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Big 12 football 2018 preview: Breakout stars, biggest games, predictions

By Daniel Stave

MANHATTAN, KS - NOVEMBER 11: Quarterback Will Grier (Photo by Peter G. Aiken/Getty Images)
MANHATTAN, KS - NOVEMBER 11: Quarterback Will Grier (Photo by Peter G. Aiken/Getty Images) /
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PASADENA, CA – JANUARY 01: Head coach Lincoln Riley of the Oklahoma Sooners reacts on the sidelines in the 2018 College Football Playoff Semifinal Game against the Georgia Bulldogs at the Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA – JANUARY 01: Head coach Lincoln Riley of the Oklahoma Sooners reacts on the sidelines in the 2018 College Football Playoff Semifinal Game against the Georgia Bulldogs at the Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images) /

Coach of the Year-Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma

2018 is the year Oklahoma could be surpassed as the Big 12’s top team. TCU’s Gary Patterson, Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy or Texas’ Tom Herman could claim this honor if their teams make a run this year.

But at this point, none of them deserve this award more than Riley. When Bob Stoops decided to retire last June, Riley had never been a head coach before and promptly took his team to the playoff and coached Baker Mayfield to the Heisman Trophy.

Riley’s Sooners put up 48 points in the double overtime loss to Georgia, just falling short of a trip to the national title game and enter this season with unfinished business.

Now, Riley will try to repeat that success with a new quarterback. The soon-to-be 35-year old will turn his offense over to Murray. Stoops built up a program that remains the Big 12 favorite, despite the turnover on offense. It will be up to Riley to keep the ship sailing.