Football Completes #CampBU Scrimmage No. 2

Football 8/22/2015 12:00:00 AM

Aug. 22, 2015

By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider

Behind an offensive line that returns all five starters, Baylor focused on developing the running game in Saturday's one-hour, 78-play scrimmage at McLane Stadium.

The Bears' four-headed backfield of Terence Williams, Devin Chafin, Johnny Jefferson and Shock Linwood piled up 177 yards and three touchdowns on 31 attempts to highlight the second scrimmage of fall camp.

"We like to run the ball," said senior All-American offensive tackle Spencer Drango. "It seemed like we got in a good rhythm. Once we got into the actual scrimmage, we felt like we were moving it pretty well."

With Drango opting to bypass the NFL Draft and come back for his fifth year, Baylor's entire o-line returned intact. Seniors Blake Muir and Jarell Broxton are at the guards, senior Pat Colbert is at right tackle and fourth-year junior Kyle Fuller anchors the line at center.

"Whenever you get two guys back in the offensive line, it's great," Drango said. "When you have all five, it's unheard of. We trust each other . . . and we know what the other guy is going to do and know he's going to do it. It gives us confidence across the front, but I think it gives confidence to the rest of the team. It starts up front in the trenches. If you have an experienced line, it's going to go well for you, if they're playing well."

Williams capped the scoring with a 19-yard TD run and led all rushers with 69 yards on 15 carries. Chafin finished with 52 yards and one TD on nine carries, Jefferson added 42 yards and one score on just five attempts and Linwood carried just twice for 14 yards.

Quarterback Seth Russell continued his strong fall camp, connecting on his first six passes and finishing 8-of-11 for 86 yards. Leading four scoring drives, the fourth-year junior connected with Lynx Hawthorne for a seven-yard TD pass on the first-team offense's first series of the game.

"Seth has played outstanding," Drango said. "Personally, I never had any questions about him, but he's kind of filled into that spot. And as long as we keep him calm back there, and we do our job up front, he's going to perform."

In the battle for the No. 2 job, freshman QB Jarrett Stidham was 3-of-4 for 36 yards and sophomore Chris Johnson was 2-of-3 for 11 yards. Johnson was also sacked five times, including four by All-American defensive end Shawn Oakman.

The first-team defense was also dominant again, shutting out the No. 2 offense and not even giving up a first down until the sixth series.

"I feel like we all know our assignments out there," senior defensive tackle Beau Blackshear said. "When we can all play as one, it makes it easier on the guy next you and the guy outside of you. We're really showing our maturity now and being able to get a good pass rush and stop the run."

Sophomore Spencer Evans, the Bears' kickoff specialist, had one of the highlights of the day with a 60-yard field goal.

Defensively, linebacker Clay Johnston and cornerback/safety Terrence Singleton each had five tackles. Sophomore Tyler Jaynes picked off a Zack Bennema pass, while freshman safety J.W. Ketchum forced a fumble that redshirt freshman Xavier Jones recovered.

After wrapping up their third week of fall camp, the Bears will take Sunday off before beginning classes for the fall semester Monday. Baylor opens the season Sept. 4 with a nationally televised game at SMU.

"Starting Monday," Blackshear said, "it will be full-throttle SMU, all the way to game day."

SCORING PLAYS
Lynx Hawthorne 7 pass from Seth Russell (Chris Callahan kick)
Devin Chafin 2 rush (Chris Callahan kick)
Spencer Evans 60 FG
Johnny Jefferson 20 rush (Chris Callahan kick)
Terence Williams 19 rush (Chris Callahan kick)