When the Big 12 held its annual spring meetings in Las Colinas six weeks ago, just two traditional media outlets were in attendance – The Associated Press and the Dallas Morning News. That’s far different from years past when the great unwashed horde of reporters often outnumbered the participants.
There are two factors why. One, is “Honey I Shrunk the Newspaper Industry.” Fewer staffers and less space means only coverage of crucial beats and news. Two, the Big 12 meetings promised and delivered little newsworthy. Unlike past years when the conference either teetered toward imploding or engaged in a clumsy expansion beauty pageant, the Big 12 is stable. The biggest news was more record-setting revenue sharing — $36.5 million per school.
With no headline-making drama during the offseason, the Big 12 can start gearing up for the football season. The unofficial kickoff, with considerable interest from the media, will be Monday and Tuesday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. The 2019 Big 12 media days will provide access to coaches and nearly three dozen players from 10 schools.
Here are the hot topics and questions that will likely fill the digital recorders and memory cards:
Oklahoma bids for five-peat
Oklahoma has turned into the football version of Kansas basketball. The Sooners have won four consecutive Big 12 titles and in the league’s 23 seasons, they’ve won the championship 12 times.
OU has also won the last two Heisman Trophies. Quarterback whisperer Lincoln Riley transformed transfers Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray into record-setting QBs. Next up is Jalen Hurts, a graduate transfer from Alabama.
The Sooners have made the College Football Playoff each of the last two seasons, but their prolific offense hasn’t been able to compensate for a horrific defense. In CFB semifinal losses to Georgia and Alabama, Oklahoma allowed a total of 99 points and 1,002 yards.
To fix the defense, Riley hired Alex Grinch as the new coordinator. He will attempt to transform a unit that has talent, but last season finished 114th in FBS in total defense.
Is Texas back?
According to junior quarterback Sam Ehlinger, the Big 12 preseason offensive player of the year, that question was answered when UT capably controlled Georgia in a 28-21 Sugar Bowl victory. That win capped off a 10-4 season where the four losses came by a total of 21 points.
Tom Herman’s third season in Austin should be the most promising, as the roster is stocked and stacked with talent. However, the Longhorns’ success will be based on a rebuilt defense that has to replace eight starters.
While Ehlinger proved last season that he’s a winning quarterback, his reckless running style – and his frequent forays carrying the ball – is a dangerous way to survive a 12-game schedule. With Shane Buechele transferring to SMU, Ehlinger’s backup is redshirt freshman Casey Thompson — who has never taken a collegiate snap.
Can Iowa State challenge for a title?
Matt Campbell has spent three seasons in Ames and the last two years he was named Big 12 coach of the year. Iowa State has won 16 games the last two seasons, one less than the total number of victories in the previous five seasons.
After two successful seasons despite a revolving door at quarterback, the Cyclones finally have a solid starter. Sophomore Brock Purdy stepped in as a rookie last season and turned around the season. Iowa State started 1-3 before Purdy got his chance in the fifth game. The Cyclones went 7-1 with Purdy at QB. This season, he’ll try to become the first Iowa State quarterback to start every game since 2008.
The schedule is favorable. Iowa State gets TCU, Oklahoma State and Texas at home. Beyond its road game at Oklahoma, the Cyclones’ toughest road test is likely its Big 12 opener at Baylor. Iowa State was picked to finish third in the preseason media poll. That’s the school’s best showing since being picked to finish second in 2006 in the North Division.
New coaches
Iowa State’s Matt Campbell is third in the conference in terms of coaching tenure. TCU’s Gary Patterson (19 seasons) and Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy (14 seasons) are the Big 12’s gray beards.
Forty percent of the jobs changed hands. Both Kansas schools have new coaches. KU hired Les Miles, who for awhile gives up his gig of acting in Dr Pepper commercials. Kansas State will finally go in a different direction after Bill Snyder stepped down after closing his career with a 5-7 season. The Wildcats hope that Chris Klieman can translate his FCS success (four national titles in five seasons at North Dakota State) to the FBS level.
About a month after the coaching carousel had stopped spinning, Dana Holgorsen made the surprising decision to take the Houston job. West Virginia, however, made a solid hire by grabbing Neal Brown from Troy.
Texas Tech fired Kliff Kingsbury (who fell upward, winding up as coach of the Arizona Cardinals). Under Kingsbury, the Red Raiders failed to gain traction thanks to a woeful defense. New coach Matt Wells arrives from Utah State pledging that the team will be physical and that the defense will stop the run.
Miles to go
Miles, who won a national championship at LSU, was hired by Kansas with the hope that the 64-year-old coach has enough vim and vigor to get the Jayhawks out of permanent residence in the basement. In the preseason poll, Kansas was picked to finish last for the ninth consecutive season.
His first official interaction with Big 12 media will be Monday, but instead of being able to talk about high hopes and new directions, Miles will face questions about a discipline issue.
Last week Miles announced that sophomore running back Pooka Williams has been reinstated after a seven-month suspension. He’ll be suspended for the season opener against Indiana State. Last December, Williams was arrested and charged with domestic battery; he allegedly grabbed his girlfriend by the throat and punched her in the stomach. He and his legal team reached a diversion agreement.
Which teams could surprise?
As mentioned earlier, Gary Patterson and Mike Gundy are the league’s most experienced coaches. TCU and Oklahoma State are both familiar with and accustomed to winning. Both schools are coming off middling seasons; the Frogs had injury issues at quarterback and the Cowboys lost five of their last seven.
TCU’s defense is always salty while Oklahoma State’s offense rarely has an issue lighting up the scoreboard. With veteran head coaches yearning for bounce-back seasons, the key for both the Frogs and the Cowboys will be productive quarterback play.
The team that does could finish as high as third in the standings.
Championship drought
After the initial embarrassment of not placing either of its one-loss teams (TCU and Baylor) in the first College Football Playoff, the Big 12 at least can say it’s better than the Pac-12. Thanks to Oklahoma, the Big 12 has been in three of the last four football final fours. The Sooners, however, have been one-and-done three times.
That means the last time the Big 12 had a national champion was Texas in 2005. If that drought doesn’t end soon, it won’t be long before the conference’s 10 schools will be recruiting players who were born after the last title team.