Playing agree/disagree with All-Big 12 selections

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Time to peck at the All-Big 12 selections that surfaced Wednesday, and we open with the primary topic of contention, Wendell Smallwood, No. 2 in league rushing but not among the first-team running backs.

The case for elevating Smallwood: He missed out on the league regular-season rushing title by 8 measly yards, which over the course of 225 carries lies within the margin-of-error of a few right foot/left foot spots. And unlike first-teamers DeAndre Washington and Samaje Perine, he lacked a consistent passing game to divert the attention of defenses. (Most would contend he also played behind a lesser offensive line.) Smallwood deserves “guts points” for playing through that brutal four-game October stretch while hobbling on a injured ankle. His productivity during that stretch? Try 115 yards per game.

Smallwood belongs right where he is: You can’t pick all-anything based purely on stats, so even though Smallwood outgained Perine 1,447 to 1,291, the Sooners’ running back warrants the nod. And if stats are your thing, here’s one: Perine and Washington’s 16 combined touchdowns led all Big 12 running backs. (Smallwood settled for nine scores, and seemingly with twice that many ending inside the 2-yard line. Washington’s 34 catches outpaced Smallwood’s 23, and though Perine made only 13 grabs, one was a crucial third-down score that jumpstarted OU’s fourth-quarter rally at Tennessee. Throw in Shock Linwood and ultimately this was a four-man race for two running backs spots: Washington was more productive than any of them and Perine benefits from the spoils of the Sooners being league champs.

Daryl Worley is All-Big 12? Frequently outperformed by the Big 12’s best receivers, Worley made a critical coverage bust that undermined West Virginia’s comeback at Oklahoma. Yet here’s the thing: Every cornerback struggled against Corey Coleman and Sterling Shepard, and TCU’s Josh Doctson did most of his damage working on the opposite side of the field. Sure, Worley fattened up his interception count against Maryland, Texas, K-State and Iowa State, but his six picks matched Big 12 co-leader Zack Sanchez, who’s a boom-or-bust guy if ever there was one. You also can’t ignore Worley’s 12 pass breakups topping the league.

Which Tyler at center? Orlosky vs. Darlington: Judging offensive linemen, especially on the interior, requires scrutinizing copious amounts of game film. Most reporters simply don’t have the time to do that, and though this is a coaches poll, you can bet SIDs are heavily involved in filling out the all-conference ballot. Having watched all of Orlosky’s games at least twice and evaluated numerous clips each week with former WVU starter Jeff Braun, I feel confident he has been extremely productive. My sample size on Darlington is vastly more shallow: I’ve only seen Oklahoma’s center play one entire game (against West Virginia). So as a comparative exercise, I can’t evaluate them evenly. But remember that part about the spoils going to the victors?

Tight ends and fullbacks: Not every Big 12 offense utilizes these players with regularity, so why must they automatically warrant a spot on the All-Big 12 team? When there’s a Jace Amaro catching 106 passes, by all means make him a first-team tight end. When Oklahoma State’s Blake Jarwin catches 14? Not so much.

The official results from Wednesday: