Big 12 Spring
Football 2008
What You Need To Know For Each Team
North
Colorado
The Off-The-Field Scuffles ...
Junior LB Jake Duren was booted
from the team after getting arrested on
suspicion of first-degree criminal
trespassing. He was expected to grow
into a big role on the inside, and
looked great at times in practice and
was a rising star, but head coach Dan
Hawkins is working to make sure that
there's little tolerance for
off-the-field mistakes. Tight end
Riar Geer is also in trouble after
getting arrested for allegedly getting
into a fight; his status is still up in
the air. The defense can go on without
Duren, there's young linebacker talent
ready to shine, but losing Geer, even
after a down year, would hurt. Even so,
Patrick Devenny appears to be the
team's new tight end star.
Staying In The Family ... Cody
Hawkins is the starting quarterback.
While Nick Nelson and Matt
Ballenger have shown flashes, and
each has done enough to make the passing
game go if needed, Hawkins appears to
have ended any questions about the job
being open by getting better and better.
The Running Back Situation ...
Buff fans are
hoping super-frosh Darrell Scott,
snagged away from Texas in the
recruiting process, is as good as
advertised, but he isn't a lock to take
over Hugh Charles' old starting job.
Sophomore Demetrius Sumler has
been terrific so far. The team's second
leading rusher last year has made a huge
impression and is the No. 1 back at the
moment and it's not even close. The key
being at the moment.
Scott will
have his say later this summer.
Iowa State
The Quarterback Situation ... It
seemed a lock that Austen Arnaud
would be the starting quarterback in
place of Bret Meyer after stepping in
and
producing late in his redshirt freshman
season, but he's in a battle with
sophomore Phillip Bates, who saw
time as a receiver last year catching
five passes for 73 yards. Arnaud can
move, but not like Bates. The
possibility exists of a two-quarterback
system come fall.
Who'll Be Catching Those Passes?
... With Todd Blythe gone, Marquis
Hamilton is the likely No. 1
receiver, but the passing game will
likely spend its time spreading the ball
around more. R.J. Sumrall was the
team's leading receiver last season, but
he's hardly a gamebreaker and will
continue his role as a possession
target. Freshman Sedrick Johnson
might be the team's most talented
receiver, but he's not ready to be the
main man.
More On The Ground ... Sophomore
Alexander Robinson was one of the
pleasant surprises as last season went
on, but he'll have to battle to for time
with the healthy return of J.J. Bass
from a shoulder injury. Bass, a top
JUCO transfer, ran for over 100 yards in
two of ISU's first four games, but
couldn't do much with his injury. Now
he's fine and looking as good as new.
It'll be a loaded backfield with
Jason Scales also in the mix and
likely on top of the depth chart this
fall, but he's the least talented of the
three.
Kansas
And The Starting Running Back Will Be
...
Junior Jake
Sharp is supposed to take over for
Brandon McAnderson, who ran for 1,126
yards and 16 touchdowns, but junior
Angus Quigley, sophomore Carmon
Boyd-Anderson, and JUCO transfer
Jocques Crawford will be involved.
The KU ground game might spread it
around a bit more than in the past few
years. It won't necessarily be
running-back-by-committee, but there
will be more of a rotation. In the end,
Crawford, the most special of the bunch,
could see the most work. He has the
biggest upside.
Who'll Replace Anthony Collins? ...
Collins was one of the nation's top
offensive tackles last season and one of
the main reasons the offense went
ballistic. Cesar Rodriguez wasn't
Collins, but he was dependable on the
right side. It's a battle for the
starting jobs, especially to replace
Rodriguez, with 25-year-old JUCO
transfer Nate D'Cunha giving
sophomore Ian Wolfe a fight.
Wolfe has the edge, but it's hardly a
sure-thing with the massive, but
unpolished, D'Cunha getting better.
Freshman Jeff Spikes is
considered the most talented tackle on
the roster, but it's asking a lot for
him to star on the left side right away.
Senior Matt Darton isn't Collins,
but he's more than just a replacement.
Replacing Aqib ... The Jayhawk
secondary needs a No. 1 corner to
replace Aqib Talib, and so far there
isn't anyone close to his caliber.
Senior Kendrick Harper has the
most overall experience, starting out in
the JUCO ranks, but true sophomore
Chris Harris will likely be the best
of the group and freshman Isaiah
Barfield and converted receiver
Ryan Murphy will get long looks.
Kansas State
Giving Freeman More Freedom ...
Now in his third year as the starter, QB
Josh Freeman is being given more
responsibility running new offensive
coordinator Dave Brock's no-huddle,
up-tempo offense. Basically, the KSU
coaching staff saw how Missouri and
Kansas flourished last year with the
quicker attack, and it wants the same
thing. While Freeman appears to know
what he's doing, the line needs more
time to get used to the rhythm.
Replacing Jordy Nelson ...
Nelson was
everything to the KSU passing game, and
while there's a ton of speed returning
Josh Freeman needs more reliable options
to throw to. With Deon Murphy out
this spring to work on his schoolwork,
it's been up to a slew of untested
players to try to come through.
Sophomore Lamark Brown is the
size and the talent to grow into the
role, but he's not a finished product,
and Ernie Pierce and Cedric
Wilson have a little bit of
experience, but everyone's in a holding
pattern until fall when JUCO transfers
Attrail Snipes, Aubrey Quarles,
and Brandon Banks come in. Don't
be shocked if the three newcomers are
the three starters on opening day.
45-29, Bulldogs ... Kansas State
wanted out of its date with Fresno
State, and it got it. The Bulldogs won
last year's game in Fresno, and the
Wildcats obviously didn't want anything
to do with an even better FSU team
coming to Manhattan. Out goes Pat Hill
and company, and in comes Montana State.
Fresno State quickly replaced the
Wildcats with Rutgers,
and now KSU head coach Ron Prince's talk
about not wanting to duck anyone goes
out the window. Making the wimp-out even
more unnecessary is that the game with
FSU would've come after a tune-up
against North Texas and with an off-week
to follow.
Missouri
The Linebacker Nightmare ... The
off-season couldn't have been much worse
for a Tiger linebacking corps that's
expected to be one of the team's
strengths. Strongside starter Van
Alexander, who made 59 tackles last
season, tore his ACL and while the early
speculation is that he'll be ready in
time for the season, that's asking for a
quick healing process. This comes on top
of Connell Davis, a reserve on
the weakside who was expected to play a
bigger role, quit the team, Sean
Weatherspoon, the team's leading
tackler, suffered a shoulder injury
that'll require surgery, and Marquis
Booker was booted off the team.
Replacing Tony Temple ... The focus
on the offense before spring ball was on
the running game to compliment Chase
Daniel and the high-octane passing
attack. The Tiger backfield appears even
better than ever with Derrick
Washington stepping up as the
possible star many were hoping he'd
become early his freshman year. The
5-11, 210-pounder has shown power and
good speed, while De'Vion Moore
has also been great and shown a bit of
flash running for 64 yards and a score
in a scrimmage. Throw Jimmy Jackson
into the mix and there might end up
being a bit more offensive balance.
Will The Punting Improve? ...
Adam Crossett was a three-year starter
with a big leg, but Mizzou was 113th in
the nation in punting. Former Oregon
State Beaver Jake Harry is the
odd-on favorite for the job, but
all-star PK Jeff Wolfert is
getting a look. The coaching staff would
rather not have the All-Big 12 kicker do
double duty, and he likely won't with
Harry appearing to be much better and
much more consistent after struggling in
practices last year.
Nebraska
The House That Bo Built ... Think
Husker fans are pumped up to wipe the
slate clean and move on? Memorial
Stadium is a sell-out for the spring
game with all 81,067 seats filled, and
new head coach Bo Pelini and his staff
are taking full advantage of the
excitement with the scrimmage to be a
prime showcase for recruits. These
events are always a big deal in the
recruiting process, but considering this
is Pelini's first really big moment as
the man in charge, the support and the
environment are expected to make a huge
impact.
Oh Yeah, The Running Game ...
Senior Marlon Lucky is still the
star of the Husker ground attack, but
the talk of spring ball, at least from
Pelini, has been sophomore Roy Helu,
a 215-pound bruiser who has shown
excellent breakaway ability. Even though
Helu won't beat out Lucky, watch for him
to quickly turn into a fan favorite and
possibly become the No. 2 back ahead of
sophomore Quentin Castille, a
245-pound thunderback. The emergence of
Helo and Castille as more prominent
figures in the offense, and with Lucky
already the main man ...
Cody Glenn Moved To Linebacker ...
Forgotten about in the running game
as last year went on, 230-pound senior
RB Cody Glenn was moved to
linebacker right away this off-season
and it seems to have worked out. With
several big replacements needed in a
linebacking corps that got worse and
worse, Glenn hasn't looked too lost, and
has even been one of the team's most
productive defenders at times. While he
likely has too far to go to be an
opening day starter, he's expected to
quickly become a major defensive factor
once he gets more playing time and more
experience.
South
Baylor
The Quarterback Battle ... New
head coach Art Briles will allow the
quarterback derby to go into the fall.
Miami transfer Kirby Freeman, who
was awful with the Canes, got plenty of
time with the first team, including the
spring game, and has been fine, but not
special. He completed 7-of-13 passes and
was shaky at times. Freshman Robert
Griffin has been an unexpected
surprise adding more speed to the mix
(he was a Texas all-state caliber high
school sprinter) and good efficiency,
while Blake Szymanski, the
opening day starter last year, is
neck-and-neck with Freeman for the No. 1
job. Briles likely won't name his
starter until late this summer.
The Big Defensive Move Could Be ...
Center/Guard Sam Sledge to
defensive tackle. While undersized at
265 pounds, the junior has been
fantastic at times on the inside showing
quickness, pass rush ability, and a
non-stop motor. While he's not big
enough to be an every down starter, he's
been good enough to potentially become a
regular part of the interior rotation.
The coaching staff wants the defense to
camp out in the backfield, and Sledge
could become the catalyst on key downs.
Considering senior Vincent Rhodes
is expected to blossom into an all-star,
the defensive tackles could become a
strength.
The Offensive Tackles ... Partly
by design to get rid of the ball in a
hurry and partly because the line was
decent in pass protection, Baylor gave
up a mere 22 sacks last year in 309 pass
attempts. The offensive tackles might
not be the Big 12's best, but they won't
be too far off. Senior Dan Gay is
a veteran 290-pound all-star in waiting
on the right side, but the real
excitement is over 298-pound senior
Jason Smith on the left. He had the
coaching staff beaming and could be one
of the league's breakthrough stars.
Oklahoma
The No-Huddle And Sam Bradford
... Bradford led the nation in
passing efficiency last season and only
threw eight interceptions. That's why
his three-interception performance in
the spring game opened a few eyes and
might get fans wondering if the new
no-huddle offense will hurt what was an
already effective air attack. Whatever.
Call it working the kinks out as the
offense clicked throughout spring ball
and should make the already great
Bradford even more of a Heisman
candidate. Backup Joey Halzle had
an up-and-down spring throwing for 177
yards in one scrimmage and completing
one-of-13 passes in another. Keith
Nichol was also inconsistent, but
overall he was fine.
Who Will Bradford Throw To? ...
Jermaine Gresham, Jermaine Gresham,
and Jermaine Gresham.
Wisconsin's Travis
Beckum will have a lot to say about it,
but Gresham might be the favorite for
the Mackey Award. The 6-5, 265-pound
junior caught 37 passes last season,
with 11 going for scores, highlighted by
a four-touchdown day against Texas A&M.
He caught a 51-yard touchdown pass in
the spring game and should be the go-to
target even though Juaquin Iglesias
is back and ready to be a No. 1
receiver.
The Secondary Will Be A Problem,
Right? ... Wrong. Reggie Smith, D.J.
Wolfe, and Marcus Walker are gone and
Nic Harris was out this spring with
a shoulder problem ... and the secondary
looked better than ever. Granted, the
offense was trying to work the kinks out
of the new no-huddle attack, but the
defensive backs dominated at times. With
Harris and senior Lendy Holmes,
the secondary isn't starting from
scratch. Sophomore Dominique
Franks emerged as OU's next
superstar corner with three picks in the
spring game coming after a great spring
session. Sam Proctor should grow
into the rotation at one of the safety
spots, and corner Brian Jackson
had some big moments.
Oklahoma State
Transfers, Transfers, Transfers ...
OSU is looking for an immediate
upgrade on defense, and if the spring
was any indication, it's mission
accomplished. Safety
Lucien Antoine
is a big-time hitter at safety, and
while he still needs plenty of work and
will give up some big plays, he's an
intimidating force. Maurice Gray
will be in the mix for one of the corner
jobs, and 300-pound Swanson Miller,
with more time on the treadmill and the
salad bar, could become a force at
tackle. Even with Orie Lemon
coming off a great spring session,
star JUCO transfer Donald Booker
will likely get the start in the middle
once he gets to campus.
Running Back By Committee ... The
rushing production will be there even if
Dantrell Savage isn't. Sophomore
scatback Kendall Hunter was
fantastic last year running for 696
yards as a backup, and he proved he's
ready to do more as a big-play runner
throughout spring ball. 210-pound JUCO
transfer Beau Johnson was a
superstar for Butler County CC and he
showed the same power and flash this
spring. He didn't look lost at all even
through he was thrown to the wolves
right away. Those two would be fine on
their own, and Keith Toston is
coming back this summer as good as new
after a knee injury sidelined him last
season.
The Bobby Reid Factor ... The
former OSU quarterback, made most famous
by head coach Mike Gundy's all-timer of
a rant, has stirred things up in a
recent interview, but he's not around
the program anymore and there's still a
hole to fill for the backup job behind
Zac Robinson. This spring didn't
help. For now, sophomore Alex Cate
would be the No. 2 if the season
started today, but he doesn't run much
and he hasn't been sharp. Brandon
Weeden is the likely third man in
the mix, but he'll get every shot to be
the backup if he can prove to be more
consistent. Considering the way Robinson
runs and the big shots he takes, the
backup spot has to be settled in a
hurry.
Texas
The New No. 1 Running Back Will Be
... there really isn't one. Redshirt
freshman Foswhitt Whitaker had
the best spring, but "Fozzy" will have
to share the workload this fall.
Sophomore Vondrell McGee got a
lot of first-team work, including in the
spring game, but he's not going to be a
25-carry back and will likely get used
in more power situations than Whitaker.
The coaching staff limited Chris
Ogbonnaya to get a better look at
Whitaker and McGee, but he'll be part of
the three-man rotation. At the moment,
McGee is the No. 1, but that's in title
only.
Will Muschamp ... Spring ball was
hardly for the weak around Austin with
Muschamp, the new defensive coordinator,
making things very, very physical
throughout. If you want to see a new,
angry, nasty Texas defense, this might
be it after having so many problems over
the last few years, especially in the
secondary. While Muschamp played around
with a 4-2-5 setup at times to see what
he had in the secondary against three
and four-wide sets, like Texas will see
against Texas Tech, the D will still
play a 4-3 with some different wrinkles
thrown in from time to time.
Does Texas Still Have All Its
Quarterbacks? ... Junior Colt
McCoy still has two years left and
isn't going to be challenged for the
starting job any time soon.
Backup G.J. Kinne already left,
star recruit Garrett Gilbert is
on the way next year, and John Chiles
showed off his tremendous running
skills this spring and isn't going
anywhere, and that includes another
position. So what happens to Sherrod
Harris? The sophomore will be lost
in the shuffle, won't be better than the
No. 3, and he might be gone. Stay tuned.
Texas A&M
Does The New Coaching Staff Know Who
Jorvorskie Lane Is? ... Apparently
so. Dennis Franchione and his staff
forgot about the bruising touchdown
machine, but new head man Mike Sherman
wants to get Lane on the field more as a
fullback. First, Lane, at Sherman's
request, has to get in better shape and
be ready to handle more of the workload
as a receiver and blocker as well as a
runner. If nothing else, Lane will get
the work he was missing last year.
Can Stephen McGee Throw In A
Pro-Style Offense? ... The jury's
still out. Sherman isn't going to stop
what was working and will let McGee take
off and run when the time is right, but
there's not going to be any high-octane
passing early on. The problem is his
non-throwing shoulder, which was healing
this spring and limited him from all the
workouts. That meant redshirt freshman
Ryan Tannehill got plenty of work
and Jerrod Johnson showed signs
of being the real deal. Tannehill has
been the better of the two, but Johnson
has been just dangerous enough to
potentially make the quarterback
situation interesting if McGee struggles
this year.
The Offensive Line ... All five
starters are gone and the line is
starting from scratch in more ways than
one. Forgetting the new players needing
to come together and jell, they're truly
learning on the fly in the new offense.
It didn't help that guard Lee Grimes
hurt his shoulder. Junior Kevin
Matthews will be the anchor at
center while Vincent Williams
will be the man at right guard with
Grimes out and Travis Schneider
will start at tackle. It's an open
casting call on the left side.
Texas Tech
The Running Back Situation ...
Yes, Texas Tech does actually run the
ball once in a while, and it likes to
throw to the backs, too. While
Shannon Woods has the experience and
Aaron Crawford was the No. 1 back
late last year, Baron Batch and
Kobey Lewis are being given every
shot at playing time. Crawford has been
the main man around the goal line, but
Batch has had his moments looking like
the No. 1 man. It'll definitely be
running back by committee going into the
fall.
Ruffin McNeill ... It's not like the
Red Raider defense was lousy last year
finishing third in the Big 12, but that
was after Ruffin McNeill took over and
transformed things. There will be even
more attacking this year and more of a
reliance on the ends to make big things
happen. With all the returning
experience in the back seven, McNeill is
playing around with some ideas and is
working on the line occasionally putting
the ends a bit deeper in a linebacker
role to give them more of a head start.
This will be interesting.
Edward Britton ... Everyone returns
on offense except Danny Amendola,
meaning junior Edward Britton is
expected to play a bigger role. After
catching 48 passes for 631 yards and
four scores, his numbers could double as
the expected No. 2 target next to
Michael Crabtree. That's still the
case despite being picked up after a
warrant was out for him after an alleged
assault in a bar two years ago, but it
doesn't appear to be that big a deal and
is expected to be cleared up.
