Big 12 spring football preview — Key storylines, players to watch

There’s no conference quite as unpredictable as the Big 12.

Two seasons ago, TCU was coming off a 5-7 season, was picked to finish seventh in the league, then went undefeated in the regular season and beat Michigan in the Fiesta Bowl before losing to Georgia in the national title game, finishing 13-2. The next season, they finished 5-7 again.

Last year, Arizona State, coming off a 3-9 season, was picked to finish 16th in its first year in the league, then won the conference title and took Texas to the wire in a 39-31 loss in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals at the Peach Bowl. Utah, the preseason favorites and another newcomer, finished 5-7, its worst season since 2013. Entering Week 14 of the 2024 season, nine teams were still in mathematical contention for the league title.

None of them was Oklahoma State, which finished 10-4 in 2023 and fell to 3-9 and 0-9 in conference games in 2024 despite returning Ollie Gordon II. Baylor, which was 3-9 in ’23, finished 8-5. TCU bounced back to 9-4 last year.

You get the idea. Anyone can show up at any time. Even the league’s two new coaches are returning to past glory, as Rich Rodriguez took the winding roads back to West Virginia and Scott Frost returned from orbit to UCF.

If last year is any indication, nothing we think between now and December will matter. That’s why it’s exciting to start spring practice, when everyone is undefeated and anything is possible. Don’t disappoint us, Big 12. — Dave Wilson

2024 record: 4-8 (2-7 Big 12)

Spring storyline: Much like their friends in Tempe, the Wildcats are among the teams with the most returning production in the country at 66% (16th overall). However, coming off a 4-8 season in Brent Brennan’s first year, the hope has to be that returning production will be, well, a little more productive. Arizona will have 53 new players, with 25 being transfers. Seeing how the old blend with the new, and who steps up will be the centerpiece.

Position of intrigue: Wide receiver. QB Noah Fifita will be back, and it will be important to have weapons around him, especially with receiver Tetairoa McMillan off to the NFL. Transfers Kris Hutson (Wazzu), Tre Spivey (Kansas State) and Luke Wysong (New Mexico) will be looking to cement themselves in the rotation.

Player to watch: RB Ismail Mahdi. Another transfer, Mahdi has been one of the better backs in the Sun Belt the last couple of seasons. Arizona will need him to be just as prolific in the Big 12. — Harry Lyles

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2024 record: 11-3 (7-2 Big 12)

Spring storyline: The Sun Devils were a team that surprised many last year, winning the Big 12 championship in their first season in the conference, and giving Texas a run for their money in the Peach Bowl. This spring and going into 2025, it’s all about building on last year’s success, especially with 79% of last year’s production returning, per ESPN’s Bill Connelly.

Position of intrigue: Cornerback. Javan Robinson is back, which is key for the Sun Devils. Kenny Dillingham also hit the portal and brought in Nyland Green from Purdue and Adrian Wilson from Washington State. They’ll be trying to improve a leaky secondary which ranked 81st against the pass last season.

Player to watch: RB Kanye Udoh. Losing a guy like Cam Skattebo is never easy. But bringing in Udoh, who ran for 1,117 yards and 10 TDs last season at Army, feels like it could ease the transition. — Lyles

2024 record: 8-5 (6-3 Big 12)

Spring storyline: Dave Aranda, never one to stand pat with assistants, shook up his staff after a 3-9 season in 2023 and then started 2-4, with all four losses to the only Power 4 teams the Bears faced. But they flipped a switch and won six straight before a Texas Bowl loss to LSU to finish 8-5 as freshman Bryson Washington broke out at running back and Sawyer Robertson (3,071 yards, 28 TDs to eight INTs) took control of Jake Spavital’s offense. Can the Bears keep building?

Position of intrigue: Baylor had the 94th-ranked pass defense last season, then hired Paul Gonzales, a longtime assistant for Gary Patterson and Sonny Dykes at TCU, as the corners coach and pass game coordinator, while adding DB transfers Calvin Simpson-Hunt from Ohio State, Tyler Turner from Oregon and Devin Turner from Northwestern.

Player to watch: 6-foot-2, 224-pound linebacker Keaton Thomas had 221 tackles over the past two seasons after arriving from Northeast Mississippi Community College and played with a cast on his hand for two months. A healthy Thomas is a problem. –Wilson

2024 record: 11-2 (7-2 Big 12)

Spring storyline: The Cougars fell devastatingly short of the Big 12 championship game last year, being edged out in a tiebreaker and finishing with an 11-2 season and the No. 13 ranking. Jake Retzlaff returns from a breakout season along with his best receiver (Chase Roberts) and running back (LJ Martin) and the core of a stout defense, including Isaiah Glasker, who led the Big 12 in tackles for loss. They’re not under the radar heading into this spring.

Position of intrigue: BYU allowed just 19.6 points per game last year, but one of their strengths was the defensive line, where star Tyler Batty is gone, along with several other key rotation pieces. The Cougars are excited to grab Keanu Tanuvasa from rival Utah and are expecting him to pick up where they left off, along with Texas transfer Tausili Akana, who has added weight and will be an edge rusher.

Player to watch: Keelan Marion, who was an All-America kick returner last year while catching 24 passes, is expected to be a bigger part of the passing offense this season. — Wilson

2024 record: 4-8 (2-7 Big 12)

Spring storyline: It’s a new era with a familiar face at UCF as coach Scott Frost opens his second stint in charge of the Knights. UCF has signed nearly 30 transfer additions since Frost returned in December, so projecting the Knights in 2025 is difficult. But Frost’s ability to get the most out of this overhauled roster in Year 1 will be the first step in his efforts to pull the program back to the heights he previously lifted UCF to in 2016 and 2017.

Position of intrigue: Quarterback. UCF is the site for perhaps the most intriguing quarterback battle in the conference. Indiana transfer Tayven Jackson carries intriguing potential, while former FAU and Marshall quarterback Cam Fancher brings 26 games of starting experience. Dylan Rizk and Jacurri Brown remain on the roster as a pair of quarterbacks who will aim to push the transfer newcomers in a wide-open competition that could run into the fall.

Player to watch: Transfer defensive end Sincere Edwards cracked Pitt’s pass-rush rotation and logged 17 tackles with three sacks in his freshman season last fall. If he can secure a starting role, Edwards could be poised for a breakout season in 2025. –Eli Lederman

2024 record: 5-7 (3-6 Big 12)

Spring storyline: Can the Bearcats build upon what seems to be somewhat of a foundation? Offensively, QB Brendan Sorsby is back after a solid 2024 campaign. Defensively, an experienced group returns second-leading tackler Jake Golday, along with Dontay Corleone on the defensive line. Along with 15 transfer portal additions, Cincinnati could potentially take a step forward from a 5-7 season in which they lost the last five games.

Position of intrigue: Running back. The departure of Corey Kiner is big for this team, as he had 1,153 yards on the ground last season. But in comes Tawee Walker, who has experience at Oklahoma and more recently Wisconsin last season, where he had 864 yards and 10 touchdowns. He could end up being a solid replacement, but the position will be key given the reliability that Kiner brought during the 2024 campaign.

Player to watch: Cornerback Matthew McDoom. A skilled leader at Coastal Carolina last season, he could fit in nicely with a defense that returns plenty in 2025. — Lyles

2024 record: 9-4 (7-2 Big 12)

Spring storyline: Can Colorado remain a Big 12 contender in the post-Shedeur Sanders/Travis Hunter era? The Buffaloes found an experienced replacement for Sanders in Liberty quarterback transfer Kaidon Salter, though the 29-game starter is expected to face competition from five-star freshman Julian Lewis. Defensive backs DJ McKinney, Carter Stoutmire, Preston Hodge and Colton Hood return to a secondary that finished 40th in passing yards per game last season.

Position of intrigue: Wide receiver. Between the departures of Hunter and fellow pass catchers LaJohntay Wester, Will Sheppard and Jimmy Horn, Colorado enters the spring down 255 receptions, 3,251 receiving yards and 32 touchdowns of production from a year ago. That leaves Drelon Miller and Omarion Miller as the program’s only returning receivers who hit double-digit receptions in 2024, while Tulsa wide receiver transfer Joseph Williams — the reigning AAC Freshman of the Year — arrives to a position group screaming for fresh production.

Player to watch: Alabama defensive tackle transfer Jeheim Oatis started 13 games and recorded 52 tackles, five pass breakups and 1.5 sacks in two-plus seasons with the Crimson Tide. He could emerge as a key piece at the heart of a new-look interior defensive line unit at Colorado this fall. — Lederman

2024 record: 4-8 (3-6 Big 12)

Spring storyline: Willie Fritz begins his second spring at Houston with two new coordinators: His first hire on offense, Kevin Barbay, was fired after the Cougars ranked last in the FBS in scoring offense and replaced by Fritz’s former Tulane OC, Slade Nagle. Defensive coordinator Shiel Wood departed for a big raise at Texas Tech and was replaced by Austin Armstrong, formerly Florida’s DC.

Position of intrigue: Offensive line. The Cougars’ struggles on offense last season started up front, and Fritz, who had arrived in December after Dana Holgorsen was fired, had to patch plenty of holes. This year, the Cougars landed five offensive linemen in the portal to help bolster their protection.

Player to watch: Former Texas A&M starter Conner Weigman, a five-star recruit when he signed with the Aggies, was a high school star in the Houston area and will get a fresh start after a coaching and scheme change in Aggieland. –Wilson

2024 record: 11-3 (7-2 Big 12)

Spring storyline: Iowa State reached the Big 12 title game and turned in the winningest campaign in program history last fall. Quarterback Rocco Becht returns in 2025, but he’ll be leaning on new pass catchers this spring with transfers Chase Sowell (East Carolina) and Xavier Townsend (UCF) arriving with the tall task of replacing 1,100-yard receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel within an offense that finished sixth in the conference in passing yards.

Position of intrigue: Secondary. Safeties Beau Freyler and Malik Verdon lead a group of four departing starters from the back end of the Cyclones’ defense. Those exits will spell increased opportunities for safeties Ta’Shawn James and Jamison Patton. Elsewhere, coach Matt Campbell turned to the portal for Lindenwood cornerback transfer Tre Bell, an experienced addition to an otherwise lightly tested position group.

Player to watch: Linebacker Caleb Bacon was Iowa State’s second-leading tackler in 2023 before a lower leg injury derailed his season last fall. The former walk-on should step right back in as a central piece in coordinator Jon Heacock’s defense in 2025. — Lederman

2024 record: 5-7 (4-5 Big 12)

Spring storyline: Sixth-year quarterback Jalon Daniels will be limited in spring camp after undergoing recent knee surgery. Daniels, a 33-game starter for the Jayhawks, missed 14 games across the 2022 and 2023 seasons but returned to start all 12 for Kansas last fall, eventually leading the program to three consecutive ranked wins in November. Assuming he’s healthy come Week 1, Daniels will be a motor for Kansas once again in 2025.

Position of intrigue: Running back. Devin Neal’s 1,266 rushing yards powered the Big 12’s third-ranked ground game in 2024. With Neal off to the NFL, redshirt senior Daniel Hishaw Jr. remains as the Jayhawks’ most experienced returner in the backfield. Iowa transfer running back Leshon Williams will also contend for carries and could emerge as a weapon if he can regain his form from the 2023 season.

Player to watch: Wide receiver Bryson Canty, a transfer from Columbia, caught 43 passes for 760 yards and nine touchdowns last fall. He has the chance to become an important piece in a passing attack missing its top seven pass catchers from a year ago. — Lederman

2024 record: 9-4 (5-4 Big 12)

Spring storyline: Expectations are about to go up another notch for QB Avery Johnson. His first full year as a starter was solid, with 2,712 yards passing, 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He also had 605 yards on the ground along with seven touchdowns. If Johnson can take a leap in 2025, Kansas State is going to be a difficult out every Saturday.

Position of intrigue: Wide receiver. Part of Johnson’s improvement can come in part because of the Wildcats’ efforts to improve here. Jayce Brown returning is big, and they hit the portal nabbing Jerand Bradley from Boston College, Jaron Tibbs from Purdue, and Caleb Medford from New Mexico.

Player to watch: RB Dylan Edwards. DJ Giddens has been a workhorse for this team the last couple of years, and seeing how Edwards takes over with more responsibility will be key for this team. — Lyles

2024 record: 3-9 (0-9 Big 12)

Spring storyline: Coach Mike Gundy responded to the worst finish of his tenure (and a contract-related standoff with the university) by hiring an entirely new staff of assistants and he’ll enter 2025 with an equally unfamiliar roster. TCU transfer Hauss Hejny is the favorite to emerge from a crowded quarterback room, and Oklahoma State must replace the production of Ollie Gordon, De’Zhaun Stribling and a handful of key defenders if the Cowboys want to execute a quick turnaround in 2025.

Position of intrigue: Offensive line. Oklahoma State is replacing its top six snap-getters from an offensive line that allowed 13 sacks last fall, 10th-fewest nationally. In 2025, the Cowboys’ blocking unit projects to be transfer-heavy following the portal arrivals of Tyler Brumfield (Snow Junior College), Louie Canepa (New Mexico State), Kasen Carpenter (Tulsa), Lavaka Taukeiaho (Weber State). Alongside them, redshirt junior Austin Kawecki is the only returner who played more than 100 snaps last fall.

Player to watch: Defensive line transfer Kyran Duhon was a second-team All-CUSA selection after he totaled 43 tackles and seven sacks in his freshman season at UTEP. His ability to get into the backfield will be critical for a defense that lost a series of impact defenders this season, including Collin Oliver and Nick Martin. — Lederman

2024 record: 9-4 (6-3 Big 12)

Spring storyline: Coming off a 5-7 season in 2023 following a historic win over Michigan in the Fiesta Bowl and a national title game blowout, last season got off to a rocky 3-3 start, including a lopsided loss to rival SMU and a home defeat to a struggling Houston team. But as Josh Hoover (3,949 yards, 27 TDs, 11 INTs) cut down on turnovers, the Frogs sailed to a 9-4 finish, winning their last four straight. Finding a running game to keep defenses off-balance is key.

Position of intrigue: The Frogs lost a combined 179 catches with the graduation of their three top targets: Savion Williams, Jack Bech and JP Richardson. Idaho’s Jordan Dwyer, who caught 78 passes for 1,192 yards with 12 touchdowns last year, was a big addition in the portal, choosing TCU over USC, Georgia and others.

Player to watch: TCU landed the Big 12’s best-rated recruiting class, and 6-5, 230-pound edge rusher Chad Woodfork, the No. 54 player in the 2025 ESPN 300, was the gem. — Wilson

2024 record: 8-5 (6-3 Big 12)

Spring storyline: The Red Raiders were the talk of the college football personnel world this offseason, going big in the portal, spending more than $10 million to sign 17 new players, including seven on the offensive and defensive lines. But the expectations that go along with that, of course, is that Joey McGuire, 23-16 in his three seasons in Lubbock, wins the Big 12 and makes a run at the College Football Playoff.

Position of intrigue: Shiel Wood arrives as the new defensive coordinator after the Red Raiders finished 126th in total defense in 2024. The secondary was particularly troubling, giving up 308.1 passing yards per game, 132nd nationally. Five members of that transfer haul are defensive backs.

Player to watch: Romello Height is an interesting prospect. The 6-3, 240-pound edge rusher spent two seasons at Auburn out of high school, transferred to USC, then Georgia Tech and now Texas Tech. In 36 career games, he has 73 tackles (15.5 for loss) and 6.5 sacks. — Wilson

2024 record: 5-7 (2-7 Big 12)

Spring storyline: Utah is turning to first-year offensive coordinator Jason Beck and a cast of newcomers to revamp an offense that finished 115th nationally in yards per game last season. Beck brought transfer quarterback Devon Dampier with him from New Mexico, and the Utes will hope that eight new additions across their running back and wide receiver rooms can lift Utah back to conference contention following the program’s first losing season since 2013.

Position of intrigue: Cornerback. After leading the Utes to the conference’s fifth-ranked pass defense in 2024, the cornerback unit projects to be a strength again in the fall despite the departure of former all-conference defender Zemaiah Vaughn. Upperclassmen Smith Snowden and Elijah Davis are back in 2025, and the Utes have reinforced at the position with the portal additions of Donovan Saunders (Texas A&M), Blake Cotton (UC Davis) and Rock Caldwell (Garden City Community College).

Player to watch: Transfer running back Wayshawn Parker carried 137 times for 735 yards as Washington State’s second-leading rusher in his freshman season last fall. He’s primed to take on an even bigger workload with Utah in 2025 stepping in to replace 1,000-yard rusher Micah Bernard. — Lederman

2024 record: 6-7 (5-4 Big 12)

Spring storyline: Rich Rodriguez is back in Morgantown after a nearly 20-year absence. Rodriguez led West Virginia to their most exciting seasons in school history in the mid-2000s, and Mountaineer faithful hopes he can rekindle a similar flame. The 2025 season will be somewhat of a reset.

Position of intrigue: Running back. West Virginia’s rushing attack was essentially a three-headed monster last season between QB Garrett Greene and running backs Jahiem White and CJ Donaldson. Only White will be back from that group, with Greene gone to the NFL and Donaldson having transferred to Ohio State. Whether White gets a new running mate, or is able to take on a greater load will be noteworthy.

Player to watch: QB Nicco Marchiol. Marchiol has made a handful of appearances over the past two seasons and will be replacing Greene. — Lyles