Big 12 storylines to watch as December transfer window approaches

The Big 12 is always a conference filled with intrigue on and off the field. That is definitely the case when it comes to the transfer portal. Here are some of the most notable storylines to watch as we get closer to the December transfer window.

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Quinn Ewers is the man behind center for the Texas Longhorns. Five-star quarterback Arch Manning is set to enroll in the next few months, too. That leaves Hudson Card in a situation where he will likely be looking for a new home at season's end.

Card is a former Rivals100 prospect and has flashed real talent in spurts. He is a dual threat passer that can be effective with his arm and legs. Due to injuries and the emergence of Ewers, Card has yet to really find his footing on the collegiate level.

Assuming Ewers, who is set to return from his own injury this weekend versus Oklahoma, solidifies the position, Card's next destination will undoubtedly be a major storyline to follow. The former Austin (Texas) Lake Travis star will provide quarterback-needy programs with an intriguing portal target.

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Lance Leipold and the Kansas Jayhawks are riding a ton of momentum and enjoying a lot of success this season. The Jayhawks are 5-0, nationally ranked for the first time in more than a decade and hosting College GameDay this weekend for the matchup against undefeated TCU. Things are really trending up in Lawrence.

Leipold and the Jayhawks have really attacked the portal since taking over in the Sunflower State. The staff has rebuilt the roster and added impactful players, including rising defensive lineman Lonnie Phelps – who is proving to be a difference-maker this season. Kansas brought in several starters and two-deep players, leading to the hot start in 2022.

That formula has worked wonders. It only makes sense for Kansas to do it again in the 2023 offseason.

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There was a lot of quarterback movement in and out of the Big 12 conference this past offseason. Caleb Williams was the big name to leave, while the conference added the likes of Ewers, Dillon Gabriel, JT Daniels and Adrian Martinez.

It will be an interesting storyline to follow if that happens again. Gabriel and Martinez are set to exhaust their collegiate eligibility following the 2022 season. Both are bringing in talented freshmen – Jackson Arnold and Avery Johnson – but addressing the position through the portal is also a possibility.

The quarterback position is almost always the biggest biggest storyline in the Big 12, and that could be the case again when the portal window opens back up in college football.

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The Big 12 is set to welcome in four new programs ahead of next season: BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF. Conference realignment has given the conference a handful of programs with some intrigue and upside on the gridiron.

All four have different things to sell. For instance, Cincinnati was just in the College Football Playoff and both Houston and UCF have been two of the better G5 programs in recent years. The move to the Big 12 should only help the four - especially in recruiting.

It would make sense for the four added programs to take advantage of their new conference through the portal by adding immediate impactful players looking for a different destination. Utilizing the portal will be crucial in the transition from the G5 to P5.