ESPN College Football

AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. -- The story of the spring at Clemson was the development of receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who looked like a different player on the field for the Tigers.

All you need for proof is what he did in the first quarter of the spring game -- five catches for 100 yards. Coach Dabo Swinney called him the MVP of the spring, and said during the ACC spring meetings that he could not be prouder of Hopkins' development.

"Part of it goes back to the fact that he hasn’t had an offseason as an athlete," Swinney said. "He’s been a multisport guy. Last year after his freshman year he went into basketball and was sporadic in the spring. We got him, but it was after a long basketball season and he missed all the training in the weight room. Whereas this year, he plugged right into that, he picked up some good muscle mass, and what happens is as a guy gets stronger, his confidence grows. You put that type of confidence with an already good player, you’ve got a chance to have something pretty special. That’s what we saw in the spring.

"He's more physical, faster, more confident. And just him having experience, he’ll be a junior, other competitive players at his position that he’s trying to compete with every day. He’s a young man that really wants to be great. All those things pushed him to have a great spring."

One of those competitive players is freshman stud Sammy Watkins, whom Swinney credits for helping Hopkins get better. Should Hopkins continue his development, and Watkins continue his meteoric rise, the Tigers will have a dynamic duo that will be pretty fearsome for defenses to try to stop.

Here are a few other notes:

• Swinney said he has yet to decide on a punishment for Watkins. Watkins was arrested earlier this month and charged with drug possession.
• As for the transition to new defensive coordinator Brent Venables, Swinney said everything went smoothly. "I thought he brought a lot of energy and enthusiasm right out of the gate. He and the rest of our defensive staff did a really good job of teaching the principles and basics of what we wanted to do this spring. We didn’t get it all done but we went at a pace where we kept our older guys interested and involved but we gave our younger guys an opportunity to compete because we’re a very young team. We only have 11 seniors and 60-plus freshmen and sophomores. There’s just a difference there. I thought that part, they did a good job and as a result of that, instead of one group getting it we had a couple groups getting it and that created the competition we needed to develop our guys on that side of the ball."

Former Oklahoma linebacker Kellen Jones will transfer to Clemson, according to PalmettoSports.com.

Jones notched 10 tackles last season with the Sooners under defensive coordinator Brent Venables, who was hired for the same position by the Tigers this season.

A three-star prospect coming out of St. Pius X (Houston) in 2011, Jones originally signed with Michigan last February before enrolling at Oklahoma in August. He saw action in 12 games with the Sooners as a true freshman.

Jones, who said the new transfer was not based on Venables' move to Clemson, will have to sit out this season but has three years of eligibility remaining, beginning in 2013.

"It was a family connection," Jones told PalmettoSports.com. "I liked the tradition, the atmosphere and the coaches."

Venables, meanwhile, is listed by colleague Travis Haney as one of the nation's five key coordinator hires for the upcoming season, as he replaces Kevin Steele.

Those familiar with Clemson have said Steele likely would not have been retained, even before the Orange Bowl debacle -- but giving up 70 points to West Virginia sealed the deal. Steele and Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney clashed over Chad Morris' new uptempo offense and how it affected the defense's stamina. Less time on the field for the offense means more time for the defense. Steele was not a fan.

That made Venables a perfect fit to replace him, since he had been working in concert with a fast-paced offense at Oklahoma since teaming up with Bob Stoops -- and then-coordinator Mike Leach -- in 1999.

Venables has talked this spring about a desire to return to fundamentals, sensing that basics, such as tackling, were lacking at Clemson. He has a young unit -- 13 freshmen or sophomores were on the two-deep, as of the middle of spring ball -- but one with athletic potential. For a team that gave up 30 or more points in half of its games last season, there is certainly room for improvement.

Spring football is already under way at Texas Tech, but in the coming weeks, the Big 12's other nine programs will join the Red Raiders in taking the field as a team for the first time since January, December or November for some.

Here's a preview of what to expect:

BAYLOR BEARS

Spring practice start date: March 19
Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

• Nick Florence: It's not official, but the Baylor quarterback job is Florence's to lose. That means he inherits the unenviable task of replacing the school's first Heisman winner. He replaced RG3 in 2009 with mixed results, but showed some major potential in a win over Texas Tech when RG3 took a shot to the head and sat out the second half. Can he keep the bowl streak alive at Baylor? We'll get an idea this spring.
• The defense's progression: You didn't need to see much more than the 67-56 Alamo Bowl win over Washington to know the Bears needed some work on defense. In the month of November, Baylor became the first team in FBS history to win four consecutive games in a single season while also giving up at least 30 points in each of those games. The defense can't make Florence pick up the slack to that level. Year 2 under Phil Bennett must be better. Baylor has no excuses. The Bears have the athletes on campus necessary to be at least a decent defense.
• The team's attitude/motivation: Baylor played with a lot of purpose the past two seasons, and made history in both, cracking a 16-year bowl drought and winning 10 games this year. Is that fire still there? Baylor has to prove it is without RG3 (and Kendall Wright) carrying the team on the field, emotionally and mentally.

IOWA STATE CYCLONES

Spring practice start date: March 20
Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

• The quarterback battle: Or is it? Jared Barnett looked like the man of the future in Ames late in the season, leading the Cyclones to an historic upset of No. 2 Oklahoma State. But in the ugly Pinstripe Bowl loss to a mediocre Rutgers team, Barnett's inaccuracy posed big questions. He was benched and Steele Jantz stepped in, though he didn't play much better than Barnett. Turnovers were an issue for Jantz early on, but Barnett has to bounce back in the spring to make sure the job doesn't come open.
• The receivers: Darius Reynolds was the big-play man for the Cyclones, but he's gone. It's going to be tough to replace him. Slot receivers Aaron Horne and Josh Lenz were productive, but did little to stretch defenses like Reynolds did. Can ISU find someone to fill the void?
• The new man at left tackle: Iowa State had the luxury of having a future pro, Kelechi Osemele, at left tackle for the past three seasons. He earned All-Big 12 nods in each of those seasons, but he's gone now. Junior Carter Bykowski was behind Osemele on the depth chart, but will the converted tight end be the new man at tackle for the Cyclones?

KANSAS JAYHAWKS

Spring practice start date: March 27
Spring game: April 28

What to watch:

• Uh, everything?: I mean, what's not to watch at KU? Charlie Weis steps in for the fired Turner Gill and tries to build KU up from nothing. The Jayhawks were one of the worst teams in Big 12 history last season, losing six games by at least 30 points. Weis will speak his mind and watching him rebuilding the Jayhawks is going to be fun. It all starts next month -- on the field, at least.
• KU's new pass-catch combo: Dayne Crist is on campus, and so is Oklahoma transfer Justin McCay, a former blue-chip recruit who didn't quite catch on in Norman. Quarterback and receiver were arguably the two biggest positions of need for KU last year, and we'll get a preview of what could be a productive combo next season. McCay isn't officially eligible for the 2012 season yet -- he needs the NCAA to waive its mandated redshirt year after a transfer -- but the coaching staff is confident he'll have it granted.
• The uncertainty on the depth chart: When a new staff comes in, you never know what to expect. Kansas' leading rusher in its final season under Mark Mangino, Toben Opurum, is now one of its best defensive linemen. Look for Weis to shake things up, too. Where? Who knows?

KANSAS STATE WILDCATS

Spring practice start date: April 4
Spring game: April 28

What to watch:

• Collin Klein's maturation: Kansas State's quarterback could be fun to watch this spring and next fall. His throwing motion isn't pretty, but his accuracy improved in a big way throughout the season. If that continues at a pace anything close to what we saw last year, K-State's going to be a load for everyone. Look out.
• Developing depth at running back: John Hubert is back, and so is seldom-used Angelo Pease. Bryce Brown is gone, though. Klein handles a lot of the heavy lifting in the running game, but it'd be some nice insurance if K-State could establish some more depth in the backfield. Making Klein carry the ball 300 times again is tempting fate.
• Stars becoming superstars: Kansas State brings back more starters than all but seven teams in college football, so this team is going to look remarkably similar in 2012 to the way it did last year. However, it should get better. And its two transfers could look dominant this spring. Cornerback Nigel Malone and linebacker Arthur Brown emerged as stars last year, but we could see the duo emerge as true game-changers this spring. Look out, Big 12 offenses.

OKLAHOMA SOONERS

Spring practice start date: March 8
Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

• New faces on, off the field: Mike Stoops' arrival as the defensive coordinator was the biggest news this offseason in the Big 12, and Brent Venables, who had been at OU for all of Bob Stoops' tenure, left for Clemson rather than become co-defensive coordinator. Hopes are high that Stoops can revitalize Oklahoma's defense. He was in charge when the Sooners rode a dominant D to the 2000 national title, and the Sooners have the talent to win it all in 2012. Receiver Trey Metoyer joins the team this spring, and could be a major contributor immediately. Two of the team's four new tight ends are also enrolled early.
• QB Blake Bell's role: The Belldozer is back … but so is full-time quarterback Landry Jones. How will the balance between the duo look this spring? And what new wrinkles will we see in Oklahoma's simple, yet near-unstoppable short-yardage formation that scored 13 touchdowns in the second half of 2011?
• The battle at defensive end: Oklahoma must fill two huge holes at defensive end. Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Frank Alexander is gone, as is possible first-round pick Ronnell Lewis. R.J. Washington contributed late and has potential, but David King filled in for Lewis in the final three games of the season. The duo could be great, but it could also be pretty pedestrian. We'll get an idea this spring, but Lewis and Alexander set a high, high bar.

OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS

Spring practice start date: March 12
Spring game: April 21

What to watch:

• The quarterback battle: This will easily be the highest-profile, highest-quality quarterback battle in the Big 12. It won't be at the level of Texas Tech in 2010, but it won't be too far off. Clint Chelf, J.W. Walsh and Wes Lunt will go head to head. All have plenty of potential, though Lunt may have the most. The big-armed true freshman also has the least experience. Anything could happen here.
• Which receivers rise: Justin Blackmon and Josh Cooper leave huge holes behind. It's not every day a two-time Biletnikoff Award winner walks on campus. Hubert Anyiam is gone, too. Michael Harrison is unlikely to play for the 2012 season, but the school has offered no confirmation on his status. He had the most potential, but OSU is deep at the position. Who emerges as the top target? Isaiah Anderson? Tracy Moore? Josh Stewart? Anything could happen there, too.
• Defense needs a leader: Safety Markelle Martin has been the heart of the defense the past two seasons, but his big-hitting days are over. Who becomes the new voice of the defense? It needs to find leadership this spring heading into summer voluntary workouts.

TEXAS LONGHORNS

Spring practice start date: Feb. 23
Spring game: April 1

What to watch:

• The quarterback competition: I still think having a competition at the spot, which Texas says it will, isn't the best option, but David Ash and Case McCoy will go at it alongside early-enrolling freshman Connor Brewer. If Ash secures the job, expect an announcement heading into summer officially anointing the sophomore.
• More sophistication on both sides of the ball: The progression is natural and likely. Offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin and defensive coordinator Manny Diaz had good first years in Austin, but this is Year 2. The spring won't be devoted to learning the playbook. It's time to master it. Both units could look markedly different, and much more refined next fall. Deny it all you like: Texas is back on its way to the top after a rough two years.
• Maturing offensive weapons: Last season, the Longhorns relied on two true freshman running backs (Malcolm Brown/Joe Bergeron), a freshman/sophomore rotation at quarterback and its top receiver (Jaxon Shipley) was a true freshman. No. 2 (Mike Davis) was a sophomore. I hope I don't have to tell you what freshmen and sophomores do in college football. Look. Out.

TCU HORNED FROGS

Spring practice start date: Feb. 25
Spring end date: April 5

What to watch:

• Can TCU shut out the scandal? Four team members were arrested in a recent drug sting and kicked off the team. How much of a distraction will that be for a program undergoing the most monumental change in its history? Quantifying the effects of the scandal will be pretty impossible, and we've got no idea how they'll handle the change, but will it be on players' minds?
• The offense tightens up: The Horned Frogs' offense is absolutely loaded and ready to go for 2012. Quarterback Casey Pachall returns and brings his top three weapons (Josh Boyce, Skye Dawson and Brandon Carter) with him. Running backs Waymon James, Ed Wesley and Matthew Tucker each topped 700 yards rushing in 2011 and all return. The spring will be all about fine-tuning an already stellar offense, and it'll be fun to watch.
• Replacing departed starters: All-America linebacker Tanner Brock was among the four football players arrested and booted from the team, as was all-conference defensive tackle D.J. Yendrey and likely starting safety Devin Johnson. Those were unforeseen losses, but TCU can't feel sorry for itself. Gary Patterson has no choice but to find new faces to fill those holes.

TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS

Spring practice start date: Feb. 17
Spring game: March 24

What to watch:

• Once again, a new defense: Texas Tech sounds like a broken record these days when it comes to defensive coordinators. This time, Art Kaufman will be stepping to the microphone as the fourth defensive coordinator in Lubbock in four years. He's bringing a 4-3, a shift back to what Ruffin McNeil ran in 2009. Chad Glasgow's 4-2-5 and James Willis' 3-4 failed miserably in 2011 and 2010, respectively, the first two years under Tommy Tuberville.
• The battle at running back: No one knows yet if Eric Stephens will be back next season. There's still a long way to go in his rehab from a dislocated knee he suffered last season in a loss to Texas A&M. DeAndre Washington is also out this spring after tearing his ACL against Missouri. Harrison Jeffers hung up his cleats. Who will prove to be reliable this spring? Look for the Red Raiders to try to use sophomore Bradley Marquez, freshman Javares McRoy and junior SaDale Foster in a manner similar to the way Oregon uses scatback De'Anthony Thomas, with lots of short passes and bubble screens to get them the ball in space, where they can use their speed and shiftiness to make plays.
• Team health: Tuberville said earlier this month that the team is missing 15 players this spring. It can't afford any more injuries. It's already going to be tough to get enough done this spring, but Tech can't start getting banged up.

WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS

Spring practice start date: March 11
Spring game: April 21

What to watch:

• Dana Holgorsen's offense in Year 2: Holgorsen didn't get a chance to coach his talented offense at Oklahoma State in its second year. The results could have been crazy. They might be at West Virginia in 2012, and the beginning steps will be taken this spring as Geno Smith & Co. get more and more comfortable with the system and Holgorsen adds more wrinkles.
• The battle at running back: Sophomore Dustin Garrison hurt his knee in practices leading up to the Mountaineers' 70-33 Orange Bowl win over Clemson, and won't be there for the spring. What does senior Shawne Alston have in store for the spring? Garrison was the featured back last season, but a big spring could help Alston earn a few carries next year.
• Defense needs help: Najee Goode leaves a big hole at linebacker, and defensive back Eain Smith's exit means the Mountaineers enter the season without two of their top three tacklers from a year ago. Bruce Irvin and Julian Miller's talents on the defensive line will be tough to replace, and in a league that requires a great pass rush, Irvin, Goode and Miller's 19 combined sacks must be replaced somehow.

Talk about putting your money where your mouth is.

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney has taken it upon himself -- basically out of his own pocket -- to give his assistants raises.

There is a clause in Swinney's contract stating that if he won the ACC, he would rise to a certain level from a salary standpoint among ACC coaches. When he won the 2011 title, that meant this year's contract would increase by $422,000. He is taking $265,000 of that to give to his coaches. Technically, it's an allocation -- not money he has already received. It is money he would have received -- and that is the key difference between what Swinney is doing and what Georgia coach Mark Richt did.

Regardless, it's a true investment in his program -- one I've never heard of or seen elsewhere in the college coaching ranks -- and odds are it will pay off. It is proof of the literal value of coaching stability.

Swinney's decision stems from today's announcement that the Compensation Committee of the Clemson Board of Trustees approved a proposal from athletic director Terry Don Phillips to grant salary increases totaling $450,000 for seven assistant football coaches, and the head strength coach. It will be in effect for two years, and 60 percent of that money is coming from Swinney. The remaining 40 percent, or $185,000 will be provided by the athletic department.

According to the school's release, Swinney is expected to make $1.9 million in 2012, which will rank 46th nationally according to the most recent data available to Phillips. The staff, including the head coach, is expected to rank between 12th and 15th.

“Coach Swinney has opted to invest in the stability of the program with money he earned in 2011,” Phillips said in a prepared statement. “We have a young football team returning for 2012 and 2013 and he felt it was imperative to have stability from a staff standpoint. These are all options that had been in his existing contract.”

“I am extremely grateful to the Board of Trustees for its approval of these salary increases,” Swinney said in the release. “We have a great staff and I want to do everything I can to keep it together at a critical time in our program. We have a young, but talented team and I feel we have a chance to do something very special in the near future.”

Earlier, it was announced that offensive coordinator Chad Morris would earn $1.3 million and defensive coordinator Brent Venables would earn $800,000 during the 2012 season, meaning Clemson’s nine full-time assistant coaches will earn $4.2 million.

Here is the official run-down of the remaining staff salaries recently approved by the Board of Trustees:

Joey Batson (strength coach) $200,000

Dan Brooks $310,000

Robbie Caldwell $310,000

Tony Elliott $205,000

Charlie Harbison $375,000

Marion Hobby $375,000

Danny Pearman $310,000

Jeff Scott $215,000

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.

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.

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.

More on this story here.

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 is saying goodbye to Oklahoma, his home since 1999, the entirety of Bob Stoops' tenure in Norman.

He's accepted a job as the defensive coordinator at Clemson.

Colleague Jake Trotter of SoonerNation has the story:

NORMAN, Okla. -- Last week, the Sooners added a defensive coordinator.

This week, they lost one.

Brent Venables, an assistant at Oklahoma under Bob Stoops since 1999, is leaving to take the defensive coordinator job at Clemson.

Venables was co-defensive coordinator at OU from 1999 to 2003, before taking the defensive playcalling over after Mike Stoops left. But last week, Stoops brought his brother Mike back to the staff, relegating Venables to being a co-coordinator again.

Looks like the K-State faithful will have to look elsewhere for their new defensive coordinator ... and head coach?

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:

• 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.

It’s official. Mike Stoops is coming back to Norman.

Oklahoma announced the hiring in a release Friday. Stoops will serve as co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach along with Brent Venables. OU also announced that secondary coach Willie Martinez has resigned.

“Mike and Brent were out the door recruiting together within two hours of Mike’s hiring so we’re off to a good start,” coach Bob Stoops said in a statement. “Mike and Brent have a long history and comfort level working together, and have together led some great defenses.”

Clemson reportedly has made a push to hire Venables to be its defensive coordinator. The Tigers fired defensive coordinator Kevin Steele this week.

OU hasn’t announced yet whether Venables or Mike Stoops will call the plays.

If Venables stays, he and Mike Stoops will be co-coordinators for the second time in their careers. The two coordinated the OU defense from 1999-03 until Stoops took the head job at Arizona. Mike Stoops was fired from that job after the Wildcats got off to a 1-5 start this season.

“We feel very fortunate to have Mike on our staff. Over the past few months, because of the reputation he has built among his peers, he was a highly sought-after coach,” Bob Stoops said. “People across the country recognize his tremendous knowledge of the game and great energy. He will have a very positive impact on our program.”

Bob Stoops said that Martinez will pursue “attractive options” at other schools.

“I appreciate all of Willie’s work here,” Bob Stoops said. “He represented our program in the right way and will continue to do well in our profession.”

The No. 12 jersey for Oklahoma senior Austin Box will get plenty of attention this season.

After talking it over with Box's parents, quarterback Landry Jones will keep his No. 12 jersey as a tribute to his teammate, and a defensive player will wear Box's number to honor him each week. Box died on May 19 from an overdose of painkillers.

The team will announce who will wear the jersey each Friday of the season.

"I think it's a neat way to help (parents) Craig and Gail and their family. I think when you lose somebody tragically ... or a family member, I think one of the things we fear the most is people forgetting and just kind of sweeping it under the rug," said defensive coordinator Brent Venables, Box's former position coach. "It happens. That's just the way it is. It kind of stinks.

"But I think that particularly being on the stage that Austin was, I'm sure it's incredibly difficult for them, particularly when the season's now back upon us," he said.

The Sooners will also wear a custom decal with Box's name and jersey number on each player's helmet. The team has left his locker untouched and keeps his spot unoccupied in warmups before practice and in team meetings.

"I think this is a terrific opportunity for us to help them as they continue to try to grieve and remember Austin the right way," Venables said. "I know that we feel honored to have that opportunity."

Oklahoma's tribute has a precedent. Missouri linebacker Aaron O'Neal died in 2005, and during his senior season, different Missouri players wore his No. 25.

"Talking with the Boxes, they gave me the blessing of wearing it, and it's just an honor to be in Austin's company and know he's looking down on me," Jones said. "Whenever I'm feeling weak or tired, I kind of call on him and remember the way he played the game."

We'll move on to the safeties today in our position rankings across the Big 12.

Here's what we've covered so far:

• Quarterbacks
• Running backs
• Receivers/tight ends
• Linebackers

The group of safeties across the Big 12 isn't fantastic, without any truly elite groups, but it's decent. There aren't any teams that look really hopeless at the position in the immediate future.

I haven't given it real close examination so far on the positions we haven't covered yet, but this is by far the closest gap between 1-10 of any position so far.

Here's how I ranked them. (Remember, I lumped in nickel backs with linebackers, so Ahmad Dixon and Tony Jefferson won't be found anywhere in this post.)

1. Oklahoma State -- The Cowboys have Markelle Martin, the Big 12's best overall safety who's a big talent but a much better hitter than he is a cover man. Johnny Thomas is solid and both safeties got a lot better as the 2010 season progressed. OSU's depth lands them here, though. Daytawion Lowe could start for a few Big 12 teams and is slightly better than A&M and Texas' reserves, the other two teams with the deepest group of safeties.

2. Texas -- Blake Gideon takes his share of criticism, a good deal of it fair, but there's a reason he's starting for Texas for a fourth season this fall. He knows what he's doing. Kenny Vaccaro will challenge OSU's Martin, among others, for the title of the Big 12's biggest hitter and Nolan Brewster and Christian Scott are strong reserves at the position. The Longhorns lose a lot at corner, but all the safeties are back from a defense that allowed just over 170 yards a game through the air in conference play last season.

3. Texas A&M -- The Aggies' Steven Terrell and Trent Hunter are solid, and Hunter is a big playmaker who made 62 stops and picked off two passes last year. Toney Hurd Jr. is the backup and was one of the most impressive freshmen in fall camp last year, joined by Steven Campbell in the rotation.

4. Kansas State -- Tysyn Hartman has loads of experience and is one of the Wildcats that Bill Snyder loves to rave about. Ty Zimmerman was one of the Big 12's best freshman last year, and picked off three passes. They should be solid again next year, and for as much criticism as K-State's defense faced last year, they were fifth in the Big 12 in pass defense. Logan Dold should be in the rotation, too.

5. Oklahoma -- Reserve Sam Proctor has starting experience, but Javon Harris and Aaron Colvin enter fall camp as starters. That says plenty about how Bob Stoops and Brent Venables feel about them. In a word: confident. Colvin has the most potential in the group, but the two starters will have to learn on the go. Proctor, a senior, should be able to help. James Haynes will also be in the rotation.

6. Missouri -- Jasper Simmons is gone, but Missouri's safeties might be a bit underrated in this spot. Kenji Jackson has loads of experience and should be solid, and Tavon Bolden and Matt White are a pair of promising sophomores who should compete at free safety. Kenronte Walker should be in the rotation, too.

7. Texas Tech -- Injuries were a problem last year for the Tech secondary, but Cody Davis and D.J. Johnson will hold down the traditional safety spots away from the line of scrimmage in new coordinator Chad Glasgow's 4-2-5. The unit gave up lots of big plays in 2010 (151 over 10 yards, 46 over 20, and 25 over 30, all the most in the Big 12), but I'd expect that number to drop under Glasgow if the secondary stays healthy. Davis is the team's leading returning tackler, with 87 stops. Brett Dewhurst and Giorgio Durham should be in the rotation.

8. Kansas -- Keeston Terry and Bradley McDougald give Kansas a lot of speed and athletic ability at the position, but both of the team's safeties from 2010 graduated and Terry and McDougald are short on experience. Lubbock Smith should add some solid depth to the position.

9. Iowa State -- Iowa State loses their top playmaker at the position, David Sims, but returns starter Ter'Ran Benton. He'll be helped out by some combination of Jacques Washington, Earl Brooks and Deon Broomfield once the season starts. Iowa State's biggest weakness is on the defensive line, so it's hard to get a good read on how good the safeties really are with such a poor pass rush up front.

10. Baylor -- This group might move up the list during the year under Phil Bennett, but the two best raw athletes (Ahmad Dixon, Prince Kent) at the position moved to nickel back and linebacker, respectively. The team's leading tackler, Byron Landor, graduated, and that left Mike Hicks as the other starter. He'll be helped out at safety by Sam Holl, Josh Wilson and K.J. Morton. Last year, the Bears ranked last in the Big 12 in pass defense in conference play, giving up over 300 yards a game. That'll have to change or Baylor won't get past seven wins.

There's still lots of uncertainty, and that will continue until the results of Austin Box's autopsy are released, but more details surrounding the Oklahoma linebacker's death emerged in the 24 hours since it happened.

The Tulsa World, The Oklahoman and The Associated Press all brought new information to light.

El Reno Police Chief Ken Brown said officers and medics responded to a call at a house in the town about 30 miles west of Oklahoma City at about 9:25 a.m. concerning an unresponsive male "with unknown medical issues." Brown identified the man as Box and said he first was taken to an El Reno hospital, then transferred by air ambulance to Mercy Hospital in Oklahoma City.

You can hear the 911 call on the Tulsa World's website. The police report is also available.

Police are investigating whether drugs were involved in Box's death, based on comments made to police.

According to the police report, El Reno police officer Todd Ward said that upon arriving at the house, he made contact with John Cobble III, who had identified himself to an emergency dispatcher as J.T. Cobble, who is the son of Tom Cobble, who was Box's high school football coach in Enid.

Ward said in the report Cobble III was performing CPR on Box and that "Cobble told me when I entered the room Box was in he believed he had overdosed." On the police report, under the offense category "controlled dangerous substance" is listed, and Ward checked the "drugs" box under a category listing possible/probable motivation.

Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables made a statement and spoke to media briefly on Thursday night. The emotional video can be found on Oklahoma's website.

Sooners coach Bob Stoops is out of the country. Venables said on Thursday night that grief counseling is being made available 24/7.

"You can't plan for this," he said. "There's no blueprint for it. We just know that a young man was tragically taken from us today."

The Box family also released a statement through Mercy Health Center on Thursday afternoon.

"The Box family wishes to express their appreciation for the outpouring of sympathy from across the state," the family said. "We particularly want to thank the University of Oklahoma, the coaching staff and players for their kindness and support. Austin loved everything about Oklahoma -- the people, his hometown of Enid and his many close friends. Most of all, Austin loved his family and we loved him. We invite you to join us in celebrating his life."

Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables said linebacker Austin Box, who died on Thursday, "exemplified everything you want in a player."

Venables, the first Oklahoma official to publicly answer questions, made a brief statement before answering questions for several minutes on Thursday evening.

"Every parent's worst nightmare is to get that call," he said. "We're numb, heartbroken."

Venables said the team had all been notified of Box's death.

"News travels fast, but you want to inform people the right way, the appropriate way," he said. "Guys got together rather quickly and did it the right way."

Box was found unresponsive at a home outside Oklahoma City on Thursday morning. Paramedics arrived, and he was eventually airlifted to a hospital in Oklahoma City, where he died.

An official at the Medical Examiner's office in Oklahoma City told ESPN.com that the cause of death would likely remain unknown until Friday at the earliest.

The 911 call was released on Thursday afternoon, in which Box's friend, J.T. Cobble, attempted to perform CPR.

"There's a guy who stayed with me last night and he's not responding to me," Cobble said when asked what was happening. "He takes pain pills and he's not responding to me."

Asked whether Box was breathing, he said, "I don't think so."

Venables said he "wouldn't be surprised" to see Oklahoma dedicate its season next fall to their former teammate.

"You talk about adversity, but he faced a lot," he said. "He fought his way out of it and got himself back in a place to contribute. That meant a lot to him, to not let his teammates down."

Box injured his elbow before coming to Oklahoma, injured his knee in 2008 and missed five games in 2010 after back surgery before the season began.

"He had a profound impact on the success we had," said Venables.

Oklahoma won its final five games in 2010 to win the Big 12 and the Fiesta Bowl.

"He stands for everything that's right about this program. He’s made a ton of big plays, and was instrumental in what we did to finish the way we did," he said. "Without him, I’m not sure we would have finished the same way."

Box finished spring practice atop the depth chart at middle linebacker.

"He was one of the most selfless guys I’ve ever been around, a great leader for us," Venables said. "His greatest fear was to let down great coaches and great players … He wanted to live up to that in some way."

NORMAN, Okla. -- The whispers were there, especially late in the season.

"He’s a long way from that. We wouldn’t do that," said Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops. "He’s got a long way to get to that level."

He does. He, and about anyone who saw him play last season, agree on that.

But it's hard not to notice. Since Roy Williams, it's hard to recall a player filling Oklahoma's nickel back position better than Tony Jefferson did in 2010, even as a true freshman.

Jefferson's heard the hype, but this early in his career, there's not much else to do but shrug and get back to work.

"I feel good hearing that stuff, but I feel I have a long way to go. We all know that, but if I continue to do what I’m doing and working hard, the sky’s the limit for me. Maybe I won’t reach the level of a Roy Williams, but as long as I’m putting in the maximum effort I can, I’ll be happy."

Jefferson has spent time working with Williams this spring, which has not helped to shoo the comparisons. Williams, like loads of other NFL players locked out of their pro facilities, has been back on Oklahoma's campus this offseason.

He's offered Jefferson tips on positioning his feet for a blitz and gaining leverage for hitting, among other things.

"You’ve seen Roy hit, and I’d love to do what he does," Jefferson said.

Added defensive coordinator Brent Venables: "That’d be a great mentor."

Hyperbolic comparisons aside, there's no denying Jefferson's excellence in 2010. He finished his debut season with 65 tackles, seven tackles for loss, a pair of sacks and a pair of picks. He enrolled early at Oklahoma with an already deep knowledge of the game. Add a spring, a fall camp and a season, and Oklahoma had a young player that looked the part of a veteran, and one easily qualified to be named co-Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year.

"He understands football. He just has a feel for the game. You can overcome some of your inexperience when you find the football, and just understand the game," Venables said. "Some guys come in with a world of talent, but they don’t have a lot of background and foundation in regards to football 101. Two backs and two tight ends is just like five-wide to some guys. They don’t understand. They didn’t learn. Tony came here with a strong foundation."

In high school, Jefferson played multiple positions on both sides of the ball. This spring, in addition to the nickel back position, he's playing some more traditional strong safety.

Still just a rising sophomore, he's already seen a lot.

"Once we got through the first two or three games, you saw consistent play, good play and maturity beyond his years. As you see that early on, you’d expect him that, the more he played, the better he’d get, and that’s what happened," Stoops said. "He’s just got confidence and the ability to make plays. He’s got a great sense of the ball and where plays need to be made and he just has a great feel for the game."

Fortunately for the Sooners, Jefferson also has a feel for his place in the game and what's to come.

"I played OK [last year], but I have a lot of improvement to do, which is why this offseason is so important for me. There’s a lot of work for me to do to get to where I want to be," he said. "Every week I just knew, I always had at least one mistake that I knew I could improve on, and that’s part of getting better, having self-constructive criticism. That’ll help me a lot this summer."

One big mistake has made this somewhat of a game, but Oklahoma is getting it done on both sides of the ball and could run away with it in the second half.

Turning point: Oklahoma led 14-0 and had the ball near midfield, but Sooners quarterback Landry Jones was intercepted on a pass over the middle of the field by Dwayne Gratz, who returned the pick 46 yards for a touchdown to get the Huskies within seven. This would be a bona fide blowout if not for Jones' mistake.

Stat of the half: Just five yards of penalties have been doled out in the first half. Connecticut was flagged for an illegal substitution in the second quarter that turned a third-and-4 into a third-and-9, which the Huskies couldn't convert.

Stat of the half II: Connecticut's All-American back, Jordan Todman, picked up some momentum on Connecticut's final drive of the half, but he had just 14 yards on his first 11 carries while Oklahoma raced out to its early lead. Outside of a 19-yard run on the final drive, he has 15 yards on 13 carries. That's an impressive effort from Brent Venables' defense.

Best player in the half: Jones. His mistake aside, he's been fantastic. He completed his first 12 passes and finished the half 21 of 27 for 233 yards and a score to James Hanna.

Second guessing: Facing a fourth-and-1 on their opening drive, Connecticut punted the ball. Giving the Sooners the ball instead of trusting Connecticut's biggest strength, it's running game, sends a pretty poor message to your team, Oklahoma and fans on both sides. Of course, the Huskies were stuffed on a fourth-and-inches later in the first half, so maybe coach Randy Edsall knew what he was doing.

What Oklahoma needs to do: Prevent big plays and don't turn the ball over. The Sooners will need to do both to close this one out and produce the blowout everyone expected to see. Another big play early in the second half like Gratz's interception or a long Todman run could set a dangerous tone in the second half for the Sooners.