Aiming 4 More
8/9/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 9, 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).
Morriss' proven track record of success, taking Kentucky from a 2-9 mark in his first season on the sideline to a 7-5 mark in year two, and the return of 16 starters (seven on offense, seven on defense and two specialists), give further hope that the Bears' gridiron fortunes are about to change for the better.
"We've got a good nucleus back and in that are a bunch of players who want to win," said Morriss, whose 2004 roster has 85 underclassmen on it, including some 49 freshmen.
"I believe this is a group of kids we can rally around," he added. "The players are familiar with the coaching staff and they know our schemes. We are just so much further ahead (than last year). I have some guarded optimism (about 2004) and feel a lot better about our football program right now than I did at this time last year."
In Morriss' first season in Waco, the Bears enjoyed their longest win streak since 1996, a three-game string punctuated by a 42-30 win over two-time Big 12 North champion Colorado; produced the school's first 1,000-yard rusher since 1995 in Rashad Armstrong; recorded the school's highest sack total (29) since 1994 and held the nation's then-No. 1 team, Oklahoma, to a then-season-low 56 rushing yards. Baylor ended the season on a seven-game losing streak; however, Morriss and his staff believed the Bears showed promise in their final two outings at No. 1 Oklahoma and against No. 24 Oklahoma State in Waco.
BU's defense harassed the Oklahoma offense all day and was credited with eight tackles for loss, including five sacks, in the 41-3 setback. The Bears' defensive game plan was later credited by some in assisting Kansas State's upset of the Sooners in the Big 12 title game. The next week against the Cotton Bowl-bound Cowboys, Baylor took OSU deep into the fourth quarter before falling 38-21.
"Our best game last year was against Oklahoma because we came away from it with some confidence," Morriss said. "We didn't win the game, but the kids learned they could play with a team like Oklahoma. How lasting that confidence will be, we'll see pretty quick."
That new-found confidence will be tested early and often in 2004 as the Bears will play seven of their 11 games, including six of eight in Big 12 play, against teams which earned bowl invitations in 2003.
"It is important that we have some success early in the year," Morriss said. "We have to stay healthy and upset some folks we aren't supposed to beat in order to reach our goals.
"I thought I could see the Baylor football program starting to learn to play hard by the end of last year," Morriss continued. "We've come a pretty good ways. But everything about resurrecting a program is a slow process. We aren't trying to turn around 130 kids, but the mindset of a whole university."
Here's a position-by-position look at the 2004 Bears heading into fall camp:
OFFENSE
Baylor returns seven starters on offense including four along the offensive line. Spring practice didn't produce a clear-cut No. 1 at quarterback, so the four-way battle among sophomore Shawn Bell, junior college transfer Dane King, fifth-year senior Aaron Karas and redshirt freshman Terrance Parks will continue during fall camp. In addition, a replacement for Armstrong needs to be found at running back and depth at tight end must be developed.
Under the leadership of first-year offensive coordinator Brent Pease, Baylor's signal callers completed a school single-season record 56.5 percent of their passes in 2003 while the Bears produced their best ground attack (110.0 ypg) since 1998.
QUARTERBACKS
Bell started the Baylor's final two games a year ago and came out of the spring sharing the top spot with King. He threw for 465 yards with one touchdown and one interception over Baylor's final three games in 2003, while connecting on 63.0 percent of his passes over that stretch.
"Shawn is real smart," Morriss said. "He won't do things that get you beat, and that'll take him a long way."
The heralded King earned second-team All-America honors a year ago at Blinn (Texas) College. He led the National Junior College Athletic Association in both passing (310.8 ypg) and total offense (322.3 ypg) and completed 59.2 percent of his passes for the 2003 Bucs.
"Dane has the swagger you like to see in a quarterback," Morriss said. "He leveled off at the end of spring practice, but he had a good spring."
Then there's Karas, a 21-game career starter who holds the school's all-time record for completion percentage (.591) and ranks among the Bears' top 10 in 11 career offensive categories, and Parks, an athletic performer who showed play-making abilities during spring practice, applying the pressure behind Bell and King.
"We probably won't decide on a starter until we get on the plane for Birmingham (for the season-opener at UAB)," Morriss said. "We'll just have to see how things shake out during two-a-days and go from there. But, we have some options and competition (for the starting job) tends to bring out the best in players."
RUNNING BACKS
All-Big 12 performer Armstrong and the school's first 1,000-yard rushing campaign since 1995 are gone, but the Bears have four players, seniors Anthony Krieg and Jonathan Golden, as well as sophomores Paul Mosley and Brandon Whitaker, pushing for Armstrong's job.
Krieg was the team's second-leading rusher a year ago with 222 yards on 56 carries and is listed first on the depth chart. Golden, who elected to take a redshirt year in 2003, has nine career starts in the backfield and needs just 303 yards to reach the 1,000-yard plateau for his career. He shares the second position on the depth chart with Mosley.
Mosley, one of the biggest surprises of spring practice, impressed the Baylor staff with his power-running ability despite recording just one carry in 2003. Whitaker, meanwhile, saw action in eight games a year ago as a true freshman and carried 31 times for 42 yards.
The most-experienced player in the Bears' backfield is senior fullback Jonathan Evans, who has made 13 career starts. Evans was the team's third-leading rusher a year ago with 65 yards on 25 carries and ranked as the squad's fifth-best receiver with 15 receptions for 136 yards.
Behind Evans are sophomores Jonathan Sisk and Damon Dotson. Neither player has a Baylor rush attempt to his name, and Dotson was moved from linebacker during spring practice.
"I'd say Mosley was a standout and had a good spring," said Morriss. "He really came along. If we end up running the ball quite a bit, he's going to be prominent. If we can't open any holes up front and have to throw the ball all the time, his blocking and passing game knowledge isn't the same as an Anthony Krieg or a Jonathan Golden.
"We have enough talent in the backfield, it's just a question if they can all come through for us back there when the lights go on."
RECEIVERS
Baylor's top receiver from a year ago, Robert Quiroga, completed his eligibility, but the Bears return a strong group headlined by senior Marques Roberts and fifth-year junior John Martin.
One of the Bears' most-experienced players, Roberts started all 12 games a year ago and tied for second on the squad in receptions with 25 for 224 yards and two scores. He needs 26 receptions to crack Baylor's top 10 and 348 yards to become the school's 21st career 1,000-yard receiver.
The sure-handed Martin, meanwhile, missed eight 2003 games due to illness but still finished as the team's sixth-leading receiver with 12 catches for 139 yards. He has missed nearly two full seasons with injuries and illness over his career was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA last summer. Like Roberts, he's also making a run at BU's all-time receptions chart, where he's just 23 catches shy of cracking the top 10.
Sophomore Trent Shelton is listed second behind Roberts after catching 25 passes for 298 yards and one touchdown a year ago. Junior J Fields is Martin's back-up after hauling in nine passes for 141 yards a year ago and averaging a team-high 15.7 yards per reception.
Sophomore Dominique Zeigler and junior Shaun Rochon rank 1-2 at Baylor's third wide out position, and enjoyed strong springs. Zeigler, who doubles as a standout jumper on the Baylor track and field team, made nine receptions for 83 yards as a true freshman. An All-America wide out at Mary Hardin-Baylor, Rochon sat out the 2003 campaign as a transfer, but the speedster impressed enough to earn scout team MVP honors.
"I believe there are five or six players in this group that can really play," Morriss said. "There is not just one guy that jumps off the page at you right now, but the group is solid.
"We are just going to have to put them in the right place at the right time to be successful," he added. "We know their strengths, so now we have to try and take advantage of them."
Baylor's top tight end a year ago, Shane Williams, completed his eligibility, leaving a big void. Senior Marcus Venus caught five passes for 70 yards in seven appearances as a junior and is listed first on the depth chart. But behind him are two redshirt freshmen, Mike Miller and Jeff Ward, so developing depth at this position will be a priority during fall camp.
LINEMEN
Four starters return from an O-line that helped pave the way for Armstrong's 1,000-yard season, but Morriss listed this position as his biggest concern heading into the fall because of nagging injuries to some key performers and the fact that seven of the 12 players listed on the preseason depth chart are underclassmen.
Senior All-Big 12 candidate Quintin Outland is the team's most experienced lineman, with 26 career starts, and returns for his third season as the Bears' first-team left tackle. Junior Glen Oskin started eight games at left guard a year ago and returns to that position after spending much of the spring working at center.
With four-year starter Cedric Fields gone, senior Joseph DeWoody is listed as the Bears' top center. However, junior college transfer Yancy Boatner is expected to push for the top spot during fall camp.
On the right side, junior All-Big 12 candidate Lequalan McDonald started all 12 games a year ago at guard and he'll again hold down that spot. Sophomore Nick Pace started all 12 games as a true freshman at right tackle but missed all of spring practice while recovering from back surgery and may be forced to take a redshirt season if he is unable to go when fall camp opens.
"I think we're playing faster, we're stronger and we're in better shape, but we've got to get healthy," Morriss said. "The offensive line is the area that concerns me more than any other (heading into the season). We've got some good talent there, but the inexperience and injury factors both are working at the same time."
DEFENSE
Seven starters return for a defense which will be guided by first-year coordinator Bill Bradley, who brings 21 years of professional and collegiate coaching experience into the Baylor program. A trio of All-America candidates, senior linebacker Justin Crooks, junior free safety Maurice Lane and junior outside safety Willie Andrews, headline the Bears' defense which will continue to feature a 4-2 look under Bradley.
"I want us to play more aggressively (on defense)," he added. "We may have to take a few more risks to make things happen and do a couple of things differently in the secondary."
LINEMEN
One of the areas that drew rave reviews during spring ball was the defensive line, where three starters return. The D-line will be anchored by fifth-year senior end and All-Big 12 candidate Khari Long, who started all 12 games as a junior and ranked 10th on the team in tackles with 31 stops. Behind Long will be sophomore Marcus Foreman and fifth-year senior Luke Groth, both of whom saw considerable playing time a year ago.
Baylor returns both of its 2003 first-team defensive tackles in sophomores M.T. Robinson and Quincy Jenkins. Robinson, who started all 12 games in 2003, had seven tackles for loss. Sophomores Julian Hill and Corey Ford are listed behind Robinson.
Jenkins drew six starts a year ago and shares the top spot on the BU depth chart with junior Michael Gary, who saw action in eight games a year ago and had an impressive spring. Iowa State sophomore transfer Klayton Shoals, who sat out the 2003 season, will also be in the hunt for playing time at defensive tackle.
Junior Montez Murphy is expected to replace Dominick Cravens as the Bears other first-team defensive end. He practiced with the team a year ago, but did not play.
The athletic Murphy was a standout during spring practice and should push for All-Big 12 honors in his final two seasons at Baylor. Sophomore Anderson Horn backs up Murphy.
"This is an area where we should be a lot better than we were a year ago," Morriss said. "We need to see dramatic improvement at the end spots, and Khari Long and Montez Murphy give us a pair of quality players there. We will have a little more depth than we did last year, which should help us, too."
LINEBACKERS
Two players, Stephen Sepulveda and John Garrett, completed their eligibility, but All-America candidate Crooks returns. Sepulveda started 11 of 12 games a year ago and Garrett finished his career was one of Baylor's all-time sack leaders.
Crooks was Baylor's second-leading tackler a year ago with 72 stops, including 9.5 tackles for loss. Junior Tyler Lindstrom and fifth-year senior James Irwin should challenge Crooks.
Junior Colin Allred emerged from spring practice as BU's other first-team linebacker. He saw action in 11 games a year ago and was credited with 14 stops. Fifth-year senior Michael Tolbert, who owns five career starts, and junior Jamaal Harper, who had 26 tackles last year, will push Allred.
"We've got four veteran guys in the mix and some talented freshmen coming in, so I feel pretty good about our linebackers," Morriss said.
SAFETIES
Baylor must replace outside safety Derrick Cash, the team's fourth-leading tackler (62) who started all 12 games at that position a year ago, but it returns starters Lane and Andrews.
An honorable mention Associated Press All-Big 12 pick, Lane made 12 starts and led the Bears in tackles (129), solos (89) and assists (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.
Two redshirt freshmen, Kyle Seals and Bennett Hoefer, are listed behind Lane.
Andrews also turned in a strong sophomore campaign, not only in the secondary, but on the Bears' kick off and punt return teams, too. He shares the top spot on Baylor's depth chart with senior Michael Boyd, who is also listed second to Anthony Arline at cornerback. Andrews was third on the team in tackles with 67 stops and recorded a team-high two interceptions. Redshirt freshman Nick Fellows stands behind Andrews and Boyd.
Sophomore Maurice Linguist has emerged as Cash's replacement and is listed first on the depth chart. His 38 stops a year ago ranked seventh on the team. Two redshirt freshmen, Brannan Moton and Zach Zachry, are listed second and third on the depth chart behind Linguist.
CORNERBACKS
Five of the six players listed on Morriss' preseason depth chart at cornerback are underclassmen, as sophomore James Todd and Arline are the only returnees with starting experience.
Sophomore C.J. Wilson is listed first at one corner position after recording 13 tackles a year ago. Todd, a six-game starter as a rookie, is second behind Wilson and redshirt freshman Josh Bell is third.
Arline, who started two games a year ago and finished the year with 19 tackles, tops among returning BU corners, has taken over for the departed Matt Johnson at the other cornerback spot. Boyd is listed behind Arline with redshirt freshman Braelon Davis, a member of Baylor's 2004 NCAA national champion 4x400-meter relay team and the son of former Baylor standout Bruce Davis, third.
"C.J. Wilson, Nick Fellows, Kyle Seals, Brannan Moton, Braelon Davis, they all looked good in the spring," Morriss said. "Davis is going to be a player. That kid can flat run, and being out for track has helped him.
"Our safeties and corners are the strongest positions we have on defense," he added.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Arguably the 2003 team's strength under the direction of special teams coordinator Mark Nelson, Baylor returns its starting place-kicker in senior Kenny Webb and its top punter in sophomore Ray Guy Award and All-America candidate Daniel Sepulveda. In addition, Andrews returns after setting school single-season records for total kick returns (59) and kick return yardage (875), and several of the Bears' fleet-footed defensive backs should bolster the Bears' kick return and coverage units.
Webb was the Bears' leading scorer a year ago with 45 points, connecting on all 24 PAT attempts and 7-of-13 field goals. A fifth-year senior, he has made 26-of-26 career PATs.
Despite not having any previous punting experience, Sepulveda averaged 43.1 yards per kick en route to first-team All-Big 12 honors from College Football News and second-team recognition from the Big 12 coaches. His 43.1 yard average is second among returning Big 12 punters and 18th among returning 2003 NCAA leaders. A BU one-year record 26 of Sepulveda's 87 punts went 50 yards or farther and he averaged 43.0 yards or better eight times.
"Daniel has a major-league leg," Morriss said. "He's more of a value to us as a punter than he would be at linebacker."
Not only did the Bears show improvement in the kicking game, put their kick off and punt return units were also better. Baylor's kick off return average increased from 16.3 yards in 2002 to 22.9 yards last, while its punt return mark grew to 8.1 yards from its 2002 average of 8.0.
Sophomore Ryan Havens will likely handle kickoffs for the second straight year and Jeremy Parker, BU's punter in 2002, will back-up Sepulveda.
