Welcome to Pop Quiz, a weekly test on Baylor sports taken by SicEm365 insiders. There are no wrong answers here, although some responses may leave you scratching your head. We may venture off topic at times, but hey … you may end up with a good barbecue recommendation because of it.
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The football player that's going to shock everyone this season is …
Paul Catalina: Kalon Barnes. I think he has the athletic ability to take a huge step this year. No one will out run him and he will create turnovers. Dave Aranda has a track record of getting the most out of his DBs very quickly.
Brian Ethridge: Gavin Holmes. He's sort of forgotten due to his injuries the past two seasons, but he's a great route runner, has the needed speed, size, and hands to make a difference.
Grayson Grundhoefer: Garmon Randolph. This is a tough one because guys like Matt Jones, Yusuf Terry, and Kalon Barnes come to mind but not sure if they would surprise anyone. Randolph on the other hadn’t would not because of him making a big impact but more so because he would be making an impact so early. I think he will give Baylor a solid ability to rush the passer and I think everyone will get to see major flashes this season of what he could become.
Ashley Hodge: I have a feeling Mose Jeffrey is going to be everything we hoped Khalil Keith was. Strong, athletic and physical like Keith but I think he will have the attitude and consistency to go along with it.
Craig Smoak: Jalen Pitre. I know he receives regular doses of praise from Baylor fans, but it’s usually because of his loyalty. He’s also earned plenty more excelling in living up to the term student-athlete. Fresh off a redshirt season, I expect Pitre to play a key role, thus gaining more onfield attention, at the STAR position in this new Roberts-Aranda defensive scheme.
David Smoak: The word “shock” means “out of sight, out of mind” and that could be former Temple High star Ashton Logan on defense at outside or Jack linebacker. After a redshirt freshman season, Logan has almost exclusively been used on special teams the last two years, and so it’s his time to shine and get some snaps a position that’s become awfully deep for Baylor.
The class of 2021 recruiting commitment that has me the most excited/intrigued is ...
Paul Catalina: I know this might be too obvious, but Kyron Drones. Grabbing a quarterback on the rise like him is HUGE. Coaches all over the state talk about how good he is. And he will have very little pressure to step in and play because of the QBs Baylor already has. I do think he will make some noise within two years of being on campus though.
Brian Ethridge: Romario Noel. He could be so many things due to his size. He plays some corner and safety in high school and he has some dawg in him. Going to be fun to watch him grow. Tate Williams is the other as the jump from Wall to Baylor is big, but his athleticism and work ethic give me hope he'll play for some time.
Grayson Grundhoefer: Hal Presley. He is the top rated recruit in the class along with Kyron Drones but I would have him just a little bit higher than Drones. Presely combines great speed with an elite ability to high point the football plus he has great size at 6’3. I think he will be making an impact sooner rather than later in Baylor’s offense.
Ashley Hodge: I know you are probably looking for football, but I think basketball 24/7 baby! Langston Love. It’s hard to pick among this awesome 2021 class, but I’ve said it before ... when I watched EYBL basketball last summer in DFW (and there were probably 10-plus future NBA players there), the guy I wanted the most in the 2021 class that I saw was Langston Love. He is the real deal!
Craig Smoak: Roderick Daniels. I’ll go with the electric WR threat from Duncanville. On the field, he’s a big play waiting to happen. Off the field, he comes from one of the state’s most talented and historic programs. If you’re the staff, you hope his commit leads to lots of touchdowns and more highly-ranked Panthers wanting to become Bears in the future.
David Smoak: Jordan Jenkins, the 6-foot-1, 200-pound running back from Lindale High School. Interesting this was included in our Pop Quiz this week because a former All-Conference Baylor running back told me over the weekend how pumped he was to see Jenkins at the collegiate level: he’s big, strong and can run. And, he’s a tremendous weapon in the return game, too.
The potential men's basketball non-conference game I'm looking forward to the most is ...
Paul Catalina: This answer changed Monday night. But it’s obviously Gonzaga. There are players on the roster who will remember the loss in Salt Lake City. Plus it is great for college basketball in general.
Brian Ethridge: Gonzaga. This could be a preview of the national title game.
Grayson Grundhoefer: Gonzaga. Scott Drew and Mark Few set up the game after the Pac 12 cancelled all non-conference matchups which cleared dates for these two schools to play. This could be No. 1 vs. No. 2 when they meet which would be no surprise given how good these two teams should be next season.
Ashley Hodge: Gonzaga. As much as I would be excited about a rematch with Villanova after that terrific game last year, we owe the Zags one (or two, three, four, five). I would love to play (and beat) the Zags twice this season. Same would hold true for Villanova. Heck, lets just beat these teams multiple times this year: Gonzaga, Villanova, Iowa State, Kansas, KSU, OU, OSU, Texas, Texas Tech, TCU, WVU.
Craig Smoak: Gonzaga. Oregon who? The Pac 12’s loss is Baylor’s gain after the big news Tuesday evening. It’s genius on the part of both teams and created a nice buzz in the CBB community when announced. This is a pinch-hit HR from a competition, marketing, and attention standpoint, and has all the makings of a potential “Game of the Year”. I really enjoy the mutual respect between the two programs, but now you just hope the Bears can break through and grab that elusive first win against the Zags.
David Smoak: The report that surfaced Monday evening about Baylor playing Gonzaga just made this one easy. Yes sir, that’s the one for me. Perhaps a 1 vs. 2 game based on last season’s abrupt ending and the upcoming preseason polls … and how great is that for Few and Drew to make this happen with the Pac 12 delaying their season. Scott Drew will appear on SicEm365 Radio on Tuesday, 3:30pm.
An unsung hero in Baylor's athletic department is ...
Paul Catalina: Jovan Overshown. If you talk to people in almost any part of the athletic department, they have nothing but great things to say about her. She’s a rising star in college athletics.
Brian Ethridge: An unsung hero in Baylor's athletic department is the facilities crew. All of them, especially now with the Covid-19 processes in place.
Grayson Grundhoefer: Baylor’s Associate Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Jeremiah Dickey is an unsung hero. Most people only know of Baylor AD Mack Rhoades, but Dickey has been playing an integral role in many things having to do with Baylor athletics since 2017. His role is massive but he feels a little unsung most times in comparison to some others.
Ashley Hodge: David Kaye, the communications director for men’s basketball and golf. He’s always been great to me. I would consider him a friend. One Baylor employee said “if you need a place to stay, he and Emily are opening their home to you.” If you need a kidney, he’s ready to donate. He served his country in the Army and was called to action in the Middle East. I got to know him (and Emily, his wife) better in Italy last summer. I love the whole basketball staff, but David probably doesn’t get the credit he deserves.
Craig Smoak: Senior Associate AD Jovan Overshown. Mack Rhoades and others said it themselves last week when we welcomed her as a guest on SicEm365 Radio. She is a future Athletic Director and an imperative person in Baylor’s current department structure. Many have discussed the strong leadership of Livingstone, Rhoades, or any number of fantastic coaches, and that’s why this is a tough question, but Overshown’s impact trumps her notoriety.
David Smoak: Jovan Overshown. As Mack Rhoades said, “She is one of our rock stars!” And, as Jeramiah Dickey told me, “She is a rock star, extremely valuable to me and us. She will an AD before I will. Jovan is a relentless worker but also a mom, wife, etc. That's hard and she does it with grace and at an elite level. I can't say enough good things about her, I'm and we're very grateful for her."
My favorite candy bar is ...
Paul Catalina: Nestle Crunch. And all its varieties. Especially the caramel.
Brian Ethridge: Whatchamacallit. Peanut butter, caramel, chocolate and rice crisps—it sort of combines everything.
Grayson Grundhoefer: Snickers Peanut Butter Squares. These things are addicting and it is the perfect combo of chocolate and peanut butter.
Ashley Hodge: My grandfather (RIP) got me hooked on Almond Joys. If I buy them, I eat them. I have no control when it comes to Almond Joys. So I try to keep them out of the house and steal them from my kids at Halloween.
Jason King: Reese’s Nutrageous combines all of my favorite things: chocolate, peanuts and peanut butter. It’s the ultimate candy bar. Plus it’s thick and filling.
Craig Smoak: Currently, Reese’s Stix. I say currently because I love candy bars and it changes from time to time. From Stix to Cups to Pieces, Reese’s regular chocolate products are usually solid in my book. I’ve been on a Stix kick for awhile though. Krackel, Twix, PB Twix, Crunch Bars, are also choices on occasion.
David Smoak: 3 Musketeers. I don’t eat as much as I used to, but if I had to have a candy car it would be the 3 Musketeers. The chocolate is soft, chewy but a nice spark for the sweet tooth. There’s nothing caramel or nutty about it, like most chocolate bars—just light fluffy center that melts in your mouth.
