TedVid Hype Video
Jim Grobe
Seth Russell
Charlie Strong Baylor
Baylor Football
Well rested Bears could have new looks for Longhorns
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Baylor players took note of the offense they saw from the Texas Longhorns early in the season as exactly what they have been running throughout their careers in Waco. Not that they didn't know it was coming, but it's not too often that two offense look identical within the same conference.
"That’s what we see out of a lot of teams now," Baylor head coach Jim Grobe said. "It’s not just the Bears running this stuff. A lot of the team we play against and we will see it throughout the rest of the season, teams that like to get the pace going.
Well, a lot might like to go tempo, but it's not often that you see the exact plays that you see in practice when gameday rolls around.
Elizabeth Sherman, SicEm365
Offensive coordinator Kendal Briles has Baylor's offense at No. 4 nationally in 2016.
But as the Longhorns are in the infant stages of their offense under first year offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert and behind true freshman quarterback Shane Buchelle, the Bears are experienced at both with Kendal Briles and fifth-year quarterback Seth Russell. That could work to Baylor's advantage.
Depending on how one views it, the Bears were given an extra one, two or three week of preparation leading into this matchup. That's plenty of time for some R&R... and scheme adjustment.
“For the most part, we were able to take another week to scheme a little bit," Russell said, who will play against the Longhorns for the first time in his career Saturday. "Bring in some things that we might not have done the last few games. Kind of open up the playbook a little more. Maybe do a little more of different things just depending on what they throw at us.”
For a defense that is ranked the best in the Big 12 in raw, non-adjusted stats, it was an opportunity to find their legs and prepare to be in a marathon of plays in Austin.
“I’m well-rested," Baylor senior cornerback Ryan Reid said. "We’re going to go on a big stretch and play some good teams. I’m just focused on what’s happening this Saturday.”
Senior linebacker Aiavion Edwards added that the team's focus was directly on the task at hand.
“We just have to focus on the next win, the next game, so it’s huge anyway you look at it," Edwards said. "We’re trying to focus on taking care of business and going down there and getting a win.”
On the opposite hand, this matchup falls directly in the middle of a nine-game stretch to finish the season for the Longhorns. In the four previous weeks, the Longhorns traveled to Stillwater and Manhattan to face Oklahoma State and Kansas State.
Sandwiched in between was a neutral site game against Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl and in Austin against Iowa State. The Longhorns finished the stretch 1-3 with their lone win coming against the Cyclones.
Whatever wrinkles are added, head coach Jim Grobe, who recently denied that the Bears added much to their playbook in the off weeks, believes the run game will be the best path to victory. The Longhorns surrendered 234 yards rushing against Kansas State last week, a season high for the Wildcats who averaged 153.7 rushing yards in their first three conference games.
"For me as a head coach, our most rewarding times out on offense wen you look at the finalstats and it’s about 50/50," Grobe said.
SicEm365
Senior running back Shock Linwood's 500 yards rushing leads the Bears in 2016.
"That’s when I think you know your offense is clicking. I think we’re an offense that we feel like we’ve gotta be able to throw the football to be a good offensive team, but I think if we can run the football it gives us a better chance to throw it."
So far in conference play the Bears have thrown it 80 times compared to 148 rushes. That's a little better than 50/50, but it doesn't mean their is flawless execution.
“I think we gotta improve," Russell said. "I have to improve each and every week on the film, I have to get better at doing that, and then executing on the field and just being on the same page with the receivers, with the o-line, and with the running backs. Have to do a better job of being on the same page.”
We will see how much they have improved come Saturday. The Bears have had plenty of time to do so.
Baylor players took note of the offense they saw from the Texas Longhorns early in the season as exactly what they have been running throughout their careers in Waco. Not that they didn't know it was coming, but it's not too often that two offense look identical within the same conference.
"That’s what we see out of a lot of teams now," Baylor head coach Jim Grobe said. "It’s not just the Bears running this stuff. A lot of the team we play against and we will see it throughout the rest of the season, teams that like to get the pace going.
Well, a lot might like to go tempo, but it's not often that you see the exact plays that you see in practice when gameday rolls around.
Elizabeth Sherman, SicEm365
Offensive coordinator Kendal Briles has Baylor's offense at No. 4 nationally in 2016.
Depending on how one views it, the Bears were given an extra one, two or three week of preparation leading into this matchup. That's plenty of time for some R&R... and scheme adjustment.
“For the most part, we were able to take another week to scheme a little bit," Russell said, who will play against the Longhorns for the first time in his career Saturday. "Bring in some things that we might not have done the last few games. Kind of open up the playbook a little more. Maybe do a little more of different things just depending on what they throw at us.”
For a defense that is ranked the best in the Big 12 in raw, non-adjusted stats, it was an opportunity to find their legs and prepare to be in a marathon of plays in Austin.
“I’m well-rested," Baylor senior cornerback Ryan Reid said. "We’re going to go on a big stretch and play some good teams. I’m just focused on what’s happening this Saturday.”
Senior linebacker Aiavion Edwards added that the team's focus was directly on the task at hand.
“We just have to focus on the next win, the next game, so it’s huge anyway you look at it," Edwards said. "We’re trying to focus on taking care of business and going down there and getting a win.”
On the opposite hand, this matchup falls directly in the middle of a nine-game stretch to finish the season for the Longhorns. In the four previous weeks, the Longhorns traveled to Stillwater and Manhattan to face Oklahoma State and Kansas State.
Sandwiched in between was a neutral site game against Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl and in Austin against Iowa State. The Longhorns finished the stretch 1-3 with their lone win coming against the Cyclones.
Whatever wrinkles are added, head coach Jim Grobe, who recently denied that the Bears added much to their playbook in the off weeks, believes the run game will be the best path to victory. The Longhorns surrendered 234 yards rushing against Kansas State last week, a season high for the Wildcats who averaged 153.7 rushing yards in their first three conference games.
"For me as a head coach, our most rewarding times out on offense wen you look at the finalstats and it’s about 50/50," Grobe said.
SicEm365
Senior running back Shock Linwood's 500 yards rushing leads the Bears in 2016.
"That’s when I think you know your offense is clicking. I think we’re an offense that we feel like we’ve gotta be able to throw the football to be a good offensive team, but I think if we can run the football it gives us a better chance to throw it."
So far in conference play the Bears have thrown it 80 times compared to 148 rushes. That's a little better than 50/50, but it doesn't mean their is flawless execution.
“I think we gotta improve," Russell said. "I have to improve each and every week on the film, I have to get better at doing that, and then executing on the field and just being on the same page with the receivers, with the o-line, and with the running backs. Have to do a better job of being on the same page.”
We will see how much they have improved come Saturday. The Bears have had plenty of time to do so.
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