Every summer college football coaches, players, fans and writers tout their experience — or note their inexperience. But did offensive experience matter in the Big 12 last season?
Last year, the five Big 12 teams with the highest percentage of returning yards combined for one more victory from 2015 to 2016. The lowest five teams combined for four fewer victories.
Obviously, there are dozens — if not hundreds — of other factors that impact win increases or declines from year to year, but still it's an interesting breakdown:
| No. | Team | Yards Returning in 2016 | 2015 Record | 2016 Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 81.2% | 5-7 | 5-7 |
| 2 | Baylor | 79.9% | 10-3 | 7-6 |
| 3 | Oklahoma | 78.1% | 11-2 | 11-2 |
| 4 | West Virginia | 76.3% | 8-5 | 10-3 |
| 5 | Kansas | 75.2% | 0-12 | 2-10 |
| 6 | Kansas State | 75.9% | 6-7 | 9-4 |
| 7 | Oklahoma State | 74.3% | 10-3 | 10-3 |
| 8 | Texas Tech | 71% | 7-6 | 5-7 |
| 9 | Iowa State | 62.3% | 3-9 | 3-9 |
| 10 | TCU | 33.1% | 11-2 | 6-7 |
What will happen in 2017?
MORE: Iowa State is Most Generous Big 12 Team With 2018 Offers; Texas is Most Stingy
Though there are more Big 12 teams among the top FBS teams with highest percentage of yards returning, there are also more teams among the lowest. For example, last year, TCU was the only team with less than 60 percent, whereas there are five teams below 60 percent entering 2017. And after having zero teams above 90 percent in 2016, two teams are above 90 this year.
Here's a full ranking of Big 12 teams with the highest percentage of yards returning (via Phil Steele).
[divider]
10. West Virginia – 34.4%
Last year, TCU ranked last in the Big 12 with 33.1 percent of yardage returning. They went from 11-2 to 6-7. Can West Virginia avoid a similar drop?
The Mountaineers lost quarterback Skyler Howard (3,328 passing yards) and their top two receivers — Shelton Gibson (951 receiving yards) and Daikiel Shorts (984). They do return 1,100-yard rusher Justin Crawford and senior receiver Ka'Raun White (583).
[divider]
9. Texas Tech – 37.8%
Patrick Mahomes and his FBS-leading 5,052 passing yards are gone to the NFL. And 1,100-yard receiver Jonathan Giles transferred to LSU after spring ball.
Texas Tech does, however, return three receivers that combined for 2,209 yards — Keke Coutee, Dylan Cantrell and Cameron Batson.
[divider]
8. Baylor – 47%
Baylor won three fewer games in 2016 despite bringing back nearly 80 percent of their offensive production.
The Bears now fall below 50 percent after the losses of quarterback Seth Russell (2,632 total yards), running back Shock Linwood (757) and receiver K.D. Cannon (1,215), among others.
[divider]
7. Kansas – 53.2%
Kansas lost two quarterbacks to transfer (Ryan Willis and Montell Cozart) when it became clear neither would start over promising sophomore Carter Stanley or JUCO transfer Peyton Barber. Cozart and Willis combined for 1,969 total yards. They also lost 700-yard rusher Ke'aun Kinner.
The bulk of the returning offense comes from Stanley (1,083 total yards) and receivers Steven Sims Jr. and Laquvionte Gonzalez (1,570 combined total yards).
[divider]
6. Oklahoma 55%
Oklahoma returns 55 percent of their yardage despite losing two 1,000-yard backs in Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon and 1,500-yard receiver Dede Westbrook to the NFL. Heisman candidate Baker Mayfield is responsible for most of their returning production. He had over 4,000 total yards in 2016.
[divider]
5. Texas – 65.7%
The biggest chunk of lost yards for Texas comes from D'Onta Foreman, who took his 2,103 total yards to the NFL one season early.
Shane Buechele and his 2,958 passing yards are back, along with his top two receivers in Amanti Foreman (420 yards) and Devin Duvernay (412).
[divider]
4. Oklahoma State – 78.5%
Oklahoma State joined the playoff conversation when Mason Rudolph and James Washington announced they'd return for a final season. Washington accounted for 1,380 of Rudolph's 4,091 passing yards. Junior receiver Jalen McCleskey also returns after an 800-yard season, and Justice Hill is back at running back (1,142 yards).
[divider]
3. Kansas State – 79%
Dual-threat quarterback Jesse Ertz returns for his senior season after leading the Wildcats in rushing in 2016 with 1,012 yards. Running back Charles Jones and his 726 total yards are gone, but both Justin Simon and Alex Barnes are back (908 combined yards).
[divider]
2. TCU – 91.3%
Senior running back Kyle Hicks leads the Horned Frogs' returning offensive playmakers. He exploded for 1,459 total yards in 2016, more than doubling his combined total from his first two seasons.
Quarterback Kenny Hill gets his top seven receiving targets back too.
[divider]
1. Iowa State – 92.7%
Iowa State returns almost everyone on offense from a three-win team, led by All-Big 12 receiver Allen Lazard and two running backs in David Montgomery and Mike Warren. The latter two combined for 1,122 rushing yards on 243 carries.
The Cyclones' have the sixth-highest percentage of returning yards in the FBS.
