Football Receiving Rave Reviews From Preseason Magazines

June 28, 2011

By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider

Baylor football is far from the media darling when it comes to this summer's preseason magazines.

But, for a program that finally ended a 16-year bowl game drought and posted its first winning season in 15 years, predictions of a top-seven finish in the Big 12 Conference and back-to-back bowl appearances are like music to the ears of a writer that's seen the Bears play in just four such games in the last 2 ½ decades.

The Verdict in Athlon's preview magazine: "Under Art Briles, Baylor has made steady improvement and broke through last year with its first bowl appearance since 1994. The Bears possess a dangerous offense with the return of quarterback Robert Griffin III and a deep receiving corps. Although the offense can score with the best of the Big 12, the defense has to show improvement. New coordinator Phil Bennett was a great hire, but it may be a year before results are noticed. But as long as Griffin stays healthy, the Bears will go bowling in 2011."

Across the board, the Bears are picked to finish no worse than seventh in the newly restructured, 10-team Big 12. Texas Football and Sporting News both have Baylor penciled in to finish sixth, while Athlon and Lindy's have the Bears a notch lower at No. 7.

"The Bears could have a memorable season since Griffin is back to lead an explosive offense, especially if the defense improves significantly," assesses Lindy's. "Bottom line: Baylor should improve on its breakthrough 7-6 season that ended with a 38-14 loss to Illinois in the Texas Bowl . . . Griffin will put up big numbers and the Bears make a second straight bowl appearance."

With Griffin III leading the way among nine returning starters, the offense has stolen the spotlight in the preseason magazines.

Griffin III, coming off a record-setting season, was named first-team All-Big 12 and third-team All-American by Athlon, the No. 7 quarterback nationally and the Big 12 "best scrambler" by Lindy's, first-team All-Texas by Texas Football and the Big 12 "Best Athlete" and "Best Running Quarterback" by Sporting News.

"The great thing about Robert is he's intrinsically motivated," Briles said in the Texas Football previews. "We don't have to push any buttons because he's pushing them himself."

But the hiring of Bennett in January has given hope for a defense that ranked among the last in the league a year ago.

"Everybody who knows football knows Phil Bennett" Briles said. "It doesn't matter if you're in junior high, the CFL or the NFL. He has a proven track record and great passion. He's a self-starter and is going to be full-tilt in everything he does. The players are going to gravitate toward him and get after it for him." Here are some of the preseason awards in the various preseason magazines:

ATHLON
QB Robert Griffin III
- 3rd-team All-American
- 1st-team All-Big 12
- No. 10 in Heisman watch

DE Tevin Elliott
- 2nd-team All-Big 12

IR Kendall Wright
- 3rd-team All-Big 12

C Philip Blake
- 3rd-team All-Big 12

OT Cyril Richardson
- 3rd-team All-Big 12

LINDY'S
QB Robert Griffin III
- No. 7 QB nationally
- Big 12 "Best Scrambler"

IR Kendall Wright
- 2nd-team All-Big 12
- No. 6 WR nationally

C Philip Blake
- 2nd-team All-Big 12

DE Tevin Elliott
- 2nd-team All-Big 12

DAVE CAMPBELL'S TEXAS FOOTBALL
QB Robert Griffin III
- Offensive POY
- Best Quarterback
- 1st-team All-Texas

IR Kendall Wright
- 1st-team All-Texas

C Philip Blake
- 1st-team All-Texas