It's the offseason, so it's time to look at nebulous concepts which will help us prognosticate how the 2010 football season might turn out; when the season starts, these predictions will be completely worthless, but I thought I'd throw a ranking of the Big 12 offenses out there right now to hopefully stimulate some discussion.

1. Texas A&M: Call me biased, I don't care. A&M boasts the best returning QB in the Big 12 in Jerrod Johnson, two star RBs in Christine Michael and Cyrus Gray, and star power at WR with Uzoma Nwachukwu, Jeff Fuller, Terrence McCoy, Ryan Tannehill, and Ryan Swope. With Kenric McNeal and Brandal Jackson, the Aggies' cup runneth over with WR talent; the Aggies have players at back-up on the depth chart that would be starters on any other team. Kenny Brown will be a key players at TE as he tries to replace the production of Jamie McCoy, and we may see Tommy Dorman there, too. Redshirt freshman RB Kalvin Guyton will gives the Aggie ground attack a power rushing component, and will spell Michael and Gray. 


2. Texas Tech: Everything depends on Steven Sheffield staying healthy and winning the starting QB job, and on their offensive line gelling early, but Tech has the pieces in place to have a very productive offense this season. All of their top WRs in the form of Alexander Torres, Detron Lewis, Tramain Swindall, Lyle Leong, and Adam Zouzalik return, and Baron Batch is coming back to lead their ground game. I expect Neal Brown to have this offense rolling early; you'll see more rushing the ball from Tech this season, but it will be 35 rushing attempts a game instead of the 24.5 per game they averaged last season. Brown lets his QBs run the ball in his version of the Air Raid offense, and I expect to see 5-10 rushes per game from Sheffield, just to keep the defense honest. If Tech can keep Sheffield healthy, they have a chance to have another banner year on offense.

3.Oklahoma State: This ranking will probably surprise some people, since OSU is replacing their starting QB and   lost their star WR to a suspension and then the NFL with Dez Bryant leaving early to be drafted, but this is more a reflection of my faith in offensive line coach Joe Wickline and new offensive coordinator Dana Holgerson more than anything else. Holgerson will get his version of the Air Raid installed in Stillwater, and they'll be racking up yards and points as the season goes on. Brandon Weeden will be a first-time starter at QB, but with Kendall Hunter in the backfield, Hubert Anyiam, Justin Blackmon, and Josh Cooper returning at WR, he'll have some talent to take the pressure off of him. Replacing All-American LT Russell Okung on the offensive line won't be easy, but the next poor offensive line OSU turns out will be the first one under Wickline. State only returns one OL starter in sophomore OG Lane Taylor, so Wickline will have his work cut out for him. If OSU does struggle on offense, it will be because of issues on their line. State plays Washington State to open the season, so they'll have a chance to see where they are early on in the season.

 

4.Oklahoma: Despite injuries hitting a different offensive lineman seemingly every game, making it impossible for them to establish any continuity up front, Oklahoma was one of the top offenses in the Big 12 last season, finishing third in conference in total offense, and they did this without #1 draft picks Sam Bradford and Jermaine Gresham contributing significantly at all. OU returns Landry Jones at QB, who is solid but unspectacular, and DeMarco Murray at RB, who has managed to go this whole week so far without tripping over a moonbeam and injuring himself (this is progress for him). Ryan Broyles returns at WR after an All-Big 12 season, and remains a dangerous threat returning punts. Broyles is joined by DeJuan Miller, Jaz Reynolds, and Brandon Caleb at the WR position. Only question for OU will again be on their offensive line, where projected starting LT Donald Stephenson didn't see the field in 2009 after playing in only seven games in 2008 as a reserve. LG Stephen Good, C Ben Habern, and RG Tyler Evans form an experienced, solid nucleus for the Sooner interior offensive line, and RT Cory Brandon played in all 13 games last season while starting seven. OU has the talent in place to be a good offense again in 2010, they just need to avoid the injury bug up front.

5.Missouri: Missouri returns the second-best QB in the Big 12 in Blaine Gabbert and star tailback Derrick Washington, but loses All-Big 12 WR Danario Alexander, who was the focus of their passing game last season. Jerrell Jackson and Wes Kemp will attempt to replace Alexander's production, while the offensive line returns three starters in LG Austin Wuebbels, C Tim Barnes, and RT Dan Hoch. With a healthy Gabbert leading their offense, I expect Missouri to really tear it up in the Big 12 North this season.

6.texas: When you completely go away from the strength of your offense the last few seasons, and instead decide to make your focus the team's glaring weakness the last two seasons, that sounds like a recipe for offensive stagnation. Garrett Gilbert's strength is passing the ball from the spread in 10 personnel, and texas is insistent on running the ball from 12, 21, and 22 personnel this season; this sounds like a season where they'll have two hundred yards rushing against the little sisters of the poor on their schedule (Rice, Wyoming, Florida Atlantic), and might break 400 yards total offense against those teams, but they'll get struggle to move the ball on the ground in conference play, and their offense will stagnate. texas' doesn't have a great RB right now, and Chris Whaley has the potential to be just a good RB. Whaley isn't a game-changer, though. At WR, Malcolm Williams returns, and if Williams ever wakes up and realizes he can be great, he will be a scary player; that hasn't happened yet. TE Barrett Matthews figures to be one of Gilbert's favorite targets throughout the season, and should be a special player for texas. With texas attempting to replace four offensive linemen with Kyle Hix being the only returning starter, I expect texas to struggle early moving the ball. If Tray Allen begins the season starting at one of the OT positions, you'll know they're in trouble, because Allen has been a complete bust, and has manned the guard positions for the past two years.

7.Baylor: The Bears will finally get their starting QB back healthy this year, as Robert Griffin III returns for his junior year. Baylor actually has the best QB situation in the Big 12 entering the 2010 season, with Griffin at starter, and Nick Florence as his backup. Florence started seven games last season in place of Griffin, and now holds the Baylor all-time passing record with a 427 yard effort in an upset win over Missouri. If Griffin has any injury issues this season, Baylor knows they will be okay with Florence waiting in the wings. Senior TB Jay Finley returns to help lead the Bears ground game after gaining a paltry 370 yards in 2009, and Kendall Wright and Earnest Smith give Griffin a solid duo to throw to. LT Danny Watson, LG Ivory Wade, and RT Philip Blake return on an offensive line that helped Baylor average 100.6 yards per game in 2009; if the Bears offense is to improve, their offensive line needs to play better. However, Griffin is a dynamic playmaker who makes plays through the air and on the ground, and his mere presence in the starting lineup will cause that rushing average to rise by 50 yards per game, minimum.

8.Kansas State: After rotating QBs last season, it looks like Carson Coffman will be the starter for the Wildcats in 2010. Coffman will be aided by one of the best RBs in the Big 12 in Daniel Thomas, who led the Big 12 in rushing with 1,265 yards on the way to an All-Big 12 season. With the loss of star WR Brandon Banks and the return of four starters on the offensive line, expect State to run the ball early and often in 2010. Bill Snyder believes you win games with the running game and a strong defense, so he has experienced players returning right where he wants them. Attrail Snipes and Lamark Brown should be Coffman's favorite targets in the passing game. Kansas State's offense often trades finesse for efficient brutality, and I don't think the 2010 season will be any different.

9.Iowa State: The Cyclones boasted the second-leading rusher in the Big 12 last season in All-Big 12 RB Alexander Robinson, who had 1,196 yards and 6 TDs on the season. State returns four of five starters (LT Keleche Osmele, LG Alex Alvarez, C Ben Lamaak, and RG Scott Haughton) on the offensive line, and starting QB AustenArnaud, who seemed to take a step back after a solid 2008 season. ISU returns one returning starter at WR in Darius Darks; if Arnaud can return to his 2008 form, and their experienced offensive line allows State to run the ball well, it should give the Cyclones time to bring along their WRs and really develop a downfield passing game effective enough to keep defenses from stacking the line to stop Robinson.

10.Nebraska: The only thing that stood between Nebraska and playing in a BCS bowl last season was their offense. The Cornhuskers problems started up front on their offensive line, where they return everyone but their center from last season. Given the performances by LT Mike Smith, LG Keith Williams, RG Rick Henry, and RT Marcel Jones, I'm not sure if that's a good thing. Poor play on the offensive line led to instability at the QB position, where both Zac Lee and Cody Green were rotated in and out all season long. I expect Green to get the nod at QB when Fall camp begins, but apparently Taylor Martinez performed well during the Spring, so we'll see what happens. Nebraska does return I-backs Roy Helu, Jr. and Rex Burkhead, a very effective one-two punch in the running game. Of course, with their offensive line issues leading to QB issues, there really wasn't much room for these two backs to run in 2009, but when they actually had a sliver of daylight to run through, these two performed well. Helu had 1147 yds rushing and 10 TDs, despite being the focal point of every defense he faced in 2009; I don't expect that to change much in 2010, unless the Huskers can somehow develop a solid passing game. Receivers Niles Paul and Khiry Cooper return in 2010, along with TE Mike McNeill, so whoever lines up behind center will have some targets to throw to. Much like Iowa State, if Nebraska can just develop enough of a passing game to keep the defense honest, they have the talent to have a successful, balanced offense. Nebraska needs to resolve their offensive line and QB issues first and foremost, though.

11.Kansas: Kansas lost the heart of their offense with Todd Reesing graduating, and with Dezmon Briscoe gone early to the NFL, they lost their star WR, too. Kansas returns their whole offensive line, including their TE, which would be a terrific sign for offensive success in 2010, except all their stars skill players are gone. Add in a new coaching staff with a new scheme and new terminology, and I don't see them having a great offense this season. I am fairly confident J.B. Grimes will find a way to screw up an offensive line with five returning starters; if anyone can do it, he can. Coming out of Spring practice, Kale Pick was the leading candidate to replace Reesing at QB, but just what kind of an offense he'll be leading, we'll have to wait and see.

12.Colorado: Do I even need to explain this? Dan Hawkins. Enough said.