The college football season is still a few months away and there is a lot of work that the top teams in the country have to do as the countdown continues throughout this summer. Player development, position battles and recruiting are all a big part of the equation and after taking a long look at each of the top teams from the Big 12 we have narrowed down what their biggest focus should be for the remainder of the offseason. Here is a look at the top summer goal for each of the top four projected Big 12 teams.
Oklahoma: Develop Wide Receiver Depth
Dede Westbrook and Geno Lewis are expected to step up and help fill the void left by the departed Sterling Shepard but if the Sooners are going to repeat as Big 12 champions they will need more playmakers to step on offense. Baker Mayfield is one of the nation’s most highly touted quarterbacks heading in to this year but he needs options to stretch the field and Oklahoma will need to rely on more than Westbrook and Lewis. Jarvis Baxter had 20 receptions last season and should be in the mix along with Michiah Quick and Jeffrey Mead. The Sooners will also take a long look at 2015 signees Dahu Green and A.D. Miller as addressing their depth at the wide receiver position will be their most pressing goal this summer.
Baylor: Offensive Line Development
Baylor is dealing with some major issues off of the football field but in terms of their progression on it the focus has to be on improving their offensive line. The Bears allowed just 15 sacks a year ago but lost four of their five starters with center Kyle Fuller the lone returnee. The offensive line struggled in the spring game with 15 sacks allowed, according to the school so there is no doubt they will need to show marked improvement in that area. Brandon Autry, Blake Blackmar, Dom Desouza, Rami Hammad, Mo Porter, Patrick Lawrence and Tanner Thrift are all battling for positions along the offensive line and it will remain a major focus throughout the remainder of the offseason.
TCU: Build A Formidable Wide Receiver Core
The Horned Frogs lost their top wide receiver Josh Doctson to the NFL and if they are going to have any shot at contending in the Big 12 next season, they will need to make significant progress at the position. Kavontae Turpin is an explosive talent with excellent hands, speed and quickness but he is listed at only 5’9’’ and he isn’t going to dominate opposing cornerbacks the way that Doctson did. In order for TCU to have success, it will need multiple options to step up in order to forge a formidable wide receiver core. Drops were an issue in the spring game and the situation at the position will be something to monitor for the Horned Frogs this summer.
Remember that the Horned Frogs are replacing a quarterback too. Trevone Boykin has graduated and moved on, so the Horned Frogs will have a bit of a transition period at that spot too. However, the good news is that they appear to be in good hands with Kenny Hill taking over. He’s had some starting experience as you might recall. He was the man at Texas A&M for a short period of time and even had a couple of impressive starts, briefly earning the nickname “Kenny Trill”.
Oklahoma State: Develop Talent In Secondary
Oklahoma State is coming off an impressive season in which it posted a 10-3 record but the program will have its work cut out if it is going to contend for a Big 12 title again this season. One area of concern is the defensive secondary and at the cornerback position in particularly. The Cowboys got just about everybody back on the offensive side of the football but lost both starting quarterbacks in Kevin Peterson and Michael Hunter. Oklahoma State will be in tough to fill those voids and there is no doubt patching up the defensive secondary will be their top summer goal.
