Guy Morris Press Conference Quotes

Feb. 4, 2004

WACO, Texas - Baylor University head football coach Guy Morriss has announced the signing of 20 players to National Letters of Intent for the 2004-05 academic year. Included in Morriss' second Baylor recruiting class are 17 high school standouts and three junior college transfers.

"Having had a full year now to go through the recruiting cycle has really made a difference," Morriss said. "I believe we have put together a strong class that will help us continue to move the program forward. We expect some of these players to make an immediate impact. It's a good class with speed and athleticism up and down the line."

In addition to today's signees, Morriss also announced that four walk-on student-athletes already in the Baylor program - P Daniel Sepulveda (Dallas, Texas), TE Marcus Venus (Killeen, Texas), DT Quincy Jenkins (Trinidad, Texas) and WR Shaun Rochon (Houston, Texas) were awarded scholarships beginning in January, 2004. All but Rochon played for the Bears in 2003. By NCAA rule, those scholarships are credited to BU's class being released today.

2004 Class Breakdown:

Total Signees: 20 (Freshmen: 17; Junior College Transfers: 3)

By State:
Texas (17): Boatner, Bullitt, Cook, Crawford, Francis, Green, Hixson, Jones, King, McDonald, Nelson, Payne, Price, Rhodes, Smith, Spead, Stone.
Louisiana (1): Gay.
Oklahoma (1): Mead.
Massachusetts (1): James.

By Position (First Position Listed):
Offense (9): Boatner, OL; Cook, WR; Green, OL; Jones, RB; King, QB; Payne, WR; Smith, TE; Spead, QB; Stone, OL.
Defense (11): Bullitt, LB; Crawford, DB; Francis, S; Gay, DT; Hixson, LB; James, S; McDonald, S; Mead, LB; Nelson, DE; Price, S; Rhodes, DE.

The Bears' 2004 Signees

SIGNEE CAPSULES:

Adam "Yancy" Boatner
OL * 6-4 * 305 * Hamilton, Texas (Dixie State College)
Expected to immediately step in and bolster the Bears' offensive line when he arrives on campus this fall ... Boatner will have three seasons of eligibility remaining ... Was a starter along the offensive line at both center and guard for coach Greg Croshaw's 10-2 Dixie State (Utah) College Rebels ... Started the year as the Rebels' center but moved to guard after injuring his thumb ... Helped team to a No. 3 national ranking and a spot in the Dixie Rotary Bowl where it dropped a 14-10 decision to top-ranked Butler (Kan.) Community College in the 2003 National Junior College Athletic Association's national title game ... Originally signed a National Letter of Intent with Texas State in Feb. 2002, where he redshirted as a freshman before transferring to Dixie ... Two-time all-state lineman and 2001 Waco Tribune-Herald Super Centex selection for coach Chris Wilde at Hamilton (Texas) High School ... Earned all-state honors from the Associated Press and the Texas Sports Writers ... Led Hamilton to an 11-1 record as a senior when he earned unanimous all-District 10-2A honors ... Listed as Gridiron Great All-American Small Town Hero as one of 25 players from small towns across the country ... Was also a Gridiron Elite Team member ... Three-year letterman at Hamilton, where he started his final two seasons at offensive guard after playing on the defensive line as a sophomore ... Two-time all-state power-lifter still holds Hamilton High's school power-lifting records ... The son of Arvel and Sharon Boatner, Yancy was born Nov. 23, 1983, in Weatherford, Texas.
Morriss on Boatner: "Yancy will really upgrade our offensive line. He's an experienced player coming out of junior college with great size and athletic ability. We are looking forward to getting him into the mix along the offensive line next year. He should be able to step on the field next year and give us some help up front."

Bradley Bullitt
LB * 5-11 * 220 * Garland, Texas (Naaman Forest)
Earned 2003 District 12-5A co-Most Valuable Player honors after leading coach Bill Patterson's Naaman (Texas) Forest Rangers to an 8-3 record and a spot in the bi-district playoffs ... Rated as the area's 44th-best prep by the Dallas Morning News and as Texas' 76th-best player according to rivals.com ... Waco Tribune-Herald Top 100 player ... 2003 honorable-mention 5A Associated Press and Texas Sports Writers all-state pick ... Named to Dave Campbell's Texas Football 2003 preseason Top 300 list ... As a senior team captain, recorded 95 tackles with three sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries from his middle linebacker position ... Earned all-district honors as a junior after leading the team in tackles ... Recorded two interceptions as a junior, one of which he returned for a touchdown ... Two-time district discus champion ... "Bradley is a very instinctive football player," Patterson said. "He's able to do things you can't coach on defense. He's just so instinctive and it comes natural for him, more so than for any kid I've been around." ... Selected Baylor over Iowa State, Texas Tech, Kansas State and Texas A&M ... Older brother, Melvin, was a true freshman on Texas A&M's 2003 football team ... The son of Gerald and Billie Bullitt, Bradley was born April 4, 1986 ... Father, Gerald, was a four-year Aggie letterman (1980-83) as was his uncle Steve (1983-86) ... His father signed a contact with the Washington Redskins and played from 1984-86, while his uncle signed with the Cleveland Browns.
Morriss on Bullitt: "Bradley is an outstanding linebacker. He's a great young man with good size. Bradley had an outstanding high school career at Naaman Forest. By the time he's a junior, he'll have the size that you want at that position."

Nate Cook
WR * 6-3 * 180 * Allen, Texas (Allen)
Member of the 2004 Dallas Morning News area Top 100 prospect list (No. 77) ... Helped coach Joe Martin's Allen (Texas) High School Eagles to a 13-2 record and the semifinals of the 2003 Class 5A Division II playoffs ... Three-year starter at wide receiver and free safety for the Eagles ... As a senior, earned first-team all-district honors as a wide receiver after catching 38 passes for 631 yards and nine touchdowns ... Also recorded 38 tackles with one interception ... Was a first-team all-district performer as a junior both on offense (wide receiver) and defense (free safety) ... The son of Jeff Cook and Rosie Kaszer, Nate was born April 15, 1986.
Morris on Cook: "Nate has the size and speed you look for in a wide receiver. We are looking forward to getting him on the field. He's a great student as well."

Dwain Crawford
DB * 6-0 * 180 * Giddings, Texas (Giddings)
A standout tailback at Giddings (Texas) High School, Crawford will move to the defensive backfield as a Bear ... Earned unanimous all-district honors after rushing for a district-best 1,110 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior for Giddings coach Derek Fitzhenry's 7-4 Buffaloes who lost in the bi-district playoffs ... Also caught 12 passes for 198 yards ... Runs a 10.4 100 and a 4.3 40 ... Two-year starter and three-year member of the Giddings varsity football team ... All-district defensive back as a junior ... Region meet qualifier in track and field as a junior ... Selected Baylor over TCU, Rice and Houston ... "He's a special athlete," said Fitzhenry. "His greatest strength is his incredible speed. He's a real steal for Baylor." ... The son of Dwain and LaDressa Crawford, Dwain was born Jan. 6, 1986.
Morriss on Crawford: "He has world-class speed. Dwain will upgrade our speed at the cornerback position. He has good size and a great personality. We're looking forward to coaching him."

James Francis Jr.
S * 6-0 * 185 * La Marque, Texas (La Marque)
The son of former Baylor All-America linebacker James Francis (Class of 1990), the younger Francis was a standout linebacker for coach Bryan Erwin at La Marque (Texas) High School ... Broke his leg in the seventh game of his senior season and was sidelined for the rest of the year, including his team's thrilling 43-35 triple overtime victory over Denton Ryan in the Class 4A Division II championship game ... Despite the injury, he earned first-team all-district honors after recording 60 tackles, one interception and three sacks in seven starts ... As a junior, he recorded 98 tackles, 10 sacks and three pass breakups for a Cougar squad that was a playoff quarterfinalist and finished 11-3 overall ... Named to Dave Campbell's Texas Football 2003 Top 300 preseason list ... Selected Baylor over Kansas State and TCU ... "James brings a lot of speed to the table," said Erwin. "He can really run and make plays." ... Father, James, earned consensus first-team All-Southwest Conference honors as a BU senior in 1989, was a first-round choice of the NFL's Cincinnati Bengals in 1990 and spent nine seasons there (1990-98) before ending his career with the Washington Redskins in 1999 ... Uncle, Ron Francis, was a two-time All-Southwest Conference cornerback and four-year letterwinner at Baylor (1984-86), a second-round selection of the Dallas Cowboys and went on to play four years (1987-90) with the organization ... The son of James Francis and Donna Lee, the younger Francis was born Aug. 1, 1986, in Galveston, Texas.
Morriss on Francis: "James is a tremendous all-around athlete. He has a great vertical jump and is very strong. You look at him on film and he's always around the football. He runs exceptionally well and knows the game very well. His father and uncle were outstanding players at Baylor and both went on to have great professional careers. We are looking forward to having James on our football team because you need his type of athletic ability if you are going to be successful. He makes plays."

Dan Gay IV
DT * 6-5 * 255 * Lafayette, La. (Saint Thomas More Catholic)
One of two non-Texans in this year's Baylor recruiting class, Gay played only one season of football for coach Jim Hightower at St. Thomas More Catholic High School in Lafayette, La. ... Despite his inexperience, earned honorable-mention all-district honors for the school's 7-5 district championship football team ... "Dan is the first one that we've had with that size and mobility," Hightower said. "I think he's got an awful lot of top end. It will be fun to watch him develop." ... Selected Baylor over Vanderbilt, Tulane, Louisiana Tech, Louisiana-Lafayette and Louisiana-Monroe ... In third season playing for Saint Thomas' varsity basketball team ... The son of Dan and Jacqueline Gay, Dan was born Aug. 29, 1986. Morriss on Gay: "Because Dan only played one year of high school football, we believe that his best football is ahead of him. He was able to fly under the radar, but there were still several Division I schools that were interested in him. He's going to be a great steal for us and his best football is down the road."

Chris Green
OL * 6-0 * 275 * Richmond, Texas (Foster)
Baylor's first commitment in its Class of 2004, Green pledged his loyalties to the Bears in June 2003 ... Two-year starter as an offensive guard and defensive tackle for coach Mark Wiatrek at Foster (Texas) High School ... Served as team captain as a senior, when he led the Falcons to an 8-4 record and the school's first-ever bi-district playoff victory ... Earned first-team all-district and all-area honors as a senior offensive guard ... Averaged eight tackles per game with eight sacks and three caused fumbles in his senior season ... As a junior, was a second-team all-district pick on both sides of the ball ... Regional qualifier in both the shot put and the discus ... Can bench press 355 pounds and squat 605 with a 5.2 40 ... "Baylor is getting an honest-type football player," Wiatrek said. "He has a tremendous work ethic. He'd never think of missing a practice, and not only is he a vocal leader, but he leads by example. Chris tries to outwork everyone on the field and in the film room and he's maintained that work ethic even though his high school football career is over. He means what he says and takes pride in it." ... The son of Anthony and Jessie Green, Chris was born Nov. 20, 1985 ... Green is the second player from Foster to sign with Baylor in the last two seasons, following in the footsteps of Kellen Taylor.
Morriss on Green: "Chris has the size and strength to anchor down our center position. You can't let his height discourage you, because he plays with a lot of leverage at that position. He is eager to come in and contribute to our success on the offensive side of the ball."

Ben Hixson
LB * 6-2 * 215 * Southlake, Texas (Carroll)
One of the Lone Star state's top middle linebacker prospects, Hixson was a two-year starter for coach Todd Dodge at Southlake Carroll (Texas) High School ... Ranked 39th on Dallas Morning News' area Top 100 list and was Waco Tribune-Herald's Top 100 selection and a member of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Area 75 list ... As a senior, earned first-team 5A all-state honors from both the Associated Press and the Texas Sports Writers ... Tallied 211 tackles in 2003 to go with nine tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, four pass breakups, four fumbles caused, three fumble recoveries and a safety ... Led Dragons to a 15-1 record in 2003 and a runner-up finish in Class 5A Division II ... Earned team's defensive player-of-the-week honors six times as a senior ... Recorded 25 tackles, including one for a loss, in Dragons' 37-21 semifinal victory over Allen in 2003 playoffs ... Credited with 23 tackles in Carroll's 2003 quarterfinal win over Irving ... Had more than 200 tackles as a junior in helping Southlake Carroll to a 16-0 record and the 2002 Class 5A Division II title ... "He's one of those guys that's born for the position," Dodge said. "He's wired the right way as far as his intensity and as far as his study of the game." ... Played in 47 consecutive games and helped Dragons to a 41-6 record over that stretch ... Named to Dave Campbell's Texas Football Top 300 2003 preseason list ... Turned down offers from Tulane, Oklahoma State and South Florida to sign with the Bears ... The son of Chuck and Susan Hixson, Ben was born July 22, 1985.
Morriss on Hixson: "What a great young man he is. Ben had a stellar high school career, not only in the regular season but during the playoffs, too. He's a great tackler with great speed and he comes in with a lot of physical strength. He's going to be a great addition to our defense."

Roman James
S * 6-1 * 180 * Sharon, Mass. (Sharon)
The son of former New England Patriots standout strong safety Roland James, Roman James was a star running back, wide receiver and defensive back for his father at Sharon (Mass.) High School ... As a senior, racked up 782 rushing yards and 527 receiving yards while scoring 10 touchdowns (four rush, six receiving) ... Averaged 23.5 yards per kickoff return and 18.0 yards per punt return in final prep season ... Ranked as the Eagles' No. 2 tackler in 2003 with 75 stops to go with six interceptions ... Had 18 interceptions in three-year varsity career ... Earned All-Scholastic honors from the Boston Globe and the Boston Herald as a senior ... Named all-Hockomock Conference as a junior (wide receiver) senior (defensive back) ... Selected as the Boston Globe's MVP of the 2003 Thanksgiving Day clash between Sharon and Easton's Oliver Ames as he recovered a fumble for a touchdown and caught a touchdown pass in the Eagles' 28-7 win over their longtime rivals-the school's first Thanksgiving Day victory since 1990 ... "Roman has good knowledge of the game," said his father and high school coach. "He runs well, is a hard hitter and covers a lot of ground." ... In his fourth season on Sharon's varsity basketball team ... His father, Roland, was a first-round draft choice by the New England Patriots and spent 10 seasons (1980-90) with the organization, including four years (1984-87) where one of his teammates was current Baylor coach Guy Morriss ... The elder James ranks third on the Patriots' all-time interceptions list with 29 picks and is 10th all-time in punt returns ... The son of Roland and Carmelle James, Roman was born Dec. 5, 1985.
Morriss on James: "Roman played a lot of positions very well for his father in high school. He has good speed and we're going to play him at free safety. We are pleased to have him."

Jacoby Jones
RB * 5-11 * 205 * Bangs, Texas (Bangs)
Earned first-team Class 2A all-state honors from the Texas Sports Writers and was a second-team Associated Press pick ... Finalist for Texas Football's 2003 Class 2A player of the year honor ... Two-time all-West Texas and all-Big Country offensive Most Valuable Player, three-time district offensive MVP honoree ... Waco Tribune-Herald Top 100 selection ... Ranked as one of Texas' top 20 prep runningbacks in 2003 by Texas Football magazine and was rated No. 28 overall by Lonestar 100 ... As a senior, rushed 370 times for 3,459 yards and 45 touchdowns for coach Bo Robinson's 11-5 Class 2A Division I runner-up Bangs (Texas) High School Dragons ... A three-year starter, Jones was one of the state's most prolific ground-gainers ever and finished his career 818 carries, 7,611 yards and 99 touchdowns ... Had 41 career 100-yard rushing games, which ranks as the second-best all-time mark in Texas schoolboy history ... Rushed for 1,500 in playoff games throughout career ... Second-team all-state selection as a junior after rushing for 2,467 yards and 29 touchdowns in leading the Dragons to a 13-2 record and a runner-up finish in the Class 2A Division I playoffs ... Also plays basketball and runs track for the Dragons ... Earned district MVP honors in basketball as a junior ... "He's got a lot of ability and he's a hard worker," said Robinson. "Jacoby made the big plays at critical times for us. If it was fourth and three, he'd find a way to make the play." ... Selected Baylor over Kansas, Texas-El Paso and New Mexico State ... The son of Mae Jones and the late John Jones, Jr., Jacoby was born Dec. 26, 1985.
Morriss on Jones: "Jacoby really played big in the playoffs. He has the size that you really like in a running back. He has good foot speed. He's going to be a guy to watch in that backfield because he can really move the chains for your offense and keep the opposing offenses off the field."

Dane King
QB * 6-2 * 205 * Gonzales, Texas (Blinn College)
A two-year starter at quarterback for coach Scott Maxfield at Blinn (Texas) College, King has enrolled at Baylor and will go through spring drills with the Bears ... Earned second-team NJCAA All-America and first-team All-Southwest Junior College Football Conference honors in 2003 after leading the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) in both passing (310.8 ypg) and total offense (322.3 ypg) ... In guiding the Bucs to a 7-3 record, King completed 59.2 percent of his passes (193-of-326) for 2,797 yards and 27 touchdowns with only seven interceptions and a long play of 74 yards ... Also rushed for 104 yards a year ago ... Named NJCAA national offensive player of the week for his record-setting performance in a 69-7 victory over Ranger, Sept. 18 ... Completed 24-of-36 passes in the game for a school-record 437 yards and six touchdowns and rushed for 27 yards on four carries ... As a freshman at Blinn, King was 166-of-305 (54.2 percent) in the air for 1,945 yards with nine touchdowns and nine interceptions ... "He's got the things you look for in a quarterback," said Maxfield. "He's got good leadership skills, a great arm strength and a quick release." ... The Gonzales, Texas, native passed for 2,800 yards and 32 touchdowns with only nine interceptions in two seasons at Gonzales High School ... The son of Vicki King, Dane was born Sept. 8, 1983.
Morriss on King: "Dane has all the intangibles and the swagger that you like to see in a quarterback. It's going to be interesting to watch the competition at quarterback this spring. I believe that (competition) will make us a better football program."

Anthony McDonald
S * 6-2 * 190 * Copperas Cove, Texas (Copperas Cove) Rated as one of the Top 20 defensive backs in the Lone Star state by Dave Campbell's Texas Football magazine ... Ranked 11th on Waco Tribune-Herald's Central Texas Top 25 list ... Two-year starter for coach Jack Welch's Copperas Cove Bulldawgs ... Recorded 55 tackles, eight pass breakups, one interception and a forced fumble for the 6-4 Bulldawgs as a senior ... Credited with 44 tackles and three interceptions as a junior when Copperas Cove finished 7-4 and earned a Class 4A Division II playoff bid ... One of McDonald's three interceptions as a junior was an 89-yard touchdown return against Odessa Permian ... Also played wide receiver as a prep ... "The thing you see in Anthony is his potential," said Welch. "He's got good height, great size, great speed. His future is in his own hands. He can be as good as he wants to be." ... The son of Wanda Fajardo, Anthony was born Feb. 13, 1986.
Morriss on McDonald: "Anthony has good size for a safety. He loves to hit, he's smart, and I don't believe it will take him long to pick up our system. He's the kind of kid you want at safety--a rangy kid who can run that has great size."

Marcus Mead
LB * 6-1 * 218 * Alva, Okla. (Alva)
Two-way starter (running back and linebacker) for coach Steve Gale at Alva (Okla.) High School will focus on the defensive side of the ball as a Bear ... School's first NCAA Division I-A recruit since 1984 ... Named to the Enid News' All-Northwest Oklahoma all-star team and was tabbed District 1-2A linebacker of the year ... Earned honorable-mention all-state honors from the Daily Oklahoman ... Carried the ball 182 times for 1,047 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior ... Also recorded 86 tackles in 10 games ... Three-year letterwinner served as team captain during senior season ... Missed five games during junior season due to injury, but still had 55 rushes for 329 yards and four scores to go with 26 tackles, including three for losses ... Ran track (100m, 200m, long jump) as a junior ... "He's tremendously strong for a senior coming out of high school," Gale said. "That's probably what sells him, too. He's self-motivated and loves to play the game. Besides his physical attributes, his work ethic and intensity level are what sets Marcus off from other players." ... Selected Baylor over Marshall ... The son of Chandler and Karen Mead, Marcus was born Aug. 28, 1985.
Morriss on Mead: "Marcus is really what you want at linebacker--he's very strong and smart. He's a heady football player who has all of the physical attributes and I believe he's a sleeper in this class."

Geoff Nelson
DE * 6-2 * 220 * Cedar Hill, Texas (Cedar Hill)
Garnered unanimous first-team all-district 4-5A honors as a senior for coach Joey McGuire at Cedar Hill (Texas) High School ... Earned 2003 honorable-mention 5A all-state recognition from the Texas Sports Writers ... Led the Longhorns to a 6-4 record in 2003, an impressive turnaround from his junior season when they finished 2-8 ... Moved to defensive end as a senior, after playing two seasons at linebacker, and responded with 82 tackles, including 55 solo stops, 17 tackles for loss, nine sacks, 10 quarterback hurries, seven forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and three pass breakups ... Named Dallas Morning News player of the week for his performance in the Longhorns' 28-17 season-ending victory over Mansfield Summit that sealed the school's first winning season since 1995 ... Recorded 16 tackles, four sacks, three caused fumbles, two fumble recoveries and a pass breakup against Mansfield Summit ... "Geoff's motor always runs and he's relentless on the field," McGuire said. "The best thing about Geoff is that he's as good a person as he is an athlete. Baylor is getting a special player." ... Selected Baylor over Stanford, Northwestern, Tulsa and Arkansas ... The son of Lee and Paula Allen, Geoff was born May 27, 1986.
Morriss on Nelson: "He's a great pass rusher. I believe that Geoff can really help us in the pass rushing department. He loves to play football and we are glad to have him on our roster."

Robert "Trey" Payne III
WR * 5-9 * 160 * La Marque, Texas (La Marque)
One of two members of La Marque (Texas) High School's 16-0 and 2003 Class 4A Division II state championship squad to sign with the Bears, Payne was a two-time all-district and all-Galveston County performer for coach Bryan Erwin's Cougars ... Hauled in 96 passes for 1,472 yards and 16 touchdowns over his final two seasons while helping the Cougars to a 27-3 record ... Had 52 receptions for 859 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior en route to unanimous all-district honors and a place on the all-Galveston County team ... Caught 44 balls for 613 yards and three scores as a junior when La Marque finished 11-3 and reached the quarterfinal round of the Class 4A Division II playoffs ... "He's a tremendous receiver with great feet and excellent hands," said Erwin. "I think he is the best route runner in the stage." ... National Honor Society member ... Three-year letterwinner in football also picked up a pair of letters on the baseball diamond ... Selected Baylor over SMU, Brigham Young and Iowa State ... Born Sept. 19, 1985 in Galveston, Texas, Trey is the son of Robert Payne, Jr., and Tanya Payne.
Morriss on Payne: "Don't let his height and weight fool you, because this kid is fast. He has kind of a chip on his shoulder because he wants to prove that people overlooked him because of his size. Trey has the speed and hands to come in and help us at this position."

Marlon Price
S * 6-2 * 185 * Lancaster, Texas (Lancaster)
Played both quarterback and safety as a senior for coach Andrew Jackson at Lancaster (Texas) High School ... Transferred to Lancaster after playing his first three years at Duncanville (Texas) High School, where he started at strong safety as a junior ... Regional qualifier in the 110- and 300-meter hurdles at Duncanville, and was also a member of the school's 4x400-meter relay team ...The son of Melvin and Cathy Price, Marlon was born June 11, 1986.
Morriss on Price: "He's a good-sized safety. Marlon is a great athlete who is going to help us a lot in the defensive secondary. He's a good student, comes from a great family and has tremendous character. We are looking forward to having him in our program."

Vincent Rhodes
DE * 6-2 * 250 * Denison, Texas (Denison)
Talented two-way player for coach Bob Brown at Denison High School was a 2003 all-state honoree as both an offensive and defensive lineman ... The 2003 District 11-4A MVP was named to the Class 4A first-team all-state honor squad by the Associated Press at offensive tackle and was a second-team all-state pick by the Texas Sports Writers at defensive end ... Rhodes recorded 50 pancake blocks and didn't allow a sack for a 9-2 squad that averaged more than 400 total-offense yards ... On the defensive side of the ball, he was credited with 60 tackles, including 11 behind the line of scrimmage, 12 sacks, three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and a pass breakup ... Selected Baylor over TCU and North Texas ... The son of Robert and Virginia Rhodes, Vincent was born Nov. 12, 1985.
Morriss on Rhodes: "Vincent will really come in and give us a shot in the arm with the pass rush off the edge. It is something that we need. He loves the game and is a very competitive young man."

Jason Smith
TE * 6-5 * 231 * Dallas, Texas (W.T. White)
Named to Dallas Morning News' area Top 100 list (No. 95) ... After earning first-team all-district honors as a sophomore and junior as an offensive tackle, Smith moved to tight end for coach Mike Zoffuto's 5-5 W.T. White (Texas) High School Longhorns as a senior in 2003 ... Caught seven passes for 101 yards and one touchdown as a senior ... Played in 2004 Coca-Cola High School Football All-Star Game ... The son of Duane and Linda Smith, Jason was born April 30, 1986.
Morriss on Smith: "Jason has tremendous size and athletic ability, and I believe his best football is ahead of him ... He played his sophomore and junior years at offensive tackle before switching to tight end. He's going to get a lot bigger during his college career. Jason's very athletic and can play multiple positions along the offensive line. You can't overlook a kid like that because of his tremendous size and the fact that he can play multiple positions for you."

Twaneil Spead
QB/ATH * 6-5 * 190 * Dallas, Texas (Carter)
As a senior, directed coach Allen Wilson's Carter (Texas) High School Cowboys to a 12-1 record and the regional semifinals of the Class 5A Division II playoffs ... The Cowboys' signal caller was 25 of 62 in the air for 544 yards and 11 touchdowns with one interception ... As a junior, he passed for 203 yards as Carter finished 11-1 ... The son of George and Margaret Dick, Twaneil was born Dec. 4, 1984.
Morriss on Spead: "He's a tall, rangy looking player who will get a chance to compete for the quarterback job at Baylor. We'll find a way to get him on the field because he can play several positions for us."

Evan Stone
OL * 6-5 * 272 * Buffalo, Texas (Tyler JC)
Like fellow BU signee Dane King, Stone inked with the Bears in December, has enrolled at Baylor and will be available for spring practice if he is fully recovered from a knee injury he sustained at Tyler (Texas) Junior College ... Started every game along the offensive line at Tyler before missing the last half of the 2003 campaign with a knee injury that required surgery ... Coach Dale Carr's Apache's finished the 2003 season with a 10-2 record and a No. 6 national ranking in the final NJCAA poll ... Stone was a key member of a Tyler team that posted its first 10-win season since 1969 and won the Heart of Texas Bowl with a 55-3 victory over Rochester Community College ... Three-year starter for Buffalo (Texas) High School ... The son of Donald and Heather Stone, Evan was born Sept. 22, 1983.
Morriss on Stone: "To what degree Evan will be able to practice this spring is undetermined because he's got some rehab work to do on his knee, but I believe he'll contend for a spot at one of the inside positions along the offensive line. All of the medical staff has assured me that he'll be ready for fall camp. The fact that he's going to be on campus this spring should give him a jump start (in learning our system), as he'll be able to go through some drills and work hard in the weight room."