College Football

College Football: Top newcomers in the Big 12 Conference

Updated Aug. 31, 2021 2:47 p.m. ET

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By Sean Merriman
FOX Sports Senior Editor

Is this the year the Big 12 finally gets a team in the national championship game?

It has to happen sooner or later (see what I did there, Oklahoma fans?). And if this is indeed the year, the popular belief is that team is going to be the Oklahoma Sooners.

Lincoln Riley's program returns an abundance of talent on both sides of the ball, and according to FOX Sports College Football Writer RJ Young, Oklahoma is "fielding its best team since 2017 and the first one since then that I feel is capable of winning the national title."

For the Sooners to go all the way, they will need key contributions from several newcomers, including an All-American-caliber offensive tackle.

But Oklahoma is not the only team in the conference with new faces set to make big impacts this season. Texas is bringing in a wealth of talent, through both the transfer portal and the high school ranks. About 100 miles north of Austin, the Baylor Bears welcomed a big-time defensive line transfer from LSU. Meanwhile, West Virginia reloaded on the offensive line.

For more up-to-date news on all things Big 12, click here to register for alerts on the FOX Sports app!

Here is a look at the top newcomers expected to make an immediate impact in the Big 12 this season.

Wanya Morris, OT, Oklahoma

The University of Tennessee has had 35 players transfer out of the program over the past year. Fortunately for Riley and the Sooners, they were able to land arguably the biggest fish of all, both literally and figuratively. Standing at 6-foot-5, 312 pounds, Morris is a massive addition to a Sooners offensive line that needed to fill some key voids this season. The former Volunteer started 12 of 13 games as a true freshman at Tennessee in 2019. He started seven games at left tackle in 2020 and should step right into that spot for the Sooners this season. Look for Morris to make an immediate impact both in the run game and in the pass game, where he will be responsible for protecting preseason All-American Spencer Rattler.

Ben Davis, LB, Texas

If you’re a fan of recruiting, chances are you remember the name Ben Davis, as he was the No. 1-ranked linebacker recruit in the nation in 2016. After spending the past five seasons at Alabama, Davis joins the Longhorns as a redshirt senior, set to take advantage of his additional year of eligibility granted by the NCAA. He follows new head coach Steve Sarkisian to Texas, where he should be an impact player on the Longhorns’ defense in 2021. While Davis didn’t play a ton of snaps during his time at Alabama, he brings plenty of big-game experience, having won two national championships with the Crimson Tide. The Longhorns’ defense gave up more than 400 yards per game last season, which ranked in the lower half of the Big 12. With Davis, as well as Ray Thornton (LSU transfer) and Ovie Oghoufu (Notre Dame transfer), being added to mix, this should be a much-improved unit in 2021.

Tyler Shough, QB, Texas Tech

After ranking in the top 10 nationally in passing offense every year since 2011, Texas Tech took a step back in 2020, averaging fewer than 270 yards per game through the air, which ranked 33rd among FBS programs. That was not up to the standard of head coach Matt Wells and Texas Tech football, so the program brought in not only a new offensive coordinator in Sonny Cumbie but a new quarterback as well in Oregon transfer Tyler Shough. After serving as a backup to Justin Herbert in 2019, Shough started seven games for the Ducks in 2020, throwing for 1,559 yards and 13 touchdowns. Wells made it official last week, announcing Shough as the starter for the Red Raiders' season opener against Houston. Don’t be surprised if this former Oregon Duck puts up a 4,000-yard, 30-plus-touchdown campaign.

Siaki Ika, DT, Baylor

The Baylor Bears ranked seventh out of 10 teams in the Big 12 in total defense last season, surrendering 29.2 points per game. A large part of that was due to the Bears’ inability to stop the run. Enter 6-foot-4, 350-pound DT Siaki Ika, who was a big part of LSU’s national championship-winning defense in 2019. Ika will join his former defensive coordinator, Dave Aranda, who is now the head coach at Baylor and runs a defense that should maximize Ika’s skillset as a run-clogging nose tackle. Good luck running on the Bears this season with Ika in the middle of this Baylor defensive line.

Doug Nester, OL, West Virginia

Doug Nester brings experience to a West Virginia program that has posted one double-digit-win season in the past nine years. If the Mountaineers are going to get back to their winning ways (70-20 from 2005 to ‘11), it starts up front in the trenches. A talented transfer from Virginia Tech, Nester started 17 games for the Hokies from 2019 to ’20. After seeing action at both tackle and guard last spring, he has since settled in at right guard and is expected to start there for West Virginia this season.

For more up-to-date news on all things college football, click here to register for alerts on the FOX Sports app!

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Wanya Morris

Oklahoma Sooners

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Ben Davis

Texas Longhorns

Siaki Ika

Baylor Bears

Doug Nester

West Virginia Mountaineers

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