BROTHERS FOR LIFE
11/28/2021 2:29:00 PM | Football
Baylor's 2017 Signing Class Excited for Chance to 'Go Out on Top'
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
From a 27-player recruiting class that signed with Matt Rhule on Feb. 1, 2017, seven players started in Saturday's 27-24 win over Texas Tech and 14 are still listed on the roster almost five years later.
"It's been a journey, man," said senior linebacker Terrel Bernard, who had a team-high eight tackles, two stops behind the line and a pass breakup against the Red Raiders.
"We've been through a lot together. We spend more time together than with our families. So, it's been fun. It's crazy that it's finally coming to an end, but it's been a great experience. Every single one of them have become my brothers and have become lifelong friends. It's an experience I'll never take for granted."
Bernard, defensive lineman Cole Maxwell and safety Jalen Pitre started on a defensive unit that produced two turnovers and did just enough at the end for the ninth-ranked Bears (10-2, 7-2) to pull out the win and earn a berth in Saturday's Big 12 Championship game versus seventh-ranked Oklahoma State (11-1, 8-1) at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
"That was one of our goals coming into the season," Bernard said. "It would just be crazy to be able to play in that game. We felt like we did our part. You can't control what happens later, but we'll be watching."
The Bears were watching Saturday night as Oklahoma State rallied from a nine-point deficit to defeat 10th-ranked Oklahoma, 37-33, in the Bedlam game in Stillwater. With the head-to-head advantage over the Sooners (10-2, 7-2), Baylor is back in the Big 12 title game for the second time in three years.
"It's really special, it's just a great experience," said senior running back/kick returner Trestan Ebner, who scored on an 81-yard TD pass in the Bears' 30-23 overtime loss to Oklahoma in the 2019 Big 12 Championship. "I feel like if you win the Big 12 championship, it's remembered forever. You have the 2013 and 2014 team on the (Allison Indoor Facility). And every team after that wants to get on there with them."
In Saturday's game against the Red Raiders, Ebner opened the scoring with a 61-yard TD pass from redshirt freshman quarterback Blake Shapen and finished with 220 all-purpose yards, including a career-high 118 yards on four catches.
"We knew we had a mismatch if they played the right coverage, if they came out there in man," Ebner said. "But, we got the right looks, and we were able to execute them. A linebacker walked out there with me (on the 61-yard TD catch). We were practicing (that) if the linebacker comes with me, we're going to throw it, no matter what. And we made it work."
Ebner, who rotated with fellow 2017 recruit Abram Smith at running back, also moved past Shock Linwood into third place on Baylor's all-time list with 4,442 career all-purpose yards. Offensive linemen Xavier Newman-Johnson and Khalil Keith and receiver R.J. Sneed were also 2017 recruits who started in Saturday's game.
That class's "roller-coaster" ride at Baylor included a pair of down years in 2017 (1-11) and 2020 (2-7), a 7-6 record and Texas Bowl win in 2018 and the 11-3 finish in 2019 that included the Bears' only previous Big 12 Championship Game appearance and a loss to Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.
"It's been a roller coaster, up and down," Ebner said. "It's just a credit to all the guys who came in with me. They stuck it out, we fought. That's what makes it so much better, our relationships with each other. The love we have for each other, because we've been through good times, we've been through bad times.
"It's a testament to my teammates and the coaching staffs that taught us how to win. We always figured it out, and it's just great to go out on top."
Linebackers Bryson Jackson and Ashton Logan and defensive linemen Chidi Ogbonnaya and Rob Saulin also played in the game. Tight end Tyler Henderson and receiver Gavin Holmes were also part of the 2017 class, but have fought through injuries, while Henry Klinge III and Ryan Miller stayed in the program as student assistants.
Second-year head coach Dave Aranda said he was "proud of the senior class, all of those guys."
"You think about the ups they've been through and the downs they've been through," Aranda said. "You think about their parents, and 'Who are these coaches again?' And you think about after last year, having the ability to leave and deciding to stay. Just very appreciative of them. I love our senior class. Love what they stand for, and their ability to really believe and trust and be open to those things."
While a total of 22 players went through Saturday's pregame senior recognition, including five players classified as juniors, there are 12 other seniors who either chose not to be a part of it or are still trying to decide whether or not to come back for another season. That includes grad transfer offensive linemen Grant Miller (Vanderbilt) and Jacob Gall (Buffalo), who had redshirted in 2017 and have a COVID year of eligibility remaining.
"There's a lot of pieces to that," Aranda said. "I think some of those (conversations) have already occurred. I think some guys didn't walk against their parents' wishes, because they want to keep things close to the vest and private. And I think there's other guys that really don't know yet what they want to do. For me, I think it's connecting with parents and with certain players at the right time to see the best course for them.
"For some of these guys, there's some time invested here. They've been here for a while, and you'd love to have them back. And then, I think for some of them, their eyes are purely on what's next. And I can appreciate that, too."
In a rematch of Baylor's 24-14 loss to the Cowboys on Oct. 2 in Stillwater, the Bears will face Oklahoma State at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 4, in the Dr Pepper Big 12 Championship at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 9 a.m. Monday and can be purchased through the Football Tickets link or through the Baylor Ticket Office, which is open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The College Football Playoffs and bowl games will be announced the next day on Sunday, Dec. 5.
Baylor Bear Insider
From a 27-player recruiting class that signed with Matt Rhule on Feb. 1, 2017, seven players started in Saturday's 27-24 win over Texas Tech and 14 are still listed on the roster almost five years later.
"It's been a journey, man," said senior linebacker Terrel Bernard, who had a team-high eight tackles, two stops behind the line and a pass breakup against the Red Raiders.
"We've been through a lot together. We spend more time together than with our families. So, it's been fun. It's crazy that it's finally coming to an end, but it's been a great experience. Every single one of them have become my brothers and have become lifelong friends. It's an experience I'll never take for granted."
Bernard, defensive lineman Cole Maxwell and safety Jalen Pitre started on a defensive unit that produced two turnovers and did just enough at the end for the ninth-ranked Bears (10-2, 7-2) to pull out the win and earn a berth in Saturday's Big 12 Championship game versus seventh-ranked Oklahoma State (11-1, 8-1) at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
"That was one of our goals coming into the season," Bernard said. "It would just be crazy to be able to play in that game. We felt like we did our part. You can't control what happens later, but we'll be watching."
The Bears were watching Saturday night as Oklahoma State rallied from a nine-point deficit to defeat 10th-ranked Oklahoma, 37-33, in the Bedlam game in Stillwater. With the head-to-head advantage over the Sooners (10-2, 7-2), Baylor is back in the Big 12 title game for the second time in three years.
"It's really special, it's just a great experience," said senior running back/kick returner Trestan Ebner, who scored on an 81-yard TD pass in the Bears' 30-23 overtime loss to Oklahoma in the 2019 Big 12 Championship. "I feel like if you win the Big 12 championship, it's remembered forever. You have the 2013 and 2014 team on the (Allison Indoor Facility). And every team after that wants to get on there with them."
In Saturday's game against the Red Raiders, Ebner opened the scoring with a 61-yard TD pass from redshirt freshman quarterback Blake Shapen and finished with 220 all-purpose yards, including a career-high 118 yards on four catches.
"We knew we had a mismatch if they played the right coverage, if they came out there in man," Ebner said. "But, we got the right looks, and we were able to execute them. A linebacker walked out there with me (on the 61-yard TD catch). We were practicing (that) if the linebacker comes with me, we're going to throw it, no matter what. And we made it work."
Ebner, who rotated with fellow 2017 recruit Abram Smith at running back, also moved past Shock Linwood into third place on Baylor's all-time list with 4,442 career all-purpose yards. Offensive linemen Xavier Newman-Johnson and Khalil Keith and receiver R.J. Sneed were also 2017 recruits who started in Saturday's game.
That class's "roller-coaster" ride at Baylor included a pair of down years in 2017 (1-11) and 2020 (2-7), a 7-6 record and Texas Bowl win in 2018 and the 11-3 finish in 2019 that included the Bears' only previous Big 12 Championship Game appearance and a loss to Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.
"It's been a roller coaster, up and down," Ebner said. "It's just a credit to all the guys who came in with me. They stuck it out, we fought. That's what makes it so much better, our relationships with each other. The love we have for each other, because we've been through good times, we've been through bad times.
"It's a testament to my teammates and the coaching staffs that taught us how to win. We always figured it out, and it's just great to go out on top."
Linebackers Bryson Jackson and Ashton Logan and defensive linemen Chidi Ogbonnaya and Rob Saulin also played in the game. Tight end Tyler Henderson and receiver Gavin Holmes were also part of the 2017 class, but have fought through injuries, while Henry Klinge III and Ryan Miller stayed in the program as student assistants.
Second-year head coach Dave Aranda said he was "proud of the senior class, all of those guys."
"You think about the ups they've been through and the downs they've been through," Aranda said. "You think about their parents, and 'Who are these coaches again?' And you think about after last year, having the ability to leave and deciding to stay. Just very appreciative of them. I love our senior class. Love what they stand for, and their ability to really believe and trust and be open to those things."
While a total of 22 players went through Saturday's pregame senior recognition, including five players classified as juniors, there are 12 other seniors who either chose not to be a part of it or are still trying to decide whether or not to come back for another season. That includes grad transfer offensive linemen Grant Miller (Vanderbilt) and Jacob Gall (Buffalo), who had redshirted in 2017 and have a COVID year of eligibility remaining.
"There's a lot of pieces to that," Aranda said. "I think some of those (conversations) have already occurred. I think some guys didn't walk against their parents' wishes, because they want to keep things close to the vest and private. And I think there's other guys that really don't know yet what they want to do. For me, I think it's connecting with parents and with certain players at the right time to see the best course for them.
"For some of these guys, there's some time invested here. They've been here for a while, and you'd love to have them back. And then, I think for some of them, their eyes are purely on what's next. And I can appreciate that, too."
In a rematch of Baylor's 24-14 loss to the Cowboys on Oct. 2 in Stillwater, the Bears will face Oklahoma State at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 4, in the Dr Pepper Big 12 Championship at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 9 a.m. Monday and can be purchased through the Football Tickets link or through the Baylor Ticket Office, which is open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The College Football Playoffs and bowl games will be announced the next day on Sunday, Dec. 5.
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Sunday, June 14
