Big 12 Coaches Talk Anonymously About Conference Foes for 2025

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Big 12 Coaches Talk Anonymously About Conference Foes for 2025

Athlon Sports

Thu, May 22, 2025 ·

12 min read

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It's not easy getting college football coaches to honestly comment on another coach, player or team. Most coaches don't want to give opposing teams bulletin board material, which is why there is a lot of coach speak or overused cliches used during the year.

In order to get an accurate assessment of teams heading into 2025, Athlon asked coaches in the Big 12 to talk anonymously about their opponents.

Note: These scouting reports come directly from coaching staffs and do not necessarily reflect the views of Athlon's editorial staff.

[Editor's note: This article is from Athlon Sports' 2025 College Football Preview print magazine. Order your copy today online , or pick one up at retail racks and newsstands nationwide.]

Big 12 Coaches Talk Anonymously About Conference Foes for 2025

Arizona

"It looks like they're on the decline. It was a tough ask for anyone to keep that level of success Jedd [Fisch] built at the end, but they've lost a ton of guys over the last two seasons."

"Their best player [ Tetairoa McMillan ] is gone to the NFL, and [Noah] Fifita has a lot of question marks around him. I think the success of this staff will depend on how fast they can find a quarterback who can run this new system."

"They're still portaling in a ton of new faces. I don't think they really have their identity or culture in place yet."

"Best-case scenario here is that the new offensive system clicks right away, and they can steal a few games."

Arizona State

"Our league is very volatile right now so there's an idea another program might jump out of nowhere like these guys did, but it's hard to pick against them as the best right now. They won the league and return almost everybody."

"The Army running back [Kanye Udoh] is not Cam [Skattebo]. Different style, different mentality. You're not looking to replace Cam, you just want the production."

"[Sam] Leavitt's the man now, and they're going to ask more of him."

"The position group to watch is the secondary; they were probably the weakest unit last season, and they've portaled in some guys."

"They might not win as many games, but the culture there is rock-solid, and you heard about how the players love their head coach."

"They're going to be at the top of the league for a while."

Baylor

"The offense clicked, and it turned them around completely last season."

"They'll go as far as they can with that backfield [Sawyer Roberston and Bryson Washington] and could be one of the best offenses in the nation this season."

"[Jake] Spavital is a great fit there, and they can recruit the state really effectively using that scheme."

"Defensively, they were a mess even with Dave [Aranda] calling it, but they've turned over the personnel and some of the assistants."

"This program is a good example of the shift going on in college football. They stuck with the coach and put the resources into a team GM and focused on NIL, and they're seeing results."

"They could turn the corner and compete for the league title this season."

BYU

BYU Cougars coach Kalani Sitake© Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

"This is a physical defense that gives you real problems. I think they're successful because they're a development culture, and that culture is contact and aggression. Their style runs counter to the offensive mentality of the league really well, and they embrace contact. It's a hard place to play when you're on the road, too."

"They could've played in and won the championship last year. I think they'll be right back there in the hunt with [Jake] Retzlaff. If he can take that next step and refine the decision-making, they're going to be really hard to beat."

"If there's a weakness, it might be their offensive line."

"Picking up all the Utah guys in the portal was a pretty big statement for them."

"I think they're a legit power in this league."

Cincinnati

"This is a hot-seat job, and they have to show results this season or it's probably done. The school or the AD, or both, locked in Satt [Scott Satterfield] on a big contract, and that's kept him safe, but this is the season they have to show results."

"[Brendan] Sorsby is a good quarterback, not a great one right now. He turns the ball over too much."

"The Wisconsin back [Tawee Walker] needs to be a replacement-level player for [Corey] Kiner, and that's a pretty big ask."

"They're not far off in terms of the overall talent. The defense looks solid in terms of the guys they brought back, but they faded big time down the stretch last season."

"They could win one or two of those close games they've been losing the last few years and make a bowl."

Colorado

"It's still a circus. That's not an insult to Deion [Sanders], but it is."

"They've turned over a ton in the portal, and they're trying to make it out like it's a competition-based result, but they're really going to struggle on the offensive line because of transfers again."

"It will be interesting to see how Deion manages the culture here. This is a roster with big holes and a lot of questions."

"[Kaidon] Salter is a good fit for the stuff they ran last year, and they have a lot of good transfer wideouts."

"[Travis] Hunter is so good, he overshadowed a really good position group in the secondary. Right now, that is their strength. If they can rework the front, the defense might be better overall."

"With his sons gone, this is the year you really wonder what Deion's long-term plan is."

Houston

"It's all about the offense. Willie [Fritz] went back to what he knows, bringing Slade [Nagle] back onto the staff. They grabbed [Conner] Weigman, and they're going to look a lot more like those Tulane systems from a few years ago."

"They need a great running back to emerge out of the group they've brought in."

"Defensively, they did a lot of stuff really well in the first year, and they've built on that in recruiting."

"It's all about how well they can start on offense. This was the worst O-line in our league. Easy to hassle the QB, not very tough up front."

"Fritz isn't a guy who rushes anything. I think this year is a step in the right direction, but they're still a year off."

Iowa State

"They really could go to the [Big 12] title game again."

"Rocco [Becht] is the real deal, and he'll be better this season if they can install those transfer receivers in."

"They did a great job in the portal placing guys at need positions on offense, especially the ECU WR [Chase Sowell]. The backfield is solid, too. They're a dominant offense."

"They were really banged up at linebacker last year, and they're turning over a lot of the secondary. Defense is the area where they might slip from last season."

"They overachieved a little in '24, but Matt [Campbell] is such a solid program-builder that it's hard to think they'll slide much this year. He's been outspoken publicly about the state of the portal and NIL, but they're also doing a lot of work in that area. They're competing hard."

Kansas

"You see a lot of holes when it comes to returning production, but I wouldn't rule out a bigger step forward this season if [Jalon] Daniels is healthy. He's a star player, and they really thrive off of him."

"On paper, they're not a top-end team in the league; they're replacing a lot at receiver, tight end and linebacker, but this program gets the most out of what they've got."

"I wouldn't pick against Lance [Leipold] when they're bringing back a veteran quarterback with a really solid line and a good defense."

"They can run the ball very well, and the Iowa back [Leshon Williams] could fit in really well with what they do."

"If they can find some receivers coming out of camp, they're going to be a very tough team to play and might surprise some people."

Kansas State

"If they come out of the Ireland game with a win, they're in the driver's seat for the conference championship game."

"The defense is solid, but the offense could carry them to the playoff."

"Jayce [Brown] coming back is a huge deal for them. [Matt] Wells is a great quarterbacks coach. I expect them to start scripting a little bit more to take advantage of [Avery] Johnson's athleticism. There's room for some creativity there we haven't seen yet, probably because they were getting the kid acclimated to starting full-time."

"Avery could be a superstar, a Heisman-level guy, but they've got to build up the talent around him. This could be one of the best and most creative offenses in the country this season if he continues to improve."

Oklahoma State

"No one should count out [Mike] Gundy, but this might be the biggest challenge of his entire run there."

"They badly misused [Ollie] Gordon [II], they're turning over the entire offensive line, and there's no clear answer at quarterback. But this is Mike's side of the ball, Mike's system, so they're going to be inexperienced, but there's a consistency there."

"Defensively it will be a lot harder. It's all the good and the bad of a [Todd] Grantham defense. They won't be boring to watch, that's for sure. You see a lot of risk and reward with what he does, especially when the personnel isn't fit for that 3-4."

"Provided they get a quarterback, I wouldn't worry a ton about that offense, but there's a lot of questions here, and it could be another losing year."

TCU

"It's crazy to say this about a team who played in the national championship, but this is the season that really matters when it comes to Sonny [Dykes]. They built depth and recruited to fill every deficiency on that five-win team. Now what? They have the best signing classes in the league, and that matters because they're also building NIL to keep the kids they want."

"[Josh] Hoover is a legit QB, and he should be even better this year if they can replace the production at receiver and find a better running game."

"Defensively, they've been developing some studs. This could be a huge year on that side of the ball for them, and they could be a surprise conference title team."

Texas Tech

"They're better pretty much everywhere, obviously. But don't assume you can spend your way to a power conference championship in one cycle. Don't get me wrong — all of us would rather have an NIL collective that's throwing a ton of cash instead of the alternative, but there's a lot of questions here."

"Will [Behren] Morton stay healthy? They didn't bite on Nico [Iamaleava] in the portal, so they believe they've got a high-caliber starter."

"Can [Shiel] Wood come in and flip the defense with all that free-agency spending? They were a classic Texas Tech defense last year, and that's not a compliment."

"If they're not a double-digit win team this season, it will be considered a failure. It's hard to know if that's fair, or if spending like this is a smart long-term strategy."

UCF

"Usually, the trend of hiring the former coach back when the program was in a different league doesn't pan out the way boosters think. [Bobby] Petrino coming back to Louisville, for instance. But I think this is a situation where it might be good for both parties. [Scott] Frost and UCF put each other on the map. The talent level is higher in the Big 12, but the personnel and schematic blueprint he used the last time can still work."

"It's going to be an all-new roster by the time we see them on the field, so it's hard to gauge their first year."

"This will be one of the biggest quarterback competitions in our league entering fall camp. If they lock in the right guy, the first-year adjustment can move a lot quicker, and they can compete for a bowl."

Utah

"The Big 12 is really hard to forecast. These guys were supposed to dominate last year, and they imploded."

"There's a lot of questions here, mainly on offense. [Andy] Ludwig and Cam [Rising] are gone, and they're going with a spread and RPO scheme. It's going to look very different than what we're used to from this program. Kyle Whittingham's teams are defined by their physicality, and this is going to be more of a tempo, bang-bang approach to keep pace in the league."

"Defensively, they're replacing a ton, but that's not as concerning. The staff is great, they're consistent and good evaluators and developers of talent. They've got some dudes in that secondary."

"If the offense can rebound, the defense will find their footing, too."

West Virginia

"Rich [Rodriguez] hasn't been shy about expectations going into his first year back."

"They need to find that group of backfield workhorses for the system to run. A lot of the guys they brought with them from Jacksonville State are at other positions, so the biggest thing to watch is how fast they lock on their ball-carriers and the QB. If that clicks, everything else will adjust quicker."

"I don't think they have the bodies yet on defense, especially up front. They're going to struggle on that side of the ball, unless they can really jump out on offense and keep them off the field."

"This is an adjustment year where they can put in the culture and the scheme."

"If they can lock in the offensive line and find their next guy in the backfield, they could finish ahead of schedule."

Big 12 Coaches Talk Anonymously About Conference Foes for 2025 first appeared on Athlon Sports on May 22, 2025

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