Sizing up which of the vertically challenged members of each of the conference's 2014 rosters have the best opportunity to make the biggest impact heading into the next college football season.

The rules: For a candidate to qualify, they must be 5'-9" or shorter and have played Big12 football in 2013.

BU - (RB) Shock Linwood, 5'-8", 200lbs

2013 (RsFr.)

Linwood, a sophomore running back, is the leading returning rusher in the Big 12 after racking up a BU freshman-record 881 yards on 128 carries with eight TDs. The speedster from Linden, Texas, was named a Freshman All-America by four outlets and the Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year by the San Antonio Express-News. He played in 12 of 13 games, while starting two in 2013. Linwood averaged 6.9 yards per carry, which ranked third best for single season at Baylor. Linwood is listed as the starting running back on the post-spring depth chart. On the Maxwell Award watch list for 2014

Honorable Mention -

None

ISU - (WR) Jarvis West: 5'-7", 177lbs

2013 (RsJr)
One of the few bright spots working in the first half of the year for the Cyclones, but much like the others it did not last all year as a knee injury early in the Oklahoma State game ended his 2013 playing time. His half season (8 games) stat line will not blow anyone away as strictly a WR with 15 catches for 105 yards and a TD , but combine it with his KOR skills and you have a versatile little player. West returned a kickoff 95 yards for a TD at Texas Tech, tying for the fourth-longest kickoff return in school history. Surprisingly the last time a non-onside kickoff return went for a TD was1994 (Troy Davis)! As you might suspect he returns punts too, as he averaged 13.4 yards on 11 punt returns, including a long of 38 yards vs. Baylor. You have to think that Mark Mangino's short pass game and West's open field moves may be something that flourishes together in 2014.

Honorable Mention -

(DB) Sam Richardson: 5'-7", 189lbs fifth in team on tackles with 53, 13 coming in the game against UNI as a RsSo

(RB) Aaron Wimberly: 5'-9", 174lbs led the 2013 as a Jr squad in both rushing (567 yds) and ypc (4.0)

KU - (S) Jaccare Givens: 5'-9", 185lbs

2013 (Jr.)

Sat out the season due to NCAA transfer rules. As the kid is a traitor!!! Spent 3 seasons as a walk-on at Kansas State with no game action before transferring to Kanas. Charlie Weis may like to lie on his football roster as Jaccare was the only one to qualify per the 'you must be this tall to ride' cutout. But it should also be no surprise that even the little guys on other teams have KSU ties.

Honorable Mention -

As stated above, only 1 person on the entire roster was listed as 5'-9", but WR Tony Pierson for being a diamond in pile of crap will get at least a mention even though he is not eligible at 5'-10".

KSU - (RB) DeMarcus Robinson, 5'-8", 200lbs

2013 (RsJr)

Played in three games netted a whole 20 yards on 5 carries, 11 of which came from one carry vs. UMASS. There's nothing about statistics that lead you to believe Robinson will amount to anything in 2014, however given his long drawn out reputation originating as a 4-star recruit out of Wichita Northwest, a 600yd season would just as likely be of no surprise either out of the fifth year senior.

Honorable Mention -

Surprisingly KSU only had one other eligible candidate, out of only 6 total guys 5'-9" or shorter. You may remember saying "what am I looking at here" at last year's Iowa State game when 5'-5", 207lb JR FB Adam Weber closed out the game. So by default you have no other choices than the two Kansans Robinson and Weber.

OU - None

As you can imagine, when you ae one of the top 10 programs of all time, there is no need to have to get cute with measurables when you can have your pick of the litter.

Honorable Mention -

So it is no surprise to only find two gents on the entire roster that are 5'-8" and 5'-9" respectively. Because of their youth, neither RB Daniel Brooks nor CB Tito Windham have seen the playing field yet.

OSU - (WR) David Glidden, 5'-7", 185lbs

2013 (So)

Although David has only been named a Starter once (last year against Texas), he did ply in every game in 2013. Similar to West you are not likely to mistake Glidden's 15 catches for 173 yards as flashy, it is reasonable to think there are some comparisons to Glidden and Currie Sexton if the coaches asked him to come off the sideline in every game in 2013. To date his career day was against Kansas with six catches for 73 yards and a career-long reception of 39 yards. That Kansas game also awarded some experimental time as David got a chance at returning punts five times.

Honorable Mention -

The ‘Pokes feature 10 guys on the roster 5'9" or shorter. But the reality is there's only one other guy who saw playing time last year. (RB) Caleb Muncrief, 5'-8", 190lb saw action in 5 games as a Sophomore last year, 7 as a True Freshman. That obscure career only gives him 75yd rushing, but like Glidden has given the opportunity to return punts and kickoffs here and there with decent returns of 33 and 23 yards in those opportunites. Technically another individual who did not qualify for this exercise, but it is worth mentioning the name of Raymond Taylor of Wichita Collegiate whose last stop was Kansas State. He measures 5'-7" 190lb

UT - None

What did you expect? Would UT realistically have an undersized guy with talent? No because all of their talent is TEXAS sized! Mack Brown specs required all specimens in the past to be genetically engineered in a lab to 6'-3", 215lb minimum. We shall see what the build sheets look like that Charlie Strong hands the laboratories moving forward, as the maxed out column may be respect and Honor.

Honorable Mention -

Cornerback Ryan Roberts, 5'-8", 170lbs Earned scout team player of the week leading up to the TCU game last year as a Junior. Somewhere Paramount Pictures and Rudy Rudigre are trying to figure out how to get Roberts to play the final three snaps this Thanksgiving weekend versus TCU. Similarly, there is only one other guy in total on the roster 5'-9" and under, but he too saw no playing time in 2013. Only thing that stands to reason is that at 5'-7" and 157lbs Senior WR Chris Giron's dad probably makes a whole lot of money.

TCU - (RB) BJ Catalon: 5'-9", 159lbs

2013 (So)

569 rushing yards last year was good enough to lead TCU in rushing. More importantly it was for the second straight season topping 1150 yds in two years with a mediocre at best OL and a running QB Trevon Boykin. As is a pattern with these featherweights are their nimble footing on Special Teams. Catalon is no exception as you may remember his 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against LSU (tied for the second longest in TCU history) was ultimately what made that game look closer than what it was. Less forgettable may have been the 44-yard kickoff return against the Wildcats. The one thing that may make Catalon even more versatile than his counterparts thus far is his ability to catch the ball. Something you might anticipate skyrocketing in 2014 with the influence of Sonnie Cumbie and Doug Meachem. Catalon led TCU tailbacks with 11 receptions on the year last year and has over 200 receiving yards recorded in his first two years.

Honorable Mention -

TTU - (WR) Jakeem Grant, 5'-6", 160lbs

2013 (RsSo)
Grant is officially the shortest guy on Tech's roster. His accomplishments of 65 receptions in 2013 (fifth most in the conference) for 796 receiving yards with seven touchdowns while averaging 12.2 yards/reception and 66.3 receiving yards/game which was good enough for second on the team in receiving touchdowns and ranked third on the team in receptions and receiving yards. Grant recorded nearly 20 kick returns for 400 yards (21.1/return). Grant is no slouch in the return game either, as beyond his receiving yards last year he finished with nearly 1300 all-purpose yards. The career-high in receptions with nine catches for 73 yards (long 25) was against Kansas State.

Honorable Mention -

(RB) Kenny Williams, 5'-9", 225lbs only leaves you with one description: Brick Shithouse. Although his numbers dipped in 2013 in his Junior year from 800+ rushing yards down to 497, you Williams punched in 8 TD runs in 2013 a career high.

(RB) Deandre Washington, 5'-8", 190lbs may have had something to do with the dip in rushing yards for Williams. Washington tallied 485yds on the ground himself as a Sophomore tailback, punching 4 runs in for TDs and finding his way into the return games as well as the receiving game.

(CB) Keenon Ward, 5'-9", 195lbs was responsible for 32 tackles (29 solo), one tackle for loss (1 yard), three pass breakups, one interception and one forced fumble. Played in all 13 games as a Freshman!

Tech notches 10 players 5'-9" or shorter on the roster and there were even more eligible candidates, just with much less accomplishments.

WVU - (WR) Mario Alford, 5'-8", 178lbs

2013 (Jr)

Tied the third-best WVU single-game performance with 215 yards receiving on 8 catches in the final game of the year against Iowa State including 1 reception for 76 yards. Against the University of Texas, Alford torched the Longhorns on kickoffs with a 43 and 32 yard return in his three attempts as well as accumulating 97 yards on 4 catches with a TD. Finished the year averaging 20.4 yards per catch and 20.8 yards per kickoff return.

Honorable Mention -

(WR) Jordan Thompson, 5'-8", 168lbs, played in 10 games in 2013 as a Sophomore and started 2. Only accumulated somewhere on the South side of 200 yards receiving on the year.

Though the Mountaineers lead the conference with most jimmies 5'-9" or shorter on roster with 12, only the two listed above qualified for the criteria. The remaining candidates were either freshman, rsfr, transfers or coming off a medical hardship redshirt.