Four Is Enough
When Oklahoma State RB Chuba Hubbard won the Big 12 Conference
Offensive Player of the Year award last season it snapped a four-year stranglehold
on the award by the Oklahoma Sooners.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma has won the most individual awards in the
23-year history of the Big 12 with 46. Kansas State is second (34), followed by
Texas (31), Oklahoma State (21), Baylor (18), Iowa State (14), TCU (9), Kansas
(8), Texas Tech (8) and West Virginia (7).
When Twelve Means 12
Four Big 12 teams have left the conference within the last decade.
With it the conference has the least amount of teams of all of the Power Five
conferences (10). The other four have as follows: PAC-12 (12), ACC (14), Big
Ten (14), and SEC (14). "The Big 12 has 10 and the Big Ten has 14, so you know
some of us are just numerically challenged," Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby
says.
Since the Big 12 and PAC-12 neighbor one another, some type of
merging of the two to form a Super Conference makes some sense. Our suggestion
would be to start with Utah, who fits like a glove and has six seasons under
the direction of head coach Kyle Whittingham where they mounted at least eight
wins. The Utes would also bring a decent athletic program to the table and
it is somewhat regional to the rest of the Big 12. In addition, Colorado would
pair up with the Utah to become a nice fit. As would Arizona and Arizona State.
Note: Team write-ups are excerpts from the 2020 PLAYBOOK Football
Preview Guide magazine on sale at newsstands nationwide. The numbers following
each team name represent the amount of returning starters on offense and
defense, along with the number of returning linemen, with an asterisk (*)
designating a returning quarterback. The RPR represents each team's overall,
offensive and defensive rankings in overall returning production experience.
2020 BIG 12 CONFERENCE PREVIEW
BAYLOR
TEAM THEME: 2020 AM
2020 Recruit Rank: 54 • Ret Starters:
Off - *7 / Def - 2 • RPR: Total: 108 (51 O / 127 D)
It's said that with success comes a price, and that cost is
oftentimes steeped with regret. For the Bears, their meteoric rise came at the
cost of losing head coach Matt Rhule to the NFL. Today they are forced to make
way for a moment of hard truths, or as they call it in Waco these days, life AM
- After Matt. With it, changes abound under new head coach Dave Aranda,
considered one of the top defensive minds in the nation. In addition, new OC Larry
Fedora, the former North Carolina head coach, will feature a running spread
attack and high-tempo schemes. Rhule got out of Dodge in time as seniors
started 53.2% of their games, the 6th-largest percentage in the nation.
STAT YOU
WILL LIKE:
Baylor
has produced 5 winning records in the last 24 years in conference games.
POINTSPREAD
POWER PLAY
PLAY ON:
as a dog vs. TCU (10/24)
IOWA STATE
TEAM THEME: IT'S
GETTING DARK IN HERE
2020 Recruit Rank: 46 • Ret Starters:
Off - *5 / Def - 8 • RPR: Total: 52 (71 O / 42 D)
Last year we drew this analogy about ISU when we stated that games
are won or lost in the offseason when nobody is watching. It was a focal part
of ISU's 'Win In The Dark' mantra. The problem for Matt Campbell and his
Cyclones this season is the lights were turned out with nobody around thanks to
the pandemic crisis, drastically impairing all team workouts. Adding to the
concern is the offense must replace almost 150 career starts. However, QB Brock
Purdy, RB Breece Hall and TE's Charlie Kolar and Chase Allen are among the best
at their position in the conference, and they're back as the core of ISU's
record-setting offense in 2019 returns. Interesting times in Ames, for sure.
STAT YOU WILL LIKE:
ISU is one of two schools in the Big 12 (Oklahoma) to make an
appearance in the College Football Playoff poll each of the last three seasons.
POINTSPREAD POWER PLAY:
PLAY ON: at Iowa (9/12)
KANSAS
TEAM THEME: SEEING
THROUGH THE PHOG
2020 Recruit Rank: 57 • Ret Starters:
Off - 6 / Def - 5 • RPR: Total: 126 (115 O / 117 D)
In his first season as the head coach at Kansas, Les Miles led the
Jayhawks to a three-win season, including three close-call losses by fewer than
six points. Not bad for a program that hasn't won more than three games in a
season for over a decade. They also snapped a 48-game away losing skid against
FBS foes with a win at Boston College last season. Nonetheless, the win total
for the 2020 season is three, the lowest in the Big 12 with the next closest
team at 5.5 wins. Don't forget, OC Brent Dearmon, a Gus Malzahn disciple, did a
fine job when he took over midway during the season last year as the Jayhawks'
offense improved 61 YPG.
STAT YOU WILL LIKE:
Kansas ranked No. 128 in 3rd Down Conversion Defense and No. 130
(worst) in Fewest Fumbles Recovered last season.
POINTSPREAD POWER PLAY:
PLAY ON: at West Virginia (10/24)
KANSAS STATE
TEAM THEME: STARTING
FROM SCRATCH
2020 Recruit Rank: 51 • Ret Starters:
Off - *3 / Def - 6 • RPR: Total: 76 (80 O / 67 D)
OMG. The Wildcats lose every single one of their starts from last
year's offensive line and 159 career-starts overall. No line in the country is
dealing with this kind of an overhaul. Having seniors start the second-most
amount of games in the FBS last season (59.6%) certainly adds to this year's
tight spot. Rest assured, though, having Chris Klieman as K-State's head coach
will certainly help. He's a winner, as the Stat You Will Like below confirms.
Finally, in perhaps the Yin and Yang stat of the year, KSU was No. 1 (best) in
the nation in Red Zone Offense last season but No. 130 (worst) in Red Zone
Defense. They were also No. 2 in 3rd Down Conversion Defense.
STAT YOU WILL LIKE:
Klieman is 77-11 the last six years at the Division 1 (FBS and
FCS) level.
POINTSPREAD POWER PLAY:
PLAY ON: at West Virginia (9/26)
OKLAHOMA
TEAM THEME: QB OR NOT
QB
2020 Recruit Rank: 11 • Ret Starters:
Off - 8 / Def - 8 • RPR: Total: 82 (103 O / 47 D)
The quarterback march continues in Norman where former 5-star
redshirt freshman QB Spencer Rattler will be on Oklahoma's Heisman Trophy watch
list in 2020. Jalen Hurts, Kyler Murray, and Baker Mayfield (all transfers)
preceded him the past three seasons. But the bigger issue for OU is improving a
defense that lived a nightmare in the 63-28 beheading versus LSU in the
national semifinals. Perrion Winfrey, the No. 1 rated JUCO DT will help. To
better confirm our notion: OU ranked No. 3 in Total Offense, but No. 128
nationally in Red Zone Defense last season. The Sooners made it to the CFB
Playoffs despite starting the 4th most underclassmen in 2019 (56.5%). They're
back, red-faced and experienced - a dangerous combination in 2020.
STAT YOU WILL LIKE:
The Sooners are 37-0 SU and 25-11 ATS since 1999 during the
regular season when coming off a loss.
POINTSPREAD POWER PLAY:
PLAY ON: vs. Kansas State (11/14)
OKLAHOMA STATE
TEAM THEME: BEWARE OF
THE MULLET
2020 Recruit Rank: 45 • Ret Starters:
Off - *8 / Def - 10 • RPR: Total: 9 (34 O / 8 D)
After posting 10-win seasons three years running from 2015-2017 -
and then winning only 15 games combined the last two seasons - head coach Mike
Gundy is hot under the mullet and prepared to do something about it. In what
appears to be his most talented squad in 15 years at Oklahoma State, Gundy
features 18 returning starters and the No. 9 overall ranked FBS team in the
nation in Returning Production. Leading the way is RB Chuba Hubbard, on the
2020 Heisman Trophy watch list, and WR Tylan Wallace - both of whom bypassed
the NFL draft to return in 2020. Anchoring it all is a defense with 10 starters
back that improved its numbers across the board last season. Forewarned is
forearmed.
STAT YOU WILL LIKE:
The Cowboys are 11-0 SU and 10-1 ATS off consecutive wins versus
an opponent off consecutive losses under Gundy.
POINTSPREAD POWER PLAY:
PLAY ON: at Baylor (11/7)
TCU
TEAM THEME: TWEAKSPEAK
2020 Recruit Rank: 28 • Ret Starters:
Off - *5 / Def - 7 • RPR: Total: 64 (75 O / 51 D)
With 7 or fewer wins in three of the last four years, head coach
Gary Patterson knew it was time to start tweaking. It started with the coaching
staff where he brought back former OC Doug Meacham, among others. Also working
alongside Patterson this season is Jerry Kill, former head coach at Minnesota
and Northern Illinois, who will act as a special assistant to Patterson. If QB
Max Duggan is to improve after a disappointing debut as a freshman last year,
he'll need to do so without WR Jalen Reagor and with a completely revamped
running game. On the other side of the ball, the Frogs tied for the top spot in
the nation in 1st Down Defense last season.
STAT YOU WILL LIKE:
The Horned Frogs are 34-5 SU and 25-12 ATS under Patterson in
seasons when coming off a losing year.
POINTSPREAD POWER PLAY:
PLAY ON: at West Virginia (10/10)
TEXAS
TEAM THEME: KICK-START
ME UP
2020 Recruit Rank: 10 • Ret Starters:
Off - *7 / Def - 9 • RPR: Total: 21 (62 O / 14 D)
Tom Herman is entering Year Four with the Longhorns and after
losing 15 games the previous three seasons, he went all-in on a coaching
staff overhaul this offseason, with six new assistants. A lot of it was done on
the advice of Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly in a parallel similar to what
Kelly did when he re-booted his staff after the 2016 season and went on to
average 11 wins per season the next three years. Note: Senior QB Sam Ehlinger
is the sixth Power 5 Conference player in the last 20 years to pass for at
least 25 TDs and rush for at least 15 TD in the same season. The other five
have won the Heisman Trophy. With that, Herman needs to kick this team in the
butt.
STAT YOU WILL LIKE:
Head coach Tom Herman is 16-5 ATS in his career as a dog in his
CFB career, including 6-0 ATS as a double-digit dog.
POINTSPREAD POWER PLAY:
PLAY AGAINST: vs. West Virginia (10/17)
TEXAS TECH
TEAM THEME: HORSESHOES
AND HAND GRENADES
2020 Recruit Rank: 49 • Ret Starters:
Off - *6 / Def - 8 • RPR: Total: 81 (106 O / 44 D)
What does a healthy Alan Bowman mean to the Red Raiders? At full
speed, he's an MVP. Before his injury against Arizona in Week Three last
season, he was leading the nation in passing yards before landing on a medical
redshirt. This was the same quarterback that completed over 69% of his passes
for 2,638 yards and 17 TDs in an eight-game span as a freshman. To make matters
worse, TTRR went 0-4 in one-score games while facing the top three teams in the
conference on the road. In the end, they lost six of their final seven games
last season, including a double OT defeat at Baylor and a pair of home losses
in November by a FG or less.
STAT YOU WILL LIKE:
The Red Raiders pass defense has ranked No. 128 in yards allowed
each of the past two seasons.
POINTSPREAD POWER PLAY:
PLAY ON: at Kansas State (11/7) - *KEY
WEST VIRGINIA
TEAM THEME: WHAT
BROWN CAN DO FOR YOU - TAKE II
2020 Recruit Rank: 37 • Ret Starters:
Off - *8 / Def - 5 • RPR: Total: 66 (47 O / 88 D)
While we lauded the hiring of Neal Brown by West Virginia, things
certainly didn't go according to Hoyle in his first year with the Mountaineers
last season. Desperately lacking returning production experience on offense, a
5-game losing streak starting in October doomed Brown's chance of extending the
Mountaineers' bowl skein to five consecutive years when the attack slipped 19
points and 185 yards per game in 2019. In fact, they were one of only five
teams to rush the ball for less than 3 yards per carry last season. For what
its worth, they did manage to win two of their final three games last year. Now
well stocked on offense, look for this to be Brown's big bounce back.
STAT YOU WILL LIKE:
The Mountaineers have gone bowling seven straight times since 1993
in years in which they have no consecutive road games.
POINTSPREAD POWER PLAY:
PLAY ON: at Texas Tech (10/3)
For more in Marc Lawrence click here