ESPN College Football

Here's the next in our look at the Big 12 rankings by position: Running backs.

Last year's class was one of the best in recent history, but this year's class? Unassuming to begin the season. There are a few possible stars looming, but very, very little talent returning. Cyrus Gray ranked seventh in rushing yards last year (thanks to an insane finish), but he's the only player returning to the Big 12 from the conferences' top 10 rushers in 2010.

That's nuts.

The Aggies are the only team with a truly elite backfield tandem, though I could see Oklahoma and/or Oklahoma State joining that group by the end of the year.

The rest of the league? Every team has at least a couple of players to get excited about, and teams 5-10 are all pretty close. No one is really understaffed at the position, but obviously, they're fit to be ranked.

Here's where I have them:

1. Texas A&M

I wouldn't have been surprised if Cyrus Gray and Christine Michael were the Big 12's top leading returning rushers this year, but a midseason injury from Michael prevented it from happening. Regardless, his return gives Texas A&M by far the best tandem in the Big 12, and arguably the best in the country. When Mister Jones isn't cranking the Counting Crows on his stereo, he's a pretty good reserve, alongside Ben Malena, who impressed me on my visit to College Station this spring.

2. Oklahoma

Oklahoma will try and replace do-everything forever (or whatever) back DeMarco Murray with a platoon likely led by shifty Florida native Roy Finch. True freshman Brandon Williams made a big impact in spring camp, and Brennan Clay will likely earn a few touches, too. Health concerns raise questions about a pair of other OU backs' knees (Jermie Calhoun, Jonathan Miller), but walk-on Dominique Whaley led the team in rushing in the spring game.

3. Oklahoma State

The Cowboys have a great pair in sophomores Joseph Randle and Jeremy Smith, and a nice set of backs to spell them if needed, too. Kye Staley, once a top-flight recruit, returned this spring after quitting the team following a severe knee injury, and might earn a few touches this spring. Also, Abilene, Texas, native and 2011 ESPNU 150 signee Herschel Sims arrives this fall and may jockey for time and the opportunity to shed a redshirt.

4. Missouri

What the Tigers lack in a truly elite back, they have in depth. Missouri has four backs who are all capable of being very good in the Big 12, even though neither of the four topped 600 yards a year ago. A big reason for that was none of the four got more than 100 carries, but with the carries they did get, every back averaged more than five yards per carry. The platoon approach works for Missouri, but senior De'Vion Moore and junior Kendial Lawrence will lead the way with sophomores Henry Josey and Marcus Murphy not far behind.

5. Kansas

Running back will be a strength for Kansas next year, who might have found a second back this spring that perfectly complements power runner James Sims, a rising sophomore who racked up 742 yards last year after not playing in the opener. Believe it or not, he's the Big 12's No. 2 returning rusher, behind A&M's Gray. Darrian Miller burst onto the scene this spring, and figures to be a big part of the team in the fall. I see him being the Jayhawks' biggest home-run threat. DeShaun Sands and Brandon Bourbon offer even more depth at the position.

6. Texas Tech

The Red Raiders lose backfield constant Baron Batch, but have a good group lined up for 2011. Tommy Tuberville's effort to establish a more efficient running game is a realistic possibility with Eric Stephens as the likely feature back, and Aaron Crawford, Ben McRoy and Harrison Jeffers in the mix. True freshman Ronnie Daniels' strong spring likely earned him some time, too, rather than a redshirt.

7. Baylor

Baylor loses a 1,200-yard rusher in Jay Finley, and figures to use a thunder-and-lightning approach with 6-foot, 240-pound bowling ball Terrance Ganaway and shifty, 5-foot-9, 205-pound Jarred Salubi. Glasco Martin, a more balanced back, may earn a few carries, too. Regardless of who has the ball, life is good for Baylor backs, who get a bit more room from defenses that are forced to respect Robert Griffin III's legs.

8. Kansas State

The Wildcats' top two rushers, including two-time league rushing champ Daniel Thomas, are gone. Hopes are high for Wichita native and former blue-chip back Bryce Brown, but he's still entrenched in a position battle with John Hubert and Robert Rose heading into fall camp.

9. Texas

Texas brings back a pair of seniors in Fozzy Whittaker and Cody Johnson, but if the Longhorns are going to climb up this ladder by year's end (and they might) it's likely to be on the back of hyped incoming freshman Malcolm Brown, who is on campus and set to begin fall camp. D.J. Monroe might be the fastest player in the Big 12, but he'll have to master the nuances of pass blocking to get more than a few touches every game. Jeremy Hills can offer some depth at the position, too, after Tre Newton was forced to quit the game because of concussions.

10. Iowa State

Shontrelle Johnson showed some flash last year, but he still brings just 35 career carries into his 2011 effort to replace Alexander Robinson. Jeff Woody and James White offer a bit more depth, too. Florida native DeVondrick Nealy might get into the mix if he can put together a strong fall camp.

Texas' Tre' Newton has chosen to end his career because of concussion-related problems after having a discussion with his family and doctors over the weekend.

Kansas State coach Bill Snyder also announced on Monday that senior running back William Powell suffered a season-ending injury. Powell did not make the trip to Missouri for Saturday's loss.

Powell leads the nation with an average of over 34 yards per kick return, three yards per return more than the next-best. He also returned a kick for a touchdown against Baylor this year. He's carried 23 times for 250 yards and four touchdowns, leading the Big 12 in yards per carry, at 10.87, for running backs with at least 20 carries this year.

Newton did not play in Saturday's loss to Oklahoma State, but he's run 64 times for 229 yards and three touchdowns, with all three coming in the Longhorns' season opener against Rice.

Newton, his parents and doctors decided it was best for him to not play. The sophomore will stay on medical scholarship and work with the team's running backs in the following seasons.

"He's been fighting a head injury. He's done everything we've asked him to here, an outstanding player for us, he's won some games for us," said coach Mack Brown.

Newton's father, Nate Newton, played professionally for more than 15 years, including six Pro Bowls in 13 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys.

Brown also said he expected Newton to work in the academic center.

"He's been an outstanding person for us, as well as player and he'll be missed on the field, but he'll still have an impact off the field."

1. The Big 12 North a two-horse race. The gap between Missouri and Nebraska wasn't astronomical before Saturday, but it was clear. Now? It appears to be quite a bit closer than when the world woke up on Saturday. A Tigers-Cornhuskers showdown in Lincoln looms on Oct. 30. After Texas' upset of Nebraska on Saturday, a Missouri loss to Oklahoma next week wouldn't hurt too badly in terms of winning the North. As for the rest of the division, well ... let's just say you won't see Missouri or Nebraska losing to anyone by five touchdowns this year. It would be shocking to see the winner of that game in Lincoln not win the North.


2. Oklahoma answered the bell as the Big 12's lead national title contender. With Nebraska out -- for now -- of the national championship picture, Oklahoma looks like the conference's top team. The Sooners had arguably their best performance of the season, delivering a 52-0 beating to Iowa State in Norman. The defense has been inconsistent, but top to bottom, Oklahoma looks like the league's most complete team, even if it isn't the Big 12's most explosive team. When it comes to passing the ball and stopping the pass, as well as running the ball and stopping the run, Oklahoma has shown that it has the capacity to be one of the league's best. Rare are the games Oklahoma puts it together for an entire game, but the Sooners did that on Saturday night.

3. Write off Texas and Mack Brown at your own risk. You knew Texas had a chance to win in Lincoln on Saturday, if only because of Mack Brown's success against the Huskers. I felt confident the Huskers would win, but Mack Brown showed once again why he's one of the best coaches in the game. G-Magic, Garrett Gilbert is not. But he showed the ability to run, and one of the reasons it worked was because I very much doubt Nebraska had prepared for it. Maybe I'm wrong, but it certainly didn't look like it. Brown used those runs to build a lead, and then handed the game to his platoon of running backs, Fozzy Whittaker, Tre' Newton and Cody Johnson, who carried the Horns to a win. And that's without even mentioning the way Texas completely shut down Taylor Martinez and prompted the second benching in three games for the freshman. Texas was aided by dropped passes from Nebraska, but the Longhorns deserved to win that game.


This was a picture-perfect game plan that salvages some of Texas' season and leaves it in the Big 12 South picture, should Oklahoma stumble.

Additionally, our condolences to Brown and the family of his wife, Sally Brown, who didn't attend Saturday's game after the death of her brother.


4. Baylor will get its chance to make school history. Before the season I thought Baylor had six games on its schedule that didn't necessarily require an upset to win. So far, Baylor is 5-0 in those games and 5-2 heading into next week's game with a chance to end a 15-year bowl drought. It will host Kansas State and probably be a slight favorite, with Robert Griffin playing the best football of his career. For all the cruel fate of last season, beginning with Griffin's injury and ending with a one-win conference season, this year has gone almost exactly as planned for the Bears, who are a couple dropped passes away from already being bowl-eligible.


5. Kansas might be historically bad after all. So far, Kansas has played two teams in the bottom half of the Big 12, and it's lost by 48 and 52 points. That's inexcusable. Kansas ducks Texas and Oklahoma on this year's schedule, but what's going to happen when it plays at Nebraska on Nov. 13? The Jayhawks have to get better fast, and quit losing in such embarrassing fashion. That's embarrassing for everyone in the conference, and right now, these Jayhawks are looking like the new Washington State. Find me a BCS conference team playing worse football right now.


6. Oklahoma State must be accounted for in the Big 12 title race. Missouri gets to definitively have a chance to prove itself against Oklahoma next week. Oklahoma State's turn will come earlier in the afternoon when it hosts Nebraska. Don't discount the difficulty of winning in Lubbock, and Oklahoma State did exactly that, in more convincing fashion than Texas earlier this season. The deeper we get into this season, the clearer it becomes that Bedlam in Stillwater on the season's final weekend may decide the Big 12 South. A win by the Cowboys over Nebraska next week would make that almost a certainty.

It made sense at the time, and in theory, Texas should have had the offensive line to do it.

"We did a lot of self study and found out that we had more explosive plays when the quarterback was under the center in the running game as well as the tailback being right behind the quarterback," Texas coach Mack Brown said during Big 12 Media Days. "The other reason that we feel like we need to go ahead and run the ball more and better is the last two years in the BCS we played two-back downhill running Ohio State, and this year we played two-back downhill running Alabama. And in both cases, we didn't tackle the great tailbacks very well. We feel like by having downhill runs and working more in the running game and against the running game in practice would help us if we go out in conference and see someone who wants to just line up and run us."

Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Texas probably shouldn't expect to run into Alabama or Ohio State this postseason.

Maybe the Longhorns intended approach is best for the long term, especially with superstar recruit Malcolm Brown on the way next fall. Texas wanted balance. Through five games this season, it's clear that the running game Texas hoped to establish won't arrive with any consistency, despite three senior offensive linemen and three experienced running backs.

Texas' best chance to salvage something meaningful from this season rests with putting the ball in the hands of its best offensive player: Garrett Gilbert. Gilbert's big mistakes have been limited and the offense has been most productive when the Longhorns have spread out and let him sling it.

Big deficits forced Texas to do it against UCLA and Oklahoma.

Now, the Longhorns should choose to do it.

Its most explosive play against Oklahoma's suspect rush defense didn't come with power between the tackles. It came from the shotgun, a jet sweep handoff to a streaking D.J. Monroe, Texas' fourth running back, who quickly proved how much faster he was than anyone else on the field with a 60-yard touchdown that brought Texas to within 14-7.

It's been five games, and Texas hasn't had a longer run from scrimmage than Monroe's. So much for explosiveness from under center.

Letting Gilbert, a sophomore who will make his sixth career start in two weeks against Nebraska, determine the result of Texas' season doesn't sound appetizing.

But can Texas really trust a running that is averaging more than four yards a carry? Remember, see that number drop is likely to drop when the Longhorns hit the meat of their conference schedule.

Gilbert taking over could also help speed the development of Texas' second-best offensive player, freshman receiver Mike Davis.

Gilbert hasn't shown a tendency toward game-breaking mental or physical mistakes. In his worst game of the season -- Texas Tech -- two of his three interceptions were tipped at the line of scrimmage. Deep balls to James Kirkendoll and Malcolm Williams against Oklahoma and another to Kirkendoll against Texas Tech showed his potential. The more opportunities he gets to nurture that potential, the better.

Texas 34, Rice 17: Not exactly the blowout Texas fans had in mind, but the Longhorns were in control for most of this game. Plenty of eyes were on Texas' three running backs Saturday, as they ran for 171 yards on 42 carries -- a four-yard average. Against Rice, that's not a very encouraging sign.

What is encouraging is Tre' Newton, who after losing the starting job to Cody Johnson, stated his case to earn it back. He was Texas' featured back in the second half, and got more carries than either Johnson or Fozzy Whittaker, running for 61 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries. Deep in Rice territory, Newton got it done. Johnson didn't. The offensive line has a lot of influence on that, but the number of touches in the second half for Newton vs. Johnson is hard to ignore.

An OK, but uninspired, debut for Garrett Gilbert, who completed 14 of 23 passes for 172 yards and no touchdowns or interceptions. Malcolm Williams and Marquise Goodwin had four catches each.

One other note: Texas' defensive backs could have made this win much more lopsided if they had hung on to a few interceptions, but they didn't have much trouble doing it last year, when the Longhorns had 25 picks, five more than any other team in the Big 12. Aaron Williams and Chykie Brown both had a pair of catches they could have come down with, and Brown's would have been an easy touchdown. Saturday was out of character for them.

We didn't learn a ton about Texas, other than the running game needs work. We probably won't learn much about them next week against Wyoming. That probably won't be the case when the Longhorns travel to Lubbock in Week 3.

Sure, it's Rice. But Tre' Newton made a strong case for more touches, instead of starter Cody Johnson, in the first half.

Johnson carried the ball nine times in the first quarter for 36 yards, but Newton has been the key piece of Texas' past two touchdown drives, carrying the ball six times for 28 yards and two scores, and Texas leads 24-10 at halftime.

Johnson has 12 carries for 46 yards at the half.

Johnson jumped over Newton and Fozzy Whittaker to be named Texas' starting running back after starting preseason camp as the No. 3 back. Coaches credited a leaner, faster Johnson for the move, and he's busted the longest run of the day for the Longhorns, an 18-yarder.

The biggest reason he won the job was his power as a 251-pounder that coach Mack Brown hoped would help Texas better establish the downhill game. But with one yard standing between Johnson and a 7-3 early lead, he was stopped for a four-yard loss on a sweep outside.

Newton scored both of his touchdowns from inside two yards.

Miss your team's mailbag? Here's the first two:

• Texas Tech
• Texas A&M

On with the show...

Dan St. Peter, Minn. asks: Who do you think has/had more pressure put on them, Freshman Colt McCoy following VY's run into glory or Grapes (GG) following his...um...encounter with the Alabama Defense?Do you think the "lights will be to bright for him" as they were for Nebraska's Cody Green or will he deliver as a freshman?

DU: First off, Grapes is a fantastic nickname. Although, it opens up the Horns to some too-easy jokes every time he gets sacked about what’s eating him. And I can only assume you’d have to pay Johnny Depp some royalties. I’m sure no one wants to get into that.

But to your question: It’s Gilbert. The hopes were high for McCoy, but no one expected him to do what Vince did. Even though he never got that national title, he was arguably as good overall as Vince was, even though they were very different quarterbacks. Now, the folks in Austin have seen that legends can be replaced and that it’s possible for Gilbert to be as good as McCoy—and he might be. No pressure, just replace the quarterback with the most wins in the history of college football.

I don’t think “the lights will be too bright,” but like McCoy in his first year (Ohio State, Texas A&M), Gilbert’s going to have his bad days and forgettable games alongside his memorable ones. But unlike McCoy, he’ll have a top-notch defense to fall back on and help the Longhorns “down year” be pretty high. The Longhorn defense finished 24^th nationally in scoring and total defense when McCoy was a freshman. I’d be shocked if Texas was that low this year.

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Eric in Dallas, Texas asks: Which running back actually steps up to take some of the load off Gilbert, and will Texas stick with the running game if Gilbert proves he is consistent and reliable?...........Or will Texas ditch running the ball around the UCLA game, only to try and revive it after OU takes a halftime lead in the RRR?

DU: Tre’ Newton and Fozzy Whittaker should receive the bulk of the carries, but I think the distribution will vary game-to-game based solely on who’s being more productive. As for your second question, I think the reverse is more possible. They’ll keep running the ball and I don’t see Texas losing a game until maybe at Texas Tech in the third game but more likely the Red River Rivalry. If they’re down at the half, I could definitely see the running game scrapped and the game put in Gilbert’s hands, depending on how he’d played in the first four games. If he engineers a comeback and beats Oklahoma, thus reincarnating the spread in Austin, well… let the legend begin. He looked really good in the spring game, and I didn't see any real negatives in his Easter performance against his own defense. Obviously, that wasn't the case against Alabama, but he won't see defenses like that every week. We'll probably get a good read of what to expect from him this year by the end of the Texas Tech game.

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Bobby in Austin, Texas asks: Why did you not put Texas' three-headed monster on your list?? I mean, Texas has so much talent to be afraid of, it is ridiculous! Garrett Gilbert will be the best QB in the Big 12 this year with all his skill and leadership. He already has 2 Texas state championships to his credit and several Texas high school passing records. Fozzy Whitaker and/or Tre' Newton will have a big year in the new offense with Gilbert being more under center. They are fast and shifty and can make big plays. And Malcolm Williams and Marquise Goodwin will have a party on the field this year at receiver. The size and athleticism of Williams could rival anyone in the conference, while Goodwin is one of the fastest players in the nation and can jump farther than anyone (proven by his national championship in long jump). So what gives?

DU: Who would you kick off my list for a quarterback with zero career starts, two running backs who have never rushed for more than 600 yards in a season and two receivers who have also never touched that mark? Oklahoma State has a couple of those, but they also have a guy without a real ceiling in Kendall Hunter and a chance to put up crazy numbers offensively.

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Larry in Salina, Kansas asks: Does Texas pay you weekly or monthly for your services?

DU: Bi-weekly, with per-post bonuses.

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Cecil in Plano, Texas asks: Mack Brown and Co. have a lot of work to do this off season and once the season starts. What are the realistic expectations for the 2010 Horns and what will you be looking for in order for them to make a championship run this year or next?

DU: The defense will keep the Longhorns streak of winning 10 games for the past nine seasons alive. How many more they win is up to Gilbert. If he plays well, Texas could go undefeated. The defense won’t be able to beat teams like Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Texas A&M by itself. If he plays poorly in those games, the defense will need to make a couple big plays or force some timely turnovers to win.

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Kevin in Austin, Texas asks: David, love the blog. I have a feeling that the post-Earl Thomas era for UT's secondary is going to be BETTER than last year. I think the added experience of Aaron Williams, Chykie Brown, Curtis Brown and Blake Gideon, in a defense that snatched 17 non-Earl Thomas INTs in 2009, will mature into the scariest secondary in college football. Do you agree and should the rest of the conference decide to focus on the run game versus UT?...(uh oh...Acho brothers....)

DU: I agree completely. Texas should have the best secondary in the nation, and that front seven will help them do it. The Acho brothers, Sam and Emmanuel, LB Keenan Robinson and DT Kheeston Randall will put pressure on passers and keep teams from focusing on the run. The entire defense will have a hand in what should be a good turnover ratio and a great pass defense, but the talent and depth that Texas has on the defense’s back line is unrivaled.

Texas' spring practice commitment to improving the running game has almost become an annual tradition in Austin. This time, though, it's come with a move under center, a departure from the wide-open spread offense Texas had employed with Colt McCoy at quarterback.

Texas offensive coordinator Greg Davis told reporters on Monday that meant the zone read that helped McCoy rush for over 1,419 yards over the past three seasons will be less prevalent in the Longhorns' offense. McCoy carried the ball over 100 times in each of his final three seasons, but with Garrett Gilbert stepping under center, those carries will be distributed back to the running backs.

"Anytime you do something a little bit different, it is exciting for them," Davis said. "I think that the backs and the line realized that we set everything up the past couple years for Colt to win the ballgame throwing the football."

Davis insisted the move wasn't a slight on Gilbert's skill or mobility.

"We want to be more flexible in the run game," he said. "To do that, we think that one of the things that we had to do was go back under center."

Tre' Newton and Fozzy Whittaker are the early front-runners to handle those duties, after an impressive start to spring practices.

"They have kind of separated themselves," Davis said of Newton and Whittaker. "We are going to take the last eight days and really take a hard look at Chris Whaley, Jeremy Hills, Vondrell McGee, and Cody Johnson and try to really have some decisions made as much as we can going into August regarding the backs."

Newton led Texas in rushing last season, carrying the ball 116 times for 552 yards. McCoy had 129 carries for 348 yards, but that number includes sacks. Whittaker had just 53 carries for 212 yards as a sophomore.

Davis added that he hadn't installed the goal-line package that helped the 5-foot-11, 250-pound Johnson bulldoze his way to 12 touchdowns, but did say Johnson "has done a good job."

And the commitment to the running game affects more than just the running backs and quarterbacks. The change extended to the five men up front who make it all work, beginning with the group's mindset to begin spring practices.

"We kind of went into spring with the attitude that we wanted to be nasty up front, and they have done a good job," Davis said.

Davis' tweaked offense will be on display in the Orange-White game in Austin on April 4.

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.

Alabama is coming off its best victory of the season. Texas is coming off its worst.

Mark Ingram will be battling the Heisman Trophy jinx in national championship games, and Alabama will be trying to claim the fourth-straight BCS national title by an SEC team. The last non-SEC team to win the title: Texas.

Those are just a few of the subplots in Thursday's Citi BCS National Championship Game. Big 12 blogger Tim Griffin and SEC blogger Chris Low take a look at the matchup and other factors that will play into it.

Tim Griffin: Chris. I saw Alabama in the SEC title game and was very impressed with the way they jumped on Florida quickly and put the Gators behind from early in the game. Do you think Greg McElroy can have a mammoth performance against a strong defense in back-to-back games?

Chris Low: Tim, it's ironic that you would ask about McElroy, because everybody was asking about him back in the spring. Nobody really knew anything about him, whether he could handle the quarterback position or whether he would even finish the season as the starter. I think it's safe to say that he's far surpassed anybody's expectations. He's such a smart player, knows the Alabama offense inside and out and rarely makes the same mistake twice. After all, he's only thrown four interceptions in 13 games. I've seen halves against SEC defenses in which quarterbacks have thrown three or four picks. But McElroy is not just a caretaker of the offense. He'll spread the ball around. He throws a nice deep ball, and is better at moving around and making plays than he's given credit for. In short, if the Alabama offensive line plays the way it did against Florida, I look for McElroy to have another solid game. That's the thing about this Alabama offense. They don't need him to put up mammoth numbers to win. My question to you, Tim, is whether Colt McCoy is going to be running for his life against Alabama like he was against Nebraska a month ago?

TG: If he does, Texas has absolutely no chance. But I think the fact that observers have been questioning Texas' offense for nearly five weeks after the Longhorns allowed nine sacks against Nebraska should serve as a motivational ploy. I look for Texas to try and dictate tempo early. Look for McCoy to try to use the Longhorns' one-minute offense, in which there would be little time between plays as they try to keep them out of their comfort zone. The Longhorns have struggled with their pass blocking all season. Look for freshman Tre Newton to get more time because of his pass-blocking skills. And I would also expect Texas to use tight end Greg Smith more than usual to have an extra blocker. In the Big 12, the Longhorns liked to run a lot of three- and four-wide receiver sets. I think they'll need the extra beef tonight. Chris, speaking of beef, how do you think Alabama's big offensive line will play against Texas' fast and quick defense. The Longhorns led the nation in rush defense, but faced four teams with defenses ranked 100th or worst. Does Alabama feel like they can exploit a Texas defense that is good, but hasn't played many good rushing attacks?

CL: Honestly, I think Alabama thinks it can exploit any defense. This Alabama offensive line isn't as big as the one last year and has relied more on quickness and angles than just lining up and mashing people. Alabama will certainly look to run the football and won't be afraid to use both Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson. It seems like the Crimson Tide always have a fresh back in the game. Against Florida, Alabama was able to throw it some and spread the Gators out. But that was just one game. We also saw Alabama struggle to run the ball against Auburn in the last game of the regular season, and McElroy had to bring them from behind throwing the football. Even in that game, after getting down 14-0, the Crimson Tide didn't panic and didn't get out of character offensively. What do you make of McCoy having two of his worst games against the two best defenses he's faced this season -- Nebraska and Oklahoma?

TG: Chris, interestingly those were also the games where he most faced consistent pressure from blitzes and had more trouble with interceptions. If Alabama can keep him from getting comfortable in the pocket and knock him around some, he could face a similar fate. The Texas offensive front isn't a great line -- by its standards or anybody else's. It's their biggest weakness, but really didn't impact them over the course of the season. The Longhorns had too many weapons and scored touchdowns in other ways to beat all the Big 12 teams they played.

When they played Oklahoma, they were facing a green quarterback in Landry Jones after Sam Bradford's injury earlier in the game. And against Nebraska, they were able to neutralize the Cornhuskers' big defensive effort because Nebraska's offense played so poorly. Chris, I think that Texas is going to have to get some cheap points -- say from a long kick or punt return or a turnover to have a chance. Is there anything you've seen that shows Alabama has got its special teams under control enough to withstand the pressure that D.J. Monroe, Marquise Goodwin and Jordan Shipley will place on the Tide?

CL: Alabama has not been very good on kickoff coverage. That's a given. So it wouldn't be a shock to see the Crimson Tide give up some long returns or even a touchdown. Short fields could be critical in this game, because neither defense has allowed teams to consistently put together long drives. The problem with exploiting Alabama on special teams is that the Crimson Tide have one of the best punt returners in the country in Javier Arenas and a field goal kicker in All-American Leigh Tiffin who's made a bunch of big kicks and also has great range. In short, unless Alabama uncharacteristically turns the ball over and/or is forced to play from behind the whole game, I think the Crimson Tide take home the crystal trophy and complete a perfect season. Alabama 27, Texas 17

TG: I think Texas is going to have trouble stopping the run defense. But if they can get some early momentum, I like their chances of taking this game into the fourth quarter. But at that point, Alabama will have too much power and gradually wear the Longhorns down, likely with a late drive like the one Florida put Oklahoma away with last season. Alabama 24, Texas 13

AUSTIN, Texas -- Earlier this season, Texas offense consisted of Colt McCoy throwing a lot to Jordan Shipley.

Short passes. Screen passes. Deep passes. All kinds of passes from one roommate to another.

But as the Longhorns prepare for Saturday’s Big 12 championship game against Nebraska, the offense has evolved with many more potential playmakers.

“Overall, we’ve worked hard, prepared and found out what works,” McCoy said. “We’ve got a lot of guys who can help us out. And now, I feel like we are really playing at a high level.”
Malcolm Williams produced a team-high nine catches last week against Texas A&M. James Kirkendoll produced four grabs that led to a career-best two touchdowns, including a pivotal 47-yard fourth-quarter TD grab.

That growth should lead to a change in the kind of coverages that Shipley is seeing because of his productive teammates around him.

“The emergence of Malcolm and Kirkendoll has been huge,” Texas offensive coordinator Greg Davis said. “That makes it tough to do special things to Shipley. It makes it good when they get the one-on-one and they come through like they have. “

And the Longhorns’ much maligned running game has showed some promise in the last several weeks. After failing to crack 100 yards in back-to-back games against UCF and Oklahoma State, the Longhorns have averaged 217.7 yards in their last three games. That binge was topped by the 293-yard effort against Texas A&M that is their best against a conference foe this year.

The running game got a varied lift. Tre’ Newton rushed for a career-best 107 rushing yards. And all of those performances came in a game where McCoy rushed for 175 yards and became the first player in Big 12 history and only the third in college history with 300 passing yards and 150 rushing yards in the same game.

With so many other weapons around him, McCoy’s Heisman chances have improved over the last month as the Longhorns have become one of the nation’s most productive offenses. Since the Oklahoma game, Texas has scored on 36 of its last 61 drives (59.0 percent) with McCoy in charge.

“It’s somebody different every week,” Shipley said. The good thing for us is that we have a lot of guys making plays,” Shipley said. “If we can continue to spread the ball around and all those guys contribute the way they have, we’ll be pretty tough to stop.”

Williams has produced 15 receptions over his last two games after notching 20 catches in Texas’ first 10 games this season.

The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder has always been considered a potential star because of his superb athletic ability. But his struggles in practice have kept him from becoming a consistent playmaker until late this season.

“It was just growing confidence,” Williams said. “The coaches are having faith with me to out and make plays. And Colt believes in me enough to throw me passes.”

Kirkendoll emerged to grab a career-high eight passes against Kansas before the first multi-touchdown game of his career against A&M last week.

“Colt is so poised in the game,” Kirkendoll said. “We go over all of this stuff in practice and it’s really just muscle memory. Everybody is comfortable with each other and Colt is just a good quarterback (in getting them the ball). He’s really like a point guard in getting us all involved.”

The contributions from the varied cast members are making things easier for McCoy. He has responded with his best play of the season and arguably his career over the last month. That late charge has helped him become more comfortable in his offense after some admitted self doubt earlier this season.

“We weren’t very good early in the season, and we were erratic at receiver,” Texas coach Mack Brown said. “We were running some inconsistent routes, and a quarterback needs to trust his receivers, and that just wasn’t happening.

“We had a different running back playing every week, and Colt was sick for two of the games. I think he had such a great junior year that he thought it was just going to happen. But we had to kind of reinvent this offense and go back and figure out who we are.”

The change has come for McCoy after all of the new weapons sprouting around him.

“Those guys are really playing well. Offensively, we’re a different team,” Shipley said. “We’re a different team than from when we played Oklahoma earlier in the year.

“That’s a tribute to our coaches and all the hard work we’ve put in. But you’ve also got to give credit to James and Malcolm for putting the pieces of the puzzle together.”

Texas approaches the Big 12 championship game with its first 12-0 regular-season record in history and momentum from a strong sprint through the Big 12.

And still, something appears to be missing as the Longhorns attempt to claim their first conference championship since 2005.

If Texas can beat Nebraska Saturday in Arlington, Texas, the path appears set for the Longhorns to make their second trip to the BCS national title game in five seasons. A potential matchup with Alabama or Florida beckons in Pasadena -- just like it did for the Longhorns to higher-ranked USC in the 2006 Rose Bowl.

Even with that historical parallel in place, these Longhorns aren’t approaching the conference championship with a lot of national buzz. Most are seeing their Big 12 championship game with little excitement compared to the SEC championship game earlier on Saturday. It is causing the Longhorns to suffer in comparison to both the Gators and Crimson Tide as “Super Saturday” approaches.

Texas’ performance in its 49-39 victory over Texas A&M appeared to raise some questions that the Nebraska game could be more of a challenge than expected. The Longhorns struggled on defense against an A&M team that came into the game as the Big 12’s most inconsistent team. Earlier in the season, the Aggies had lost games by 28, 48 and 55 points.

The Longhorns have benefited from a series of favorable breaks throughout the season. Oklahoma was missing tight end Jermaine Gresham from the start of the season. Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford made it through only nine snaps in the Longhorns’ 16-13 victory over the Sooners earlier this season.

Some of the difficulty of the Longhorns’ trip to Oklahoma State diminished when Dez Bryant was suspended by the NCAA. The Cowboys also lost 2008 Big 12 rushing leader Kendall Hunter for most of the season. Hunter had one carry in the Texas game.

Even their toughest nonconference game against UCF featured a favorable break. The Knights opted to sit starting quarterback Brett Hodges and starting running back Brynn Harvey in their game in Austin earlier this season. UCF coach George O’Leary’s strategy appears to have worked as his team has won its last three games. But it still diminished the challenge the Longhorns faced.

The Longhorns have lost three tight ends during the season, including projected starter Blaine Irby. So it’s not like their rivals are alone in injury losses. But Texas appears to have gotten its fair share of breaks.

The Longhorns have relied on Colt McCoy’s short passing as their major offensive weapon – mainly to wide receiver Jordan Shipley. Their running game has been sporadic, but appears to be coming on as the season continues with the recent emergence of Tre’ Newton.

Texas’ defense had been the Longhorns’ major strength before being gouged by the Aggies for season-high totals in points and total yards. Before that game, the Longhorns had given up 37 points combined in their last three games and had allowed more than 21 points only once this season -- in a 34-24 victory over Texas Tech on Sept. 19.

Before that stumble, Texas had produced a remarkably consistent statistical season. The Longhorns still rank among the top 16 teams nationally in 13 of the 17 categories tracked by the NCAA. Included in those are first in rush defense, third in scoring, sacks, tackles for losses and kickoff returns, fifth in total defense, eighth in scoring defense and ninth in scoring defense.

Critics contend those numbers have been swelled by playing in a weaker-than-expected Big 12 and against a nonconference schedule that featured no opponents from conferences with automatic bids into the BCS.

Their margin over fourth-place TCU eroded from 114 points to 98 points in Sunday’s Associated Press poll. While it doesn’t appear that Texas is in danger of being lapped by TCU or Cincinnati, it still is indicative that the Longhorns’ status as a legitimate title contender could be called into question by some media members.

Texas should be a heavy favorite in the championship game. But it always hasn’t benefited them, especially in a game with similar circumstances eight years ago.

In that 2001 title game, Texas had a similar open path to the national championship game. All the Longhorns had to do was beat Colorado to qualify for a chance to meet Miami for the title.

Instead, the Buffaloes jumped all over them in a surprising 39-37 victory that sent the Longhorns spinning to the Holiday Bowl after their BCS title game hopes had appeared set with a victory.

Since then, Texas coach Mack Brown has learned to trust his coordinators more and become more of a delegator of authority. It has resulted in one national championship, a five-game bowl winning streak and seven consecutive finishes inside the top 13 at the end of the season.

That recent surge has helped change the national perception of his team from some of his earlier Texas squads, which always had trouble beating Oklahoma. In those days, Brown was known as “Mr. February” because his strong recruiting didn’t always translate into on-the-field success against the Sooners. Brown didn’t claim his first Big 12 title until 2005.

That image has changed. But the Longhorns still need a convincing victory Saturday to prove their legitimacy to much of the country heading into the national title game.

Texas and Texas A&M will hook up for the 116^th time in their storied series Thursday night at Kyle Field.

The No. 3 Longhorns hope to take another step toward the BCS National Championship Game. And their most bitter traditional rivals would like nothing more than to stop their trip.

Here are three keys for each team heading into Thursday’s game.

Texas

• Get the running game started: The Longhorns have sputtered all season trying to move the ball on the ground. They’ve shown some flashes in recent weeks as Tre’ Newton has gotten healthy and assumed the featured back role. And offensive coordinator Greg Davis also has Cody Johnson and several others ready to contribute depending on game situations. If Texas can run the ball well, it will get them into favorable down-and-distance situations where Colt McCoy can pick apart a leaky A&M defense that ranks 82^nd in pass efficiency defense and 110^th in pass defense.
• Tackle better in space: Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp was angry after the Longhorns’ victory over Kansas because nine missed tackles led to 97 yards of extra yardage. Texas A&M will hit the Longhorns with an even more talented group of athletes including Jeff Fuller, Uzoma Nwachukwu, Jamie McCoy, Cyrus Gray and Christine Michael. All are capable of burning Texas for big plays if given the chance. The Longhorns’ strong defense needs to take care of something as basic as tackling if they want to reach their championship aims. Thursday’s game will be a good test.
• It’s a rivalry game. Deal with it: Texas will be facing its biggest challenge in a true road game this season when it travels to Kyle Field. Texas has lost eight of its last 12 games at Kyle Field, including a 2007 game in which they inexplicably couldn’t cover A&M’s seldom-used passing attack. The crowd will be howling from the start of the game. It will be important for Texas to play like a championship team, taking control early and silencing the Aggies' fans with a strong start.

Texas A&M

• Attack on defense: The Aggies will come into the game decided underdogs with one of the conference’s youngest defenses. Even with that decided disadvantage, the Aggies can’t be passive. They need to take the fight to the Longhorns from the beginning of the game, particularly on defense. Getting Von Miller around mammoth Texas tackle Adam Ulatoski will be important. McCoy has been susceptible to turnovers in the past, particularly against the Aggies. The Aggies would love to rattle him early -- again.
• Don’t blink because of the television cameras: The Aggies are 6-0 in games that have not been televised this season and 0-5 in games that have been telecast. But with this being a rivalry game the nation's watching, expect the young but developing Aggies not to be nearly as shy. A sellout crowd at Kyle Field will help them fight through any timidity.
• Make the special teams special: Texas has struggled covering kickoffs all season and were blistered for a 98-yard return for a touchdown last week by Kansas’ Dezmon Briscoe. Cyrus Gray is a threat every time he touches the ball with a 25.5 yard average ranking third in the conference. A big play would provide the Aggies with a surge of confidence they desperately need.

It was the kind of play that delighted old-school Texas fans who are still a little wary about the team’s reliance on the spread offense.

So when Colt McCoy lined up directly under center last week against Baylor and then handed off to redshirt freshman Tre' Newton, it was a start. But when Newton sharply veered before producing a textbook cutback that finished off a scintillating touchdown run 45 yards later, it was like old times for the Orangebloods.

Maybe Cedric Benson, Ricky Williams or Earl Campbell weren’t coming back any time soon. But it still was a signal that the Longhorns hadn’t ditched their traditional running attack completely and could still move the ball on the ground when they needed to.

The installation of Cody Johnson as the starter and Newton as the speedy backup is indicative that Mack Brown has turned to two precocious but talented parts of his stable of backs for a late-season lift.

“We needed balance and we felt we could do a few things with Cody and Tre’,” Brown said. “They both stepped up. We feel our offense can be really good if we are balanced.”

With 224 yards rushing and 187 yards passing against the Bears, the Longhorns had more rushing yardage than passing yardage for only the second time all season.

“Basically, running the ball was our No. 1 concern,” said Johnson, who was the fourth different Longhorn to start at tailback this season. "Of course, we can still pass the ball, but we put a huge focus on running the ball and being more effective when we were out there. And I think the way we did it opened up a lot of eyes out there.”

Brown has yet to identify a featured back. But he appears to have growing comfort in the “Thunder and Lightning” tailback tandem of Johnson and Newton to perhaps alternate in that role.

Newton, who rushed for 80 yards, has been installed as the team’s primary backup heading into Saturday’s game against Kansas. It’s a signal, Brown said, that the team’s rushing attack appears “headed in the right direction.”

“Every time we’ve put Cody in, he’s made yards,” Brown told reporters earlier this week. “And when Tre’s in, he’s made yards, too.”

Running the ball had been a real concern for the Longhorns, who had produced only 297 rushing yards on 100 carries in their three previous games before playing Baylor.

A simplified playbook that relied on a handful of running plays helped spark the Longhorns to an impressive 6.4 yards-per-carry average against Baylor. It was their best performance against any conference foe this season.

Sure, the Bears came into the game ranked only 82nd nationally in rush defense, but it was still a strong sign of the return of the Longhorns’ ground attack.

Johnson had struggled with problems with his weight before finally rounding into shape over the last several weeks. His bullish running style appears to improve with the more carries he receives. He gained 109 yards after notching a career-best 19 carries last week.

“Backs I’ve been around like Ricky [Williams] and Cedric [Benson], they got better and better the more snaps they got,” Texas offensive coordinator Greg Davis said. “They would see things, lather up and really get going. I think the same started happening for Cody after we got him going.”

Newton had been hobbled since sustaining a concussion in a victory against Colorado last month. After a recovery of several weeks, it appears he is nearing peak performance.

"It feels good being back," Newton said. "It's always frustrating when you can't help your team. You have to stay focused and just be ready to help out when you get your chance."

Together, their divergent talents provide a good combination in the Texas backfield.

“Cody is just a beast out there -- he’s so physical,” Texas guard Charlie Tanner said. “And Tre’ is awesome. You give him an extra second and he’s gone. He has a great burst and can just run by people if you give him a chance.”

The Texas offense will remain centered on McCoy and the passing game. But the development of Johnson and Newton gives the Longhorns hope of balance that had been missing much of the season.

“This shows the world we can actually run the ball,” Johnson said. “It’s not just the passing game. We can actually line up and run the ball. And now, they have to respect both the run and the pass when they play us.”

The upset bug didn't bite nearly as badly last week. My predictions were better because of it.

Everything turned out for me except for Missouri's surprising beatdown at Kansas State. I thought the Wildcats' perfect home record before last week would give them an edge.

I was wrong.

But the rest of the picks made up for it in a strong week with only one miss.

This will be the complete week of the season. Hopefully, I'm set for a strong finish with these picks.

Oklahoma State 34, Colorado 14: Zac Robinson's playing condition is iffy and the Cowboys have struggled passing the ball very effectively in recent weeks. But it won't matter Thursday night as they will be playing for their hopes as a BCS at-large team before a national television audience. That should help boost OSU's strong running tandem of Keith Toston and Kendall Hunter to have big games, no matter if Robinson plays or not. And look for a big effort from the underrated Oklahoma State defense, which has limited four of its last five opponents to 17 points or less.

Nebraska 28, Kansas State 17: The North Division title is up for grabs in this winner-take-all battle. The Cornhuskers' running game will be tested by Kansas State's gritty defensive front which has overachieved all season. Roy Helu Jr. has been Nebraska's key offensive threat in recent weeks, but Zac Lee needs to continue to build on his strong effort of last week against Kansas to balance the Cornhuskers' attack. Kansas State figures to struggle against the Cornhuskers' defensive front and will need to stay ahead of the chains to keep Grant Gregory from too many long-yardage situations. Bill Snyder will try to dictate the pace by shortening the number of possessions and keeping the game away from the Cornhuskers as much as possible. But Nebraska has too much defense to let the division title slip away.

Texas 45, Kansas 14: It should be an emotional game as Colt McCoy, Sergio Kindle & Co. play their last home game. Look for the Longhorns to try to build on their strong running performance that was developed last week at Baylor with featured ball carriers Cody Johnson and Tre' Newton getting most of the carries. Kansas has been through an emotional wringer this week with all of the discussion about Mark Mangino's coaching methods called into question. Todd Reesing will return home to play in Austin. The Jayhawks showed some improvement last week against Nebraska, but playing the No. 3 Longhorns in Austin will be an entirely different matter.

Oklahoma 28, Texas Tech 24: A rare matchup between these two old rivals without championship ramifications seems a little strange. But the Sooners will be looking to rebound after struggles on the road all season. Landry Jones bounced back with a big game last week, but the biggest story was the return of DeMarco Murray. If he's on, the Red Raiders will have difficulty matching Oklahoma's athleticism on offense. The Red Raiders have questions at quarterback and will be supremely challenged by the Sooners' strong defense. That combination should be enough to enable them to escape from Lubbock with a win.

Texas A&M 27, Baylor 21: Both teams have bowl aspirations in a must-win game for the Bears. Because of that, I expect them to play much better than last week against Texas. They have confidence from beating A&M soundly in Waco last season. But A&M has too manyoffensive weapons this season, starting with Jerrod Johnson and receivers Jeff Fuller and Uzoma Nwachukwu. Art Briles will make this a battle, but the Aggies have too much firepower not to continue their long winning streak over Baylor at Kyle Field, which dates to 1984.

Missouri 34, Iowa State 17: Gary Pinkel's team will be looking to play strong back-to-back conference games for the first time all season. Danario Alexander gives them solid hopes of being able to do that, as well as make some personal history against the smallish ISU secondary. The plucky Cyclones have given up a lot of yards, but have done a good job close to their end zone on defense. Missouri has too many athletic weapons for them as the running game might rebound this week behind Derrick Washington, along with Alexander's sizable contributions. And the Missouri defense came through last week with a big performance in clamping down on Kansas State's running attack. Iowa State has similar offensive aims, which should be a benefit to the Tigers.

Last week: 5-1 (83.3 percent)

Season record: 64-22 (74.4 percent)