You know the players care. They say they don't, yet if they aren't predicted to finish first they always claim they have been disrespected. I've got news for you players. It's not disrespect, it's called honesty. When I predict Iowa State and Kansas State to finish at the bottom of the Big 12 North, it's because I honestly think they will be the two worst teams in the North. Not because I don't respect you, I just don't think you stack up.
The coaches claim they don't care. I believe some of them, but not all of them.
The fans care. It gives them something to argue about before the season starts. Plus, it generates the desire to come up with their own predictions and think to themselves: "Hey, I should start a blog. I know more than the idiots at (fill in the blank)." Thing is, they are probably right. I will save my rant on national college football "experts" for another day because now it's time for what you have all been waiting for...my predictions.
I was going reveal my Big 12 North predictions with well layed out arguments for each team. Screw that! That's not the purpose of this blog. This is about gut feelings with a some logic mixed in. Not "Well, Kansas returns Todd Reesing and he's pretty good, so they will win the Big 12 North." You will not get that from me. This is what my gut tells me.
1. Nebraska: Pelini is a good coach. They had talent when he took over, the players just didn't know how to work hard because Callahan was such a piece of crap. Their D will be up there with Oklahoma and Texas as the best in the league this year. Helu will emerge as a star. If Zac Lee can perform at a high level, Nebraska could be pretty darn good. Not good enough to beat Texas and OU though.
2. Kansas: Logic would say they should win the North. They get Nebraska at home. But, they play the brutal Big 12 South schedule (Texas, OU, and Texas Tech). Reesing is good (Kansas fans: I did spell that correctly. I didn't accidently add an "o" and forget to capitalize the "g"). Bad 0-line play will be their doom. Breaking in a bunch of new linebackers doesn't help either, even though a solid d-line should soften the blow there. In fact, if Mangino wasn't their coach I would pick them at 4.
3. Colorado: I don't know if Colorado is really going to be that good or if I just think Mizzou is going to fall of that much. Darrell Scott is poised to have a good season. That will provide them with a good 1-2 punch along side Colorado's version of Darren Sproles, Rodney Stewart. Plus their O-line should be pretty good. I think their QB's are well below average, but the previously mentioned running backs and o-line should help with that.
4. Mizzou: Lost a TON. Maclin was the best player Mizzou has had in years...probably since Kellen Winslow. I don't think they will miss Chase Daniel that much. Dude was way overrated. They will miss Maclin, Coffman, Sulak, Hood, and William Moore though. Plus they lost their offensive and defensive coordinators. Derek Washington is just an average back and that will show this year without Maclin and Coffman around.
5. Iowa State: I view this as a similar situation as Nebraska last year. Way under achieved the year before because the coaching staff didn't give a rats ass. At least this year they should play hard and win a conference game or two. There is some talent on offense in Ames, but they will have to out score people in a league with a lot of pretty good offenses. Their defense was terrible last year. It should be a little better, but still not very good.
6. Kansas State: I think they are going to be terrible. Ron Prince ran them WAAAYYY into the ground. Not just with his craziness, but with terrible recruiting. At least Callahan and Chizik brought in some talent. Prince put together some terrible recruiting classes at Kansas State. He got 1 0r 2 good players a year (Josh Freeman, Lamark Brown, etc...) and then a bunch of garbage. Bill Snyder may know a thing or two about coaching (even though everyone seems to forget he was run out of town the last time), but it just isn't going to happen this year in Manhattan.
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