Here's how I would stack them up (along with 1-10 talent level/seniority ranking with 10 for the max team and 1 the worst and the number in paretheses is last year's #):
(1-tie) Texas - 10 (9.2)- Unquestionably more loaded than they've been since the Royal era, with seniority and depth all-around. A senior talent-laden QB along with superstar players all over the field (Roy, BJ, Benson, Simms, DJ, Vasher, Dockery, Babers, Jackson, Redding, etc . . . ) all recruited by Brown for the first time set up the circumstances envisioned by Brown on arrival. No key true freshmen to be counted on. The Texas-OU game finally will be back to being the premiere game in college football (only Miami-FSU game will come close this year).
(1-tie) OU - 9.7 (8.5)- They have more talent on campus than at any time since the mid-80s. Not all name guys, but great athletes. White is back and he and Hybl have another year under their belt. A lot of athletic upgrades with Lynn McGruder may take Klein's spot at DT, JUCO LB's Mitchell and Jackson moving in along with soph DE John Jackson. Also sophs Harris, Wilkerson and Carter now have a year under their belts and in OU's S&C system. Depth is significantly improved all over with OL being the only question.
(3) Texas A&M - 6.9 (5.9)- RC's been getting hammered in recruiting but a lot of things are coming together at the same time here -- Farris (rival smack aside, nice talent) a senior QB, two pretty good receivers with their first year under the belt (Taylor and Murphy), a pretty good young talent with a year under his belt at TB, an experienced and fairly talented OL, and a defense that returns almost all of its best players (and with its most athletic DL talent in a long time). The biggest weaknesses are at LB (which is not good in a 3-4) and TE, but the AGs should be better than they've been since 1998. They're also here because no one is stepping up.
(4-tie) Kansas State - 6.5 (5.8) - The hardest team to predict in the league year in and year out -- largely because of a load of JUCO headcases at key positions. Last year, they put on the single best offensive performance of the year -- even better than CU flattening NU, IMO -- in walking into Norman, OK and simply destroying OU's outstanding defense (I still can't believe it happened). They then proceeded to lose to loads of not so good teams. Ell Roberson has a year under his belt and can be a handful (especially under an offensive mind like Snyder). Redshirt Frosh Davis and JUCO transfer Taco Wallace bring a lot of speed and athleticism, along with some new RBs and an experienced line. Lots of athleticism on defense, with a surprising number of non-JUCO players that have worked their way up. Our game at K State could be our second toughest of the year after the October BlowU megamatchup.
(4-tie) Nebraska - 6.9 (8.3)- they have some talent, but there is no way they are a top 10 team this year. If not just for the reason that they're starting a new QB in that system. Combine that with the un-Husker-like froshes and sophs at the tackle positions, no speed to stretch the defense at wingback or WR and some serious questions whether their secondary can cover one-on-one, and you have all of the makings for a down year (for them). Talent, system and coaching will keep them afloat.
(6) Texas Tech - 5.1 (4.6) - They should be better than last year but not world beaters. Most of their talent returns, though the loss of Kevin Curtis will hurt. Senior QB Kingsbury with athletic receiving talents Paige, Durrough and Francis will make the passing game better (especially after they went through a whole season with the league scheming against the spread last year). Transfer Mack takes over at tailback. McMackin has proven to be a pretty good DC given the talent he has and he returns more this year than in prior years.
(7-tie) CU - 5.0 (7.9)- This will be a pothole in the rebuilding job Barnett is doing, which is to be expected after losing many of the bigtime Neuheisel recruits that powered their team last year (e.g., monster OL's Gurode and Rogers, superstar TE Daniel Graham, Top DL Banaan, Top DBs Lewis and Robinson, receivers Hollowell, Minardi and Cormier, Jashon Sykes, etc. . ). Pesavento is also gone, but Ochs is a far better talent anyway and he returns with a set of talented backs in Houston, Brown and Purify (i.e., Cortlen Johnson's loss won't be big). But CU is sorely lacking top athletes accross the board. On top of that, much like OU's spread in '01, the rest of the league will be gearing up to stop CU's different offensive scheme in '02. Barnett's biggest enemy will probably be the overtly absurd preseason rankings. Instead of getting frustrated by failing to end up anywhere near #6 in the nation (and they will not be in that universe), Buff fans should realize the situation and give Barnett more time (although the results may be like Texas' 1997 season, the situation is different).
(7-tie) Iowa St - 4.2 (5.1) - I would have Iowa State higher with Senecca Wallace going into his senior year, but he lost Ennis Haywood and his OL and they continue to lack talent on D. Plus, Wallace & Co are not going to surprise anyone this year after jumping up and biting several opponents last year. Still, McCarney has proven to be more than capable of competing without loads of talent at his command, so they'll be an interesting team to watch.
I have no idea about the bottom four (Mizzou 2.8, OK St 4.0, KU 1.5 and Baylor 1).
Throughout the year, either I or DNOMYAR will keep you guys updated with the goings on in the Big 12. Don't hesitate to ask us a question regarding certain matchups. Not sure if dr. freeze is going to be around much this year as he mentioned in our fantasy baseball league that he may not bet football this year. Yeah right!
(1-tie) Texas - 10 (9.2)- Unquestionably more loaded than they've been since the Royal era, with seniority and depth all-around. A senior talent-laden QB along with superstar players all over the field (Roy, BJ, Benson, Simms, DJ, Vasher, Dockery, Babers, Jackson, Redding, etc . . . ) all recruited by Brown for the first time set up the circumstances envisioned by Brown on arrival. No key true freshmen to be counted on. The Texas-OU game finally will be back to being the premiere game in college football (only Miami-FSU game will come close this year).
(1-tie) OU - 9.7 (8.5)- They have more talent on campus than at any time since the mid-80s. Not all name guys, but great athletes. White is back and he and Hybl have another year under their belt. A lot of athletic upgrades with Lynn McGruder may take Klein's spot at DT, JUCO LB's Mitchell and Jackson moving in along with soph DE John Jackson. Also sophs Harris, Wilkerson and Carter now have a year under their belts and in OU's S&C system. Depth is significantly improved all over with OL being the only question.
(3) Texas A&M - 6.9 (5.9)- RC's been getting hammered in recruiting but a lot of things are coming together at the same time here -- Farris (rival smack aside, nice talent) a senior QB, two pretty good receivers with their first year under the belt (Taylor and Murphy), a pretty good young talent with a year under his belt at TB, an experienced and fairly talented OL, and a defense that returns almost all of its best players (and with its most athletic DL talent in a long time). The biggest weaknesses are at LB (which is not good in a 3-4) and TE, but the AGs should be better than they've been since 1998. They're also here because no one is stepping up.
(4-tie) Kansas State - 6.5 (5.8) - The hardest team to predict in the league year in and year out -- largely because of a load of JUCO headcases at key positions. Last year, they put on the single best offensive performance of the year -- even better than CU flattening NU, IMO -- in walking into Norman, OK and simply destroying OU's outstanding defense (I still can't believe it happened). They then proceeded to lose to loads of not so good teams. Ell Roberson has a year under his belt and can be a handful (especially under an offensive mind like Snyder). Redshirt Frosh Davis and JUCO transfer Taco Wallace bring a lot of speed and athleticism, along with some new RBs and an experienced line. Lots of athleticism on defense, with a surprising number of non-JUCO players that have worked their way up. Our game at K State could be our second toughest of the year after the October BlowU megamatchup.
(4-tie) Nebraska - 6.9 (8.3)- they have some talent, but there is no way they are a top 10 team this year. If not just for the reason that they're starting a new QB in that system. Combine that with the un-Husker-like froshes and sophs at the tackle positions, no speed to stretch the defense at wingback or WR and some serious questions whether their secondary can cover one-on-one, and you have all of the makings for a down year (for them). Talent, system and coaching will keep them afloat.
(6) Texas Tech - 5.1 (4.6) - They should be better than last year but not world beaters. Most of their talent returns, though the loss of Kevin Curtis will hurt. Senior QB Kingsbury with athletic receiving talents Paige, Durrough and Francis will make the passing game better (especially after they went through a whole season with the league scheming against the spread last year). Transfer Mack takes over at tailback. McMackin has proven to be a pretty good DC given the talent he has and he returns more this year than in prior years.
(7-tie) CU - 5.0 (7.9)- This will be a pothole in the rebuilding job Barnett is doing, which is to be expected after losing many of the bigtime Neuheisel recruits that powered their team last year (e.g., monster OL's Gurode and Rogers, superstar TE Daniel Graham, Top DL Banaan, Top DBs Lewis and Robinson, receivers Hollowell, Minardi and Cormier, Jashon Sykes, etc. . ). Pesavento is also gone, but Ochs is a far better talent anyway and he returns with a set of talented backs in Houston, Brown and Purify (i.e., Cortlen Johnson's loss won't be big). But CU is sorely lacking top athletes accross the board. On top of that, much like OU's spread in '01, the rest of the league will be gearing up to stop CU's different offensive scheme in '02. Barnett's biggest enemy will probably be the overtly absurd preseason rankings. Instead of getting frustrated by failing to end up anywhere near #6 in the nation (and they will not be in that universe), Buff fans should realize the situation and give Barnett more time (although the results may be like Texas' 1997 season, the situation is different).
(7-tie) Iowa St - 4.2 (5.1) - I would have Iowa State higher with Senecca Wallace going into his senior year, but he lost Ennis Haywood and his OL and they continue to lack talent on D. Plus, Wallace & Co are not going to surprise anyone this year after jumping up and biting several opponents last year. Still, McCarney has proven to be more than capable of competing without loads of talent at his command, so they'll be an interesting team to watch.
I have no idea about the bottom four (Mizzou 2.8, OK St 4.0, KU 1.5 and Baylor 1).
Throughout the year, either I or DNOMYAR will keep you guys updated with the goings on in the Big 12. Don't hesitate to ask us a question regarding certain matchups. Not sure if dr. freeze is going to be around much this year as he mentioned in our fantasy baseball league that he may not bet football this year. Yeah right!
