5:35 p.m. update: By Jesse Newell

Here’s a video that wraps up the second day of Big 12 media days.

3:06 p.m. update: By Jesse Newell

Remember that weird story out of Lubbock last year when Texas Tech quarterback Taylor Potts wore the name “Nick” on the back of his uniform in honor of former Kansas University linebacker Nick Reid?

Potts said he still doesn’t know why he did it. See the video below.

Most likely, it was a strange way of TTU coach Mike Leach throwing his support towards embattled KU coach Mark Mangino.

Pott’s “Nick” name didn’t treat him too badly, though: He threw for 388 yards in TTU’s 41-13 thumping of Oklahoma on Nov. 21.

2:30 p.m. update: By Eric Sorrentino

For instant updates from Big 12 media days, including the news conference with commissioner Dan Beebe that’s going on right now, follow us on Twitter. Matt Tait has had some interesting updates; his account name is mctait. My feed is Big12_Spotlight.

2:10 p.m. update: By Jesse Newell

Kansas State coach Bill Snyder now has a cell phone. He also admitted Tuesday he has learned how to text.

Perhaps not everyone is thrilled about this development.

In the video below, running back Daniel Thomas talks about Snyder’s funny and persistent texting habits.

1:43 p.m. update: By Matt Tait

All four teams are finished talking for the day and we’re now waiting to hear from Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe, who is scheduled to speak at 2 p.m.

I have to admit, waiting for Beebe to speak has given me some wicked flashbacks to June and the whole conference realignment debacle. It’s crazy to think how much different this year’s Big 12 media days would have been had the conference not found a way to survive. The teams still would have come to Dallas because, as is the situation with Colorado and Nebraska, the departures would not have taken place until after this season.

There have been a lot of smiles and handshakes down here this week. I would imagine the atmosphere would’ve been much more funeral-like if things had gone down differently.

Great stuff from both the Missouri and K-State crews today about their outlook for the season and their respective rivalries with Kansas. Members from both schools were very respectful and complimentary of Turner Gill, perhaps largely because they don’t know what to expect from him just yet.

More to come after Beebe speaks… Should be interesting.

12:30 p.m. update: By Eric Sorrentino

Brief shout-out to Raider, a Texas Tech fan and loyal LJWorld.com/KUsports.com commenter.

Under former coach Mike Leach, Texas Tech always had the most colorful quotes at media days. I thought that may change under new coach Tommy Tuberville, but that wasn’t really the case. Red Raiders players and their coach were pretty candid today in Irving, Texas.

Some highlights:

• Senior quarterback Steven Sheffield said he initially wanted former TTU defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeil to be the head coach after Leach was fired. Tuberville made a believer out of Sheffield in his first meeting with the quarterback. Tuberville apparently had a discussion that never happened under Leach.

“After the first meeting, I was sold,” Sheffield said of Tuberville. “The first thing he told us was he was trying to win a Big 12 Championship. That was something that never was brought up before. Championships were not talked about in the Leach era. It was win one game a week, play the next play, which is a good thing. If you win one game a week, you’ll win the national championship. But sometimes it’s good to have your goal out there and be like, ‘Hey, we’re trying to win the Big 12 and let’s remember that.'”

• Tuberville did not name a starting quarterback between seniors Sheffield and Taylor Potts. Not surprising. The first-year coach did offer this tidbit:

“We will not have rotating quarterbacks,” Tuberville said. “I don’t believe in having one guy go out one series and one the next. We won’t do that.”

Tuberville joked about the QB battle: “We’re going to have a vote, and have you (media) pick out a starter.”

Put me down for Sheffield.

Here’s a comparison between the two quarterbacks from last season:

Potts: 12 games, 3,440 yards, 22 TD’s, 13 INT’s; 65.7 percent completion percentage and efficiency rating of 137.1.

Sheffield: 6 games, 1,219 yards, 14 TD’s, 4 INT’s; 74.3 percent completion percentage and efficiency rating of 177.6.

In games Potts started, TTU was 5-5.

In games Sheffield started, TTU was 2-0.

Seth Doege also started once (against KU), so he was 1-0.

• Sheffield on his relationship with Potts: “We’re cordial to each other. We’re not the best of friends, but we’re not arch enemies or anything like that. We understand we’re both competing for the spot. It’s business and we have to be professional about it. I think it’d be a waste of time if we went around writing hateful messages to each other or slipping them into lockers or something like that.”

• Potts on his case to be the starter: “I think I have everything that coach is looking for. I think I have everything the coaches are looking for to lead this team. I think I’ve worked on my leadership abilities this summer. Now, it’s just go out and do that on the field and it’ll be all right.”

• Tuberville on the Red Raiders’ new offensive scheme: “I’d probably say 60/40, pass to run.”

11:24 a.m. update: By Jesse Newell

When I asked Kansas State offensive lineman Zach Kendall to tell me something interesting about running back Daniel Thomas, I didn’t expect him to give me gold.

Or in this case, pure YouTube gold.

“They made some YouTube video over some Beyonce song or something like that,” Kendall said. “It’s on YouTube somewhere, and it’s pretty funny.”

Kendall didn’t know the exact details, but he told me to ask Thomas.

So I did.

“Beyonce?” Thomas said. ” … Well, we remixed a Miley Cyrus video.”

Even better. He told me where to find it.

It’s below.

“I heard a lot about that, because they didn’t expect me to do that,” Thomas said.

Also in the video is Thomas’ roommate, George Pierson, and KSU fullback Braden Wilson.

Thomas said the group was getting ready to go to a basketball game and turned the camera on.

“As a team, we’re all brothers, so you’re always kind of looking for something to rip on, to rip on your brother for,” Kendall said. “So it’s fun.”

10:35 a.m. update: By Jesse Newell

Oklahoma State will bring a new offense into Lawrence when it plays the Jayhawks on Nov. 20.

OSU defensive end Jamie Blatnik said that defending the frantic offense in practice isn’t much fun at all.

Quarterback Brandon Weeden attempted to describe the offense for those who haven’t seen it.

Expect a Texas Tech-like offense from OSU next year. And also expect tired Big 12 defenses in the fourth quarter against the Cowboys.

10:15 a.m. update: By Eric Sorrentino

Oklahoma State sophomore quarterback Brandon Weeden has something in common with Kansas University basketball guard C.J. Henry: Both were formerly baseball players drafted by the New York Yankees.

Weeden, a 26-year-old junior, spent five years in the minor leagues as a pitcher. The Yankees selected him in the second round (71st overall) of the 2002 amateur baseball draft.

He never made it to the big leagues.

Henry, similarly, was drafted by the Yankees in the first round (17th overall) of the 2005 amateur baseball draft. Henry never made it to the big club either.

Something just seems odd about a 26-year-old junior (Weeden) and a 24-year-old sophomore (Henry).

I’m 26. Wouldn’t mind having two more years of college eligibility myself. Good luck with that, right?

9:51 a.m. update: By Eric Sorrentino

After rushing for 1,036 yards and 17 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2008, Missouri running back Derrick Washington was expected to build on or match those totals last season.

Instead, it was a bit of a down year for Washington.

His rushing yards dwindled to 865. His touchdowns lowered to 10.

He started to come on toward the end of the year, though, with five touchdowns in his final three games. Kansas fans probably don’t want to remember this, but Washington was critical in Missouri’s 41-39 triumph over Kansas, running for 111 yards and two scores.

With the way he ended the year, plus a new offseason nutrition plan, the Tigers are hoping for the Washington of 2008 when they kick off against Big Ten foe Illinois on Sept. 4.

“He’s much quicker,” Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said of Washington. “It’s all about quickness and movement. He’s a lot quicker guy than he was this past year, and (we) expect that to help him play at a higher level.”

9:20 a.m. update: By Eric Sorrentino

Still awaiting Missouri, which was scheduled to speak at 9 a.m., but is apparently late to the party.

In the meantime, here are a few storylines to keep in mind from today’s teams:

For Missouri: How much will the Tigers challenge Nebraska in the North? Missouri must travel to Lincoln, Neb., this year on Oct. 30, which could be a telling battle in the race for the division title. Either Nebraska or Missouri has represented the North in the Big 12 Championship for the past four years.

For Oklahoma State: Can the defense survive the depletion of a unit that will return only three starters from a year ago? Bill Young, the former Kansas University defensive coordinator, holds the same position in Stillwater, and has quite the difficult task in front of him this season. The Cowboys were a respectable 31st in the country with 21.69 points allowed per game last year. Replicating that will be tough.

For Kansas State: The Wildcats have been picked all over the place this season in the North. Senior running back Daniel Thomas led the Big 12 last season with 1,265 rushing yards, to go along with 11 scores. He’s legit, but how much help will he have? Can senior quarterback Carson Coffman lead the offense for a full season?

For Texas Tech: Coach Tommy Tuberville will make his first Big 12 media days appearance. How much different will Tech’s offense look under the first-year coach? In the past, it was a given that the Red Raiders were going to throw the ball all over the field. Teams knew it was coming, but still had difficulties stopping Tech’s spread attack. With Tuberville’s SEC background, combined with the experience of senior tailback Baron Batch (884 yards, 14 TD’s), how much of an effort will the Red Raiders make to run the ball in 2010?

Missouri just showed up, so they’re about to take the stage.

Original post: By Eric Sorrentino

Greetings from Irving, Texas, site of the second day of Big 12 football media days.

If you missed the first day, here’s a video that sums up the action from Nebraska, Baylor, Iowa State and Texas A&M speaking at the podium:

Monday’s blog detailed tidbits from all four teams that spoke from Day 1.

Matt Tait’s story from Day 1 focused on Nebraska’s impending departure to the Big Ten.

Today’s lineup will feature Kansas University’s primary two foes: Missouri and Kansas State, along with Oklahoma State and Texas Tech.

Missouri and coach Gary Pinkel will be the first up on stage at 9 a.m. today.

It seems like the Tigers are a dark horse pick to win the North this year. Nebraska was the unanimous preseason choice to win the division, but Missouri has a more experienced quarterback in junior Blaine Gabbert, a seasoned tailback in senior Derrick Washington and a future early-round NFL Draft pick in defensive end Aldon Smith.

Should be interesting to hear Missouri’s reaction on the situation.

Stay tuned. And as always, discuss.