Battle in B'Ham: Football Opens at UAB
8/30/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
GAME1
BAYLOR (0-0) at UAB (0-0)
Sept. 4, 2004 • 6:00 p.m. CDT
Legion Field (83,091) • Birmingham, Ala.
Baylor opens its 2004 gridiron season Saturday, Sept. 4, traveling to the Yellowhammer State for a showdown with the UAB Blazers. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CDT at Birmingham's historic Legion Field. This is Baylor's first visit to Legion Field since facing Alabama there Sept. 22, 1979.
This is the 103rd season of Baylor football spanning 106 years; the Bears did not field teams in 1906, 1943 and 1944.
Baylor posted a 3-9 record in 2003 and finished sixth in the always-tough Big 12 South with a 1-7 mark. The Bears begin their second season under the direction of head coach Guy Morriss. UAB was 5-7 overall in 2003 with a 4-4 mark in Conference USA action, tying for sixth place in that conference. The Blazers begin their 10th year under head coach Watson Brown.
BAYLOR LOOKS 4 MORE IN 2004
Historically, years that end in 4 have been good to the Baylor football program, a trend second-year Bears' coach Guy Morriss would like nothing better than to continue in 2004 as he rebuilds the school's tradition-rich program in the rugged Big 12 Conference.
Just how good have those 4-ending years been for the Bears? Since 1924, in seasons that ended in 4, Baylor has claimed three conference titles (1924, 1974, 1994), played in three bowl games (1954, 1974, 1994) and posted a .500 or better record five times (1924, 1954, 1964, 1974, 1994).
The Bears return 43 letterwinners, including 16 starters, from last year's team which went 3-9 overall and 1-7 in the Big 12 Conference.
SEASON OPENERS
Entering its 103rd season of football, Baylor is 65-32-5 in season openers. With last year's 24-19 loss to UAB, the Bears have dropped two straight season openers. Baylor is 5-5 in its last 10 season openers. The Bears open their season away from home for the seventh time in the last 10 years.
ANOTHER TOUGH SCHEDULE AWAITS BEARS
After playing seven of 12 games a year ago against teams that earned bowl invitations, the 2004 Baylor football team will again tackle seven bowl opponents, six of which must be faced in Big 12 play.
The Bears' 2004 foes fashioned a combined record of 81-59 (.579) a year ago and seven earned bowl bids -- North Texas (New Orleans), Texas (Holiday), Missouri (Independence), Nebraska (Alamo champion), Texas Tech (EV1.Net champion), Oklahoma State (Cotton) and Oklahoma (Sugar).
According to the web site www.nationalchamps.net, Baylor's 2004 schedule ranks as the nation's 20th-toughest and the fourth most-difficult in the Big 12 behind Kansas (No. 4), Texas A&M (No. 5) and Texas Tech (No. 9) heading into the season.
CROOKS NAMED TO NAGURSKI WATCH LIST
Baylor senior LB Justin Crooks was one of 60 players named to the Football Writers Association of America's 2004 Bronko Nagurski National Watch List, which is a compilation of college football's best defensive players regardless of position. He and P Daniel Sepulveda were also named to the FWAA 2004 Preseason All-America Checklist.
The Bears' second-leading tackler as a junior in 2003, Crooks was credited with 72 stops a year ago, including 45 solos. He also ranked second on the team in tackles for loss with 9.5 for 21 yards, and had a quarterback sack, six quarterback hurries, a team-high three fumble recoveries, two pass breakups and a forced fumble. In addition to being one of eight Big 12 players on the Nagurski Watch List, Crooks was a 2004 honorable mention preseason All-America selection by Street & Smith's magazine.
The winner of the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, presented by the FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club, will be named on Dec. 6 at a banquet in Charlotte, N.C. Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops will be the banquet's keynote speaker. The complete preseason watch list can be found at www.touchdownclub.com.
LANE, SEPULVEDA ALSO MAKE PRESEASON LISTS
Baylor junior FS Maurice Lane and sophomore P Daniel Sepulveda also earned preseason honorable mention All-America honors from Street & Smith's magazine.
Lane, an honorable mention All-Big 12 choice as a sophomore, led the 2003 Bears in tackles (129), solo tackles (89) and assisted stops (40). He ranked fifth in the Big 12 and 30th nationally with 10.75 tackles per game, while his 7.42 solo tackles per game led the Big 12 and ranked 13th nationally.
Rated as the nation's 15th-best free safety in The Sporting News' 2004 preseason magazine and a member of Street & Smith's Thorpe Award Watch List, Lane's 129 tackles equaled the seventh-best one-season total in school history (and were the most since James Francis' 129 total tackles in 1989), while his 89 solo tackles ranked as the third-best single-season total in school history behind Mike Singletary's performances in 1978 and 1979. He also earned 2004 preseason second-team All-Big 12 honors from The Sporting News and Rivals.com, and he was ranked as the 29th-best player (regardless of position) and the fifth-best defensive back by College Football News.com.
Sepulveda was rated as the nation's 11th-best punter by The Sporting News and earned 2004 preseason first-team All-Big 12 honors from Street & Smith's, College Football News.com and Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook, and second-team All-Big 12 recognition from The Sporting News, Athlon and Rivals.com. College Football News.com also tabbed Sepulveda as the Big 12's best overall kicker.
A 2004 Ray Guy Award candidate, Sepulveda, despite not having any previous punting experience, earned 2003 first-team All-Big 12 honors from College Football News.com and second-team recognition from the league's coaches as a redshirt freshman. Baylor's 2003 special teams MVP, he also earned first-team Academic All-Big 12 honors and and was named to The Sporting News' freshman All-Big 12 squad while also earning honorable mention All-Big 12 recognition from Associated Press. Sepulveda ranked third in the Big 12 and 23rd nationally with his 43.1 yard punting average a year ago. He recorded a BU single-season record 26 punts of 50 or more yards and had at least one such punt in every game.
WEBB AMONG CONSECUTIVE PAT LEADERS
According to recent research conducted by the University of Houston athletic media relations office, PK Kenny Webb has the 18th-longest active consecutive PAT made streak in Division I-A football and the third-longest in the Big 12. Webb has converted on 26 consecutive attempts, which includes one in 2001, one in 2002 and all 24 tries last year.
Jonathan Nichols of Ole Miss leads the nation with 98 consecutive true PAT attempts. Here is a look at the active list:
98 Jonathan Nichols, Sr., Ole Miss
91 Jared Siegel, Sr., Oregon
66 Dustin Bell, Sr., Houston
66 Robert Menchinger, Sr., Western Michigan
57 Taylor Begley, Jr., Kentucky
56 Tyler Jones, Boise State
53 Stephen Gostkowski, Jr., Memphis
50 Mike Nugent, Ohio State
48 Matt Leach, Sr., Florida
47 Xavier Beitia, Sr., Florida State
46 Mike Gruzwalski, Jr., Central Michigan
41 James Wilhoit, So., Tennessee
40 Brennan Landry, Jr., Rice
38 Joe Rheem, Sr., Kansas State
37 Jared Parseghian, Sr., Miami (Ohio)
35 Brett Visintainer, Fresno State
32 David Dyches, So., Nebraska
26 Kenny Webb, Sr., Baylor
2004 CAPTAINS NAMED
Head coach Guy Morriss named the trio of LB Justin Crooks, WR Marques Roberts and P Daniel Sepulveda as team captains for the 2004 season, representing the defense, the offense and the special teams, respectively. A team vote was held to determine captains.
YOUTH WILL BE SERVED
Baylor was arguably the Big 12's youngest team a year ago, as its depth chart entering the 2003 season finale against Oklahoma State featured nine true freshmen, including starters Nick Pace at right offensive tackle and Quincy Jenkins at defensive tackle, and its 2004 team may be even younger with 97 underclassmen listed on its 138-man roster. No team in the Big 12 had more true freshmen on its 2003 depth chart than Baylor, as it featured a Big 12-leading 16 freshmen among the 25 underclassmen on the two-deep.
FORMER WALK-ONS MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS
This season's roster features 11 players who joined the program as walk-ons and have since earned scholarships. The group features three starters -- C Joseph DeWoody, DT Michael Gary and TE Marcus Venus -- along with P Daniel Sepulveda and PK Kenny Webb. Four others rank second or third at their respective positions on the Baylor depth chart -- WRs Baylor Barbee and Shaun Rochon, and DTs Quincy Jenkins and Julian Hill. Tyler Lindstrom and David Schieck also have established themselves as key members of Baylor's special teams units and could see spot action at linebacker and in the secondary, respectively.
BAYLOR AGAIN HIGH IN GRADUATION RATES
According to the most-recent NCAA Graduation Report, the Baylor football program's 75 percent graduation rate again led the Big 12 Conference, marking the second consecutive year and the fourth time in the league's eight-year history that the program posted the league's best rate. BU also recorded the Big 12's top graduation rate for football student-athletes in 2002, 2000 and 1998.
Since the NCAA began tracking graduation data in 1991, the Baylor football program has averaged a graduation rate of nearly 65 percent. Over the last six seasons, however, more than 73 percent of the Bears have left with degree in hand.
Overall, Baylor owns a 72 percent rate for its student-athletes according to the most-recent NCAA s figures, which places it fourth in the Big 12 Conference. BU has led the Big 12 in overall student-athlete graduation rates four times and finished second on three occasions.
Four members of this year's team, fifth-year seniors FB Jonathan Evans, DE Khari Long and LB Michael Tolbert, and fifth-year junior WR John Martin have already earned their degrees.
NCAA GRANTS MARTIN SIXTH YEAR OF ELIGIBILITY
WR John Martin was recently granted a sixth year of athletic eligibility and will be listed as a junior on Baylor's 2004 football roster. Martin missed the final eight games a year ago due to illness.
The Stillwater, Okla., native who has already completed his bachelor's degree, has 54 career receptions and needs 23 catches to crack the Bears' all-time list. He is an outstanding student-athlete as well, twice earning first-team Academic All-Big 12 honors and he was named first-team CoSIDA Academic All-District in 2003.
In addition, Martin was one of two Baylor student-athletes to receive a 2004 Dr. Prentice Gautt Postgraduate Scholarship from the Big 12 Conference.
ALL IN THE FAMILY
Baylor's 2004 football roster includes the sons of five former Bears. Senior TE Luke Groth's father, Walter, lettered three years for the Bears from 1967-69; junior WR Ryan Jeffrey follows in the footsteps of his dad, Jay, who quarterbacked the Bears to the Southwest Conference title, uncle, Neal, the starting signal caller on BU's 1974 SWC title team, and his grandfather, James, a Baylor letterwinner in 1949 and 1950.
Redshirt freshman DB Braelon Davis' father, Bruce Davis (1981-83), was a standout wide receiver who earned four All-America awards as a sprinter and went on play in the NFL. Another redshirt freshman, walk-on DB Jason Reaux, is the son of Tommy Reaux (1967-69), a star defensive lineman for the Bears who was named to the school's 1960s All-Decade honor squad.
True freshman DB James Francis Jr. is the son of James Francis (1986-89), an All-America linebacker for the Bears in 1989 and a first-round draft choice of the Cincinnati Bengals who spent nine seasons in the NFL. The junior Francis' uncle, Ron Francis, was a four-year letterman (1982-86) and two-time All-SWC performer at Baylor who would become a second-round pick of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys and play four seasons for that organization.
NEW PLAYING SURFACE INSTALLED AT FLOYD CASEY
The newest generation of artificial turf on the market today, the Prestige System playing surface, has replaced Floyd Casey Stadium's Sports Grass turf. The installation of the new synthetic surface, similar to rubber infill fields in numerous stadiums around the country, was completed in time for the Bears to practice on it during the spring. Floyd Casey Stadium featured a grass playing surface from 1950 through 1971, then utilized various artificial surfaces from 1972 through 1997 before returning to natural grass from 1998-2003.
BRADLEY NAMED DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR
Bill Bradley, a 21-year college and professional football coaching veteran who has been a member of staffs which have guided 15 teams to winning records, was named Baylor's new defensive coordinator on March 1, replacing John Goodner, who retired from coaching. Despite the change in coordinators, the Bears will continue to play a 4-2 defense in 2004.
Bradley joins coach Guy Morriss' staff from the NFL's New York Jets, where he spent the past three years (2001-03) as the team's defensive backs coach. Prior to working for the Jets, he served in the same capacity with the Buffalo Bills from 1998 to 2000. Before moving into the NFL, he worked in the CFL, USFL and at the University of Texas.
An outstanding NFL player, Bradley was selected in the third round of the 1969 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles and went on to earn three All-Pro awards (1971-73) as a free safety.
Morriss' other eight assistants all made the move to Waco with him from Kentucky in December 2002 and are on his 2004 staff.
COACHING STAFF BOASTS 186 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
The 2004 Baylor football coaching staff boasts a combined 186 years of coaching experience in the professional, collegiate and high school ranks. Seven members of this year's Baylor staff have worked for Guy Morriss since he first became a Division I-A head coach in 2001 at Kentucky.
Not only is the Baylor staff steeped in sideline experience, but it features three men, Morriss (one), defensive coordinator Bill Bradley (three) and receivers coach Harold Jackson (five), who combined to earn nine NFL All-Pro awards between them. Two others, Mark Nelson and Brent Pease, also enjoyed professional football playing careers.
SPECIAL SPECIAL TEAMS
The strongest facet of Baylor's 2003 team was the play of its special teams, which produced four scores on the season. The Bears' special team units provided two kickoff return touchdowns and a pair of blocked kicks returned for points (one for a safety and one for a touchdown).
Sophomore P Daniel Sepulveda, who had never punted prior to the 2003 season, ranked third in the Big 12 and 23rd nationally (fifth among freshman punters) with his 43.1 yard average. The 2004 Ray Guy Award and All-America candidate's average ranks second among returning Big 12 punters and 18th among returning NCAA leaders.
In addition, junior OS Willie Andrews returns to solidify the Bears' return game. He ranked fourth in the Big 12 and 29th nationally in kickoff returns with his 24.65 average, and his 8.0 mark on punt returns was good for 10th in the Big 12 and 71st nationally.
Baylor averaged 22.9 yards per kickoff return in 2003, its highest average since a school-record 24.2 mark in 1995, and its 1,212 yards was a school record.
ABERCROMBIE NAMED ASSOCIATE ATHLETICS DIRECTOR
Walter Abercrombie, one of Baylor's all-time football greats, joined the school's athletics staff on July 1 as Associate Athletic Director/Executive Director of the "B" Association, the school's 700-member organization of former letterwinners. In addition to reconnecting with Baylor's 4,000 letterwinners, he will serve as the athletic department's liaison and spokesperson with community, church and Christian organizations.
A standout running back for Baylor legendary coach Grant Teaff from 1978 through 1981, Abercrombie rejoins the Baylor family from the American Football Coaches Association, where he has served as Teaff's Director of Education and Special Projects since joining the organization in 1995.
The Bears' all-time leading rusher with 3,665 yards during his standout career, Abercrombie rushed for 207 yards in his collegiate debut, a 24-6 victory at No. 12 Texas A&M in 1978, setting an NCAA record for rushing yards in a first contest, and a Baylor legend was born. He went on to earn 1978 Southwest Conference freshman of the year honors, despite playing in just six games, and was a consensus All-SWC performer in each of his final three seasons. Abercrombie was a first-round draft pick (12th selection overall) by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1982 and played eight years in the NFL.
J.J. JOE JOINS FOOTBALL RADIO BROADCAST CREW
John Joe, better known to Baylor fans as J.J. and recognized as one of the school's best quarterbacks ever, has been selected as the new color commentator on the Baylor Radio Network.
Joe, who currently works as a Vice President-Client Manager for Bank of America in Dallas and resides in Hurst, Texas, replaces Walter Abercrombie, whose new duties as Baylor's Associate Athletic Director/ "B" Association Executive Director will preclude him from being a part of the 2004 Baylor football broadcast team. Abercrombie will continue to be a part of the broadcasts by hosting a pre-game Baylor Legends segment.
The Bears' leading passer for four consecutive years from 1990-93, Joe graduated as the school's all-time passing (5,995 yards) and total-offense (6,815 yards) leader. A three-time Academic All-America selection, he was tabbed as the quarterback on Baylor's 1990-99 All-Decade honor squad and earned All-SWC honors as a junior in 1992.
BAYLOR ATHLETICS CONTRIBUTES $101.3M IMPACT ON WACO COMMUNITY
The Baylor athletics program had a $101.3 million impact on the greater Waco community and a projected one-year media impact benefit of nearly $43.9 million during the 2002-03 academic year according to a recent study conducted by Baylor economics professor Dr. Thomas M. Kelly.
The economic impact study was based on the flow of out-of-county dollars that are spent within the local community during the academic year from events or functions associated with the school's intercollegiate athletics program. The two greatest sources of the program's impact on the local economy came from operational expenses ($54.7 million) and attendance at BU athletic events ($28.3 million), with $11.3 million of the attendance figure coming from visitors to the Waco community. Baylor football made the biggest contribution to the area with an economic impact of $13.4 million, of which $5.3 came from visitors.
OVER THE AIR
Bear football games can be heard live on the Baylor Radio Network. The network includes 18 affiliates across Texas, including flagship stations KRZX-AM (1660/1580) in Waco. All Baylor games are broadcast by the "Voice of the Bears" John Morris, a veteran broadcaster in his eighth season. Former Baylor football standouts J.J. Joe (color analyst) and Ricky Thompson (sideline reporter) complete the broadcast team.
BAYLORBEARS.COM
Baylor's official athletic web site can be found at www.BaylorBears.com. The comprehensive site, which includes releases, photos, biographical sketches and audio broadcasts, is part of the College Sports Online network. CSO currently hosts sites for more than 100 universities, including four Big 12 schools and the conference office.
BAYLOR GAMES ON THE INTERNET
The radio call from all of Baylor's games can be heard free of charge live on the Internet at www.BaylorBears.com.
INSIDE BAYLOR SPORTS TV SHOW
Inside Baylor Sports, a half-hour look at the world of Baylor athletics, will air weekly throughout Central Texas and other outlets. The program, co-hosted by John Morris and Lori Scott Fogleman, airs on KCEN-TV Channel 6, Fox Sports Southwest, College Sports Television and the College Channel (Waco cable 18).
NEXT UP...
Baylor plays its first of six home games, hosting Texas State for a 6 p.m. CDT kickoff Saturday, Sept. 11, at Floyd Casey Stadium. This will be the first meeting between the Bears and the Bobcats since a 45-7 Baylor victory Oct. 7, 1988, in Waco. Baylor and Texas State have met five times previously; the Bears have won all five meetings, all of which were played in Waco.
