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Team most likely to surprise: Iowa State… despite
the loss of Seneca the Great, this team has the weapons to
do some damage both offensively and defensively. They return
15 starters, plus their kicker and both punters who shared
duties last year. I wouldn't expect more than eight wins from
these guys, but I wouldn't expect any less than six. If their
QB can form to the offense, they could be quite the Big 12
pest.
Team most likely to disappoint: Texas Tech… the loss
of their 3 best players (Kingsbury, Flugence and Hunt) is
gonna sting this year, especially with such a tough schedule.
The Raiders are a rather young team and will compete, but
they shouldn't get their bowl hopes up. By the end of the
year, I see stud recruit Phillip Daugherty at QB- I liken
him to Phillip Rivers.
UNIT RANKINGS
OFFENSE
1. Kansas State
2. Texas
3. Oklahoma State
4. Oklahoma
5. Iowa State
DEFENSE
1. Oklahoma
2. Texas
3. Kansas State
4. Nebraska
5. Iowa State
OFF. BACKFIELD:
Kansas State (QB Roberson, RB Sproles, FB Wilson… backups-
RB Alsup, RB D. Davis, RB Morris, FB Saba, FB Mann)
RECEIVERS:
Texas (WR R.Williams, WR B.J. Johnson, WR S.Thomas, TE Edwards…
backups- WR Jeffery, WR Timmons, TE D.Thomas, TE Scaife)
O-LINE:
Missouri (OT Paffrath, OG C.Young, C Ricker, OG Palmer, OT
Droege… backups- C Sells, OG Gianino, OT Clinger, OT
Sanchez)
D-LINE:
Texas (DE Thornton, DT R.Wright, DT Tubbs, DE Pickryl…
backups- DT Dibbles, DE Pittman, DT M.Martin, DE Sendelein)
LINEBACKERS:
Oklahoma (WLB Lehman, MLB L.Mitchell, SLB P.Jackson…
backups- WLB R.Alexander, MLB Chambers, SLB Dennison)
DEFENSIVE
BACKS: Oklahoma (CB Straight, CB Perkins, FS Everage, SS Nicholson…
backups- CB Bassey, SS Poole, CB Shelby, DB Poteat, FS McCoy,
CB M.Thompson)
SPECIAL
TEAMS: Iowa State (PK Benike, P Yelk, P Blankenship, KR L.Young,
PR T.Miller)
Chappy's 2003 All-Big 12 Team
OFFENSE
QB Ell Roberson (sr)- KANSAS ST
RB Darren Sproles (jr)- KANSAS ST
RB Cedric Benson (jr)- TEXAS
FB Judd Davies (sr)- NEBRASKA
WR Roy Williams (sr)- TEXAS
WR Rashaun Woods (sr)- OKLAHOMA ST
TE Matt Herian (so)- NEBRASKA
OT Jammal Brown (jr)- OKLAHOMA
OG E.J. Whitley (so)- TEXAS TECH
C Nick Leckey (sr)- KANSAS ST
OG Marwan Hage (sr)- COLORADO
OT Rob Droege (sr)- MISSOURI
DEFENSE
DE Andrew Shull (sr)- KANSAS ST
DT Rodrique Wright (so)- TEXAS
DT Tommie Harris (jr)- OKLAHOMA
DE Tyson Smith (sr)- IOWA ST
OLB Teddy Lehman (sr)- OKLAHOMA
ILB Barrett Ruud (jr)- NEBRASKA
ILB Marvin Simmons (so)- KANSAS ST
OLB Derrick Johnson (jr)- TEXAS
CB Derrick Straight (sr)- OKLAHOMA
CB Fabian Washington (so)- NEBRASKA
FS Medford Moorer (sr)- COLORADO
SS Ryan Aycock (sr)- TEXAS TECH
KO Cole
Farden (jr)- OKLAHOMA ST
PK Adam Benike (sr)- IOWA ST
P Cody Scates (sr)- TEXAS A&M
KR Antonio Perkins (jr)- OKLAHOMA
PR Jeremy Bloom (so)- COLORADO
MVP AWARDS AND TOP NEWCOMERS
OFF MVP: TEX WR Roy Williams
DEF MVP: OKL LB Teddy Lehman
ST MVP: OKL KR/PR Antonio Perkins
OFF NEWCOMER: Tie- TEX TECH QB Phillip Daugherty (fr), ISU
RB Stevie Hicks (rsf)
DEF NEWCOMER: Tie- KSU MLB Marvin Simmons (so), OSU DT Xavier
Lawson Kennedy (fr)
TOUGHEST SCHEDULE: Colorado… Non-Conf. games against
Colorado State (in Denver), UCLA, Washington State and at
Florida State, then a formidable conference stretch that includes
back-to-back games against Kansas State and Oklahoma, road
trips to Texas Tech and Iowa State, then the season finale
at home against Nebraska. Their new QB better be insured…
WEAKEST SCHEDULE: Kansas… The athletics folks in
Lawrence are doing what they can to start getting "Sunglasses"
Mangino some wins. The Rock Chalkin' Jayhawks have non-confs
against Northwestern, UNLV, at Wyoming and D-IAA Jacksonville
State. KU should have no excuse not to scrape up at least
three wins against this slate.
BEST COACHING STAFF: Oklahoma… Bob Stoops has enjoyed
thorough success in his four years at OU thanks in (large)
part to a terrific staff. Chuck Long at OC, Co-DCs Brent Venables
and Mike Stoops, and under appreciated, but equally as important,
Kevin Wilson, who controls the running game- they all prove
an important part in the awesome equation that is Sooner football.
MOST TO PROVE: Oklahoma QB Jason White. He was hailed
as a great replacement for Josh Heupel in 2001, but injuries
have kept him from showing the college football world what
he really can do the last two years. He's a senior now, and
with the Big 12 as competitive as it has ever been, this would
be as great a time as ever!
MOST TO GAIN: Kansas State MLB Marvin Simmons. He originally
signed with USC, but failed to qualify, and headed to the
JUCO ranks last season, where he lit up opposing offenses
all season. He has to replace Terry Pierce, but some folks
in Manhattan think he will be better than Pierce- so do I.
He has amazing 4.4 speed and with two awesome OLBs flanking
him, he should have an all-conference year.
OVERRATED: Colorado LB Sean Tufts. I see his name dotted
on preseason All-Big 12 teams, and I wonder- why? Sure, he
is a solid LB with the ability to lead a defense, but I wouldn't
put him in the same class as the four LBs on my All-Big 12
team. If he stays healthy, maybe I will see more from him
than what I have caught the past three years.
UNDERRATED: Iowa State WR Lane Danielsen. If it weren't
for Roy (Williams) and Rashaun (Woods), Lucky Lane would be
prime on my list. This former walk-on does everything you
ask him to do and more! Ask Senneca Wallace and Sage Rosenfels,
and they will tell you that you will be hard-pressed to find
a more dependable receiver than Danielson. With great speed
and unbelievable hands, he may be the best receiver not getting
much media love.
BEST PLAYER NOBODY KNOWS: Nebraska TE Matt Herian. He
has great size at 6'5", 240 lbs., and only a sophomore,
he's gonna continue to get bigger. He is the best passing
threat in the Nebraska offense this year and not too many
people outside the Great Plains know who is. Take it from
Chappy- he's a gamer!
TOP GAMES OF THE YEAR:
1. Oct. 11th TEXAS vs. Oklahoma (in Dallas)
2. Oct. 4th Kansas State at TEXAS
3. Nov. 11th Nebraska at TEXAS
4. Nov. 15th KANSAS STATE at Nebraska
5. August 30th Oklahoma State at NEBRASKA
(team in caps is Chappy's pick to win)
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