The Solid Verbal: Most of the Big 12 will improve in 2017 and that's great

Can't get much worse.

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On the latest episode of The Solid Verbal, we begin our series of 2017 conference preview episodes with a look at the Big 12, perhaps the conference with the most to prove and improve upon this fall. We broach the following questions and topics:

• Will major changes, like the loss of RBs Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon, plus the loss of Heisman finalist WR Dede Westbrook affect Oklahoma's explosive potential with QB Baker Mayfield and new head coach Lincoln Riley?

• What is fair to expect from Texas under new head coach Tom Herman, especially on the defensive side of the ball, where DBs Kris Boyd and PJ Locke headline some intriguing talent?

• Is West Virginia being overhyped because of Florida transfer QB Will Grier?

• Given how impressive QB Mason Rudolph, WR James Washington, and RB Justice Hill so very clearly are, is Oklahoma State a solid defense away from winning this conference?

...and much more about TCU, Texas Tech, Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, and Iowa State!

BONUS: Five AAC nuggets you should know about heading into 2017.