Big 12 Media Days

The Big 12 Media Days were held this week in Irving, Texas. The event was held over 3 days and allowed all the coaches to talk about their team and gave the Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe a chance to speak. Every coach could comment on his team's analysis and roster battles, as well as the status of the conference. Some of the conference's marquee players were at the event including Garrett Gilbert, Nate Solder, Sam Acho, Ryan Broyles, and Scotty McKnight. Dan Beebe announced that the Big 12's name may change after Colorado and Nebraska leave the conference in 2011.

Preseason All-Big 12 Team: Defense

Here's the second half of the Preseason All-Big 12 Team, this time the defensive side of the football:

DL -Aldon Smith, Missouri

DL -Jared Crick, Nebraska

DL -Jeremy Beal, Oklahoma

DL -Sam Acho, Texas

LB -Travis Lewis, Oklahoma

LB -Keenan Robinson, Texas

LB -Von Miller, Texas A&M

LB -Brian Duncan, Texas Tech

DB -Prince Amukamara, Nebraska

DB -Quinton Carter, Oklahoma
DB -Aaron Williams, Texas

DB -Curtis Brown, Texas

DB -Blake Gideon, Texas

P -Derek Epperson, Baylor

PR -Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma

Preseason All-Big 12 Team Announced: Offense

The Big 12 announced its preseason All-Big 12 Team and award winners. Here's the breakdown on offense:

OFFENSE:

QB - Jerrod Johnson, Texas A&M

RB - DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma RB - Daniel Thomas, Kansas State

WR - Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma WR - Jeff Fuller, Texas A&M

TE - Mike McNeill, Nebraska

OL - Ryan Miller, Colorado OL - Nate Solder, Colorado

OL -Tim Barnes, Missouri OL - Tanner Hawkinson, Kansas

OL -Stephen Good, Oklahoma OL - Kyle Hix

PK - Alex Henery, Nebraska

KR - Cyrus Gray, Texas A&M

Should Vince Young Receive the 2005 Heisman Trophy?

USC has already announced they will return their copy of the 2005 Heisman Trophy that Reggie Bush won. Now the Heisman Trust group is investigating whether they will take back the Heisman Trophy from the player himself, Reggie Bush. If they were to strip former USC star Reggie Bush from the award, would former Texas Longhorn star Vince Young be the recipient? The Heisman runner-up had the 2nd most votes that season, the same one that he led his team to the National Championship. It would most definitely cause a debate but it is something to wonder while the Heisman Trust is investigating the matter.

5 from the Big 12 Named To Davey O'Brien Watch List

This season the Big 12 will feature some of the best quarterbacks in the country. This was proved when the NCAA released it's early watch list for the Davey O'Brien Watch. There were 5 quarterbacks of the 12 teams that were named to the list. The 5 quarterbacks are:

Blaine Gabbert, Missouri

Robert Griffin III, Baylor

Jerrod Johnson, Texas A&M

Landry Jones, Oklahoma

Taylor Potts, Texas Tech

Can Garrett Gilbert become the next Colt McCoy?

Remember when college football fans wondered how some babyfaced quarterback could replace Vince Young's dynasty at the University of Texas? The same question is being asked 4 years later, wondering how another young quarterback expects to replace a Texas legend (yes, Colt McCoy is already a Longhorn legend). The Texas Longhorns seem to have a pipeline with college quarterbacks, when one leaves another steps in and becomes a household name.

Freshman Garrett Gilbert is expected to be the starting quarterback this season for Texas. He was a phenom in high school, setting numerous Texas state records. Many fans remember him from the 2009-2010 BCS Championship Game when he replaced an injured Colt McCoy as a redshirt freshman. He threw 2 touchdown passes but struggled with 4 interceptions against a tough Alabama defense. The expectations will be high for Garrett Gilbert this season and Texas Longhorn football fans will expect another Vince Young and Colt McCoy to develop.

2010 Is a Big Season for Colorado

I know Colorado is just an "interim" member of the Big 12 until they depart to the Pac-10 in 2012-2013. However, this is quite a make or break year for coach Dan Hawkins and the Colorado Buffaloes. Last season the Colorado Buffaloes finished 3-9 and that leaves Dan Hawkins at 16-33 in his 4 seasons at Colorado. To say he is coaching to keep his job may be too obvious to state. Another down year in Boulder and Hawkins may be shown the exit door.

If they want to get top recruits for when they enter the Pac-10 they're gonna need more victories and establish consistency. The Big 12 is tough year in and year out and it doesn't get any easier with their non-conference games. The Colorado Buffaloes non-conference schedule includes Colorado State, California, Hawaii, and Georgia this season.

Early Big 12 Projections

In the last season of the true 12 team Big 12, here are my EARLY projections.

Big 12 North

1. Nebraska

2. Missouri

3. Kansas State

4. Kansas

5. Colorado

6. Iowa State

Big 12 South

1. Oklahoma

2. Texas

3. Texas Tech

4. Baylor

5. Oklahoma State

6. Texas A&M

Texas Tech's Tommy Tuberville: "Big 12 Won't Last"

This time last year, I don't think anyone could have quite predicted how the landscape of college football could have changed over one season. With only 2 teams moving conferences, it meant so much more to the status of the Big 12. The Championship game means so much in college football and without one, the Big 12 risks falling behind the Pac-10 and the Big 10. New Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville reiterated this notion when he was interviewed yesterday about the new Big 12. Tuberville responded "I don't think this conference will last long because there is too much disparity between all the teams."

Tuberville went on explain that unlike the SEC, the Big 12 teams don't share the same amount in television contracts. Tuberville stated, "That doesn't happen here in the Big 12. We have some teams that get a little bit more money and have a little bit more stroke than some of the other teams. And when that happens, you're gonna have teams looking for better avenues to leave and reasons to leave." The Big 12 is safe for now, but the future is still open. As Tuberville said, "We have a 10 league team right now, but I just don't know how long that's gonna last, to be honest with you."