As Charlie Strong has learned in two years as Texas coach, the Big 12 is not a conference for a team trying to find an offensive identity. In a league filled with fast-paced spread attacks, it is difficult to hide deficiencies at quarterback.So before diving into identifying six pivotal players in the Big 12 this season, it should be noted: It is a given that whomever plays quarterback (sophomore Jerrod Heard or freshman Shane Buechele) for the Longhorns could end up as the most important player in the conference.As usual, the Big 12 has some star quarterbacks. None bigger than Oklahomas Baker Mayfield. Though Oklahoma States Mason Rudolph and Texas Techs Patrick Mahomes will likely put up numbers to rival the Sooners Heisman Trophy contender.Looking past the stars, here six players whose performances will be pivotal for their Big 12 teams in 2016.Denzel Johnson, S, TCUJohnson is one of those of those hybrid-type defensive players that every good defense needs when facing spread offenses. Looks like a safety (6-foot-2, 205 pounds), often plays like a linebacker up near the line of scrimmage (two sacks, eight passes broken up, 11 1/2 tackles for loss). While the Horned Frogs retool their offense this season, a defense that ranked second in the Big 12 in yards per play allowed (5.16) can help pick up any necessary slack, with Johnson as a prominent playmaker.Seth Russell, QB, BaylorRussell is coming off neck surgery that ended his 2015 season just as he was starting to get rolling (2,104 yards and 29 touchdown passes). Hes been cleared to play, but the senior hasnt taken a hit since last season. Making Russells recovery even more vital is the fact that Jarrett Stidham, last seasons promising freshman backup, has decided to transfer. The Bears are a hard team to predict after a tumultuous offseason, but this much is certain: Russell must be as good as new for Baylor to have any shot to finish near the top of the Big 12.Ian Sadler, WR, Texas TechJakeem Grant, maybe the fastest player in college football last year, is gone and the Red Raiders need to replace 1,268 yards and 10 touchdowns from their inside receivers. No one is saying Sadler (42 catches for 596 yards and three touchdowns) needs to double his production and make up for what Grant did alone. But Mahomes will need reliable slot guys who can turn a short gain into a big one occasionally and either Sadler or Cameron Batson will be asked to fill that role.Rushel Shell, RB, West VirginiaShell is a bruiser at 220 pounds and a former four-star recruit. Hes been a good player for the Mountaineers, sharing carries the last two seasons but never emerging as the best of a bunch. With Wendell Smallwood (and his 1,519 yards rushing) gone, Shell is the go-to-guy. The senior will be running behind one of the best lines in the league, too.Charles Walker, DE, OklahomaThe Sooners were second in the Big 12 in sacks last season with 39, but Erik Striker and Charles Tapper (combined 14.5 sacks) need to be replaced. That means a bigger role for Walker (six sacks in 2015). The Sooners will need the junior to turn into a terror. At 6-foot-2, 305 pounds, he has the potential to be the best defensive lineman in the conference.Michael Wilson, OG, Oklahoma StateThe Cowboys running game was awful last season (3.58 yards per rush, ninth in the conference) and a line filled with new starters was a big part of the problem. The good news is all those guys are back with a year of experience. Or is that the bad news? Singling out Wilson is not entirely fair. The whole group needs to play better, and maybe the senior can lead the way.----Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP Air Jordan 11 Retro Low Cheap . 1 position. The Mustangs (6-0), who beat Queens 50-31 last weekend, earned 17 first-place votes and 287 points in voting by the Football Reporters of Canada. Western was last ranked first in the country in October 2011. Cheap Jordan 11 2019 . As he recorded his 23rd and 24th points of the evening, a segment of the sellout Air Canada Centre crowd expressed their appreciation for the Raptors point guard with a smattering of MVP chants. http://www.cheapairjordan11.com/ . Peter Gammons, an analyst for Major League Baseballs network and website, drew the ire of hockey fans on Sunday when he criticized the two NHL teams on Twitter for their physical game the night before. Jordan 11 For Sale Cheap . Scott Kazmir allowed four hits in seven shutout innings, Michael Brantley hit a two-run homer in a three-run first inning and the Indians maintained their hold on an AL wild-card spot with a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday night. Cheap Air Jordan 11 For Sale . Goals from Jerome Boateng, Franck Ribery and Thomas Mueller extended Bayerns unbeaten run to a record 37 matches. "This record is incredible," Bayern coach Pep Guardiola said. There was Mike Gundys mullet. There were guarantees gone bad. There was Kiffin vs. Saban. And there was Harbaugh. Oh, there was Harbaugh.If there were any fears that the first full year without Steve Spurrier would lead to a drop-off in great quotes, that was quickly put to rest. So grab a glass of whole milk, put on your Woody Hayes/Michael Douglas in Falling Down/Malcolm X tribute glasses and enjoy the best one-liners of the season.Jim Harbaugh on ...His state of mind Not crazy.Enemies and jive turkeys A lot of this [Harbaugh to NFL] talk is coming from our enemies. They like to tell that to the recruits and to their families and try to manipulate them into going to some other school besides Michigan, but we know them as jive turkeys.?The refs in the Ohio State game If you throw a hat, if you throw your script toward your sideline, thats a penalty? The lineman said, It is in basketball. I said, This isnt basketball. He told me that he officiates basketball. I dont know the relevance. He said it would have been a technical in basketball.His teams health We had some sickly youngsters last week. Weve got to build some immune systems -- more pushups, more whole milk.His new glasses This style in particular is a tip of the cap, a nod to Woody Hayes, to Michael Douglas in the movie Falling Down and also to Malcolm X, in honor of those three men.His time on a high school chain gang They needed a guy, and I was promised a tri-tip steak sandwich at halftime. That was all I needed to hear.The Tao of Mike Gundys mulletBilly Ray Cyrus ... Coach Gundy rockin the mullet? Yeah, shows class -- and brass!Oklahoma State DC Glenn Spencer ... I just love looking at it every day. Its one of the highlights of my day to see where its coming down his neck and touching his collar and how its below the collar.Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield ... Its ferocious. Its very dirty. Youve got to respect that hes rocking it.Oklahoma State TE Zac Veatch ... I thought, Well, maybe he hasnt gotten a haircut in a while. That was the last I saw of it all summer. Then he comes in for preseason camp and Im thinking, Thats a mullet. Thats a full-blown mullet. Thats not a mistake. Thats mullet.Guarantees gone wrongBasically, this guy should stop talking I think they have a really basic defense. I think we can go out there, Baker, him, hell light them up. Im really looking forward to it. If my numbers called, I think I can do the same. -- Oklahoma freshman QB Austin Kendall before losing 45-24 to Ohio StateCoach Stoops, your thoughts? Ridiculous comments. I dont know what he couldve been watching.Champions of making Florida look bad Nobody has ever seen a duck pull a truck. Florida Gators are going to win, simple as that. Thats it on that. Any other questions? -- Florida CB Quincy Wilson before Tennessee beat the Gators 38-28Its as simple as this: Tennessee plays Florida every year -- either in Gainesville or in Knoxville -- and at Florida, we win. At the end of the day, the University of Florrida is going to beat the University of Tennessee.dddddddddddd Thats the culture, thats history. Thats whats going to happen. Some things just continue to take place, and one of those things is the University of Florida beats the University of Tennessee in football. -- Florida CB Teez TaborWell, the defense did play well, I suppose I really see us dominating this offense. I really see us dominating this team. -- LSUs Dwayne Thomas before losing 10-0 to AlabamaBest of the restThis is what $20,000 worth of a ref rant sounds like But your cake lost to Kansas I baked the cake at Texas. Now its Tom Hermans job to put icing on the cake and win a lot of games. -- Charlie Strong at his South Florida introductory news conferenceNot quite Jesus, girls and Marcus Mariota, but well take it Every day, I go to bed and thank God for three things: my wife, my children and Clancy Pendergast. -- USC coach Clay HeltonWhy did Lane take a pay cut to work at Florida Atlantic? Oh. There are no arguments. Those are called ass-chewings. -- Nick SabanYoure not helping, Jonathan We have a personal mission each practice to get Coach Saban to chew [Lane Kiffin] out. -- Alabama DL Jonathan AllenThis is why they call him No Chill Schill (No one calls him that) I told him I can only give him one bit of advice which probably everyone in the state of Oregon can give him, which is: Go find a great defensive coordinator. -- Oregon president Michael Schills advice for new coach Willie TaggartNeither is all that delicious catering Was all this gathering of information a waste of time? Gathering information is never a waste of time. -- Oklahoma president David Boren, after the Big 12s no-expansion vote after months of deliberatingSomeone learned something from Mike Leach Youre trying to be tough because everybody thinks that because you live in Westwood and wear baby blue that youre not tough. It makes you look less tough because youre trying too hard. -- Washington State WR Gabe Marks on UCLA warming up on Wazzus side of the fieldWe want Bama? I wasnt holding the sign. -- Washington coach Chris Petersen Maybe the committee knew youd eventually lose to Kentucky? Its sad because theres something called sportsmanship, but maybe I made a mistake. Maybe looking back at it, in Florida State [a 63-20 win Sept. 17], we should have kept all the starters in and scored 80 points and did that. But I dont understand why its like that. I really dont. -- Louisville coach Bobby Petrino after initial playoff rankings had his team at No. 7It was a fierce battle Mac strikes back It just shocks me that somebody would question the Gators, and the way I look at it, [the LSU Tigers] got what they deserved. And it should have been worse. -- Florida coach Jim McElwain after beating LSU in a postponed game after some in the Tigers administration said the Gators were afraid to play. Cheap Jerseys Store Cheap Jerseys Store Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Cheap Stitched Jerseys Cheap NFL Gear Wholesale NFL Womens Jerseys Cheap NFL Black Jerseys Cheap NFL Autographed Jerseys Wholesale Stitched Jerseys Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys NFL Jerseys Outlet Youth NFL Jerseys Cheap Cheap Jerseys Throwback Wholesale NFL Autographed Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys ' ' '