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By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Foundation

FRISCO, Texas -- Because of attrition in the offensive line, first-year Baylor head coach Matt Rhule has two converted tight ends and three true freshmen listed in the updated two-deep that was released Tuesday at Big 12 Media Days.

"Really, no one can get hurt on the offensive line. They're just not allowed to," quipped Rhule during Tuesday's press conference at The Ford Center, the Dallas Cowboys' sparkling new practice facility. "But, we have young players, we recruited them for a reason. They saw an opportunity to come here, and they have to be ready to play."

Converted sophomore tight end Sam Tecklenburg is now listed as the starting center after Tanner Thrift's injury retirement and is backed up by true freshman Ryan Miller. Junior Josh Malin, the other former tight end, is now the backup at left tackle behind Mo Porter, with true freshmen Xavier Newman and Henry Klinge III with the No. 2 offense at right guard and right tackle, respectively.

"I don't have time to worry, really. I just have to deal with it," Rhule said. "The only place (the depth issue) really shows up is in the offensive line. We signed six this year, and we'll sign another five next year. At least I know I'm getting my offensive linemen, the kind of kids I like, because I recruit offensive linemen different than other people do. I'm not looking for 6-6, 300-pound guys, I'm looking for 250-pound guys that can run that have a chance to play in the NFL one day."

One of the key battles going into preseason practice, which starts next Thursday, July 27, will be quarterback. Sophomore Zach Smith started the last four games and led the Bears to a Cactus Bowl win over Boise State; grad transfer Anu Solomon led Arizona to the Pac-12 championship game as a freshman; and freshman Charlie Brewer led Lake Travis to back-to-back state championship game appearances.

"I feel good about all three of them," Rhule said. "Anu Solomon has been there, he's been to the Pac-12 championship game. He's got a certain something about him. Zach Smith, I think, has all the talent in the world. He just needs to continue to play. Charlie Brewer . . . should have been at the prom, should have been in math class, and he was out there with us and still completing about 70 percent of his passes in the spring.

"All three of them are great players, and I'm going to let them battle it out. I don't think it's fair to name a starter as a new coach until you absolutely know."

In terms of replacing all-time leading rusher Shock Linwood and receivers KD Cannon and Ishmael Zamora, Rhule said, "It's a little bit of a youth movement we're going to see." Junior Chris Platt and sophomores Denzel Mims and Tony Nicholson are listed as the starting receivers, while sophomore JaMycal Hasty and junior Terance Williams are a formidable 1-2 punch at running back.

"We're going to see some young players that have waited their turn at the receiver position," Rhule said. "In the spring, that was one of the things I was most concerned about, losing a couple of great receivers to the NFL. But, I think we have some young kids -- Denzel Mims, Pooh (Stricklin), (Jared) Atkinson, Chris Platt, who's on the depth chart at both offense and defense (cornerback). . . . I don't know if there's another kid in college football -- he's a two-sport player, track and football, and he's going to play both ways."

Addressing Baylor's Title IX issue, Rhule said, "We're not running from the past, but rather we're learning from it."

"If we don't talk about it, if we don't learn from it, then what was the point of it?" he said. "I want to move forward, but I want to move forward, always acknowledging the past. The issue of sexual assault and gender violence, this isn't a Baylor issue and this isn't a college football issue . . it's a higher education issue."

With holes to fill on both sides, and trying to develop the freshman linemen in a hurry, Rhule believes the Bears will benefit from starting practices earlier than usual.

"I think every single day we have a chance to be around the kids and to practice . . . is a benefit," he said. "I think it's probably about 10 or 12 days that we're in practice that we're still in summer school, so we'll have to work around it. Our kids are going to have to be mature and balance the schedule, but I want to welcome any opportunity I have to coach those kids."

Baylor will open the season against Liberty on Sept. 2 at McLane Stadium, with a home game against UTSA (Sept. 9) and a road trip to Duke (Sept. 16) wrapping up the non-conference schedule. For ticket information, call the Baylor Athletics Ticket Office at 254-710-1000 or go online at www.baylorbears.com/tickets.