BAYLOR (1-10) vs. TCU (9-2)
Amon G. Carter Stadium | 11:00 p.m. CT | FS1
28 of 44 Depth Chart Spots Filled by Underclassmen
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.
SIDENOTE STORYLINE
Charlie Brewer gets fourth start against elite TCU defense
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.
MATT RHULE QUOTE OF THE WEEK
On the progress made in recent weeks...
“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.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
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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.
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