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By Jake Trotter
My All-Big 12 first and second team ballot:

OFFENSE
Position: Name, School
First-team Center: Jon Cooper, Oklahoma
Second-team Center: David Washington, Oklahoma State
First-team Guard-Tackle: Russell Okung, Oklahoma State
First-team Guard-Tackle: Duke Robinson, Oklahoma
First-team Guard-Tackle: Rylan Reed, Texas Tech
First-team Guard-Tackle: Jason Smith, Baylor
Second-team Guard-Tackle: Trent Williams, Oklahoma
Second-team Guard-Tackle: Phil Loadholt, Oklahoma
Second-team Guard-Tackle: Adam Ulatoski, Texas
Second-team Guard-Tackle: Cedric Dockery, Texas
First-team Tight end: Jermaine Gresham, Oklahoma
Second-team Tight end: Chase Coffman, Missouri
First-team Receiver: Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State
First-team Receiver: Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech
First-team Receiver: Jordan Shipley, Texas
Second-team Receiver: Dezmon Briscoe, Kansas
Second-team Receiver: Nate Swift, Nebraska
Second-team Receiver: Juaquin Iglesias, Oklahoma
First-team Running back: Kendall Hunter, Oklahoma State
Second-team Running back: Chris Brown, Oklahoma
First-team Quarterback: Sam Bradford, Oklahoma
Second-team Quarterback: Colt McCoy, Texas
First-team All-purpose: DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma
Second-team All-purpose: Jeremy Maclin, Missouri
First-team Kicker: Jeff Wolfert, Missouri
Second-team Kicker: Alex Henery, Nebraska
Offensive player of the year: Sam Bradford, Oklahoma
Offensive newcomer of the year: Robert Griffin, Baylor

DEFENSE
Position: Name, School
First-team Lineman: Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska
First-team Lineman: Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma
First-team Lineman: Jeremy Beal, Oklahoma
First-team Lineman: Brian Orapko, Texas
Second-team Lineman: Roy Miller, Texas
Second-team Lineman: George Hypolite, Colorado
Second-team Lineman: Brandon Williams, Texas Tech
Second-team Lineman: Ian Campbell, Kansas State
First-team Linebacker: Travis Lewis, Oklahoma
First-team Linebacker: Andre Sexton, Oklahoma State
First-team Linebacker: Sergio Kindle, Texas
First-team Linebacker: James Holt, Kansas
Second-team Linebacker: Keenan Clayton, Oklahoma
Second-team Linebacker: Sean Weatherspoon, Missouri
Second-team Linebacker: Joe Pawelek, Baylor
Second-team Linebacker: Stryker Sulak, Missouri
First-team Def. Back: Dominique Franks, Oklahoma
First-team Def. Back: Jordan Lake, Baylor
First-team Def. Back: Ryan Walters, Colorado
First-team Def. Back: Darcel McBath, Texas Tech
Second-team Def. Back: Nic Harris, Oklahoma
Second-team Def. Back: Brian Jackson, Oklahoma
Second-team Def. Back: Darrell Stuckey, Kansas
Second-team Def. Back: Cha’pelle Brown, Colorado
First-team Punter: Matt Fodge, Oklahoma State
Second-team Punter: Justin Brantly, Texas A&M
Defensive player of the year: Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma
Defensive newcomer of the year: Travis Lewis, Oklahoma

Coach of the year: Mike Leach, Texas Tech

Monday, Kansas State announced Bill Snyder, 69, was returning to coach the Wildcats.

Stoops and OU defensive coordinator Brent Venables both coached under Snyder at K-State in the 1990s.

“I’m excited for coach Snyder,” Stoops said. “You’d expect him to do an excellent job like he always has.”

Said Venables, “The (Big 12) North just got a lot tougher.”

By Jake Trotter

Josh McCuistion at Rivals.com is reporting that Norman North kicker Bryce Easley plans to walk-on at OU, with the hope of earning a scholarship the following year.

The Sooners have had an inconsistent kicking game with Jimmy Stevens and Matt Moreland.

Easley, who is one of the top kickers in the state, would add much-needed competition to the position if he indeed choose to become a Sooner.

Two former Texas Tech are confident, picking the Red Raiders to win in Norman. Their predictions:

Cody Hodges, 2005
Tech 49, OU 45: History repeats itself. Graham Harrell throws a TD at the end to win.

B.J. Symons, 2003
Tech 45, OU 30: Tech defense is underestimated even though they’ve played well, shutting down Texas, Oklahoma State. And Tech will score at OU.

By Jake Trotter

Don Williams, who has covered Texas Tech football for the Lubbock Avalanche Journal for more than 20 years, gave me his take on why Graham Harrell is outperforming Tech QBs of the past:

“Part of what’s allowed Graham Harrell to shine this year is he has 36 career starts, so nearly everything – about his own offense, and the Big 12 defenses he sees – is second nature to him. Certainly, he’s benefited the last two years from having Crabtree to throw to and, this year in particular, probably the best offensive line Mike Leach has had at Tech. But Graham deserves plenty of credit, too. Even when protection breaks down, he’s really hard to sack, because he reads defenses well and knows where to go with the ball. His experience makes him different from most of Leach’s quarterbacks considering that B.J. Symons, Sonny Cumbie and Cody Hodges didn’t start until they were fifth-year seniors. I’d say Harrell, outwardly at least, is the most fiery competitor Leach has had at quarterback since B.J. Symons. He might not have a cannon arm, but he showed on the winning touchdown pass against Texas that it’s good enough to make the long, deep throw to the far sideline that you need to be able to make in the NFL. Add in the fact that he’s the son of a successful coach, and he had a good head for the game even before this year.’’

By Jake Trotter

Four-star DB Steve Williams out of Dallas Skyline High School has reportedly de-committed from Oklahoma this week. Williams is still considering the Sooners, but he is also looking at California, where he visited last month.

The Sooners still have commitments from DBs Kevin Brent (4 stars), Marcus Trice (4 stars) and Javon Harris (3 stars) and are still in on 4-star DB Gabe Lynn out of Jenks High School.

OU currently has 19 commitments.

By Jake Trotter

Check out these stats from QB Sam Bradford:

• No. 1 nationally with 38 touchdown passes despite ranking No. 15 in pass attempts.
• No. 2 nationally in passing yards despite throwing 133 fewer passes than the national leader.
• No. 2 nationally (No. 1 in FBS) in passing efficiency.
• Ranks No. 4 nationally in total offense despite playing on a team that also averages 42.4 rushing plays and 194.3 rushing yards per game.
• Has thrown five touchdowns in four games this season.

By Jake Trotter

By Jake Trotter

Here are some leftover breakdowns from Heisman voters that never made it to print in my article about the Heisman in Saturday’s paper…

From Mike Lough of the Macon (Ga.) Telegraph:
The favorites change almost as much as who’s No. 1, 2 or 3, but at least the top half-dozen or so candidates stay pretty much the same. The only consistency may be that most of that top half-dozen or so reside in the Big 12, where being a safety, corner or pass-cover linebacker is a nightmare. I’m not sure I have an SEC player in my top 10, but there’s competition at 11. 3. Sam Bradford, Oklahoma: Actually might be an underrated quarterback, considering is conference rivals. 2: Colt McCoy, Texas: His numbers are silly. 1. Graham Harrell, Texas Tech: The Texas game was like dipping my head in holy water, for I was converted.

From David Jones of Florida Today:
One thing you can bet on: The winner is coming out of the Big 12. It’s just a matter of which quarterback. I would say, right now, whichever quarterback leads his team to the Big 12 title would be my likely No. 1 guy.
Top 3
1. Graham Harrell, Texas Tech
2. Colt McCoy, Texas
3. Sam Bradford, Oklahoma

By Jake Trotter

With two games to go in the regular-season, Oklahoma’s prospective bowl destinations have begun to crystallize.

Win out, and OU has a great chance of advancing to the BCS National Championship. But lose once, and the Sooners are probably bound for a second date at the Cotton Bowl.

Here are OU’s bowl scenarios:

BCS National Championship
Outlook: Win the Big 12 South and Big 12 title, and OU is a lock for the BCS title game, thanks to Penn State’s loss to Iowa.
Possible opponents: Alabama, Florida, USC, Texas, Penn State
Chances: 20 percent

Fiesta Bowl
Outlook: If OU wins out, but not the Big 12 South, and the Big 12 champ goes to the national title, the Fiesta could select the Sooners as an at-large; that, however, would require the Fiesta taking the Sooners a third straight year, something it probably won’t do if a one-loss Texas or Texas Tech is available.
Possible opponents: Utah, Boise State, Ohio State, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, West Virginia
Chances: 15 percent

Sugar Bowl
Outlook: OU would be an attractive BCS at-large for the Sugar, which had to take Hawaii last season; but this scenario would require the Big 12’s champ to miss out on the national championship game.
Possible opponents: Florida, Alabama, LSU, Georgia
Chances: 10 percent

Orange Bowl
Outlook: With it looking more likely that a Big 12 team will make the national title, the Orange is a long shot to snag a Big 12 at-large; the Sugar also drafts its at-large before the Orange and won’t pass up an available Big 12 school.
Possible opponents: North Carolina, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Miami
Chances: 5 percent

Rose Bowl
Outlook: If USC slips into the national title, the Rose could be looking for a quality BCS at-large to play Penn State or Ohio State.
Possible opponents: Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan State, USC, Oregon State
Chances: 1 percent

Cotton Bowl
Outlook: If Texas or Texas Tech goes to the national title, the Fiesta could opt for another Big 12 school instead of taking OU three years in a row; that, or a Missouri victory in the Big 12 title over the South champ, would probably send the Sooners to Dallas.
Possible opponents: LSU, Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, Alabama
Chances: 30 percent

Holiday Bowl
Outlook: OU would have to lose to Oklahoma State and/or Texas Tech to fall to the Holiday.
Possible opponents: Oregon State, Oregon, California, Arizona, USC
Chances: 15 percent

Alamo Bowl
Outlook: A Sooner collapse coupled with Missouri winning the Big 12 title would have to occur for the Alamo to be a possibility.
Possible opponents: Northwestern, Minnesota, Iowa, Michigan State
Chances: 4 percent