Brandon Chatmon from SoonerNation helping out with today's lunch links:
Mike Gundy is not a fan of scheduling tough non-conference openers at Oklahoma State because he thinks it makes winning a national championship more difficult for the Cowboys. Many people disagree, including The Oklahoman's Berry Tramel who challenges Gundy's stance on non-conference scheduling.
West Virginia hopes to create problems for Big 12 defenses with its unusual defensive front, writes Mike Casazza of the Charleston Daily Mail.
Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops is looking for one main focus from his quarterbacks, reports Jake Trotter of SoonerNation.
OU defensive end D.J. Ward has been ruled eligible by the NCAA and should play in the Sooners' spring game on Saturday. Ward, the No. 137 recruit in the ESPN150 and early enrollee, missed his senior season at Moore (Okla.) Southmoore High School after transferring before the season. The Norman Transcript's John Shinn has the report.
New special teams coordinator Jay Boulware likes the talented returners at OU. Eric Bailey of the Tulsa World writes about the strengths and potential concerns for the Sooners' special teams.
Defensive tackle Brandon Jensen is bringing a different mentality along the defensive front at Iowa State. Bobby La Gesse has the story for the Ames Tribune.
On the recruiting trail, Texas landed its second linebacker in two days with a pledge from Andrew Beck (Tampa, Fla./Plant) according to RecruitingNation's Corey Dowlar. With three linebackers committed in the Class of 2014, UT could be finished with its linebacker class
writes HornsNation's William Wilkerson.Cornerback Bruce Jones hopes to be a cornerstone of Texas Tech's secondary, reports Nick Kosmider of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.
There has been a little reshuffling along Kansas' offensive line, writes Matt Tait of the Lawrence Journal-World.