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| Mike Gundy |
In recent seasons, fans and media have talked more about Mike Gundy's unique mullet than they have about his football team.
This is the year that could change.
Gundy has his best team in his 13 years of coaching, including as many offensive weapons as any team in the country. Quarterback Mason Rudolph (4,091 yards, 28 TDs, 4 INTs) is talented and experienced, and has great receivers in James Washington (71-1,142-9) -- a likely top 10 pick in next year's NFL Draft -- and Jalen McClesky, who actually led the Cowboys with 73 receptions in 2016. Underrated running back Justice Hill ran for over 1,100 yards, so defending this bunch could prove to be an exercise in futility.
"They should be very good," Gundy said. "We're fortunate that we have an experienced quarterback that our team trusts. They have a lot of respect for him. He's played injured throughout his career. He's unselfish. We have a group of wideouts that are certainly the best as a group that I've ever been around. They're unselfish. They understand that there's not enough footballs to go around. We're going to do the best to stay involved. Some of them are going to draw a safety over the top. Some can draw a little double coverage. We have to go with our group of guys. We've evolved as a running team again in the last year with Justice. We need a backup there."
Getting Oklahoma at home in early November is a bonus, as is a schedule that lines up very well for a big season -- TCU and Kansas State at home, and only a road game against Pitt as a real stumbling block, which means the Cowboys (10-3, 7-2) could be a prime contender for a berth in the Big 12's first-ever championship game.
Speaking of the Sooners, they certainly will not go gently into that good night, even with a neophyte as head coach.
Lincoln Riley takes over from Bob Stoops, who stunningly announced his retirement in early June, but he has plenty of building blocks in place to keep Oklahoma (11-2, 9-0) at the top of the Big 12 heap.
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| Baker Mayfield |
Quarterback Baker Mayfield ((3,965 yards, 40 TDs, 8 INTs) returns as a top Heisman candidate, though he will be more of the focus this year as his running backs and receivers from last year graduated or went to the NFL. Fortunately for him, tight end Mark Andrews returns. He should easily surpass his 31 catch total from a year ago, and will be Mayfield's security blanket while unproven players gain experience at the skill positions. The defense is rebuilding, and the schedule is grueling -- trips to Ohio State, Kansas State and Oklahoma State. It could be a tall order for a first-year coach, even one as familiar with Norman as Riley is.
"The expectations are there to win, like they always are at Oklahoma, but that's something that I enjoy and something that our staff enjoys, and our players," Riley said. "You come to play and coach at Oklahoma to win and to win big. It's always been like that. If you don't enjoy that sense of pressure and those expectations, then it's probably not the place for you."
Riley isn't the only new Big 12 boss, and certainly isn't the most publicized. That honor falls to Tom Herman, who takes over at Texas after molding Houston into a premier Group of Five program. The Longhorns (5-7, 3-6) are starving for success after three straight losing seasons under Charlie Strong, and Herman has infused new life and belief into the players.
He has pieces, including quarterback Shane Buechele (2,958 yards, 21 TDs, 11 INTs) and running back Chris Warren (5.9 ypg), and defensive stalwart Malik Jefferson at linebacker. Whether or not he has enough depth to really contend this year is a big concern.
"I feel good that these guys are willing to do whatever we ask them to coming off the three-year stretch that this program has had," Herman added. "They don't want that to be their legacy. They want to be remembered as the team and the group that turned this thing around. I think we're well on our way."
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| Bill Snyder |
Often overlooked is Kansas State (9-4, 6-3), yet the Wildcats will once again be squarely in the hunt with an experienced team -- and the ever-present Bill Snyder on the sidelines. Snyder underwent treatments for throat cancer early in 2017, but appears to be back to full health and has a positive outlook. And with the team he has this year, he should be positive.
Quarterback Jesse Ertz is the best dual threat in the league, passing for 1,755 yards and rushing for 1,012, and had 21 total touchdowns via ground and air. Receiver Byron Pringle (39-631-4) is a big-play component for an offense that wants to ground and pound, but K-State will, as usual, rely on its defense, which should be the best in the Big 12. Even without defensive end Jordan Willis and linebacker Elijah Lee, the Wildcats will be grudging on the stop side. Reggie Walker had 6.5 sacks as a freshman, and corner D.J. Reed was among the nation's leaders in passes defended (19).
"We really share one same thing and that's the fact that we want to win," Ertz said. "It doesn't matter how much we communicate or laugh together. At the end of the day we want to win and play football."
Forgetting about TCU could be a mistake, because Gary Patterson typically does very well after losing seasons -- the previous three times they were followed up with double-digit wins.
The Horned Frogs (6-7, 4-5) were expected to be national contenders last year but instead limped home with just six victories. Injuries and mistakes plagued TCU all year, but Patterson is ready to turn the page and enjoy the role of underdog for a change.
Quarterback Kenny Hill should be more comfortable in his second season, and could benefit from an experience receiving corps -- which, hopefully, drops fewer passes this year (38, an FBS high for 2016). Running back Kyle Hicks is solid, leading the squad in rushing (1,042 yards) and receiving (47 catches). The defense should be reliable, returning most the starters from last year's Big 12 total defense runner-up, led by linebackers Travin Howard (130 tackles) and Ty Summers (121)
"The quarterback gets blamed for a lot of things," Patterson said. "And it's not always his fault. I think he lost a little confidence at the end of the season."
“Any time you have a season that you don’t want to have, you want to get back in as quick as you can,” Patterson said. “Really liked our off-season. Didn’t like the way we ended the season. Feel like we had to get back to being more physical. We started that in January. For us, that’s kind of the way we’ve gone about it. Really like the team. I like the kids. Really have worked hard.”
While not really a title contender, West Virginia (10-3, 7-2) is an intriguing team, mostly because of quarterback Will Grier, a Florida transfer with a big arm and the ability to keep plays alive.
Baylor (7-6, 3-6) is rebuilding with new coach Matt Rhule, and will be a little more defense-oriented than past Bears squads. There will be a bit more of a power component to the offense, but it will still be "dynamic," according to Rhule. Texas Tech (5-7, 3-6), Iowa State (3-9, 2-7) and Kansas (2-10, 1-8) are all nearer the bottom of the league than the top, but aren't without merits.
Tech, whose coach, Kliff Kingsbury, occupies a pretty warm seat, will have its usual uptempo, throw it everywhere offense. Iowa State was competitive in its last three games, losing to Oklahoma, Baylor and Kansas State by a combined 15 points, and coach Matt Campbell expects growth in year two -- receiver Allen Lazard is a good piece to have in that regard. Even traditional doormat Kansas has some optimism, thanks to a win at Texas and a one-point road loss to TCU -- and it also has the preseason defensive player of the year in Dorance Armstrong, who could vie for All-America honors this season.
The Big 12 has made the College Football Playoff only once in three years, and that championship game could be an avenue toward getting a berth this year. Observers scoff at the brand of ball played, but Gundy thinks the league is better than most believe.
"I think as a conference we're stronger than what the national media or our fan base might think," he said. "We play a little bit different style of football. It's an exciting game of football. And I think that we all want each other to win when we're playing non-conference games, and we'll continue to get better and better.
We're going to have terrific quarterback play. And what's interesting about our league is that, just when you think the defenses in our league won't play good in a big game, they do play good, and I think that's what makes it fun. So, yes, I think we're responsible for playing the very best we can in non-conference games to help the image of the Big 12 conference."
BIG 12 PREDICTIONS
1. Oklahoma State
2. Oklahoma
3. Kansas State
4. TCU
5. Texas
6. West Virginia
7. Baylor
8. Iowa State
9. Texas Tech
10. Kansas
ALL-BIG 12
OFFENSE
QB Mason Rudolph/Oklahoma State
RB Justice Hill/Oklahoma State
RB Justin Crawford/West Virginia
WR James Washington/Oklahoma State
WR Allen Lazard/Iowa State
WR Byron Pringle/Kansas State
TE Mark Andrews/Oklahoma
OT Orlando Brown/Oklahoma
OT Connor Williams/Texas
OG Austin Schlottman/TCU
OG Kyle Bosch/West Virginia
C Erick Wren/Oklahoma
DEFENSE
DE Dorance Armstrong/Kansas
DE Chris Nelson/Texas
DT Daniel Wise/Kansas
DT Will Geary/Kansas State
LB Malik Jefferson/Texas
LB Ty Summers/TCU
LB Travin Howard/TCU
CB Adrian Baker/Oklahoma State
CB DJ Reed/Kansas State
S Jordan Thomas/Oklahoma
S Nick Orr/TCU
SPECIALISTS
K Austin Seibert/Oklahoma
P Michael Dickson/Texas
KR KaVonte Turpin/TCU
PR Cameron Batson/Texas Tech
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME -- Oklahoma State over Oklahoma
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR -- James Washington
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR -- Malik Jefferson
COACH OF THE YEAR -- Bill Snyder/Kansas State
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR -- RB Trey Sermon/Oklahoma
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