Baylor Football
Baylor Flashes Muscle On Both Sides In Season Opener
September 2, 2016
1,614
WACO, Tx. —— In 2008 Art Briles ushered in the future of Baylor football with a 13-41 loss. Now Jim Grobe has taken the reins with a 55-7 win over the Northwestern State Demons. Coincidentally, it was Grobe that was on the opposite end of the field during Briles’ debut against Wake Forest.
Despite the coaching change, the Bears looked similar to the teams that Briles fielded in the past six seasons. Perhaps, they looked even more refined and developed.
“I really felt good about our players, and I felt good about our coaching staff,” Grobe said, “But I wanted to see us put it together. And I wanted to see how we reacted as a team. I was very pleased tonight. But I just liked the cohesiveness of our team and how hard we played, and I just got a good feeling about these guys.”
Leading the nation in scoring the past three seasons, lighting up the scoreboard has become second nature. Though, winning by 48 points over an FCS opponent isn’t the main focus. It’s how the offense has adapted with the loss of four offensive linemen and its Biletnikoff-winning receiver.
To combat those losses, the Bears utilized a steady dose of run plays and dig routes to keep the Demons on their toes. Compared to the air raid attack Baylor employed in 2014, the strategy worked wonders and should warn future opponents —— Baylor is ready to adapt to survive.
In the first half, the Bears set the Brazos River on fire with 393 yards of total offense. Seth Russell was 14-of-20 for 163 yards and four touchdowns before sitting down with 2:48 remaining in the first half. Last season, those passes would have naturally fallen to two or three receivers. Friday, each touchdown was caught by a different receiver. Two fell in the hands of tight ends, Jordan Feuerbacher (five yards) and Sam Tecklenburg (four yards.) The Bears haven’t had a tight end score since Tre’Von Armstead in the opening game of 2014.
Staying true to passing as a complementary piece, Baylor posted 202 yards rushing thanks to the dangerous mix of Shock Linwood (nine carries, 100 yards) and Terence Williams (11 carries, 72 yards, two touchdowns) in the first half. With touches for JaMycal Hasty (seven carries, 68 yards) as well, the Bears finished with 275 yards on the ground on 42 carries.
With center Kyle Fuller as the lone returning starter in the trenches (though, he had two holding penalties in the first quarter), the offensive line did its job allowing only one tackle for loss. Conversely, the Baylor defensive front created terror in the backfield, wrapping up a dozen tackles behind or at the line. Leading the charge of defensive coordinator Phil Bennett’s defense was nose tackle Ira Lewis with three tackles for loss.
“The thing that expanded my comfort zone was Phil Bennett. I know Phil felt really good about our defensive front,” Grobe said.
Linebacker Taylor Young was another common name in the Demons’ backfield, registering two tackles for loss and a sack. Unable to contain Baylor’s consistent pressure, Northwestern State didn’t gain a first down until the second quarter and managed just 20 yards through the first half (minus-four in the first quarter.)
“It was a big deal to come out there and have that type of mindset out there, that mentality,” Young said. “Just to say that they don’t need to get a yard. That was our mentality going in there. Just doing that, it’s really an accomplishment for us.”
The second half started much like the first half, quickly getting to the end zone. Benefiting from quarterback Zach Smith entering the game in the second quarter, Smith hooked up with Blake Lynch on a 12-yard pass to put the Bears up 55-0. The momentum carried from a 48-0 first half didn't last the whole game, as Lynch’s touchdown was Baylor’s lone score of the third quarter.
Baylor’s defense let its guard down a bit from there, utilizing a defense primarily of redshirts and true freshmen. The Demons would tie the third quarter, 7-7, thanks to quarterback Brooks Haack’s three-yard rush for the Demons.
Aside from two illegal kickoffs landing out of bounds, the special teams looked to be in mid-season form. Punt returner Tony Nicholson was responsible for two returns over 40 yards, with one for a touchdown brought back by a holding penalty.
“I thought Chris Callahan seemed really comfortable kicking the ball. Our snaps and our sets were good,” Grobe said. “Tony [Nicholson] did a nice job [returning], and I just feel like special teams was pretty good tonight. But we got a lot of room to improve, I think.”
With that successful combination of defense and special teams, Baylor’s offense was only granted two drives over 60 yards. Defending kickoffs went similarly well, setting up Northwestern State inside its 15-yard line twice.
*Edit: Previously referred to the second half as Baylor losing 3-7. The score was 7-7 in the second half, and has been corrected.
Despite the coaching change, the Bears looked similar to the teams that Briles fielded in the past six seasons. Perhaps, they looked even more refined and developed.
“I really felt good about our players, and I felt good about our coaching staff,” Grobe said, “But I wanted to see us put it together. And I wanted to see how we reacted as a team. I was very pleased tonight. But I just liked the cohesiveness of our team and how hard we played, and I just got a good feeling about these guys.”
Leading the nation in scoring the past three seasons, lighting up the scoreboard has become second nature. Though, winning by 48 points over an FCS opponent isn’t the main focus. It’s how the offense has adapted with the loss of four offensive linemen and its Biletnikoff-winning receiver.
To combat those losses, the Bears utilized a steady dose of run plays and dig routes to keep the Demons on their toes. Compared to the air raid attack Baylor employed in 2014, the strategy worked wonders and should warn future opponents —— Baylor is ready to adapt to survive.
In the first half, the Bears set the Brazos River on fire with 393 yards of total offense. Seth Russell was 14-of-20 for 163 yards and four touchdowns before sitting down with 2:48 remaining in the first half. Last season, those passes would have naturally fallen to two or three receivers. Friday, each touchdown was caught by a different receiver. Two fell in the hands of tight ends, Jordan Feuerbacher (five yards) and Sam Tecklenburg (four yards.) The Bears haven’t had a tight end score since Tre’Von Armstead in the opening game of 2014.
Staying true to passing as a complementary piece, Baylor posted 202 yards rushing thanks to the dangerous mix of Shock Linwood (nine carries, 100 yards) and Terence Williams (11 carries, 72 yards, two touchdowns) in the first half. With touches for JaMycal Hasty (seven carries, 68 yards) as well, the Bears finished with 275 yards on the ground on 42 carries.
With center Kyle Fuller as the lone returning starter in the trenches (though, he had two holding penalties in the first quarter), the offensive line did its job allowing only one tackle for loss. Conversely, the Baylor defensive front created terror in the backfield, wrapping up a dozen tackles behind or at the line. Leading the charge of defensive coordinator Phil Bennett’s defense was nose tackle Ira Lewis with three tackles for loss.
“The thing that expanded my comfort zone was Phil Bennett. I know Phil felt really good about our defensive front,” Grobe said.
Linebacker Taylor Young was another common name in the Demons’ backfield, registering two tackles for loss and a sack. Unable to contain Baylor’s consistent pressure, Northwestern State didn’t gain a first down until the second quarter and managed just 20 yards through the first half (minus-four in the first quarter.)
“It was a big deal to come out there and have that type of mindset out there, that mentality,” Young said. “Just to say that they don’t need to get a yard. That was our mentality going in there. Just doing that, it’s really an accomplishment for us.”
The second half started much like the first half, quickly getting to the end zone. Benefiting from quarterback Zach Smith entering the game in the second quarter, Smith hooked up with Blake Lynch on a 12-yard pass to put the Bears up 55-0. The momentum carried from a 48-0 first half didn't last the whole game, as Lynch’s touchdown was Baylor’s lone score of the third quarter.
Baylor’s defense let its guard down a bit from there, utilizing a defense primarily of redshirts and true freshmen. The Demons would tie the third quarter, 7-7, thanks to quarterback Brooks Haack’s three-yard rush for the Demons.
Aside from two illegal kickoffs landing out of bounds, the special teams looked to be in mid-season form. Punt returner Tony Nicholson was responsible for two returns over 40 yards, with one for a touchdown brought back by a holding penalty.
“I thought Chris Callahan seemed really comfortable kicking the ball. Our snaps and our sets were good,” Grobe said. “Tony [Nicholson] did a nice job [returning], and I just feel like special teams was pretty good tonight. But we got a lot of room to improve, I think.”
With that successful combination of defense and special teams, Baylor’s offense was only granted two drives over 60 yards. Defending kickoffs went similarly well, setting up Northwestern State inside its 15-yard line twice.
*Edit: Previously referred to the second half as Baylor losing 3-7. The score was 7-7 in the second half, and has been corrected.
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