By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Foundation

PHOENIX, Ariz. -- Baylor football could have its own alumni association meeting during the Motel 6 Cactus Bowl week.

When the Bears (6-6) play Boise State (10-2) in Tuesday's 9:15 p.m. CDT matchup at the Arizona Diamondbacks' Chase Field, they will have nine graduates playing in the game and another two on the sidelines, along with four former players who have walked the stage.

"Oh man, it was a huge deal," said fourth-year junior linebacker Taylor Young, who graduated last Saturday along with seven other teammates. "Just having this goal and accomplishing it, that was a great deal for me, a great deal for my family. I know everybody's proud of me."

Young is one of six defensive starters who have already earned their degrees, joining fellow linebackers Aiavion Edwards, defensive end K.J. Smith, cornerback Ryan Reid and safety Orion Stewart.

"I had 20-something family (members) there, so it was real special," said Edwards, who earned his degree in exercise physiology. "My mom's been waiting on it. She tells me all the time, make sure you're staying on top of your studies. So, just doing that for her, is big."

Edwards said playing in a bowl game as a college graduate wasn't anything he really thought about, "but now that it's finally here, it's awesome."

Like Edwards, Young said his mom stayed on him to keep in the books and "make sure you take advantage of your free education." Along with Smith and junior linebacker Raaquan Davis, Young took just 3 ½ years to get his degree in health, kinesiology and leisure studies.

"I'm real big in football, but my mom always preaches grades, grades, grades," Young said. "If I fall off for maybe a semester, I always pick it back up, because she always nags me, `Grades, grades, grades.' . . . Just having that diploma is a huge blessing."

Davis actually dreamed of being a doctor, "but playing a sport and doing pre-med and all that was hard." So, he took more of the administration route and got his degree in medical humanities.

"It's pretty much one of the biggest things I've accomplished in my life so far," Davis said of the degree. "My family was there in full force (for last Saturday's graduation ceremony), and they loved seeing me walk across the stage. I did a little dance across the stage. They loved that. And then seeing my mom and my dad afterwards, tears in their eyes, it was an emotional day."

Also graduating last week were offensive lineman Keith Orcutt, defensive lineman Byron Bonds, safety Taion Sells and former linebacker Xavier Phillips. Additionally, receiver Lynx Hawthorne is a December 2015 graduate, injured quarterback Seth Russell graduated in May and running back Shock Linwood -- who is sitting out the bowl -- graduated in August.

"It was a must," Young said. "I couldn't come home and not have a degree."

The Bears went through their second bowl-site workout Saturday morning at Corona del Sol High School and will have a Christmas Day practice today at Arizona State's indoor facility in Tempe before a light walk-through on Monday at Chase Field.

"We gave the guys some time off, so they're a little bit rusty," Baylor interim head coach Jim Grobe said before Saturday's practice. "As much as anything, we need to mentally be good today. Obviously, at a bowl game, the No. 1 thing you want to do is be right mentally. Offensively and defensively, I thought we were a little sloppy (Friday). It will be important before we get to Tuesday that we get our assignments down and don't make many mistakes."

With the bowl-week festivities, the beautiful scenery in Arizona and family being around, junior nickel back Travon Blanchard said, "it's really easy to lose your focus here."

"Anytime you earn a bowl game trip, it's exciting, because you know at the end of the season not everyone has a bowl game," said Blanchard, who's making his fourth bowl trip and second in Arizona. "So, this is a time where we can come out here and celebrate our accomplishments. But, we also know that we have a lot of work to do. The reason we're out here is to win a game. The parties and celebrations are nice, but we're focused on winning."

Grobe said it's a fine balance between making sure the players enjoy the bowl experience while also keeping their focus on winning the game.

"We want to work hard enough to have a chance to win the football game, but we don't want to work so hard that we get anybody banged up or they don't enjoy the bowl experience," Grobe said. "It's hard to balance all that. But, you hope your best team shows up for the bowl game."

Saturday night, Athletics Chaplain Wes Yeary led a Christmas Eve service that included scripture reading from quarterbacks Preston Heard and Zack Bennema, wide receiver Blake Murphy, linebacker Chad Kelly and safety Jarrod Koym. Tyler Blount, the daughter of assistant director of sports ministries Norris Blount, led the group in a singing of "Silent Night."

Tying the Christmas message to what this year's team has gone through, Yeary said the consistent word from God is to "fear not, no matter what your circumstances are or what you're going through." Those same words, "Don't be afraid," were spoken to Mary, Joseph and the shepherds, "the Messiah is coming."

Merry Christmas, Baylor Nation!