April 5, 2008

Photo Gallery

Sophomore running back Jay Finley rushed eight times for 73 yards and two touchdowns to highlight Baylor's 111-play scrimmage to end spring practice Saturday afternoon at Floyd Casey Stadium.

"First of all, we didn't get anyone injured; that was our number one goal," said Baylor head football coach Art Briles. "We played with a pretty good pace and tempo which is something that we want to be known as; a tempo-tough football team.

"From the standpoint of what we're looking for, we're there," he added. "It'ss like I told them, this journey is not over, it just started. We'll have 29 workouts before we play Wake Forest and we just finished 15. We should see vast improvement and we will."

Finley, the Bears' leading returning rusher, scored on runs of 5 and 4 yards while averaging 9.1 yards per carry. Five of his eight carries on the day went for 10 or more yards and he caught one pass for 5 yards.

Senior Jacoby Jones carried a scrimmage-high 12 times for 53 yards as the Bears' ground game generated 207 yards on 61 carries for the scrimmage. A year ago, Baylor averaged just 77.8 rushing yards per contest.

True freshman quarterback Robert Griffin also impressed in his first spring game as a Baylor Bear, completing 5-of-9 passes for 66 yards and rushing five times for 30 yards. Griffin graduated from Copperas Cove (Texas) High School last December and enrolled at Baylor in January 2008 in order to go through spring ball and compete for the Bears' starting job as a rookie.

Senior Kirby Freeman, a transfer from Miami, Fla., who has one season of eligibility remaining, and junior Blake Szymanski, who has 12 career starts under his belt at Baylor, also had impressive moments under center Saturday. Freeman, who took the first series of the scrimmage, completed 7-of-13 passes for 75 yards with one interception and no touchdowns.

Szymanski, a 10-game starter for the Bears in 2007, completed 9-of-13 passes for 102 yards and one touchdown with no picks. He tossed the scrimmage's lone touchdown pass, a 27-yarder, to senior inside receiver Joe Bennett. Bennett was the scrimmage's leading receiver with five receptions for 89 yards.

All-told, five Baylor quarterbacks completed 28 passes for 309 yards to 14 different receivers. Junior inside receiver Justin Akers caught four passes for 46 yards, while three other players--senior inside receiver Thomas White (3-16), sophomore inside receiver Brad Taylor (3-36) and junior wide receiver David Gettis (3-36) all caught three passes.

Sophomore place-kicker Shea Brewster connected on field goals of 41 and 28 yards as well as all three of his PATs, while sophomore punter Derek Epperson averaged 47.3 yards on four boots.

Fourteen players were held out of the scrimmage due to injury but no one was injured during Saturday's workout and nearly all of the injured Bears are expected to be ready for fall camp.

The Bears report to campus for fall camp Aug. 3 and will go through their first workout Aug. 4 in preparation for their Aug. 30 season-opener against Wake Forest at Floyd Casey Stadium. Baylor plays seven home games in 2008, including five of its first six to open the season.

Baylor Scrimmage Statistics:

Scoring Plays:

Shea Brewster 41 yd field goal

Shea Brewster 28 yd field goal

Jay Finley 4 yd run (Brewster PAT)

Jay Finley 5 yd run (Brewster PAT)

Joe Bennett 27 pass from Blake Szymanski (Brewster PAT)

Rushing (Att-Yards-TD):

Thomas White, 1-3-0; Blake Szymanski, 3-6-0; Kirby Freeman, 7-6-0; Ryan Roberts, 2- (-6)-0; Robert Griffin, 5-30-0; Tyler Beatty, 4-(-9)-0; Justin Fenty, 1-(-1)-0; Andre Pierce, 7-17-0; Jacoby Jones, 12-53-0; Jay Finley, 8-73-2; Tony Anderson, 11-35-0; Team Totals, 61-207-2.

Passing (Att-Comp-Yards-INT-TD):

Blake Szymanski, 13-9-102-0-1; Kirby Freeman, 13-7-75-1-0; Ryan Roberts, 5-3-41-0-0; Robert Griffin, 9-5-66-0-0; Tyler Beatty, 10-4-25-0-0; Team Totals, 50-28-309-1-1.

Receiving (Rec-Yards-TD):

Thomas White, 3-16-0; Brad Taylor, 3-36-0; Luke La Mar, 1-30-0; David Gettis, 3-36-0; Justin Akers, 4-46-0; Kyle Mitchell, 1-3-0; Jay Finley, 1-5-0; Joe Bennett, 5-89-1; Tyler DeLoach, 1-4-0; Stacy Williams 1-12-0; Andrew Sowder, 2-9-0; Andrew Sumpter, 1-10-0; Romie Blaylock, 1-8-0; Bryan Swindoll, 1-5-0; Team Totals, 28-309-1.

Interceptions (No.-Yards-TD):

Jake La Mar, 1-12-0.

Punting (No.-Yards-Avg.):

Derek Epperson, 4-189-47.3.

Post-Scrimmage Quotes From Baylor Head Football Coach Art Briles:

On the Quarterback Play:

"We've got some guys that can do some things. I'm a little more concerned about the left guard and cornerback position than I am the quarterback because we have got some guys that can play and make plays. We'll get somebody on the field that can do it for us. So, that's an issue that will take care of itself. I'm not concerned with it."

"I thought our tempo was good, which is something that you never know until you get into a game like this with the clock running. I was pleased with the way we moved around. I thought we didn't bust many assignments here today; I'll have to wait until I look at the tape. We're healthy, we had a good crowd, and I appreciate the crowd out here. It is a beautiful day, just a good day to be a Baylor Bear, no doubt."

On the Running Backs:

"Those guys are tough and that's what we're going to be, a tough football team because that's something we control. Those guys are going to fight for yards and our offensive line is going to fight to help them. That's not going to be a question mark, that's going to be a given."

On the Offensive Line:

"Offensive line is the key. Right now we've got three guys that we believe in a whole lot, and we've got to find two other guys to jump in there with them. We get five offensive linemen that can play and we will be a good football team offensively."

On Baylor's Pass Rush:

"It's good. You know we've got speed on defense, were not inventing that, everyone is doing it. We're going to pack some guys on the field and make the field look small. That's what our key is and we've got some guys who are playing with a high tempo and a fast motor and that is what they've got to do."

On the Secondary:

"Anytime you play, there is a chance that something bad could happen back there, and if it does, then you just have to go on. Those guys are out there trying to make plays. There is not a whole lot of experience in some positions, but when we play Wake Forest, they aren't going to say `This guy doesn't have his bearings, let's not go after him,' they're going to go at people. So, we have to be prepared and we have to be ready."

More on Robert Griffin, Kirby Freeman and Blake Szymanski:

"He's (Griffin) a guy that if you don't watch him, the next thing you know, you're looking for him because he's gone. He's a dynamic player and we have got to get 10 others like him on the field. We don't want to be a football team that's known for four or five people, we want to be known for 45 people, and that's what our deal is, we want everybody to play up and everybody to be special. That's the point that we have to get to them and we're going to get there."

"Robert is a very intelligent player, very eager and very absorbent. Anything you say he absorbs, so that is a good quality and a good sign. We are definitely glad that he is a Baylor Bear because it bodes well for the immediate future."

"All those guys have done well. Kirby had a few unfortunate things happen to him early, but he bounced back and played well; Szymanski played well. All those guys jumped in and made plays. What they have to do is move the ball productively down the field. They don't have to be great, just be productive, and that's all we're asking of them. Don't win the game; just don't put us in a bad situation."

On Injuries:

"It helps us from the standpoint that we get to look at other people. We didn't ever move Mitchell outside from the offensive standpoint, but now we've got Mitchell outside, he's a good outside player. There are some things that come out of it in a positive fashion, but we'll find 11 who can play."

On Expectations for 2008:

"I want a really tough football team. We have to be hungry, we have to be tough, we have to prove were in it. From that standpoint we've got a lot of guys in that boat. We've got to have all 85 in there of the 108 that are working out now, but when we get that, we'll be a team that you have to lace it up pretty tight to play."

On Sam Sledge (moved from offensive line to defensive tackle):

"He's exactly what we expected, tough, physical, intelligent, dynamic, eager, all the intangibles that you need to be a good football player, he's got them. He'll find a place on the field whether its on offense or defense. Once our depth issues get situated, there's a good chance that he may end up back on the offensive side of the ball."