Spring
Preview
2008
Big 12 Spring Football Previews
By
John
Harris
-
2007 Big 12 Spring Analysis
-
2008
Early Lookaheads -
Big 12
-
2008 Big 12 Insider Spring
Questions & Answers
North
Colorado
Spring Practice Begins: March 17 Game:
April 19
The
early spring buzz …
First
year, disaster. Second year, bowl
game. Yes, expectations are heightened
in Dan Hawkins’ third year, but more
importantly, the excitement around the
program is back for the first time since
Gary Barnett was taking his
controversial teams to Big 12 title
games. Add one of the nation’s top
running backs in this year’s recruiting
class (Darrell Scott) and the positive
buzz is as loud as it’s been since
2001. It didn’t look good a few years
ago after the Buffs lost to D-IAA
Montana State, but the Buffs are light
years away from the program Hawkins
inherited.
The big spring question is … Can
any running back gain a foothold on
what’s going to be Scott’s position?
The Buffs haven’t had a recruit of
Scott’s caliber in a while, and now this
spring is an audition for Demetrius
Sumler, Brian Lockridge and Kevin Moyd
to step into the void created by Hugh
Charles’ graduation and provide a few
options. Scott will set the campus on
its ear when he arrives in the fall, but
the on-campus options can pile on the
carries this spring, getting a head
start on the Chosen One.
The most important position to watch
is … Cornerback. Terence Wheatley
was a big popping All-Conference
performer who was one of the only
positives in the secondary. Finding
capable cover corners is a must when
facing Chase Daniel, Todd Reesing, Josh
Freeman, and this year, Colt McCoy,
Stephen McGee and Zac Robinson. Gardner
McKay backed up Wheatley last year, so
he’ll get first crack this spring, and
while he won’t be the same caliber of
performer, he has to prove he can at
least be competent.
Spring attitude … This is Big 12
football, brother. Hawkins is starting
to get all his pieces in place, and
landing a Darrell Scott could be the
catalyst to take the program from good
to great. Now it’s time to take the next
logical step and compete for a Big 12
North title. The North isn’t the
walk-in-the park conference that it was
years ago, but there’s no reason to
shoot for anything less than a
championship.
Iowa State
Spring Practice Begins: March 25 Game:
April 20
The
early spring buzz …
Head
coach Gene Chizik’s era struggled out of
the gate, but improved mightily over the
second half of the season (other than
the 45-7 lambasting from Kansas). The
KU loss obviously wasn’t the
“finishing-on-an-upswing” performance
that Chizik was hoping for, but the last
five games showed that the Cyclones can
compete, and more importantly, that the
staff can make chicken salad out of
chicken spit. Do most expect a return
to a bowl game this year? Not quite,
but this is a program that’s trending
back upward. It just may take another
year.
The big spring question is … is
there a running game? Last season, the
Cyclones leading rusher, Alexander
Robinson, ran for 465 yards and fewer
than four yards per carry. With record
setting quarterback Bret Meyer
graduating, along with star receiver,
Todd Blythe, establishing a ground
attack is going to be project No. 1 this
spring for offensive coordinator Robert
McFarland. The Cyclones return all five
offensive line starters from the end of
the season, but they need to be better.
The most important position to watch
is … Linebacker. The defense
revolved around tackling machine Alvin
Bowen, who is moving on to the NFL, and
Jon Banks. No one will provide
Bowen-type leadership, but someone has
to step in and replace his triple-digit
tackle effort. Former JUCO transfer
Michael Bibbs and sophomore Josh Raven
will have some big shoes to fill, but
they have the coaching staff to put them
in the right positions. Chizik and
defensive coordinator Wayne Bolt place a
premium on quick, athletic linebackers,
so it’s a vital hole that needs to be
filled right away so improvements can be
made on the rest of the D.
Spring attitude … Chizik’s bunch
came a long way during the fall; all the
way from losing to Northern Iowa to
beating bowl bound Colorado in the last
half of the season. Chizik and his
staff established a no nonsense type
attitude, and it paid off late in the
season with the carryover into the
off-season. Now that the Cyclones know
what they can do, expect Chizik to
continue to push this spring with
nothing less than a bowl game expected.
Even if the team isn’t ready yet.
Kansas
Spring Practice Begins: March 11 Game:
April 14
The
early spring buzz …
For the
first time in a long time, the football
program is actually worth paying
attention to, even as Bill Self and the
basketball team look to make a big run
in the NCAA tournament. Lose in the
first or second round again, and the
football team will quickly get all the
attention (after the hoop screams die
down). 2007 Coach of the Year Mark
Mangino wasn’t nearly as fortunate as
Missouri head man Gary Pinkel, losing a
number of key underclassmen to the NFL
Draft. This Jayhawk team, with tackle
Anthony Collins and cornerback Aqib
Talib, would be a top-15 team, but
without them, KU has to fill these huge
holes to vie for Big 12 North honors.
However, Mangino has had to deal with
much bigger obstacles before.
The big spring question is … How
will the defense respond to new
defensive coordinator Clint Bowen?
Bowen has been on the staff for seven
years, and now he takes over for Bill
Young, who went to the University of
Miami after the Orange Bowl. Bowen,
only 35 years old, will keep the
defensive scheme nearly the same, and
with the experience that he has coming
back, he shouldn’t change much. Even
so, every spring practice will be vital
to getting everyone used to each other.
The most important position to watch
Is … Offensive Tackle. Right tackle
Cesar Rodriguez graduated after the
season opening a hole on that side.
While that’s manageable, things became
far worse once All-America offensive
tackle Anthony Collins decided he was
ready to head to the NFL, leaving both
tackle positions open for competition.
Jose Rodriguez and Ian Wolfe will vie
for the positions, but the Jayhawks must
find two guys to ably protect
quarterback Todd Reesing.
Spring attitude … It’s changed.
The Jayhawks are way beyond being an
opponent’s “automatic” win like they
used to be and now they must carry
themselves in that manner. Mangino
won’t have to worry about dealing with
overconfidence, but the team has to keep
doing what it did to get to this point.
Part of that is having an underdog
mentality, which might be tough to
maintain.
Kansas State
Spring Practice Begins: March 29 Game:
April 19
The
early spring buzz …
After a
strong first year under Ron Prince, and
a good first half of the 2007 season,
the bottom fell out in the final four
games costing the Wildcats a second
consecutive bowl trip. Now, spring ball
will be a stark contrast to last year’s
when the team was considered by some to
be a sleeper to win the Big 12 North.
This spring? The Wildcats barely
register on the championship radar. At
the moment, the buzz is dead, but that
might not be a bad thing considering now
the team can sneak up on everyone.
The big spring question is … Who
is Josh Freeman? For two years, the one
time superstar recruit showed enough
potential to be one of this conference’s
best quarterbacks, and he still might
be, but he needs to be more consistent.
The team’s collapse wasn’t Freeman’s
fault, he threw for seven touchdowns and
only three interceptions in the final
four games, but the success of the
program will always fall on his broad
shoulders. Without All-American
receiver Jordy Nelson and a proven
running back, the load is even heavier
on Freeman, who has to not only stay
healthy, but he has to take his game to
another level.
The most important position to watch
is … Wide receiver. Nelson is gone,
but Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, Deon
Murphy, is back, giving Freeman one
remaining weapon in the arsenal. Making
things interesting is the recruiting
class, picking up four key JUCO
transfers, led by Aubrey Quarles and
Attrail Snipes, who’ll be expected to
contribute right away. Freeman will
have the entire spring to get accustomed
to playing with his new toys.
Spring attitude … If the Wildcats
didn’t get the picture that it’s about
winning now, then maybe the signing of
19 JUCO players will. Prince has
assured everyone that this isn’t a cause
for alarm, but it’s a hard sell that
smells a little like panic. As Prince
is quick to point out, one of the best K
State teams, the 1997 squad, featured a
significant number of two year players.
Can history repeat itself? If Prince is
lucky, maybe.
Missouri
Spring Practice Begins: March 11
Spring Game: April 19
The
early spring buzz …
The
Tigers proved in the Cotton Bowl that
they were just as worthy of making an
appearance in a BCS bowl as anyone.
When Chase Daniel, Chase Coffman,
William Moore and several other
draft-eligible juniors all decided to
come back to Columbia for their senior
seasons, Mizzou went from Big 12 North
heavy to potential national championship
contender. Head coach Gary Pinkel will
need to temper expectations, but
anything less than a BCS appearance will
be a major-league disappointment after
last year.
The big spring question is …
Who
wants to protect Daniel? The Tigers
offensive line in 2007 was one of the
best in the nation, but center Adam Spieker and tackle Tyler Luellen
graduated leaving two gaping holes to
fill in this line. Redshirt freshman
Tim Barnes will need to step into the
shoes of Spieker, who started for three
years. Given the returning experience
everywhere else, this is the one
difference between a good and a great
year.
The most important position to watch
is … Running back. With Tony Temple
not applying for a sixth year of
eligibility, the Tigers have to find
steady production from the backs.
Temple, at one point this winter, wanted
to appeal to stay for another year at
Missouri, but chose to jet to the NFL.
Temple was the perfect complement to
Daniel’s passing acumen, and now Jimmy
Jackson, who’s lightning quick and tough
to tackle in space, will be the next in
line. Tony’s younger brother Drew, a
true freshman, will also be in the mix.
Spring attitude … Pressure takes
on a different form for Pinkel and
company. Getting out of the spring with
all limbs intact will be more the focus
than establishing a fresh attitude.
With so much experience coming back,
it’ll be vital for Pinkel and his staff
to find some depth behind the stars to
tweak, more than build. It’s time to
start acting like the Big 12 North
champions.
Nebraska
Spring
Practice Begins: March 26 Game: April
19
The
early spring buzz …
Bo knows
Nebraska. The Big Red program got the
hire many wanted after Frank Solich was
released back in 2003, and now former
defensive coordinator Bo Pelini has many
thinking that the Blackshirts are coming
back. At least, that’s the hope after
what Pelini did with the LSU D. However,
everyone will likely need to be patient
with a guy who has never been a head
coach, outside of a interim fill-in, and
with a defense that has more holes than
a golf course. But as long as the words
“West Coast offense” or “Callahan”
aren’t spoken any time soon, Nebraska
fans will be excited about the
possibilities.
The big spring question is …
When
do the Blackshirts arrive?
Unfortunately, Grant Wistrom and Trev
Alberts aren’t walking through the door.
Neither are Corey McKeon nor Steve
Octavien. It may take a while, but
there’s a fresh start with Pelini, and
defensive coordinator (and brother),
Carl Pelini, will need to find some help
right away and have to identify who can
actually play. The defensive line has
plenty of experience, and a Steinkuhler,
but…
The most important position to watch
is … Linebacker. Wide receiver is a
big issue, but the linebacker situation
is a bigger problem with a barren
cupboard. All three starters - McKeon, Octavien and Bo Ruud – are gone and now
senior Tyler Wortman, a career backup,
will vie for a spot with Blake Lawrence,
while Latravis Washington and Phillip
Dillard will push for the other two
jobs. The race for the starting spots is
wide open and may not be filled until
the fall.
Spring attitude … In some
respects, the Callahan Way/West Coast
Offense rubbed nearly everyone the wrong
way from jump, even though there was
more offensive statistical success than
the ill-fated era got credit for. Pelini
has some built in cache with the fan
base, and even though this isn’t a team
he recruited, it’s going to be a team he
puts his stamp on. Miracles aren’t
expected, but a return of Husker
attitude is. Immediately.
South
Baylor
Spring Practice
Begins: March 3 Spring Game: April 5
The early spring buzz …
All you need to know about Baylor’s
hiring of Art Briles could be summed up
by the angry Houston fans who can’t
believe he left for … Baylor?!
Let’s just say the consensus was that BU
got a steal and one of the best coaches
in the state of Texas. The buzz around
Baylor football has been nonexistent
since it moved into the Big 12, but that
all changed after Briles accepted the
offer to become head coach. A new staff
will help give the program, and this
university, a kick in the backside that
both have needed for a long time when it
comes to being a football school. Wait
until they get a load of Briles.
The big spring question is … How
will the Bears take to Briles’
diversified offense? When he took over
at Houston, he had the luxury of handing
the keys to the offense to Kevin Kolb, a
guy who ran his offense for his entire
middle school and high school career.
That’s not quite the case this spring.
Quarterback Blake Szymanski started nine
games last season, but can he take the
reins of this offense and be as
productive as Kolb was in four years at
Houston? He’s not Kolb. Could former
Miami quarterback Kirby Freeman rekindle
some of his former Texas high school
magic in one year in Waco with Briles?
The most important position to watch
is … Defensive back. Quarterback
might be a bit too obvious, but so might
be the secondary, the team’s biggest
liability. Antareis Bryan, Dominique
Criss and Cliff Odom are sophomores to
watch, who’ll vie for the two starting
corner spots. The good news is that
safety Dwain Crawford is back to man the
middle of the field, but the
inexperience on the perimeter might be a
problem for the Bear defense.
Spring attitude … The Bear
program can’t fall any further, right?
It’s vital this spring that Briles
establish his way, no matter the
consequences. Sure, coaches are paid to
win games, but Briles and his staff must
build this program the right way from
the start and build with each practice.
Although he couldn’t settle on a
quarterback last year until Case Keenum
helped make the choice for him, don’t be
surprised if Briles makes that all
important decision right away in spring
to establish a tone of confidence.
Oklahoma
Spring Practice
Begins: March 5 Spring Game: April 12
The
early spring buzz …
Things
are a bit muted after getting spanked in
the Fiesta Bowl, but that doesn’t mean
there still aren’t national championship
expectations. The loss didn’t take much
away from a strong recruiting class that
included stud defensive end R.J
Washington and running back Jermie
Calhoun. Bob Stoops has to find that
chip to put on these players shoulders;
for when this program has played with
something to prove (i.e the Big 12
Championship game against Missouri),
it’s been hard to beat. This spring is
the perfect time for Stoops to get his
players attention and get back that big
game mentality. That’s the early goal.
The big spring question is …
After two straight Fiesta Bowl losses,
how does OU get the train back up on the
tracks? The answer to this won’t come
in the spring, but the foundation of the
response to the question has to be
established early on. There are no
questions about the talent on both sides
of the ball, even with early entrants to
the NFL Curtis Lofton, Reggie Smith and
Malcolm Kelly, but mentally this team
went south in Glendale yet again. After
years of being “Big Game Bob”, Stoops
has been put under the microscope and
must respond with a big bowl game win.
He has the Big 12 down, now he needs to
prove OU can be nasty in the post-season
again.
The most important position to watch
is … Defensive back. Smith, DJ
Wolfe, Marcus Walker and Darien Williams
have all left the building, and while OU
always reloads in the secondary, it will
take a little work this time around. Nic
Harris and Lendy Holmes have experience
in the back four, but in the Big 12,
with the improved passing games, and the
addition of Art Briles at Baylor and the
West Coast offense at A&M, it’s become
even more important to be strong in the
secondary. The coaches really like
soon-to-be sophomore Dominique Franks,
who started in the Fiesta Bowl, but they
can’t decide to put him at corner or
safety.
Spring attitude … It’s hard to be
disappointed with back to back Big 12
Championships and eleven win seasons,
but the losses in the Fiesta Bowl have
taken a toll on the program’s
confidence. Stoops must get it back,
but it won’t happen in the spring.
However, he can set a tone for this
program this spring that it won’t be
physically beaten any more. The good
news is that the rest of the Big 12
South may still be a half step behind
Oklahoma, even with Texas Tech vying for
conference honors in 2008.
Oklahoma State
Spring Practice
Begins: March 3 Spring Game: April 12
The
early spring buzz …
The
Cowboys finished the season with another
bowl win, but it wasn’t exactly the year
many Poke fans were hoping for. OSU was
embarrassed by Georgia and Oklahoma on
the road, got throttled by Kansas at
home, choked away a sure win against
Texas (a third lost lead to the
Longhorns in the last four years) and
lost a 17 point lead at Texas A&M. The
program opens the spring at a
crossroads. Mercurial quarterback Bobby
Reid has taken his game back to Houston
and Texas Southern University, which
reduces a bit of the drama, but it’ll
take a bit more than that to get the
Cowboys over the hump.
The big spring question is … How
does the program take the next step?
Each year the Cowboys have NFL talent
and this team is no exception – receiver
Dez Bryant and tight end Brandon
Pettigrew are physical specimens, but
under Mike Gundy, OSU hasn’t been able
to beat the big teams on a consistent
basis and hasn’t turned the corner. The
answer lies in a defense that gave up 32
points per game in Big 12 competition
last season, so the loss of six starters
may be a blessing and a curse. Second
year defensive coordinator Tim Beckman
has his work cut out for him this spring
as he tries to change things up. Coming
from Ohio State, he knows what a staunch
defense is supposed to look like, but
his group last year wasn’t quite in that
league yet. Hellloooo JUCO transfers to
change to try to change that in a hurry.
The most important position to watch
is … Running back. Dantrell Savage
took over in 2006 and didn’t relinquish
the job until he was out of eligibility.
Kendall Hunter ran for 696 yards last
season and is Stillwater’s version of
Knowshon Moreno … at least that’s OSU’s
hope. JUCO transfer Beau Johnson will
push for time as well, but this is
Hunter’s position to lose going into the
spring.
Spring attitude … Sign seven JUCO
players and the message is clear – win
now. However, it’s tough to bring
together two-year players with the
current squad and establish the right
attitude to win a championship. Can
this team make that leap, starting this
spring? Probably not, but another seven
win season, including a bowl win is
still within reach. Spring needs to set
the tone for the fall.
Texas
Spring Practice
Begins: February 22 Game: March 29
The
early spring buzz …
The
Longhorns added another former Auburn
defensive coordinator Will Muschamp and
it couldn’t have come at a better time.
After taking a couple of steps back
after the 2005 national championship
season, especially in the “we’re the
more physical defense” department,
Longhorn nation craves a physical, nasty
defense and Muschamp’s defenses at LSU
and Auburn would work well in Austin.
He’ll challenge this group to win the
physical battle every day it takes the
field.
The big spring question is …
Who’s
going to emerge as the number one back
coming out of spring? The loss of
Jamaal Charles, who declared for the NFL
a year early, was made more significant
loss when five star recruit Darrell
Scott chose Colorado over Texas in a
fierce battle. However, there are many
around the program who’ll tell you that
it opens the door for two backs who can
bang more than Charles – Vondrell McGee
and Chris Ogbonnaya. McGee is smaller
and quicker, while Ogbonnaya is a bit
bigger and more powerful. Even if McGee
and Ogbonnaya aren’t the answer, a small
army of backs will be taking their games
to Austin in the fall (DeSean Hales and
Tre Newton, among others). In the end,
McGee will probably be the guy, but he
has to prove it.
The most important position to watch
is … Linebacker. Throughout the 2007
season, many Longhorn supporters
questioning why Roddrick Muckleroy
wasn’t on the field 100% of the time.
He and Sergio Kindle, who should be
ready in the fall, brought a different
feel to the defense bringing the hammer
on a consistent basis. With Muschamp in
charge and upperclassmen out of the way,
the Longhorns are going to be as good at
this position as they’ve been in a
number of years.
Spring attitude … Get tough.
That’s been the Mack Brown rallying cry
since the Holiday Bowl, and it’s
carrying over to the off-season. Being
fast and athletic is one thing, but
being able to physically change a game
is another. That’s what Muschamp was
hired to do. The offensive weapons are
always going to be there and the
offensive line improved immensely
throughout last season. Scoring won’t
be the issue, but if the defense takes
hold of Muschamp’s teachings and his
attitude, the defense will be scary.
Texas A&M Spring
Practice Begins: March 24 Spring Game:
April 19
The
early spring buzz …
The
Aggies have one of their own. Head
coach Mike Sherman has the Aggie
faithful buzzing, mainly because he’s
not Dennis Franchione, but also because
he’s returning to his old stomping
grounds where he was the offensive line
coach during the program’s successful
SWC days. The mix of experience at A&M,
his love for the program, and his NFL
experience have helped him win over the
old guard Aggies, however, the new guard
just wants results. The first
recruiting class, as hurried as it was,
was average, but the buzz around spring
practice, and the installation of the
Sherman Way, is at an all-time high.
The big spring question is … Will
Jerrod Johnson get a shot at the
starting quarterback gig? Stephen McGee
has been the main man over the last few
years, and one of the team’s better
performers, but throughout last season
many clamored for the hotshot recruit
from Humble, Texas. Johnson appeared to
be more of a threat in Franchione’s
scheme where he could use his legs more
often, but he also showed that he had a
strong arm and could throw effectively
enough to overtake McGee, who won’t be
going through spring practice. Even if
Johnson doesn’t get the chance to start,
can Sherman find a way for Johnson to
impact the offense in some way?
The most important position to watch
is … Cornerback. It’s hard to
imagine the defense formerly known as
the Wrecking Crew not having lockdown
corners, but that’s what has happened in
College Station. Although defensive
coordinator Reggie Herring came and went
before the spring started, defensive
coordinator Joe Kines took over that
role and has a similar, aggressive
defensive philosophy, which was
important to Sherman. That means more
blitzing and more man-to-man coverage,
but the corner situation has been bleak
the past few years. Danny Gorrer (still
rehabbing a torn ACL), Jordan Peterson
and Arkeith Brown have more pressure to
perform this year than any other group
on the field … outside of the offensive
line, which has to replace four
starters.
Spring attitude … Although
recruiting is the first major function
for a new coach, the first spring sets a
tone for his entire career. Sherman has
said that his first task is to bring
back a Wrecking Crew type defensive
mentality, so expect plenty of hitting
and blitzing from day one. Regardless,
the Aggies are in a precarious position
in the Big 12 South. Texas Tech will
make a strong bid for the South
championship, while Texas, OU and OSU
aren’t going to be losing any ground
from last season. A&M had better beat
Baylor to stay out of the cellar, and it
had better be nasty against the better
teams. Remember, the Aggies beat Texas
the last two years.
Texas Tech
Spring Practice Begins: March 26
Spring Game: April 19
The
early spring buzz …
Sit back
and enjoy the show. For the past few
years under head coach Mike Leach, Tech
fans got in the habit of going to decent
bowls and occasionally playing on New
Year’s Day, but the return of the entire
offense, other than wide receiver Danny
Amendola (and perhaps injured and
still-recovering tackle. Rylan Reed),
has the Tech fans thinking a little
bigger. Biletnikoff Award winner
Michael Crabtree is back and quarterback
Graham Harrell has thrown for over
10,000 in just two years, but the
defense will be improved, at least
that’s the hope, under the leadership of
defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill.
It’s all there for this to be Leach’s
best team yet.
The big spring question is … Can
the team make a BCS bowl run? With so
much firepower back on offense, the
answer will fall on the success of the
defense. With McNeill taking over as the
full-time defensive coordinator after
half a season of interim work, he has
all eleven starters returning, led by
safety Darcel McBath. The job of a Tech
D is different than most Big 12 teams,
but if they can hold teams under 27
points, there’s a good chance the
offense won’t have to carry things every
week.
The most important position to watch
is … Defensive end. Leach and his
staff added two junior college stud
defensive ends this recruiting season,
and both are expected to push for
immediate playing time. McKinner Dixon
and Brandon SeSay should make an impact
right away and give the defense some
edge rushing threats, a necessity with
the star Big 12 quarterbacks to deal
with week after week.
Spring attitude … The Red Raiders
did lose offensive coordinator Dana
Holgerson to the University of Houston,
and Amendola to graduation, but very
little else. If there’s a time for the
Red Raiders to make a statement that
they can be a true contender for the Big
12 championship and a potential BCS bowl
game. It’s all lining up for Leach and
company, and a strong spring to
ingratiate the junior college transfers
into the fold could mean the difference
in a potential championship season and a
trip to the Alamo Bowl.
