Texas Tech Red Raiders
2001 record: 7-5 (4-4)
Coach: Mike Leach (3rd season, 14-11)
Starters returning: 8 offense, 9 defense, 2 kickers

Outlook: In each of the last two seasons a team not even picked to win its division has captured the Big 12, accomplishments that the Red Raiders are hoping portends good things for a team that loses only five starters and has its entire kicking game back.

Halfback Ricky Williams caught 92 passes last season as quarterback Kliff Kingsbury used the short pass to get first downs. Williams is gone, leaving the Red Raiders searching for a replacement from a group that includes Foy Munlin, Taurean Henderson, Johnnie Mack and Loliki Bongo-Wanga, who's coming back from a torn Achilles tendon. Leach said some or all of them will share the duties.

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Two highly recruited receivers, Armon Dorrough and Anton Paige, were slowed by hamstring injuries early last year and didn't produce as expected. They'll get a chance this year, as Kingsbury will likely try to throw downfield more.

With nine starters back a Red Raider defense that gave up 30 or more points six times last year should be stronger this season, particularly against the run. Middle linebacker Lawrence Flugence had 145 tackles last year, leading the Big 12 for the second straight year.

Key game: Texas A&M. Last year, after Tech's 12-0 upset in Lubbock a soccer riot broke out. Mike McKinney, chief of staff for the Texas Gov. Rick Perry (A&M, class of '72), was conked in the head during a brawl and blamed Tech fans. One problem -- video shot of the melee showed it was a fellow Aggie who popped him. On Oct. 15, Tech must go to A&M, where the Aggies are known for zealously defending their turf. Start rolling bandages now.

Keep an eye on: Aaron Hunt. Though slowed by a foot injury the senior defensive end still had a school-record 12 sacks last year and then added two more in the bowl loss to Iowa. With his first sack he'll break Montae Reagor's school career mark of 25. The 6-3, 258-pounder is a key cog as defensive coordinator Greg McMakin, one of the top assistants in the league, tries to tighten a defense that ranked 74th nationally against the run.

It's a good year if . . . www.kliffkingsbury.com receives more hits than Kliff Kingsbury does. If Kingsbury is to be a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate, staying upright is as important as completing passes. He's up to 212 pounds, an improvement over last year, when his weight dipped below 190, and he's surrounded by an experienced offensive line, led by preseason All Big 12 guard Rex Richards.

Mark Wangrin covers the Big 12 for the San Antonio Express-News.