100 Reasons To Be Excited About Baylor's 2020 Football Season

Players report to campus in two weeks, preseason magazines will soon hit the shelves and coaches are drawing up plans for the first week of practice.

Finally—after nearly three months of angst and uncertainty fueled by the corona virus—it’s time to talk about the upcoming football season.

And there will be a season in 2020.

College administrators have all but assured us of that, which is why the chatter about players and positions and schedules and rankings is beginning to increase among college fanbases throughout the country.

That includes Baylor, where the Bears will be playing their first season under first-year head coach Dave Aranda. The hiring of the former LSU defensive coordinator, coupled with the momentum from last season’s 11-3 record and Sugar Bowl appearance, has made the 2020 campaign one of the most-anticipated in recent memory.

With that in mind—and with the Bears’ Labor Day weekend season-opener against Ole Miss 100 days away—the staff at SicEm365 has comprised a list of “100 Reasons To Be Excited About Baylor’s 2020 Football Season.”

Hope you enjoy.

COLT BARBER

1. The development of the inexperienced defensive linemen. Baylor lost their three significant contributors from 2019, but there is some maturity and depth in position to replace them. The key will be to find the production on the field. 

2. Special teams under Matthew Powledge. Matt Rhule’s squads made it a staple to impact the games with special teams, specifically blocking kicks and punts. If you’ve heard Powledge discuss special teams, you’ll know there is major emphasis there once again.

3. Using tempo to impact the game. Matt Rhule’s offense protected his defense in tremendous fashion in 2019, but it also impacted how effective the offense could be until crunch time. Larry Fedora will use tempo to dictate the pace of the game in a much different way.

4. That surprise star who emerges on one side of the ball that no one really expects to do so. You could point to Bravvion Roy in 2019, but there will undoubtedly be a player that emerges from the pack in an unexpected fashion. 

5. The first touchdown. This is probably a little overlooked in a list like this, but there is something about the first touchdown of the season regardless of the opponent. This season it will come against an SEC opponent to raise the stakes just a tad.

6. The Friday afternoon release of the uniform to be worn each week in a video by Baylor Football’s social media accounts. I think we will see a little more mix and matching this year that will keep things interesting.

7. Reading the SicEm365 message boards. The intensity and volume of posts enhances significantly in late July, when the amount of football discussion is at a yearly-high. It’s a great opportunity to get into some debates about the season. 

8. Going into the stadium 90-minutes before kickoff to watch pre-game. Since I was young, watching the punters and kickers warm up has been one of my favorite moments. Nothing more impressive than watching a punter you haven’t heard of yet drop one in the coffin corner during warmups. 

9. Hype videos. Granted I make some of these, but the sheer number of videos that surface during the week leading up to big games creates a huge buzz. There has never been a point that I have become numb to a good hype video. 

10. Fall camp. Ok, this is a little before the start of the season, but spending 20-30 minutes at the beginning or end of practice taking pictures and listening to coaches and players get interviewed is always memorable. This year will be even more special considering there was no spring practice. 

11. The first game of 2020. I don’t care who, what, where, when or how. I’m going to watch the first college football game of 2020. 

12. Unofficial and official visitors. This isn’t directly related to football season, but then again it is. Matt Rhule didn’t utilize official visits during the season, but I expect that to change under Dave Aranda. A big-time atmosphere at home against TCU will be great opportunity for a long list of visitors. 

13. Enjoying a full day of football from home. With Baylor playing its first four games either at home or a neutral site, I won’t get that chance until Oct. 3, when the Bears hit the road for the first time. Attending games in person is great, but there’s also nothing like staying home and tuning to as many games as possible on a single Saturday. 

14. The SicEm365 Radio postgame show. Maybe a small spoiler alert was needed, but we are excited about the potential of the official SicEm365 Radio postgame show that will take place from the SicEm365 container in Brazos Parking. Still some work to be done, but make sure to have the SicEm365 Radio app ready to go. 

15. Saturday evening hotel stay after a big victory at home. There is something about getting back to the hotel at midnight or later, showering and then passing out after long day at the tailgate and game, only to wake up in the morning to turn on the highlights of Saturday games.

PAUL CATALINA

16. I never thought I would say this but … press conferences. I never thought I would miss them but I do.

17. The first weekend in college football, when there is so much hope and promise before it either all falls apart or goes as planned.

18. Tailgating atmosphere. No matter where, I love it. Face-painters, drunks, face painted drunks, super-fans, rivals. Shoot it into my veins.

19. Hitting the road to cover games. I love being at stadiums. Nothing beats it.

20. Baylor playing against Lane Kiffin. For so many reasons.

21. Tyquan Thornton torching someone for 50 plus.

22. 11 AM kickoffs. Yes I know I am a psycho. But I love getting up early to go attack a game day.

23. Baylor vs. Texas. I am curious to see how Tom Herman responds to last year’s game, which had to be a career low point for him.

24. Larry Fedora & Jorge Munoz in the lab together. I want to see what they cook up.

25. How the team responds to adversity. It will tell us a lot about what they carried over and what the new staff brings. 

GRAYSON GRUNDHOEFER

26. Chuck’s Senior Year - This is it for Charlie Brewer, we get a chance to watch him go after Baylor records and potentially have his best collegiate season under Coach Larry Fedora. He has a chance to be the driving force on a Conference Championship team if he puts together a magical season.

27. Sqwirl is Loose - Is this finally the season that we get to see Sqwirl run wild like he did in high school? If he can get healthy there is no reason to think that he won’t be a big part of the offense. If he gets in the open field, watch out for broken ankles and blazing speed.

28. Christian Morgan - An elite athlete who showed flashes in 2018 but was hampered by injury all last season. He has a chance this year to prove just how good he can be and become a consistently dominant defender in the Bears secondary.

29. Will Williams - The hard-hitting prospect could play a big role on this defense if he is given the opportunity. Most people have big expectations for the talented playmaker but there are questions. Will he play safety or linebacker? And will he get his chance to play major minutes this year?

30. Friends, Family and Football - With everything that has gone on over the last few months from the coronavirus and quarantine it will be nice to have good times with friends and family. Especially when they come up for football games and tailgates. There is simply nothing better.

31. Quarterback Battle - Will there be one? Charlie Brewer seems locked in as QB1 but Jacob Zeno and Gerry Bohanon will be given the shot to battle during fall camp.

32. Food - Whether it’s the grub at the tailgate, George’s the night before, Milo early or Hecho en Waco for dinner, football season really brings out the foodie in me. So many great choices, so many great spots.

33. Watching Football at Bars - When Baylor games are a little far away, the ability to go to a bar and watch the game is terrific. I’ve had some great moments watching the away games with friends while drinking some cold ones.

34. Jacob Zeno's Cannon - We got to witness his arm talent on display during the Big 12 Championship, but getting to see it in 2020 will be even more fun since he has put on 10-15 pounds and gained confidence.

35. Half Man, Half Qualan - He had flashes last year where he just looked like an absolute monster. His combination of speed, size, and quickness is simply unfair and makes him the most unique running back on the roster. We will see if he can find enough carries to make a major impact.

36. College Gameday - I’ve experienced GameDay three times now and it just continues to be an amazing event. Hopefully Baylor can participate in another one in 2020. If not, then waking up for GameDay is still a cherished tradition that I try to follow every Saturday.

37. No More Dead Period - Finally recruits from across the state and country will get to come and see Baylor. It will be interesting to see how the staff handles the first wave of in-season visits.

38. Coach McGuire’s Passion - Witnessing that guy going crazy on the football field is quite a site. You can tell how much he cares and that spills over to the fans, the coaches and the players.

39. High School Finds - Once the season begins and recruits start posting their first three games of film, things really get going. I’ll be anxious to see which prospects blow up, especially considering there was no testing times this summer for the seniors. Film will be huge.

40. Casey Phillips and Davis DiVall - Two of the most athletic offensive linemen on the roster need to take a major step forward this season—Phillips into a starting role, and DiVall into a two-deep role. If these two reach their ceiling the offensive line will be in good hands in the future.

41. Jared Atkinson - It’s time for us to see more than flashes. Very excited to see him take a big step forward this year.

42. The Ole Miss Game - Finally a big time out-of-conference matchup that everyone has been looking forward to. I wish it was a home-and-home series so I could go to The Grove, but Houston will be fun.

43. Kalon Barnes - He should be a starter now and I can’t wait to see that sub-10-second 100m speed on the field more.

44. Incoming 2020 Class - Who plays? Who excels? Rumors? I want to see it all because I think this class has some serious promise going forward.

ASHLEY HODGE

45. Beating TCU in Waco - We haven’t defeated TCU at McLane Stadium since that glorious 61-58 game in 2014. It’s time for that change. A homecoming win against TCU will be a great start to the Aranda era. 

46. Friday Night Fun - I love the Sicem365 tailgates on Saturdays and all that leads up to the football game. But some of the best memories last year were the Friday night tailgates with other Sicem365 subscribers. 

47. Charlie Brewer in Fedora’s System - I think Brewer is an extremely accurate quarterback who will keep the chains moving. Fedora will put him in a position to excel. This offense can do great things.  

48. A Big Road Upset - there is nothing better than going on the road and pulling off an upset. Baylor has a daunting road schedule, but I bet the Bears get at least two Ws on the road.  

49. Defending the Den - Art Briles had a 29-1 home record in Waco from 2011-2015 (OU game) that included lots of top 25 wins (7). This is an “easier” home schedule with TCU and OSU being the hardest tests. Winning all the home games can build momentum. 

50. Opening Game vs Ole Miss - Houston should be a fun weekend with a fascinating match-up against an SEC opponent. The Bears have an opportunity to make a statement out of the gate. 

51. The Wildcard of COVID-19 - All we can ask for is to live in interesting times. We have all formed our opinions about the virus but one thing is for sure, there is likely going to be some unexpected drama at some point in the college football season. 

52. The Consistency of RJ Sneed - I think expectations will be high for Fleeks and Thornton, but I could see Brewer/Sneed having a Nick Florence/Terrance Williams type of season connecting. I see a 1000-yard season for Sneed.

53. William Bradley King Chasing QBs - I think Aranda landed a significant piece in WBK.  His pass-rushing/play-making ability should elevate this defense and create a vision for future Bears of what is possible in that spot. 

54. Money Mayers - Not to be confused with Matthew Mayer, John Mayers delivers Ws for the Bears and Ls for the enemy. If you can’t trust John Mayers, who can you trust?

JASON KING

55. Yusef Terry - The highly-touted receiver redshirted in 2019 and spent the season shredding Baylor's defense as a member of the scout team. The Bears' receiving corps is deep, but Terry is talented enough to crack the starting lineup and elevate the offense to a different level.

56. Baylor's secondary - Sure, the Bears lost most of their defensive starters, but it's not all gloom and doom. There were some talented players waiting in the wings at safety and cornerback—players with experience. Raleigh Texada, Kalon Barnes, Christian Morgan and JT Woods could be household names by October.

57. Dave Aranda's sideline attire - Even in 100-degree heat, Art Briles always wore sleeves. And Matt Rhule had his trademark smock. What will become the wardrobe staple for Dave Aranda? And will the stoic, first-year head coach ever let down his guard and go bonkers on the sideline? Let's hope so.

58. Gary Patterson making an idiot of himself - I know it’s not Baylor related, but it seems like every season that coach south of here unleashes a whiny, insecure tirade about a bad call, poor sportsmanship, nasty jeers from fans … or whatever. I always enjoy it when his true colors come out for everyone to see.

59. First weekend of September road trip - I’ll be stopping at Corkscrew in Spring for ribs and pulled pork, Gatlin’s in Houston for fried bologna and okra and Killen’s in Pearland for a brisket and banana pudding. At some point I may make it over to NRG Stadium for Baylor-Ole Miss.

60. Sunday mornings - Maybe it’s the old newspaper guy in me, but I love waking up on Sunday mornings during college football season and perusing the box scores and stories from the game’s the day before. I usually finish up just in time for the first NFL game.

61. No more sports gambling - At least not for me. I’ve bet on college football games in the past and, frankly, there is so much tension and angst involved that it almost takes the enjoyment out of watching the game. So I’m looking forward to a wager-free season—except, of course, when I go to Vegas during the bye week.

62. Being a regular in the press box again - Before writing my first article for SicEm365 from the Sugar Bowl, I’d been on a two-year hiatus from covering college football. Or, heck, just sportswriting in general. It made me realize how much I loved my profession. It’s nice to be back.

63. Pregame in McLane - The whole Baylor line ritual, where the freshmen storm through the gate, is so much better than the format used when I was in school. And I love the flames when the team runs onto field, and the hype music that thumps over the speakers. Great way to start a game.

64. Postgame at George’s - I know many of our readers have found new places to convene over the years, and that’s great. But I’m a George’s guy for life. I love the food, the atmosphere, the jukebox and the people. I’m already looking forward to rehashing each home game at the bar with strangers over a Big O or six.

65. SicEm365 coverage - I won’t be the only person to touch on this, but let me assure you of this: our site will be on another level come August. No one—and The Rock says NO ONE—will cover Baylor sports as well and as thoroughly as us. Granted, that’s the case already. But there are even bigger plans in store. Stay tuned—and tell your friends.

66. Baylor gear - There was a time not too long ago when wearing Baylor attire in public generated snarls, eye-rolls and maybe even a few cross words, usually from people who were as uninformed as the national media that was feeding them false narratives. But now, everywhere I go in Dallas—restaurants, gyms, little league sports complexes—people are sporting the green and gold with pride.

67. Speed - Tyquan Thornton, Josh Fleeks, Kalon Barnes, Sqwirl Williams … Baylor’s got burners. Can’t wait to see these guys in the open field.

CRAIG SMOAK

68. Trestan Ebner - Injuries held him back last year and yet he still flashed. He’s healthy, a senior, and with some great offensive minds. Let’s party. 

69. Bevy of Backs - Ebner and Lovett are the established ones, Sqwirl Williams and Qualan Jones lead the next wave, and more talent is waiting in the wings. Lord willing the offensive line has taken a step forward, and we see the return of a more dominant Bears rushing attack. 

70. SQWIRL - He’s back?!?! I cannot wait to see Craig ‘Sqwirl’ Williams back in action, because he’s got a lot of potential, but mostly just so questions about his whereabouts every week will become an old joke rather than a regular topic. **knocks on wood** 

71. Product Knowledge - It’s been fun interviewing the staff, but they’re still in the dark on a lot of things with the team at this stage. Soon enough we’ll be able to get a more detailed analysis on a lot of different players and topics. 

72. McLane Magic - Last year we saw heart-pounding, memorable wins over Iowa State, Texas Tech and West Virginia in crunch time. Which game or games, if any, joins the young stadium’s growing list of classics? 

73. SicEm365 Radio - Now that SicEm365 Radio has launched, as a website we are going to take Baylor Football coverage to another level over the course of an actual season. There’s so many fun possibilities. 

74. Draft Decisions - James Lynch, Denzel Mims and Grayland Arnold are recent players who had to make tough NFL decisions. Monster years from Tyquan Thornton and Terrel Bernard, for example, could force them into those same tough decisions. 

75. Parking Lot Walks - I thoroughly enjoy the relieving and rewarding feeling of exiting the media doors into an empyting parking lot following a loooong Saturday. Walking out following a win is next level. 

76. Aranda-isms - At the end of the day, there has got to be some things about Aranda, whether phrases, demeanor or even wardrobe, that we’ll eventually discover and have fun with, without question. 

77. 2021 Recruiting & Beyond - This staff appears like it’s going to recruit really well, and with Aranda answering any questions on the field this season, we could see Baylor’s recruiting potential start to reach new heights. 

78. We the People - Fans are allowed to attend games and tailgate, with some limitations, and for the first time in months, as a larger group, we’re able to gather together in person with joy, excitement and celebration. 

79. Football Alums - It’s always great running into former players or just catching them, all smiles, back in their old element. The public support for the coaches and team from former players last year was incredible and I expect that to continue to grow with this new staff as the brand grows stronger.

80. The Return of Gavin Holmes - There’s plenty of reasons to be excited about Thornton, Sneed, Fleeks and others, but I’m speaking into existence that Holmes is finally blessed with full health and gets to showcase his skills playing the game he loves. 

81. Charlie Brewer’s Last Ride - It’s been the quickest three years ever, but the time has come and this is the last go for Brewer’s Bears. I cannot wait to see how Charlie carves out his final chapter and where his name sits in Baylor lore when all is said and done.  

82. Uni Combos - The new unis were controversial to say the least initially, but I think they’ve grown on most. We saw more combos and looks than anyone expected under Rhule, but this staff has plenty of options still available to give the Bears some more fresh looks on gamedays.

DAVID SMOAK

83. Charlie “Freaking” Brewer with a large chip on his shoulder because, well, he was born with one. And so many have questioned his health. I think he’ll be better than ever in Larry Fedora’s system.

84. Tyquan Thornton is going to be a rock star.

85. Anyone remember Gavin Holmes? If not, you will. He could be become such a great comeback story.

86. Beat Ole Miss in the season opener and it sets up the potential for quite a run despite road games at two places (Lubbock and Ames) that might hate Baylor as much as TCU. And I didn’t even bring up road games against OU and Texas.

87. No one has told me this, but something about Qualan Jones (5-11, 230) makes me feel a lot better about short yardage situations. And yes, I know Lovett and Ebner are the best running backs.

88. The offensive line that once had only six scholarship players will put its depth problem in the rearview mirror with best depth in four-to-five years.

89. I cannot wait to cover a football season with the staff from SicEm365.

BRIAN ETHRIDGE

90. Cracking open that first Texas Gold from 3Nations Brewing. The first thing I do when I get to the tailgate is enjoy the sights and sounds while drinking one. If no Texas Gold, I grab a Mango Smash. Starts the day off right.

91. Getting stopped at the gate of Brazos Parking and then getting to talk to Mack, Vernon and Steve since I didn't hang the parking tag soon enough. I think I do it just to talk to them for a bit. Great guys.

92. I'm ready to see a healthy Trestan Ebner on the field catching passes out of the backfield or running a QB read to the strong side and breaking it for 60+

93. Another person I'm ready to see is a healthy Sqwirl. Get the ball in his hands and go.

94. I'm ready to hear pads popping. Nothing like that sound and the chatter after a hit. The excitement. The joy.

95. I’m ready to see more than 25 percent of my friends again.

96.  Along those same line, I’m ready for our tailgate. The SicEm365 community is great, except for Gunny Hartman. That guy can't party. One beer and he's climbing the container. Just kidding, he can party, but he never shows up.

97. I’m ready to go to high schools and interview commits before and after practices. Tate Williams is four hours away in Wall, Texas and I'm going there. Watermelons are coming back with me. Jason King says he’s coming with me but I’m not so sure. I may need to use his seat for watermelons.

98. Raleigh Texada is going to have a breakout year and get drafted. He's got the ability and size his brother didn't have. He’ll light up the 40 gun and catch a smart team's eye. 

99. Xavier Newman-Smith will dominate at center and get drafted. He's got the base and ability to do it. He just needs to put it all together.

100. It's time to kick our coverage into a higher gear. We have the team to do it. The blood flowing again.