Big 12 Football: 10 Players Who Should Be Getting More National Acclaim
Big 12 fans across the country will agree with league commissioner Bob Bowlsby's sentiment, which was made earlier this spring at a lecture at Kansas State University.
"There's too much d*** SEC," Bowlsby said, directing his comment to ESPN president John Skipper.
It seems like all the national attention is shoved in the direction of Nick Marshall, Dak Prescott and so on and so forth.
But plenty of players in the Big 12 are worthy of recognition.
Here are 10 of them.
Samaje Perine
1 of 10
Very quietly, Oklahoma Sooners running back Samaje Perine has led the Big 12 in rushing this season.
He's racked up 506 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground—the most in the league.
Yet, nobody is talking about Perine as one of the premier backs in the country.
Oklahoma was in desperate need of a running back after Joe Mixon, the star freshman, was suspended for the 2014 season.
Perine has stepped up into that role with ease, and he deserves to be part of the national conversation.
Daxx Garman
2 of 10
Despite having to takeover for an injured J.W. Walsh early in the season, Daxx Garman has been firing on all cylinders for the Oklahoma State Cowboys.
With 1,200 yards and nine touchdowns through the air, the Cowboys haven't skipped a beat under Garman's leadership at signal-caller.
The Cowboys still have a long road ahead of them to become true title contenders, but they're just one of three 2-0 teams in Big 12 play. It looks like Garman will be the one to guide the Pokes to another stellar season.
Shawn Oakman
3 of 10
All the love that heads Baylor's way is generally directed to its prolific offense.
But if you look closely, you'll notice that defensive lineman Shawn Oakman leads the Big 12 in sacks with five through as many games.
All the sacks have been of the solo variety, proving that Oakman is one of the most dominant forces in America.
Yet, nobody seems to pay attention to him week in and week out.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Ben Heeney
4 of 10
Ben Heeney's success over his tenure with the Kansas Jayhawks has been overshadowed by the fact that the Jayhawks are now the perennial bottom-feeders of the Big 12.
Nevertheless, Heeney has consistently been one of the league's, as well as the nation's, most talented linebackers. He's fourth in the Big 12 this year with 49 tackles, averaging nearly 10 per game.
The arrival of Clint Bowen as the team's interim coach has been a rejuvenation for Heeney, per Rustin Rodd of The Kansas City Star. So perhaps the Jayhawks' star linebacker isn't done turning heads in Lawrence quite yet.
Trevone Boykin
5 of 10
Perhaps the best game played by a quarterback in the Big 12 this season helped the TCU Horned Frogs pull off one of college football's biggest upsets this season when they upended the Oklahoma Sooners.
Yet, many people felt that Trevone Boykin shouldn't have even been the quarterback for TCU this year.
Nevertheless, his performance against Oklahoma—318 yards passing, 77 yards rushing and two touchdowns—only punctuated what has already been a stellar season for one of the league's most dynamic athletes.
Boykin is second in the league in total offense, trailing only WVU's Clint Trickett. He's fourth in passing and seventh in rushing.
He has not only earned the right to be called one of the Big 12's best players but should be a dark horse for the Heisman Trophy.
Kevin White
6 of 10
Very steadily, Kevin White has been Clint Trickett's favorite target in 2014 and is conjuring up memories of Tavon Austin in Morgantown.
White leads the Big 12 in both receiving yards (765) and receptions (48).
WVU has been far better than people expected in 2014, and a big reason has been White. While he's not on the level of the likes of Amari Cooper, he still deserves recognition.
Jake Waters
7 of 10
Had it not been for a dropped catch-turned-interception by Tyler Lockett against Auburn, the Kansas State Wildcats may very well be a top-five team.
The Wildcats lost to Auburn, but it wasn't Waters' fault.
In fact, nearly all of K-State's success this year is thanks to its gunslinger.
His showing against Iowa State—239 yards passing, a career-high 138 yards rushing and two touchdowns—guided K-State to a 15-point comeback on the road.
Waters has a strong arm and plays with a Collin Klein-esque reckless abandon.
He deserves to be placed among the elite players in the Big 12.
Jakeem Grant
8 of 10
Jakeem Grant may not be getting the love he deserves because Texas Tech as a whole has been struggling this season.
But Grant has been the shining light for the Red Raiders, becoming the Big 12's leader in all-purpose yards, including receiving and kick returning.
Grant is averaging 25 yards per kick return and has hauled in 473 yards and four touchdowns as a wideout.
He's quickly showing that he's one of the most versatile players in the league, as well as the country.
Xavien Howard
9 of 10
Who has been the best pass defender in the Big 12?
I bet nobody guesses Xavien Howard.
Yet, the Baylor defensive back has a league-high eight passes broken up and also two picks.
Baylor's defense has always taken a backseat to its offense, but guys like Howard and Shawn Oakman are keeping the Bears relevant in the playoff hunt.
Bryce Petty
10 of 10
Yes, Bryce Petty gets a lot of national recognition, but few consider him the front-runner for the Heisman Trophy.
Perhaps he should be.
Of all the major contenders—Marcus Mariota, Kenny Hill, Todd Gurley—Petty is the only one not to suffer a loss.
The Bears are undefeated and on pace for their second straight Big 12 title under Petty's leadership.
His numbers are gaudy, which admittedly is partially a byproduct of the no-huddle system that Baylor employs. But make no mistake: Petty deserves at this point in the season to not only get that coveted New York City invite but to hoist the Heisman Trophy.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
