Big 12 Team Capsules

Nebraska Cornhuskers

HEAD COACH: Bo Pelini (First year, 1-0)

LAST SEASON: 5-7 (2-6 Big 12 North)

STARTERS RETURNING: Offense (6) -- C Jacob Hickman, G Mike Huff, T Lydon Murtha, T Matt Slauson, RB Marlon Lucky, WR Nate Swift. Defense (6) -- DB Larry Asante, DB Armando Murillo, DE Zach Potter, DE Barry Turner, DT Ty Steinkuhler, DT Ndamukong Suh. Specialists (2) -- PK Alex Henry, P Dan Titchener.

NOTING: Running back Marlon Lucky enters his senior season as the only player in school history to surpass the 1,000-yard career mark in both rushing (1,876 yards) and receiving (1,091). … Starting the final three games of the season for injured starter Sam Keller, quarterback Joe Ganz turned in three of the top five passing games in NU history, including going 30-of-40 for 510 yards and seven touchdowns against Kansas State. … After 35 consecutive bowl appearances, the Huskers have missed qualifying for the post season in two of the last four years, including last season.

QUOTING: "We're excited about the year. There's been a lot that's happened since I took over and we've had a lot to do and the process is ongoing  --  we're not a finished product yet. I don't think anybody, any coach here in front of you over the next couple of days will tell you that they're a finished product yet. We have a lot of work to do, but up to this point the kids have bought in, worked hard and really set themselves up to have a good camp and get ready to play football here come the end of August and into September."  --  Nebraska coach Bo Pelini on the upcoming season.

Texas Tech Red Raiders

HEAD COACH: Mike Leach (Ninth year, 65-37)

LAST SEASON: 9-4 (4-4 Big 12 South)

STARTERS RETURNING: Offense (10) -- WR Edward Britton, C Shawn Byrnes, G Brandon Carter, WR Michael Crabtree, RB Aaron Crawford, QB Graham Harrell, WR Eric Morris, T Rylan Reed, G Louis Vasquez, T Marlon Winn. Defense (8) -- LB Brian Duncan, DT Rajon Henley, FS Darcel McBath, DE Jake Ratliff, CB Jamar Wall, NT Colby Whitlock, DE Brandon Williams, LB Marlon Williams. Specialists (1) -- P/K Jonathan Lacour.

NOTING: Texas Tech has made eight consecutive bowl game appearances under head coach Mike Leach. … The Red Raiders led the country in passing offense, finished second in total offense and seventh in scoring offense in 2007. … Graham Harrell became the second quarterback in Tech history to pass for more than 5,000 yards in a single season last year, finishing with 5,705 yards.

QUOTING: "There are so many guys that play football, there's a temptation to isolate the emphasis around a couple guys and create an identity of an entire team around a couple of guys, but our team is far more than a couple individuals who really play well. And everybody on the team is important. And anybody that wants to talk to Graham (Harrell) or Michael Crabtree or Darcel McBath or those guys, you can do it in their natural habitat in Lubbock, Texas."  --  Texas Tech coach Mike Leach on his decision not to bring star players Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree to Big 12 media days in Kansas City, Mo.

Missouri Tigers

HEAD COACH: Gary Pinkel (Seventh year at Missouri, 49-37; 17 years overall, 122-74-3)

LAST SEASON: 12-2 (7-1 Big 12 North)

STARTERS RETURNING: Offense (6) -- QB Chase Daniel, G Kurtis Gregory, T Colin Brown, WR Tommy Saunders, WR Jeremy Maclin, G Ryan Madison. Defense (10) -- FS William Moore, LB Sean Weatherspoon, DT Ziggy Hood, DE Stryker Sulak, CB Carl Gettis, LB Brock Christopher, DE Tommy Chavis, LB Van Alexander, SS Justin Garrett, CB Castine Bridges. Specialists (1) -- PK Jeff Wolfert.

NOTING: Missouri made its first appearance in the Big 12 championship game last season, falling to Oklahoma 38-17 in the title game at San Antonio. … Quarterback Chase Daniel set school records for total offense (4,559 yards), passing yards (4,306) and touchdown passes (33) last season. He finished seventh in the nation in total offense (325.6 yards per game) as a junior. … The Tigers have been picked to finish first in the Big 12's North Division for the second consecutive season.

QUOTING: "Every day throughout the entire summer when our team has been working out with our strength and conditioning staff and our seniors, (you ask), ’Are they doing all the right things every day?' If some red flags go up, you deal with them, but right now I think we're doing the right things and hopefully the experience of last year of playing at a higher level and playing in a lot pressure situations (has helped). Hopefully, we can play at a high level again."  --  Missouri coach Gary Pinkel on dealing with high expectations.

Texas A&M Aggies

HEAD COACH: Mike Sherman (First season)

LAST SEASON: 7-6 (4-4 Big 12 South)

STARTERS RETURNING: Offense (2) -- QB Stephen McGee, RB Jorvorskie Lane. Defense (2) -- SS Alton Dixon, DL Cyril Obiozor. Specialists (1) -- P Justin Brantly.

NOTING: Former Green Bay Packers head coach Mike Sherman takes over as Texas A&M's head coach after spending the previous two seasons with the NFL's Houston Texans. However, Sherman is no stranger to College Station, spending two previous sprints on the Aggies' coaching staff from 1989-93 and 1995-96 where he was part of three conference championships. … Running back Jorvorskie Lane has rushed for a Big 12-best 35 touchdowns over the past two seasons and his 44 career rushing scores is tied for the school record. … Sherman is attempting to install a pro-style offense at AnM, which ranked No. 13 nationally in rushing offense last year, averaging 211.6 yards per game. … Stephen McGee, who led all Big 12 quarterbacks with 899 yards rushing last year, returns as a starter, but hasn't been given the starting nod yet and has been told he must win the job in fall camp against Jerrod Johnson.

QUOTING: "It really wasn't so much college versus the National Football League; it was Texas A&M, a place I had a fair amount of familiarity with. I know the landscape well and I know what it's all about. It's as similar as I can get to a place like Green Bay, Wis., where you come in to work every day, the expectations are very high and the fans are very passionate."  --  Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman on his decision to leave the NFL for Texas A&M.



 -- Terry Douglass