Buster Sports

This post is part of the series 2009 Football Countdown

Four wins may not seem like enough to inject high expectations. But for a Baylor club saddled with 13 consecutive losing seasons, it’s enough to get fans excited about the future.

Of course, much of that has to do with the return of quarterback Robert Griffin, who was responsible for 28 touchdowns as a true freshman. Art Briles returns for his second year in charge of the program, and while he has his hands full in improving this club, there is a vibe on the gridiron that hasn’t been felt in Waco for decades.

Offense: Forget about the Bradfords and the McCoys. If you’re looking for the real deal at quarterback, look no further than BU’s Griffin. He rushed for 843 yards and 13 scores, and threw for 2,091 yards and 15 more touchdowns while throwing only three interceptions. Indeed, it was his heady play and lack of turnovers ‑ unusual for a true freshman quarterback ‑ which led to the Baylor resurgence on the field. Now he has a couple running backs in Jay Finley and Houston-transfer Terrance Ganaway to take the load off on the ground. He also has an experienced receiving corps to which to throw. However, a sophomore slump may be looming, as the line is in need of some immediate help. BU cannot lose a first round NFL Draft choice like left tackle Jason Smith and not feel it. Even with Smith, the line struggled to provide Griffin adequate protection. Now both tackles are gone, and hopes lay with some juco transfers to help fill the void.

Defense: Eight starters return to a defense that improved against the run. Despite having only half of the front returning, the line is bolstered by Penn State transfer Phil Taylor. At 6-foot-4, 355 pounds, Taylor has the size to plug up the middle and anchor the attack up front. BU has never had much of a pass rush in recent years, and the ends don’t appear likely to change that trend anytime soon. Joe Pawelek leads a deep and experienced pool of linebackers. Experience in the secondary allowed Krys Brueck to return to receiver. Overall the unit held up fairly well despite facing some of the most potent pass offenses in the nation. If the Bears are able to pull a pass rush from out of nowhere, this unit could really ignite. 

Overall: Briles will be looking for improvements from his kickers, who each now have a year under their belts. Mikail Baker showed he can be dangerous returning kickoffs, but the Bears managed a grand total of 25 yards in punt returns last year. Briles worked his magic at Houston, taking the Cougars to bowl games in four of his five years.  Now Baylor fans have the feeling he is about to do the same with the Bears. It’s a tough challenge, particularly in the stacked Big 12 South. But Griffin gives Baylor something it has lacked for decades: a playmaker.

Outlook: Three close losses lend hope that if a few fall their way, the Bears will be back bowling for the first time since 1994. Expect a much closer game when BU opens its season against a Wake Forest team to which it lost 41-13 in the opener last year. Griffin only made a part-time appearance in that game, but enough to give Wake fits. This year he enters as a seasoned starter. After falling at UConn by a field goal last year, the Bears get the Huskies in Waco this time around. Odds are good the bowl drought ends this year.

Brad Dopke is the national football writer for Buster Sports and can be reached at bdopke@bustersports.com.

Big 12, Football, Headline, Baylor