Big 12 Coaches’ Corner Week 6

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Big 12 Coaches’ Corner (10-8-12)

By KEVIN LONNQUIST

Big 12 Insider

Every week, the Big 12 coaches hold a conference call with the media. Rattle and Hum Sports points out some of the issues that made the most news. You can check out the Big 12 standings here. As always, check out the national rankings on at the following links.

Associated Press:  http://www.rattleandhumsports.com/college-football-ap-poll/

USA Today Coaches’ Poll:  http://www.rattleandhumsports.com/usa-today-coaches-poll/

Big 12 Standings

TEAM

CONF

OVERALL
Kansas State 2-0 5-0
West Virginia 2-0 5-0
Iowa State 1-1 4-1
TCU 1-1 4-1
Texas 1-1 4-1
Texas Tech 1-1 4-1
Oklahoma 1-1 3-1
Baylor 0-1 3-1
Oklahoma State 0-1 2-2
Kansas 0-2 1-4

The Weekly Corner…

Big 12 ConferenceNo. 15/15 Texas and Oklahoma meet for the 107th time at 11:00 a.m. Saturday in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. The Longhorns lead the series, 59-42-5, but the Sooners have won the last two meetings. There’s always going to be talk about whether the game should leave Fair Park and move to a home-and-home format, but Texas coach Mack Brown thinks the game should stay where it is. “We wanted to stay in Dallas,’’ Brown said. Brown also said the stability of the Big 12 has really created a harmonious atmosphere and pointed out how the new 13-year television deal, new commissioner Bob Bowlsby and the additions of TCU and West Virginia have enhanced the league.

Kansas coach Charlie Weis did something a little different with Sunday’s practice. While his senior players were concentrating on other football matters, his underclassmen all worked out together. “When you’re developing a team that’s at the bottom of the league,’’ Weis said, “the key is development and that’s the main ingredient. We’ve got to see progress on a daily basis [with the underclassmen].’’… Kansas scored a touchdown on its first possession for the first time this year. It was the first time the Jayhawks scored a TD on the opening drive against a Bill Snyder-coached team since 2004.

Big 12 ConferenceLike Mack Brown, No. 10/13 Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops was asked about the Red River Shootout with Texas and its chances of the game remaining in Fair Park. “It’s really heated up even more when we were in the same conference and same division,’’ Stoops said. “That added fuel to the fire. It’s great where it is. I understand the business side. I trust the Cotton Bowl and the City of Dallas will make it right for us. If we’re treated fairly, we’ll be there.’’…Questions have come up about the Oklahoma defense, but Stoops said he sees improvement since his brother Mike took over as defensive coordinator. Bob Stoops cited 17 points the defense surrendered to Kansas State and three interceptions of Texas Tech quarterback Seth Doege.

Oklahoma State travels to Kansas Saturday, but it appears coach Mike Gundy is no longer giving injury updates on quarterback Wes Lunt (knee). “We’re not going to make any announcements,’’ Gundy said. “He’s back with us, but it’s day to day.’’ Lunt did not play Sept. 29 against Texas. Redshirt freshman J.W. Walsh played the entire game.

Big 12 ConferenceNo. 5/6 Kansas State is the fewest penalized team in the nation. The Wildcats have been flagged only nine times for 71 yards through their first five games. And the Wildcats lead the conference in turnover ratio (tied for fifth national) at plus-10. That’s really a testament to the discipline of Bill Snyder’s teams. “The bottom line boils down to how they prepare and the discipline they have on and off the field,’’ Snyder said. “When you have values and don’t do the things that would beat yourself, it leads up to this point.’’

West Virginia MountaineersNo. 4/5 West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith is at 204 passing attempts without throwing an interception. Trent Dilfer set the record with 271 when he was at Fresno State. Even if Smith doesn’t break the mark, it still demonstrates how well he is seeing the field and going through his progressions to make plays. “You don’t talk about it much,’’ coach Dana Holgorsen said of the streak. “You just try to call the best plays in the proper situation.’’…some credit has to be given to the West Virginia defense in last Saturday’s 48-45 victory over Texas in Austin. Texas was held to only 135 total yards and averaged 3.5 yards per attempt…the Mountaineers make their second trip to Texas as they play at Texas Tech Saturday.

The good news for Texas Tech is that it set a Jones AT&T Stadium attendance record with 60,800 last Saturday against Oklahoma. The bad news is that the Red Raiders have lost five consecutive Big 12 home games and are now 1-7 under coach Tommy Tuberville in Big 12 home games…after throwing only one interception in his first 101 attempts, Red Raider quarterback Seth Doege has thrown five in his last 82.

Big 12 ConferenceBaylor coach Art Briles was diplomatic when he was asked about preparing for TCU and whether or not Casey Pachall would be the Horned Frogs starter Saturday night at Floyd Casey Stadium. “Anytime, you play anybody, it’s difficult to prepare,’’ Briles said. “They’ve earned the national respect for what they’ve accomplished over the last few years. But we have to go out and do our own.”…Briles admitted his running game has been erratic over the first four games of the year because there hasn’t been that go-to player. The Bears are fifth in the conference averaging 185 yards per game. However, Briles believes his trio of Jared Salubi, Glasco Martin and Lache Seastrunk will come together…nickel back Ahmad Dixon (concussion symptoms) will be ready to play against TCU, Briles said.
Iowa State CyclonesNo. 25 Iowa State quarterback Jared Barnett, who earned his first start of the season pretty much right before kickoff against TCU, will get his second start Saturday at home against Kansas State. “He’s led before helped, and we needed somebody to make good decisions,’’ Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads said. “We needed someone to steer the ship and not win the game.’’ Barnett was 12-for-21 for 183 yards and three touchdowns including a 51-yard TD strike to Josh Lenz to start the Cyclones’ scoring…Iowa State has lost five consecutive meetings to the Wildcats.

 

TCUNo. 23 TCU coach Gary Patterson reiterated that he will announce indefinitely suspended quarterback Casey Pachall’s fate at Tuesday’s media luncheon. Patterson met with Chancellor Victor Boschini and athletic director Chris Del Conte Sunday. Pachall was arrested on suspicion of DWI this past Wednesday. A report in Monday’s Fort Worth Star-Telegram indicated Pachall told former Brownwood and current Texas player Kenny Vaccaro that he was going “to take some time off.’’…it only gets tougher for TCU for the rest of the season. The combined record of TCU’s first four opponents, Grambling, Kansas, Virginia and SMU, is 5-16. Including Iowa State, the combined record of TCU’s final eight opponents, Baylor, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Kansas State, Texas and Oklahoma is 30-7.

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