Through three games, Baylor’s offense was a mixed bag that has relied on random big-time plays to stay competitive. And like Baylor of years past, penalties have been the bane of its existence. Against Oklahoma in week four, that trend started to shift as Baylor won the time of possession battle for the first time all year after holding the ball under 22 minutes the three weeks prior.
Jim Black
Baylor junior Terence Williams is in need of a larger role against Kansas State in his second week back to action.
It’s not quite the team Rhule wanted but its started to form to his sensibilities. A win at Kansas State would be a further mark in the right direction as Baylor will have to match the discipline and patience that’s been the hallmark for Bill Snyder coached teams.
“That’s who I was in a previous life,” Rhule joked Wednesday. “It’s really a great way to play football.
“They’re probably very methodical like us, what we’re trying to become. I think that’s why we were really efficient Saturday. We didn’t want to waste any plays. We wanted to get in the right play. We wanted to make sure every play was a good play and I think that’s really what [Kansas State does].”
Methodical or not, Baylor ran 85 plays for 523 yards, including seven drives of at least two minutes. The Bears had only 13 drives of at least two minutes in the first three games.
WATCH: Head coach Matt Rhule previews K-State trip
While Rhule laughed about previously running an offense like K-State, there was an air of comfort he reverted to talking about that “previous life” he sees in the Wildcats. After showing some signs of that styling against Oklahoma, a full-blown conversion could bring the first win of the season.
Not that Baylor has to be an exact replica of KSU but an attempt to mirror what’s propelled the Wildcats to seven straight bowl games shouldn’t hurt. That starts with the run game, an area Rhule’s itching to get back on track as his offense hasn't reached 100 yards rushing in the last two games.
“We have to find a way to run the football,” Rhule said. “I don’t care if we have to run the triple option.”
While Kansas State doesn’t run the triple option, Snyder is one of the pioneers of the spread option offense which Jesse Ertz has settled into nicely the past couple years under center. He crossed a thousand yards last season with 12 TDs and is again the team’s leading rusher with a solid 5.4 yards per attempt while considerably boosting his passing efficiency thanks to better downfield work. Rhule compared Ertz to Tim Tebow being an h-back disguised as a quarterback, ready to run through defenses.
Jim Black
Zach Smith has shown ability to find running lanes when the Bears have needed yards on the ground.
Zach Smith isn’t an h-back under center. Rhule didn’t rule out the possibility of Smith running more but it wouldn’t necessarily be through designed runs. After coming within a touchdown of Oklahoma thanks to running a down-tempo attack, it’s going to be on the running backs and the beaten up offensive line to tire the KSU defense and chew the clock.
Terence Williams’ debut performance of 26 yards on 11 carries is of less inspiration than hoped but Rhule is keeping in mind it was Williams’ first game back from an injury and running behind a disheveled o-line. He said he expects to use his starting tailback more this week in hopes to keep a steady tempo and see some increased production from the backfield as a whole.
If Baylor learned anything from its last meeting with KSU, it’s that letting Snyder control the clock is nearly unstoppable as the Wildcats won the clock battle by 16 minutes. Their loss to Vanderbilt this year came with a 50/50 split of the clock, the benchmark Baylor looks to meet and come out with the first win of the season.
