Most pundits have picked the top three in the Big 12..

[K2C Sooner]

TCU, Baylor and OU. What team, if any could throw a wrench into those predictions?

I was about to write how I think West Virginia could be that wrench until I saw their schedule (linked). It's brutal. TCU, Baylor and OU are away games. I will say this,if you go to their depth chart they are loaded with redshirt juniors and seniors in starting positions. A nice position to be in.

My question: What team, if any, can have a break out year and challenge the pundits top three Big 12 predictions?


https://westvirginia.rivals.com/schedule.asp

 

[Plainosooner]

It won't be West Virginia, Iowa State, Kansas or Tech.

That leaves three. Each has a possibility.

I liked some of the things that Texas did last year. Meaning I hated them, but respected what was being done. I think Charlie has done some good things. He cleaned house at the detriment of talent level a year ago. They played pretty good defense mostly. They weren't very good at quarterback, understandably so. But they'll be better this year. Most of their problem was offense. That will be better with young OLine guys having to be better as bigger and more experienced. They'll play pretty good defense.

OSU has some possibilities. They lost their best threat. But they had such a ridiculous year at quarterback. They'll be better overall. And how many times in the last 40 years have they won in Norman. There is no doubt that by the end of the regular season, they were better than OU.

But KState to me would be the obvious possibility. Snyder is who he is. I was talking to a KState guy today, and he told me they are losing their quarterback, but have most of the rest back. And even when they haven't, they've been pretty solid generally.

I think all three of those are pretty good college coaches. All three will likely be better. I think OU will be a whole lot better, but all three teams plus OU are all in the same general boat. If they are going to compete for a conference title, they need to find themselves a reliable quarterback.

OSU might be most likely to do that. And Texas will likely have better overall talent than the other two. But I'll go with the Snyder coached team. They are nearly always underrated, and nearly always tough to beat. And we all know why.

 

[BillyRay]

I'm leaning towards OSU. From what I have read, OSU returns a pretty good defense, and from what we saw at the end of last season their offense is likely going to be very damn good!! Rudolph made some pretty big strides in the few games he got to play last season, and if you watch their bowl game, OSU has plenty of young talent on offense to really be dangerous this year.

 

[PryorFan]

Definitely not OSU. How can anyone say they were better than OU at the end of the year. Prior to OU they were horrible across the board and they were gifted the OU game to get to 6 wins and then they played a very average WU in a bowl game. OSU will be fortunate to be bowl eligible in 2015.

My guess would be Texas. If they beat ND and OU, look out, they will be in the hunt for the big xii championship.

 

[BillyRay]

Definitely not OSU. How can anyone say they were better than OU at the end of the year. Prior to OU they were horrible across the board and they were gifted the OU game to get to 6 wins and then they played a very average WU in a bowl game. OSU will be fortunate to be bowl eligible in 2015.

OSU fell off during the bulk of the season because they lost Walsh. Then Garman just never was very consistent. Kinda similar to Trevor Knight. It lead to Gundy pulling Rudolphs redshirt for the final 3 games of the season. The kid looks like he could be a star, plus all the talent surrounding him that's coming back this year they have the ability to be a much better team than the 7-6 team of last year.

And yes...OSU was playing better at the end of last year than OU. That's not saying a whole hell of alot though. Go watch OU's bowl game, then watch OSU's bowl game. If you think OSU played average, then OUs performance was god awful. Clemson prolly could have rolled up 60+ on OU had they not taken the foot off the gas in the 2nd half. OSU maybe didn't look like world beaters on offense against Washington, but it was only Rudolph's 3rd start. The kid was a true freshman!! OSU's future looks pretty bright with that kid taking the snaps.

With Texas, I'm wondering how their situation at QB will play out.

 

[Big Body]

Definitely not OSU. How can anyone say they were better than OU at the end of the year. Prior to OU they were horrible across the board and they were gifted the OU game to get to 6 wins and then they played a very average WU in a bowl game. OSU will be fortunate to be bowl eligible in 2015.

My guess would be Texas. If they beat ND and OU, look out, they will be in the hunt for the big xii championship.

So just to clarify.....

You think it's crazy to think OSU could potentially finish 3rd in the league even with:
1. Finishing the season with 2 wins
2. Finding stability at QB
3. Returning 17 starters
4. Have the easiest schedule in the Big 12 with the preseason top 3 all at home.
5. Return 3 1st team All Big 12 players on defense

However you feel that Texas is a more likely selection because they:
1. Lost their last 2 games by a combined score of 79-17 (but OSU didn't finish well remember)
2. Return 12 starters and basically lost all play makers on defense - which was really the only positive unit they had in 2014.
3. Have no continuity at QB and no real identity on offense even if they did.

 

[stuck in del rio]

Ummm...yeah, what he said.

 

[Salt City Sooner]

Rudolph did look good, but I still put him in the jury's still out category because of A) the small sample size of his work, & B ) the quality of the opposition. OU was the BEST defense he faced in terms of pass efficiency, & I don't think you'll see too many glowing reports on that aspect of last year's team.

 

[Big Body]

Rudolph did look good, but I still put him in the jury's still out category because of A) the small sample size of his work, & B ) the quality of the opposition. OU was the BEST defense he faced in terms of pass efficiency, & I don't think you'll see too many glowing reports on that aspect of last year's team.

I agree 100%, he still has a lot to prove. But given the atrocious offensive performances before he started, and the drastic improvement after he was inserted....there is definitely a lot of reasons for hope. Given the fact that he played well vs. Baylor as well, and he has yet to play a home game.....he seems to have a high level of composure. My point wasn't necessarily to pump up Rudolph, but more to point out how much better of a situation OSU is w/Rudolph compared to what UT has (in addition to several other points made outside of QB position).

I think most people are cautiously optimistic with Rudolph, but a long way to go before he is appointed a quality QB.

 

[BillyRay]

Rudolph did look good, but I still put him in the jury's still out category because of A) the small sample size of his work, & B ) the quality of the opposition.

I think this is a pretty fair outlook on the kid. He has only started 3 games, and while I do think it shows he has a ton of potential, it certainly doesn't guarantee he will be a superstar. It could very well turn out to be a situation us OU fans ran into with Trevor after the Sugar Bowl. Everyone got amped up thinking he was going to be incredible in 2014 and expectations were sky high!! The reality turned out much different. But for a true freshman getting thrown in there at the end of the year in hopes of turning around a pretty bad OSU offense, Rudolph ended up looking pretty dang good.

 

[Dastardly Deed]

^^^^^^
Exactly what I was going to say re. Trevor and the Sugar Bowl.

Great minds, etc.

 

[Soonersincefitty]

Well, I'm a Sooner, and as such, I give no quarter to anyone. IE, until we do get beat I'll assume we'll win all of our games just like I do every season.

But, that's just me. The cockeyed optimist.

 

[dignon003]

Rudolph did look good, but I still put him in the jury's still out category because of A) the small sample size of his work, & B ) the quality of the opposition. OU was the BEST defense he faced in terms of pass efficiency, & I don't think you'll see too many glowing reports on that aspect of last year's team.

Washington had some defensive talent. 3 NFL first rounders actually. OSU has had an upgrade on the offensive line (both in talent and coaching) which was by far the worst position group last year. OSU not finishing at least 3rd would be a disappointment given the schedule.

 

[Salt City Sooner]

Washington had some defensive talent. 3 NFL first rounders actually. OSU has had an upgrade on the offensive line (both in talent and coaching) which was by far the worst position group last year. OSU not finishing at least 3rd would be a disappointment given the schedule.

A couple of things though:

One of those 3 (Peters, who I'd argue is the most relevant to what I was referring to in my previous post, that being pass efficiency D ) didn't play a down in the bowl game, having been booted from the team, so I'm not sure what he has to do with what I was saying about Rudolph's competition.

Also, even throwing in Peters' contributions to the season, UW ended the year ranked 100th in pass efficiency D (for a reference point, OU was 55th in that category & like I said, you won't see too many Sooner fans bragging on that aspect of the '14 D ) & 120th in passing yards allowed. You can have all the talent in the world on a unit, but if I may channel my inner Shania Twain for a minute, when it produces results like that, that don't impress me much.