Every Big 12 Team's Biggest Question Mark Headed into 2016

There is no perfect team in college football, and there's certainly no exception in the Big 12. Every team has question marks; some are simply more glaring than others. 

With national signing day in the rearview mirror, it's time to look ahead to the 2016 season and all of the uncertainty that will inevitably come with it. Can a team like Oklahoma get back to the College Football Playoff? Can another Big 12 team leapfrog the Sooners and make the final four?

Can Kansas win a game?

We'll look at all of those things and more as we ask, and attempt to answer with some clarity, the most pressing issues facing Big 12 teams next season. These are the questions based on last year's results that will impact the outcomes for various teams, for better or worse. 

Baylor

Peter G. Aiken/Getty Images

Question: Can Baylor dominate in the trenches?

This is a question with a two-fold answer. One thing you should never assume about Baylor is that it's purely a finesse team that doesn't power its way through games. This was a run-first offense in 2015 even before all the injuries and the modified single wing the Bears ran in the Russell Athletic Bowl against North Carolina produced a record 645 yards on the ground. 

However, Baylor loses arguably its two best players off of last year's team, and neither is named Corey Coleman. Offensive tackle Spencer Drango and defensive tackle Andrew Billings are gone. Drango was a unanimous All-American, and Billings was the most freakish athlete on the team (which is saying something). 

That's not all, though. Nearly the entire starting O-line and D-line have to be replaced. That means more under-the-radar players like Blake Muir and Jamal Palmer are gone, too. 

Does the new-look O-line impact Baylor's offense at all? Quarterback Seth Russell will be back and healthy after a season-ending neck injury, but will he have space to operate the offense? On defense, stopping the run got progressively harder as the '15 season went on. Baylor needs to find more disruptive players on defense while protecting its quarterback on offense. 

To simply assume Baylor will reload ignores how critical both of these things are. Starting over with basically a new O-line takes time. 

Iowa State

Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press

Question: How will first-year coach Matt Campbell do?

It seems obvious, but can Campbell make an impact right away? Iowa State hasn't won more than three games since 2012 and hasn't had a winning season since 2009. Moving to a round-robin, nine-game schedule has been brutal for the Cyclones, and that won't change unless the Big 12 expands. 

Campbell is going to get a pass for his first season. Iowa State was more than patient with former coach Paul Rhoads, and it will be with Campbell, too. But there are some pieces in place. Receiver Allen Lazard has the size and capability to be one of the top outside guys in the conference, and running back Mike Warren rushed for more than 1,300 yards. Quarterback Joel Lanning has some potential as well.  

But can Campbell fix some more critical weaknesses right away? Run defense over the past several years has been subpar at best and horrific at worst. For that matter, can Campbell pull off one of those signature Iowa State upsets right away?

It's a stretch to think Campbell will get Iowa State to bowl eligibility in his first year, but winning four or five games would be a step in the right direction. 

Kansas

Orlin Wagner/Associated Press

Question: Can the Jayhawks show any signs of life?

Even the most optimistic Kansas fan knew 2015 was going to be rough for head coach David Beaty. But, mercy, last year was bad. The depleted roster from former head coach Charlie Weis' grand junior college experiment was insurmountable. Give the Jayhawks credit: They fought valiantly at times. But there wasn't enough depth or talent to get the job done. A season-opening loss to South Dakota State set the tone for the 0-12 season. 

Now in Year 2 with some more players, can Beaty show this program is on the right path? Quarterback Ryan Willis showed some flashes, but playmakers are at a premium. 

Beaty isn't going to get Kansas turned around in 2016. It's probably not going to happen in 2017, either. Maybe 2018. Beaty is known for his recruiting chops, but this is a train wreck years in the making, and it won't be cleaned up quickly. But a win—say, over Rhode Island in Week 1—or even two would be a small, positive step. 

Three wins might earn Beaty Coach of the Year honors, and that's not a facetious statement. 

Kansas State

Mark Humphrey/Associated Press

Question: Will this be Bill Snyder's grand finale?

At this point, there are few, if any, questions more pressing than this. Bill Snyder is 76 and will be 77 by the conclusion of the 2016 season. Every year, the same thing will be asked: Is this Snyder's last season? 

Kansas State announced in a release last month that Snyder will return next season but did not elaborate on whether he would coach beyond. 

“Following our bowl game against Arkansas, I had a chance to visit with my family, and they collectively wanted me to do what I wanted to do and none were against my decision to return as long as I am having a positive impact on the young people in our program, my health is in order and as long as I am wanted by the University and the wonderful Kansas State fan base,” Snyder said in the statement. 

When Snyder does step down, it is expected that his son, Sean, will be considered as the successor. If '16 is Snyder's last year, how will the Wildcats do? 2015 was a step back for K-State, which finished eighth in the Big 12 and barely hit bowl eligibility. The Cats won't be Big 12 favorites in '16, but can Snyder lead one more overachieving team?

Oklahoma

Joe Skipper/Associated Press

Question: Will the Sooners turn a corner in their quest for a national title?

Give head coach Bob Stoops credit. It's not easy to reinvent yourself after 16 years, but that's exactly what Stoops did heading into 2015. He brought in offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley and shuffled the defensive responsibilities on the staff. The results were clear: Oklahoma won 11 games, swept through a brutal November slate and made the College Football Playoff as Big 12 champs. 

But the Sooners' national title hopes fell short in the Orange Bowl against Clemson. Injuries played a role, but the fact is Oklahoma got beat up in the trenches. Unless you recruit size over speed along the defensive line, teams with power running attacks are going to find success. Clemson did against Oklahoma. 

The Sooners should be preseason Big 12 favorites heading into next season, but can this program finally turn a corner and claim another national title? It's come close a couple of times in more recent years, but it hasn't been able to take that next step. Oklahoma recruited well defensively in the 2016 class. Among the signees include 5-star linebacker Caleb Kelly and defensive ends Amani Bledsoe and Mark Jackson Jr. All three could compete for playing time right away. 

But if Oklahoma gets back to the playoff, will its speed-over-size defense run into the same problems as before? That's part of what kept the Sooners from advancing in the playoff. 

Oklahoma State

Sean Gardner/Getty Images

Question: Have the Cowboys solved their run-game issues?

Oklahoma State has two main questions moving into 2016: Has it solved its running-game issues, and has it replaced its production at edge-rusher? As far as what is more critical for success in 2016, the run game takes center stage. 

Not only were the Pokes ninth in the Big 12 in rushing offense last year, they lose program stalwart, quarterback J.W. Walsh, who was the No. 1 guy in rushing touchdowns and successfully played a complementary role to Mason Rudolph. 

"If we don’t improve in the running game, we won’t win 10 games next year," head coach Mike Gundy said in January, per Kyle Fredrickson of the Oklahoman. 

That should give you a clear idea of how critical it is to fix the run game. A running back—perhaps Stanford transfer Barry Sanders—needs to step up. 

TCU

Butch Dill/Associated Press

Question: Is quarterback Kenny Hill ready for his second act?

No quarterback went through higher highs and lower lows in 2014 than former Texas A&M quarterback Kenny Hill. From throwing for 511 yards against South Carolina in Week 1 to losing his job, struggling with an off-field incident and leaving the program, Hill has gone through it all. 

He gets a fresh start at TCU, which still has the power coordinator duo of Sonny Cumbie and Doug Meacham. Given how they transformed Trevone Boykin from a possible receiver to a Heisman candidate, it's perfectly reasonable to think they can do great things with Hill. 

After sitting out the 2015 season to satisfy transfer rules, Hill is in the thick of the competition to succeed Boykin next season. Head coach Gary Patterson said "there’s no concern" about Hill's character, per Carlos Mendez of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. 

Hill has skills and can thrive in the right environment. So far, it sounds like he's ready to re-emerge with the Horned Frogs. 

Texas

Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

Question: Does the offense finally turn a corner?

Texas' defense may have been historically bad in 2015, but at least it had youth as an excuse. Plus, many of the best players, like linebacker Malik Jefferson, were still on that side of the ball. In other words, better days are ahead for that group. 

The offense, on the other hand, needs to take major strides with a quickness, circa 2014 TCU. Is Jerrod Heard really the answer at quarterback? Or will true freshman Shane Buechele leapfrog him? Can someone step up in the receiving game? And, most importantly, how quickly will new offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert get things turned around?

As Brandon Chatmon of ESPN.com opined, this should be the "best (and most balanced) offense the Longhorns have had under Strong." It'll need to be. 

Texas' first six games aren't as brutal as last year's, but head coach Charlie Strong can't afford another slow start. If the offense doesn't pick up, another 2-4 start is entirely possible. So, too, would a midseason firing. 

Texas Tech

Ray Thompson/Associated Press

Question: Does head coach Kliff Kingsbury have an answer on defense?

We know this about Texas Tech: It'll score a bunch of points. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes II is morphing into a bona fide star and will make a case to be the conference's best quarterback over the next two years. 

But can the Red Raiders stop anybody? Specifically, can they stop anyone's rushing attack? Last year, only two teams, Idaho and Eastern Michigan, allowed more yards per rush (6.17) than Tech, and no team allowed more rushing touchdowns (49). 

Kingsbury has gone through a lot of defensive assistants over three seasons but finally has some continuity with David Gibbs coming back for another year at defensive coordinator. Can that continuity pay off? Texas Tech's defense doesn't need to be No. 1 in the Big 12, but it needs to be good enough that it isn't a liability. Otherwise, the Red Raiders are handcuffed as a mid-pack Big 12 team. 

West Virginia

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

Question: What is the job security status of head coach Dana Holgorsen?

Holgorsen, who has two years remaining on his contract, is approaching crunch time with West Virginia. As of right now, Holgorsen did not get an extension on his deal, which is important for recruiting purposes. The Mountaineers' athletic director, Shane Lyons, also isn't the guy who hired Holgorsen. 

The long and short of it is Holgorsen needs to do better than seven or eight wins annually to feel totally safe with his job. And it's going to take seven or eight wins annually for Mountaineer fans to be totally satisfied with Holgorsen, who was introduced as the head coach in 2011 in shaky fashion (he was Bill Stewart's replacement as head coach in waiting) and has never been fully accepted. 

Part of the frustration with Holgorsen has been his inability to recruit and develop a quarterback, but Skyler Howard is back for one more year and threw for more than 500 yards in the Cactus Bowl. 

Bottom line: Holgorsen needs to have a big year in 2016. By then, he either gets his extension or leaves for another job. If he doesn't win big, it wouldn't be surprising if WVU parted ways with one year remaining on his deal. 

Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football. All quotes cited unless obtained firsthand. All stats courtesy of cfbstats.com.