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SPORTS | KANSAN.COM
Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2015
Stacking up the schedule, from Page 6C
FOOTBALL PREVIEW
TEXAS TECH
SHANE JACKSON
@jacksonshane3
DATE OF GAME:
Oct.17
LAST SEASON: 4-8 (2-7 Big 12)
AT-A-GLANCE
The Red Raiders are coming off a disappointing 2014 campaign and things don't look much better for 2015. Points
won't be hard to come by in Lubbock, but it's the defense that remains the biggest question mark. If new defensive coordinator David Gibbs can turn around a defense that gave up 41.3 point per game last year, Tech might be able to make a bowl game, but it'll be tough in the Big 12. Add that to the fact that the Red Raiders don't have a bye week until Nov. 21 doesn't exactly help
Who will start at quarterback? Texas Tech enters the 2015 seasons with a two-way battle for starting quarterback between Junior Davis Webb and sophomore Patrick Mahomes. Webb threw for 2,539 yards in eight games before being sidelined by a shoulder
their chances.
UP IN THE AIR
in injury. Mahomes dazzled in limited time, including a Big-12 freshman record 598 yards in the finale against Baylor. Either way, it's unlikely either starts every game in 2015.
KEY ADDITIONS
OT Justin Murphy, WR J.F. Thomas, DT Breiden Fehoko
KEY LOSSES
OT Reshod Fortenberry, WR Bradley Marquez, LB Sam Guavevo
KEY RETURNERS
RB DeAndre Washington,
WR Jakeem Grant, DE Pete Robertson
Grade:
OKLAHOMA STATE
EVAN RIGGS
@evanriggs15
DATE OF GAME:
Oct.24
LAST SEASON: 7-6 (4-5 Big 12)
AT-A-GLANCE
Mike Gundy's third season as coach. But when Gundy was forced to burn the redshirt of quarterback Mason Rudolph last year, the future of the team change. Rudolph officially took the reigns in Stillwater, and the Cowboys have a chance to jump to the top of the Big 12 standings.
UP IN THE AIR
Last season, the Cowboys won fewer than eight games for the first time since 2007.
What will Gundy do about the running game? The Cowboys lost their two leading rushers in Desmond Roland and Tyreek Hill last season. Gundy went the JUCO route and brought in Chris Carson to pair with redshirt freshman Sione Palelei. With almost every receiver returning, a good
running game could put this offense over the top and help the Cowboys compete for the Big 12 title.
KEY ADDITIONS
KEY ADDITIONS
OT Victor Salako, RB Chris Carson
KEY LOSSES
WR Tyreek Hill, RB Desmond Roland, S Josh Furman
OKLAHOMA
CHRISTIAN HARDY
@HardyNFL
KEY RETURNERS
KEY RETURNERS
WR Brandon Sheon, DEE
Jimmy Bean, LB Ryan Simmons
DATE OF GAME:
Oct. 31
LAST SEASON: 8-5 (5-4 Big 12)
left for the draft after the 2009 season. This year, it'll be Trevor Knight and Baker Mayfield under center with the hopes new offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley can catapult one of these two into the driver's seat, but that seems unlikely at this point. The Sooners' best bet is to rely on their running backs, who averaged 261.2 rushing yards per game in 2014.
UP IN THE AIR
AT-A-GLANCE
Can the Sooners find a quarterback? Does it really matter if they do? Let's not hide it: Samaje Perine is this team's offense. Whoever ends up winning the quarterback battle will simply have the main job of handing the ball over to Perine and watching him do his thing. Although Baker Mayfield should win the job — he has past experience in the spread offense
The Sooners' biggest problem comes in the form of quarterback. The team hasn't been able to find consistency at the QB position since Sam Bradford
KEY ADDITIONS
WR Dede Westbrook, OG Jamal Danley, CB William Johnson, OT Bobby Evans
— his talents won't be able to hush Perine, who gashed every defense he faced last year.
Grissom
KEY LOSSES
TE Blake Bell, OG Daryl Williams, DT Jordan Phillies, DE Chuka Ndulue, OB Geneo
KEY LOSSES
KEY RETURNERS
Grade:
RB Samaje Perine, WR Sterling Shepard, LB Dominique Alexander, OLB Eric Striker, CB Zack Sanchez
B
TEXAS
KIRSTEN PETERSON
@KeepUpWithKP
DATE OF GAME:
Nov. 7
LAST SEASON: 6-7 (5-4 Big 12)
AT-A-GLANCE
Like the Jayhawks, the Longhorns have had troubles with their quarterbacks. For the past five seasons they have been lacking solid team leaders and a strong offensive line. The defense is the only thing Texas should feel secure with;
the unit is solid overall. Texas is really going to have to pick up its slack in the offense or it has no chance to beat out higher contenders in the Big 12, such as Baylor. Most notably, on the defensive end, it has to fill the massive gap that defensive tackle Malcom Brown has left. That will be the task of defensive tackle Poona Ford, who sat from the sideline and watched Brown dominate in 2014. If the defense can hold it down, it'll give running back Johnathan Gray a chance to
really show why he was the top-rated back coming out of high school in 2015, as this is the first year the running back job is all his.
UP IN THE AIR
How well can Texas do with a team filled with newcomers? The Longhorns have a total of 29 newcomers for the 2015 season, which means coach Charlie Strong will have a lot cut out for him. Strong will need to mold these new players into stars if he wants to
have any chance of a winning record in conference. Jerrod Heard is a redshirt freshman and has apparently closed the gap on junior Tyrone Swoopes for the quarterback position; maybe this newcomer is what the Longhorns have needed all along.
KEY ADDITIONS
KEY LOSSES
QB Jerrod Heard, LB Malik Jefferson, LB Anthony Wheeler
DT Malcom Brown, LB Jordan Hicks, S Mykkke Thompson, CB Quandre Diggs
KEY RETURNERS
KEY RETURNERS
DT Hassan, Ridgeway, RB
Johnathan Gray
Grade:
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