Friday, August 24, 2007
On the surface, it looks like the Baylor football program is improving.
The Bears won three Big 12 conference games last year for the first time and were only one victory away from bowl eligibility two years ago.
All that progress may be washed away in 2007.
OFFENSE
The Bears will employ their version of the spread offense for the second year. Usually, teams progress with a new offense in the second year as players become more familiar with the system. Baylor, however, returns only four offensive starters from last year, and the learning curve should be just as large. No fewer than five candidates have been considered for Baylor’s quarterback vacancy. Kent State senior transfer Michael Machen went into camp at the top of the depth chart but failed to impress coach Guy Moriss. The competition is now between sophomore Blake Szymanski and redshirt freshman Tyler Beatty. Szymanski started three games last year with less than stellar results. But his experience still gives him a slight edge to be the starter when the Bears play their first game. If the offense plans to be the least bit dangerous, senior running back Brandon Whitaker must return to the form he showed in his sophomore season. Whitaker struggled mastering the spread offense last year and was demoted from his starting job. Baylor loses its two leading receivers but hopes that junior Thomas White will transform from a simple deep threat to a well-rounded No. 1 receiver. The offensive line is another area of concern as Baylor’s was the Big 12’s worst last year.
DEFENSE
In the Bear’s 4-2-5 defensive scheme, the linebackers must be ferocious. And Baylor’s are. Sophomore Joe Pawelek led the team in tackles last year and was selected to the freshman All-American team. Senior Nick Moore is a former Georgia Tech transfer and has ability to slow down an opponent’s rush. The defensive line must do a better job penetrating the opponent’s offensive line to clear the way for Moore and Pawelek to make plays. Baylor was ranked 113th in Division I football last year against the run. The hope is that junior defensive tackle Vincent Rhodes can turn into a premier lineman. Rhodes began showing promise at the end of last year and started the Bear’s final two games. The secondary may be the biggest of all the Bear’s concerns. Seniors Josh Bell and Alton Widemon will start at cornerback, but neither showed true play-making ability in their first three seasons. Senior Brandon Stiggers and junior Dwain Crawford make an adequate pair of safeties.
SEASON OUTLOOK
With holes at nearly every position, it is hard to see Baylor anywhere near bowl eligibility this season. The Bears hope an easy nonconference schedule will provide this inexperienced team with the confidence to pull off a few upsets in the Big 12. Baylor’s only real test in the nonconference is its opening game at TCU. The Bears then play Rice, Texas State and Buffalo, all games they will be expected to win. The best opportunity for a Big 12 victory falls on Oct. 6 when Colorado travels to Waco, Texas. Baylor is 2-37 all-time in Big 12 road games and plays at Texas A&M, Kansas, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State in 2007. This is clearly a rebuilding year for the Bears.
PREDICTION
3-9
— Edited by Amelia Freidline
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