Big 12 Breakdown: Top QB battles

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Many of the teams in the Big 12 are coming back in 2017 with a familiar quarterback from last season. Some are getting things in order for a change next season, but in just about every case, what takes place this season will have implications on how each team recruits the position in 2018. Here is a look at where things stand with each team in the conference.

Replacing: Seth Russell

Names to know: Zach Smith, Anu Solomon

Breakdown: Smith is one of the players Bears fans are excited about heading into the fall. A true sophomore this season, Smith made the most of his time on the field at the end of last year when Russell went down with injury. He finished the season having completed nearly 60 percent of his passes for more than 1,500 yards with 13 touchdowns to seven interceptions. Solomon comes to Baylor as a grad transfer from Arizona, but Smith is the quarterback of the present and future. Lake Travis three-star passer Charlie Brewer was the Bears’ quarterback in the 2017 class, but shouldn’t be expected to factor in this season.

Replacing: None

Names to know: Jacob Park

Breakdown: Park, who ended last season as the Cyclones’ starting quarterback, has proven this spring that he will retain that job heading into this fall. Park took over last season after the offense wasn’t getting enough out of Joel Lanning, who is now moving to linebacker with Park’s emergence. Park had some wild moments in 2016, but there is no doubt he zapped some life into Iowa State’s offense once he was handed the reigns. Looking to the future, Iowa State has two redshirt freshman quarterbacks on the roster in Michael Frankl and Zeb Noland as well as 2017 signee Devon Moore. Moore finished his high school career with the highest Rivals Ranking of the three, as a 5.6 three-star prospect.

Replacing: None

Names to know: Peyton Bender, Stanley Carter

Breakdown: Someone will replace the quarterbacks from last season, but Jayhawks fans will agree that just about anything would be an upgrade. Quarterback was a severely unsettled spot for Kansas in 2016, but there is hope in the way of former Washington State quarterback Peyton Bender. Last season, at Itawamba Community College, Bender completed 65 percent of his passes for more than 2,700 yards with 21 touchdowns to just four interceptions. He should be the presumptive starter heading into this season, and hopefully the Jayhawks can show enough development on offense to keep 2018 quarterback commit Clayton Tune from looking elsewhere.

Replacing: None

Names to know: Jesse Ertz, Skylar Thompson

Breakdown: Ertz was the quarterback throughout the season last year and he was steady, despite not having eye-popping passing numbers. He did finish as the eighth-best rusher in the Big 12, with just over 1,000 yards on the ground and 12 touchdowns. Ertz earned the first shake at resuming his role from last season and can be expected to improve with the experience from last season under his belt. Not far behind him will be former four-star dual-threat prospect Thompson, who redshirted last season but also took co-scout team MVP honors last season.

Replacing: None

Names to know: Kyler Murray, Austin Kendall

Breakdown: Baker Mayfield returns for his final season with Oklahoma, but the Sooners have a stocked cupboard at the position to say the least. Murray wowed with his performance in the team’s spring game and seems ready to step in as the next man up. Kendall finished his high school career as a Rivals100 prospect, but appears to be coming along slowly with limited opportunity thus far. Oklahoma also bagged another Rivals100 quarterback in the 2017 class with Chris Robison, so whatever happens this season in Norman, it appears as though Bob Stoops has no shortage of options.

Replacing: None

Names to know: Mason Rudolph, John Kolar

Breakdown: Rudolph returns for one last rodeo with the Cowboys, and after last season’s 10-win season, and after the career he's had, it’s fair to say any quarterback should be confident in that offense. Kolar has been waiting in the wings the past few seasons for his turn as a former four-star prospect, and the Cowboys could have another future dynamic playmaker in 2017 signee Jelani Woods as well. Meanwhile, OSU has secured its 2018 quarterback in Denton, Texas, prospect passer Spencer Sanders.

Replacing: None

Names to know: Shane Buechele, Sam Ehlinger

Breakdown: Ehlinger has been getting his work in during the spring with the Longhorns, but it appears as though the offense is still very much Buechele’s to lead. After struggling through much of the Tyrone Swoopes era, both options offer much more promise, but Buechele’s experience from last year is something Texas fans are hoping pays dividends in his sophomore season. Assuming this week’s commitment of Casey Thompson sticks, the Longhorns will have landed a Rivals250 quarterback in each of the last three recruiting classes.

Replacing: None

Names to know: Kenny Hill, Shawn Robinson

Breakdown: Hill wasn’t the most consistent quarterback last season, but he returns for 2017 in the same role with Robinson listed behind him on the depth chart coming out of the spring. For most of the time that he was a rankable prospect, Robinson had been a Rivals250 quarterback, but throughout that time has also shown his own inconsistencies as a passer and fell out of the final rankings. If Hill falters, Robinson could be primed to earn some playing time this season. TCU hasn’t been hard after many quarterbacks in 2018, but Rivals100 passer Justin Rogers is thought to be favoring the Horned Frogs and would in turn, likely push Robinson down the road, should he commit.

Replacing: Patrick Mahomes

Names to know: Nic Shimonek, Jett Duffey, McLane Carter, Xavier Martin

Breakdown: With Mahomes off to the NFL Draft after compiling some prolific seasons for the Red Raiders, Texas Tech could have the most compelling quarterback situation in the conference. Shimonek is entering his senior season and had some bright spots filling in for Mahomes when he was out with injury. Redshirt freshman Jett Duffey missed the spring due to a university-mandated suspension, but is expected to be the team's backup quarterback when he returns to campus in August. JUCO transfer McLane Carter and true freshman early enrollee Xavier Martin showed flashes this spring of what they can bring to the program down the line.

Replacing: Skyler Howard

Names to know: Will Grier

Breakdown: The Mountaineers' quarterback situation does not appear to be very strong heading into the 2017 season. Howard was strong last season, but head coach Dana Holgorsen now turns the offense over to Florida transfer Will Grier. Beyond Grier, WVU only has two other quarterbacks on its roster after not signing one in 2017, and with Thompson’s commitment to Texas, have only offered one 2018 quarterback in three-star Kevin Doyle that hasn’t already committed elsewhere.