5 College Football Programs on the Decline

Despite being the only conference left out of the initial College Football Playoff, the Big 12 has emerged as a league capable of contending for a national championship every season – even when Texas and Oklahoma are down.

Speaking of the Sooners, it’s very tempting to make them the league’s program on the decline. Oklahoma stumbled to 8-5 overall last year and a 5-4 mark in conference play. The Sooners were 0-4 against Top 25 programs, lost to Oklahoma State and were embarrassed by Clemson 40-6 in the Russell Athletic Bowl.

However, because of the talent Bob Stoops and his coaching staff have recruited to Norman, they have a better chance to recover and get back in the national title conversation. Instead, it’s Kansas State that will represent the league.

Bill Snyder performed a miracle by not only making the Wildcats competitive in the 1990s, but because he turned the program into a consistent winner. Afterhe returned from retirement in 2009, the Wildcats are 51-26. They’ve won 38 games across the last four seasons and were 9-4 last year.

That production, much like that of Snyder’s previous tenure as the program’s head coach came largely from a roster filled with more junior college transfers and walk-ons than just about anyone else in the country. And Snyder’s coaching staff – particularly on offense – has relied on creativity to get the ball to its playmakers and spreading out defenses (in fact, the Wildcats have spread out defenses better than anyone in the country two years running).

Still, the run of success in Manhattan has got to come to an end at some point. It’s possible this year will be the beginning of that decline.

The Wildcats return four offensive linemen and three defensive backs, which is positive, but because of the program’s heavy reliance on JUCO players K-State is once again among the least experienced teams in the Big 12. Only 12 starters are back from last year’s squad – six on each side of the football.

Gone is three-time All-Big 12 center B.J. Finney, defensive end Ryan Mueller and receivers Tyler Lockett and Curry Sexton. The loss of Lockett, the Wildcats’ all-time leading receiver and one of the nation’s most explosive return men, is particularly damaging. However and perhaps most importantly, the quarterback situation is unsettled as Joe Hubener, Jesse Ertz and Alex Delton compete to replace dual-threat signal caller Jake Waters.

A bowl game certainly isn’t out of the question and Snyder has made a Hall of Fame career out of proving prognosticators wrong. Plus, the schedule sets up nicely with TCU, Oklahoma, Baylor and West Virginia all travelling to Manhattan. However, the talent just isn’t there and a 6-6 record would be a fair projection for 2015.

As for the future, Snyder is 75 years old and a second retirement is probably coming sooner than later (and it’s worth remembering that Ron Prince was 17-20 in his three seasons in Manhattan). Once Snyder retires for good, it’s very possible his next successor will struggle as well.

Next: Pac-12: Oregon State