QB David Ash, Texas
Michael Brewer, Texas Tech |
RB John Hubert, Kansas State
WR Tyler Lockett, Kansas State
WR Josh Stewart, Oklahoma State
OL Gabe Ikard, Oklahoma
OL Cyril Richardson, Baylor
OL Trey Hopkins, Texas
OL Dominic Espinosa, Texas
OL Brandon Webb, Oklahoma State
DE Devonote Fields, TCU
DT Ashton Dorsey, Texas
DT Jordan Phillips, Oklahoma
DE Chris McAllister, Baylor
LB Jordan Hicks, Texas
LB Corey Nelson, Oklahoma
LB Bryce Hager, Baylor
CB Jason Verrett, TCU
CB Quandre Diggs, Texas
S Ty Zimmerman, Kansas State
S Daytawion Lowe, Oklahoma State
Conference Realignment for Big 12: Ever since the Big 12 lost Colorado and Texas A&M then added TCU from the Mountain West and West Virginia from the Big East the Big 12 has been very quiet.
1. Oklahoma State Cowboys National Rank: 10
The Cowboys offense should once again be on the nation's most exciting and high-scoring in the nation. Senior Clint Chelf and sophomore J.W. Walsh will compete for the quarterback job. Whoever gets it has some of the nation's most talented targets in in junior Josh Stewart, senior Tracy Moore and senior Charlie Moore. If the defense improves the Cowboys should definitely contend for a BCS bowl with the help of senior cornerback Justin Gilbert.
2. Texas Longhorns National Rank: 14
The pressure is on for Mack Brown and the rest of these Longhorns after another pretty pedestrian season in Austin. A successful season and Big 12 title rests on the shoulders of junior quarterback David Ash who made huge strides last season. Other than Ash this offense has a lot of talents including junior Malcolm Brown and sophomore Jonathan Gray along with explosive wide out Jaxon Shipley. The offense should put up a lot of points like most teams in this Big 12 but if they want to win the Big 12 the defense must return to it's old form.
3. Baylor Bears National Rank: 19
This Baylor team may be the best team ever in Waco, returning a ton of talent from last year's 8-5 team. Lache Seastrunk and Glasco Martin give the Bears one of the nation's best 1-2 punches and even with the loss of Nick Florence the QB position is in good hands with the return of Bryce Petty. Linebackers Bryce Hager and Eddie Lackey should lead a much improved defense and defensive back Sam Holl is a talent that can make a lot of plays.
4. Oklahoma Sooners National Rank: 20
The Sooners enter 2013 with a ton of questions but it is Oklahoma; they are expected to contend every year. Oklahoma has their first quarterback competition since the Sam Bradford era as they need to decide between junior Blake Bell an the rest of the field including Kendal Thompson and Trevor Knight. Bell has to be considered the favorite and luckily for him he has a great backfield to take the pressure off him with the return of seniors Damien Williams and fullback Trey Milliard.
5. TCU Horned Frogs National Rank: Unranked
The Horned Frogs first year in the Big 12 fell a little short as TCU finished off 7-6. Though the Frogs didn't have a settled quarterback position as Casey Pachall left the team in the middle of the season and Trevone Boykin struggled to adjust to the starting role. Pachall has returned for his senior season as has the arm to improve a weak passing game in 2013. The defense should be dominant once more in Fort Worth with the return of fantastic defensive end Davonote Fields and hard hitting cornerback Jason Verrett.
6. Kansas State Wildcats National Rank: Unranked
It was a memorable year for the Wildcats last year as K-State was one win away from a national championship, had a Heisman finalist and won the Big 12. Collin Klein, the offensive leader and Arthur Brown, the defensive leader are gone but Kansas State still looks like a threat. Sophomore Daniel Sams will battle JUCO pickup Jake Waters to replace Klein at QB though it will be very tough to replace those shoes. Speedy senior John Hubert returns at back and the Wildcats possess two of the most dangerous receivers in the Big 12 in junior Tyler Lockett and senior Tramaine Thompson.
7. Iowa State Cyclones National Rank: Unranked
Iowa State qualified for their second straight bowl and they return their quarterback, sophomore Sam Richardson, who had a great 2012. He has a plethora of great receivers including tight end Ernst Brun and junior Jarvis West who can make this offense explosive at times, a rarity in Ames throughout the tenure of coach Paul Rhoads.
8. Texas Tech Red Raiders National Rank: Unranked
Kliff Kingsbury returns to Texas Tech where he once was the quarterback of a fantastic offense. Now he is the coach of an offense that should once more put up a lot of points. There may be some growing pains this year, though, after the graduation of rocket-armed Seth Doege and the loss of some other impact players. Sophomore Michael Brewer will likely replace Doege but he won't have much time to adjust to his new starting role; after two pretty easy games the Red Raiders scare off against a great defense on September 12 against TCU.
9. West Virginia Mountaineers National Rank: Unranked
Remember when West Virginia was undefeated, No. 4 in the nation and Geno Smith was the front runner for the Heisman? Those days seem long ago as the Mountaineers enter 2013 without Geno, Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey to a team that limped to 7-6 record last season. Paul Milliard, Ford Childress and Florida State transfer Clint Trickett will compete for the vacant quarterback slot. Dana Holgorsen has long run an air raid, pass-first offense but he may rely more on his running game this year with the return of junior Andrew Buie and the addition of explosive Houston transfer Charles Sims.
10. Kansas Jayhawks National Rank: Unranked
The Jayhawks have lost 21 straight conference games so it appears contention is in the distant future. Though Charlie Weis still has the potential to have a better team than last year's 1-11 squad. BYU transfer Jake Heaps arrives and will likely be the starter right away. He has a great back in senior James Sims and junior Tony Pierson is one of the most explosive players in the conference and Weis will do everything possible to get the ball in the hands of junior Troy Pierson. Kansas is a better team but don't expect anything much more than 2-3 wins.
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