Ebner, Holmes and more provide bright future for Baylor despite loss

After half the stadium left with Baylor down 25 points in the fourth quarter, the Bears went on a 23-point tear to show the future is bright. Charlie Brewer is at the top of the list, doing his best Seth Russell impression extending plays and not afraid to lay his shoulder down for that extra yard. But Brewer was far from the only freshman shining during homecoming.

Trestan Ebner

Brewer’s performance was largely tethered to converted running back Trestan Ebner who scored Baylor’s final three touchdowns. It was his 52-yard reception off a wheel route from Brewer that ignited the comeback after all.

Recruited as a receiver, Ebner acted as a security blanket throughout the whole game, not just Brewer’s safety net. He was Zach Smith’s fail-safe near the end too, bailing the offense out of hurries including a 14-yard catch to get Baylor to midfield. Had Denzel Mims not slipped up later that drive, the deficit may have been cut before the fourth quarter.

But Ebner continued to be the offense’s workhorse, running 40 yards to the house for the longest run of the game following a successful onside kick and was the other end of Brewer’s final TD.

With 17 ticks left on the clock, the snap to Brewer flew left and pushed him outside to extend the broken play. Looking for the end zone plastered with Mountaineers, Brewer checked down to Ebner as his second read, ending up in the end zone. Just a few plays before that, Ebner ran a similar route underneath to bail Brewer out of pressure, getting Baylor within 30 yards of the goal line with a new set of downs.

Rhule: “For a guy that’s never played running back before, he’s certainly doing a heck of a job. He’s shown some toughness, some explosive plays. The ability to help fight for extra yardage… Lovett went out there and tried to play. After being banged up, I didn’t think he was going to play, and he went in there and gave us a little changeup.”

Gavin Holmes

Ebner wasn’t the only freshman building a rapport with the QBs. Holmes, one of Baylor’s most-prized recruits this year, finally broke out and gave Baylor a lift from hitting rock bottom earlier in the game. He finished with 72 yards on five receptions. A good chunk came from his 56-yard reception on a post route that had been burning the ‘Eers all night with Denzel Mims, but it was a much-need ignitor and proved Holme’s vocal cheerleading dad right, he’s a speed burner to reckon with.

Baylor scored the following play with you guessed it, another freshman, John Lovett who had just 20 yards on the night but his limited use was among the more efficient of the night.

Rhule: “I think Gavin is a guy you could just see in the bye week, he’s starting to get it. I sued the word process. And all that really means is practicing, and practicing, and practicing to get yourself better so that you become a good player. And Gavin’s done that. So I actually texted his dad this week and said you raised a winner. This kid’s a winner.”

James Lynch

Lynch stepped into the game without any in-game experience but left as the only Baylor defender with a sack. 

After West Virginia scored on its first two possessions, Baylor needed to stop it from scoring a third time. With David Sills and Will Grier operating at full capacity, that was a tall task. Threatening at midfield already, Grier sat back in the pocket without any open target only to be chased down by Lynch for a loss of 11 that ultimately led to Baylor closing the gap with a field goal following the ensuing West Virginia punt at the hands of Lynch.

Rhule: “Lynch gets the sack and I think we had one sack, and Lynch had the sack. You know, I think a bunch of those kids stepped up. Eric Ogor stepped up and made some plays [too.]”

Harrison Hand

The New Jersey import has had his share of slip-ups and was posterized by David Sills in the end zone and let up Grier’s 42-yard strike on the first drive but he’s been able to adjust on the whole.

He had two defended passes in the game, bringing his season total to extend his Big 12 lead to eight breakups. One came breakup was a co-op with Eric Ogor and another on a screen pass, picking up on West Virginia’s tendencies. He had four tackles as well, becoming more effective as the game progressed.