PROTECTING CHARLIE

By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
            Typically, a quarterback needs 2-3 seconds of protection in the pocket to be able to get a pass out to a receiver.
            Junior left tackle Connor Galvin has much loftier goals for the Baylor offensive line and quarterback Charlie Brewer.
            "Each time we throw the ball, that's our goal is to protect Charlie for as long as he needs," Galvin said Tuesday during a Zoom media session. "Everybody says 2-3 seconds, we're trying to give him 10 seconds. We're trying to keep him up and safe and playing for as long as possible."
            Coming into his third season as a starter, Galvin said he has seen Brewer "really take control of this offense."
            "Him and (offensive coordinator Larry Fedora) have put in a lot of work to really understand what we need out of him," Galvin said. "Charlie has really stepped up in his senior year to really lead this team."
            EXPERIENCE IN THE O-LINE: Including Galvin, the Bears return four of the five offensive linemen that started last year's Sugar Bowl game and five other players who have started at some point in their careers.
            "With our maturity level, I feel like it helps slow the game down," Galvin said. "It helps us understand the scheme and what Coach Fedora and (offensive line coach Joe Wickline) want. . . . Having me and (Xavier Newman-Johnson) and Blake (Bedier) out there, I feel like it helps guys like (junior college transfer Mose Jeffery) and guys who haven't experienced it. I feel like it helps a lot just to slow the game down for them, too."
            HE'S GOT THE WHOLE TOOLBOX: Having gone against him every day in practice – 'pass rush, inside, run, team, every opportunity we can" – Galvin says he's a "huge fan" of outside linebacker William Bradley-King.
A grad transfer, Bradley-King earned first-team all-conference honors last season at Arkansas State, recording 13.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks.
            "I think he'll do really well in this league," Galvin said of Bradley-King, who is playing the JACK position as an edge rusher in the Bears' 3-4 or 3-3-5 defensive alignment. "He's a real twitchy guy, he's long, athletic, really good technique. He has a whole toolbox of moves. And just overall, he has a really high motor."
            FREAKS ALL OVER THE FIELD: Transitioning from Arkansas State and the Sunbelt to Baylor and the Big 12, Bradley-King says the biggest difference is "there are freaks all over the field."
            "I'm around a lot of freaks," he said. "Here, I'm going to complement all the great players that we have."
            Specifically, Bradley-King said he likes the depth and talent at the JACK position with junior Ashton Logan, redshirt freshman Tyrone Brown and sophomore transfer Victor Obi.
            "I really love the guys I'm around," he said, "because we're all focused on the same thing. That's to be Big 12 champions, national champions and to keep the winning tradition going. . . . We have a lot to live up to because of the guys from last season."
            STORY BEHIND THE NAME: On Twitter, Bradley-King's handle is @Willgotthesack and his screen name is simply, THE Technician.
            Explaining his screen name, Bradley-King said he has always been his biggest critic, "and I just take pride in my craft and just trying to be a technician. I want to be a technician, so I made that my screen name to hold myself accountable to it."
            Baylor is continuing preparations for the Sept. 12 season opener at McLane Stadium against Louisiana Tech and the Big 12 opener two weeks later at home against Kansas.

PROTECTING CHARLIE

Players Mentioned

William Bradley-King

Charlie Brewer

Tyrone Brown

Connor Galvin

Mose Jeffery

Ashton Logan

Xavier Newman-Johnson

Victor Obi

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