Questions abound throughout Big 12
BIG 12
By
Jaime Aron
Associated Press
August 24, 2003
DALLAS — Once again, everyone in
the Big 12 is trying to keep up with the Oklahoma Sooners.
Since winning the national championship in 2000, the Sooners
have been pinned as the team to beat each preseason. They lived
up to the hype both seasons, finishing sixth and fifth in the
final polls.
This fall, the Big 12 South might have its strongest collection
of teams in the league’s eight-year history, with Texas,
Texas A&M and Oklahoma State having legitimate chances of
playing spoiler. Should the Sooners make it to the title game
in Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium, they’ll likely face
the North’s lone dominant team, Kansas State.
But a lot of things can happen between now and then. So, here’s
a list of 12 big questions that will be answered before the Big
12 championship game on Dec. 6.
1) Does it matter what OU does on offense considering its
defense might fare well in the NFL?
The MVP of the Sooners’ defense likely will be named the
nation’s top defender. That’s how good the unit is.
Oklahoma gave up less than two touchdowns per game last season,
and had six games of allowing one or none. So it’s not like
the offense has to do all that much.
Quarterback Jason White jokes that he’s run out of knees
to blow out, so presuming the rest of him remains intact the Sooners
should be able to move the ball. Kejuan Jones has a small pair
of big shoes to fill in replacing 5-foot-7 running back Quentin
Griffin, but the 5-9 sophomore showed promise last season.
2) Can receiver Roy Williams and running back Cedric Benson
become the big-game heroes Texas has been missing?
The Longhorns have lost three straight to Oklahoma and Chris
Simms is no longer around to be blamed for losing the big ones.
Someone will have to step up if head coach Mack Brown is going
to finally win the first conference title of his career.
Williams could’ve been a top 10 draft pick. Benson is
coming off a 1,293-yard season. Both will be needed to ease the
load on new quarterback Chance Mock, or his highly regarded backup
Vince Young.
3) Is this the year K-State finally wins the conference
title?
QB Ell Roberson and RB Darren Sproles give Kansas State one
of the most exciting backfield tandems in the country. Their highlights
should replace those lost when CB-KR Terence Newman went to the
NFL.
The Wildcats, who closed last season with six straight wins,
could play up to 15 this season. Their conference opener Oct.
4 at Texas looms as the biggest test. For the second straight
season, they don’t play Oklahoma — unless it’s
for the league championship.
4) How quickly can Dennis Franchione get Texas A&M
back on track?
By installing a new offense and revamping the school’s
longtime defense, Franchione isn’t taking things slowly.
Then again, his turnaround tactics have been wildly successful
elsewhere, so there’s no reason to bet against him.
How the Aggies respond in September games at Virginia Tech
and against Pittsburgh will be an indication of how things go
in October and November.
5) If Oklahoma State beats Oklahoma again, can it really
be called an upset?
After knocking off their more heralded state rival two straight
years, the Cowboys will try not to strut onto the field when they
meet again Nov. 1. Then again, they’ll have to get past Nebraska,
Kansas State and A&M to make the battle of Oklahoma really
meaningful.
Receiver Rashaun Woods is among the best in the country, which
could help quarterback Josh Fields break the school passing record
he set last season. And if defenses key on that tandem, they could
get hurt by running back Tatum Bell.
6) Can Colorado become the first Big 12 team to win its
division three straight years?
It doesn’t seem likely.
Thin at quarterback and having lost star running back Chris
Brown to the NFL, coach Gary Barnett would have to do one of his
patented out-of-nowhere acts to do so. The defense is solid, though,
and a tough early season schedule could end up building momentum
if they can pull off some upsets.
7) Does anyone still fear Nebraska?
After playing for the national championship after the 2001
season, the Cornhuskers went 7-7 last fall and had a losing record
(3-5) in the conference. The aura is gone.
So is Craig Bohl, who coordinated the Blackshirt defense. And
head coach Frank Solich finally gave up his dual role as offensive
coordinator. Nebraska needs big improvement on both sides of the
ball to again be considered a Big Red Machine.
8) How much better will Missouri’s Brad Smith be as
a sophomore?
As a redshirt freshman, Smith became only the second quarterback
in Division I-A history to throw for 2,000 yards and run for 1,000.
His numbers would’ve been even better if he got to play the
Tigers’ defense; they allowed an 450.3 yards per game, or
63.5 more than the Smith-led Mizzou offense gained.
Road games against Oklahoma, Colorado and Kansas State will
be a challenge for a team trying to end a five-year bowl drought.
9) Any chance B.J. Symons can do for Texas Tech’s
short passing game what Kliff Kingsbury did?
Critics who said Kingsbury’s record numbers were a product
of coach Mike Leach’s system will find out with the Symons
taking over after being a backup for three years.
Keep an eye on Wes Welker, who could be the best 5-foot-9 utility
player in the country.
10) What will the Iowa State offense look like without
Seneca Wallace running it?
The Cyclones have gone from star running back Troy Davis to
Darren Davis to Ennis Haywood to Wallace, a sensational passing-running
quarterback. Now, with no star-in-waiting in the backfield, ISU
will try reversing a skid of six losses in their final seven games
last season.
Good thing the defense is expected to be strong.
11) When will second-year Kansas coach Mark Mangino win
his first conference game?
The best bet is Oct. 18 at home against Baylor. A 35-32 loss
to the Bears in Waco last season started a seven-game losing streak
the Jayhawks are carrying into this season.
12) How long until new Baylor coach Guy Morriss starts
wondering whether it was worth the money to leave Kentucky?
Morriss went from two wins his first year as a college coach
to seven last season, earning him a seven-figure deal to return
to his home state. Baylor predecessor Kevin Steele also won nine
games over his tenure. It just took him four years to do it.
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