Dakota Allen’s senior leadership should have answered questions ahead of NFL Combine

Dakota Allen Texas Tech NFL Draft

Former Texas Tech linebacker Dakota Allen’s perseverance through adversity has landed him a spot in the NFL Combine.

Dakota Allen’s career at Texas Tech began as a promising one. The Red Raiders needed stability at the position, and he was, by all assessments, one of the cornerstone players in the 2014 recruiting class. Allen held offers from 12 schools, but it became clear that Texas Tech was where he wanted to play, and so, the three-star linebacker enrolled, with experts lauding his talents up and down the board.

Fast forward to the Summer of 2016 when Allen and two other Texas Tech football players were arrested on charges of burglary and gun theft, several speculated on whether this was the last we’d see of Dakota Allen.

Charges were dismissed, and the rest of that story is history, but it’s safe to say that Dakota Allen has created a legacy of an athlete who was able to make a triumphant return to fulfill the promises he had made to Texas Tech years prior.

Coming off his final and senior season at Tech, Allen has now accepted an invitation to participate and compete in the biggest job interview in his entire life, the NFL Scouting Combine. While this isn’t exactly uncommon territory for Texas Tech players, it is on the defensive side of the ball, making the stakes even higher, and the urgency for Red Raider scouts to build a true defensive arsenal under first-year head coach Matt Wells.

For Dakota Allen, the last few years have been an opportunity for reinvention, but you couldn’t watch a Texas Tech football game telecast without color commentators mentioning Allen’s backstory. Now he gets the opportunity to answer questions from all 32 NFL teams and set the tone for how he’ll be perceived and remembered in the National Football League.

After an injury last season, Texas Tech message boards were almost convinced Allen would sit for the rest of the season, but his commitment to the team quelled most of the rumors and should set the tone headed into the Combine.

The Texas Tech defensive unit as a whole last season made a few improvements, which included finishing No. 26 in the nation in red zone defense. With the NFL adapting to faster-paced offenses, Allen could be particularly useful in red zone scenarios. Allen is 6-1 and 235 pounds, which is slightly shorter than the prototypical NFL linebacker, although, that shouldn’t hinder any abilities.

At the end of Allen’s junior season, many wondered if he would leave Texas Tech and declare for the NFL Draft early, however, his decision to stay should have put to rest all fears from NFL personnel as to whether he had matured since the incident, and was ready for the big stage.

He’s cerebral, explosive, and a natural leader, so in terms of measurable statistics that scouts expect to see from Draft picks on Day 1, Dakota Allen fits the bill. Whether he’d be a Week 1 starter in the NFL is another story, as he needs to work on eying his targets with greater efficiency, and he can’t be afraid to hit or move around the field. If Allen can become more confident in his skills and stay healthy, he has a tremendously high ceiling in the NFL and could provide much needed veteran leadership down the line.

One thing that’s certain, however, is that when he was given another chance at EMCC, he learned very quickly things that take some athletes an entire lifetime to realize and grow from. With how Dakota Allen has learned to tell his story, NFL scouts and general managers can expect to interview a humble guy from Humble, Texas with a track record of working his tail off for people who believe in him.

Want More? Check Out: Dewan Hernandez’s Reinstatement Case Exposes NCAA’s True Purpose

Kliff Kingsbury Interview: NFL is Ready for Bold Coaching Philosophies

Kliff Kingsbury Interview: The NFL is Ready for Bold Coaching Philosophies

As former Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury transitions into the NFL, his thought process shows just how far he’s matured since becoming college football’s youngest head coach.

When Kliff Kingsbury was hired as Texas Tech’s head coach in 2013, he was coming off an exciting year. Kingsbury, then 32, had just coached the youngest Heisman winner in the award’s history in Johnny Manziel. As offensive coordinator at Texas A&M, the national spotlight was focused on a coach with a penchant for details, who proved his high powered offense could be successful in the SEC; which was viewed as the gateway to the NFL.

Fast forward to Texas Tech’s loss vs. Baylor on November 24, 2018, where Kingsbury’s head coaching record hit 35-40 (.467).

In Tech’s 24-35 loss in Dallas, it was pretty much guaranteed that he would not be returning to Lubbock in 2019. Days later, Kingsbury’s termination was confirmed, but just as the news came in, Kliff Kingsbury’s name escalated to the top of every offensive coordinator vacancy position available. Just as Red Raiders began embracing “The King’s” new destination in Los Angeles as the Trojans’ OC, USC allowed him to interview for the Arizona Cardinals’ head coaching position. While the idea of a coach with a losing record seemed insane at first, the Cardinals’ decision was on-trend with the NFL’s sudden shift to the very offensive installation that Kliff Kingsbury had become notorious for throughout his entire playing and coaching career.

Record-breaking numbers and fast-paced offenses are becoming the identity of the Big 12. Now it’s also trickling into the SEC and specifically Alabama with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. For years the Crimson Tide’s identity was in its defensive fortitude, but Tua’s arm strength and cerebral talents prove that to outmaneuver opponents means you have to outsmart them. This can be attributed to why Rams’ head coach Sean McVay has seen the success he has in Los Angeles. Just as defenses understand what “Halle Berry” means, quarterback Jared Goff catches them off guard with another audible. “Obama Obama. Ric Flair Ric Flair.” Score. It’s poetry.

It’s easy to understand why NFL purists who believe the offensive philosophies and avant-garde schemes in college should stay in their lane, but the NFL has to source talent from somewhere. And with two of the top producing conferences in college football transitioning, it’s the perfect timing for a Kliff Kingsbury-type coach.

Kingsbury might be young by NFL standards, but his playing resume spans from New Braunfels, Texas to Europe, so he’s cultured in a way that he understands his players. His coaching career started on a roll of the dice, and he’s been on a G6 ever since. Sure, there’s been turbulence, but like most successful people, adversity and struggles haven’t taken him off course. He’s learned from every role and opportunity he’s been given, and his work ethic combined with his detail-oriented mentality is why he’s now one of 32 NFL head football coaches.

But with the man responsible for coaching up six current NFL quarterbacks–including the frontrunner for the NFL’s MVP Award in Patrick Mahomes–suddenly in charge of a team worth $2.5B, questions have been raised, and rightfully so.

Thankfully, Kingsbury was kind enough to sit down with me to clear the air on some of those concerns.

Q: What was the most transformative event in your time as head coach at Texas Tech that let you know you were ready for this step?

KK: “I’m not sure you ever know that you’re ready, but having been fortunate to coach guys that have played at this level and seen the success they’ve had in similar offensive trends going on in the NFL, I’m just excited for this opportunity, and I’ll try to take what we’ve done at the college level into the NFL.”

Q: If you could break the internet with one unknown fact about you, what would it be?

KK: “I’m straight forward. What you see is what you get.”

Q: You’re one of the coolest and most composed guys on the sideline at every level. So, schematics aside, who influenced that aspect of your coaching philosophy?

KK: “I try to only show positive reactions. I think that when I was with New England watching Coach Belichick, he was the one where ‘great play or bad play’ [he was composed]. And I always thought that was good for the pulse of the team. You never really knew what he was thinking either way, but he never showed panic or any sort of overreaction, and I think that’s just a good mentality for a coach to show to his team.”

Q: Thoughts on angry coaches coming from a former players’ perspective?

KK: “Players respond differently. For me, I was just never a guy who fed off the coach losing it. I was more like, ‘Hey, let’s figure this out, keep our heads together,’ and come up with the best solution to whatever the issue was at the time.”

Q: You coached Pat [Mahomes] and were with him the night he was drafted, and you were drafted by the Pats and played with Tom Brady. How are you feeling about the AFC Championship game?

KK: “I’m pulling for both offenses, so… a high scoring affair. Hopefully, they tie! No… it’s tough because obviously, I have a lot of respect for the head coaches and the teams and Tom and Pat, so I just want them both to play really well, and I’m sure it will be a heckuva a game.”

Q: So you have no rooting interest?

KK: “I don’t. I’m just trying to stay neutral and hope everyone plays well and stays healthy.”

Q: What was the biggest challenge in your first few years as head coach at Texas Tech? Did you face any issues or setbacks that might have throttled Tech’s progression, and ultimately your win-loss record?

KK: “I’m sure there were specifics, but just as a young coach, I think I was probably a little too ambitious on some things. Instead of just really trying to build it from the ground up, I thought we could make some quick fixes here and there. It probably set us back, and I think it’s just something that you learn as you go. There isn’t anything that can prepare you for that, but I think that probably pushed us back a little bit in the beginning.”

Q: Did you think your limited time in the coaching profession had an impact on your coaching tree?

KK: “No…I’m not sure. Obviously, I hadn’t been a coach for very long when I was given that opportunity and probably had some limited connections as opposed to others. I think that’s something that moving forward, I’ve really tried to be thorough in the hiring process, and making sure that we’re always getting the best candidates possible. I’ve been fortunate to coach with a bunch of coaches who have done a tremendous job for us, but that’s one of the biggest things I took from [that job]; you have to get the right tools for that program at that time, regardless of your relationship with people. It’s just about getting the right people.”

Q: What’s your favorite quote?

KK: “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams, and live the life you’ve imagined.” — Henry David Thoreau

Q: You haven’t announced an OC yet, but noted that whoever you hire will help you mesh some traditional looks into your system. With how much the NFL is changing offensively, is it important to bring in traditional coaches to transition veteran players into new schemes more efficiently?

KK: “The experience factor in this league is [what’s] important for me, to be able to learn from everyone that has been here before and dealt with an NFL schedule, game planning, and break downs. There are just different aspects that will be new to me, so the more experience you can rely on, the more ideas you can get from people who have done it at a high level from different organizations, the better off we’ll be.”

Kliff Kingsbury is an anomaly–especially to the coaching world. He’s a charismatic guy with Texas swagger but places a great deal of emphasis on intelligence. From his custom suits to one of his favorite books, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, the details he pays attention to are a nod to old school elements of the game; it’s his system that provides an upgrade. And with another NFL team getting on board, it shouldn’t surprise anyone if the ‘Year in Football’ in 2019 includes an increase of “system experimentation.”

Want More? Check Out: Preseason Polls are Worthless and Mess Up the College Football Playoff

Former Texas Tech QB Patrick Mahomes Looks Like the MVP with Chiefs

QB Patrick Mahomes Chiefs

Patrick Mahomes looks like an NFL MVP in his first season as a starter with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Since his time as a quarterback with the Texas Tech Red Raiders, Patrick Mahomes has been demonstrating that he has a cannon for an arm that’s worthy of top recognition. Unfortunately, the Tech defense couldn’t find a rhythm in his time there. And while the Kansas City Chiefs’ defense has its own issues, Mahomes has consistently proven why the “system” conversation experts insist on having every season needs to be replaced with praise for inventiveness, grit, and resourcefulness.

With Mahomes being Texas Tech’s top overall pick in program history, and Baker Mayfield taking the first-round spot last year, it’s started another debate on how “system quarterbacks” are fitting in the League. While teams throughout the league from the Rams to the Chiefs are embracing a more avant-garde approach to schematics, perhaps Mahomes’ performance throughout the 2018 season should provide a glimpse into what offensive coordinators should be looking for while updating their playbooks and personnel.

For Patrick Mahomes, however, record after record broken this season, he not only padded his statistics en route to the League MVP title, he also made his supporting cast like tight end Travis Kelce (1,336) appear goliath on the field. With production increases all around, it’s impossible to overlook Mahomes as the leading candidate for the prestigious award.

Mahomes has accounted for 5, 097 passing yards and leads the league with 50 touchdowns. His 8.8 yards-per-pass almost guaranteed a first down on every snap, and while he trails Ben Roethlisberger for No. 1. in the AFC in passing, Mahomes’ YPP averages 1.4 yards more than Roethlisberger’s.

Many of the experts believe the MVP race is between Mahomes and New Orleans Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees. Brees ranks 13th in the NFL in total passing, at 3,992 yards, 32 touchdowns, and a game average of 266.1 yards. If we’re comparing stats solely, league-wide, Mahomes is still the second-best passer in the league.

Mahomes has made throws into windows so tight the reception probability was exceptionally narrow, but if you watched him at Texas Tech, those throws were the standard, making Mahomes one of the most prolific quarterbacks in program history. Now, those improbable throws are turning Mahomes into a one-man highlight reel, and making pundits question every negative thing they’ve said about “system quarterbacks.” Instead, it’s made people begin to understand that every offense that a quarterback develops in is its own “system,” and that it’s become a buzzword to diminish innovation.

Patrick Mahomes throws off balance, he stares down the soul of defenders while connecting with his receivers. He throws oddly angled sidearm passes and evades tackles as only a Big 12 quarterback could. What’s more, Mahomes is only 23 and only has a full season under his belt. He has only shown us the beginning of what he’s capable of, and as the Kansas City Chiefs continue to build the team around him and his progression, the NFL could be witnessing the next Tom Brady-type legend emerge.

Mahomes certainly has had a season for the record books, but his play has elevated him into the levels of Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. He was named on Friday to the 2018 NFL All-Pro team, along with Kelce and wide receiver Tyreek Hill, and even broke fantasy football history by posting the greatest fantasy season by a quarterback, with 417 total points.

If the NFL MVP award is truly given to the player who was most valuable to the League, then Patrick Mahomes is it, and it’s not even close. He’s not a prototypical player, and when he took over when Alex Smith was traded last season, it was viewed as the biggest gamble in Andy Reid’s head coaching career. That gamble has paid off, and now Mahomes is consistently outplaying league veterans and rewriting the rules.

T. J. Houshmandzadeh made a case for Mahomes against Drew Brees saying that the NFL MVP shouldn’t be a “lifetime achievement award because it’s a disservice to Patrick Mahomes,” and even dovetails to the contributions Brees has had at defense compared to Mahomes, who has to turn the burners on to compensate where the Chiefs’ defense has lacked this season.

The NFL MVP Award will be selected on February 2, and it’s clear that it’s already becoming one of the most polarizing pre-Super Bowl debates, which could dominate post-season discussions. When Mahomes hit 5,000 yards, he joined an elite group of professional quarterbacks and became the first player ever to throw for 5,000 yards in a season in college and in NFL. To say his talent and electric performances aren’t deserving of the League’s most prestigious award is disrespectful to the sport.

Regardless of the outcome, it’s clear with players like Baker Mayfield and Mahomes and coaches like Reid and Sean McVay, the “system” is here to stay.

College Football overhaul? FOX Sports Joel Klatt has recommendations

College Football needs reform, and while there are insane ideas floating around the sports world, someone actually came up with a legitimate set of recommendations.

FOX Sports’ analyst Joel Klatt has made some very colorful analysis in his career as a sports personality, however, he had some ideas recently about reform in college football that piqued some interest. I think we can all agree that with how long it takes games due to the always changing and arbitrary rules, to defining parameters for teams to be considered for the College Football Playoff, things have to change, and perhaps it’s time for the NCAA to start listening before it’s too late.

Lucky for the NCAA, Joel Klatt created a hypothetical set of recommendations that should not be overlooked.

  1. Get rid of divisions
  2. Everyone plays the same number of league games
  3. Must win the conference to compete for the National Championship
  4. Move ineligible downfield barrier to one yard  instead of three
  5. Give players their name and likeness back
  6. Notre Dame must join a conference
  7. The clock does not stop for first downs until the last two minutes of each half
  8. Two categories of targeting:
    1. Penalty, no ejection;
    2. Ejection
  9. Must play a true road game in the non-conference
  10. Open transfer if coach leaves

Here are Klatt’s Tweets:

I think we can all agree that several of these things do need to happen, although, I’m not sold on getting rid of divisions. For example, when a conference like the SEC has 14 teams it’s logistically impossible to play every single opponent in a season,  and have a bye week unless the season is expanded. For a conference that seems to be in no hurry to expand like the Big 12, expanding the season makes no sense, and adding extra bye weeks to accommodate the schedules of other conferences would hurt business. Moreover, this would make Klatt’s second point impossible, because how can a conference with 10 teams play the same number of league games as the SEC?

All things considered, I think Klatt’s recommendations on reform in college football are certainly steps in the right direction to improve competition.

One point I am in complete agreement on, however, is giving players their name and likeness back. Logistically, allowing “pay for play” is impossible, as schools such as Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma, and USC would have the resources to pay players, thus making them more desirable programs that could open a nightmare scenario of antitrust lawsuits throughout college football.

In 2017, the NCAA agreed to a settlement that paid $208 million to student-athletes who claimed that their scholarships were illegally capped. Although the NCAA continues to fight cases involving pay-for-play, if the purpose of college is to promote education, then student-athletes should be encouraged to be enterprising. While I think there should be some stipulations, like mandatory business classes and networking events for student-athletes to put the mechanisms in place in controlled environments so that people aren’t taking advantage of their entrepreneurial endeavors, this could help mitigate the NCAA’s ever-growing problem involving paying student-athletes.

Sure, Klatt’s recommendations are based on the hypothetical idea of a “College Football Commissioner,” but these recommendations are certainly something NCAA President Mark Emmert ought to take a serious look at.

 

Want More? Check Out: NFL Draft: Why a Team May Take a Chance and Draft Kyler Murray

Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley named as Eddie Robinson Award finalist

Lincoln Riley

Oklahoma Sooners’ head coach Lincoln Riley has been named as a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award.

Just two seasons into his first head coaching job, and Oklahoma Sooners head coach Lincoln Riley has certainly had an impressive run. And now, on the cusp of a back-to-back trip to the College Football Playoffs, Riley has been named a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award. The award is presented by the Football Writers Association of America in conjunction with the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

Lincoln Riley was one of eight finalists announced on Wednesday. The entire list includes Josh Heupel (UCF), Brian Kelly (Notre Dame), Jeff Monken (Army), Nick Saban (Alabama), Dabo Swinney (Clemson), and Jeff Tedford (Fresno State). Brian Kelly and Nick Saban are the only finalists named to have won the award in previous seasons.

Riley has taken the Sooners to back-to-back 12-1 seasons with back-to-back Playoff berths. Oklahoma has one of the nation’s top offenses behind quarterback and Heisman hopeful, Kyler Murray. Finishing at No. 4 in the College Football Playoffs final rankings, the Sooners had been a fringe team throughout the second half of the season. With a Texas Longhorns team that had been improving throughout the season, Oklahoma’s playoff implications rode on the Big 12 Championship.

In the Red River Rivalry–the Sooners’ only loss on the season–Oklahoma didn’t play as physically on defense, which raised some red flags as to whether the second year of the Lincoln Riley era was about to unravel. With the firing of defensive coordinator Mike Stoops, the defense was still an issue under interim defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill. With the Longhorns on the schedule again for the Big 12 Championship, this was a must-win game for the Sooners for a Playoff berth, and the game to catapult Murray into the top of the Heisman discussion.

Not only did the Sooners, win, they became the first Power Five team to win four Conference Championships outright in a row for the first time since Florida in the mid-’90s. Moreover, the win showed that Oklahoma is capable of applying some defensive grit, as the Sooners shut UT out of the endzone throughout the entire fourth quarter.

Oklahoma is still 108th in the nation in total defense, but offensively, the Sooners are the No. 1 team in the country through 13 games. In 859 plays this season, Oklahoma has amassed 7,513 total yards of offense, averaging 8.75 yards-per-play. An even more impressive statistic is that the Sooners are averaging 577.9 yards-per-game. To draw contrast from other Eddie Robinson finalists, UCF is third in total offense, while Clemson is 5th, followed by Alabama at 7th, Notre Dame at 28th, Fresno State at 49th, and Army at 81st.

The No. 4 ranked Sooners will face Alabama in the College Football Playoff semifinal in the Capital One Orange Bowl on Saturday, December 29th. With back-to-back seasons where Lincoln Riley’s quarterbacks are turning pro, it will be interesting to see how he develops the Sooners’ new gunslingers in the future, which have helped Riley create a fluid identity during his head coaching career.

The 2018 Eddie Robinson Award will be announced on Thursday, December, 13, with the official presentation reception on January 5, 2019, in San Jose, Calif.

Want More? Check Out: College Football: Before You Fire Your Head Coach Take the US Coaching Test

Big 12 Championship: Texas, Oklahoma, West Virginia emerge as contenders

Big 12 Championship

In a weekend where the potential teams competing for the Big 12 Championship was supposed to emerge, they did, and it’s now a three-way race between the Oklahoma Sooners, West Virginia Mountaineers, and Texas Longhorns.

While some conferences have grown used to one or two teams vaulting to the top of the conference for a bid at a National Championship, the Big 12 has owned up to its moniker: Every Game Matters. With the Iowa State Cyclones knocking on the door last weekend in Austin at hopes for an upset over the Longhorns, that made things even more interesting, as the Cyclones had a pretty rocky start to the season. Now that Iowa State is out of the equation, a number of other things have to happen for each team to carve a path to the December 1 title game, and potentially a trip to the College Football Playoffs.

Texas did itself a huge favor in its dominant 24-10 victory over the Cyclones. Although, the bigger issue now is in the health of quarterback Sam Ehlinger, who sustained an AC contusion against Iowa State. Head coach Tom Herman said in the post-game that Ehlinger’s X-rays tested negative for breaks and that it wasn’t related to the injury he sustained against Baylor. Herman also revealed that backup quarterback Shane Buechele was the most involved backup, so the confidence shouldn’t be disrupted regardless of who’s a go come game time.

As for the three-way race? Texas defeated Oklahoma; Oklahoma plays West Virginia this week, and West Virginia has defeated Texas. Follow? Peak Big 12, I know. This is where transitive wins apply. West Virginia lost to Oklahoma State last weekend, so, therefore, all Texas needs to head to Dallas is a win over Kansas. Will Grier could use a championship game to bolster his Heisman standings… then again, so could Sooners’ quarterback Kyler Murray. In any event, if Texas wins, they play either Oklahoma or West Virginia for the Big 12 Championship.

I suppose you could say Texas is back and continues to control its destiny.

As for Oklahoma and West Virginia, both teams have had their share of defensive issues, which only seem to be getting worse. Since OU fired defensive coordinator Mike Stoops, few things seem to be clicking. For the Mountaineers, which have had a fairly stout defense all season, allowing 604 total yards of offense against an Oklahoma State team that has struggled this season isn’t a good look either.

Big 12 teams have earned bids in two of the four years since the Playoff took place of the BCS. And while it isn’t intangible for the winner of the Big 12 Championship to have a spot in the Playoff, several dominos will have to fall throughout college football in the next two weeks.

Most oddsmakers still have the No. 6 ranked Sooners as the fringe team for the Big 12 in the Playoffs if they were to win out. If Texas wins out, it’s hard to see a scenario where they play in any game outside the New Years 6.

Want More? Watch the UnafraidShow.

Big 12 Football Week 12 Power Rankings: Dallas could come down to the wire

Big 12 Football Week 12 Power Rankings

For weeks now, pundits, bloggers, and fans have been debating on which team would likely face Oklahoma in the Big 12 Football title game in December. With the Sooners winning Bedlam, Texas sealing a late win against Texas Tech, and West Virginia handling business at TCU, it should come down to those three teams. However, Iowa State has the same record as UT. So things could get interesting down the final stretch. With three weeks left to go, here’s how the Big 12 Football Week 12 Power Rankings stack up.

10. Kansas

17-21 loss at Kansas State

Different week with the Kansas Jayhawks, but it’s the same story following its 17-21 loss to Kansas State last weekend. Kansas might not be the most attractive job in the country right now. But for athletics director Jeff Long to position the Jayhawks to be considered by a bigger (although, perhaps, disgraced) head coaching prospect the team needs to prove that they have a fight in them.  After being down against Kansas State, they showed grit and determination. But they weren’t able to force those turnovers they’ve become so notorious for under coach David Beaty. With Oklahoma and Texas still on the schedule, the odds of things improving for Kansas this season aren’t high, but they have to keep fighting.

9. Kansas State

21-17 win over Kansas

Kansas State managed to squeak out a win over Kansas, but if anything, it highlighted just how much the Wildcats have struggled this season. The Wildcats had issues in all three phases of the game, and only seem to be improving on special teams.  In a game that was decided on which team made the fewest mistakes, the final touchdown play by K-State on a 4th down conversion was as gritty as you could expect from a game like that. But it was just enough to get that fourth-quarter score to move K-State to 4-6 overall. The Wildcats host Texas Tech this week and cap the season against No. 22 ranked Iowa State. Both opponents are showing improvement throughout the season, so K-State must tighten things up this week.

8. TCU

10-47 loss at West Virginia

It’s crazy to think that TCU was ranked in the preseason, and chosen to finish near the top of the Big 12 conference. Following its 10-47 loss in Morgantown against West Virginia, it’s safe to say that a 4-6 overall TCU team will be facing a steep uphill battle trying to get to bowl eligibility with Baylor and Oklahoma State still on the schedule.  While TCU held West Virginia scoreless through the first quarter, it was pretty much “game over” when TCU allowed three touchdowns in just 3:25 in the second quarter. The Horned Frogs scored just one touchdown in the second half and allowed three additional touchdowns and a field goal. They were held to a lowly 222 total yards of offense–a season low. TCU has faced several injuries this season, but so has everyone else. This is where depth plays a factor, and TCU just hasn’t been able to get great play from the “next man up”.

7. Baylor

14-28 loss at Iowa State

Optimism started growing for Baylor following their win over Oklahoma State two weeks ago. But their loss at Iowa State indicated a step backward in more ways than one. On the one hand, Baylor struggled to score, putting up just two touchdowns in the second half. And on the other hand, while several Big 12 teams have proven to be better after the half this season, you can’t be effective if you lose players to ejections, which the Bears experienced with the loss of quarterback Charlie Brewer for a second unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Thankfully for Baylor, Brewer will not miss game time against TCU, as the ejection rule only applies to fighting and for targeting penalties.

6. Oklahoma State

47-48 loss at Oklahoma

Oklahoma State is on a two-loss skid. However, with its nail-biting loss at Oklahoma last weekend, it showed that the Cowboys have the talent and drive to finish the season with Bowl eligibility. If their wide receivers continue working defenders as they did against the Sooners, they have a shot. Much like Texas Tech’s late heroics a few weeks against Oklahoma, the Cowboys were one two-point conversion away from pulling the upset. Regardless of the loss, it’s the motivation will certainly be there for the Cowboys with West Virginia on the schedule this weekend. But with a West Virginia team that’s emerged as one of the top defenses in the country, the receivers will be tested–perhaps more in this game than any other time this season.

5. Texas Tech

34-41 loss against Texas

With its loss against Texas, the Red Raiders are now 5-5 on the season, and 3-4 in the conference. The quarterback issue has been a revolving door of speculation and criticism since Alan Bowman’s injury. I think it’s fair to say that Jett Duffey’s 524 total yards of offense which included 80 rushing yards on critical conversions helped the Red Raiders stay in the game. Unfortunately, turnovers have been his biggest issue this season. Instead of losing confidence, though, Duffey had a monster 4th quarter, which included a two touchdown passes to Antoine Wesley and one to T.J. Vasher. Even in what’s perceived as a “down year” for Tech quarterbacks, it’s still important to note that Tech has one of the nation’s top offenses, and Wesley is second in the nation in receiving and leads all Power 5 receivers. Tech could still finish the season at 8-5 with a Bowl win. With Kansas State and Baylor left on the road, penalties and turnovers have to be the focus now.

4. Texas

41-34 win at Texas Tech

Texas is now ranked at No. 15 in the College Football Playoff. While a berth isn’t likely, the Longhorns are on the fringe of the Big 12 title game. If they can defeat Iowa State at home this week, and win on the road against Kansas in two weeks, they have a chance. With Sam Ehlinger’s 4th quarter heroics against Texas Tech in Lubbock last weekend, Texas has all the confidence they need to send Iowa State packing. If this is to happen, the Texas defense has to clean things up, considering they blew a 17-point lead at Texas Tech. Iowa State likes to control the clock, and the Longhorns defense will have to come up in a big way.

3. Iowa State

28-14 Win at home

The Cyclones earned their fifth straight win over Baylor to hit the 6-3 mark on the season, making them Bowl eligible. While the Cyclones blanked the Bears in the first half, they allowed 14 points and were shut out by Baylor in the 4th quarter. As we’ve witnessed this season, most teams have played better in the second half of play. So for Iowa State, which still has Texas, Kansas State, and Incarnate Word (6-4) on the schedule, that is an area where they need to address. The game turned south fast in the third quarter when running back David Montgomery and Baylor linebacker Greg Roberts were ejected. There was an altercation that subsequently almost cleared the bench in a full brawl shortly after. No word from the Big 12 on whether the incident will cause either player to face suspension. But Iowa State will need all hands on deck if they want to pull an upset and land a spot in the Big 12 title game.

2. West Virginia

47-10 win against TCU

I was most critical of the Mountaineers for the non-conference scheduling (minus the NC State cancellation due to Hurricane Florence). After the Iowa State loss at the always dangerous Jack Trice Stadium, I hammered them in the Big-12 Power Rankings. But West Virginia bounced back in a big way and have won three straight, with its most recent win over TCU last weekend. With quarterback Will Grier staying an easy frontrunner for the Heisman, I believe that Dana Holgorsen has a team that could easily go 2-0 in its final games at Oklahoma State, and against Oklahoma at home to finish the season. We can run statistics all afternoon, but the fact remains that West Virginia managed to score four touchdowns against TCU in under 1:30 each. That level of high octane efficiency is tough to defend throughout the conference. One statistic that WVU has a sizable advantage is in total defense, where the Mountaineers rank 37th nationally.

1. Oklahoma

48-47 win against Oklahoma State

The Sooners have nine lives. In every close game, the pendulum seems to swing in their favor. And that was the case again this past weekend against Oklahoma State. Sooners’ quarterback Kyler Murray connected on 21 of 29 passes for 349 yards and a touchdown, with 66 rushing yards. These stats don’t exactly scream “Heisman front-runner,” but he is one. Running backs Kennedy Brooks and Trey Sermon accounted for 3 and 2 touchdowns on the ground respectively. In a league where the game is controlled on time of possession, a strong run game is important. Oklahoma certainly controlled the run game against Oklahoma State. The Sooners earned the No. 6 slot in the College Football Playoff standings this week. They are on the fringe of the top four. But if they can win out, it’s hard to deny their strength of schedule and quality of wins. The Sooners could help the Big 12 squeak in the College Football Playoff.

 

Want More? Check Out: Big Ten Power Rankings Week 12: “The Game” Is On The Horizon

Big 12 Football Power Rankings Week 11: Upsets, and Beaty is OUT

Big 12 Football Power Rankings Week 11

There is certainly a lot to unpack in this week’s Big 12 Football Power Rankings Week 11. Unfortunately, it was one riddled with injuries and coaching moves we all saw coming. There’s a lot to get through, so without further ado, here’s how Big 12 Football teams stack up through 11 weeks of play.

10. Kansas

3-27 loss against Iowa State 

Kansas is now 3-6 following its 3-27 loss against No. 24 ranked Iowa State, and that’s not even bad part. Athletics director Jeff Long announced on Sunday that head coach David Beaty was OUT as head coach for the Jayhawks, but he will continue his role throughout the rest of the season. Kansas would need to defeat Kansas State, Oklahoma, and Texas in order to be Bowl eligible, but that’s unlikely at this point.

It’s hard to find a silver lining in this. And scoring just three points isn’t a highlight to write home about, which paved the foundation for social media to erupt with calls to cancel the program in its entirety. While nobody knows exactly what the future has in store for Kansas Football, there’s already chatter that Beaty could have a home as an assistant receivers’ coach in the Big 12. Stay tuned.

9. Kansas State

13-14 loss at TCU

With all that TCU has been experiencing in all three phases of the game this season, this was the game everyone thought could be the game Kansas State would win to get momentum into the final stretch. Unfortunately, in a battle between beleaguered teams, Kansas State came up short on a missed extra point to fall to 3-6 on the season. The Wildcats lost quarterback Skylar Thompson to an injury early in the game, but it didn’t take backup Alex Delton long to take command of the offense. Delton finished the day 15-25 for 155 yards and a touchdown. But defensively, the Wildcats just couldn’t hang on and allowed a third-quarter touchdown they couldn’t make up for.

Could this season mark the end for head coach Bill Snyder, who signed an extension this year? Perhaps, but Kansas State will have to win out just to become Bowl eligible, and with Texas Tech and Iowa State still on the schedule, it’s certainly anyone’s guess as to how the Snyder Legacy ends.

8. TCU

14-13 win against Kansas State

The TCU Horned Frogs finally got a win on account of defense and preventing a PAT following a fourth-quarter touchdown. Who knows, maybe if the Wildcats had gone for a 2-point conversion, these frames would look different, but in any event, it was a good “bounce back” win for TCU and certainly should give them some confidence as they prepare for West Virginia this weekend. The end of the season will decide whether a Gary Patterson coached team will make a 16th consecutive Bowl bid. But at 4-5 on the season, it’s going to be a tough uphill climb for the Horned Frogs, although, it is attainable.

One bright spot is quarterback Michael Collins’ cannon of an arm. He connected on a 67 yard touchdown pass to Jalen Reagor, so if TCU can improve on the consistency of throws, they should at least present a fight moving forward, but the key term here is “consistency,” which is kind of hit or miss in Big 12 Football, especially as injuries pile up.

7. Oklahoma State

31-35 loss at Baylor

Like TCU and Kansas State this season, things just aren’t going well for the Cowboys. Oklahoma State is now 5-4 on the season following its loss to a progressively improving Baylor team, and with Oklahoma next, followed by West Virginia and TCU, it’s still possible to become Bowl eligible, but Mike Gundy’s team has to become a more disciplined team and fast.

Against Baylor, the Cowboys amassed 12 penalties for 133 yards. Don’t expect to beat teams if you’re beating yourself up first. This cost them critical yardage in an already close game, where the Cowboys limited Baylor to just 158 passing yards. With Bedlam on Saturday against Oklahoma, it doesn’t give Oklahoma State much time to fix special teams issues, but Gundy has to adjust the game plan to more aggressive plays if they want a shot at another upset.

6.  Baylor Bears

35-31 win against Oklahoma State

Having won just one game in Matt Rhule’s first season with Baylor, the Bears are now just one game away from Bowl eligibility following their win over Oklahoma State over the weekend. But the Bears did receive some assists from an undisciplined Oklahoma State team, so it minimized the interception and missed field goals to start the game.

Against a team like Iowa State this weekend, those mistakes will be costly, so it’s important for quarterbacks Jalan McClendon and Charlie Brewer to get in a rhythm early, regardless of who starts or finishes. Remember that Brewer was in concussion protocol last week. Thankfully for the Bears, Brewer was able to come in late and manage two touchdown drives for the win, but if Rhule goes with it again, a two-quarterback set should make things interesting against Iowa State this weekend.

5. Texas Tech

46-51 loss against Oklahoma

It’s unfortunate that Texas Tech lost starting quarterback Alan Bowman at the half to a re-aggravated collapsed lung. The Red Raiders were rolling, and winning several key battles against Oklahoma on defense, which included a record night from Vaughnte Dorsey where he intercepted two passes in the first quarter. Texas Tech would score touchdowns on both of those turnovers. Texas Tech’s defense has shown tremendous resiliency in the last few weeks, which shows that David Gibbs’ unit should be in business next season, as several backups have seen game time this season. It really makes you wonder what would have happened if Bowman had stayed healthy.

Texas Tech was pretty successful throughout the night on screen passes. However, lack of success on third-down conversions (Tech was 3-13 on the night) hurt. The run game, in particular, wasn’t up to par. Tech finished with just 107 to the Sooners’ 323 total rushing yards. If they can make that adjustment, they’ll have a big advantage over Texas this weekend. And it goes without saying that the Red Raiders are hoping to have some good news on the Bowman and Dakota Allen injuries this week. They need a few days to get the offense back in sync before Tech closes out the season in Lubbock on Saturday against the Longhorns.

4. Texas

41-42 loss against West Virginia

Texas dropped a nail-biter against–arguably–one of the most improved and dynamic teams in the Big 12: West Virginia. Although the game did come down to a 2-point conversion on a keeper by Will Grier, it wasn’t without its share of built-up drama. There was even a polarizing unsportsmanlike call, where David Sills flashed “Horns Down” after a touchdown.

Texas sustained some injuries, including the loss of Davante Davis (neck sprain), and Breckyn Hager with a dislocated radius. UT isn’t providing further information on those injuries, but giving up 578 total yards of offense doesn’t look good for a team that still has to get through a tough Iowa State team for a shot at the Big 12 Football title game.

3. Iowa State

27-3 win at Kansas

The Iowa State Cyclones keep rolling, and are now on a four-game win streak, and currently sit at  5-3 on the season. This team has had the biggest turnaround of all the Big 12 Football teams, and with weapons like quarterback Brock Purdy throwing for 263 yards and three touchdowns against a team that’s the best in college football in takeaways is impressive. Of course, the progressive improvement isn’t without continued speculation that head coach Matt Campbell could leave. Especially with his name being thrown around for head coaching jobs elsewhere. Iowa State still has a Baylor team that’s also improving, Texas, and Kansas State still on the schedule. The Cyclones need to stay focused on crashing the Big 12 Football Championship party.

2. Oklahoma

51-46 win at Texas Tech

Oklahoma wasn’t as aggressive against a Texas Tech team the Sooners were projected to defeat by double-digits in Lubbock. Instead, the Red Raiders held a halftime lead. Few Oklahoma fans will argue that if it hadn’t been for Tech quarterback Alan Bowman missing the second half of play, we might be discussing a very different position.

Running back Trey Sermon picked up where Rodney Anderson left off. He racked up 206 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. That was an area of the play-calling where head coach Lincoln Riley knew they’d have an advantage, especially with Tech linebacker Dakota Allen out with an injury. As I’ve said all season, Oklahoma has been the top team in the Big 12 Conference. But, with the way West Virginia is playing, the Big 12 Football Championship game might be a repeat of the Sooners’ finale on Nov. 23.

1. West Virginia

42-41 win at Texas

With West Virginia’s win over the Texas Longhorns in Austin last weekend, it pretty much elevated their shot at facing the Sooners’ in the Big 12 Football Championship game. Quarterback Will Grier threw for 346 yards and three touchdowns and was responsible for the keeper on the Mountaineers’ 2-point conversion attempt, which not only helped his Heisman credentials but also padded his abilities enough to have NFL people discussing which offense he’d plug into on Sundays.

Texas is always a tough opponent, but the WVU Defense allowing 520 total yards of offense is something they have to work on.

 

Want more? Check out: Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 11: No Margin for Error

Big 12 Conference Football Week 9 Power Rankings: The Good and Bad Remix

Big 12 Conference

Much of the Big 12 Conference was on a bye last weekend, so you’ll notice a little change up with this week’s power rankings. While just four teams played last weekend, the result was what we expected, with Texas Tech defeating an improved Kansas team, and Oklahoma defeating a beleaguered TCU. So for this week’s Power Rankings The Remix, we’ll be bringing you recap of which teams are trending up or down, and reports from around the Big 12 conference. 

Trending Up

Texas Tech is trending up and in a big way. After defeating the Kansas Jayhawks on Saturday, a major statistic emerged, that through four games of Big 12 conference action: Texas Tech has allowed the least amount of points at 89. What’s more, teams that were lauded for their defenses headed into the season in West Virginia and TCU have allowed 92 and 114 points, respectively. More interesting statistics about Texas Tech’s defense, are that the Red Raiders have surrendered 20 or fewer points in three of their four conference games thus far, all of which have ended in victories.

Offensively, Texas Tech has proven why head coach Kliff Kingsbury is heralded as one of the offensive geniuses of this era. During the preseason, most (if not all) media outlets were drawing concern to several key areas on the offense, including how Texas Tech would perform with unproven quarterbacks, and whether those quarterbacks could even come close to comparing to the Patrick Mahomes era, which has had a lasting hangover on Texas Tech fans since his departure to the NFL two seasons ago. It’s safe to say that true freshman quarterback Alan Bowman has quashed those sentiments, as he’s already broken Mahomes records set as a freshman, and even through Bowman’s partially collapsed lung, backup Jett Duffey has made tremendous plays when they mattered.

This is Texas Tech’s best start since Kingsbury’s first season as Tech’s head coach, where he became the first, first-year coach to win his first seven games in Big 12 history–a record he still holds. Tech is certainly showing it has the fortitude to truly be competitive this season, and that’s largely in part to the consistency they’ve had since the arrival of Strength and Conditioning coach Rusty Whitt and Director of Speed and Power Scott Salwasser four years ago.

Texas Tech had a touchdown wiped on a holding call on the offensive line, which isn’t surprising as Tech is one of the most penalized teams in the nation at No. 114, with 59 penalties for 525 yards. Those yards have proven costly through several games, so if Tech is to continue to trend upward, discipline is a major issue that must be fixed.

Also trending up…

Texas Tech faces Iowa State this week, and it’s a team that others only really starting respecting until two years ago. On other sites, I warned that the Cyclones had become one of the more improved teams, and it wasn’t until Texas Tech faced the Cyclones in 2016 that the warning was truly heeded when the Red Raiders were blown out at home, 66-10.

Iowa State is that team where once you feel confident that they’re not as good as the stat sheets tell you, they attack and make you regret everything you ever wrote or said badly about them. In other words, they’re silent but deadly, and you feel their sting long after they’ve left you and your coordinators scrambling for answers.

This season didn’t start out the strongest for the Cyclones, but since defeating Oklahoma State 48-42, and No. 6 West Virginia, 30-14, the Cyclones have come alive, and just in time to face the Red Raiders, which are now tied for second place in the Big 12 Conference, and looking in on a potential trip to Dallas if things pan out.

If history repeats itself, however, any trips to Dallas for the Big 12 Championship will be through Ames, and the Cyclones are already a -3.5 favorite according to ESPN.

Reports from the League:

KaVontae Turpin

TCU already faced some serious issues having lost two of its last games to Texas Tech and Oklahoma, but the Horned Frogs are now without leading wide receiver and return man, KaVontae Turpin. Turpin was arrested and charged with assault on a woman earlier this week and dismissed from the TCU program on Tuesday. The woman who alleges the assault says she was romantically involved with Turpin for several years. She claims that Turpin assaulted her after he suspected she was sending photographs of herself to people. She was able to break free and find help. The Star-Telegram reported that a similar incident occurred in March, and according to TCU officials, Turpin hid that from them. According to the Star-Telegram, ” if convicted, Turpin could face up to one year in prison and a $4,000 fine.”

In the March incident, a bench warrant was issued to Turpin who failed to appear to a July 16 pre-trial. He was participating in the TCU Program the entire time, apparently, unbeknownst to anyone at TCU.

Sam Ehlinger

According to Anwar Richardson, quarterback Sam Ehlinger is on schedule and progressing with his shoulder injury rehab he sustained in the first quarter against Baylor.

According to Richardson, Texas head coach Tom Herman also said, “It is easy to plug-and-play quarterbacks in his offense. Does not believe Texas needs to change its offensive game plan if Shane Buechele has to.”

In the Longhorns’ 23-17 victory over the Bears two weeks ago, Buechele threw for 20-34 for 185 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. The Longhorns were able to make some noise on the ground with freshman running back Keaontay Ingram, who carried the rock 19 times for 110 yards. Texas was just 9-18 on third down conversions, so if Buechele is a go on Saturday against Oklahoma State, those conversions will be critical, as this is a night game, and we all know how weird those get in the Big 12 conference.

Want More? Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 9: Chaos is Coming

Big 12 Football Fan Reactions: Which teams are trending up, down?

Big 12 Football

It’s hard to believe that the 2018 Big 12 Football season is halfway over. It’s been interesting tracking these teams since the season kicked off in late August, especially considering how extreme the conference has been with coaches on scalding hot seats, and others kicking the 2018 season off with Heisman, and national championship caliber talent, and expectations.

Teams with the lowest expectations coming in have seemingly had the most improvement, while others are right where they should be, making Big 12 Football one of the toughest conferences, with potential for the most unpredictable finales. With plenty of football left to play, it could be Oklahoma, Texas, West Virginia, or even one of the dark horse teams such as Texas Tech or Iowa State at the Big 12 Football Championship game. While writers get criticized often for their opinions, it’s always important to test the spectrum of the conference on social media to see what others think, too.

With teams still hitting their stride, anything is possible as we enter the final stretch, but the competition is only exploiting weaknesses that are difficult to recover from in the eyes of the CFB Playoff Selection Committee.

With that said, here’s what fans are saying about which teams are trending up, or trending down:

Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell started teetering on the hot seat after losing to Oklahoma and a TCU team that’s been struggling. But after defeating No. 6 West Virginia, the Cyclones have proven they have the talent and the fight to make things interesting down the stretch. Quarterback Zeb Noland has shown a lot of promise this season, but with junior running back David Montgomery as the No. 7 ranked all-purpose player through Week 8, don’t expect the Cyclones to drop in consistency. It appears that several fans–even those outside of Big 12 Football agree:

Texas Tech’s defense is trending way up, and it’s showing that athletic director Kirby Hocutt’s 2018 gamble on staying the course with Kliff Kingsbury is paying off. What I mean by that is that three years ago when Kingsbury brought in Strength and Conditioning coach Rusty Whitt and Director of Speed and Power, Scott Salwasser, most people new it was going to take several seasons to recondition the Texas Tech players to become the prototypical athlete Kingsbury envisioned. With defensive coordinator David Gibbs having equal time to develop the defense, it’s fortified the expectations, compared to the turnover and inconsistencies players experienced before the culture was changed.

For some statistical measure, Texas Tech is No. 1 in third down defense, No. 1 in fourth down defense, No. 3 in forced turnovers, the No. 3 scoring defense, and the No. 3 ranked rushing defense. If Texas Tech can get its quarterback depth healthy, they could be morphing into a very lethal team.

Texas is absolutely trending up, and it’s hard to deny that head coach Tom Herman understands that “rebuilding” just isn’t an acceptable excuse when you’re guaranteed blue chips and have a national brand to maintain. While UT still struggles to truly establish an offensive identity, it’s one of those teams that always manages to come up with major defensive plays in critical games. So far, defensive back Kris Boyd is the third-ranked played in the conference in passes defended with 9 breakups and one interception, and safety Caden Sterns has also come up with four interceptions. Texas is allowing just 23 points-per-game, so if they can keep that momentum going, we might see a replay of the Red River Showdown in a few months.

For measure, Oklahoma has a 22 percent chance at making it to the College Football Playoff, but the Sooners will need to win out, bank on Notre Dame losing at some point, and hope the Pac-12 keeps weakening its odds one upset at a time in order to move on–but that’s the less complicated version of the multiple scenarios that could play out. But another point to consider is this: Just what will Oklahoma look like defensively, under interim defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill? Stay tuned.

Big 12 Football is notorious for upsets, high flying offenses, and plenty of coaches on hot seats, or on the non-stop carousel of reshuffling. But the good thing is that there’s still ample time to prove you’re the real deal or turn things around if you’re in a slump.

 

Want More? Check Out: Maryland Football: Booster Removed From Team Plane over Jordan McNair Comments