This article is part of our Spring Practice Storylines series.
If there's one thing you can count on in college football, it's volatility in the new-look Big 12. Last year's influx of new teams made the 2024 season as unpredictable as ever. Arizona State shocked the world by beating out other college football powerhouses and taking the title. Conversely, Oklahoma State followed up a 10-3 record in 2023 with an embarrassing 3-9 record last year. In short, just about anything can happen with this 16-team group. We have no shortage of intriguing storylines as we enter spring practice, and this article will give us a preview before most sessions get underway.
Big 12 Conference Football Spring Storylines
Let's take a closer look at the key storylines for each of the 16 programs in the Big 12 as teams gear up for the 2025 season,
Arizona Wildcats Football Spring Storyline
Who will fill McMillan's shoes?
After a promising 10-3 season in 2023, Arizona seemed well-positioned to make the jump to the Big 12. Although head coach Jedd Fisch was headed to Washington, Brant Brennan was expected to bring a high-octane offense from San Jose State and keep the offense humming under Noah Fifita. Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned for the Wildcats, as they finished 4-8 and experienced offensive regression across the board. After tossing 25 touchdowns and just six interceptions in 2023, Fifita threw only 18 touchdowns and doubled his previous interception total last season. Despite struggles through the air, Tetairoa McMillan posted another superb stat line in 2024, but he's NFL-bound and leaves a massive production gap for Brennan to fill this season.
Brennan wasted no time hammering the portal at season's end, acquiring 25 players to accompany a well-recruited 27-man freshman class. New talent coalescing around Fifita will be the story to follow this spring. Brennan loaded up on transfer receivers to account for McMillan's departure. Although Chris Hunter will return after a decent freshman campaign, Luke Wysong (New Mexico), Kris Hutson (Washington State) and Tre Spivey (Kansas State)have arrived through the portal and will immediately be in the target mix for Fafita. Defenses were able to key on McMillan last season, so the balance in the wide receiver room should be a net positive. The Widcats also picked up running back Ismail Mahdi from Texas State, where he ran for 2,322 yards and 14 touchdowns over his past two seasons. Brennan also snagged Utah's Mike Mitchell and Quincy Craig from Portland State, joining Wildcat returnee Kedrick Reescano to form an impressive pack of talent in the backfield. Brennan is also a proponent of a dual tight end scheme, and although it was employed with little success last season, we can expect a hotly-contested battle at the position. Sam Olson returns for a second year, and the team will also experiment with former running back Kayden Luke, who will try to switch positions.
Arizona State Sun Devils Football Spring Storyline
Can ASU roll without Skattebo?
The Sun Devils were projected to finish last in the Big 12 last season, but the program flipped the script and surprised the nation, winning the conference and gave Texas all it could handle in the College Football Playoff. Kenny Dillingham worked magic with a young team, and although he has a lot of players returning, one key departure will need to be replaced. Cam Skattebo is off to the NFL, and Dillingham has addressed the issue with acquiring Kanye Udoh from Army through the portal. Udoh ran for 1,117 yards and 10 touchdowns last season and will begin the spring atop the depth chart. The outlook is bright for Arizona State's passing attack, as we should see Sam Leavitt and Jordyn Tyson light up the sky again this season. Tyson had the lion's share of targets last season, and although that is expected to continue, the team added Noble Johnson (Clemson) and Jalem Moss (Fresno State) to provide more support at the position. Although Johnson couldn't break through with the Tigers, he was heavily recruited in high school and will try to turn things around in the spring. Defensively, Dillingham also addressed passing defense in the portal, which was one of the team's biggest shortcomings. Corners Nyland Green (Purdue) and Adrian Wilson (Washington State) should bolster the unit. Teams won't sleep on the Sun Devils this season, but the conference is still winnable if they can replace Skattebo effectively.
Baylor Bears Football Spring Storyline
Building on late-season success
The Bears started slow but found their groove midway through the season. Sawyer Robertson finished as one of the conference's most productive quarterbacks, and the team rode Bryson Washington and Dawson Pendergrass all the way to a bowl game. All three players are back along with the talented trio of Josh Cameron, Ashtyn Hawkins and Monaray Baldwin at wideout. Although the offense is fully loaded with returnees, Dave Aranda grabbed Kobe Prentice (Alabama) and Kole Wilson (Texas State) to a wide receiver room that is already brimming with talent. The Bears needed to freshen up the defense, so Aranda hired Paul Gonzales from TCU to help address their pass defense issues. They also grabbed several quality defensive players from premier programs. If the core group from last year can start out hot, the sky's the limit for the program.
BYU Cougars Football Spring Storyline
2024 starters intact
2024 was a heartbreak for the Cougars, who failed to finish strong and fell short of the Big 12 Championship in a tiebreaker with Arizona State. Luckily, most of BYU's offense is set to return, although standout WR Chase Roberts (shoulder) will likely sit out for spring practice. Jake Retzlaff and LJ Martin are the key returnees, and they'll expect last year's youngsters who languished on the depth chart to step up, namely Jojo Phillips and Keelan Marion. BYU's defense betrayed them often, so the majority of the team's transfer work occurred on that side of the ball. Utah's Keanu Tanuvasa was the best portal prize, as he defected to the in-state rival and will start at defensive tackle immediately.
UCF Knights Football Spring Storyline
Quarterback duel afoot
Calling UCF's 2024 season a disappointment was an understatement. Poor play from KJ Jefferson put them in a hole early, and they struggled to find consistency at the position throughout the season. There will be a fierce quarterback duel that will commence in the spring, as Jacurri Brown will try to fend off Indiana transfer Tayven Jackson and Cam Fancher for the starting gig. Fancher is the most interesting portal grab, as he's now with a third program after starting for Marshall and FAU in previous seasons.
Most of the team's successes last year revolved around RJ Harvey, who turned heads at the NFL Combine and is gone for good. Coach Scott Frost used the portal to address the need with Jaden Nixon (Western Michigan), who will compete for snaps with returnees Myles Montgomery and Johnny Richardson. At wideout, Jacoby Jones is firmly planted as the team's top pass-catcher, and solid quarterback play could vault him into the elite ranks of the Big 12. UCF also filled a key offensive position by acquiring TE Dylan Wade from Florida after Randy Pittman transferred to Florida State. Wade will be the unquestioned Week 1 starter. If UCF can find their signal-caller in the spring, the Knights' 2025 outlook will improve significantly.
Cincinnati Bearcats Football Spring Storyline
Striving to escape mediocrity
The Bearcats needed one more win to be bowl-eligible, but they choked late against TCU and couldn't get it done. The team was intriguing because they were often competitive but not consistent enough to break through the Big 12 schedule.
Things were looking bleak at season's end, as they were bracing for the loss of Corey Kiner, who was one of the most underrated backs in the country. Lo and behold, they were able to score big in the portal with the acquisition of Tawee Walker, a blue-chip transfer target who has logged successful campaigns with Oklahoma and Wisconsin. Barring an injury, Walker will log first-team snaps in the spring while returnee Evan Pryor works as a change-of-pace back.
Cincy will also depend on further development from QB Brendan Sorsby, who rose to the occasion and was a solid generator for the offense last season. The team made no transfer moves at this position, signaling the staff's faith in his ability to lead the team. He also received some new toys at wide receiver, with Cyrus Allen (Texas A&M), Jeff Caldwell (Lindenwood) and Caleb Goodie (Colorado State) joining returnee Tony Johnson for spring practice. Coach Scott Sattersfield added 15 players through the portal, primarily on defense where they needed the most help.
Colorado Buffaloes Football Spring Storyline
Undergoing major face-lift on offense
Replacing Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter is no easy task, but that's the mountain coach Deion Sanders has to climb as spring practice begins. The Buffaloes have started on the right foot, as Sanders persuaded Liberty's Kaidon Salter to transfer, and he appears to already have the keys to the starting quarterback job. I'd keep my eye out for Julian Lewis, however. He's a five-star freshman who settled on Colorado after being chased by several programs. He wants to start, and he'll try to make his statement in the spring.
Colorado lost all of their receiver talent, with Hunter and LaJohntay Wester leaving the biggest shoes to fill. Colorado's only transfer addition at the position was Tulsa's Joseph Williams, who logged a successful freshman campaign with 30 catches for 588 yards and five touchdowns. Omarion Miller (lower body) will try to return to action after missing most of last season, and they'll look to Terrell Timmons and Drelon Miller to expand their roles.
Colorado's rushing offense hasn't been particularly strong during Sanders' tenure, and portal activity suggested that he's happy to continue with what he's got. Micah Welch showed promise before going down with a hamstring injury, but Dallan Hayden is the most battle-tested back. The quarterback position must be addressed before anything else, and he'll depend on a crop of defensive returnees to take leadership positions in the spring.
Houston Cougars Football Spring Storyline
Can Weigman save the day?
The Cougars owned the worst offense in the FBS last season, as QB Donovan Smith struggled and Zeon Chriss didn't make much of a difference. Enter Conner Weigman, who played high school in Houston and should be able to give the Cougars a significant boost on offense. Coach Willie Fritz also got the band back together by bringing his former OC, Slade Nagle from Tulane. He'll spend the spring re-tooling the struggling offense. The team had some problems convincing portal talent to consider them, but they did well considering their record last season. Along with Weigman, the Cougars landed RB Dean Connors from Rice, who is set to excel on a bigger stage after three successful seasons with the Owls. He'll join Re'Shaun Sanford and DJ Butler in competition for the starting job. Amare Thomas was the Cougars' big portal grab at wide receiver, and the former UAB standout brings size, speed and experience to the table. Harvey Broussard also came over from Louisiana, and they'll fill out the depth chart alongside returnees Stephon Johnson and Mekhi Mews. Additionally, Fritz acquired five offensive linemen via the portal, which was a soft spot for the Cougars last season. Expect some improvement from the Cougars, as they can't get much worse.
Iowa State Cyclones Football Spring Storyline
Can QB Rocco Becht Elevate to One of the Best in the Conference?
Iowa State had a successful season in an unpredictable Big 12 in 2024 as they went 11-3 (7-2 in conference) and reached the Big 12 Championship Game. They were led by second-year starter Rocco Becht who threw for 3,505 yards and totaled 33 touchdowns. The 33 scores ranked second in the conference at the QB position behind only Colorado's Shedeur Sanders (41 total touchdowns). That begs the question, can Becht be the most productive signal caller in the conference in 2025?
He'll need help from new faces at the wideout position as Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins are on their way to the NFL. The dynamic duo ranked 3rd and 4th in the conference with 1,194 and 1,183 yards respectively. They were the only wide receiver pair in the conference to record 1,000 yard receiving seasons on the same team. The spring game will be the first opportunity to check out new transfers Chase Sowell (East Carolina) and Xavier Townsend (UCF). If Sowell or Townsend do not ascend, Iowa State may pivot back to an offense centered around the run-game with returning backs Abu Sama and Carson Hansen.
Kansas Jayhawks Football Spring Storyline
New Leader in Run Game
The Jayhawks were the Big 12's most efficient offense during the 2024 season as they finished strong with a 5-7 record, including three wins over ranked opponents at the end of the schedule. They ran the ball on 60.1 percent of their plays which was one of the more run-heavy offenses in the country.
The run-heavy offensive plan made sense when they had Devin Neal, who recorded multiple 1,000 yard rushing seasons and is on his way to the NFL. The new leader in the backfield will be either Daniel Hishaw (a fifth-year starter) or Leshon Williams (transfer from Iowa). QB Jalon Daniels is coming off a significant knee injury and it will be questionable whether he's ready for the first game of the season. The Jayhawks will have new faces at receiver with Cam Pickett (Ball State), Emmanuel Henderson (Alabama), and Bryson Canty (Columbia).
Kansas State Wildcats Football Spring Storyline
Intriguing Offensive Build in the Works
Kansas State's 2024 season was underwhelming by their standards as they went 9-4, 5-4 in the conference. This is a team that should have contended for a conference title; however, they dropped November games at Houston and against Arizona State. Retrospectively, the loss to Arizona State makes sense, but the loss at Houston was demoralizing for the team.
Maybe you can chalk up losing three of their last four games in the regular season to QB Avery Johnson going through his first full year as a starter. He should only be better in 2025 and has some intriguing offensive weapons around him. RB Dylan Edwards will take over for DJ Giddens (NFL Draft) and showed he can handle the load with 196 rushing yards and three touchdowns in a 44-41 bowl win over Rutgers.
The receiver position will also be better in 2025 as number one option Jayce Brown announced he's returning to the team. The Wildcats also welcome in Jerand Bradley (Boston College), Jaron Tibbs (Purdue), and Caleb Medford (New Mexico).
Oklahoma State Cowboys Football Spring Storyline
Near Complete Reset in Stillwater
After going a shocking 0-9 in the Big 12 Conference last season, some significant changes ensued at Oklahoma State. Coach Mike Gundy reset his staff of assistants, and they will be forced to go in a new direction at quarterback. It doesn't help that they also say bye to Ollie Gordon (NFL Draft) who was one of the best playmakers in all of college football.
Transfer QB Hauss Hejny comes over from TCU and will contend with Garret Rangel and Maealiuaki Smith for the starting spot in 2025. Most of the Cowboys' offensive line also turns over, which means this offensive unit will be one of the least experienced in the conference. That's not the most encouraging place to be after going 3-9 during the 2024 season.
TCU Horned Frogs Football Spring Storyline
New Receivers will Need to Emerge
TCU ended the 2024 season on a tear with four straight wins, including a 34-3 demolition of Louisiana in the New Mexico Bowl. If not for a slower start with losses to UCF, SMU, and Houston, they would have been more well-known nationally. QB Josh Hoover started all 13 games and was effective with 3,949 passing yards and 31 total touchdowns. The key for him will be cutting down on turnovers as he had 11 interceptions and six lost fumbles.
For Hoover to have a successful junior season, he's going to need some new receivers to emerge as Jack Bech, Savion Williams, and JP Richardson all graduated. A name to watch includes Jordan Dwyer who comes over from Idaho where he had 78 catches for 1,192 yards and 12 touchdowns during the 2024 season. As usual, TCU is loaded in the backfield with UTSA transfer Kevorian Barnes and talented returnees in Trent Battle and Jeremy Payne.
Texas Tech Red Raiders Football Spring Storyline
Offseason Moves Centered Around Fixing the Defense
The Red Raiders went 8-5 overall and 6-3 in the conference last year. The offense was potent, however, the defense was a huge liability. That combo resulted in Texas Tech leading the nation in plays per game at 77.7, which is a ridiculous pace in college football. As a comparison, Ohio State averaged 61.8 plays per game and equally had a potent offense, but a much better defense that led them to a National Championship. Texas Tech will look to build the same way as they try to elevate to a different echelon on the competitive scale. The team brought in a new defensive coordinator, and they brought in a handful of transfers to that side of the ball.
From a fantasy perspective, a lot of the same names remain, including QB Behren Morton, who is expected to fully recover from a shoulder injury, which kept him out of the bowl game. They will need to replace RB Tahj Brooks but are in good shape at WR with Coy Eakin and Caleb Douglas. RB Quinten Joyner comes over from USC and will be an intriguing prospect to watch in this explosive offense. It's worth noting that the Red Raiders also brought over experienced offensive lineman in the portal, which suggests they aim to be more balanced.
Utah Utes Football Spring Storyline
New OC Jason Beck Comes Over from New Mexico
It was a disastrous 2024 season for the Utes as they started 4-0 and ended the year 5-7. They couldn't find any consistency on the offensive end and dealt with a plethora of injuries. That led them to bringing in a new offensive coordinator in Jason Beck who was previously OC at New Mexico and Syracuse before that.
Along with Beck came QB transfer Devon Dampier who lit it up in New Mexico in 2024. He's a genuine dual-threat guy as he rushed for 1,152 yards and 19 touchdowns to go along with 2,768 passing yards and 12 scores through the air. Utah also added Washington State transfer Wayshawn Parker at RB to replace Micah Bernard, their best player during the 2024 season. Expect Utah to focus on their run game and to be much more dynamic during the 2025 season.
West Virginia Mountaineers Football Spring Storyline
Moutaineers Go Back to Their Glory Days
West Virginia went bold and brought back Rich Rodriguez who oversaw some of the most glorious years for the Mountaineers in recent history. Not only did Rich Rod coach the team from 2001-2007, but he also played there in the early eighties and is from the state of West Virginia. Rodriguez was most recently at Jacksonville State which had an impressive offense in C-USA during the 2025 season.
In an attempt to return to the days of Geno Smith and Pat White (new QB coach) at quarterback, the Mountaineers will turn the ball over to QB Nicco Marchiol who takes over for Garrett Greene. A star RB in Jahiem White decided to stay with the roster while CJ Donaldson bolted for Ohio State. RB Tye Edwards transferred in after rushing for 1,022 yards at Northern Iowa in 2024. This will be an interesting offense to watch moving forward.
