the place-kicking game. K-State knows to win where it counts most. This team, especially.
1. Absolutely slow the big plays. K-State was blown out once all season. Oklahoma did it with touchdowns of 61, 31, 29 and 18 yards in a 58-17 win. Arkansas has the capability to blow Kansas State's doors off, but the Wildcats have proven mostly capable of at least slowing or keeping up with high-octane offenses such as Baylor and Oklahoma State's. Arkansas' not quite on that level, but the Razorbacks are really potent. The biggest way to let this get out of hand is pretty simple: quick scores and yardage coming in chunks.
2. Grind, grind, grind. We all know there ain't nothin' wrong with that. Even in the Big 12. Kansas State's a unique team, but it may finish this game with two 1,000-yard rushers. Collin Klein's already there, but running back John Hubert -- far underrated in his own right -- needs just 67 more yards to cross that mark. He's averaging nearly 5 yards a carry. This running attack can wear down Arkansas' defense, but the less the Hogs have the ball in their hands, the better for K-State. The Wildcats are fourth nationally in time of possession for a reason. They run the ball, and they've turned the ball over just 13 times in 12 games. Five teams have fewer turnovers.
3. Snyderball, baby. This is what K-State does. Chances are high it gets outgained in this game. That's nothing new. Earlier this season, it won four consecutive games in which it was both an underdog and outgained. This will almost certainly be another one. It wins by making defensive stops and forcing turnovers and capitalizing on special-teams play. Kick returner Tyler Lockett, who took two kicks back for scores, is the only piece missing. He's out with a kidney injury. Raphael Guidry loves to block kicks (he has four this season), and Anthony Cantele has been solid in the place-kicking game. K-State knows to win where it counts most. This team, especially.
Cotton Bowl: Three keys for Arkansas
January, 6, 2012
Jan 6
10:30
AM ET
By
Edward Aschoff | ESPN.com
Here are three keys for Arkansas in its AT&T Cotton Bowl showdown with Kansas State:
Contain Collin Klein: The Razorbacks weren't great at stopping the run this season, and Klein knows how to frustrate defenses with his legs. Kansas State's quarterback threw for just 1,745 yards, but he rushed for 1,099 yards and led the Big 12 with 26 rushing touchdowns. Arkansas finished the regular season ranked ninth in the SEC in rushing defense, allowing 174.3 yards per game. Making sure Klein doesn't extend plays with his legs will be crucial for Arkansas' defense.
Get the running game going: While the Razorbacks' defense will need to contain Kansas State's best runner, Arkansas must also get its running game going. The Hogs' running game was inconsistent for the first part of the season but seemed to come together in the second half. For Arkansas' offense to truly produce, it has to be balanced with the rush and the pass. Pounding the ball with Dennis Johnson will be key, as it should help to wear down that solid Kansas State rushing defense and will definitely open up Arkansas' passing game with stud quarterback Tyler Wilson.
Avoid a slow start: The Razorbacks seemed to get too comfortable during the midpoint of the season and had a knack for falling behind early. That can't happen Friday. Kansas State has had a wonderful season under coach Bill Snyder and chances are that the Wildcats aren't going to relinquish much of any lead the Hogs give them as they try to end the season on a special note. Arkansas needs to come out fast and put its foot on the Wildcats' throat early if it can.
Contain Collin Klein: The Razorbacks weren't great at stopping the run this season, and Klein knows how to frustrate defenses with his legs. Kansas State's quarterback threw for just 1,745 yards, but he rushed for 1,099 yards and led the Big 12 with 26 rushing touchdowns. Arkansas finished the regular season ranked ninth in the SEC in rushing defense, allowing 174.3 yards per game. Making sure Klein doesn't extend plays with his legs will be crucial for Arkansas' defense.
Get the running game going: While the Razorbacks' defense will need to contain Kansas State's best runner, Arkansas must also get its running game going. The Hogs' running game was inconsistent for the first part of the season but seemed to come together in the second half. For Arkansas' offense to truly produce, it has to be balanced with the rush and the pass. Pounding the ball with Dennis Johnson will be key, as it should help to wear down that solid Kansas State rushing defense and will definitely open up Arkansas' passing game with stud quarterback Tyler Wilson.
Avoid a slow start: The Razorbacks seemed to get too comfortable during the midpoint of the season and had a knack for falling behind early. That can't happen Friday. Kansas State has had a wonderful season under coach Bill Snyder and chances are that the Wildcats aren't going to relinquish much of any lead the Hogs give them as they try to end the season on a special note. Arkansas needs to come out fast and put its foot on the Wildcats' throat early if it can.
Cotton Bowl faces continuing BCS question
January, 5, 2012
Jan 5
1:00
PM ET
By
David Ubben | ESPN.com
IRVING, Texas -- Let's not pretend here.
Face the facts. It doesn't have the three-letter stamp of approval or the $17 million payout. It doesn't have the shiny logo in the end zone.
It has everything else -- at least, everything else that counts from folks not getting a cut of the bowl money.
The Cotton Bowl isn't a BCS bowl. Yet. But it's the closest thing to it.
It has two top 10 teams. Two BCS bowls can't say that. It's played in an 80,000-seat, shiny new venue that's widely considered the best football stadium in the country. It might very well be filled to the brim on Friday night, as it was in last year's game between Texas A&M and LSU.
We know one BCS bowl definitely can't say that. Tuesday night's Sugar Bowl attracted just 64,512 fans, the third-lowest total in the past 72 years.
It also matches up two teams from college football's two best conferences, the SEC and the Big 12, in the only bowl pairing those leagues.
Should it be in the BCS?
"I only have one answer that I can make here, right? It has to be yes," Kansas State coach Bill Snyder joked on Wednesday.
Joking or not, Snyder says the bowl deserves the designation.
"From the bottom of my heart, I certainly think so," he said. "I think the Cotton Bowl Classic is a bowl deserving to be in the upper echelon of all the bowls throughout the country."
Could that change? The Cotton Bowl hasn't been shy about its desire to be officially designated as one of college football's upper echelon bowls.
Moving out of the stadium for which your game is named and into a primetime slot says plenty. Bowl chairman Tommy Bain said more last year.
"We're really preparing now for 2012 to position ourselves to make a compelling argument that we should be in the mix at the top of the college football landscape," he told the Dallas Morning News.
Well, here it is. Argument made. And it's a strong one.
The BCS exists in its current form until 2014, but the Cotton Bowl's best hope might be the BCS deciding to do away with a rotating national championship game that serves as a second game in the same stadium a week after a BCS bowl.
Instead of the double duty, the Cotton Bowl could become the fifth game. That, however, could renew rifts in conference ties, particularly the Big Ten and Pac-12's deep relationship with the Rose Bowl that was consistently broken before the advent of the additional BCS game in 2007.
The logistics are shaky. The game has to find a place, and there's not a clear one now. But there's no question: Top to bottom, the Cotton Bowl has done its part.
Five years ago, Arkansas played Missouri in this game shortly after the Hogs hired Bobby Petrino. It made an impact on him then, even with its morning kickoff and old home.
"At that time I was kind of surprised that it wasn’t in the BCS," he said. "Certainly we will see what happens here in the near future. Something always changes. That is one thing about college football, there is always going to be something that changes. The way we have been treated here and the move to Cowboys Stadium, I certainly think it will be."
It's not up to Petrino, though. It's not up to the Big 12, either, who would love to welcome a BCS bowl inside its footprint. If you let the ACC and Big East share the Orange Bowl, it joins the Big Ten as the only major conference without a BCS game on its home turf. The Big 12 would love that to change.
Change is slow in the world of college football. And for now, the Cotton Bowl is left at its mercy.
Face the facts. It doesn't have the three-letter stamp of approval or the $17 million payout. It doesn't have the shiny logo in the end zone.
It has everything else -- at least, everything else that counts from folks not getting a cut of the bowl money.
The Cotton Bowl isn't a BCS bowl. Yet. But it's the closest thing to it.
It has two top 10 teams. Two BCS bowls can't say that. It's played in an 80,000-seat, shiny new venue that's widely considered the best football stadium in the country. It might very well be filled to the brim on Friday night, as it was in last year's game between Texas A&M and LSU.
We know one BCS bowl definitely can't say that. Tuesday night's Sugar Bowl attracted just 64,512 fans, the third-lowest total in the past 72 years.
It also matches up two teams from college football's two best conferences, the SEC and the Big 12, in the only bowl pairing those leagues.
Should it be in the BCS?
"I only have one answer that I can make here, right? It has to be yes," Kansas State coach Bill Snyder joked on Wednesday.
Joking or not, Snyder says the bowl deserves the designation.
"From the bottom of my heart, I certainly think so," he said. "I think the Cotton Bowl Classic is a bowl deserving to be in the upper echelon of all the bowls throughout the country."
Could that change? The Cotton Bowl hasn't been shy about its desire to be officially designated as one of college football's upper echelon bowls.
Moving out of the stadium for which your game is named and into a primetime slot says plenty. Bowl chairman Tommy Bain said more last year.
"We're really preparing now for 2012 to position ourselves to make a compelling argument that we should be in the mix at the top of the college football landscape," he told the Dallas Morning News.
Well, here it is. Argument made. And it's a strong one.
The BCS exists in its current form until 2014, but the Cotton Bowl's best hope might be the BCS deciding to do away with a rotating national championship game that serves as a second game in the same stadium a week after a BCS bowl.
Instead of the double duty, the Cotton Bowl could become the fifth game. That, however, could renew rifts in conference ties, particularly the Big Ten and Pac-12's deep relationship with the Rose Bowl that was consistently broken before the advent of the additional BCS game in 2007.
The logistics are shaky. The game has to find a place, and there's not a clear one now. But there's no question: Top to bottom, the Cotton Bowl has done its part.
Five years ago, Arkansas played Missouri in this game shortly after the Hogs hired Bobby Petrino. It made an impact on him then, even with its morning kickoff and old home.
"At that time I was kind of surprised that it wasn’t in the BCS," he said. "Certainly we will see what happens here in the near future. Something always changes. That is one thing about college football, there is always going to be something that changes. The way we have been treated here and the move to Cowboys Stadium, I certainly think it will be."
It's not up to Petrino, though. It's not up to the Big 12, either, who would love to welcome a BCS bowl inside its footprint. If you let the ACC and Big East share the Orange Bowl, it joins the Big Ten as the only major conference without a BCS game on its home turf. The Big 12 would love that to change.
Change is slow in the world of college football. And for now, the Cotton Bowl is left at its mercy.
IRVING, Texas -- Kansas State and Arkansas don't have much in common.
Outside of a top-10 ranking, the first time the Cotton Bowl has hosted such a matchup in 18 years, there's one big similarity: Neither would have been here without Texas A&M.
Hogs coach Bobby Petrino made that clear.
"We came into halftime and we were down 18 points, but our team rallied together. Our leadership really showed up," Petrino said.
Arkansas rallied from the 35-17 deficit at halftime to win 42-38 in the final minutes.
"There have been times in my career when you come in at halftime and you are down like that and people want to point fingers and put blame on somebody else. But it was all positive," Petrino said. "You had [receiver] Jarius Wright telling the offense we needed to find a way to rally and get the ball in the end zone. We had our defensive coaches doing a great job of making adjustments. To be able to really bring out the competitive spirit that our team showed from that point on, I think carried us throughout the season."
Kansas State, meanwhile, rallied from a 10-point deficit in the final six minutes to force overtime in Manhattan against the Aggies. Four overtimes later, the Wildcats stood tall, as 53-50 victors in what was arguably the best game in Big 12 history.
After two consecutive losses to Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, the Wildcats needed a win badly. They got it.
"It was a great comeback," Bill Snyder said. "It really solidified the direction that we were going at that time."
Snyder pointed at a dramatic road win over Miami that featured a goal-line stand in the final seconds as the turning point for K-State's season, but the importance of the A&M win was clear.
The Wildcats wouldn't lose again during the regular season, closing the year with close wins over Texas and Iowa State to notch the program's first 10-win season since 2003.
Considering the season began with a fourth-quarter comeback, it's easy to see why Snyder thinks this year's team "has probably come as far as any football team we’ve had up to this point in time."
The Aggies also helped Arkansas reach a 10-win season, preventing a second consecutive loss after Alabama knocked off the Hogs in Tuscaloosa. It even made a big impact on Snyder.
"Watching the tape of the A&M/Arkansas ballgame really gave me a truly dramatic and startling understanding of what Arkansas football was really all about," Snyder said.
Friday, when the two teams meet with matching top 10 rankings and 10-2 records, he'll see for himself, too.
Outside of a top-10 ranking, the first time the Cotton Bowl has hosted such a matchup in 18 years, there's one big similarity: Neither would have been here without Texas A&M.
Hogs coach Bobby Petrino made that clear.
"We came into halftime and we were down 18 points, but our team rallied together. Our leadership really showed up," Petrino said.
Arkansas rallied from the 35-17 deficit at halftime to win 42-38 in the final minutes.
"There have been times in my career when you come in at halftime and you are down like that and people want to point fingers and put blame on somebody else. But it was all positive," Petrino said. "You had [receiver] Jarius Wright telling the offense we needed to find a way to rally and get the ball in the end zone. We had our defensive coaches doing a great job of making adjustments. To be able to really bring out the competitive spirit that our team showed from that point on, I think carried us throughout the season."
Kansas State, meanwhile, rallied from a 10-point deficit in the final six minutes to force overtime in Manhattan against the Aggies. Four overtimes later, the Wildcats stood tall, as 53-50 victors in what was arguably the best game in Big 12 history.
After two consecutive losses to Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, the Wildcats needed a win badly. They got it.
"It was a great comeback," Bill Snyder said. "It really solidified the direction that we were going at that time."
Snyder pointed at a dramatic road win over Miami that featured a goal-line stand in the final seconds as the turning point for K-State's season, but the importance of the A&M win was clear.
The Wildcats wouldn't lose again during the regular season, closing the year with close wins over Texas and Iowa State to notch the program's first 10-win season since 2003.
Considering the season began with a fourth-quarter comeback, it's easy to see why Snyder thinks this year's team "has probably come as far as any football team we’ve had up to this point in time."
The Aggies also helped Arkansas reach a 10-win season, preventing a second consecutive loss after Alabama knocked off the Hogs in Tuscaloosa. It even made a big impact on Snyder.
"Watching the tape of the A&M/Arkansas ballgame really gave me a truly dramatic and startling understanding of what Arkansas football was really all about," Snyder said.
Friday, when the two teams meet with matching top 10 rankings and 10-2 records, he'll see for himself, too.
OSU's Mike Gundy named coach of the year
December, 15, 2011
12/15/11
3:14
PM ET
By
David Ubben | ESPN.com
Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy has been voted the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year by the 1,200-member Football Writers Association of America.
Gundy beat out LSU's Les Miles, Kansas State's Bill Snyder, Michigan's Brady Hoke and Clemson's Dabo Swinney to win.
He led the Cowboys to an 11-1 season and the school's first Big 12 title, as well as its first BCS bowl bid.
The 11 wins equaled a school record set in 2010, when Gundy was a finalist for the award.
"It's a testament to our players and our coaching staff that we are in the position that we are in," Gundy said in a release. "I want to thank the Football Writers Association of America for recognizing our team in this way."
Former Kansas coach Mark Mangino was the last Big 12 coach to win the award in 2007. Oklahoma's Bob Stoops also won in 2000.
Gary Patterson won the award at TCU in 2009.
Gundy beat out LSU's Les Miles, Kansas State's Bill Snyder, Michigan's Brady Hoke and Clemson's Dabo Swinney to win.
He led the Cowboys to an 11-1 season and the school's first Big 12 title, as well as its first BCS bowl bid.
The 11 wins equaled a school record set in 2010, when Gundy was a finalist for the award.
"It's a testament to our players and our coaching staff that we are in the position that we are in," Gundy said in a release. "I want to thank the Football Writers Association of America for recognizing our team in this way."
Former Kansas coach Mark Mangino was the last Big 12 coach to win the award in 2007. Oklahoma's Bob Stoops also won in 2000.
Gary Patterson won the award at TCU in 2009.
Weis' deal, future at Kansas a bit clearer
December, 15, 2011
12/15/11
9:40
AM ET
By
David Ubben | ESPN.com
Kansas has clarified the details of Charlie Weis' contract, but his comments in a recent interview are worth raising a few eyebrows.
Weis is being paid $12.5 million over five years, the same number reported shortly after Weis' introduction last week. The money is guaranteed, barring a termination for cause.
He'll have $2.1 million left to pay his staff, and will be given bonuses for the following:
You can see the full contract here, via the Kansas City Star.
All those incentives, though? Weis won't be giving himself too long to achieve them. In a radio interview with KCSP-AM in Kansas City, Weis said he knew exactly how long.
Very interesting comments. You don't hear that too often. Kansas State coach Bill Snyder said he took the job before the 2009 season to "calm the waters" after a rough stretch following Snyder's first retirement. When he said it, though, he never gave any definite time period.
I'm not the oldest guy in the room, but I don't ever recall a coach ever explicitly saying how long he planned to be at a school.
KU made an outside-the-box hire for an outside-the-box guy. We'll see if it works.
Weis is being paid $12.5 million over five years, the same number reported shortly after Weis' introduction last week. The money is guaranteed, barring a termination for cause.
He'll have $2.1 million left to pay his staff, and will be given bonuses for the following:
- $50,000 - Five Big 12 wins
- $10,000 - Each additional Big 12 win
- $100,000 - Big 12 regular-season title
- $50,000 - Bowl game participation
- $25,000 - Bowl game win
- $100,000 - BCS bowl game participation
- $50,000 - BCS bowl game win
- $75,000 - AP national coach of the year
- $50,000 - Big 12 coach of the year
- $200,000 -National championship game participation
- $100,000 -National championship game win
You can see the full contract here, via the Kansas City Star.
All those incentives, though? Weis won't be giving himself too long to achieve them. In a radio interview with KCSP-AM in Kansas City, Weis said he knew exactly how long.
"It's going to be a quick stop. It's going to be five years. That's the quick stop. I'm going to be here for five years, because my wife and I had planned for me to be working at Florida for the next five years and then try to be put in a situation where we can walk away. … What we're going to do here is we're going to go try to turn this program into a perennial winning program and then try to have it where one of the guys on this coaching staff takes over."
Very interesting comments. You don't hear that too often. Kansas State coach Bill Snyder said he took the job before the 2009 season to "calm the waters" after a rough stretch following Snyder's first retirement. When he said it, though, he never gave any definite time period.
I'm not the oldest guy in the room, but I don't ever recall a coach ever explicitly saying how long he planned to be at a school.
KU made an outside-the-box hire for an outside-the-box guy. We'll see if it works.
Thoughts on the postseason Big 12 awards
December, 7, 2011
12/07/11
12:10
PM ET
By
David Ubben | ESPN.com
The Big 12 announced its league awards on Wednesday, as voted on by a panel of 18 media members.
Coach of the Year: Bill Snyder, Kansas State
Offensive Player of the Year: Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor
Co-Defensive Players of the Year: A.J. Klein, LB, Iowa State; Frank Alexander, DE, Oklahoma
Offensive Lineman of the Year: Grant Garner, C, Oklahoma State
Defensive Lineman of the Year: Frank Alexander, DE, Oklahoma
Offensive Freshman of the Year: Tyler Lockett, WR/KR, Kansas State
Defensive Freshman of the Year: Quandre Diggs, CB, Texas
Special Teams Player of the Year: Quinn Sharp, P/K/KOS, Oklahoma State
Offensive Newcomer of the Year: Aaron Horne, WR, Iowa State
Defensive Newcomer of the Year: Arthur Brown, LB, Kansas State
A few thoughts on the awards.
Coach of the Year: Bill Snyder, Kansas State
Offensive Player of the Year: Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor
Co-Defensive Players of the Year: A.J. Klein, LB, Iowa State; Frank Alexander, DE, Oklahoma
Offensive Lineman of the Year: Grant Garner, C, Oklahoma State
Defensive Lineman of the Year: Frank Alexander, DE, Oklahoma
Offensive Freshman of the Year: Tyler Lockett, WR/KR, Kansas State
Defensive Freshman of the Year: Quandre Diggs, CB, Texas
Special Teams Player of the Year: Quinn Sharp, P/K/KOS, Oklahoma State
Offensive Newcomer of the Year: Aaron Horne, WR, Iowa State
Defensive Newcomer of the Year: Arthur Brown, LB, Kansas State
A few thoughts on the awards.
- Well deserved honors for Snyder as the top coach and Alexander as the top defensive lineman. Both were runaway winners in my book. Garner is a solid selection as offensive lineman of the year.
- Very surprised to see A.J. Klein share defensive player of the year awards. He had a great year, but you could definitely make the case that his teammate, Jake Knott, had one that was just as good. Iowa State's linebackers ascended to become the league's best by the end of the year, but Klein and Knott both surpassed 100 tackles. Klein had 101 tackles, two sacks, 7.5 tackles for loss and an INT he returned for a score. Knott had 107 tackles, four tackles for loss, two interceptions and three forced fumbles.
- Lockett taking home the offensive freshman of the year award was a huge upset, but certainly, voters factored in his kick returning accomplishments. He caught 18 passes for 246 yards and three scores, but returned 16 kicks for an average of 35.2 yards and two scores. That average was almost 10 full yards more than any other player.
- Still, I would have had a tough time picking between Texas running back Malcolm Brown and wideout Jaxon Shipley for that award. Both dealt with injuries late in the season (so did Lockett, though) and Brown had 707 yards rushing with five scores. Shipley caught 40 passes for 593 yards and three scores.
- I doubt any player won an award by a wider margin than Quinn Sharp did for special teams player of the year. He was nearly the best at everything in every phase of special teams. Just an unbelievable year.
- Not a lot of candidates for offensive newcomer of the year, but Horne is a good selection. The juco receiver made some huge grabs for Iowa State this year.
- No question about Arthur Brown, though, clearly.
- RG3 as the offensive player of the year is a no-brainer. He's Baylor's first winner in school history. He may soon be the school's first Heisman winner, too.
AT&T Cotton Bowl
December, 4, 2011
12/04/11
11:38
PM ET
By
David Ubben and
Edward Aschoff | ESPN.com
Kansas State Wildcats (10-2) vs. Arkansas Razorbacks (10-2)
Jan. 6, 8 p.m. (FOX)
Kansas State take from Big 12 blogger David Ubben: Kansas State does it ugly. All the time, every time. But it does it. The Cats are college football's biggest overachievers, and they do it on the back of Collin Klein, who has dragged defenders on his 6-foot-5, 225-pound frame for 1,099 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns. By the way, he's the quarterback. Never mind his wonky delivery. He's gotten better and more accurate as the season has gone on, and somehow has stayed healthy. He just might be the toughest player in college football, and if you're watching K-State's offense, he's probably the guy with the ball in his hand.
Bill Snyder deserves the national coach of the year nod, and the Wildcats have had a defensive renaissance under coordinator Chris Cosh in 2011. This is the same team that gave up more than 3,000 rushing yards last year. Well, sort of. It's not quite the same team. Linebacker Arthur Brown doesn't miss very many tackles and he's one of the Big 12's speediest linebackers. Cornerback Nigel Malone picked off seven passes this year for an All-Big 12 caliber season.
Arkansas take from SEC blogger Edward Aschoff: Before the season, it looked as if coach Bobby Petrino was equipped with his best, most complete team since his arrival in Fayetteville. The defense was easily the best he had, and while quarterback Ryan Mallett was gone, Tyler Wilson appeared to be just as talented, and with their wealth at wide receiver, it didn’t look like the Razorbacks would miss a beat in the passing game. Not to mention Arkansas had one of the SEC’s best in running back Knile Davis.
But days before the season began, the Hogs were dealt a crushing blow when Davis went down with a season-ending ankle injury. With Davis sidelined, the Arkansas offense became more one-dimensional as it searched for a consistent running back. Injuries then took hold of the defense and the Hogs found themselves outmanned in a huge game with Alabama, losing 38-14. The Razorbacks then struggled to get going in the first half of games after that. The slow starts nearly cost them at Ole Miss and Vanderbilt, but things changed during their homecoming game with South Carolina.
The Hogs jumped out quickly against the Gamecocks and never looked back. Starting with that 44-28 win, the Razorbacks won their first three games in November by a combined score of 137-52. Arkansas had an opportunity to shake up the BCS and sneak into the national championship, but fell 41-17 to No. 1 LSU in its season finale. Still, Arkansas had another fine year under Petrino, getting to 10 wins and finishing first in the SEC in total offense (445.8 yards per game).
Jan. 6, 8 p.m. (FOX)
Kansas State take from Big 12 blogger David Ubben: Kansas State does it ugly. All the time, every time. But it does it. The Cats are college football's biggest overachievers, and they do it on the back of Collin Klein, who has dragged defenders on his 6-foot-5, 225-pound frame for 1,099 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns. By the way, he's the quarterback. Never mind his wonky delivery. He's gotten better and more accurate as the season has gone on, and somehow has stayed healthy. He just might be the toughest player in college football, and if you're watching K-State's offense, he's probably the guy with the ball in his hand.
Bill Snyder deserves the national coach of the year nod, and the Wildcats have had a defensive renaissance under coordinator Chris Cosh in 2011. This is the same team that gave up more than 3,000 rushing yards last year. Well, sort of. It's not quite the same team. Linebacker Arthur Brown doesn't miss very many tackles and he's one of the Big 12's speediest linebackers. Cornerback Nigel Malone picked off seven passes this year for an All-Big 12 caliber season.
Arkansas take from SEC blogger Edward Aschoff: Before the season, it looked as if coach Bobby Petrino was equipped with his best, most complete team since his arrival in Fayetteville. The defense was easily the best he had, and while quarterback Ryan Mallett was gone, Tyler Wilson appeared to be just as talented, and with their wealth at wide receiver, it didn’t look like the Razorbacks would miss a beat in the passing game. Not to mention Arkansas had one of the SEC’s best in running back Knile Davis.
But days before the season began, the Hogs were dealt a crushing blow when Davis went down with a season-ending ankle injury. With Davis sidelined, the Arkansas offense became more one-dimensional as it searched for a consistent running back. Injuries then took hold of the defense and the Hogs found themselves outmanned in a huge game with Alabama, losing 38-14. The Razorbacks then struggled to get going in the first half of games after that. The slow starts nearly cost them at Ole Miss and Vanderbilt, but things changed during their homecoming game with South Carolina.
The Hogs jumped out quickly against the Gamecocks and never looked back. Starting with that 44-28 win, the Razorbacks won their first three games in November by a combined score of 137-52. Arkansas had an opportunity to shake up the BCS and sneak into the national championship, but fell 41-17 to No. 1 LSU in its season finale. Still, Arkansas had another fine year under Petrino, getting to 10 wins and finishing first in the SEC in total offense (445.8 yards per game).
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