Looking at the Toughest Players to Replace for Each Big 12 Team

With spring practice in full swing, coaching staffs all over the country are focused on key position battles and how to replace their best departed players. So let’s look around the Big 12 and highlight the hardest losses for each team to make up for.

Baylor: Jalen Hurd

Matt Rhule led the Bears back from a one-win season to finish 7-6 with a victory over Vandy in the Texas Bowl. However big a step his team takes in Year 3, it will be without its top weapon from a year ago in Jalen Hurd.

The former Tennessee running back racked up 946 yards four TDs in the air and 209 yards and three more on the ground. On a roster where star power was a premium, Hurd was the first name on most opposing DCs’ scouting report.

The Bears do return seasoned wideout Denzel Mims who was their top receiver in 2017, but Hurd was the go-to guy in the passing game and commanded so much attention from the defense. Even with the turnaround currently going on in Waco, top-flight talent like that doesn’t come around every day.

Kansas: Daniel Wise

The Jayhawks had few bright spots in 2018 — or rather, over the last decade — but defensive tackle Daniel Wise was one of them. Wise led the Jayhawks in tackles for loss (12.5), sacks (5.0) and QB hurries (five) and was a disruptive force in the middle of what was a somewhat underrated Jayhawk defense.

If you are a Baylor or OSU fan complaining about the draw of talent to Stillwater or Waco, don’t let a KU follower hear you. Strong, athletic and agile D-linemen don’t make their way to Lawrence all that often.

Kansas State: Alex Barnes

Back in mid October, I remember uttering unmentionables under my breath and at my TV screen every time OSU’s defense made K-State’s junior tailback look like a star. Barnes ran over the Cowboys to the tune of 181 yards and four scores. Well, it turns out he actually was a star.

Barnes basically got his against everyone, except OU whose defense somehow held him to 28 yards on 13 carries. That was the only game over his last seven that he didn’t reach triple digits.

Aside from Barnes, his two backup running backs from last season (Dalvin Warmack and Justin Silmon) both graduated so there isn’t a single returning RB with a carry on first-year coach Chris Klieman’s roster.

Iowa State: David Montgomery

The Cyclones lose several weapons on the offensive side of the ball including all-conference receiver Hakeem Butler, but the workhorse of Matt Campbell’s offense over the last two years was David Montgomery.

As a junior in 2018, Montgomery rushed for 1,216 yards and 13 scores. His physicality and ability to break tackles kept many a drive alive for Iowa State. Behind him there isn’t much proven depth either. ISU’s second-leading rusher was Brock Purdy and the next three tailbacks (Kene Nwangwu, Johnnie Lang and  Sheldon Croney) combined for less than 300 yards. Nwangwu is the one to watch, but he’s got some pretty big cleats to fill.

Oklahoma: Kyler Murray

Lincoln Riley must have the cheat code to turn anyone taking snaps in crimson into a Heisman winner, but the Sooners will eventually take a step back behind center, and I think that happens this falls.

The rich getting richer.

Having said that, the Sooners have benefited from two-straight transfer QBs that earned two-straight Heisman trophies. Now they’ve welcomed the highest profile incoming transfer of the bunch in former Alabama passer Jalen Hurts. I have no doubt that Riley will have success tailoring his offense to Hurts’ strengths, but I do see the Sooners taking a step back, at least moderately. They also have redshirt frosh Tanner Mordecai who was a highly touted prospect out of Waco, but he’s attempted all of four passes in college.

So while Oklahoma will be good on offense, I don’t think they’ll be historically good like they’ve been with their last two passers. I hope I didn’t just jinx the rest of the Big 12.

Stay tuned for Part 2 as we look at the five remaining teams in the league including Oklahoma State.