Notes, Quotes from Big 12 Media Days - Day 1

ARLINGTON, Texas — Inside Texas is at AT&T Stadium for 2022 Big 12 Media Days. The first day presented Baylor head coach Dave Aranda, Kansas head coach Lance Leipold, West Virginia head coach Neal Brown, Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman, and Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy.

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Dave Aranda, Baylor: The reigning Big 12 champs opened the team/head coach portion with Aranda’s even-keeled personality and low-key approach. Aranda mentioned his team is filled with big men, where the offensive and defensive line will be the strengths. Aranda spoke about naming a quarterback after the spring game in Blake Shapen.

Aranda sees more spread offenses with the newest head coaches in the Big 12 including Steve Sarkisian, TCU’s Sonny Dykes, and OU’s offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby. Aranda spoke about former staffer Joey McGuire, who worked at Baylor for five seasons before taking the head coach position at Texas Tech in Lubbock.

Aranda arrived with Baylor being the media choice to win the Big 12 Championship, but Aranda seemed to make a point to his team to not approach the 2022 season as favorites.

Lance Leipold, Kansas: Even though Leipold was named new head coach at KU last year, this is the Jayhawks’ head man first appearance at the Big 12 Media Days after transportation issues last summer.

“We’re not in the moral victory business,” he said.

Leipold said the first day of spring football was significantly better than the year before. He watched a confident team playing faster and understanding the system better, in addition to adding newcomer Ty Thompson.

Leipold says KU is embracing competition with the transfer portal, where his players need to be pushed.

Going into Austin 1-8 last year and winning in overtime certainly cemented a signature win at Kansas.

“I know Coach (Steve) Sarkisian and that program, we probably hit them at a time where they were at a struggle and we were able to take advantage of it.”

Neal Brown, West Virginia: The fourth-year head coach from Morgantown was his gracious self as usual, thanking the Big 12 leaders for their conference direction. New offensive coordinator Graham Harrell comes with a spread offense and lots of “new energy,” and “a great feel for gameday.”

The Mountaineers have renewed the Backyard Brawl with rival Pittsburgh and Brown noted how excited the program is to bring back that game. Brown expressed how he feels this could be his best defense since arriving in Morgantown.

Chris Klieman, Kansas State: The Wildcat head coach is excited on offense with the return of tailback Deuce Vaughn, who is becoming a tremendous leader of the program, and about bringing in new quarterback Adrian Martinez from Nebraska to lead the K-State offense.

“He commands the room. He’s beyond mature, and brings out the best in everybody,” Klieman said, about Martinez.

He’ll have a new offensive coordinator in former K-State star Collin Klein, and sees the excitement.

“He’s earned the opportunity, they played well in the bowl game, he’s been a leader and has the respect of the players,” Klieman said.

Kansas State led the All-Big 12 preseason team in numbers, and Klieman gave the credit to his staff and the players for their development and the recognition they deserved.

Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State: The longest tenured head coach in the Big 12 opened about losing to Baylor in the Big 12 Championship, then winning the Fiesta Bowl game versus Notre Dame as the boost heading into the off-season.

Recruiting hasn’t changed since realignment for the Cowboys. But it could affect the Bedlam series with rival OU: “The future of Bedlam is, it has a year or two left. That’s the future of Bedlam, based on somebody’s else’s decision.”

Gundy loves the viability of the Big 12 conference, and mentioned the moves of other programs is basically money based.

Gundy noted that quarterback Spencer Sanders.” has become a magician in the offense. He started making quality decisions towards the end of the year, and he’s tough. His competitive nature aloows him to be a quality football player.”