Overview of the 2012 Rutgers Football Team

With the departure of 11-year head coach Greg Schiano for the NFL, the Rutgers are now set for a new era. Schiano's time with the team was littered with accomplishments and success and he will be sorely missed.

Rutgers hired Schiano's assistant Kyle Flood in the hopes that he could maintain Schiano's program. Flood takes over the team with some real talent and 15 starters returning. They had a record of 9-4 last season, and the transition to the new coaching staff will certainly be easier, but it's still a concern.

Nfl 2012

Offense:

Last year, Rutgers was forced to split quarterback duties between a couple of freshman in Gary Nova and Chas Dodd and they struggled in the process. Neither quarterback did well enough to secure their spot in the starting lineup in 2012. What will likely happen is that neither player will have the starting job locked up until the end of fall practice.

Regardless of who ends up starting at quarterback, they need to find a way of turning things around in the running game. They averaged a measly 98 yards/game and only 2.8 yards/carry last year. The Scarlet Knights once again struggled to crack the 3.0 yards/carry mark. It was certainly a surprise to see the team struggle with their running game as much as they did last year. Rutgers landed one of the top recruits in the nation in Savon Huggins but he struggled to make a lasting impact until his season ended seven games into the season. Red-shirt freshman Jawan Jamison managed to lead the team with 897 yards and nine touchdowns, but it's likely he takes a step back to Huggins in 2012.

The Scarlet Knights must find a way to replace the production of 4th Team All-American Mohamed Sanu. The departure of Sanu would have definitely hurt more if it wasn't for the emergence of freshman Brandon Coleman last year.

Despite having a mediocre quarterback under center and an unproven running game, their offensive line should be one of the best in the Big East this coming season. They have to replace three starters, but the addition of Maryland transfer R.J. Dill at right tackle, the emergence of Andre Civil as one of the top left guards in the conference and with 3rd Team Freshman All-American left tackle Kaleb Johnson coming back, this unit looks to be deadly in 2012.

Defense:

The defense of the Scarlet Knights is what will make this squad fun to watch as they had an excellent campaign in that regard last year. With eight starters coming back in 2012, look for the team to continue to be one of the best defenses in the Big East.

Despite losing starting defensive tackle Justin Francis and defensive end Manny Abreu, the defensive line should be even better than it was a year ago. Rutgers returns one of the premier defensive tackles in all of college football in Scott Vallone, and add in one of the top ten freshman defensive ends in the country in Darius Hamilton. They also expect big things out of highly touted red-shirt defensive tackle Marquise Wright.

The return of all three starting linebackers from last year is what is keeping this team as one of the top defenses in the Big East this season. Weak-side linebacker Khaseem Green headlines this unit and he was named Big East Defensive Player of the Year in 2011.

The secondary also figures to be unit loaded with different weapons and talent. The Scarlet Knights have one of the top corners in the nation in junior Logan Ryan and a big time playmaker at free safety in Duron Harmon. They also have starting corner Brandon Jones and one of their top backup corners in Mason Robinson both coming back.

Big East Prediction - 4th Place

The loss of Schiano is the biggest reason this team slips to 4th place. Flood can still lead this team to a Big East title, but chances are they will disappoint. They have a very hard schedule where they face both South Florida and Pittsburgh on the road. Both teams are among the two highest rated teams in the conference.

Overview of the 2012 Rutgers Football Team

Jack Jones provides his football picks each Saturday at BetFirms and Football Free Picks.

The Avengers Movie's Success

The Avengers is a film produced by the Marvel Studios and released in 2012. It is a superhero film based on the superhero team from the Marvel Comics. The screenplay was written by Joss Whedon and is distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. The cast of the Avengers film has famous actors such as Robert Downey Jr., Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson and additional cast members: Cobie Smulders, Chris Hemsworth, Clark Gregg, Chris Evans, Tom Hiddleston and Jeremy Renner among others.

The Disney Company decided to change the title of the film in the United Kingdom. Instead of Marvel's Avengers it was released as Marvel's Avengers Assemble. This is because the company did not want the public to confuse the film with a TV series in the UK that has the same name. The film had its world premiere on April 11th 2012, at the El Capitan Theatre in California. The film broke many box office records immediately after its release on that day. The Avengers film made a record 7,438,708 during its first weekend at the theaters. This is a noteworthy record because Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 managed to acquire 9.2 million in its first weekend after the premiere. In its first week, the film broke the Dark Knight's 2008 record of 8.6 million by bringing in 0.019 million in ticket sales.

Super Bowl 2012

The Avenger's film received positive reviews by many notable critics. For example, the film got a 93% rating from the Rotten Tomatoes, which is a review aggregator website. It also obtained an average 8.1 points on 10 from the overall 267 reviews. CinemaScore gave the film an A+ grade based on the audience reviews. Another review from Metacritic showed the film received a score of 69 out of 100, due to the aggregation of 43 reviews.

The factors that contribute to the success of the movie are the stars, careful planning, as well as the original content. The stars of the film were all main characters in their various films and Marvel Comic books. When they came together, the fans wanted to know what would happen in the film, making the film a box office hit. The directors and producers of the film took the time to plan the film and released several teasers and one commercial spot in the Super Bowl. These actions increased the hype of the film, and many people looked forward to the premiere of the film.

The film did not make any changes to the characters, and they appeared just as they did in their previous films and comic books. The only character who underwent some changes was the Hulk. He was greener in the first Hulk film released in 2003, and the 2008 Hulk was too masculine. The film director decided to reduce the Hulk's green color and minimize his muscled appearance in the Avengers Film. The actors also showed their professionalism and dedication, by bringing out all the emotions required, despite the fact that it is an action film. In the film, there was no main character because all the characters worked as a team and each of them had their own moment to shine. The film's special effects, as well as the action, proved worth watching and increased the film's appreciation by the audience. Another important factor in the success of the Avengers is the dedication of the director/ producer Joss Whedon. He developed the story from the comic characters and did not try to create a completely new story that deviated from the comic characters.

The character of Bruce Banner enhanced the success of the film. Mark Ruffalo played the roles of the brilliant, yet cynical Dr. Banner and the Hulk in the film. He brought out the characters in such a marvellous way, enhancing the film's reception. He brought out the Hulk's character well by refreshing the character. He also brought out the geeky and irritated character of Dr. Banner in a spectacular way. Many critics appreciated the film's plot in addition to the character's dialogues.

The Avengers Movie's Success

Nicki Minaj On Faith and Lifestyle

Onika Tanya Maraj grew up in Queens, New York City, after moving from Trinidad, where she was born in 1982. She was 5 yrs old at the time, and was not yet known as Nicki Minaj, the songwriter, singer, rapper and performer.

In August of 2009, after the release of three successful mixtapes, Minaj was signed to Young Money Entertainment which is owned by Lil Wayne. Her debut album titled Pink Friday, was released in November of 2010, and was quickly recognized as a commercial success. It was certified Platinum, selling well one over one million units in one month after being released, and peaked at number one the U.S. Billboard 200 charts.

Super Bowl 2012

Along with recognition as a recording artist and performer, Nicki Minaj has also become involved with endorsing several products. She has contracts signed with a variety of corporations that include soft drinks manufacturers, Doll makers, clothing brands and cosmetics.

She appears to have been influenced by a wide range of personalities, including Foxy Brown, Jay-Z, Jada Pinkett Smith, Britney Spears and Madonna, with whom she performed a number at the 2012 Super Bowl halftime show.

Not only recognized for her music, Nicki is recognized for her personae, that includes costume and make up that may be considered as outlandish. She may also receive attention for some of her quotes on various aspects of life and faith

Minaj is transparent on her faith as a Christian, and on December 25, in 2011, she sent a biblical passage to millions of followers on the social network Twitter. She openly states that her heroes are God and her mother. She also revealed some personal details about her dad, who changed his life after attending rehab and started going to church.

In many of her songs and during many interviews, there appears to be an implication of sexual ambiguity, or that she does not date. During an interview with Vibe magazine, she states "I just embrace all people of all lifestyles and I don't tell them they are bad people. And I say girls are beautiful and girls are sexy and they need to be told that, and if they don't have anyone to tell them that and mean it, I'm gonna tell them that. But I feel like people always want to define me and I don't want to be defined."

Although she accepts the fact that she may be considered as a role model by many, Minaj seems to dislike being labelled and further states that "The point is, everyone is not black and white. There are so many shades in the middle, and you've got to let people feel comfortable with saying what they want to say when they want to say it."

Nicki Minaj On Faith and Lifestyle

You can find out more about the influences and background of Nicki with Nicki Minaj quotes
Public figures may sometimes be reluctant to express a belief or adherence to any faith. Read more about the influence of faith with Faith quotes.

Six Non-1st Round Rookies To Consider In Fantasy Football

Most fantasy football players will be concentrating on the big-name rookies selected in the 1st round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Trent Richardson, Justin Blackmon, Michael Floyd and Doug Martin are the obvious rookies to consider adding to your fantasy team. However, often there are rookies taken after the 1st round who have surprisingly productive seasons and outperform the more heralded ones.

Marques Colston was a little-known 7th round pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. All he did for the Saints in his rookie year was catch 70 passes for 1,038 yards (14.8 per) and score 8 touchdowns. Aaron Hernandez was taken in the 4th round of the 2010 NFL Draft and contributed 45 receptions for 563 yards (12.5 per) and 6 scores for New England as a rookie. DeMarco Murray (3rd round, 2011 NFL Draft) was the most impressive rookie running back last year before an ankle injury ended his season. Murray rushed for 897 yards, averaged 5.5 yards per carry and scored 2 touchdowns with just 7 starts for Dallas. The following are six rookies who could be more productive than many fantasy football players expect:

Nfl 2012

TE Dwayne Allen, Indianapolis Colts: The 2011 John Mackey Award winner was the draft's best all-around tight end. Allen has the size and strength to be a solid blocker. He also has the athleticism and hands to be a receiving threat. The Colts would like to play 2 tight ends, 2 wide receivers and 1 running back as their base offense. That is why they drafted Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen back-to-back. Allen figures to play a lot in this offense. Indianapolis is wisely tailoring their offense around the talents of their quarterback, Andrew Luck. The former Stanford star is used to an offense that features tight ends. Stanford did not have a strong core of receivers, but Luck thrived throwing to a deep and talented group of tight ends. A tight end can be a fine security blanket for a quarterback. Dwayne Allen could find himself the target of a good number of Andrew Luck passes.

WR Juron Criner, Oakland Raiders: The Silver & Black need a good possession receiver to complement some of their speed on the outside. Juron Criner may prove to be a steal for the Raiders and fantasy football players. Criner caught 32 touchdowns passes in college and has a knack for catching the ball in traffic. His route running ability enables him to play faster than he times in the Forty-yard dash. Carson Palmer should develop confidence in throwing the ball to Criner because he has such terrific hands. Palmer should also be better this year with a full off-season to learn the Raiders' offense. Juron Criner could push for playing time as a rookie and be a surprising contributor to the Raiders.

WR Alshon Jeffery, Chicago Bears: The Bears were wasting Jay Cutler's passing ability with a mediocre group of receivers. That changed this off-season. Brandon Marshall was brought in via a trade and Alshon Jeffery was drafted in the 2nd round. Jeffery is a big target with huge, soft hands. His ability to highpoint the ball is very impressive. A subpar conditioning effort and poor quarterback play led to a less productive 2011 season for Jeffery and cost him being a 1st round selection. He reportedly is in shape now and Jay Cutler can deliver the football. Jeffery can be a factor in the end zone and a solid possession receiver for Chicago in 2012.

RB Lamar Miller, Miami Dolphins: There is a lot of change in Miami with a new coaching staff. The west coast offense will be used and that means a good number of quick, short passes. Naturally, Reggie Bush will be utilized more as a pass receiver this season. Lamar Miller did not catch a lot of passes out of the backfield for the Hurricanes, but displayed pretty good hands. Miller has outstanding acceleration and speed. His burst was better than any back in the 2012 NFL Draft. The University of Miami product dropped in the draft due concerns over his surgically repaired shoulder. Miller is recovering well from his December surgery and will be able to handle contact in time for training camp.

He could very well beat out Daniel Thomas who was very disappointing as a rookie last year. Thomas (581 rushing yards, 3.5 yards per carry and zero touchdowns) did not run with power or speed in 2011. Miller could carve out a nice niche in Miami's offense as a complement to Bush. In addition, Reggie Bush has averaged only nine starts a season in his six-year career. It may have been an aberration that Bush started fifteen games last year. Miller is also a dangerous kickoff returner and his speed is a big play waiting to happen. A mediocre group of receivers could mean that the Dolphins must find a way to get the ball into the hands of their two most explosive players (Reggie Bush and Lamar Miller).

WR Rueben Randle, New York Giants: A rookie playing much on a Super Bowl-winning team normally does not happen. However, the Giants lost Mario Manningham to free agency and need a 3rd receiver to emerge. Randle could have put-up much bigger receiving numbers in college had he been in a better situation. LSU wins a lot of games with their strong defense and running attack. This philosophy combined with erratic quarterback play does not shine the spotlight on receiving talent. Randle ran a number of routes in college and has a good feel for the wide receiver position. He has an NFL body and physically should be able to handle press coverage. Randle is not a speed merchant, but he has enough to make some big plays downfield.

He will also notice a big difference between Eli Manning delivering the ball to him rather than Jarrett Lee or Jordan Jefferson (his LSU quarterbacks). The competition for the 3rd receiver spot is not steep for Randle. Domenik Hixon has struggled with injuries and really is a better kickoff returner than receiver. Ramses Barden has made zero impact in three seasons. Jerrel Jernigan has speed and quickness, but is small. He may be best as a punt returner and slot receiver. The Giants ideally would like Victor Cruz to work the slot and have another receiver complement Hakeem Nicks on the outside. Rueben Randle will have every opportunity to be the Giants' 3rd receiver this season.

WR Mohamed Sanu, Cincinnati Bengals: The free agency losses of Jerome Simpson and Andre Caldwell means the Bengals need some young wideouts to emerge. A.J. Green clearly is the lead receiver and an emerging star. Who is going to complement Green remains up in the air. Sanu has a good chance to emerge as a valuable contributor to Cincinnati's passing attack. Andy Dalton does not have a big arm and the fact that Sanu lacks speed may not matter much.

Sanu uses his good size and toughness to run slants effectively. Dalton may develop confidence in the rookie to keep drives alive with well-executed short passes. His competition for playing time is an undistinguished group of receivers. Jordan Shipley (recovering from a serious knee injury), Marvin Jones (fellow rookie), Brandon Tate (better kickoff returner than receiver), Armon Binns and Ryan Whalen are not proven NFL wide receivers. Mohamed Sanu has an excellent opportunity to play a good number of snaps as a rookie.

Six Non-1st Round Rookies To Consider In Fantasy Football

http://www.profootballdraftnetwork.com provides extensive pre and post NFL draft analysis. The site features scouting reports, rankings, top values, biggest risks, interviews with college coaches, players and mock drafts.

McConnell's Gamble: Give 'Em What They Asked For

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell gave Democrats a way out of financial Armageddon yesterday, offering them what they said they wanted: a way to raise the national debt ceiling on a "clean" vote.

Will they take it?

Super Bowl 2012

Let's settle in with our snacks and beverages and watch the action unfold. With pro football and basketball officially on lockout, and with all due respect to last night's All-Stars and the rest of Major League Baseball, the big game is getting underway on C-SPAN and the cable news networks.

McConnell's move was as stunning - and some would say as risky - as the onside kick that New Orleans used to strip the ball from Indianapolis at the start of the second half of Super Bowl XLIV. Let's set the scene. With the clock ticking down toward the Aug. 2 deadline at which the Treasury expects to run out of borrowed cash, President Obama and the Democrats were grinding out political yardage by accusing Republicans of risking national default rather than raise taxes on corporations and the wealthy. Democrats pointed to their own willingness to cut spending - though the spending cuts offered were both ephemeral and years in the future - while they said Republicans were stuck in take-it-or-leave-it mode.

These same Democrats have long argued that the national debt ceiling should be raised on its own merits. The nation has already borrowed more than trillion, and it needs to continue borrowing so it can refinance and pay interest on that debt, as well as fund this year's .5 trillion of red ink. The White House spent the first quarter of the year calling for a pure debt limit vote. So did Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Both Obama and Reid declared that their own votes against raising the debt ceiling in 2006, when George W. Bush was in the White House and Republicans controlled the Senate, were mistaken.

Yet when the Republican-controlled House of Representatives held just such a vote last month, Democrats denounced the maneuver as a stunt. House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer said he wanted a clean debt limit increase but still urged Democrats to reject it as an "irresponsible piece of legislation that should have been handled in a bipartisan fashion." (1) Reid said it "sends a terrible message to the international community." Apparently that message was that it is important to increase the debt ceiling, but it is more important to diffuse responsibility so that Democrats won't have to face irate voters alone.

The bill died on a 318-97 vote. Every Republican voted against it, while 97 Democrats voted for it, 82 voted against, and seven courageous souls pronounced themselves "present."

McConnell's proposal would revive the clean debt ceiling increase, with a couple of twists. It would come in three stages: 0 billion, 0 billion and 0 billion, totaling .5 trillion. That would cover new borrowing past the 2012 elections and into the next Congress. Obama would be required to propose offsetting spending cuts, but the debt limit increases would take effect regardless of whether the spending cuts were enacted, unless a two-thirds vote in each chamber blocked the scheduled increase. There would be no tax increase.

Default would be averted. Obama and his fellow Democrats could choose whatever spending cuts they wanted to propose, and they would not even be obliged to pass such cuts into law. The federal debt mountain would grow, but that is inevitable under any form of debt limit increase. The debate is about how fast the mountain will grow, how big it will get, and who will ultimately pay more in taxes or receive less in federal spending to keep it from getting even bigger.

This is pretty disappointing to many Republicans. They hoped to use the impending debt limit to force major cuts in federal outlays. The problem is that they do not have the votes to force that outcome unless, on the eve of a default, Democrats simply cave. That is possible, but it is not a prospect that is very soothing to financial markets already preoccupied with fiscal turmoil in Europe. McConnell called his own proposal a "last-choice option," acceptable only because he is convinced that the "first choice" of deep spending cuts without major tax increases is unattainable while Obama occupies the White House.

A lot of Republicans, especially House freshmen who arrived with strong Tea Party backing, are going to reject McConnell's idea outright. House Speaker John Boehner and Majority Leader Eric Cantor did not immediately weigh in, but I think they could deliver enough GOP votes to get it passed - if Democrats say "yes" this time to the debt ceiling increase they themselves demanded. On the Senate side, Reid and McConnell likewise ought to be able to deliver enough votes to put a deal on the president's desk.

Once that happens, it remains to be seen whether Obama still wants the clean increase he once called for. The real brilliance of McConnell's plan is that it places full responsibility for additional debt and spending in the remainder of Obama's current term squarely on the president's shoulders. This is not a president who typically relishes carrying such burdens.

If you are not a football fan, an onside kick is a trick play in which one team deliberately kicks the ball only 10 yards or so, rather than toward the other end of the field. The risk is that if the receiving team grabs the ball, it is much closer to the kicking team's goal and a potential touchdown. But if the receiving team is taken by surprise or fails to grab the loose ball, the kicking team can recover it and try to keep its own touchdown hopes alive.

It is usually a desperate move, tried by teams that are losing late in the game. The New Orleans Saints shocked everyone when they did it with half a game still to play and only a 10-6 deficit against the Colts. It worked. The Saints recovered the ball, drove for a touchdown that gave them the lead, and won the Super Bowl handily.

Big gambles can bring big payoffs. McConnell's gutsy call shows he knows how to play.

Sources:

1) CNN Politics, "House rejects debt ceiling increase, 318-97"

McConnell's Gamble: Give 'Em What They Asked For

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Chicago Bears' 2012 NFL Draft Analysis

1st Round (#19) DE Shea McClellin, Boise State

2nd Round (#45) WR Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina

Nfl 2012

3rd Round (#79) FS Brandon Hardin, Oregon State

4th Round (#111) TE Evan Rodriguez, Temple

6th Round (#184) CB Isaiah Frey, Nevada

7th Round (#220) CB Greg McCoy, TCU

Analysis of Notable Selections:

Shea McClellin: Chicago sought a bookend defensive end to pair with Julius Peppers. McClellin (6' 3" and 260 lbs) is a high motor player who lacks great physical tools for an NFL defensive end. He very well may have more potential as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 than as a defensive end. The former Boise State star may have trouble defending the run against powerful NFL offensive tackles. McClellin was a good (7 sacks in his senior season), but not an exceptional pass rusher in college. The Bears passed on Chandler Jones, Whitney Mercilus and Nick Perry. Jones has a bigger frame and more growth potential than McClellin. Perry is a more explosive athlete than McClellin. Mercilus led the nation in sacks (16) playing against better offensive lineman than McClellin faced. McClellin was a questionable selection by the Bears.

Alshon Jeffery: The Bears traded for Brandon Marshall to provide him with a talented lead receiver. The selection of Jeffery adds a big possession receiver and an excellent red zone target to Chicago's passing attack. Jeffery could be a bargain in the 2nd round. The former Gamecock has terrific hands and made plenty of plays against SEC defenses. He slipped to the 2nd round due to concerns over his conditioning and work ethic. If he keeps his weight down and commits to being a pro then Jeffery is going to help the Bears. This was a relatively low risk/high reward selection.

Brandon Hardin: The search for improved safety play continues for Chicago. Hardin played cornerback at Oregon State, but has the size (6' 2" and 220 lbs) and tackling skills to play safety. The problem is he was frequently injured in college (missed last season with a shoulder injury that required surgery). Hardin also was not much of a ball-hawk (7 pass breakups and 1 interception in 3 seasons) for Oregon State. The Bears passed on offensive line help (Bobby Massie) and cornerback help (Jayron Hosley and Jamell Fleming) for Hardin. This pick looks like a reach and Hardin may have been available later in the draft.

2012 NFL Draft Grade: C+

Bottom Line: The Bears have to hope that Shea McClellin is big and strong enough to put consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks. His career production will be compared to Chandler Jones, Whitney Mercilus and Nick Perry to see if Chicago made the right decision for years to come. Chicago did not improve their offensive line or the cornerback position in this draft. A team that plays twice a year against Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford should have done more than add Brandon Hardin as a potential safety.

Chicago Bears' 2012 NFL Draft Analysis

http://www.profootballdraftnetwork.com provides extensive pre and post NFL draft analysis. The site features scouting reports, rankings, top values, biggest risks, interviews with college coaches and players and mock drafts.

2012 Oklahoma State Cowboys Season Predictions

The Oklahoma State Cowboys are coming off of their most productive season in school history. The only that thing that kept the Cowboys from competing for a national title was their shocking loss to Iowa State. Even so, the team won their first outright conference championship in the post WWII era. They finished with a 12-1 record after narrowly beating Stanford 41-38 in the Fiesta Bowl, finishing No. 3 in the final polls.

Mike Gundy has completely turned the OSU around in just seven seasons as the team's head coach. Not only has he turned the Cowboys in a Big 12 contender, but a national contender as well. 2012 will be a tough year for him though as he loses several key players on last year's team. The Cowboys return just 12 starters in all, but they do have a good amount of depth with 50 lettermen coming back.

Nfl 2012

Offense

The Cowboys had a record-setting offense last season that will be tough to replicate in 2012. They averaged 48.7 points and 546 total yards per game last year, and those gaudy numbers are almost certain to drop drastically in the new season. This is because only four starters return on offense, and almost all their best players are gone.

Brandon Weeden is irreplaceable after throwing for 4,277 yards with 37 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 2011. Freshman Wes Lunt will have big shoes to fill as he earned the starting job in the spring. He's a big, strong pocket passer and he does resemble Weeden's lanky frame of 6'4'' and 211 lbs. I still expect their passing numbers to take a big hit in 2012.

OSU may have to rely heavily on its rushing attack more this season and their top returning playmaker, junior RB Joseph Randle needs to step it up even more. He rushed for 1,248 yards and a whopping 24 touchdowns last season, while also catching 43 balls for 266 yards and two scores to earn first-team All-Big 12 honors. Junior Jeremy Smith (666 yards, nine touchdowns), and sophomore Herschel Sims (244 yards, two touchdowns) will return to help form one of the best backfields in the Big 12.

The receiving corps lost its top two playmakers in Justin Blackmon (122 receptions, 1,522 yards, 18 touchdowns) and Josh Cooper (71 receptions, 715 yards, 3 touchdowns). They lose three of their top four, but do retain senior starter Tracy Moore (45 receptions, 672 yards, 4 touchdowns). Sophomore Josh Stewart (19 receptions, 291 yards, two touchdowns) and Junior Isaiah Anderson (28 receptions, 315 yards, 4 touchdowns) are all expected to have increased roles in the upcoming season. Junior college All-American Blake Jackson should also make significant contributions.

The offensive line loses three starters up front, including first-team All-Big 12 and first-team All-American tackle Levy Adcock and center Grant Garner, the Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2011. Despite big losing two of their best linemen, they do return 63 career starts. The returning players they have up front are right guard Lane Tayler and senior left guard Jonathan Rush.

Defense

The Cowboys were able to win the Big 12 last year despite subpar defense. They allowed 26.8 points and 457 total yards per game. Despite giving up so much yardage, this unit was able to come away with many key takeaways throughout the year. OSU finished +21 in turnover margin in 2011.

All-Big 12 DE Jamie Blatnick (50 tackles, 8 sacks) and DE Richetti Jones (33 tackles, 4 sacks) are moving on to the NFL. No defensive lineman had more than two sacks last year. That's unfortunate considering the Cowboys surrendered 185 yards and 4.4 per carry on the ground last year. Senior DE Nigel Nicholas (35 tackles, 2 sacks, 8 tackles for loss) and junior DT Anthony Rogers (21 tackles) are two of their most experienced linemen returning.

Linebacker will definitely be a position of strength for the Cowboys in 2012. This is mainly due to them having five of their top six guys coming back, including their #2, #3 and #6 tacklers. These are Alex Elkins (90 tackles), junior Caleb Lavey (74 tackles) and junior Shaun Lewis (61 tackles, 8 for loss). Gundy has boasted that this is his best linebacker corps yet.

OSU finished #2 in FBS with 24 interceptions a year ago. The secondary loses first-team All-Big 12 strong safety Markelle Martin, but brings back seven of their top eight defensive backs. Three starters return in first-team All-Big 12 corner Brodrick Brown (68 tackles, 15 pass break-ups, five INT), junior corner Justin Gilbert (59 tackles, 10 pass break-ups, five INT) and junior free safety Daytawion Lowe (97 tackles). The talent and depth this team has could make the Cowboys the top secondaries in the country.

Big 12 Prediction - 4th Place

While the defense should be improved, the offense is going to take such a big hit that there's very little chance the Cowboys contend for a repeat at the Big 12 title. QB Brandon Weeden and WR Justin Blackmon are huge losses to their team and they'll have a very hard time to replicate the success they had last year at the offensive end. They also lose two of their top linemen from one of the most underrated front fives in the country last year. OSU does have a manageable road schedule aside from a visit to Oklahoma. They have Texas, TCU and West Virginia at home, but it is highly unlikely that they win all three of those games. That's the reason why the Cowboys will have difficulty in contending for another conference championship.

2012 Oklahoma State Cowboys Season Predictions

Jack Jones posts his football picks at Betfirms.com as well as FootballFreePicks.com.