In the mid-week depth chart released by Baylor football prior to the final game of the 2017 football season, a total of 28 freshmen and sophomores were listed in the 44 available offensive and defensive positions.
The season has been a disappointing one for Matt Rhule's first in Waco, but the encouragement that comes from developing youth of a program that was challenged with player departures and dismissals over the last 18 months. The departures allowed for several underclassmen to play key roles throughout the season.
On offense a total of 13 freshmen and sophomore are listed in the 22 spots while on defense a total of 15 have made the depth chart. Highlighting the offensive groups is freshman QB Charlie Brewer, sophomore WR Denzel Mims and LG Xavier Newman. On defense sophomore DT Tyrone Hunt, sophomore LB Jordan Williams, freshman LB Jalen Pitre and sophomore CB Grayland Arnold are among the biggest contributors.
The theme for the matchup with TCU doesn't stray far from the theme for the entire season. A total of 33 freshmen and sophomore have earned starts, including 10 true freshmen.
Heading into start No. 4 of his young career, Baylor freshman quarterback Charlie Brewer will need to be efficient and consistent if the Bears have any chance of finding victory against the TCU Horned Frogs on Black Friday.
In his first three starts, Brewer has thrown for 310.0 yards per game on 71.8-percent completion with 7 touchdowns to only two interceptions. On the entire season Brewer has thrown for 1,261 yards with 9 touchdowns and 3 interceptions and led Baylor to their lone victory over the season against Kansas, 38-9.
Since taking over full time, Baylor's offense has averaged 436.3 yards of total offense while averaging 25 points per game. The biggest issues for Brewer in the three starts has been the protection of the football. Despite not having a single turnover in his start against Kansas, Brewer has been responsible for four total against Texas Tech and Iowa State, three of which came in the red zone.
“Yeah even on Saturday I think we had two ridiculous, our guys would say, pass plays which we would like to have back. You take that away, for being down some guys, I thought our guys hung in there and competed. I think it’s clicking for a lot of guys. I think our corners played at a high, high level on Saturday. You’re playing with some veterans out there who have played a lot of football, but it’s just such a different way of playing defense, not better not worse just different, that takes time to get adjusted to. It takes time for all the communication and the checks. They’re getting it. You’d love to go play another four or five games to help them get it. This will continue to develop through the offseason. It’ll continue to develop through the spring. They’ll look back in a year and be like, ‘oh my goodness, look where we were to where we are now.’ I did that for them after the Oklahoma State game film. I think I told you guys. Oklahoma State, we were upset. There were some questions. Why do we practice as hard as we do if we’re not getting the results we wanted? I had to go back and show them the football, not the results, but just the football and how much it had improved. And it’s come that far since then. Now you’ve lost some guys. You’ve lost some good players, but the guys that are out there playing have just improved, and improved, and improved. You look up this time next year, and Lenoy [Jones] and Jordan Williams, they won’t recognize themselves. They’re playing well, but they’ll be playing that much better. Our defensive line, they won’t recognize themselves. It takes time, but everyday kind of compounds on the day before.”
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Charlie Brewer
Baylor will need to protect the football against a TCU team who presents the best defense in the Big 12. If Brewer can lead the offense efficiently, the Bears could have a chance for an upset in the final game of the 2017 season. |
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Offensive Line
Protecting the football begins with protecting the quarterback. TCU is the best pass-rushing team in the Big 12 and the Baylor OL will need to find a way to keep Brewer off of his back in obvious passing situations. |
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Connor Martin
The chances of Baylor putting up a significant amount of points against TCU is small, meaning field position will be crucial on Friday. Punter/placekicker Connor Martin has had more success kicking field goals than punting, but he hasn't been too shabby when trying to flip field position. |
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JaMycal Hasty
Hasty has emerged as Baylor's lead back in the last two games and will likely get the lion's share of the carries against TCU on Friday. His shiftiness will be useful, but so will his ability to catch passes out of the backfield against a very sound defense. |
JusHappy2BeHere said:
late hit not called. Baylor coach asks for the flag... TCU kid pops off to a coach... Baylor kid bumps 56... Blacklock blows up that player, and Lawrence blew up Blacklock and it was on.. all hell breaks loose
Bingo. Ol boy was jawing at our sideline and set that whole dang thing in motion. League office gonna be suspending some purple.JusHappy2BeHere said:
late hit not called. Baylor coach asks for the flag... TCU kid pops off to a coach... Baylor kid bumps 56... Blacklock blows up that player, and Lawrence blew up Blacklock and it was on.. all hell breaks loose
JusHappy2BeHere said:
late hit not called. Baylor coach asks for the flag... TCU kid pops off to a coach... Baylor kid bumps 56... Blacklock blows up that player, and Lawrence blew up Blacklock and it was on.. all hell breaks loose
Premium board thread appears to have over 1,000 posts.Private Pyle said:
I recall when these gameday threads were 30 plus pages.
IndyYes said:
Now that we've lost our composure it appears the game is slipping from our grasps. Was a good game for about 3 quarters. I saw enough effort from the team though and a good glimpse at what this group can become next year.
boognish_bear said:IndyYes said:
Now that we've lost our composure it appears the game is slipping from our grasps. Was a good game for about 3 quarters. I saw enough effort from the team though and a good glimpse at what this group can become next year.
I know this sounds like moral victory talk...but I agree with you. There are some signs of encouragement with a lot of these young players.
Last year at our place these guys clowned us 62-22.
perrynative said:
All started by incompetent HL. He was terrible in the first half while on the home side. Did not throw flag for late hit here. Too young or no gonads.
We are smarter and more insightful over here so we can say the same things in fewer postsGoldenBear007 said:Premium board thread appears to have over 1,000 posts.Private Pyle said:
I recall when these gameday threads were 30 plus pages.
WOW!! We must be winning over there.GoldenBear007 said:Premium board thread appears to have over 1,000 posts.Private Pyle said:
I recall when these gameday threads were 30 plus pages.
I did that after Liberty...GoldenBear007 said:
1-11. Tough pill to swallow. Time to focus my attention on basketball now.
JusHappy2BeHere said:
late hit not called. Baylor coach asks for the flag... TCU kid pops off to a coach... Baylor kid bumps 56... Blacklock blows up that player, and Lawrence blew up Blacklock and it was on.. all hell breaks loose
Bear8084 said:boognish_bear said:IndyYes said:
Now that we've lost our composure it appears the game is slipping from our grasps. Was a good game for about 3 quarters. I saw enough effort from the team though and a good glimpse at what this group can become next year.
I know this sounds like moral victory talk...but I agree with you. There are some signs of encouragement with a lot of these young players.
Last year at our place these guys clowned us 62-22.
This. And that was with Seth, healthy players and old staff, and Kaz against a worse TCU team.
Bear8084 said:boognish_bear said:IndyYes said:
Now that we've lost our composure it appears the game is slipping from our grasps. Was a good game for about 3 quarters. I saw enough effort from the team though and a good glimpse at what this group can become next year.
I know this sounds like moral victory talk...but I agree with you. There are some signs of encouragement with a lot of these young players.
Last year at our place these guys clowned us 62-22.
This. And that was with Seth, healthy players and old staff, and Kaz against a worse TCU team.
Bite your tongue!!!!!! This could still end up 62-22.boognish_bear said:IndyYes said:
Now that we've lost our composure it appears the game is slipping from our grasps. Was a good game for about 3 quarters. I saw enough effort from the team though and a good glimpse at what this group can become next year.
I know this sounds like moral victory talk...but I agree with you. There are some signs of encouragement with a lot of these young players.
Last year at our place these guys clowned us 62-22.
Jacques Strap said:Bite your tongue!!!!!! This could still end up 62-22.boognish_bear said:IndyYes said:
Now that we've lost our composure it appears the game is slipping from our grasps. Was a good game for about 3 quarters. I saw enough effort from the team though and a good glimpse at what this group can become next year.
I know this sounds like moral victory talk...but I agree with you. There are some signs of encouragement with a lot of these young players.
Last year at our place these guys clowned us 62-22.
And they then proceeded to get blown out in all the other games after until the bowl game.hodedofome said:Bear8084 said:boognish_bear said:IndyYes said:
Now that we've lost our composure it appears the game is slipping from our grasps. Was a good game for about 3 quarters. I saw enough effort from the team though and a good glimpse at what this group can become next year.
I know this sounds like moral victory talk...but I agree with you. There are some signs of encouragement with a lot of these young players.
Last year at our place these guys clowned us 62-22.
This. And that was with Seth, healthy players and old staff, and Kaz against a worse TCU team.
Come on There was some serious off the field distractions going on before that game and it was obvious the coaches quit that day. Coaches cared more about clearing Briles' name that week than game-planning.
Bear8084 said:And they then proceeded to get blown out in all the other games after until the bowl game.hodedofome said:Bear8084 said:boognish_bear said:IndyYes said:
Now that we've lost our composure it appears the game is slipping from our grasps. Was a good game for about 3 quarters. I saw enough effort from the team though and a good glimpse at what this group can become next year.
I know this sounds like moral victory talk...but I agree with you. There are some signs of encouragement with a lot of these young players.
Last year at our place these guys clowned us 62-22.
This. And that was with Seth, healthy players and old staff, and Kaz against a worse TCU team.
Come on There was some serious off the field distractions going on before that game and it was obvious the coaches quit that day. Coaches cared more about clearing Briles' name that week than game-planning.
If they get a TD and we don't answer they cover. So I'll guess we don't coverPrivate Pyle said:
Do we cover the spread????
BellCountyBear said:
I thought Rhule was supposed to teach these guys discipline?!
