Baylor Football
2016 record: 3-9; 2-7 Big 12
Postseason results: N/A
Coach: Matt Campbell (2nd, 3-9 at ISU)
If there’s reason to be concerned for Year One under Matt Rhule, it’s Matt Campbell’s experience at Iowa State.
Not that the Cyclones pose that much of a threat (though, ISU did come dangerously close to upending the Bears last year). No, it’s because Campbell epitomizes that an exciting atmosphere along with surprising results on the recruiting trail don’t equate to automatic success.
Campbell took the head coaching job from Paul Rhoads, fully ready to get ISU back into bowl contention. He was handing out hot chocolate outside of basketball games, going to almost every athletic function, and had convinced high schoolers that Ames is the place to be.
Instead, the Cyclones hit a wall, going 3-9 for the third time in four years. Rhoads might as well have stayed with the group he put together.
The parallels between Rhule and Campbell run deep, especially with their success at unconventional schools- Rhule from Temple and Campbell at Toledo.
Campbell was expected to bring in a fresh offense keen on running backs while also bolstering the defense. Not only was Campbell brought to Iowa but he also brought his crew from the Rockets as Rhule has done moving his staff from Philly.
But when the Cyclones were DOA, losing to FCS foe Northern Iowa to open the season, hopes remained high for the season and continue to stay high this season in hopes last year was just a bad trial run. Can Baylor look at that template and avoid the same fate?
Returning starters
• Offense (6)
• Defense (6)
• Special teams (2)
Top three players: WR Allen Lazard, RB Mike Warren, S Kamari Moya-Cotton
After a top-five finish as a freshman in 2015, Warren’s sophomore campaign was more than flat. He barely hit 500 yards and dropped his average carry by 1.7 yards. Still, his freshman year is enough to warrant recognition for potential alone after another year getting into Campbell’s system. Unlike Warren, though, Lazard and Moya-Cotton did anything but slow down. Lazard turned the dial to 11 to close the season, getting comfortable with Park behind center. He had 62 percent of his receiving yards in the last half of the season, scoring three times as well. At 6-foot-5, 223 pounds, he’s a threat few secondaries can handle. Lastly, Moya-Cotton found himself a All-Big 12 selection after recording a 73 tackles to lead the secondary while also recording a team-best two interceptions.
Biggest losses: DT Demond Tucker, CB Nigel Tribune, DE Jhaustin Thomas
Tucker took a step back in 2016 after taking the Big 12 by storm his first year out of juco but Thomas stepped up his game, leading the team with 9.5 tackles for loss (almost half his total tackles). But the loss of Tribune is the most notable. Even though he hadn’t had an interception since his sophomore year, he was lock down corner that was dearly missed during his suspension to open the first half of 2016.
Strength: Air attack
When you can move a quarterback to linebacker, something’s going right. After splitting 2016 with freshman Jacob Park, Joel Lanning will make the move to defense to keep playing to Lanning’s strength as an athlete and Park’s efficiency. But even before Park came to town, this was an area of strength with the likes of Sam Richardson and Joel Lanning under center. That’s largely because of the strength of the receiving corps and that has not stopped with potential All-American mention Allen Lazard entering his senior year. Turnovers have kept the Cyclones from climbing the ranks in the past but they scaled back from 24 to 16 when Campbell took over. Keep the ball control game up and the win column should grow.
Weakness: Trench work
This goes double for the Cyclones- both sides of the ball are weak at the first line of the defense. Virtually all the inexperience up front on offense is from the line where only Jack Campos boasts more than 20 career starts. Campos returns from a season-long injury but word is that he’s back to his old self to create more manageable running lanes that stalled the rush game last year without him.
The d-line isn’t getting any favors with the loss of three starters including Demond Tucker and Jhaustin Thomas, the pillars of the front four. Even with those studs up front, Big 12 teams ran by them for 223 yards at five yards a carry per game. They were particularly susceptible to big plays, allowing the fourth most runs over 10 yards (85) in the conference.
Emerging star: DE Jaquan Bailey
Bailey didn’t see action against Baylor but probably would have had a big afternoon looking at his production against the likes of Oklahoma and West Virginia when he combined for three tackles for loss and a sack as a freshman. A Florida import that bought into Campbell’s system last year, Bailey’s making a name for himself and should continue to grow with the absences along the front line.
Impact newcomer: TE Chase Allen
Technically not a newcomer as he was part of the 2016 class but Allen was in an unfortunate situation being in a car crash and contracting a case of the mumps that, Allen didn’t see the field. Barring more bad luck, the 6-foot-6 target that turned down offers from Michigan and Nebraska should be one of the best red zone targets in the league.
Threat to Baylor: Medium-Low
Baylor’s talent is head and heals above most of the Cyclones, with the notable exception of the receiving corps for a change of pace. If the Cylones take McLane, it’s because of Park’s connection with the oversized Lazard and Allen. What’s more, Toledo convincingly took down Rhule’s Temple in the 2015 Boca Raton Bowl. Of course, Campbell took the ISU job and wasn’t coaching against Rhule but the concepts were the same and should provide some good tape for Rhule to breakdown with Baylor this year.
Big 12 Preview: Iowa State serves as example for Matt Rhule, Baylor
Iowa State Cyclones
2016 record: 3-9; 2-7 Big 12
Postseason results: N/A
Coach: Matt Campbell (2nd, 3-9 at ISU)
If there’s reason to be concerned for Year One under Matt Rhule, it’s Matt Campbell’s experience at Iowa State.
Not that the Cyclones pose that much of a threat (though, ISU did come dangerously close to upending the Bears last year). No, it’s because Campbell epitomizes that an exciting atmosphere along with surprising results on the recruiting trail don’t equate to automatic success.
Campbell took the head coaching job from Paul Rhoads, fully ready to get ISU back into bowl contention. He was handing out hot chocolate outside of basketball games, going to almost every athletic function, and had convinced high schoolers that Ames is the place to be.
Instead, the Cyclones hit a wall, going 3-9 for the third time in four years. Rhoads might as well have stayed with the group he put together.
The parallels between Rhule and Campbell run deep, especially with their success at unconventional schools- Rhule from Temple and Campbell at Toledo.
Campbell was expected to bring in a fresh offense keen on running backs while also bolstering the defense. Not only was Campbell brought to Iowa but he also brought his crew from the Rockets as Rhule has done moving his staff from Philly.
But when the Cyclones were DOA, losing to FCS foe Northern Iowa to open the season, hopes remained high for the season and continue to stay high this season in hopes last year was just a bad trial run. Can Baylor look at that template and avoid the same fate?
Returning starters
• Offense (6)
• Defense (6)
• Special teams (2)
Top three players: WR Allen Lazard, RB Mike Warren, S Kamari Moya-Cotton
After a top-five finish as a freshman in 2015, Warren’s sophomore campaign was more than flat. He barely hit 500 yards and dropped his average carry by 1.7 yards. Still, his freshman year is enough to warrant recognition for potential alone after another year getting into Campbell’s system. Unlike Warren, though, Lazard and Moya-Cotton did anything but slow down. Lazard turned the dial to 11 to close the season, getting comfortable with Park behind center. He had 62 percent of his receiving yards in the last half of the season, scoring three times as well. At 6-foot-5, 223 pounds, he’s a threat few secondaries can handle. Lastly, Moya-Cotton found himself a All-Big 12 selection after recording a 73 tackles to lead the secondary while also recording a team-best two interceptions.
Biggest losses: DT Demond Tucker, CB Nigel Tribune, DE Jhaustin Thomas
Tucker took a step back in 2016 after taking the Big 12 by storm his first year out of juco but Thomas stepped up his game, leading the team with 9.5 tackles for loss (almost half his total tackles). But the loss of Tribune is the most notable. Even though he hadn’t had an interception since his sophomore year, he was lock down corner that was dearly missed during his suspension to open the first half of 2016.
Strength: Air attack
When you can move a quarterback to linebacker, something’s going right. After splitting 2016 with freshman Jacob Park, Joel Lanning will make the move to defense to keep playing to Lanning’s strength as an athlete and Park’s efficiency. But even before Park came to town, this was an area of strength with the likes of Sam Richardson and Joel Lanning under center. That’s largely because of the strength of the receiving corps and that has not stopped with potential All-American mention Allen Lazard entering his senior year. Turnovers have kept the Cyclones from climbing the ranks in the past but they scaled back from 24 to 16 when Campbell took over. Keep the ball control game up and the win column should grow.
Weakness: Trench work
This goes double for the Cyclones- both sides of the ball are weak at the first line of the defense. Virtually all the inexperience up front on offense is from the line where only Jack Campos boasts more than 20 career starts. Campos returns from a season-long injury but word is that he’s back to his old self to create more manageable running lanes that stalled the rush game last year without him.
The d-line isn’t getting any favors with the loss of three starters including Demond Tucker and Jhaustin Thomas, the pillars of the front four. Even with those studs up front, Big 12 teams ran by them for 223 yards at five yards a carry per game. They were particularly susceptible to big plays, allowing the fourth most runs over 10 yards (85) in the conference.
Emerging star: DE Jaquan Bailey
Bailey didn’t see action against Baylor but probably would have had a big afternoon looking at his production against the likes of Oklahoma and West Virginia when he combined for three tackles for loss and a sack as a freshman. A Florida import that bought into Campbell’s system last year, Bailey’s making a name for himself and should continue to grow with the absences along the front line.
Impact newcomer: TE Chase Allen
Technically not a newcomer as he was part of the 2016 class but Allen was in an unfortunate situation being in a car crash and contracting a case of the mumps that, Allen didn’t see the field. Barring more bad luck, the 6-foot-6 target that turned down offers from Michigan and Nebraska should be one of the best red zone targets in the league.
Threat to Baylor: Medium-Low
Baylor’s talent is head and heals above most of the Cyclones, with the notable exception of the receiving corps for a change of pace. If the Cylones take McLane, it’s because of Park’s connection with the oversized Lazard and Allen. What’s more, Toledo convincingly took down Rhule’s Temple in the 2015 Boca Raton Bowl. Of course, Campbell took the ISU job and wasn’t coaching against Rhule but the concepts were the same and should provide some good tape for Rhule to breakdown with Baylor this year.
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