Questions facing each Big 12 team in spring: Texas Tech's next step; can Dave Aranda right Baylor's ship?
Every team in the Big 12, from Texas Tech to Oklahoma State, needs to find answers in 2026
Big 12 teams are getting ready to begin spring practices, and that will give us our first indication of what each program will look like in 2026. It's an exciting time for college football fans, but it also comes with many unknowns.
The transfer portal and NIL have combined to increase the rate of roster turnover, and that creates big questions across the board. For instance, Texas Tech rode a menacing front seven on its way to the College Football Playoff last season, but its offense laid an egg once there. In hopes of remedying that issue, the Red Raiders got one of the top quarterbacks on the transfer market in Brendan Sorsby, but did they do enough to take the next step toward a national title?
On top of that, there will be four new coaches in the Big 12, and they will face different degrees of pressure. Morgan Scalley is now in charge at Utah, and he will be tasked with building upon the success of program legend Kyle Whittingham. At the other end of the spectrum, Eric Morris now helms an Oklahoma State team that went 1-11 in 2025. Can Morris and his slew of North Texas transfers immediately rebuild the Cowboys into a conference title threat?
Each team in the country -- no matter how good or bad -- will face some questions this year. Here is the biggest one for each Big 12 team as spring practice opens.
Arizona: Can Arizona overcome defensive turnover?
The Wildcats' defense was a major strength last year. They allowed just 19.3 points per game, and they were tied for second in the country with 22 interceptions. Now, Arizona has to replace some key pieces from that unit, including the safety duo of Dalton Johnson and Treydan Stukes, who are off to the NFL. Arizona did make defensive backs a priority in the transfer portal, but how many hits did they find in their No. 51-ranked portal haul? Northern Colorado transfer Cam Chapa looks like an underrated pickup, but the Wildcats will need some unproven talent to step up in 2026.
Arizona State: Can an overhauled offense come together quickly?
This offseason, Arizona State lost its star quarterback (Sam Leavitt) and standout running back (Raleek Brown) to the transfer portal, and its stud No. 1 receiver (Jordyn Tyson) is off to the NFL. Going into his fourth season with the Sun Devils, coach Kenny Dillingham will have his work cut out for him trying to reload on that side of the ball. Transfer quarterbacks Cutter Boley and Mikey Keene will battle for the starting job, and whoever wins will have some big shoes to fill following Leavitt's departure.
Baylor: Can Dave Aranda coach his way off the hot seat?
Aranda is entering his sixth season with the Bears, and he will be under a microscope this season. Baylor chose to retain Aranda following a 5-7 campaign in 2025, but patience is running thin in Waco. Over the last three seasons, the Bears have gone 16-21, and last year was especially troubling. Despite quarterback Sawyer Robertson leading the Big 12 in passing yards (3,681) and passing touchdowns (31), Baylor failed to reach a bowl game because its defense was abysmal. That side of the ball is supposed to be Aranda's bread and butter, so there will be pressure on him to get it fixed in 2026, especially with Robertson off to the NFL Draft.
BYU: Who is going to catch passes?
Quarterback Bear Bachmeier is back to lead the BYU offense in 2026, but his top three receivers from last season are all gone. That creates some big question marks at wide receiver and tight end. Receiver Jojo Phillips battled injury last year, and he should be a factor in the passing game as long as he can stay healthy. The Cougars also brought in a pair of Oregon transfers -- receiver Kyle Kasper and tight end Roger Saleapaga -- who have skill but little college production to show for it. There will be big roles up for grabs in this passing game when spring practice opens.
Cincinnati: Was last year's collapse a sign of things to come in 2026?
After their season-opening loss to Nebraska last season, the Bearcats ripped off seven straight wins and climbed to No. 17 in the polls. Then the wheels fell off, and the wagon caught fire. Cincinnati ended the 2025 campaign on a five-game losing streak, and it was even uglier than it sounds. The Bearcats' point differential over that span was minus-93. Scott Satterfield can't afford to start 2026 the way he finished 2025, especially with a 15-22 record hanging over his head. The opening month of the season -- which includes games against Boston College, Kansas State and Arizona -- will be huge.
Colorado: How big a jump can Julian Lewis make at QB?
This feels like a big year for the Deion Sanders era at Colorado, and it may hinge on the development of quarterback Julian Lewis. As a true freshman in 2025, Lewis sat behind starter Kaiden Salter and watched from the bench as the offense sputtered. Now, Lewis will get his chance to be the No. 1 quarterback in Boulder, and he must turn his impressive high school pedigree into success at the college level. Lewis didn't see much action in 2025, completing 52 of 94 passing attempts for 589 yards and four touchdowns, but the former four-star prospect has the tools to become a star at Colorado.
Houston: Can the Cougars get to the opposing QB?
Last season, Houston ranked 58th nationally in sacks with 28. That's not an awe-inspiring number, but it's certainly not crippling. Unfortunately for the Cougars, sacks could be a bit harder to come by in 2026 since four of the six players with at least 2.0 sacks are gone. One of those players happens to be Eddie Walls III, who led the team with 7.0 sacks in 2025. That's not even factoring in the loss of defensive lineman Carlos Allen, who made a habit of wreaking havoc in the middle. Outside of Brandon Mack, who can Houston rely on to make the opposing quarterback uncomfortable?
Iowa State: Can the Cylones pick up the pieces in the wake of a mass exodus?
Given the amount of turnover Iowa State endured in the offseason, it would be an accomplishment to be competitive and fight for a bowl game in 2026. When former coach Matt Campbell left for Penn State, he took 23 Cyclones with him, including starting quarterback Rocco Becht. In total, Iowa State lost 55 players to the transfer portal this offseason, and that exodus left the team with 33 scholarship players. The Cyclones added 47 players via the portal, but that haul only ranked 60th nationally, per 247Sports.
Kansas: Who will win the QB battle?
Jalon Daniels was a staple of the Jayhawks offense for much of his six-year career in Lawrence, but that era is over, and Lance Leipold must determine who his next starting quarterback will be. That battle will be between redshirt sophomore Isaiah Marshall and redshirt junior Cole Ballard. In high school, Marshall defeated Michigan star Bryce Underwood in the state championship game. Ballard has the experience edge, but he's only thrown 64 passes at the college level. Whoever wins the job will have one tune-up game against LIU to get his feet wet before a rivalry showdown against Missouri in Week 2.
Kansas State: Can Collin Klein reinvigorate the offense?
Klein is returning to his alma mater in hopes of pushing Kansas State back to the top of the Big 12. In order to do so, he'll have to reinvigorate an offense that has gotten stale, and Klein has a proven track record of doing just that in Manhattan. As the Wildcats' offense coordinator in 2022 and 2023, Klein orchestrated the No. 37 and No. 10 scoring offenses in the country, respectively. One of the keys for Klein, now the head coach, will be to get the most out of quarterback Avery Johnson. The rising senior cut down on turnovers last year, but he also saw a dip in passing yards, passing touchdowns and rushing yards.
Oklahoma State: How quickly can the Cowboys right the ship under Eric Morris?
Oklahoma State has won four games in the last two seasons combined. The program is coming off a 1-11 campaign in 2025, and the program looked a long way off from Big 12 title contention. Despite colliding with rock bottom last year, there is hope for a quick turnaround under new coach Eric Morris. When he came over from North Texas, he brought a number of Mean Green stars with him, including quarterback Drew Mestemaker and leading receiver Wyatt Young.
TCU: Is Jaden Craig an adequate replacement for Josh Hoover?
TCU was one of the many victims of the quarterback carousel in the offseason. Josh Hoover, one of the best quarterbacks in the Big 12 last year, transferred to Indiana. To replace him, the Horned Frogs added Harvard standout Jaden Craig, who threw for 6,074 yards and 52 touchdowns in three seasons. If he can master Sonny Dykes' offensive scheme quickly, TCU should be just fine, despite Hoover's departure.
Texas Tech: Can Texas Tech get it done in the College Football Playoff?
The Red Raiders were a machine last season. After an 11-1 regular season, Texas Tech hammered BYU in the Big 12 title game and earned a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff. There, the Red Raiders laid an egg in a 23-0 quarterfinal loss to Oregon. In the offseason, Texas Tech upgraded at quarterback with the addition of Brendan Sorsby, and it reloaded the front seven with more highly-touted transfer acquisitions. This team will be a favorite to reach the CFP, but has it improved enough to do some real damage if it does get there?
UCF: How will the Knights replace Malachi Lawrence?
The 2025 season was a tough one for UCF, but Lawrence was a clear bright spot off the edge. He led the team in tackles for loss (11.0) and sacks (7.0). Lawrence was a one-man wrecking crew in the trenches, but he's off to the NFL. So, who can UCF lean on to create chaos for opposing offenses in 2026? Defensive lineman Nyjalik Kelly and linebacker Cole Kozlowski, two players capable of blowing plays up in the backfield, are also gone.
Utah: What will the Morgan Scalley era look like?
For the last 22 years, Kyle Whittingham's stamp has been on the Utah program. As we've seen before in this sport, following a legend can be difficult, but Scalley might have an advantage in that department. Scalley was on Whittingham's coaching staff from 2007 until last December, when he was promoted. So, how much of Whittingham's influence will remain under Scalley, and how much will the first-year coach tweak? Scalley has the team -- and the schedule -- to compete for a Big 12 title right away.
West Virginia: Can the offensive line hold up?
The offensive line was a real problem in the first year of Rich Rodriguez's second stint in Morgantown. The Mountaineers surrendered 31 sacks (114th) and allowed 5.83 tackles for loss per game (110th). Similar results won't cut it if West Virginia is trying to take a step forward in 2026. The team did take five offensive line transfers in the offseason, and it signed four-star offensive tackle Kevin Brown. The Mountaineers must piece together a more serviceable line in order to protect quarterback Scotty Fox and improve their middling running game.
