ESPN College Football

The comparisons to the upcoming 2011 season and what Oklahoma experienced in 2009 have been unmistakable.

Now, after the latest news emerging from fall camp in Norman, the similarities have become a bit eerie.

The Sooners opened 2009 as a top-five team with a Heisman-winning quarterback leading a loaded offense with a defense good enough to win a national title a year after coming up short against Florida.

This year, the Sooners opened the coaches' preseason poll as the nation's No. 1 team with a Heisman favorite leading a loaded offense and a defense likely better than the 2009 team. Additionally, the Sooners are coming off a 12-win season that culminated in a BCS bowl win against Connecticut.

But before the 2009 season, just days before the opener against BYU, news leaked that senior tight end Jermaine Gresham, named an All-American after his junior season, had suffered a knee injury. The severity was unknown, but it seemed likely he could return at some point.

Gresham never played again for OU after tests revealed torn cartilage in the knee, and the Sooners suffered a season-opening loss to BYU in Cowboys Stadium. In that loss, Sooners quarterback Sam Bradford played with a shoulder injury that he never fully recovered from. He had midseason surgery and ceded control of the team to Landry Jones.

Which brings us to today. Jones is still healthy. So is the rest of the team.

But linebacker Travis Lewis' toe injury can't help but conjure up scary images of a chase for a title gone awry before it even had a chance to begin.

Unlike the loss of Gresham, the Sooners have a fit replacement for Lewis with tons of promise.

Tight end essentially became irrelevant in Oklahoma's offense, which scored more points than any team in college football history during the run to the national title game in 2008.

Lewis, the preseason Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, leaves a void at weakside linebacker, but he's backed up by touted blue-chip recruit Corey Nelson. The only thing keeping Nelson off the field was Lewis, who chose to turn down NFL money and chase a title, just like Gresham, Bradford, Gerald McCoy and Trent Williams did in 2009.

Now is Nelson's opportunity. Fans will get a chance to see him work at his natural position instead of the nickel back spot he'd been working at during fall camp.

This isn't 2009 yet, though it certainly smells similar.

Oklahoma finished 8-5 that season, hurt further by a rash of injuries on the offensive line that at one point forced defensive tackle Stacy McGee (a backup on this year's team) to move to offensive line.

The Sooners can still rise above Lewis' injury. They're good enough everywhere else to beat ranked teams Florida State and Missouri, who have September dates with the Sooners. Lewis could return in October, and until then, weakside linebacker could still remain a strength.

There's no replacing Lewis' experience, or his on-field energy, where he's one of the most talkative players in the league and the defense's unquestioned leader. Nelson can hold things together with his talent, though.

Barring further injury, Nelson and the Sooners have a chance to rewrite the forgettable history of 2009. In September, we'll find out if they can do it.

ESPN the Magazine had a fascinating feature looking back at the past 25 No. 1 high school recruits, where they are now and what the ranking meant to them. With apologies to Vince Young, there aren't a ton of Big 12 talents on the list, but there have been plenty of great recruits to come through the Big 12. We took a look on Thursday at how the All-Big 12 team stacked up as recruits, and you saw quite a mixed bag.

Well, it's the same for the recruits who came to campus with high rankings and high profiles. Going back to 2006, here's how every Big 12 commit from the ESPNU 150 turned out. We'll look at 2006 in this post before eventually reaching 2010 and the current class, 2011, by signing day.

2006

No. 6: DeMarco Murray, RB, Oklahoma. Murray set the school records for touchdowns (64) and all-purpose yards (6,498) as a Sooner. He's projected to be drafted on the first day of this year's NFL Draft.

No. 7: Sergio Kindle, OLB, Texas. Kindle was a finalist for the Butkus and Hendricks Awards and was a two-time All-Big 12 performer with 176 career tackles. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the second round last year's NFL Draft, but missed his rookie season after fracturing his skull in a fall on the stairs at his home.

No. 13: Jevan Snead, QB, Texas. Lost a quarterback battle to Colt McCoy following the 2005 season. Played sparingly as a freshman before transferring to Ole Miss. Went undrafted in 2010. Now plays for Arena League's Tampa Bay Storm.

No. 21: Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma. McCoy was a Lombardi finalist, a three-time All-Big 12 performer, a two-time All-American who left Oklahoma after his junior season and was selected No. 3 overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2010 NFL Draft.

No. 22: Eddie Jones, DE, Texas. Jones just finished his career at Texas with an All-Big 12 honorable mention year in 2010. Finished his career with 111 tackles and 13.5 sacks.

No. 34: J'Marcus Webb, OT, Texas. Webb played one year at Texas before transferring to Navarro College and eventually West Texas A&M. He was drafted in the seventh round of the 2010 draft and spent the season with the Chicago Bears.

No. 36: Adron Tennell, WR, Oklahoma. Tennell finished his four-year career at Oklahoma with 40 catches, 505 yards and five touchdowns.

No. 42: Dustin Earnest, LB, Texas. Earnest finished his career in 2010 with 84 tackles and a sack for the Longhorns.

No. 45: Mike Goodson, RB, Texas A&M. Goodson was the Big 12 Freshman of the Year in 2006 with his career high 847 yards. He finished with 1,966 yards and 13 TDs in three seasons before being drafted in the fourth round by the Carolina Panthers.

No. 67: Phillip Payne, WR, Texas. Caught his first career pass in 2009, his third year at UT, before transferring after the season.

No. 75: Derek Burton, DE, Oklahoma State. Started 15 games in four years for the Cowboys, recording 67 career tackles.

No. 82: Ben Alexander, DT, Texas. Made four career starts, with 51 tackles and half a sack in 38 career appearances.

No. 104: Terrance Anderson, CB, Oklahoma State. Made 96 tackles in four years with the Cowboys. Had four career interceptions.

No. 110: Jonathan Nelson, CB, Oklahoma. Started all 14 games in 2010 for the Sooners after earning All-Big 12 honorable mention as a junior in 2009. Finished career with 155 tackles and five interceptions.

No. 111: Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma. Caught 111 passes for 1,629 yards and 26 touchdowns in three seasons, including an All-American season in 2008. Missed all of 2009 with knee injury. Drafted No. 21 overall in the 2010 draft by Cincinnati Bengals.

No. 137: Jeremy Beal, DE, Oklahoma. Had 224 tackles, 58.5 tackles for loss, and 29 sacks in four seasons, including three All-Big 12 seasons, an All-American season and was a Hendricks Award finalist in 2009. Projects as middle-round pick in 2011 NFL Draft.

No. 141: Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State. Threw for 8,078 yards and 44 touchdowns and 34 interceptions in 35 career games. Also ran for 404 yards and 14 touchdowns as a junior. Drafted No. 17 overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2010 NFL Draft.

The Oklahoma Sooners earned an unfavorable reputation as the 2009 season dragged. With a perfect 6-0 record at home, the Sooners looked almost invincible at Owen Field. Away from home, Oklahoma was just 2-5.

This year's Sooners are different and they have plenty to prove -- only part of which is shedding that tag of a team that leaves its best play at home. Oklahoma already outlasted Texas in the Cotton Bowl earlier this month and beat Cincinnati at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati in September.

"We’re staying healthy and we’ve got the whole nucleus from last year back this year. We’re just a tougher team," said linebacker Travis Lewis. "We learned from those close games, those tough losses. Then you mix that with this team this year and we're just a tougher, more healthy team."

This team will face its toughest road test of the season so far on Saturday when it travels to No. 11 Missouri to play the Tigers.

Win this game, and any talk of a team that struggles on the road should end immediately. Last year's offense was hit the worst by the injuries: shuffling out offensive linemen nearly every week, and playing without two of its best players in tight end Jermaine Gresham and quarterback Sam Bradford for almost the entire season.

This year's defense lost both cornerbacks, two linebackers and three defensive linemen to the NFL, including Gerald McCoy, who was picked third overall in April's draft. After early struggles by the unit, including giving up more than 350 yards on the ground to Air Force and more than 340 yards through the air to Utah State, the defense is finding the consistency to keep its winning streak alive.

"We've always known we were capable of being a great defense, we just haven't been consistent, and we've been giving up some big plays," Lewis said.

That wasn't the case last week, when the Sooners shut out Iowa State and looked more like their dominant selves in 2009, when they recorded shutouts against Oklahoma State, Tulsa and Idaho State.

"That bye week helped," Lewis said. "It helped settle us down, brought us back to health and helped us get a reality check."

And after that performance, the Sooners bring a No. 1 rank in the BCS standings to take on the Tigers. On Monday, the day after the Sooners won the meaningless midseason crown, Lewis, a team captain, exercised some leadership.

"It’s great from a recognition standpoint, but it can also be a bad thing. Some guys can become complacent. I just stressed to our players, don’t talk about it, don’t think about it, you still have to win every game. Go out there and play," Lewis said. "I told them I've been on No. 1 teams, I've played No. 1 teams ... Ohio State lost last week. Alabama lost the week before. No. 1 means nothing. It just means you've got a bigger target on your chest and you have to work that much harder."

And when Lewis looks back on how his team has played through its first six games, it's hard to find any satisfaction in the ranking.

"We’ve still got a lot to prove. Especially from a defense standpoint. We're ranked like 80th or 90th in the country, so we don't have much room to be complacent," Lewis said. "We all feel the same way, that we haven’t played like the No. 1 team in the nation."

1. Horns cannot live on defense alone. Texas' offense was bad for 60 minutes, and the defense looked ordinary for the final 30. It all added up to a 22-point home loss to a 16-point underdog in UCLA -- a Bruins team that was shut out at home to weeks ago by Stanford. Texas failed to run the ball effectively, never put together a drive through the air and looked inexperienced after UCLA scored on its opening possession of the second half to take a 20-3 lead. Nebraska's poor offense tried to rely on a world-class defense last year and finished with four losses. Texas might face the same fate this year, or worse, if the defense plays like it did in the second half. A 13-10 loss to UCLA because of an inept Texas offense wouldn't have surprised me. But the defense looked ordinary in the second half and if the unit doesn't return to form quickly, we may have to reconsider whether the Longhorns are actually any good.

2. It's good to have a zero in the loss column. Take deep breaths and don't worry about style points, you unblemished Midwestern squads. For now, that's Kansas State, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M. Texas proved everyone is vulnerable with one bad day, but so far this season Nebraska (SDSU), Missouri (the other SDSU), Texas A&M (FIU), Oklahoma (USU) and Oklahoma State (Troy) survived their bad days. Quality of opponent certainly had a lot to do with that, but if any of those other five teams struggled against a better team, they'd be carrying a loss into conference play, too.

3. Hold the phone on January hotel reservations in Phoenix, Nebraska fans. The defense looked vulnerable to the running game for the third week in four outings so far this season and Taylor Martinez morphed into a mistake-prone redshirt freshman. Nebraska's a great team with the potential to make a title run, but everybody would agree that another day like Saturday for the Cornhuskers will mean a loss in conference play. With a young front seven and the ball so often in the hands of a freshman, it's a real possibility for Nebraska. Everyone saw the best version of the team last week in Seattle. Based on coach Bo Pelini's comments after the win over South Dakota State, we saw the worst version on Saturday. (Side note: After what happened to Kansas, do the Dakota states have some sort of vendetta against the Big 12?)

4. Oklahoma's defense might get better, but it's not very consistent. Utah State torched them through the air. Then the Sooners effectively ended Christian Ponder's Heisman candidacy. A week later, Air Force rolled up 351 rushing yards. On Saturday, a struggling Cincinnati offense had running back Isaiah Pead rush for 169 yards and Zach Collaros threw for more than 300 yards. Timely turnovers meant a win for the Sooners. But without DT Gerald McCoy and having to break in two new corners and linebackers, this is not the Oklahoma defense that ranked in the national top 10 in total defense in 2009.

5. Kansas State has guts. I swear, there may not be a more boring team to watch in college football, especially when teams bottle up Daniel Thomas, who still is making a strong case as college football's best running back. (Note to Mark Ingram, Kendall Hunter, John Clay, DeMarco Murray, Noel Devine and Jacquizz Rodgers: Look at what is around you. Look at what is around Daniel Thomas. Then look at his numbers. Then look at yours.) But twice this season, Kansas State has needed big plays. Both times, it's gotten them. No team has been in tighter games more constantly than the Wildcats, and for as underwhelming as its win over UCLA looked after the Bruins lost to Stanford, check out how it looks now. I already christened the game-winner on Saturday as the "Drive of the Year" in the conference, and the confidence Carson Coffman gained from it might mean it'll happen again. Pair that up with Nebraska's vulnerability to the run, and I'll say it: On October 7, Huskers beware.

We're only a few hours away from tonight's first round of the NFL draft, one that could be unprecedented for the conference.

As many as five of the first six picks could come from the Big 12.

Oklahoma's Sam Bradford is the assumed first pick. Defensive tackles Ndamukong Suh and Gerald McCoy should follow. As will offensive tackles Trent Williams (Oklahoma) and Russell Okung (Oklahoma State).

Considering where the conference has been in recent years, that's not a surprise to the coaches sending those players to the next level.

"I don’t think there’s any question it’s been excellent, evidenced by what, us and Texas in the last couple national championship games," said Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, who was forced to play most of 2009 without Bradford, the 2008 Heisman winner. "And year in and year out we’ve been there. I’ve known that for a long time and it’s obvious the talent in this league is second to none and its throughout the league and it’s exciting."

Texas coach Mack Brown could also have a pair of Longhorns go in the first round: defensive back Earl Thomas and defensive end/linebacker Sergio Kindle. Both are Texas natives, with Thomas hailing from Orange and Kindle from Dallas.

"More of the kids are staying at home and wanting to play in the Big 12 area, where one of our schools is traditionally playing for the national championship, so we’re in the mix each year," Brown said. "And I also feel like since we’ve won in this league and we’ve been in the final game more often, that more national kids are starting to look at our schools more readily than before."

Missouri's program has reached new heights in the last few years, winning 12 games in 2007 and another 10 in 2008. Missouri's two first-round draft picks last season, receiver Jeremy Maclin and defensive tackle Ziggy Hood, helped make those seasons possible. The Tigers also had safety William Moore drafted in the second round of last year's draft.

"I remember Don James, my mentor who I worked for at Washington, he told me about three or four years ago, he says, ‘When you start getting more players drafted, a lot more high draft choices, you’re going to win a lot more games.’ And at this level, as it was at Washington, that’s the way it is," Pinkel said. "You’re not going to get six drafted every year, but certainly, if you’re going to win at this level, you’re going to get more players that go on and play in the NFL."

He could add another first-round pick, his third in two seasons, tonight in linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, giving the Big 12 as many as 10 selections among the first 32 picks.

"It shows schools are recruiting quality young men and good football players," said Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy.

A few years ago, Oregon State's Stephen Paea didn't know anything about football. A few months ago, however, he was deciding whether it was going to make him rich this spring.

Despite a deep draft class at defensive tackle, it's hard to believe Paea would have lasted past the third round. His pure power and explosiveness suggest tremendous upside, even more so when you consider he didn't start playing the game until his senior year of high school.

"He is one of the best tackles I've coached at any level," Beavers coach Mike Riley said.

But he opted to come back for his senior season for a variety of reasons.

"I just don't feel it was my turn to go to the league," Paea said. "I feel like I owe Oregon State a favor to come back and finish school. ... If not for Oregon State, I don't think I'd have these honors."

His honors include the Morris Trophy, which is given annually to the Pac-10's top defensive lineman as voted on by opposing offensive linemen.

Paea's numbers are good but won't blow anyone away. Over the past two seasons, he has recorded 19.5 tackles for a loss and eight sacks. But he's faced double-teams much of the time and still managed to be a disruptive force in the middle.

Not that he can't get better. He's been watching film of soon-to-be top-five picks Gerald McCoy and Ndamukong Suh (On Suh: "He's a playmaker. He's a linebacker in a three-point stance.") as well as NFL Hall of Famer John Randall, trying to learn the finer points of playing defensive tackle.

Much of what he needs to do to get better should come just from seeing more action. He arrived at Oregon State after two years of junior college -- one as a redshirt -- but nonetheless broke into the starting lineup.

"I feel like my eyes need to get better," he said. "Sometimes the play is right there but I don't come off the block and make the play. I see how Suh and Gerald McCoy do that. That's their experience."

One things is certain: The now 310-pound Paea will test well at the NFL combine. He was recently captured on YouTube bench pressing 225 pounds 44 times. The NFL combine record is 45 repetitions, which is shared by three players, including former Arkansas offensive lineman Mitch Petrus this year. And the former rugby star is not just a meathead. His quickness is nearly as impressive as his strength. His highlight videos offer many examples of him running down plays.

But Paea said the NFL isn't front and center. The Beavers should again be in the thick of the Rose Bowl race, and he knows that he's a big reason why.

If he produces up to expectations, then he and the Beavers should thrive. And the NFL will be watching.

"I'm going to forget about the league and just play," he said. "Film doesn't lie. I've got to stay hungry and play every play like it's fourth-and-1."

NORMAN, Okla. -- Gerald McCoy was measured at 6-foot-4 and 298 pounds, but participated only in brief position-specific drills. He said on Tuesday he'll wait to improve his underwhelming 23 reps on the 225-pound bench press until March 25, when former teammate Sam Bradford will show off his surgically reconstructed throwing shoulder for NFL scouts.

McCoy added that the low number surprised him because he began at 25 reps, before he started working out specifically for the combine.

"Everybody said it was just nerves," McCoy said. "Because you don't start training and then go down. You don't do that. Especially when you're seeing yourself increase every week."

McCoy said he'll take some time off from training before returning to Norman for pro day, part deux.

Also of note, cornerback Dominique Franks improved his 40-yard dash time to 4.47, significantly faster than his disappointing time at the combine. Fellow cornerback Brian Jackson showed off a 38-inch vertical jump, the best of the day.

Former teammates and likely first-round picks offensive lineman Trent Williams and tight end Jermaine Greshamn opted out of most of the drills on Tuesday. Williams improved his 20-yard shuttle time to 4.40, but neither tried to improve his 40 time. Gresham measured at 6-foot-5 3/8 and 259 pounds. Williams measured 6-foot-4 1/2 and 314 pounds.

A few other notes:

• St. Louis Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo, whose team holds the No. 1 pick in next month's draft, was in attendance. He had a lengthy conversation with Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops. Plenty of the conversation likely revolved around McCoy and Bradford, two players St. Louis could draft with the first pick.
• Lots of current and former Sooners came to Oklahoma's indoor facility for pro day. The Baltimore Ravens' Mark Clayton showed, as did fullback J.D. Runnels, who most last saw as a Bengal on the last season of the HBO show "Hard Knocks," which chronicles one NFL team's training camp each August. Current Sooners who were in attendance included quarterback Landry Jones, receiver Ryan Broyles and defensive end Jeremy Beal.

1. Texas

Texas has plenty of question marks, namely at receiver. Repeating as Big 12 champs would be a lot easier if one of its talented running backs emerges to flirt with 1,000 yards and takes some of the pressure off first-year starter Garrett Gilbert. Tre’ Newton is the most likely candidate, but Foswhitt Whittaker, or Fozzy Bear as I prefer to refer to the running back, wins if the tiebreaker is best name.

2. Oklahoma

The defense will be fearsome again, even after losing both starting cornerbacks and defensive tackle Gerald McCoy. DeMarco Murray looks to take on an expanded role in the run game, but the offensive line will have to improve quickly for his increased touches to translate into increased yardage.

3. Nebraska

Nebraska finally made it back to the Big 12 title game after a two-year run by Missouri representing the North. Even after Ndamukong Suh’s exit, the teeth of the Husker D should be strong, with junior defensive tackle Jared Crick and sophomore defensive tackle Baker Steinkuhler mucking up the front lines. Both will be on display during the spring. The offense had one of its best performances of the season against Arizona in the Holiday Bowl, but enters the spring with plenty to prove.

4. Missouri

Blaine Gabbert will continue to mature along with his young receivers, who lose the lanky Danario Alexander. Gabbert could put up gawdy numbers as a junior, but he’ll need the secondary to improve if the Tigers can challenge for the North.

5. Texas A&M

The Aggies looked like a trainwreck at moments in 2009, (48-point loss to Kansas State? What? 55-point loss to Oklahoma? Ouch.) but their entertaining offense will take a backseat to Tim DeRuyter’s new 3-4 defense as the main attraction for spring.

6. Kansas State

The dark horse to win the North in 2010 came within a game of matching up with Texas in Dallas in 2009. Year 2 of the Bill Snyder Reboot could be fun to watch. The Wildcats had the fewest turnovers (18) of any team in the Big 12 last season, but losing Brandon Banks removes some of K-State’s explosiveness on offense.

7. Oklahoma State

Oklahoma State hoped they could make a run at the Big 12 South last season, but got embarrassed in losses to Texas and Oklahoma. A South title in 2010 might be a stretch, but the spring could set up another solid season for Mike Gundy’s Cowboys.

8. Baylor

Finding replacements for All-Big 12 defenders Joe Pawelek and Jordan Lake should be the prime concern for the spring, but it will definitely be good to see Robert Griffin III get back on the field.

9. Texas Tech

What injustice! The Red Raiders below the Bears? Tommy Tuberville is a good coach, but the transition to Tech could be a difficult one. Don’t be surprised if the Red Raiders prove me wrong, but somebody’s got to finish last in a great South division. There won’t be an easy win for anyone against South teams this season. I mentioned this in Thursday's chat, but I’m interested to see how Tuberville’s second go-around with the spread offense (see: Tony Franklin) goes. Easing up on his trigger finger might be a good idea.

10. Kansas

Turner Gill loses a lot of offense without Todd Reesing, Kerry Meier and Dezmon Briscoe. Sophomore running back Toben Opurum could emerge as one of the conference’s young stars this spring.

11. Colorado

Tyler Hansen and Toney Clemons bring some excitement to the Buffaloes spring, but the offensive line is also a concern. Maxwell Tuioti-Mariner returns from injury to help talented lineman Nate Solder protect Hansen and pave the way for running back Rodney Stewart, one of just three scholarship backs who will practice this spring.

12. Iowa State

The Cyclones depleted defense (only four starters return) could make it tough for Austen Arnaud to produce wins no matter how well he plays. Plenty of spots up for grabs there, and linebacker Jake Knott is one to watch as a new starter. Paul Rhoads impressed with a bowl win last season, but what does it say about a team when its best win (Nebraska) came by only two points when it forced eight turnovers and committed none?

Thanks for the support the first week, fans. Enjoy the weekend.

Oklahoma's Gerald McCoy and Nebraska's Ndamukong Suh were two of the highlights on Monday at the NFL combine in Indianapolis, and according to Todd McShay of Scouts Inc., Suh had the better day. He wasn't the only one who gave the edge to the Heisman contender.

Here's an excerpt of what McShay had to say:

Suh's overall day was a bit better. He checked in at 6-4 and 307 pounds, and his 40 time of 4.98 was more than adequate. Suh also put up 32 reps on the bench press, showcasing the upper-body power that allows him to lock onto and control blockers before discarding them. His strength also showed up when he was punching the bags during drills, impacts that echoed throughout the stadium.

McCoy measured 6-4 but a little lighter at 295, and his 23 reps were a little disappointing. Still, he ran a 4.96 and was able to showcase his outstanding quickness (feet and hands) during position-specific drills.

The different defensive schemes they played in while in college highlighted different skill sets for each player, as Suh has been labeled the "read and react" player while McCoy is more of a run-stuffer. Now that they've gone head-to-head in the same workouts, multiple reports are giving the edge to Suh after Monday's results. Suh was 14th in the country in tackles for loss with 1.46 per game and McCoy was 35th with 1.19. To some, numbers matter, and the bench press reps are getting a lot of attention. Still, both players are at the top of the Scouts Inc. draft board, and are expected to be taken in the first two overall picks of the NFL draft. McCoy is currently listed as No. 1, but obviously things can change.

Defending Big 12 champion Texas has to replace record-setting quarterback Colt McCoy, receiver Jordan Shipley and a slew of big-time players on defense.

Oklahoma loses 2008 Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford, All-America defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, tight end Jermaine Gresham and two key offensive linemen.

Kansas and Oklahoma State will be looking for new quarterbacks to replace record-setting passers who just left, and Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III is coming back from a torn ACL in his right knee.

Kansas and Texas Tech have new coaches, and Texas A&M has a revamped coaching staff.

With all of the key departures and changes across the conference, spring practice will be as important as ever. But change will also bring opportunity.

If ever there was a time to make a move in the Big 12 Conference, it’s now. After challenging the SEC as the country’s best college football conference the past few seasons, the Big 12 figures to take a step back in 2010.

But don’t expect the league’s traditional powers like Texas and Oklahoma to fall off the map. Longhorns coach Mack Brown and Sooners coach Bob Stoops have recruited too well for their programs to slip very much, and Nebraska seems ready to take control of the Big 12 North.

Whichever teams find suitable quarterbacks should have the smoothest transitions. Texas quarterback Garrett Gilbert was introduced to America on the sport’s biggest stage. He was thrust into action when McCoy was hurt in the first quarter of the BCS National Championship Game against Alabama. Gilbert struggled early, but showed enough moxie and talent to make the Longhorns believe that life without McCoy won’t be so bad after all.

Oklahoma’s Landry Jones took over the starting job a year earlier than expected, after Bradford injured his shoulder in the ’09 opener against BYU. Oklahoma State’s new quarterback, Brandon Weeden, might lack experience but certainly isn’t short on maturity. He’s a 26-year-old former minor league baseball player.

The Big 12 will have plenty of new faces on the sideline and playing field in 2010.

But I’m betting it’s the same old names at the top of the Big 12 standings -- the Longhorns and Sooners -- at season’s end.

With spring practice set to begin soon -- Texas opens its camp on March 2 -- here’s a quick look at how I have the teams ranked heading into spring practice. In formulating my rankings, I took into account returning players, transfers, arriving freshmen and a teams’ schedules.

1. Texas (14 starters back: 6 offensive, 7 defensive, 1 special teams). Garrett Gilbert got a head start on replacing Colt McCoy with his considerable playing time in the national title game, an invaluable learning experience for a young player. The Longhorns return most of the defense that improved in its second season under Will Muschamp. The biggest chores will be for offensive coordinator Greg Davis, who has to boost running game production and find a replacement for record-breaking wide receiver Jordan Shipley.

2. Nebraska (18 starters back: 8 offensive, 8 defensive, 2 special teams). Bo Pelini has the Cornhuskers positioned for a potential top-10 preseason ranking. Most of the offensive weapons will be back from a unit that sputtered down the stretch before breaking out in the Holiday Bowl victory. Quarterback Zac Lee will miss some of spring practice as he recovers from postseason surgery. Cody Green and Kody Spano will get most of the work until Lee returns. Nebraska coaches think the defense can be better this season, even without the up-the-middle strength of Ndamukong Suh, Phillip Dillard, Larry Asante and Matt O’Hanlon.

3. Oklahoma (15 starters back: 9 offensive, 4 defensive, 2 special teams). The Sooners overcame a debilitating run of injuries last season to finish with a flourish, knocking Oklahoma State out of a BCS game and winning the Sun Bowl in their final two games. Landry Jones will be infinitely better in his second season as a starter and Ryan Broyles and DeMarco Murray may be the best one-two receiving/running back combination in the conference. Bob Stoops will be facing a big renovation on defense where key players like Gerald McCoy and Dominique Franks left early for the NFL draft. Look for Travis Lewis to be the key to a defense that will need to improve by the time Big 12 play begins if the Sooners are to have any hope of claiming a seventh Big 12 title this season.

4. Missouri (19 starters back: 9 offensive, 9 defensive, 1 special teams). The Tigers will miss Danario Alexander and linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, who were arguably the best players at their positions in the conference last season. But Blaine Gabbert is back for a second season as starting quarterback and some talented recruits are expected to emerge on defense. A key for the Tigers’ success will be a more productive running game and consistency from the offensive line. Improvement on both will be critical for coordinator David Yost during the spring.

5. Texas Tech (15 starters back: 7 offensive, 6 defensive, 2 special teams). New coach Tommy Tuberville immediately will have to sort through a potentially difficult decision at quarterback between Taylor Potts and fan favorite Steven Sheffield. New coordinator James Willis hopes to install a 3-4 defense that should be a haven for athletic linebackers. But the group’s success will hinge on replacing Jamar Wall at cornerback and finding some pass-rushing threats to replace Brandon Sharpe, Richard Jones and Daniel Howard along the front.

6. Texas A&M (19 starters back: 8 offensive, 9 defensive, 2 special teams). With Jerrod Johnson, Jeff Fuller, Uzoma Nwachukwu and Christine Michael back, the Aggies shouldn’t have trouble scoring points, although the line needs to do a better job of protecting Johnson. But the Aggies’ success will depend on the returning starters quickly taking to new coordinator Tim DeRuyter’s teachings. The group was blistered for at least 35 points in seven games last season and allowed at least 30 points in two other games. So needless to say that even with nine starters back, DeRuyter has his work cut out.

7. Kansas (16 starters back: 7 offensive, 7 defensive, 2 special teams). New coach Turner Gill inherits an uncertain quarterback situation, but has the framework for a strong running attack with all of his starting linemen back, along with Toben Opurum and heralded back Brandon Bourbon as running threats. The Jayhawks will need to fill in for the loss of Darrell Stuckey in the secondary, but new coordinator Carl Torbush should find the elements for a blitzing, attacking defense among the returnees. But the biggest reason the Jayhawks might be bound for a bowl game in Gill’s first season is swapping Texas, Texas Tech and Oklahoma for Texas A&M, Oklahoma State and Baylor in their cross-divisional schedule.

8. Iowa State (13 starters back: 8 offensive, 4 defensive, 1 special teams). Paul Rhoads returns most of the offensive weapons that led the Cyclones to the Insight Bowl, most notably quarterback Austen Arnaud and running back Alexander Robinson. But the team loses all of its starting linebackers; veteran coordinator Wally Burnham will be challenged to cobble together a serviceable unit. The Cyclones could actually be a better team in 2010 but post a worse record. A tougher schedule featuring nonconference games against Utah, Iowa and Northern Illinois and the addition of South Division powers Oklahoma, Texas and Texas Tech will make last season’s bowl trip much tougher to duplicate.

9. Oklahoma State (10 starters back: 4 offensive, 4 defensive, 2 special teams). The Cowboys must find replacements for key players like Zac Robinson, Keith Tosten, four offensive linemen (including Outland finalist Russell Okung) and six of their back seven on defense. New offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen finds an uncertain quarterback situation but will lean heavily on a healthy Kendall Hunter. A manageable nonconference schedule should have them in bowl contention, but this should be a step back from Mike Gundy’s last two teams.

10. Kansas State (15 starters back: 7 offensive, 6 defensive, 2 special teams). The Wildcats missed out on a bowl trip last season only because they scheduled two FCS teams, but they surprisingly challenged for the Big 12 North title up to their last game of the season. It might be tougher to do that this season, although Daniel Thomas will provide the foundation on offense. Carson Coffman has the inside track at quarterback, but keep an eye out for Oregon transfer Chris Harper at either that position or wide receiver. Players like Jeffrey Fitzgerald and John Houlik will be missed on defense, but all four starters are back in the secondary.

11. Colorado (16 starters back: 8 offensive, 7 defensive, 1 special teams). Dan Hawkins’ seat is the hottest in the Big 12 and arguably in college football after missing a bowl for a second straight season last year. Tyler Hansen returns as the starting quarterback, but the Buffaloes need to find some help in the backfield with only three scholarship backs in spring practice. The defense was young last season and should be improved, but will miss the leadership provided by Jeff Smart and Cha’pelle Brown. A bowl trip likely will be necessary to save Hawkins’ job and a tough nonconference schedule featuring games at California and against Hawaii and Georgia will prove troublesome even before Big 12 play begins.

12. Baylor (14 starters back: 6 offensive, 6 defensive, 2 special teams). The Bears’ hopes of stopping the conference’s longest bowl drought will hinge largely on the health of Robert Griffin, who is recovering from knee surgery that forced him to miss the final nine games of the 2009 season. New offensive lineman “Big” Robert Griffin will have to protect his quarterback if coach Art Briles has any hope of making a bowl trip. Jay Finley and Kendall Wright are underrated offensive threats, but the Bears will miss key defensive leaders like Joe Pawelek and Jordan Lake who were stalwarts for several years.

All season long, I heard offensive coordinators across the Big 12 talk about how much more difficult it was to move the ball in the conference last season than it was in 2008.

The conference still leads the nation in scoring when compared to other conferences with a per-game, per-team average of 28.39 points per game.

But the Big 12's average in yards per play was down to 5.47 yards per snap. That figure ranks ninth among the 12 FBS conferences and worst among the conferences that receive automatic berths in the Bowl Championship Series.

As shown on Tuesday, most every team in the Big 12 saw a noticeable reduction in offensive production and scoring last season compared to the previous year.

That trend didn't necessarily correlate across the rest of the country, when individual conferences are analyzed.

The number of plays remained the same from 2008 to 2009, but total yards and yards per play increased across the nation. Rushing yardage and passing yardage was up a little bit across the board as well. Scoring did drop, but not by the 20.3 percent reduction that we saw in the Big 12 in 2009.

Obviously, the graduation of top players like Michael Crabtree, Chase Daniel, Jeremy Maclin, Graham Harrell, Quan Cosby, Josh Freeman and Joe Ganz had something to do with it. The conference also struggled with injuries to many of its top stars as Jermaine Gresham missed the entire season, Sam Bradford, Robert Griffin, Dez Bryant and Kendall Hunter all were gone for most of the season. Even Colt McCoy's injury came at a critical time to limit his team's offensive efficiency when it really could have used him.

Most importantly, the Big 12 had a wealth of top defensive players last season. We'll see that in the NFL draft when Ndamukong Suh is the likely first pick of the draft. Gerald McCoy should follow soon thereafter -- perhaps as quickly as the next pick. It wouldn't surprise me to see Earl Thomas and Sean Weatherspoon both as high first-round picks as well.

For a closer examination, I looked at every conference and compared offensive numbers from 2008 to 2009. The Big 12's figures were noteworthy, when compared to the rest of the nation.


It's interesting to note that the Big 12's per-team averages were down in yards per game, yards per play and scoring from 2008. The only other conferences where this trend occurred were in Conference USA and the Mid-American Conference.

And contrasting with this trend, the Southeastern Conference's figures in all three categories went up in 2009.

These figures are cyclical. But with the departure of so many dominant defensive players in 2010, along with the return of eight of 12 starting quarterbacks next season, we might see an increase from the numbers of this year.

If that happens, maybe we won't hear as much whining from the offensive coordinators, either.

Oklahoma ended its recent bowl woes with an impressive 31-27 victory over Stanford in the Brut Sun Bowl.

Here’s a quick look at how the Sooners did it.

How the game was won: After allowing Stanford to score on three straight possessions in the second quarter to claim the lead, Oklahoma’s defense played with intensity in the third quarter to take over the game. The Sooners forced Stanford to go three-and-out on its first two possessions of the second half and allowed only one first down on their other drive to take control. Stanford obviously struggled without injured starting quarterback Andrew Luck.

Best call: Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones went to little-used tight end Trent Ratterree for a 36-yard gain down the left sideline late in the third quarter. Ratterree was pulled down at the Stanford 2, but it was his longest gain of the season. DeMarco Murray charged into the end zone two plays later to give the Sooners the lead for good.

Stat of the game: Oklahoma rolled up 480 yards of total offense and 27 first downs to dominate the game offensively and power the Sooners over the Cardinal.

Player of the game: Oklahoma wide receiver Ryan Broyles put a punctuation mark on a record-breaking season with 13 catches. When Oklahoma’s offense was sputtering early, Jones repeatedly went for Broyles to help pump some life back into the team. Broyles finished with a school-record 89 receptions and missed most of two games with a shoulder separation. And he should be even better next season.

Record performance: Broyles set Oklahoma bowl records with 13 receptions, 156 yards and three touchdown receptions. Jones passed for a school bowl record 416 yards. And Broyles led the Sooners with 17 touchdowns this season, becoming the first Oklahoma wide receiver in the 72 seasons that the school has been compiling individual statistics to lead the team in scoring.

What it means: Oklahoma’s bowl victory ended the Sooners’ celebrated recent bowl struggles as they posted their first bowl triumph since 2005. It was only the Sooners’ second bowl win in their last seven tries. It puts a positive ending on Bob Stoops’ disappointing regular season and provides them with some momentum heading into the offseason. Jones received some critical playing time and should be even more comfortable next year in his second season as starter. The defense will have to rebuild without Gerald McCoy in the middle, but younger players got their chance to develop. The Sooners should be back challenging for the Big 12 South Division title in 2010.

Dreams of a national championship ended early this season for Oklahoma when Sam Bradford was injured in a season-opening loss to BYU. And the Sooners’ dreams of claiming an unprecedented fourth consecutive Big 12 title were effectively quashed when the 2008 Heisman Trophy winner was reinjured early in the Texas game.

At 7-5, Oklahoma already has lost more games in the regular season than in any previous season during coach Bob Stoops’ tenure. But the Sun Bowl game against Stanford still is important as the Sooners try to put a positive ending to a nightmarish season.

WHO TO WATCH: Ryan Broyles, WR/KR, Oklahoma

Whether it’s catching passes, running reverses or running back punts, Broyles is the Sooners' top playmaker. He led the team with 76 receptions for 964 yards and 12 touchdown grabs and has averaged 16.5 yards per punt return. And he has a nose for the end zone with 14 touchdowns that led the conference. His 1,565 all-purpose yards rank fourth in the Bob Stoops era and he twice produced 11 catches in a game. And Broyles is in line to become the first wide receiver to lead Oklahoma in scoring in the 72 seasons that the program has been tracking football statistics. When Broyles is making big plays, the Sooners have their best shot to win and quarterback Landry Jones’ confidence is at its peak. A big game from Broyles will be vitally important if this game turns out to be a shootout as so many bowl games seem to do.

WHAT TO WATCH: Oklahoma’s rush defense against Toby Gerhart

The Sooners’ rush defense is their strength on that side of the ball, ranking seventh nationally. With Gerald McCoy and Adrian Taylor at tackle and Jeremy Beal and Frank Alexander at end, the Sooners have one of the most productive defensive fronts in the country. But the Sooners still will be challenged by Gerhart, who ranked second in Heisman balloting on the strength of a late surge that saw him rush for 1,736 yards this season -- including an average of 185.5 yards and 13 rushing touchdowns in his last four games. With Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck doubtful because of a broken right index finger, backup quarterback Tavita Pritchard likely will lean on Gerhart more than usual. And considering he averaged 29 carries in his final four games of the season, the interior of the Sooners’ defense might brace for a big test in the game.

WHY WATCH: Can the Sooners turn around their recent bowl slump?

Oklahoma’s struggles in recent bowls have made the Sooners a national punchline with five straight losses in BCS games and three consecutive losses in national championship games. While the Sun Bowl might not have the national luster of some of their recent bowl games, just winning the final game of the season would be huge for the Sooners’ psyche -- especially after all of this season’s early disappointments. A triumph over the Cardinal would enable the Sooners to produce some positive momentum heading into 2010.

PREDICTION: There might be some concern about how motivated the Sooners will be in El Paso after playing in BCS games in seven of their last nine seasons. But the struggles in those recent games should have this group excited just to try to win a bowl game for a change. With Luck likely out, the Sooners will be catching a break. Look for the Sooners to try to control Gerhart and force Pritchard to beat them passing. The Sooners also look to have too many offensive weapons against a pedestrian Stanford defense that likely will have trouble matching them athletically. Oklahoma 38, Stanford 24.

Here's a look at my All-Big 12 team. There were couple of late selections that were affected by the Big 12 championship game. If you look closely enough, you probably will see where I made my switches.

Oklahoma leads the team with five selections, Texas had four and Nebraska and Missouri three picks apiece.

Offense:

QB: Colt McCoy, Texas

RB: Daniel Thomas, Kansas State

RB: Keith Toston, Oklahoma State

WR: Danario Alexander, Missouri

WR: Jordan Shipley, Texas

TE: Riar Geer, Colorado

OL: Russell Okung, Oklahoma State

OL: Brandon Carter, Texas Tech

OL: Trent Williams, Oklahoma

OL: Adam Ulatoski, Texas

C: Reggie Stephens, Iowa State

K: Grant Ressel, Missouri

KR: Brandon Banks, Kansas State

Defense:

DL: Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska

DL: Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma

DL: Jeremy Beal, Oklahoma

DL: Brandon Sharpe, Texas Tech

LB: Von Miller, Texas A&M

LB: Sean Weatherspoon, Missouri

LB: Joe Pawelek, Baylor

DB: Perrish Cox, Oklahoma State

DB: Earl Thomas, Texas

DB: Brian Jackson, Oklahoma

DB: Prince Amukamara, Nebraska

P: Alex Henery, Nebraska

PR: Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma