Big 12 Conference football capsules
August 13, 2003
By Bob Birge
SportsTicker Staff Writer
North Division
COLORADO ========
2002 record: 9-5 (Lost to Wisconsin in Alamo Bowl)
Coach: Gary Barnett
OUTLOOK: Last season Colorado became only the second Big 12 team to repeat as division champions, but with question marks at quarterback and on the offensive line, the Buffaloes may be hard-pressed to match last season's win total. Colorado loses Chris Brown and Bobby Purify from a deep backfield and will be starting a freshman, James Cox, at quarterback. The Buffaloes return just nine starters, the lowest total in the Big 12, including only three on offense. Colorado is deepest on the defensive line, returning senior ends Marques Harris and Gabe Nyenhuis.
IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW: After blocking eight punts in the previous three seasons, the Buffaloes did not have any last year. ... Colorado is a Big 12-best 14-2 the last two seasons despite losing its conference opener each year.
SCHEDULE: Before conference play, Colorado faces a rugged non-conference slate against Colorado State (in Denver), UCLA and Washington State. The Buffaloes do get Oklahoma and Nebraska at home, but have to visit Kansas State.
IOWA STATE ==========
2002 record: 7-7 (Lost to Boise State in Humanitarian Bowl)
Coach: Dan McCarney
OUTLOOK: The Cyclones will be trying to rebound from a disastrous finish after losing their final five games last year. Iowa State has to replace QB Seneca Wallace, who faltered badly down the stretch, but its defense continues to improve. The Cyclones return seven starters on defense, including DE Tyson Smith, who had 104 tackles and six sacks, and will be looking to cut down on the 28.3 points per game they allowed a year ago. Junior Chris Love and freshman Austin Flynn are battling for the starting quarterback job. Senior TB Michael Wagner, who ran for 100 yards against Nebraska and Texas Tech, will be the top threat in the backfield.
IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW: Iowa State is 13-11 in Big 12 Conference play the last three seasons but its overall record has dropped from 9-3 to 7-5 to 7-7. ... Last season marked the first time in McCarney's eight years as coach that the Cyclones did not have a 1,000-yard rusher.
SCHEDULE: Last year, Iowa State faced a killer schedule down the stretch, having to play Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas State and Colorado on the road. The Cyclones avoid such a finish this year but still face Oklahoma and Texas from the Big 12 South.
KANSAS ======
2002 record: 2-10
Coach: Mark Mangino
OUTLOOK: Mangino begins his second season in Lawrence hoping to improve an offense that averaged just 20.7 points last season. QB Bill Whittemore, last season's Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, could give the Jayhawks a boost if he stays healthy. He missed the final four games last year but still passed for 1,666 yards and rushed for 749. Sophomore FB Clark Green, who ran for 813 yards as a freshman last year, impressed during spring practice. Whittemore should get more help this year as five of the top seven wide receivers return. S Zach Dyer recorded 48 tackles in five games last season after losing his quarterback job.
IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW: The Jayhawks went 0-8 in Big 12 play last season, their first winless conference record since 1987. They were outscored, 164-27, in their final three games. ... Kansas spent $8 million on a strength and conditioning facility that opens this year.
SCHEDULE: The schedule should afford Kansas an opportunity to win at least once in conference as the Jayhawks get Baylor, Missouri and Iowa State at home. They also host Northwestern, UNLV and Jacksonville State in non-conference play.
KANSAS STATE ============
2002 record: 11-2 (Beat Arizona State in Holiday Bowl)
Coach: Bill Snyder
OUTLOOK: The Wildcats return seven starters on offense, including QB Ell Roberson and RB Darren Sproles, and could be nearly as potent as last year's team that averaged nearly 45 points per game. The combination of Roberson and the diminutive Sproles gives Kansas State arguably the top one-two punch in the Big 12. All the 5-7, 170-pound Sproles did last season was rush for a school-record 1,465 yards. Roberson added 1,032 yards, setting a school mark for quarterbacks. As usual, Kansas State is expected to boast one of the top linebacking units in the country, including JUCO transfer Marvin Simmons. Josh Buhl, who benches presses 400 pounds and has 4.5 speed, is back after leading the Wildcats in tackles with 135 last season.
IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW: Kansas State's home record of 73-9-1 since 1990 is the fifth-best in the NCAA. The Wildcats have won at least 11 games in four of the last five seasons. ... Kansas State's "Lynch Mob" defense allowed just 11.8 points per game last year.
SCHEDULE: While having to face Texas and Nebraska on the road, the non-conference slate is suspect. After opening with California at Arrowhead Stadium on August 23, the Wildcats play four straight home games against Troy State, McNeese State, Massachusetts and Marshall.
MISSOURI ========
2002 record: 5-7
Coach: Gary Pinkel
OUTLOOK: Missouri again will be led by exciting QB Brad Smith, who last season became just the second player in NCAA history to pass for 2,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in the same year. The Tigers again should be potent on offense, returning nine starters, including WRs Thomson Omboga and Darius Outlaw. TB Zack Abron rushed for 758 yards last season and may be able to make a bid for 1,000 this year. However, Missouri still needs to improve its defense as the Tigers were outgained by an average of 127 yards per game last season, the second-worst total in the Big 12. Missouri ranked 107th in defense, giving up 450 yards per game.
IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW: Missouri lost three games to ranked opponents last season by less than a touchdown.... The Tigers outscored their opponents in the second half last season by a 208-177 margin - a major improvement from the previous season, when they were outscored, 102-47, in the fourth quarter.
SCHEDULE: Missouri opens Big 12 play at Kansas, but its three other conference road games are difficult - Oklahoma, Colorado and Kansas State. The Tigers kick off the campaign against Illinois in St. Louis.
NEBRASKA ========
2002 record: 7-7 (Lost to Mississippi in Independence Bowl)
Coach: Frank Solich
OUTLOOK: Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Nebraska enters the season unranked and some are calling the opener against Oklahoma State the most important in school history. However, QB Jammal Lord has a year under his belt as Eric Crouch's replacement and the Cornhuskers could be back in contention for a Big 12 crown this year. Nebraska allowed 23.9 points per game last year, the most since 1957, and the job of improving that falls to new defensive coordinator Bo Pelini, a former assistant for the Green Bay Packers. Lord rushed for 1,412 yards last season, the third-highest total for a quarterback in Division I-A history.
IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW: Nebraska has dropped seven straight games to ranked opponents and five of its last nine losses were by at least 22 points. ... The Cornhuskers averaged just 27.4 points last season, its lowest total since 1977, and finished with a losing record in conference play (3-5) for the first time since 1968.
SCHEDULE: The Big 12 North title could be on the line when the Cornhuskers visit Texas on November 1. The Longhorns ended Nebraska's 26-game winning streak last season. The Cornhuskers open conference much earlier than usual when they host Oklahoma State on August 30. They do not play another conference game until October 11.
South Division
BAYLOR ======
2002 record: 3-9
Coach: Guy Morriss
OUTLOOK: After leading Kentucky to a 7-5 record last season, Morriss left the bluegrass to return to his native Texas to take on what may be the biggest challenge in Division I-A. Baylor has been the worst team in the Big 12 the last four seasons, although it did snap a 29-game conference losing streak last year. Two immediate concerns for Morriss are improving a running game that averaged less than three yards per carry last year and a defense that gave up 496 points. The Bears hope to get better production from QB Aaron Karas (1,792 passing yards last season) and WR Robert Quiroga (556 receiving yards).
IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW: During the past four seasons, Baylor has been outscored by an average of 32.5 points per game in Big 12 play. Since 1999, the Bears have allowed more than 50 points in a Big 12 game three times and more than 60 points four times. They also opened last season with a 70-22 loss at California.
SCHEDULE: The non-conference schedule is manageable, giving Baylor a chance to get the Morriss regime off to a good start. Before conference play opens in October the Bears face UAB, North Texas, SMU and Sam Houston State.
OKLAHOMA ========
2002 record: 12-2 (Beat Washington State in Rose Bowl) Coach: Bob Stoops
OUTLOOK: While the offense may not be potent, the Sooners are loaded on defense, which is the main reason they were picked No. 1 in the preseason coaches' poll. Amazingly, Oklahoma returns nine defensive starters, including its linebacking trio of Teddy Lehman, Lance Mitchell and Pasha Jackson. The Sooners do have to replace CB Andre Woolfolk, the first-round draft choice of the Tennessee Titans, but return seven of their top eight in the secondary. The Sooners also have to replace RB Quentin Griffin, who rushed for 1,884 yards last year, but QB Jason White is back after suffering a season-ending ACL tear. White again will be asked simply not to lose games, but Oklahoma needs to avoid letdowns as it dropped two conference games each of the last two seasons.
IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW: Stoops has guided Oklahoma to double-figure wins in three straight seasons, a feat the Sooners last accomplished from 1978-80. ... Oklahoma was remarkably balanced last season, passing for 2,828 yards and rushing for 2,668.
OKLAHOMA STATE ==============
2002 record: 8-5 (Beat Southern Miss in Houston Bowl)
Coach: Les Miles
OUTLOOK: While a BCS bowl may be a bit too much to expect, the Cowboys appear to be a program on the rise. They have an explosive receiving corps, led by Rashaun Woods, who set a school record with 1,278 receiving yards last year. The tandem of QB Josh Fields and Woods is the best in the Big 12 and this season opponents may be seeing double as Woods' brother, D'Juan, joins the mix as a freshman. TB Tatum Bell also returns after rushing for 1,096 yards a year ago. The Cowboys have shown they are capable of springing the upset, having beaten Oklahoma in each of the last two years.
IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW: The Cowboys beat Oklahoma and Nebraska in the same season last year for the first time in school history. They earned their first win over Nebraska since 1961. In the game against Oklahoma, Oklahoma State outgained the defensive-minded Sooners, 506-333.
SCHEDULE: The Cowboys will get a big test early, opening conference play at Nebraska on August 30. They also have to visit Oklahoma on November 1. The Cowboys never have won three in a row against the Sooners, although they did go 3-0-3 from 1929-1934.
TEXAS =====
2002 record: 11-2 (Beat LSU in Cotton Bowl)
Coach: Mack Brown
OUTLOOK: The Longhorns lost QB Chris Simms and pass-rushing specialist Cory Redding, but shed no tears for Brown, even if he has not been able to win the big one at Texas. While QB Chance Mock takes over for Simms having thrown only nine passes, the Longhorns should be as potent as ever. They are loaded at wide receiver, led by Roy Williams, the third-leading receiver in school history who passed up the NFL draft last year. Also back is dangerous RB Cedric Benson, who has rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons. The Longhorns may have some concerns on the offensive and defensive lines, but LB Derrick Johnson and CB Nathan Vasher are All-America candidates.
IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW: Brown is just 1-10 against top-five teams, but is the only active coach with seven straight nine-win seasons, including five in a row at Texas, a school record. He has guided his teams to 11 straight bowl games, the second-longest active streak in the country.
SCHEDULE: As usual, the Big 12 South title could come down to Texas' game against Oklahoma on October 11. Brown has lost three in a row to the Sooners. The Longhorns renew their regular-season rivalry with Arkansas as the former Southwestern Conference rivals clash in Austin on September 11. Texas also gets Kansas State and Nebraska at home.
TEXAS A&M =========
2002 record: 6-6
Coach: Dennis Franchione
OUTLOOK: A new era begins in College Station as former Alabama coach Dennis Franchione takes over following the firing of long-time coach R.C. Slocum. Franchione tweaked the Aggies' famed "Wrecking Crew' defense, installing the 4-3 alignment that he prefers. Senior Jared Morris will be employed at middle linebacker, a position not seen at Texas A&M since the early 1980s. Franchione needs to find a quarterback and sophomore Reggie McNeal may be ready to win the job on a full-time basis after coming off the bench to throw four TDs last year in A&M's stunning upset of Oklahoma.
IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW: Slocum's record last year was his worst in 14 seasons at Texas A&M, but it did extend the Aggies' string of non-losing seasons to 20. ... Texas A&M will be the most expensive team to watch in the Big 12 this season after increasing its season-ticket package by $110. The Texas game with cost $75.
SCHEDULE: After opening with Arkansas State and Utah at home, the Aggies will be out for revenge when the visit Virginia Tech in a Thursday night game. Last season, Virginia Tech become the first con-conference team to win at Kyle Field since Alabama in 1988. The Hokies shut down the Aggies, 13-3.
TEXAS TECH ==========
2002 record: 9-5 (Beat Clemson in Tangerine Bowl)
Coach: Mike Leach
OUTLOOK: QB Kliff Kingsbury departed as the NCAA career leader in pass completions, throwing for more than 5,000 yards last season. But he is not the only one gone as Leach lost four members of his coaching staff. The Red Raiders appear to be in a rebuilding mode as they try to do the impossible - replace Kingsbury. The unenviable task goes to B.J. Simmons, a two-year backup. Simmons' main weapon likely will be RB Wes Walker, who had 757 receiving yards last season out of the backfield. Texas Tech returns nine offensive starters, but needs to put more emphasis on its defense as it likely will not be able to win the shootouts without Kingsbury. But they return just five starters on defense.
IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW: Texas Tech allowed 31.4 points per game last season, its worst total since 1990. However, the Red Raiders earned their first bowl victory since 1995. Texas Tech joins Nebraska and Kansas State as the Big 12 teams to be bowl eligible every year since the formation of the league in 1996.
SCHEDULE: After opening with SMU and New Mexico, the Red Raiders face a pair of challenging road games heading into the start of conference play - North Carolina State and Mississippi. They also have road games at Oklahoma State and Texas.
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