Baker Mayfield’s breakout performance at Oklahoma led to the Sooners winning a Big 12 championship and reaching the College Football Playoff a year ago. Now he is back and looking to produce a repeat performance for an Oklahoma team that is clearly the favorite to win the Big 12. The Sooners will need Mayfield to perform at an elite level in order to achieve their lofty goals but they aren’t the only contender with a star player leading the charge this season. Here is a look at the four best preseason candidates to win Big 12 MVP.
QB: Baker Mayfield
Oklahoma Sooners
Mayfield threw for 3,700 yards and 36 touchdowns with just seven interceptions while leading Oklahoma to a Big 12 championship last season. There isn’t much reason to expect a drop off in production for 2016. Remember that last year, Mayfield was new to the system and had to get acclimated to Norman. He was originally a Texas Tech transfer. He should be much more comfortable heading into 2016.
Mayfield will have every opportunity to top the numbers he put up last season in Lincoln Riley’s Air Raid offense and if he can do it then the Sooners will have a good shot to repeat as Big 12 champions and return to the College Football Playoff.
QB: Mason Rudolph
Oklahoma State Cowboys
The Cowboys took a risk when they pulled the redshirt off their freshman quarterback Rudolph last season. The move paid off in a big way as he threw for 3,770 yards and 21 touchdowns compared to just nine interceptions while leading Oklahoma State to a Cactus Bowl appearance. The Cowboys averaged 353.2 passing yards per game a year ago. With nine returning starters – including Rudolph and four of their five offensive linemen – Rudolph has the potential to put up even better numbers in Oklahoma State’s Air Raid offense in 2016. They’ll need Rudolph to play a bit better in the big games, though, as that is where the Pokes struggled last year.
QB: Kenny Hill
TCU Horned Frogs
TCU found its replacement for Trevone Boykin at the quarterback position in Hill, who transfers from Texas A&M with a chance to be a star in the Big 12 this season. The Horned Frogs averaged 42.1 points per game a year ago and they have the potential to continue to put up big numbers with Hill leading a loaded cast on offense. Co-offensive coordinators Sonny Cumbie and Doug Meacham will put Hill in the best position to succeed and truthfully, he should fare better here than he did at Texas A&M as he’s more mature. He will have a loaded cast of wide receivers led by sophomore KaVontae Turpin. Mayfield and Rudolph will be talked about a lot as two obvious Big 12 MVP candidates but look for Hill to be in the mix as well in his first season at TCU.
QB: Seth Russell
Baylor Bears
The Bears have had their share of issues this offseason. Head coach Art Briles and school management were caught in a scandal where they were alleged to have been covering up – or facilitating – crimes. Now Briles has been forced to leave and Russell takes over the main leadership role.
The reality is that their roster is absolutely stacked with talent and they certainly are good enough to contend for a Big 12 championship. That includes their star quarterback Russell, who flashed his skill set in 2015 when he threw for 2,104 yards and 29 touchdowns compared to just six interceptions in just eight games before suffering a season-ending neck injury. Russell has the potential to light it up now that he is fully healthy again and surrounded by a plethora of weapons including receiver K.D. Cannon and running backs Shock Lindwood and Johnny Jefferson. The issue is that Briles rebuilt this program, so how good will they be without him?
Baylor enters this season with legitimate conference championship expectations but ultimately their hopes will rest on the shoulder of their talented quarterback in Russell. He’ll have to lead the way and carry over the lessons and teachings the Briles imparted on this one-time Big 12 doormat.
