Hey, Geno Smith, welcome to the Big 12, kid, where expectations for quarterbacks are through the roof and Heisman campaigns are the norm.
Smith arrives in Dallas for Big 12 media days on Tuesday tabbed the preseason offensive player of the year. With such an honor comes the Texas-sized tag as an expected Heisman finalist. The Big 12 has had a QB win the Heisman trophy twice in the last four years -- Sam Bradford in 2008 and Robert Griffin III last season -- and the Big 12 has also sent five signal callers to New York in the last five seasons.
No pressure, Geno.
Outside of Smith, the teams featured at Day Two of the Big 12 media days have questions swirling about their quarterback situation.
Here are the top five storylines (all quarterback-related, of course) heading into Tuesday.
1. Can Smith live up to the hype?
Smith is not the only Big 12 quarterback in the Heisman conversation. Oklahoma's Landry Jones and K-State's Collin Kleinhad the spotlight on Monday and will be nipping at Smith’s heels all year.
Smith's numbers were certainly impressive -- 4,385 passing yards for the season and a record six touchdowns in the Orange Bowl -- but those numbers came against a much weaker Big East. The Big 12 isn't exactly a quarterback's nightmare, but will Smith be able to repeat against better competition? And how will he handle the spotlight?
2. Who is playing quarterback at Texas?
Texas played musical chairs at quarterback last season with junior Case McCoy and sophomore David Ashtaking turns leading the offense. The Longhorns averaged a respectable 28 points per game, but that's not going to cut it in the Big 12.
So will the two split duties again this year? The thinking in Austin is Ash is the favorite to start. Maybe Mack Brown will put his fans' anticipation at ease and give a hint on Tuesday.
3. Cowboys replacing a man at QB
How do you replace a 28-year-old machine at quarterback? Oklahoma State is going young. Much younger.
True freshman QB Wes Lunt won the starting job in the spring after graduating early and enrolling in January. (Check out his bio pic; he’s definitely 18.) Lunt replaces Brandon Weeden, who threw for 4,727 yards and 37 touchdowns last season.
The question offensive mastermind Mike Gundy is sure to get Tuesday: How do you plan to take the pressure off the young Mr. Lunt?
4. How to replace RG3?
Think Wes Lunt has it tough? Baylor senior QB Nick Florencehas to replace the Heisman trophy winner.
Robert Griffin III took Baylor to its first 10-win season as a member of the Big 12. Now the challenge for Florence and coach Art Briles is keeping the Bears in the top half of the conference.
5. Can Charlie Weis and his newold QB turn around the Jayhawks?
When Charlie Weis took the Kansas job, one of the first things he did was go to work recruiting Dayne Cristto join him in Lawrence.
Crist, who went to Notre Dame to play for Weis, decided to take on the rebuilding project instead of trying to duplicate Russell Wilson’s one-year splash at Wisconsin.
In Lawrence, fans are hoping Weis and Crist can just make Kansas respectable again. Expect Weis to spend Tuesday explaining how the Jayhawks have a long way to go, but they at least have a chance because of Crist.
