We have already been working hard on the 2012 season and today's blog is the current list for returning starters for each team in 2012 broken down by offense, defense and special teams (kicker/punter). The * on the offense number denotes that the starting QB is returning. Below the list I broke down teams with the most/least returning starters.

I will be back later this week with my forecasts for the AFC and NFC Championship games while on Monday I will expand on the Las Vegas odds to win the 2012 BCS National Championship and give you a breakdown of each of the teams including key starters back/lost.

Returning Starters for 2012

Last year in this blog I talked about several teams that were the most experienced in the country and three of them mentioned went on to have outstanding seasons. Last year new Vanderbilt HC James Franklin inherited one of the most experienced teams in the country with a total of the 21 of the 24 players back for this season including all 11 starters on offense. Franklin and the Commodores would go on to qualify for only their 2nd bowl game since 1982. New Michigan HC Brady Hoke also inherited one of the more experienced teams in the country with the Wolverines returning 20 starters led by All-American candidate Robinson at QB. The Wolverines delivered with 11 wins and their first BCS Bowl win since the 2000 season! Also mentioned was Alabama as despite losing RB Ingram, WR Jones and DE Dareus to the NFL draft early, the Crimson Tide still returned 17 starters and would go on to win the national title!

On the opposite end was the 2010 national champion Auburn Tigers who returned only 7 starters which was an incredible 3 fewer than any other team and they would go from 14-0 to 8-5.

In 2012 UTSA returns the most starters in the country but that should be expected since they are a start-up program that will move into the WAC this year. The two FBS teams from last year that return the most starters are Texas Tech and Tennessee who return 20 starters including ST's and are similar in many ways. Both are coming off disappointing 5-7 seasons and both feature a 3rd-year HC who has struggled to live up to expectations to date. With so much experience returning for both teams, look for them to be improved and back in a bowl game for 2012. Another school that missed out on a bowl last year for the first time since 1998 was Boston College who also will be one of the more experienced teams in the country and should be improved.

At the bottom of the rankings to no surprise is Boise St who was featured near the top of the returning starters list in 2010 and 2011. The graduating class of seniors went an unbelievable 50-3 in their 4 years and naturally the Broncos will have to replace their 4-year starting QB Kellen Moore. The last time Boise St had this many key departures they were coming off the 2006 BCS Bowl win over Oklahoma and would finish 10-3 in 2007.

Returning Starters for 2012 By Conference