By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Foundation

Similar to the way that players like John Lovett, Blake Lynch and Chris Miller stepped up when others were down, Matt Rhule is hoping that other receivers can fill the void left by Chris Platt.

Off to a great start with 16 catches for 401 yards and five touchdowns through the first four games, Platt will likely miss the rest of the season after suffering a knee injury early in the third quarter of Saturday's 49-41 loss to third-ranked Oklahoma.

"I don't know if you can replace Chris's big-time, big-play capabilities," Rhule said Tuesday at his weekly press conference, "but that's where we are. So, we're going to have to rely on Pooh (Stricklin) and Jared Atkinson and some other guys who have been waiting their turn and got in on Saturday. They're going to have to step up in an effort to make up for Chris's production."

Sophomore Denzel Mims, added to the watch list for the Biletnikoff Award that recognizes the outstanding receiver in college football, stepped up in the Oklahoma game with 11 catches for 192 yards and three touchdowns.

"He has so much talent and so much potential, and he's working at it," Rhule said of Mims, "but that was the first time you saw some confidence where he knew he could do this. . . . He became a guy, with the matchup, where we didn't feel like they could cover him, and he didn't feel like they could cover him. And that was really good for the quarterback to know that if he had one-on-one (coverage), he could go there to Denzel and he'd make the play."

Particularly in the second half, following Platt's injury, Stricklin, Tony Nicholson and freshman R.J. Sneed also came through with big catches.

"We've been lacking the past few weeks, so it took (Rhule) to challenge us to go harder this week, and it brought the best out of us," said Nicholson, who had a career-high seven catches for 74 yards and also had a 42-yard punt return to set up a score. "It just let us know how much we can bring to the table and how we can help our defense."

Xavier Jones, who started three of the first four games at defensive end, is also expected to miss the rest of the season with a knee injury. Jones ranks among the team leaders with 1.5 sacks and two tackles for loss.

"(Jones and Platt) have been tremendously loyal to us and have been great players for us," Rhule said. "And we're anxious to get them back for their senior year next year. As it is right now, it looks like they will be out for the season, unless something changes."

Senior Brian Nance moves over from the rush end spot to replace Jones, with redshirt freshman Deonte Williams moving back to rush end after starting the Oklahoma game at strongside linebacker. Starting left tackle Mo Porter is expected to return from the ankle injury that forced him to sit out large chunks of Saturday's game. But if he can't go, the Bears will go with a different combination in the offensive line for the fifth straight week.

True freshman Xavier Newman made his first start last week at left guard and has that "tough guy demeanor, which you like to have."

While the o-line wasn't able to create enough of a push in the run game, with the Bears held to 60 net yards on 35 attempts, it did keep quarterback Zach Smith relatively clean until a pair of late fourth-quarter sacks.

"I think they are getting better, but we weren't able to match Oklahoma's physicality in running the football," Rhule said. "And really, not even physicality, but just some mistakes here and there. But, I like the direction, I like the way they're moving, and I like that they're getting better."

Some of the other bright spots from the Oklahoma game included better production from the receivers and improved efficiency on third downs, with the Bears converting on 9-of-21. Going into the game, they were just 7-of-35 for the year.

"I was really pleased with the receivers ÃÆ'Æ'à € ' ¢ÃƒÆ'Æ' ¢' ¬" going up and catching the football, getting open, making plays down the field," Rhule said, "and even Tony in the return game. I think their commitment to being dynamic was what we were looking for earlier, and it finally came through. Now, the challenge for them is whether to relax or take it to another level. Especially with Chris being out, we're hoping they take it to another level as a corps."

Baylor (0-4, 0-1) faces another difficult challenge this week, traveling to Manhattan, Kan., to take on Kansas State (2-1, 0-0) at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The Wildcats are coming off a bye week after suffering their first loss of the year at Vanderbilt, 14-7, on Sept. 16.

"Having a chance to compete against Coach (Bill) Snyder makes me better, and makes me look at myself and how I do what I do," Rhule said. "The way he runs his program is exactly the way I want to run this program ÃÆ'Æ'à € ' ¢ÃƒÆ'Æ' ¢' ¬" doing things the right way on and off the field, and just the way they play. It will be an honor to be out there with him, and I look forward to shaking his hand before and after the game."