Big 12 Football: Power Ranking Every Team Post Spring Practice
Spring time in the Big 12 has come to a close. Don't worry, not all is lost. There's still plenty of time between now and August to debate whether the conference should add a championship game, if the lack of said game hurt in the playoff race and whether you were #TeamBaylor or #TeamTCU.
(I was #TeamPizza, for what it's worth.)
With the end of spring drills, it's time to take stock on what we learned and how everybody looks going into the summer. It's time to power rank each of the Big 12 teams.
Keep in mind these are rankings of the moment, not a projection of where each team will finish at the end of the 2015 season. They're based on a combination of spring game performances, returning players, position battles (and whether they were answered) and any injuries.
And, unlike some promises, the No. 1 team in our power rankings really is our "One True Champion."
No. 10 Kansas
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Look, we're not trying to pick on the Jayhawks because they're low-hanging fruit or anything. But let's quickly recap what happened during and immediately after Kansas' spring game:
First, potential starting quarterback Michael Cummings—who was dressed in a non-contact jersey—took a helmet to the knee during a play and had to leave the game. Head coach David Beaty said Monday the incident was a "complete freak accident" and that Cummings will have surgery on that knee, according to Benton Smith, kusports.com.
“Following his surgery, he will work diligently, alongside our medical staff, to get back to the field as quickly as possible,” Beaty said in a statement from the university.
Then, Beaty announced that wide receiver Rodriguez Coleman and running back Corey Avery had been suspended indefinitely for violating team rules, noting that "their future is uncertain." Avery was the team's leading rusher a year ago with 631 yards and five touchdowns.
So, yeah, not a great way to end spring practices. In the words of Fox Sports Southwest's Big 12 beat writer, David Ubben, nobody's topping that performance.
No. 9 Iowa State
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Iowa State may start the post-spring power rankings toward the bottom of the Big 12, but the Cyclones have room to move up the ladder.
There's serious potential on offense, especially in the passing game. Once again, the Cyclones have X's and O's genius Mark Mangino calling the plays. Sam Richardson looks like the guy at quarterback, and there are some nice receiving options. Sophomore Allen Lazard is morphing into a star after catching 45 passes as a freshman. Quenton Bundrage is returning after missing all of last year with a knee injury.
It's the defense that has been holding Iowa State back over the past couple of years. Jake Trotter of ESPN.com correctly points out that the Cyclones simply aren't getting back to the postseason without a defensive turnaround. Iowa State was particularly bad against the run in 2014, allowing 5.67 yards per carry and 35 touchdowns. Both were worst in the Big 12.
But it was a young defense, too, made up largely of freshmen and sophomores. This defense has the chance to look more like a Paul Rhoads signature group. Junior college transfer Demond Tucker impressed along the defensive line, and cornerback Nigel Tribune is holding down the secondary nicely.
Will Iowa State compete for a Big 12 championship in 2015? Probably not, but this is a program that can get back to its "giant killer" status.
No. 8 Texas Tech
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Kliff Kingsbury's third year as Texas Tech's head coach will be a fascinating one. The offensive disciple for Kevin Sumlin at Houston and Texas A&M began his tenure at his alma mater 7-0 in 2013 but is 5-13 since.
For the first time since he's been there, Kingsbury has the quarterback competition he wants. Though junior Davis Webb was limited with a shoulder injury throughout spring, he's been competing with sophomore Patrick Mahomes and a decision won't be final until preseason camp.
There's also the matter of improving on ball security and discipline. For the past two seasons, Texas Tech has ranked at or near the bottom of the Big 12 in turnovers lost and penalties per game. Last season, only Baylor had more penalties per game (9.8) than the Red Raiders (9.3).
When asked in March how he planned to fix these issues, Kingsbury told B/R "we're still figuring it out...we haven't quite figured out the right formula."
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
No. 7 Kansas State
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Without a doubt, Kansas State loses more crucial offensive pieces from last year's team than anyone else in the Big 12. Quarterback Jake Waters, receivers Tyler Lockett and Curry Sexton, tight end Zach Trujillo and center B.J. Finney—all gone.
Head coach Bill Snyder is a wizard and all that, but even that's a lot replace. As such, expecting a drop-off isn't too far-fetched.
The quarterback battle will continue into preseason camp with Joe Hubener, Jesse Ertz and Alex Delton, since none of the three really separated himself during spring. In the quest to replace the production lost from Lockett and Sexton, Deante Burton stood out with four catches for 107 yards.
The defense is ahead of the offense at this point, which is to be expected. Elijah Lee picked up where he left off as a freshman, dominating with 10.5 tackles, one sack and an 18-yard interception return for a touchdown, according to Ken Corbitt of the Topeka Capital-Journal.
No. 6 Texas
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One of the most watched quarterback battles anywhere in the country will continue for a few more months. Junior Tyrone Swoopes has the edge over redshirt freshman Jerrod Heard, but head coach Charlie Strong has said in recent weeks that Heard is "closing the gap."
“Ty is still the No. 1 guy at this point,” Strong said, per Max Olson of ESPN.com.
Regardless of who wins the starting job, another area of emphasis is building chemistry and depth along the offensive line—an area that lacked both in 2014.
While it remains to be seen what the new wide-open offense looks like, the defense should still be solid despite several key losses. The defensive line looks like it will once again be the strength with Hassan Ridgeway and sophomore Poona Ford. And, certainly, early enrollee freshman linebacker Malik Jefferson is already looking the part of a first-year contributor.
It's possible Texas struggles to stay .500 for the second year in a row with so many new faces on the field. Strong may have the program headed in the right direction, but it might not be fully evident right away.
No. 5 West Virginia
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Defense has been a liability for West Virginia since entering the Big 12, sometimes a major liability. For the first time since 2011, that might not be the case. In fact, defense is what could get the Mountaineers back to a bowl game in 2015.
Nearly every starter from last year's group returns; this is a cast of mostly juniors and seniors who have played a lot of snaps, taken some lumps and learned a lot of things over the past few years. It helps, too, to have the same defensive coordinator‚ Tony Gibson, return for another year. The stats don't reflect a huge bump from 2013 to '14, but Gibson did some nice things in his first year. Year 2 should be even better.
Now, can the offense catch up? Skyler Howard, who started the last two games of '14, is the front-runner to start. However, Howard went just 9-of-22 passing in the spring game in what was a disappointing showing for all quarterbacks. William Crest was expected to challenge Howard, but head coach Dana Holgorsen showed he's mostly concerned with getting Crest on the field in any way possible—receiver, punt returner and quarterback.
Assuming Howard's spring game was a glitch and not a trend, he's a dangerous dual-threat weapon. Paired with sophomore receiver Shelton Gibson, there could be some explosive plays ahead.
No. 4 Oklahoma State
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Oklahoma State was one of the most inexperienced teams heading into last season. For 2015, the Pokes return a lot of key contributors.
The Cowboys are also, finally, set at quarterback. Sophomore Mason Rudolph was forced into action late last season because of injuries but turned out to be a promising young player who could be the future of the offense. However, veteran J.W. Walsh will see some playing time to take advantage of his legs and athleticism.
The biggest question mark is at running back. Rennie Childs is the front-runner to start in the backfield, but this could be a position run by committee.
Defensively, it'd be good to see Oklahoma State getting more takeaways. That was their calling card in 2011 and in 2013, but last season, they only managed 14 takeaways. That tied for last in the Big 12. With defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah, the Pokes should once again have a formidable pass rush.
No. 3 Oklahoma
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Oklahoma has fallen pretty hard from the top of the hype mountain. From preseason playoff expectations, to getting beat 40-6 in the Russell Athletic Bowl to finish 8-5, that's a long, long way down.
But, you know, that might just be what the Sooners needed. Heading into 2015, this team returns a lot of key parts, has upgraded its offensive coaching staff and has lower expectations. That could be the right combination for Oklahoma as a Big 12 dark horse.
Of course, the quarterback situation needs answered. Trevor Knight, Baker Mayfield nor Cody Thomas provided much in the way of separation during the spring game. Elsewhere, though, it's a different story. The starting lineup at receiver looks more promising and the running back depth chart is four players deep.
Most of the front seven returns on defense, including pass-rushing specialist Eric Striker. If the secondary can shore up even a bit with young stars like Steven Parker, this can be a nice-looking defense.
It feels like Oklahoma is getting put on the back burner a little bit. That's not to say head coach Bob Stoops' team will win the Big 12, but it might pull off a big win or two.
No. 2 TCU
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In an effort to keep an earlier promise, I won't put TCU and Baylor as 1A and 1B, as much as I'd like to do so. Unfortunately, Frogs, that means you're No. 2.
Fear not, the margin is razor thin and it's mostly because your team wasn't at full strength in its final scrimmage. Quarterback Trevone Boykin (wrist) and receivers Josh Doctson (hand) and Deante' Gray (leg) were sidelined with injuries. There are also some key holes to fill on defense off of last year's group.
However, freshman Mike Freeze is already listed as the No. 1 middle linebacker. That's high praise from a defensive mind like head coach Gary Patterson.
The secondary has to replace three starters, which will be something to watch. Safety Sam Carter and cornerback Kevin White were anchors of that group.
No. 1 Baylor
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For having lost its star quarterback, Bryce Petty, Baylor doesn't have a lot of other questions to answer. Petty, combined with the departure of linebacker Bryce Hager, is a big loss, to be sure, but head coach Art Briles has built a machine in Waco.
Now, it's about starting up that machine again.
The Bears are absolutely loaded—it's almost unfair—with skill talent at wide receiver and running back. That will make Seth Russell's job easier, assuming he holds on to the No. 1 job at quarterback over Chris Johnson and early enrollee Jarrett Stidham.
What sets Baylor apart from everyone else is the talent in the trenches on both sides of the ball. This defensive line with Shawn Oakman and Andrew Billings is as good as you're going to find anywhere. Asking Baylor's defense to just be "adequate" is no longer necessary; this can be one of the top defenses in the Big 12, without a doubt.
As long as Baylor can keep the pace on offense with a new quarterback, a third straight Big 12 title should be within reach.
Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football. All quotes obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise. All stats courtesy of cfbstats.com.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
