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Its hard out there for a Big 12 cornerback.In a conference full of innovative offenses and gun-slinging quarterbacks, the job of the defensive back can seem impossible at times. They have to play faster, smarter and tougher than ever before. And when they dont, they get embarrassed.In 45 conference games last season, Big 12 quarterbacks attempted throws of 20-plus yards more than 600 times. No other Power 5 conference comes close to matching that barrage. A year ago, the QBs in the conference produced 18 touchdown passes of more than 60 yards during league play. After just 15 games this season, there have already been 10.Only one Big 12 team (Baylor) ranks among the top 60 in FBS in pass defense. Everybody else is just trying to survive the week.Welcome to the island and the many challenges of playing corner in the Big 12.The challenge of being The GuyOklahomas Jordan Thomas had a hunch his junior season might play out like this.Hes arguably the best cover corner in the Big 12. He proved that with five interceptions in his breakout sophomore campaign. Todd McShay projects Thomas to be a top-10 pick if he comes out. But Thomas knew what comes with that hype.Its just what I expected out of this year of being The Guy, he said. Theyre going to see if he really is The Guy. Theyre gonna throw what they can at me.Thomas has nearly twice as many pass breakups this season (11) as any other defensive back in the Big 12. Hes also given up five touchdown passes. Comes with the territory.His game against Texas is a fine example of the boom-or-bust nature of the job. In the first half, Thomas shut down everything thrown his way. In the opinion of Bob Stoops, Thomas played as well as anybody thats been here. In the second half, Texas receivers outran him for scores of 63 and 45 yards.Thats how it goes. The great days can always get spoiled on one or two mistakes.I laugh about it, he said. Its not funny, but at the same time, youve just got to forget about it. Why complain, moan, cry about it? You just keep playing.Hes trying to help Oklahomas young corners learn that mindset. Four different players have tried to hold down the Sooners No. 2 corner job this season. For now, its true freshman Jordan Parker.Even if the young guys do everything the right way in film sessions and practice, they still need the right instincts come game day. As Thomas puts it, Bow your neck and be a player.Yeah, its difficult. Everyone loves to throw the ball around, he said. Everyone watches film. Whatever weakness you show, theyll attack it. When youre out there by yourself, you find out how good you really are. At the same time, its exciting and a fun thing to live in.The challenge of all these receiversOne thing that amazes Oklahoma State cornerback Ramon Richards about playing in this pass-happy conference: the variety of dangerous pass-catchers.These arent regular receivers, he said.Every day in practice, he has to face an All-America-caliber player in James Washington. Some days, they have to stop speedsters like Baylors KD Cannon, Oklahomas Dede Westbrook and West Virginias Shelton Gibson, who can run right past you. Other days, the 5-foot-11 Richards gets physical 6-foot-5 pass-catchers like Iowa States Allen Lazard and OUs Mark Andrews. The Big 12s leading receiver, Texas Techs Jonathan Giles, does his damage from the slot.And its not just the star power that bothers Richards, who has played in 31 games and grabbed seven career interceptions. Its the depth of these receiving corps.The Big 12 currently has 34 receivers with 200-plus receiving yards and 37 whove caught more than 15 passes. Sixty have recorded at least one catch of 30 or more yards. And their coaches are rotating all of them in and out frequently to keep them fresh.Were playing 80 to 90 snaps a game, and sometimes you do have to play every snap, Richards said. These guys are moving fast. You have no choice but to go the whole drive. You have to stay on your toes.The challenge of inexperienceWest Virginias defense held the most-prolific passer in college football to 10 points last week. Texas Tech QB Patrick Mahomes threw for 305 yards (his fifth-fewest in a Big 12 start) on 44 attempts before being pulled in the fourth quarter of a 48-17 loss to the undefeated Mountaineers. On paper, West Virginias cornerbacks shouldnt have stood a chance against Mahomes.Defensive coordinator Tony Gibson is relying on four former transfers -- Rasul Douglas (junior college), Antonio Crawford (Miami), Maurice Fleming (Iowa) and Elijah Battle (juco) -- and veteran backup Nana Kyeremeh to survive.Its a totally new group, Gibson said. Thats the one position where we had nobody coming back who played any meaningful snaps.How was going through an offseason with essentially a brand new group of corners?Very scary. Especially in this league, Gibson said. Maybe if we were in the SEC, it wouldnt be as bad. In the Big 12, you better have a whole stockpile of em.Gibson credits first-year cornerbacks coach Blue Adams with getting all five players ready to contribute. They had big shoes to fill after Daryl Worley -- now a rookie starter for the Carolina Panthers -- decided to go pro. There might not be as big a star in this group as Worley was, but theyre winning on depth and learning as they go.Theyve got to play with extreme confidence and, no matter how good or bad the last play was, move forward, Gibson said. Because stuffs going to happen to you in this league. Thats one thing we stress a lot.The challenge of getting beatTexas was supposed to have one of the best groups of cornerbacks in the Big 12 this year. Davante Davis and Holton Hill both earned preseason all-conference recognition after showing serious promise as true freshmen.Six games into the season, Davis is now a backup and Hill is mostly playing special teams. The Longhorns gave up 15 touchdown passes and 15 yards per completion over their first five games. Charlie Strong has had to make changes. And he doesnt make excuses for how hard it is to be a Big 12 corner.If you do your job, its not very hard, he said. The thing you cant do is give up the deep ball. You cant allow guys to run past you.Kris Boyd and John Bonney, the Longhorns new starters, didnt give up those bombs. Theyve gone back to basics: Keep the ball in front of you and make the tackle.Bonney, a sophomore, admits he didnt play with much confidence in the nickel spot last year. Now hes outside on the island, all by himself, against the conferences best. Hes trying to get comfortable in that role while knowing if he gets burned, someone else can take his spot. Hows that for pressure?I dont think its for everyone, Bonney said, or else everybody would be doing it.The challenge wont ever get easierAs one of the offensive masterminds making these cornerbacks jobs harder every week, Kliff Kingsbury can appreciate their plight. The high-tempo Big 12 offenses continue to evolve in ways that only further stress defensive backs.The fast tempo is a problem. The quarterbacks getting the ball out in just a few seconds is a problem. The popularity of quick screens and those easy access throws Kingsbury and so many other coaches utilize to build rhythm means a corner has to be able to think fast at the line and make tough one-on-one tackles. And when defenses start taking that away?Now youve got to take your deep shot and throw it over their heads, Kingsbury said, and then here goes some star receiver running as fast as he can.And with the touchy-feely nature (Kingsburys words) of how officials call pass interference these days, the risk-reward is in favor of taking that shot. The receivers chances of getting either a big catch or a big gain off a penalty make it all worthwhile. The job of the Big 12 cornerback isnt getting any easier anytime soon.My hats off to all the guys who play that position in this league, Kingsbury said. I dont think they get enough credit.I wouldnt want to play that position, I can tell you that much.Foster Moreau Raiders Jersey .com) - Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Roger Federer were easy first-round winners Tuesday at the Australian Open. Jim Otto Jersey . Breaking three of his own world records on his way to winning in Paris, Chan silenced the critics and left the audiences standing in appreciation and awe. http://www.shoptheraidersonline.com/Elite-Derek-Carr-Raiders-Jersey/ . The CFLs leading rusher kept adding to his gaudy numbers this season and scored the winning touchdown with just over two minutes to play. The New Westminster, B.C., native plowed three yards into the end zone for the last score of a heated, see-saw battle between the two teams with the best records in the CFL. Foster Moreau Womens Jersey . Jay Feely kicked a 41-yard field goal in overtime, and the Cardinals edged the Tennessee Titans 37-34 in overtime after blowing a 17-point lead late in the fourth quarter. Kenny Stabler Youth Jersey . Mats Zuccarello and Derek Stepan scored shootout goals, and backup goalie Cam Talbot earned his second win in two nights as the Rangers shook off a late tying tally and beat the Maple Leafs 2-1 Monday night.Anthony Browns rookie season ended with him sitting courtside in Los Angeles, watching his idol Kobe Bryant end his stellar Lakers career with a dazzling 60-point effort.Brown got many lessons from Bryant last season.Now he has a chance to put those tutorials into use.The 6-foot-7 forward was the No. 1 overall pick Sunday in the NBA Development League draft by the Erie BayHawks, an Orlando Magic affiliate. Brown was a second-round selection by the Lakers in 2015, appeared in 29 games and started 11 in the NBA last season, and will head to Pennsylvania on Monday for training camp and what he called a fresh start.The biggest thing that I took away from my time with Kobe was just the preparation that he came with to every game, Brown said. Every game that he played, his preparation was so detailed and so focused. The game is just the result of everything youve already worked on.Brown was the last player cut by the Lakers out of training camp this fall. He was one of two first-round selections Sunday with past NBA experience, joining Travis Leslie -- who appeared in 10 games with the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2011-12 season. Leslie was picked No. 4 overall by the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Indianas D-League club.Youre playing NBA rules with an NBA ball, Brown said. I think that playing in the D-League and honing your craft there, its definitely translatable if youre able to get to the NNBA level.dddddddddddd Theres definitely talent in the league.A trio of famous sons were among the 105 selections.Keith Hornsby, the son of Grammy winning musician Bruce Hornsby and who played college ball at LSU, was the ninth overall pick by the Texas Legends, a Dallas affiliate.Benito Santiago Jr. -- a 27-year-old who also was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 2010 and whose father spent two decades in the major leagues -- went 38th overall, to the Delaware 76ers.Ralph Sampson III, whose father was the No. 1 pick in the 1983 NBA draft, went in the fifth round to the Northern Arizona Suns. He was the 86th overall pick, and has been in the D-League for the last two seasons.Other picks of note:- Shannon Brown, a two-time NBA champion with the Lakers and someone whos spent time with eight NBA clubs already, may be returning to the state where he played his college ball. The Michigan State product was selected in the second round by the Grand Rapids Drive, the Detroit Pistons affiliate. For me, it makes me feel like Im starting all over from scratch, he told mlive.com Sunday.- Palpreet Singh of India went to the Long Island Nets, at No. 80 overall. Bobby Ray Parks Jr., born in the Philippines, was the last pick at No. 105, going to the Westchester Knicks. ' ' '