2009 Big 12 Preview - Unit Rankings

2009 CollegeFootballNews.com Preview - Big 12 Unit Rankings

2009 CFN Big 12 Preview

Unit Rankings

North
- Colorado | Iowa State | Kansas | Kansas State | Missouri | Nebraska

South
- Baylor | Oklahoma | Oklahoma State | Texas | Texas A&M | Texas Tech

- 2009 CFN Big 12 Preview
- 2009 CFN All-Big 12 Team & Top 30 Players
- 2009 CFN Big 12 Team Capsules
- 2009 Big 12 Schedules & CFN Picks
- 2009 Big 12 Unit Rankings
- 2008 CFN Big 12 Preview

Offenses

1. Oklahoma State
After finishing seventh in the nation in total offense two years ago, the OSU offensive machine was even better finishing sixth in the country averaging 488 yards and 41 points per game. Possibly the nation's most balanced and efficient attack, there are four superstars to build around in QB Zac Robinson, WR Dez Bryant, OT Russell Okung, and RB Kendall Hunter, with Bryant and Hunter likely to be among the top ten players taken in the 2010 NFL Draft. There's a little work to be done on a line that was dominant throughout last year, but there are good options at guard. A No. 2 receiver has to emerge and the dream season would likely go kaput if Robinson got hurt, but there's depth across the board and the talent is in place for the offense to be even more special.

2. Oklahoma
3. Texas
4. Missouri
5. Kansas
6. Texas Tech
7. Colorado
8. Nebraska
9. Baylor
10. Iowa State
11. Texas A&M
12. Kansas State

Quarterbacks

1. Texas
Talk about an abundance of riches, Texas is already stockpiled with superstar quarterback talent and then it gets Garrett Gilbert to groom for the future. Colt McCoy will end up in New York come Heisman time, John Chiles would start for about eight other Big 12 teams right now, and Sherrod Harris could emerge as an even better player going into next year’s battle for the No. 1 job. McCoy has had to do too much over the last three seasons, and this year the reserves will get in the games a little earlier.
 
2. Oklahoma
3. Oklahoma State
4. Kansas
5. Baylor
6. Texas Tech
7. Missouri
8. Colorado
9. Nebraska
10. Texas A&M
11. Iowa State
12. Kansas State
 
Running Backs

1. Oklahoma
Lost in all the bells and whistles of what Sam Bradford did with the nation's third best passing game was a rushing attack that tore off 2,779 yards and 45 touchdowns averaging 4.7 yards per carry. Chris Brown and DeMarco Murray form an NFL-quality tandem, while Matt Clapp is a tremendous fullback who'll pave the way when needed. Calhoun will soon be a great one.
 
2. Oklahoma State
3. Colorado
4. Missouri
5. Texas
6. Nebraska
7. Texas A&M
8. Texas Tech
9. Iowa State
10. Kansas
11. Baylor
12. Kansas State
Receivers

1. Kansas
Kerry Meier and Dezmon Briscoe might not be considered All-Americans by anyone, but they should be. They’ll be among the most productive receivers in America and they’ll take turns coming up with huge games. Meier is an established, reliable target, while the sky’s the limit for Briscoe, who’s already good as is. More established depth is needed and a receiving tight end needs to emerge, but this is a good situation overall.
 
2. Oklahoma State
3. Texas
4. Oklahoma
5. Texas Tech
6. Missouri
7. Kansas State
8. Texas A&M
9. Baylor
10. Nebraska
11. Iowa State
12. Colorado

Offensive Lines

1. Oklahoma State
Fantastic over the last few years, the line will be a major strength once again. It won't be as good as last year's line after it had the luxury of all five starters in place for the entire season, but it'll be plenty strong. Russell Okung might be the greatest lineman in school history, and the other four starters are big enough and talented enough to form a formidable front wall.
 
2. Texas
3. Missouri
4. Oklahoma
5. Nebraska
6. Colorado
7. Texas Tech
8. Kansas State
9. Kansas
10. Iowa State
11. Baylor
12. Texas A&M

Defenses

1. Oklahoma
The defense will never get the spotlight like the high-octane offense, but there are areas that are just as strong as anything on the other side of the ball. The defensive line might be the strength of the team with too many great pass rushers to get on the field at the same time, and they're all going to work around tackle Gerald McCoy, who could start in the NFL right now. With the return of Ryan Reynolds in the middle, the linebacking corps is loaded helped by Travis Lewis, who made 144 tackles, and Keenan Clayton on the outside. The secondary isn't going to be a rock, but it'll get a ton of help from one of the nation's best pass rushes and has great potential with corners Dominique Franks and Brian Jackson good ones to rely on. The depth is lacking in the back seven, but there are great athletes across the board. On the flip side, the line is loaded with a second team good enough to start almost anywhere else.

2. Texas
3. Nebraska
4. Colorado
5. Missouri
6. Texas Tech
7. Kansas
8. Oklahoma State
9. Baylor
10. Kansas State
11. Texas A&M
12. Iowa State

Defensive Lines

1. Oklahoma
As good as the OU offensive line was last year, that's how good the OU defensive line is this season. There are all-star prospects across the board with Gerald McCoy a superstar to take all the pressure off the rest of the veterans. The ends, led by Jeremy Beal and Auston English, will be camped out in opposing backfields while the tackles will be a brick wall against the run.

2. Nebraska
3. Texas
4. Kansas
5. Missouri
6. Kansas State
7. Colorado
8. Texas Tech
9. Oklahoma State
10. Baylor
11. Texas A&M
12. Iowa State

Linebackers

1. Oklahoma
The linebackers did what they needed to do to get by once Ryan Reynolds went down, but now that he's back the corps should be special. Travis Lewis is a tremendous talent who should be one of the Big 12's leading tacklers again, while Keenan Clayton will earn all-star honors. The starting threesome should combine for well over 300 tackles.

2. Texas
3. Baylor
4. Texas Tech
5. Missouri
6. Colorado
7. Oklahoma State
8. Nebraska
9. Kansas
10. Kansas
11. Texas A&M
12. Iowa State

Secondaries

1. Colorado
After a few disastrous years, the secondary bounced back in a big way with a solid season relative to the rest of the league. This year's secondary has several promising stars-in-waiting led by corner Jimmy Smith and Patrick Mahnke. It might be a no-name bunch overall going into the season, but that will quickly change.
 
2. Oklahoma
3. Texas
4. Nebraska
5. Oklahoma State
6. Missouri
7. Kansas
8. Texas A&M
9. Texas Tech
10. Kansas State
11. Baylor
12. Iowa State

Special Teams

1. Texas.
Somewhat quietly, Texas has been among the best in the nation in special teams over the last few seasons. Everything works, and with most of the key components back,it'll be a shock if this isn't one of the team's strengths. The kicking game is solid, the coverage teams are great, and the return game is more than just serviceable

2. Oklahoma State
3. Iowa State
4. Baylor
5. Kansas State
6. Oklahoma
7. Texas A&M
8. Kansas
9. Missouri
10. Nebraska
11. Colorado
12. Texas Tech