I don't post here very much at all, mostly because if I did, it would probably end up in an argument with someone which is about the lowest level on the childish scale you can go on the internet. But I wanted to say that everyone who criticizes this team and coaching staff for this year's performance are getting really old to listen to. I don't know if you guys are Baylor alums, people from Waco who are fans, or fans of other teams who can only find meaning in there life if it involves trying to dampen someone else's day, which I hope are the latter because if not you "real" Baylor fans really should just live your lives doing something else and go support another team. If you really have pride in your school and team, then try and enjoy the game.
I work every weekend so that I can help pay to go to Baylor, which I think is best choice I have ever made. While I was at working, every second I got a chance to watch the game (I work at a restaurant) I was following the game, and when we were down in the 3rd quarter I can't lie and say I wasn't sad or upset, that would be a lie, but I was however never DISAPPOINTED. Do you realize what this football team has gone through and what it continues to go through? My roommate who is on the team, is the person I always talk to about the game's and practice and locker room stuff, and he said that for the first time since May of 2016, this game the football team was having fun. They were down by lets just say TOO MUCH, and even then they didn't stop fighting to try and come back and win, and if you can't appreciate the effort and perseverance that the players leave out on the field every game, then find another hobby. These 18-23+ (gotta include Kyle Boyd) have gone through hell for Baylor University and its fans, and continue to do as much as they can to give Baylor a good reputation.
Yes, we are 0-7 I hate it as much as anyone, but it doesn't help to just talk poorly about the coaches and players all the time, because there will come a time when the football team won't want to play for the fans anymore and that is when Baylor football will die.
Lets just take a quick look at the positives from this season so far and I won't be biased
Positives
1. Baylor has finally found its way out of its big scandal, and is actually getting some good publicity for the first time in awhile.
2. Every single game (excluding OSU) Baylor has been in the game till the end, and very important that we do not, and have not let anyone come into our home and run over us, we have pride which we had lost at the end of last season (bad losses to KSU, TCU at home)
3. Our recruits who are not necessarily big names in any way have really shown maturity, and grit. These young men had nothing to do with the scandal, and yet are willing to put their names on the line for Baylor and are clearly doing there best to change the future.
4. Our recruits are talented. Against West Virginia all touchdowns were scored by TRUE freshmen. Ebner was incredible (3 TDs), Brewer in a big moment stepped in and showed the WVU defense that he would not back down and led an unimaginable comeback, Lovett has been producing all year and obviously shown what Rhule and staff saw in him. We had Lynch get his first sack, and a big one which gave Baylor momentum, but offense couldn't produce from it, we have Newman, Miller on the O-line doing about as good as anyone else on the line, Galvin Holmes went for a very long reception as well as he had a big reception on one of the 4th quarter drives. Harrison Hand has been given the task of guarding week in and week out, some of the best receivers in the country, and while he has been badly burned he has also shown signs that with development and experience he can really be an asset to the Baylor defense (he obviously isn't too bad if he starts over so many other guys).
5. We have coaches that can really attract recruits, and if it wasn't for the 0-7 season, we would already have our full 2018 class committed.
6. Next year we have some serious transfers getting on the field Lockhart, Fruhmorgen, Hurd, and Beard (I have been told by other players and my roommate that Beard will be a great addition to the line.
7. Football is a minor aspect of ones life, and whether Baylor is the worst team in the country or the best team in the country, life will continue like it always has.
Negatives
1. Coaches have shown many signs of confusion during games both in how they handle scheme and personnel
2. Players have been injured all season, this may be a result of poor S&C, misused drills who knows but it is a problem and the coaches need to fix it
3. Not ALL players have bought into the Rhule philosophy
4. We are young, and some key leaders may be gone after the year (transfer, graduates, retirees)
5. The football team does not get the support it warrants (fans need to be at every game supporting regardless of record)
6. Since Baylor has been so good in recent years, the fans and mostly the new fans have become accustomed to winning and think losing is the end of the program, and the older fans think that winning was just a fluke and that only the great Art Briles knows how to win in Waco. But it was never promised that Baylor was going to be great right away. It was in everyone head that Baylor should be good because we have been. But look at Texas they have had the losing struggle for longer than we have in recent years but there is hope for the program and it is the same hope that Baylor has, but unfortunately we get 12 weeks out of the years to show the results of training and practicing from 8 months under the new coaches. If there is anyone out there that thinks they can come into a program that was so good, had such a big scandal, lost an amazing recruiting class, lost a lot of the fan base, turned over the entire football program, had very key players leave for draft early, and come in and fix the public image (Rhule did that, everyone he speaks to seems to love him), help the players develop on and off the field (Rhule did that too), Bring in a very solid recruiting class from what this season has shown in under 2 months (Rhule again), and put out a team every week that is injury depleted and come up barely short against top 25 teams in the nation (don't tell me we lost to Liberty, I know we did) then please sign up for the job, I will be as excited for you as I am for Rhule.
Our coaches have answered every challenge thrown at them perfectly so far except for winning games. I would much rather see a team that has good fundamentals and a good base which will lead to consistency in the program and success in the long run, then have a team go 9-3 this year, but have a team come out next year and not show signs of development or progress. I really hope that everyone can just sit back and accept that this season isn't going to end well in terms of our record. But when you watch a game like the one on Saturday night and see the intensity that Brewer had in the fourth quarter diving for first downs, trucking their defense, and showing great poise, the excitement of the bench when Baylor was rolling and see all the players really getting into the game, and see Baylor defense go hard every down and getting crucial stops in the fourth quarter after being picked apart the previous quarter. It is watching the sadness in the players eye's after the game because they truly wanted to win for everyone watching that game. I think it is an incredible thing to watch, because when it is all said and done, the men on the team now, both coaches and players, will one day be in the Baylor record book for having both one of the worst season in Baylor history but also for showing the courage and tenacity to fight and not give up and one day be at the top again.
In short, those of you who read this far (if anyone did) enjoy our team! They play exciting, heart-wrenching, annoying football games. If you can seriously say that you are not proud of the progress and the way the team has grown this year than I feel sorry for you, because you clearly cannot see some of the beautiful aspects of sports.
This Saturday for the first time since UTSA, I will be at McLane for the game and I can't count down the hours any faster till the kickoff, because I know that win or lose, blow out or not, I can happily cheer for my fellow Baylor Bears.