Big 12 Power Rankings: Post-spring... Ubben
With spring football across the Big 12 officially over, it's time to take a closer look at some of the recent developments across the league and update where each team stands in the power rankings.
1. TCU: Both TCU and Baylor will open their seasons in the top five and both find themselves with questions at positions their coaches know best. Gary Patterson will be able to reload in the front seven and linebackers Sammy Douglas and Mike Freeze have proven themselves as capable No. 1s this spring. Derrick Kindred will headline a secondary with budding stars Ranthony Texada and Kenny Iloka. As for the offense, if you're looking for a guy who's ready to go from good to great, look no further than receiver Kolby Listenbee. Gary Patterson says this spring he made the jump from a track guy who played football to a football player who also runs track. Quarterback Trevone Boykin will benefit.
2. Baylor: Is there anyone who doesn't believe Baylor's Seth Russell will continue the Bears' tradition at QB? He's the most athletic quarterback Baylor has had since Robert Griffin III and is preparing for his fourth year inside Baylor's system. Look for new OC Kendal Briles to use his legs more than Bryce Petty's were used. I'm also setting the over/under on LaQuan McGowan receptions at 106. (Or 20, but a man can dream.)
3. Oklahoma State: The Cowboys needed Mason Rudolph to continue to mature this spring, and by all accounts, that's what happened. There's no reason to believe anything different than what we saw in the final three games of OSU's season: The Cowboys have their franchise quarterback. The Pokes were one of the youngest teams in the country last year and return eight starters on both sides of the ball. The defense should be solid around Jimmy Bean, Jordan Sterns and Emmanuel Ogbah. If anyone keeps TCU and Baylor from turning the league race into a two-team contest, it'll be OSU.
4. Oklahoma: Dede Westbrook made my All-Big 12 spring hype team and could give the Sooners a much-needed second target alongside Sterling Shepard. The only question is who'll be throwing them the ball. Trevor Knight sounds like a man who needs to make big strides over the summer and in preseason camp to keep his job away from Baker Mayfield. Expect Oklahoma's offense to improve under new OC Lincoln Riley, but questions in the secondary may keep OU from making a real run at a league title.
5. West Virginia: Skyler Howard did Dana Holgorsen a favor by seizing control of the quarterback race, and his competition, the speedy William Crest, even spent some time at receiver during WVU's spring game on Saturday. With Karl Joseph and Dravon Henry roaming the defensive backfield, the Mountaineers will have one of the league's best secondaries, too. QB health has been the main thing that's held the Mountaineers back in the last two seasons.
6. Texas Tech: The Red Raiders jump over Texas by way of defensive improvements this spring that include upgrades at coordinator and on-field talent in linebacker Mike Mitchell and defensive tackle Breiden Fehoko. Both quarterbacks, Davis Webb and Patrick Mahomes, are capable of giving Texas Tech one of the league's most effective offenses and Tech's group of running backs continue to be underrated, even after DeAndre Washington's 1,000-yard season. Justin Stockton has built on his 396-yard freshman season, too. If David Gibbs can get the Red Raiders to grab a few more takeaways and limit penalties, Tech will surprise in 2015 after going 4-8 last season.
7. Texas: Is Jerrod Heard the guy for the Longhorns? He "closed the gap" this spring and showed some impressive wiggle in the spring game. Texas' defense will be one of the Big 12's best once again, but Texas isn't climbing into the top half of the league until it shows it has an impact player behind center. Charlie Strong says he just needs a "game manager" there, but please point me to the last "game manager" that won a Big 12 title.
8. Kansas State: Reaching a bowl game could be tough for the Fightin' SnyderCats with no Tyler Lockett and no Jake Waters. Charles Jones and Dalvin Warmack provide some hope at running back and will run behind an offensive line with four starters returning. Likely No. 1 QB Joe Hubener has zero career starts at any level and if K-State surprises with some vintage Snyder wizardry this year, it'll be on the back of its offensive line.
9. Iowa State: The Cycloneshave weapons and hope on offense, but that won't get them far without stark improvement on defense. Iowa State returns six starters on defense but only one All-Big 12 honoree on the entire unit that gave up 6.53 yards a play last year, worst in the Big 12 and 117th nationally. Safety Kamari Cotton-Moya won Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year but suffered a scary head injury in March. He made a surprising return in the spring game and snagged an interception. One new name that could help: Juco transfer Demond Tucker, who had offers from a handful of major programs but chose Iowa State and was hard to miss up front for the Cyclones.
10. Kansas: Has anyone ever had a tougher spring game debut than David Beaty? In one day, he announced two of the team's best offensive weapons--running back Corey Avery and receiver Rod Coleman had been suspended. He also watched Michael Cummings, his No. 1 quarterback, take a fluky hit on a scramble and go down clutching his knee. He'll need surgery and is out indefinitely. KU hasn't had a ton of horrible luck in the last five years but this latest run is only making a very difficult job for Beaty even harder.
With spring football across the Big 12 officially over, it's time to take a closer look at some of the recent developments across the league and update where each team stands in the power rankings.
1. TCU: Both TCU and Baylor will open their seasons in the top five and both find themselves with questions at positions their coaches know best. Gary Patterson will be able to reload in the front seven and linebackers Sammy Douglas and Mike Freeze have proven themselves as capable No. 1s this spring. Derrick Kindred will headline a secondary with budding stars Ranthony Texada and Kenny Iloka. As for the offense, if you're looking for a guy who's ready to go from good to great, look no further than receiver Kolby Listenbee. Gary Patterson says this spring he made the jump from a track guy who played football to a football player who also runs track. Quarterback Trevone Boykin will benefit.
2. Baylor: Is there anyone who doesn't believe Baylor's Seth Russell will continue the Bears' tradition at QB? He's the most athletic quarterback Baylor has had since Robert Griffin III and is preparing for his fourth year inside Baylor's system. Look for new OC Kendal Briles to use his legs more than Bryce Petty's were used. I'm also setting the over/under on LaQuan McGowan receptions at 106. (Or 20, but a man can dream.)
3. Oklahoma State: The Cowboys needed Mason Rudolph to continue to mature this spring, and by all accounts, that's what happened. There's no reason to believe anything different than what we saw in the final three games of OSU's season: The Cowboys have their franchise quarterback. The Pokes were one of the youngest teams in the country last year and return eight starters on both sides of the ball. The defense should be solid around Jimmy Bean, Jordan Sterns and Emmanuel Ogbah. If anyone keeps TCU and Baylor from turning the league race into a two-team contest, it'll be OSU.
4. Oklahoma: Dede Westbrook made my All-Big 12 spring hype team and could give the Sooners a much-needed second target alongside Sterling Shepard. The only question is who'll be throwing them the ball. Trevor Knight sounds like a man who needs to make big strides over the summer and in preseason camp to keep his job away from Baker Mayfield. Expect Oklahoma's offense to improve under new OC Lincoln Riley, but questions in the secondary may keep OU from making a real run at a league title.
5. West Virginia: Skyler Howard did Dana Holgorsen a favor by seizing control of the quarterback race, and his competition, the speedy William Crest, even spent some time at receiver during WVU's spring game on Saturday. With Karl Joseph and Dravon Henry roaming the defensive backfield, the Mountaineers will have one of the league's best secondaries, too. QB health has been the main thing that's held the Mountaineers back in the last two seasons.
6. Texas Tech: The Red Raiders jump over Texas by way of defensive improvements this spring that include upgrades at coordinator and on-field talent in linebacker Mike Mitchell and defensive tackle Breiden Fehoko. Both quarterbacks, Davis Webb and Patrick Mahomes, are capable of giving Texas Tech one of the league's most effective offenses and Tech's group of running backs continue to be underrated, even after DeAndre Washington's 1,000-yard season. Justin Stockton has built on his 396-yard freshman season, too. If David Gibbs can get the Red Raiders to grab a few more takeaways and limit penalties, Tech will surprise in 2015 after going 4-8 last season.
7. Texas: Is Jerrod Heard the guy for the Longhorns? He "closed the gap" this spring and showed some impressive wiggle in the spring game. Texas' defense will be one of the Big 12's best once again, but Texas isn't climbing into the top half of the league until it shows it has an impact player behind center. Charlie Strong says he just needs a "game manager" there, but please point me to the last "game manager" that won a Big 12 title.
8. Kansas State: Reaching a bowl game could be tough for the Fightin' SnyderCats with no Tyler Lockett and no Jake Waters. Charles Jones and Dalvin Warmack provide some hope at running back and will run behind an offensive line with four starters returning. Likely No. 1 QB Joe Hubener has zero career starts at any level and if K-State surprises with some vintage Snyder wizardry this year, it'll be on the back of its offensive line.
9. Iowa State: The Cycloneshave weapons and hope on offense, but that won't get them far without stark improvement on defense. Iowa State returns six starters on defense but only one All-Big 12 honoree on the entire unit that gave up 6.53 yards a play last year, worst in the Big 12 and 117th nationally. Safety Kamari Cotton-Moya won Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year but suffered a scary head injury in March. He made a surprising return in the spring game and snagged an interception. One new name that could help: Juco transfer Demond Tucker, who had offers from a handful of major programs but chose Iowa State and was hard to miss up front for the Cyclones.
10. Kansas: Has anyone ever had a tougher spring game debut than David Beaty? In one day, he announced two of the team's best offensive weapons--running back Corey Avery and receiver Rod Coleman had been suspended. He also watched Michael Cummings, his No. 1 quarterback, take a fluky hit on a scramble and go down clutching his knee. He'll need surgery and is out indefinitely. KU hasn't had a ton of horrible luck in the last five years but this latest run is only making a very difficult job for Beaty even harder.
