College Football 2012 Rankings: Big 12 Sets Pace for BCS Leagues Offensively

Last week, we took a look at the overall conferences and set them in the best order we saw fit. Well, it is Tuesday again, people, and that means more rankings coming your way.

Today, we are looking at just the offensive side of the ball. Playmakers and efficiency. Consistent performance and production is the key here. So here we go...

I'll be up front here, folks, I'm a defensive guy. Plain and simple: I love defense, and that's my favorite side of the ball. That said, I do have a respect and appreciation for a solid offense.

I prefer the pro set, but when a system works and really puts pressure on a defense, there is something truly special about that, regardless of how simplistic it is in its form or how much deception and "trickeration" is involved.

So, saddle up, because we're going to take a look at  these offenses. No, it isn't pulling stats from last year and just trying to fit them into what we've got now. Players leave. Players arrive. Coaches leave. Coaches arrive.

We've got some transition in the conferences, and that means we're looking at what we have now.

6. Big East

I hate putting the Big East last. I hate it because it seems lazy and like I haven't done my homework.

But then I actually pull up what the league has and where its production is coming from, and there is nowhere else to put it.

Louisville is going to be a quality ballclub on the offensive side of things. But losing West Virginia hurts the conference in that regard, and uncertainty makes it tough for the league to move up. This is not just about star power but about consistency and transition. 

On the consistency side of things, South Florida is the biggest culprit. BJ Daniels is talented as a ballplayer, but 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions just isn't enough to put a lot of faith in the Bulls quarterback.

UConn is going to run the football, but it just has no true ability to throw, making Lyle McCombs its only weapon. Chas Dodd and Gary Nova at Rutgers appear to be on the right track, but losing Mohamed Sanu is going to force new coach Kevin Flood to find another way to rev up production.

With regard to transition, we're looking at new quarterbacks for Syracuse, Cincinnati and Temple. Temple also loses Bernard Pierce. who was its Mr. Everything where the offense was concerned.

Cincinnati needs to improve under Munchie Legaux all while replacing Isaiah Peade in the backfield. Pitt is an interesting case, because I think Paul Chryst is going to be just what the doctor ordered for the Panthers. We just haven't seen what the former Wisconsin offensive coordinator can do when he is calling all of the shots for a program.

The future does look bright for these teams' offenses, and falling into this position is more a product of inconsistency and transition than anything else. Towing the same tired "Big East is awful" meme just isn't what this is about.

5. Big Ten

I know, Montee Ball and Denard Robinson are back. I know Urban Meyer is now in the league. I know Bill O'Brien is supposed to revamp the Penn State offensive attack.

Those are all things to look forward to, as is Dan Roushar's ability to keep scoring points with Michigan State and year two of Tim Beck at Nebraska. Kain Colter at Northwestern should step in and keep Pat Fitzgerald's team relevant as well.

But look at the negative side before you huff and puff.

Quarterback issues at Wisconsin. Indiana, Minnesota and Purdue have production issues, to put it kindly. Iowa loses its best pass-catcher and the league's second leading rusher.

Nebraska, even with standout running back Rex Burkhead back, is still a mystery as to how consistent Taylor Martinez will play. Not to mention what sort of game Tim Beck will call. The Sugar Bowl was the story of Michigan's offense: inconsistent and still a work in progress.

At Ohio State, Illinois and Penn State, we have the same word that limited the Big East: transition. New coaches, new systems and a short time to get things installed.

For Ohio State and Illinois offensively, the pieces are there. Braxton Miller can be a great player. I like Nathan Scheelhaase a lot. But neither of them makes me truly believe that they will come out of the gate humming on offense.

Losing players hurts, and most certainly the Big Ten has room to be among the nation's best. In order to climb the heap, it just has to prove that the quarterback play and offensive schemes work.

4. ACC

This was really a tough one, because Boston College and Maryland really sit in that "offense will be woefully bad this season" category. And yes, Paul Johnson will continue to be Paul Johnson with the option scheme that has lost him four straight bowl games.

But a look around the league as a whole shows some consistency at the quarterback position, consistency in coaching staffs and youth now possessing experience.

The hopeful but dirty word "transition" does exist here, as North Carolina will see growing pains under new coach Larry Fedora, and Miami must find a new quarterback. However, the Heels do get one of the nation's young, budding offensive stars back in tailback Giovani Bernard.

Obviously, we know about the big dog, Clemson, with Tajh Boyd, Sammy Watkins and Andre Ellington back to set the offensive tone for the league. Florida State will miss Devonta Freeman in the spring, but he proved he could tote the rock a year ago.

EJ Manuel is not a video game stat machine; he's an efficient quarterback in a pro-styled scheme who does his job well. Logan Thomas will continue his growth in the quarterback spot; we saw him look brilliant at times a season ago, and he has a true weapon in Marcus Davis on the edge.

NC State and Virginia are the two offenses that helped the ACC edge out the Big Ten for the fourth spot. Mike Glennon has a shot at being the ACC's best quarterback this season. He's smart with the football and efficient—and last year, we saw why Tom O'Brien was okay with his decision to cut Russell Wilson loose.

For the Wahoos, Michael Rocco is not in Glennon's league, but he doesn't have to be. The rising junior has to improve on his decision-making and efficiency for the Cavaliers' run-heavy offense under head coach Mike Scott.

3. SEC

Arkansas, Georgia and Tennessee are at the top of the SEC's offensive food chain.

The Hogs have a shot to be special this season with the return of Knile Davis. Georgia has a quality quarterback and a balanced offense that will produce. Tennessee's passing game is healthy again with Tyler Bray and Justin Hunter back, and that should help change their fortune in 2012.

Throw in the strong running games of Alabama, LSU and South Carolina, and you've got something good.

Vanderbilt has to look to improve its attack by getting some passing out of its solid rushing attack. Mississippi State must find a way to churn up yards against its own division before its offense can reach the next level.

Both teams appear to be on the right track but need an actual breakthrough to get to where they want to be. Just like the other leagues, the SEC has some question marks and some just-not-very-good offensive teams.

Transition at Florida and Auburn will make this year a trial by fire. Brent Pease at Florida and Scot Loeffler on The Plains will both have their work cut out for them as they try to make sense out of the pieces they have.

2. Pac-12

This was a tough call to make, especially ahead of the SEC and ACC. However, the good in the Pac-12 is so good that it helps gloss over some of the ugly and transition in the league.

First, the bad: new coaches in Pullman, Tucson, Tempe and Westwood; new quarterbacks in Eugene and Palo Alto.

Transition will be interesting to see, as the Cougars try to build under Mike Leach, plus Arizona and Arizona State bring offensive-minded coaches in to the fold. Leach will get production, but the wins will be tougher to come by.

Arizona is having growing pains right now, and after what happened at Michigan, we shouldn't expect a smooth transition.

But the good is so good.

Only Clemson and Arkansas of the schools in conferences below the Pac-12 are on the same level as the conference's elite.

USC is a pass-first, pro-styled attack that has weapons ready to light up the scoreboard. Oregon, even with new quarterback Bryan Bennett, is a whirlwind of handoffs, jet sweeps and screens that tax defenses.

Cal and Washington are not quite elite, but they have units that have some quality pieces. Keith Price is one of my favorite quarterbacks entering 2012 and is poised to take a big step. Zach Maynard has to make better decisions, but throwing to Keenan Allen is a plus for anyone at the quarterback position.

1. Big 12

The top of the charts. The cream of the crop. That's where the Big 12 finds itself where offense is concerned.

Oklahoma State will take a step back as it tries to find a quarterback and a receiver to replace its departed stars. In the meantime, Joseph Randle will be its big weapon at the running back position.

Kansas will have issues with switching to Charlie Weis' scheme. Baylor will have to find production to replace Robert Griffin III and Kendall Wright. Texas will remain inconsistent until it gets solid quarterback play.

But there is so much good in this league, even in the newcomers that join to replace Mizzou and Texas A&M.

Casey Pachall at TCU is growing into a star. Geno Smith and Tavon Austin are working with Dana Holgorsen to push tempo and put points on the board. Kansas State has Collin Klein back in the fold, and he is just one of those incredibly capable quarterbacks in the world of college football.

Texas Tech and Seth Doege look to use their exciting receiving group to keep the yards coming. For Oklahoma, Dominique Whaley and Roy Finch look to add to the production the passing game will have in Norman.

Landry Jones is back for the Sooners, and that should mean good things as the team goes through spring used to no Ryan Broyles, allowing Kenny Stills to be the man in crimson and cream.

This is going to be another fun season as teams look to ease into their transitions and new players step up. Folks are spending money on coordinators and bringing in new schemes to catch up to the big dogs of offensive football.