Our friends over at Crimson and Cream Machine helped spearhead the Round Table/Preview movement and put together a Big 12 Blogger Round Table. Below is ETS' response. Be sure to visit all other Big 12 blogs for their responses.
Pick a team (other than the one you blog about) from the North and South divisions and explain why they may be the best team in the division.
- South: Texas - Not much of a surprise, but the work of the man they call "Coach February" is starting to pay off in the form of depth. It seems like Texas has strong athletes across the board, and even though as many as three teams (OU, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma State) could legitmiately take them on any given day, it's hard to ignore the athleticism at each position. And that depth may come in handy if the team continues its mission to fill the ticket/arrest quota for the Austin PD.
- North: Nebraska - Other teams in the division may be improving, but all five teams are in the shadow of the Huskers' prestige, as much as it pains me to say it. The Nebraska mystique usually speaks for itself, but 2007 ought to be a great test whether or not the division wilts under the Big Red pressure.
If the Big 12 Conference had a Heisman trophy candidate who would it be and why?
- Colt McCoy takes the nod merely by "quarterback on a top team" standards. Adarius Bowman would have a shot if not for being a wide receiver. Chase Daniel and Graham Harrell would have a shot if not for being "system" quarterbacks on middle-tier teams. Stephen McGee/Jorvorskie Lane/Mike Goodson don't play sexy enough football to warrant Heisman talk. The Sooner stable of backs is extremely solid but won't out-electrify a McFadden or a Slaton. (photo courtesy USA Today)The one non-conference game, not involving your school, you would pay money to see would be?
- Within the Big 12, it's a three-way tie between TCU at Texas, and either OU/Texas A&M against Miami. Outside of the Big 12, it is without a doubt Virginia Tech/LSU.
If you had to place a $100.00 bet on a current Big 12 head coach being fired at the end of the season who would you pick and why?
- Guy Morriss. His best shot to take Baylor to a bowl just left with diplomas last spring.
Which of the four Big 12 schools currently ranked in the AP Top 25 doesn’t belong there?
- Texas A&M. The team is definitely Top 25 material, maybe Top 20. But there's absolutely no way the Ags survive their schedule.
Make a case for one of the 8 Big 12 schools not ranked as to why they should be.
- Staying local, I have to point to Mizzou, who were only a few points shy of making the Top 25. The offense ranked eighth in the nation last year and returns 98 percent of its yards from scrimmage from that unit. The defense has a lot of question marks, but the schedule sets up very nicely and there's a confidence among Missouri circles that is usually replaced by "how can we screw this up." Additionally, I think a case, be it very small, could be made for Oklahoma State.
Prediction Time:
Tell us the offensive and defensive players who are going to make the biggest impact on the conference this season.
- Offense: Sam Keller. Whether positive or negative, his performance will have the biggest impact on the conference as a whole. If he's the All-American that Husker faithful make him out to be, Nebraska could return to the national scene in a hurry. If he's the fluke that got kicked off of Arizona State's squad, then all hell breaks loose in the North, and Missouri may break the will of God by qualifying for the Big 12 Championship.
- Defense: Reggie Smith: My gut feeling was Kansas CB Aqib Talib, but I doubt teams will have any reason to put the ball in the air against the Jayhawks this year. Smith is the impact defensive back on a loaded DB unit, and will likely see a lot more passes head his way because of Oklahoma's overall stength of the DB corps across the field.
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