Big 12 Devy Year in Review

Xavier Worthy

Rob Willette Posted On December 22, 2021

We are mere weeks away from flipping the calendar to 2022. With the end of each year comes an opportunity to look back and see what went right, what went wrong, and what was just truly unexpected. Much like Spotify Wrapped, I’ll look back on 2021 to see what transpired and which devy assets had their managers singing along to their favorite tunes.

The Big 12 missed out on the College Football Playoff in 2021. Oklahoma’s dream season never came to fruition, with Baylor toppling the league’s only CFP hope in Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Title game. There was a large set of good, yet not great teams in a league ready to go undergo some serious overhauls. Of course, there were many significant individual performances, as outlined below.

WHAT WENT RIGHT

Deuce Vaughn Taking The Next Step

The diminutive Deuce Vaughn captured the nation’s attention during his freshman season, operating as a big-play machine for the Wildcats, both in the running and passing game. Many treated him as simply a novelty; a cute story confined to the college ranks. Such is life when you’re perhaps generously listed at 5’6” and well under 200 pounds.

Yet all Vaughn has done since arriving in Manhattan is dominate. He piled up over 1,700 total yards in 2021, once again proving to be unstoppable whether being handed the football or absorbing one of his 47 receptions. He has the skills you’d expect out of a diminutive back, with elite burst, incredible elusiveness and home-run speed. He also runs with power, a fact which surprises many defenders who fail to bring him down on first contact.

Vaughn is sure to be a polarizing prospect, and he won’t be for everyone. He would be a serious outlier if he hits at a high level. I am willing to buy the notion he is a unicorn, however. He is electric and plays like a man who knows there is doubt in every corner.

Xavier Worthy’s Freshman Season

Texas is not back, but it is no fault of Worthy’s. He was incredible, establishing himself as one of the nation’s premier playmakers as a true freshman. His explosive speed and ability to embarrass defenders off the line were on display each week, as he flirted with the 1,000-yard mark for a Texas team that found itself in a lot of shootouts.

His real breakout effort came in the Red River shootout, as he eviscerated Oklahoma to the tune of 261 yards to go along with a pair of scores. It was Worthy’s coronation as a star in the Longhorns’ biggest game of the year. The Fresno native has all the makings of a future Biletnikoff winner and premier draft prospect. If he can add weight to his lithe, 160-pound frame without losing explosiveness, he could fight to be the first receiver off the board in 2024.

WHAT WENT WRONG

Spencer Rattler’s Heisman Campaign

The Sooners entered the year with massive expectations, perhaps none bigger than thrust on the shoulders of Spencer Rattler. After all, Sooner quarterbacks are synonymous with big production. Lincoln Riley has a well-earned reputation as a quarterback whisperer and a man who can help quarterbacks achieve their dreams.

It just didn’t happen for Rattler. He scuffled through the early season before losing his job to Caleb Williams in October. After a promising 2020, Rattler’s play fell across the board. It was a serious fall for a prospect many were taking first overall in devy superflex drafts.

It is far too early to close the book on Rattler’s career. He will have a new opportunity at South Carolina, and the obvious arm talent and plus mobility remain. To his credit, he also seems to have matured since his stint on QB1: Beyond The Lights, where his personality turned many people off. His 2022 in Columbia will be a fascinating storyline.

Brock Purdy Cementing His Draft Status

Purdy has had a decorated career in Ames. He has been a big part in helping Matt Campbell establish a quality program, and he was a big win on the recruiting trail for Campbell. Yet he never really ascended from good college quarterback to premier NFL prospect, as many had hoped.

Purdy has been the same steady, quality collegiate quarterback for four years, yet it is fair to question if he has NFL starter upside. He does many things at an above-average clip, though may not have a true trump card in the deck. There’s no shame in being a long-term backup at the NFL level, but there was first-round buzz after Purdy took over as a starter and performed well as a true freshman. His descent is a dent in an uninspiring quarterback class.

WHAT WAS UNEXPECTED

Kansas Showing Signs Of Life

It feels odd lending kudos to a 2-10 football team, yet it is the state of the Kansas football program where even minor improvements can warrant attention. It was a very typical season for Kansas, as they sat at 1-8 prior to a trip to Austin. The Jayhawks went into Texas and beat the Longhorns for the first time ever in Austin. They then closed the season by playing competitive games against TCU and West Virginia.

While Texas was no juggernaut this year, they were 31-point favorites, and it was the type of win that may hint at better things to come for Kansas. Early signs of a changing tide may have come in 2021 recruiting cycle, when new head coach Lance Leipold convinced local star Devin Neal to stay home despite many bigger programs in the Midwest showing strong interest.

Neal responded by pacing the team in rushing, the rare Jayhawk to be of interest to devy owners. Kansas also worked the Transfer Portal well, with many Buffalo Bulls following Leipold to Lawrence, along with players from more prominent programs looking for a bigger opportunity. Leipold can coach, and he has proven it everywhere he has been. Kansas may finally have something moving in a positive direction.

LOOKING AHEAD

The Big 12 is a league in transition. Oklahoma and Texas are leaving for the SEC, with an expected arrival of 2025, though it is entirely possible it happens sooner. In their place, the conference will welcome BYU, Central Florida, Houston, and Cincinnati. The newcomers keep the league respectable, though it cannot be understated how much losing the two flagship programs hurts.

There will be a power vacuum when the two teams leave. Baylor looks to remain strong under Dave Aranda, but another strong season in 2022 could make him a hot coaching candidate. Oklahoma State has been consistent under Gundy yet has failed to win some of the really critical games late in the year. Texas Tech has some momentum under Joey McGuire, a man with a reputation as a strong recruiter.

It remains to be seen who will step up to become a power in the conference. For now, they return Caleb Williams, Bijan Robinson and Xavier Worthy as legitimate stars. TCU’s Zach Evans is in the Transfer Portal, though TCU is putting on the full-court press under new Head Coach Sonny Dykes. If Evans remains, he is another skill position star in the conference. His former teammate – Quentin Johnston – is quietly one of the nation’s better receivers. With or without the Longhorns and Sooners, the Big 12 still has talent and intrigue.