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Irving, Texas – It started with the talks about Nebraska leaving, progressed to the flair of new coaches, and ended with the favorites talking about the championship game at Cowboys Stadium. Big 12 media days wrapped up on Wednesday, with all twelve teams at least saying the right things.
For new faces Tommy Tuberville (Texas Tech) and Turner Gill (Kansas), media days were a chance to make a lasting reputation. For Bo Pelini (Nebraska), it was all about conference re-alignment spin control.
After three days in the DFW metro-plex, not much was actually learned by the media, but there were glimpses that 2010 could be a very interesting year in the conference.
Monday's crowd:
Baylor- After a year filled with expectations that
were not met, including a season ending knee injury for starting
quarterback Robert Griffin, Baylor will try to end its 16-year bowl
drought in 2010. With a favorable schedule of just three conference
road games and home dates against Kansas, Kansas State, and Texas
A&M, it might be possible.
"We're really jacked about the season. We really feel good about it. I really think, without a doubt, it will be the most complete team we've been able to put on the field since we've been at Baylor, which started in 2008," said Head Coach Art Briles. "So from that standpoint, you know, we do have a lot of hope and a lot of high aspirations. So that part of it is very exciting and very real. That's kind of where we're at right now."
In 2009, Penn State transfer Phil Taylor was deemed preseason Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year. The 6-foot-4, 355-pound junior failed to make an impact, only recording 25 tackles and half of a sack. If Baylor wants to go bowling, the defense will need to improve and it starts with Taylor.
"He really didn't do the things that he needed to do," said Briles. "I told him this year, we're going to pass judgment after six ball games. You know, after six games, we'll see where he's at. I think I know where he's at, but I thought I knew a year ago too, and I found out I wasn't as smart as I thought I was. We'll see where it goes from there.
Texas A&M- With the departures of Colt McCoy,
Sam Bradford, Todd Reesing, and Zac Robinson, Aggies Head Coach
Mike Sherman might have the best quarterback in the league with
Jerrod Johnson. The senior, who broke numerous school records last
year, should provide the fire power to put up big points on the
scoreboard.
"He is a player who studies film constantly,” said Sherman. “NFL film, college film. He's always looking for clues, so that he doesn't see ghosts out there that are going to make him see something that's not there. Because he's so dang bright about things, sometimes he can see things or anticipate things that aren't happening."
But, no matter how good the offense is, it's the defense that will need to show major improvement if Aggie fans want to celebrate a major bowl. With 10 starters returning and a new coordinator in Tim DeTuyter, the pieces are there.
"I spent about a month looking at tape, trying to analyze who was the best fit for us at coordinator this time. I wanted to get back to a 3-4 defense because I think we can recruit to that structure," said Sherman. "It's harder and harder to find the big guys inside and so that plays to our strength. I believe Tim DeRuyter is a name, after watching the tape... every place he's been as a coordinator has elevated their defensive play."
Nebraska- Apparently Nebraska coach Bo Pelini is
trying to just focus on the 2010 season. Reporters didn’t
quite get the memo.
“I very much respect the job that all of you have to do, but I will not be taking any questions in regard to any Big Ten issues,” stated Pelini early in the day. “We’re excited about the upcoming season and all our focus is on the Big 12, which is a great conference. We’re excited to be in it this fall and looking forward to the future.”
That lasted for about five minutes, after Pelini realized no one was going to actually shy away from the topic.
“I don’t anticipate any problems. Number one, the leadership of the Big 12 from Dan Beebe and his staff has been exceptional....The fans and the institutions in the Big 12 are highly respected…very classy programs...very classy fans,” he said. “If you start looking ahead, you’ll get stomped in this conference.”
Nebraska will take a lot of heat for being the first team to step out of the Big 12 conference and it will possibly start on Oct. 7th at Kansas State. The Cornhuskers also travel to Oklahoma State, Iowa State, and Texas A&M in 2010. It will be interesting to see fans’ reactions on home games.
When not being asked about a conference switch, many of the questions surrounded returning quarterback starter Zac Lee. The senior threw for 2,100 yards and 14 touchdowns last season, but missed spring practices following surgery on the flexor tendon in his throwing shoulder, an injury that he played with much of the season in 2009.
“It’s a negative anytime that you don’t have a chance to practice and gain reps,” Pelini said. “Right now he’s 100 percent. He’s competing well, and he’s looking to forward to a great fall and a great camp coming up.”
Iowa State- After a surprise seven win season with a bowl win in 2009, second year head coach Paul Rhodes might have a tough time seeing much improvement in 2010. The Cyclones were overachievers last year and have a less than favorable schedule in the coming months, with trips to Iowa, Oklahoma, Texas, and Colorado. The defense struggled last season and will have to replace some key personnel from that squad.
“We lack experience, but I think we make up with desire and hunger, and we'll have to if we're going to improve week to week, which we need to on that side of the ball,” said Rhodes of his defense. “We're excited about our growth inside our football program in just a short amount of time. We've seen a lot of development in the last 18, 19 months....With that in mind, we will be an improved football team in 2010 and we'll need to be.”
Senior quarterback Austen Arnaud returns for another year under center. Last year, he threw for over 2,000 yards passing with 14 touchdowns, but had 13 interceptions. During the off season, Arnaud has changed his throwing motion in hopes to improve on his accuracy.
“I think Austen emerged through spring ball as our most improved player on our team,” said Rhodes. “He needed to improve fundamentally on his mechanic. He did that this spring. I think he has an excellent grasp of our offense, which will improve his decision making when he takes the field.”
Tuesday crowd:
Missouri – Most have deemed Nebraska as the
preseason favorite to win the Big 12 North, including the bulk of
the media. Missouri can't be too excited about it.
After a 8-5 season in 2009, eight starters returning on offense, and seven on defense, the Tigers look to be the Cornhuskers' biggest competition for a trip to Cowboys stadium in December.
It starts with returning junior quarterback Blaine Gabbert. In 2009, he threw for over 3500 yards with 24 touchdowns and only nine interceptions. But, it was what he was dealing with that has the respect from his teammates and the Tigers coaching staff.
In Missouri's fifth game of the season against Nebraska, the sophomore suffered an ankle injury, something that held him back much of the second half of the season.
"That said an awful lot about him," MU coach Gary Pinkel said. "He flat told me, looked me dead in the eye, 'I can play; I want to play.'”
As far as finishing behind A&M's Jerrod Johnson in the voting for preseason 1st team All-Big 12 quarterback, Gabbert is approaching it the same way that his team is approaching the fact that Nebraska is selected as the No. 1 team.
"When people doubt you, you've got to have a chip on your shoulder and prove them wrong,” he said. "That's kind of how it's been my whole life. Nobody really ever gave me a chance coming after Brad (Smith) and Chase (Daniel). …We'll see. It's just all about proving people wrong."
Texas Tech - there was no program more talked
about on day No. 2 of media days than Texas Tech. Few programs have
been more defined by their coach in the last ten years than Tech.
Reporters wanted to get a feel if it's been a difficult adjustment
for new head coach Tommy Tuberville.
"You've got to let them know up front how you're going to
handle things. Everybody's philosophy is a little bit different,"
he said. "I'm excited about having an offense with the players that
we have. We're going to be exciting. We'll change it to some
degree. We'll put our stamp on it, but we're going to throw the
ball around."
Lost in all the hoopla of a new head coach is the fact that
the Red Raiders have to find their starting quarterback and rebuild
a defensive line.
After a nine win season last year, another eight to nine
wins in 2010 is not out of the question, but will be a challenge.
“Defensively, we want our defense to take a step up.
We want to let them know that they're part of the team. For us to
win a championship, they have to be accountable,” said
Tuberville. “The one thing I noticed about our defense is
they didn't have a lot of confidence. You know, wasn't a lot of
talk about them. If it was, it was about, know, not playing very
well, no credit on that side. I think they played pretty well last
year. A lot of games they played well. For some reason, everything
was focused on offense. I'm a team player.”
Kansas State - In a conference where quarterbacks often steal the headlines, it's running back Daniel Thomas that makes the Wildcats offense go down field. The conference's Offensive Newcomer of the Year in 2009, Thomas has been named a preseason All-American by many media outlets.
“Daniel is well-prepared,” said 70-year old head coach Bill Snyder. “He hasn’t experienced what it means to come back after the season that he’s had and enter into what lies ahead, but I think he’s as ready as he can be to do exactly that.”
Thomas rushed for over five yards a carry last season, racking up 1265 yards and 11 touchdowns in the process.
“They’re going to focus on me a little more because of the success I had last year,” Thomas said. “But I feel I can have a better season after working hard in the off season. I didn’t have that chance last year. I think that’s going to help me a lot.”
Nobody saw K-State contending for the North last season, but a returning Snyder almost led the Wildcats back to the postseason. With Thomas a year older and wiser, Snyder might make it happen in year two.
Oklahoma State - Former minior league pitcher
Brandon Weeden was 19-22 overall with an ERA of 5.02 in five
seasons with the Yankees organization. He was never close to
playing a game with the likes of Jeter, A-Rod, or Pettite, but the
experiences he did collect from 2002 to 2006 should provide major
benefits as the 26-year old takes over the starting quarterback
position at Oklahoma State.
"He's had a taste of what it's like to be out there and to deal with the media and the public and have success,” OSU coach Mike Gundy said. "There's obviously tough days (during a season) and I think that will help.
Weeden should be able to show fans quickly if he has the makeup to be a starting Big 12 quarterback. With newly hired offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen (Mike Leach's protege), OSU will be airing it out often.
"I feel like this offense is perfect for him, and it helps that he's 40... I'm kidding, but he's real mature about it and reads defenses great,” said OSU defensive end Jamie Blatnick.
"They'll call me old man,” said Weeden. “If I'm struggling with a run they'll be like 'Come on, old man.' I'm like... 'First of all, I'm not that old, secondly I'm not that bad.”
Wednesday crowd:
Oklahoma - With both Texas and the Sooners
electing to stay in the Big 12, even more emphasis is going to be
placed on the OU/Texas game by the conference. With no championship
game, at least in the public plans, commissioner Dan Beebe has a
dilemma on his hands. What marquee games can he have in December
against the other conferences.
The Red River Shootout?
Not likely, but it was brought up numerous times on Day No. 3.
“Over the last ten years with both of us, being in the national picture as well, it's made -- and being in the same division, it's made that game a great attraction not only in this region, but across the country,” said OU head coach Bob Stoops. “So it matters to a degree. But I think also just strength of all the schools in our league makes a difference. So we have a strong product here in the Big 12, and I'm sure it will continue that way and only keep improving. So we'll just see, as we move forward, how it goes.”
When not being drilled by conference re-alignment and Texas questions, a hot topic issue was the Sooners offensive line. The unit needs to prove early and often that they are better fundamentally and athletically than last year if they want to bounce back from a 8-5 season.
“The way they worked through the winter and through all our conditioning and lifting and strength training through the winter conditioning periods [was encouraging],” Stoops said. “And then the way they competed in the spring. We have a—year in and year out—have a fairly good defensive line, and I thought they were toe to toe with them all the time and competed with them well.”
Kansas - Much like Tommy Tuberville on day No. 2, new head Turner Gill's media day was filled with questions about how he plans to change the culture in Lawrence.
"Well, I'm a firm believer, which I think probably most coaches are, in building relationships," sad Gill. "That was the first thing I wanted our football program, our football team to do. Building relationships from players to coaches, coaches to players, coaches to coaches, and players to players.
“So we put out a little bit of a survey deal that I gave to every single player, every single coach, and it had about eight to ten questions that were really detailed about who they are, where they came from, and how they came to where they are at today.”
Gill has banned cursing in his program, something that differs a little bit from the Mark Mangino days.
"You really have to try not to," Kansas cornerback Chris Harris said. "Been used to it (cursing) for a long time. Our high school coaches didn't care. It was football."
Kansas just missed out on a bowl game last season and were underachievers. With no Texas or Oklahoma on the schedule this season, Turner Gill should be able to get the Jayhawks back to the postseason.
Colorado - There might not be a coach in America
on a hotter seat right now than Dan Hawkins, but it looks like the
5th year coach is taking it in stride.
“At least I have a seat,” he joked.
Hawkins is now just 16-33 at Boulder and appears to be in serious trouble.
“I think that's our focus is just kind of garnering those little things day to day,” said Hawkins. “I think having a roster this year of a lot of guys that have played, a lot of guys that have competed, and having guys that can step up and play and know that you have to practice well every day, you've got to study film every day, you've got to be at your best every day, and that leads to better Saturdays. So we're excited for that.”
The Buffaloes return eight starters on offense and seven on defense.
Texas - The big boys were the last team to talk at Big 12 media days. Was this done on purpose? Maybe. The Longhorns had the biggest crowd of reporters stick throughout the three days.
For Mack Brown, the topics ranged from replacing Colt McCoy, conference re-alignment, and their so-called revived rivalry with Nebraska.
The offense is being changed, with the quarterback under center more and the running game more involved. The hope is that not only will this take some pressure off of new signal-caller Garrett Gilbert, but also help save the defense.
“We did a lot of self study and found out that we had more explosive plays when the quarterback was under the center in the running game as well as the tailback being right behind the quarterback,” said Brown. “So we feel like we'll give them a better opportunity to be stronger and tougher in the running game than we've been the last two years.”
Despite losing McCoy, one of the best quarterbacks in the nation last season, Texas should once again contend for the Big 12 title. Anything more? Probably not. Gilbert likely won't progress that quickly.
“We think Garrett is doing really well. Again, last year, there were times I would say, Garrett, you're not very vocal. You're not leading as well as I expected, and he said, This is Colt's team. I'll lead as soon as Colt graduates and moves on, and he did that,” Brown said. “I do think his presence in the national championship game gave him instant credibility with the older kids. And unlike Colt, who hadn't taken a snap when he stepped in that huddle, Garrett has.”
