July 23, 2001
With a successful spring training in the books and the spring semester now history, the Baylor football team is turning its focus to the off-season program leading up to the 2001 season.
Before they head into a long, hot summer of preparations for the Sept. 8 season-opener against Arkansas State, Baylor Bear Insider contributor Maxey Parrish sat down with several key Bears to ask them a set of questions and garner their thoughts about the 2001 campaign.
Watch for interviews with various Bears all summer leading up to the 2001 football season. For an archive of other interviews, click here.
Reggie Newhouse, WR, 6-1, 197, Jr-2L, Dallas -- On an offense forced to contend with a rotation of starting quarterbacks, Newhouse stood tall last year, catching 40 passes for 629 yards and four touchdowns. While finishing ninth in the Big 12 in receiving, he became the first Bear in 17 years to catch 40 passes in a season.
1. Will the team be better or significantly better next year and why?
"We will be significantly better. The attitude has changed. The attitude and work ethic is much more positive. We will be significantly better. The junior college players coming in will help a lot. They will make us more and more competitive. When you have more competition among yourselves, you push that much harder to keep your job. More competition is better within the team and we'll have that."
2. Who will be the team to beat in the Big 12 South this year and where do you see Baylor fitting into the conference race?
"I'm going to go out on a limb and say Baylor is the team to beat. Oklahoma is the defending national champion, so they're obviously a very good football team. And we have Texas and Texas A&M, but I don't see any reason why Baylor can't be up there."
3. What do you believe will be the greatest areas of improvement in the Baylor team next year and what do you believe will be the greatest areas of concern?
"The attitude. It's just a whole lot better. You can feel the difference, it's so much more positive. When I first got here it was so much different. We're more of a team now. You can see it working out in the weight room. We believe we can get it done.
"I don't think this is a great area of concern, but last year we had to play a lot of quarterbacks. This year we've got it covered. Greg Cicero is back and we have others who will have more confidence. They've got it squared away."
4. What player or players at Baylor will be the most pleasant surprises next year?
"Jonathan Golden and Chedrick Ricks. Those two backs are scrappy. Coach Steele made the point in a meeting the other day that they are what we're looking for. They play the same position, yet they're the best of friends. They're competing to play, yet they want each other to do well. They want the other one to succeed, so they're always getting each other fired up. They are two hard workers. You should see them push each other. They're setting a good example. As a tandem, they will be a big surprise next year."
5. What Baylor players are on the verge of becoming Big 12 standouts?
"I would have to say Greg Cicero, Samir Al-Amin and John Garrett. (laughing) And, hey, I'd have to mention my own name. I feel like we can all be standout players in the Big 12."
6. What will you do this summer?
"I'll stay here, go to summer school and work out with the team. I want to keep getting stronger and work on running routes and catching the ball. I want to work on my timing with Greg. I want to run my routes with more imagination. I'll be working on my technique."
7. What are your goals for next season?
"My goal next year is to help the team any way I can to win. Whether I catch a ton of balls or one, whatever I can do to help us win the Big 12."
8. Which early-season game do you view as a key next year?
"All of them are important, but our main non-conference game will be Minnesota. It's on their home field. Iowa State is another big one. It's the first conference game. To win early in the conference would be big."
