NEWCOMERS AT RECEIVER
4/13/2022 7:42:00 PM | Football
Young Group Stepping up to Replace Thornton, Sneed
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
Dallas Baker doesn't bring out his Pittsburgh Steelers' Super Bowl ring or talk about the national championship he won at Florida . . . unless one of his receivers happens to ask.
"I'll be honest, it makes me uncomfortable. I'm laid-back and quiet," said Baker, who was hired as Baylor's receivers coach in February. "But, whatever gets them to believe in you and trust you, I'll talk about it. Just not during meetings. It has to be on our free time."
Sophomore receiver Monaray Baldwin is probably the most inquisitive out of a young group of unproven receivers.
"Really, any question I have, he has an answer for it," Baldwin said. "I'm just curious to ask him, because he's been there. That's where we all want to go. He doesn't like to talk about it, but I try to get it out of him."
The one veteran in the room, sixth-year senior Gavin Holmes is working with his fifth different position coach. He's missed two of the last three seasons with ACL injuries, but is head-and-shoulders ahead of the rest of the receivers in experience with 44 career catches for 410 yards and three touchdowns.
"He's a guy who is getting his confidence back," Baker said of Holmes. "He had two injuries in back-to-back years. That can affect you. I'm constantly praying for him, he's praying. I've got to give him credit for pushing through that and not worrying about it. He comes out here every day and goes to work. I really respect him for that."
Most of last year's production is gone, with Tyquan Thornton and Drew Estrada putting their names in for the NFL Draft and R.J. Sneed transferring to Colorado. That trio combined for 138 receptions for 1,888 yards and 13 touchdowns for last year's Big 12 and Sugar Bowl champions.
With Josh Fleeks (7-89) switched to running back, and Holmes sitting out last season, the only returning receivers who caught passes last year were Baldwin, Hal Presley, Jaylen Ellis and Seth Jones with one reception apiece. The group has also been injury-riddled this spring, with Ellis, Baldwin, Presley and redshirt freshman Javon Gipson all sidelined at different times.
"It's a young group, but guys who are fighting through adversity," Baker said. "As a coach, that's all you can ask for is guys to give it everything they have. I tell them all the time, the only thing you have to do is go hard. Every little mistake you make is my fault. I'm either coaching it or I'm allowing it. But, the effort, that's on you. I'm proud of those guys right now."
As the "oldest guy in the room," Holmes has to explain the standard and "show the young guys how it's supposed to be done."
"We're always learning," he said. "They're always throwing new stuff at us, it's never the same. There are always some new additions, new things we're working on. I think it's just a matter of getting those things down. There is always going to be new things for us to learn."
Holmes, who's also worked with Bob Bicknell, Frisman Jackson, Jorge Munoz and Chansi Stuckey as receivers coaches, said his favorite thing about Baker is "he's really able to relate to us."
"He's been in our position. He knows what it takes to win and get to the next level," Holmes said. "He's big on relationships. We're doing stuff once a week together as a group. I think this is the tightest the receiver room has been in a long time. Coach Baker has played a big role in that. We're excited to have him, and I can't wait to see where he takes us."
While Baldwin's one catch came in the second game of the year against Texas Southern, the Killeen Shoemaker product made a big play in the Sugar Bowl with a 48-yard touchdown run on an end-around that gave the Bears the lead for good in a 21-7 victory over Ole Miss.
"It was a really big confidence boost," Baldwin said, "because I know what I'm capable of, but then when I got to show everybody what I'm capable of, it was big for me. It also helped, because it showed that the coaches and the players trusted me to put me in the game at that moment."
Baker said "you can see it in the way he walks and the way he talks" how much confidence Baldwin got from that one play.
"Now, it's just time for me to work my way up the depth chart, help everybody else and show them what I'm capable of," Baldwin said. "We're all good in the room. It's just a matter of making the plays when your number is called."
One of the players that's taken advantage of the "wide-open" battle at receiver is redshirt freshman walk-on Josh Cameron from Cedar Park. With some of the top-line receivers out with injuries, Cameron has been on the No. 1 offense with Holmes and Jones.
"Coming off last year, my main role was just trying to make the travel roster," Cameron said. "That really entailed getting on special teams units and just sitting behind guys like Tyquan and R.J. But, now is the time where I can solidify myself and try to really make an impact more on the offensive side rather than just doing special teams stuff."
Cameron, who had a few offers from Division II teams and preferred walk-on invites from Division I and FCS teams, said he chose to "bet on myself" and walk on at Baylor.
"Really, this was the best opportunity," said Cameron, who had 90 catches for 1,226 yards and 14 touchdowns for a state-finalist team at Cedar Park. "In my heart, I just wanted to bet on myself and just believe that I can definitely make an impact on the team and eventually get that scholarship, for sure."
Baldwin and the 6-3, 205-pound Gipson were part of head coach Dave Aranda's first full-cycle recruiting class that signed with the Bears in December 2020. Gipson has missed the bulk of the spring with a hamstring injury, but was able to "open up and fully sprint" at Tuesday's practice.
"It's been frustrating, but it's in God's hands," Gipson said. "He gives his toughest battles to his toughest soldiers. I just know it's in God's hands. I just keep pressing every day to get better."
Baker described Gipson as a "guy who sticks out," an A-B student who works hard in the weight room and "plays every position on the football field."
"A young man like that, making strides in the right direction, all I can do is ask God to continue to help me," Baker said. "It's not about me, it's about him."
Taking a clean-slate approach with his receivers, Baker said he wants everyone in the room to have high self-esteem.
"When self-esteem is high, there's no limit to what you can do," he said.
The Bears will wrap up their fourth full week of workouts with a Thursday afternoon practice. Baylor will hold its annual Green & Gold Game at noon Saturday, April 23, at McLane Stadium, with the public welcome.
Baylor Bear Insider
Dallas Baker doesn't bring out his Pittsburgh Steelers' Super Bowl ring or talk about the national championship he won at Florida . . . unless one of his receivers happens to ask.
"I'll be honest, it makes me uncomfortable. I'm laid-back and quiet," said Baker, who was hired as Baylor's receivers coach in February. "But, whatever gets them to believe in you and trust you, I'll talk about it. Just not during meetings. It has to be on our free time."
Sophomore receiver Monaray Baldwin is probably the most inquisitive out of a young group of unproven receivers.
"Really, any question I have, he has an answer for it," Baldwin said. "I'm just curious to ask him, because he's been there. That's where we all want to go. He doesn't like to talk about it, but I try to get it out of him."
The one veteran in the room, sixth-year senior Gavin Holmes is working with his fifth different position coach. He's missed two of the last three seasons with ACL injuries, but is head-and-shoulders ahead of the rest of the receivers in experience with 44 career catches for 410 yards and three touchdowns.
"He's a guy who is getting his confidence back," Baker said of Holmes. "He had two injuries in back-to-back years. That can affect you. I'm constantly praying for him, he's praying. I've got to give him credit for pushing through that and not worrying about it. He comes out here every day and goes to work. I really respect him for that."
Most of last year's production is gone, with Tyquan Thornton and Drew Estrada putting their names in for the NFL Draft and R.J. Sneed transferring to Colorado. That trio combined for 138 receptions for 1,888 yards and 13 touchdowns for last year's Big 12 and Sugar Bowl champions.
With Josh Fleeks (7-89) switched to running back, and Holmes sitting out last season, the only returning receivers who caught passes last year were Baldwin, Hal Presley, Jaylen Ellis and Seth Jones with one reception apiece. The group has also been injury-riddled this spring, with Ellis, Baldwin, Presley and redshirt freshman Javon Gipson all sidelined at different times.
"It's a young group, but guys who are fighting through adversity," Baker said. "As a coach, that's all you can ask for is guys to give it everything they have. I tell them all the time, the only thing you have to do is go hard. Every little mistake you make is my fault. I'm either coaching it or I'm allowing it. But, the effort, that's on you. I'm proud of those guys right now."
As the "oldest guy in the room," Holmes has to explain the standard and "show the young guys how it's supposed to be done."
"We're always learning," he said. "They're always throwing new stuff at us, it's never the same. There are always some new additions, new things we're working on. I think it's just a matter of getting those things down. There is always going to be new things for us to learn."
Holmes, who's also worked with Bob Bicknell, Frisman Jackson, Jorge Munoz and Chansi Stuckey as receivers coaches, said his favorite thing about Baker is "he's really able to relate to us."
"He's been in our position. He knows what it takes to win and get to the next level," Holmes said. "He's big on relationships. We're doing stuff once a week together as a group. I think this is the tightest the receiver room has been in a long time. Coach Baker has played a big role in that. We're excited to have him, and I can't wait to see where he takes us."
While Baldwin's one catch came in the second game of the year against Texas Southern, the Killeen Shoemaker product made a big play in the Sugar Bowl with a 48-yard touchdown run on an end-around that gave the Bears the lead for good in a 21-7 victory over Ole Miss.
"It was a really big confidence boost," Baldwin said, "because I know what I'm capable of, but then when I got to show everybody what I'm capable of, it was big for me. It also helped, because it showed that the coaches and the players trusted me to put me in the game at that moment."
Baker said "you can see it in the way he walks and the way he talks" how much confidence Baldwin got from that one play.
"Now, it's just time for me to work my way up the depth chart, help everybody else and show them what I'm capable of," Baldwin said. "We're all good in the room. It's just a matter of making the plays when your number is called."
One of the players that's taken advantage of the "wide-open" battle at receiver is redshirt freshman walk-on Josh Cameron from Cedar Park. With some of the top-line receivers out with injuries, Cameron has been on the No. 1 offense with Holmes and Jones.
"Coming off last year, my main role was just trying to make the travel roster," Cameron said. "That really entailed getting on special teams units and just sitting behind guys like Tyquan and R.J. But, now is the time where I can solidify myself and try to really make an impact more on the offensive side rather than just doing special teams stuff."
Cameron, who had a few offers from Division II teams and preferred walk-on invites from Division I and FCS teams, said he chose to "bet on myself" and walk on at Baylor.
"Really, this was the best opportunity," said Cameron, who had 90 catches for 1,226 yards and 14 touchdowns for a state-finalist team at Cedar Park. "In my heart, I just wanted to bet on myself and just believe that I can definitely make an impact on the team and eventually get that scholarship, for sure."
Baldwin and the 6-3, 205-pound Gipson were part of head coach Dave Aranda's first full-cycle recruiting class that signed with the Bears in December 2020. Gipson has missed the bulk of the spring with a hamstring injury, but was able to "open up and fully sprint" at Tuesday's practice.
"It's been frustrating, but it's in God's hands," Gipson said. "He gives his toughest battles to his toughest soldiers. I just know it's in God's hands. I just keep pressing every day to get better."
Baker described Gipson as a "guy who sticks out," an A-B student who works hard in the weight room and "plays every position on the football field."
"A young man like that, making strides in the right direction, all I can do is ask God to continue to help me," Baker said. "It's not about me, it's about him."
Taking a clean-slate approach with his receivers, Baker said he wants everyone in the room to have high self-esteem.
"When self-esteem is high, there's no limit to what you can do," he said.
The Bears will wrap up their fourth full week of workouts with a Thursday afternoon practice. Baylor will hold its annual Green & Gold Game at noon Saturday, April 23, at McLane Stadium, with the public welcome.
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