Nine years ago, the decade of Big 12 football began with 12 members in two divisions, Nebraska and Missouri sitting atop the Big 12 North Division, and Justin Blackmon and Prince Amukamara taking home Player of the Year awards on their respective sides of the ball.
Nine years later, 10 members play a round-robin schedule in a league without divisions, Nebraska and Missouri are long gone, and Justin Blackmon and Prince Amukamara remain two of the best players in conference history. And both Blackmon and Amukamara are on the Big 12 Football All-Decade Team entering 2019.
Which active players could join them on the All-Decade Team with a huge performance in 2019?
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Head Coach
Bob Stoops, Oklahoma (1999-2016)
Lincoln Riley is the conference's best active coach, and Mike Gundy is the only coach to lead his program (as a Big 12 program) through the entire decade, but Bob Stoops is the best coach of the decade. He averaged more than 10 wins per season and won four conference titles from 2010-16.
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Quarterback
Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma (2013-17)
Baker Mayfield set the FBS record for consecutive games with multiple touchdown passes (27) and ranks in the top 10 nationally in career touchdown passes (131), total offense (15,690 yards) and passing yards (14,607). The 2017 Heisman Trophy winner earns the spot over Robert Griffin III, Patrick Mahomes II and others.
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Running Backs
Samaje Perine, Oklahoma (2014-16)
One week after Melvin Gordon broke the FBS record for most rushing yards in a single game (407) in 2014, Oklahoma freshman Samaje Perine set the new record with 427 yards vs. Kansas. He had at least 1,000 rushing yards in each of his three seasons and is one of only seven Big 12 players with 4,000 career rushing yards
Lache Seastrunk, Baylor (2010-13)
The only Big 12 player to average at least seven yards per carry (on at least 130 carries) in back-to-back seasons, Lache Seastrunk racked up 2,189 rushing yards on only 289 carries in two seasons. He scored a touchdown on every 16 carries and ran for at least 100 yards in every career game in which he had more than 15 carries.
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Fullback
Dimitri Flowers, Oklahoma (2014-17)
Dimitri Flowers gets the nod over former Oklahoma teammate Aaron Ripkowski (and Kansas State fullbacks Winston Dimel and Glenn Gronkowski). An elite run-blocker and capable receiver, Flowers' 13 receiving touchdowns still rank first in program history (tied with DeMarco Murray) among running backs or fullbacks.
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Wide Receivers
Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State (2009-11)
Justin Blackmon had 3,304 receiving yards over his final two seasons, the highest two-year total in Big 12 history. He was a two-time Biletnikoff Award winner (the second back-to-back winner ever) and the 2010 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.
James Washington, Oklahoma State (2014-17)
James Washington ranks second in all-time Big 12 receiving yards and fifth in receiving touchdowns. He averaged at least 19 yards per reception over three straight 1,000-yard seasons and averaged one touchdown every six receptions.
Tyler Lockett, Kansas State (2011-14)
One of the best all-purpose skill players in college football history, Tyler Lockett was a two-time First-Team All-American and had 29 career receiving touchdowns and six career return scores. He averaged 19 yards per punt return in 2014, the conference's second-highest average in the last 19 seasons.
MAP: Hometowns of Big 12 Players
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Tight End
Jace Amaro, Texas Tech (2011-13)
A two-time First-Team All-Big 12 selection and 2013 consensus First-Team All-American, Jace Amaro earns the All-Decade spot over former Oklahoma tight end Mark Andrews. Amaro set the FBS tight end single-season reception record with 106 (for 1,352 yards) in 2013.
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Offensive Linemen
Orlando Brown, Oklahoma (2014-17)
Orlando Brown made 40 career starts and is one of only three players to be named Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year multiple times (2016, 2017).
Dalton Risner, Kansas State (2014-18)
A three-year captain, three-time all-conference lineman and 2018 Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year, Dalton Risner started 50 of Kansas State's 51 games from 2014-18.
Spencer Drango, Baylor (2011-15)
One of the three players to earn multiple Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year awards, Spencer Drango was a two-time All-American and one of the best run-blockers in college football history. He helped Baylor averaged 5.9 yards per carry in 2015.
Cyril Richardson, Baylor (2009-13)
Cyril Richardson is the other player to earn multiple Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year awards. A dominant guard, Richardson anchored a Baylor offense that led the nation in total yards in 2013 (and finished second in 2012).
Kelechi Osemele, Iowa State (2007-11)
Despite only playing two years this decade, Kelechi Osemele gets the final spot over Ben Powers, Connor Williams, Le'Raven Clark and others. The Houston native was a steady tackle for his first three seasons before dominating as a senior in 2011.
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Defensive Linemen
Jordan Willis, Kansas State (2013-16)
Jordan Willis had 24 sacks over his final three seasons, including 11.5 (tying the program record) as Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2016. He had 31.5 tackles for loss over his final two seasons.
Emmanuel Ogbah, Oklahoma State (2013-15)
One of only three players in Big 12 history with at least 27 career sacks, Emmanuel Ogbah was the first-ever Oklahoma State player named Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year (2014, 2015). He's the only Big 12 player this decade to have at least 10 sacks in back-to-back seasons.
Malcom Brown, Texas (2012-14)
Malcom Brown, Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2014, was a dominant interior player over his final two seasons at Texas. Over that time, he had 24 tackles for loss, six pass deflections and 8.5 tackles for loss.
Jackson Jeffcoat, Texas (2010-13)
One of four Big 12 players with 50 career tackles for loss, Jackson Jeffcoat was a consensus First-Team All-American and won the Ted Hendricks Award (nation's top defensive end) and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2013.
MORE: Worst Hires in Big 12 History
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Linebackers
Arthur Brown, Kansas State (2011-12)
Arthur Brown returned to his home state in 2011 (after two seasons at Miami) was among the best defenders in college football for the next two years. A First-Team All-American, Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and Bednarik Award semifinalist in 2012, Brown finished his two-year Kansas State career with 201 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss and nine passes defended.
A.J. Klein, Iowa State (2009-12)
The 1,263rd-ranked recruit in the 2009 class, A.J. Klein was a three-time all-conference selection and Big 12 Co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2011. He had 233 tackles over his final two seasons.
Von Miller, Texas A&M (2007-10)
Von Miller played one season this decade. That one season was one of the most impressive in Big 12 history. Despite constant double- and triple-teams after recording 17 sacks as a junior in 2009, Miller still had 10.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss and won the Butkus Award (nation's top linebacker) in 2010.
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Defensive Backs
Justin Gilbert, Oklahoma State (2010-13)
The Big 12's only consensus First-Team All-American defensive back since 2010, Justin Gilbert had 12 interceptions over his final three seasons at Oklahoma State, including seven (and two return touchdowns) in 2013.
Jason Verrett, TCU (2011-13)
A two-time First-Team All-Big 12 cornerback and 2013 Co-Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, Jason Verrett led the nation in passes defended from 2012-13 (38).
Prince Amukamara, Nebraska (2007-10)
Like Von Miller, Nebraska cornerback Prince Amukamara played one dominant season this decade. As a senior in 2010, he had at least two pass breakups in five different games and was a First-Team All-American, Jim Thorpe Award finalist and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year.
Kenny Vaccaro, Texas (2009-12)
Kenny Vaccaro appeared in 51 games over his four seasons, including 26 consecutive starts from 2011-12. A two-time First-Team All-Big 12 safety, Vaccaro had 189 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 17 passes defended over his final two seasons.
MORE: Best Hires in Big 12 History
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Punter
Michael Dickson, Texas (2015-17)
Michael Dickson is the only Big 12 punter to average at least 47 yards per punt this decade. He did it twice, the only Big 12 punter to do so. He owns the second- and third-best single-season punting averages (47.4 yards in both 2016 and 2017) in conference history.
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Kicker
Jaden Oberkrom, TCU (2012-15)
Jaden Oberkrom owns the Big 12 record for most career field goals (79), converted 214 of 216 career PAT attempts and was 79-for-100 on field goals. He hit all three attempts over 50 yards as a senior in 2015.
