Conferences: Questions await coaches at Big 12 media days

Any questions? We have a few for conference football coaches heading into this week’s Big 12 media days in Irving, Texas:

NEBRASKA

• Coach: Bo Pelini

• 2009 record: 10-4 (6-2 Big 12)

• Reporting date: Aug. 6

• Season opener: vs. Western Kentucky, Sept. 4

1, Who will have the bigger psychological edge — your players as they try to make a statement in their final Big 12 season, or conference opponents, who might want to provide a few unpleasant memories as you prepare to exit for the Big Ten?

2, You lost three games (Virginia Tech, Iowa State and Texas) by a combined margin of four points last season. How important is getting more consistency and productivity from the quarterback position?

3, Everybody in the conference knows about defensive tackle Jared Crick (912 sacks, 15 tackles for losses). But the defense lost four of its top five tacklers from last season, including force of nature Ndamukong Suh. Can the unit be as dominating as last season’s top-10 defense?

BAYLOR

• Coach: Art Briles

• 2009 record: 4-8 (1-7 Big 12)

• Reporting date: Aug. 4

• Season opener: vs. Sam Houston State, Sept. 4

1, What’s quarterback Robert Griffin doing back in Waco instead of answering endless media day questions about his recovery from knee surgery? (OK, maybe that’s an answer as well as a question.)

2, With three recruiting classes under your belt, do the Bears have the two-deep talent to compete week in and week out in the Big 12?

3, If senior linebacker Antonio Johnson finishes the season with as many tackles as the graduated Joe Pawelek had in 2009, is that a good thing or a bad thing for the defense?

OKLAHOMA

• Coach: Bob Stoops

• 2009 record: 8-5 (5-3 Big 12)

• Reporting date: Aug. 4

• Season opener: vs. Utah State, Sept. 4

1, Five years ago, people were saying you basically owned Mack Brown and Texas in the Red River Rivalry. What’s changed to allow the Longhorns to win four of the past five meetings?

2, Do you believe sophomore quarterback Landry Jones can play against the quality defenses on your schedule as he did against Stanford (418 yards passing, three touchdown passes) in the Sun Bowl last season?

3, What’s the level of confidence at defensive tackle, with Gerald McCoy having left early to become the third pick overall in the NFL draft and Adrian Taylor on the mend from a broken ankle?

OKLAHOMA STATE

• Coach: Mike Gundy

• 2009 record: 9-4 (6-2 Big 12)

• Reporting date: Aug. 5

• Season opener: vs. Washington State, Sept. 4

1, After last season’s somewhat disappointing season and with only 10 returning starters on offense and defense, has Oklahoma State’s opportunity to contend in the Big 12 South ended for at least the near future?

2, Even with an impressive résumé in implementing the spread, what can first-year offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen accomplish with 26-year-old former Yankees farmhand Brandon Weeden as his quarterback?

3, Has Kendall Hunter’s ankle healed to the point where he can again be one of the nation’s most dangerous running backs, as he was in 2008 when he ran for 1,555 yards (6.5-yard average) and 16 touchdowns?

TEXAS

• Coach: Mack Brown

• 2009 record: 13-1 (8-0 Big 12)

• Reporting date: Aug. 7

• Season opener: at Rice (Reliant Stadium), Sept. 4

1, On a personal level, have you and the team come to grips with the BCS title game loss to Alabama and the early injury to Colt McCoy? And will that loss serve as motivation for the season?

2, You decided to bring sophomore quarterback Garrett Gilbert to media days, even though he hasn’t started a college game. What does that say about the way he’s established himself in the program?

3, Three multiyear starters graduated from an offensive line that got shoved around quite a bit at the end of last season. Why do you think this reworked group, led by Kyle Hix at left tackle, will be effective in pass protection and helping establish a traditional power running game?

TEXAS A&M

• Coach: Mike Sherman

• 2009 record: 6-7 (3-5 Big 12)

• Reporting date: Aug. 8

• Season opener: vs. Stephen F. Austin, Sept. 4

1, You’ve gone from four wins in your first season at A&M to six victories and a bowl bid last year. With 18 starters returning, including quarterback Jerrod Johnson (3,579 yards, 30 touchdown passes) and defensive end-linebacker Von Miller (a nation-leading 17 sacks), what’s a reasonable expectation for the Aggies?

2, The defense hasn’t cracked the top 100 nationally in the Football Bowl Subdivision the past two years. Where do you need that unit to be under new defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter to have a chance to contend in the South Division?

3, Special teams really gave away some points and momentum last season, including in late-season losses to Texas and Georgia. What’s on the drawing board for that unit?

TEXAS TECH

• Coach: Tommy Tuberville

• 2009 record: 9-4 (5-3 Big 12)

• Reporting date: Aug. 6

• Season opener: vs. SMU, Sept. 5

1, So what do you really think about the Big 12, its stability going forward and the leadership in the conference office? (Expect silence and a steely look in response.)

2, You brought both quarterbacks, Taylor Potts and Steven Sheffield, to Big 12 media days. How difficult will the starting quarterback decision be and could fans still see both on a regular basis?

3, Both you and new defensive coordinator James Willis have a belief in tone-setting, attacking defenses from your time in the Southeastern Conference. Do you have the culture and athletes this season to transfer that mentality to Lubbock?

COLORADO

• Coach: Dan Hawkins

• 2009 record: 3-9 (2-6 Big 12)

• Reporting date: Aug. 4

• Season opener: vs. Colorado State, Sept. 4 in Denver

1, Some fans and media types wondered about your job security, given your 16-33 record after four seasons in Boulder. How are you dealing with the perception that Colorado may have lacked the financial wherewithal to buy out your contract?

2, Are you confident that you can settle on one quarterback for the entire season and avoid the revolving door between quarterbacks Tyler Hansen and your son Cody that was the routine in 2008 and 2009?

3, Regardless of who starts at quarterback, how do you feel about an offensive line that allowed 44 sacks to rank 117th nationally?

IOWA STATE

• Coach: Paul Rhoads

• 2009 record: 7-6 (3-5 Big 12)

• Reporting date: Aug. 3

• Season opener: vs. Northern Illinois, Sept. 2

1, You face Utah and Iowa in the nonconference part of your schedule and have Texas, Oklahoma and Texas Tech as your three South Division opponents this season. Given the schedule, can you build on last season’s turnaround?

2, Senior Austen Arnaud will be entering his third season as a starter after completing 58.7 percent of his passes last season with 14 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. What does he have to do to become an elite college quarterback?

3, The heart and soul of last season’s team was the linebackers. Three starters departed. How do you replace those bodies and what they gave you?

KANSAS

• Coach: Turner Gill

• 2009 record: 5-7 (1-7 Big 12)

• Reporting date: Aug. 3

• Season opener: vs. North Dakota State, Sept. 4

1, How have you tried to change the culture in Lawrence, especially given the charges of abusive conduct that led to the departure of predecessor Mark Mangino?

2, Even with Todd Reesing, Kerry Meier and Dezmon Briscoe fueling the passing game, the Jayhawks dropped their final seven games. How do you improve offensively this season without their production?

3, The defense forced a league-low 17 turnovers last season. It allowed an average of 35.9 points in Big 12 games. Where does it need to improve?

MISSOURI

• Coach: Gary Pinkel

• 2009 record: 8-5 (4-4 Big 12)

• Reporting date: Aug. 4

• Season opener: vs. Illinois, Sept. 4 in St. Louis

1, The past few seasons, the Tigers have always seemed to be on the verge of taking that final step in the Big 12, especially in 2007 with Chase Daniel. Does this have the potential to be that special season?

2, Quarterback Blaine Gabbert (3,593 yards passing, 24 touchdowns) was as good as advertised last season as a sophomore starter. But who will become his new favorite target, replacing ultra-productive Danario Alexander?

3, Will losing 10 pounds help running back Derrick Washington hit the hole quicker and reach the 1,000-yard rushing plateau, as he did in 2008?

KANSAS STATE

• Coach: Bill Snyder

• 2009 record: 6-6 (4-4 Big 12)

• Reporting date: Aug. 4

• Season opener: vs. UCLA, Sept. 4

1, You have a full season under your belt since returning to the sideline. Is the second time around in Manhattan harder or easier in terms of the rebuilding process?

2, Last year, Daniel Thomas averaged slightly more than 20 carries a game while leading the Big 12 in rushing with 105.4 yards a game. How many touches would you like to see him have?

3, You have the luxury in two wide receiver transfers in Chris Harper (Oregon) and Brodrick Smith (Minnesota). Do you expect them to become instant contributors and playmakers?

* * *

Media days’ scheduled appearances, with players and coaches expected to attend Big 12 football media days:

MONDAY

Nebraska: Coach Bo Pelini, WR Niles Paul, DE Pierre Allen, DL Jared Crick

Baylor: Coach Art Briles, LB Antonio Johnson, OT Danny Watkins, DL Phil Taylor

Iowa State: Coach Paul Rhoads, QB Austen Arnaud, RB Alexander Robinson, DE Rashawn Parker

Texas A&M: Coach Mike Sherman, QB Jerrod Johnson, LB Von Miller, DL Lucas Patterson

TUESDAY

Missouri: Coach Gary Pinkel, QB Blaine Gabbert, RB Derrick Washington, CB Kevin Rutland

Oklahoma State: Coach Mike Gundy, QB Brandon Weeden, LB Orie Lemon, DE Jamie Blatnick

Kansas State: Coach Bill Snyder, RB Daniel Thomas, S Tysyn Hartman, OL Zach Kendall

Texas Tech: Coach Tommy Tuberville, QB Taylor Potts, QB Steven Sheffield, DL Colby Whitlock

WEDNESDAY

Kansas: Coach Turner Gill, DE Jake Laptad, CB Chris Harris, OL Brad Thorson

Oklahoma: Coach Bob Stoops, DE Jeremy Beal, WR Ryan Broyles, LB Travis Lewis, RB DeMarco Murray

Colorado: Coach Dan Hawkins, CB Jalil Brown, WR Scotty McKnight, OT Nate Solder

Texas: Coach Mack Brown, QB Garrett Gilbert, OT Kyle Hix, DE Sam Acho, DT Kheeston Randall

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