Nov. 7, 2005
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BAYLOR BEARS (4-5, 1-5) at MISSOURI TIGERS (5-4, 3-3)
Nov. 12, 2005 • FAUROT FIELD/MEMORIAL STADIUM • COLUMBIA, MO. • 1:00 P.M. CST
BAYLOR TRAVELS TO MISSOURI WITH BOWLS HOPES ON LINE
Baylor returns to action Saturday, Nov. 12, traveling to Columbia, Mo., for a Big 12 Conference inter-division matchup with Missouri. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. CST at Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium on the Missouri campus.
The Bears (4-5, 1-5) suffered a 62-0 setback last Saturday at home against second-ranked Texas. That afternoon, the Tigers (5-4, 3-3) dropped a 41-12 decision at Colorado.
Saturday's game is an important one in both team's bowl hopes. Baylor must win each of its final two games in order to become bowl eligible. Missouri must win one of its last two; the Tigers conclude their regular season Nov. 19 at Kansas State.
BAYLOR-MISSOURI SERIES
Saturday is the 11th meeting between Baylor and Missouri in football, the sixth as Big 12 Conference opponents. The first meeting was a 38-0 Missouri victory at Columbia in 1970. The teams met again two years later, also at Columbia, with the Bears taking a 27-0 decision.
Missouri made its first trip to Waco in 1991; the Bears won that game 47-21. This season's game marks Baylor's first trip to Columbia since 2001 when the Tigers were 41-24 victors.
In 1996, Missouri edged Baylor 49-42 in a triple-overtime game that still stands as the longest game in Baylor football history and is tied for the longest game ever involving two Big 12 schools (Missouri defeated Oklahoma State 41-38 in three overtimes in 2001).
SERIES NOTES: The 1996 game was the first overtime game in Baylor football history. In that game, the Bears scored twice in the final 128 seconds to force the extra periods. Baylor trailed 28-0 at one point in the third quarter. Backup QB Mark Cogdill, who also was an outfielder for the Bears' baseball team, filled in at receiver and led the Bears with seven catches for 86 yards and two TDs. QB Jeff Watson threw for 272 yards and four TDs. ... In the 2001 game, WR Reggie Newhouse tied Baylor single-game records with 12 receptions and three receiving TDs. Trailing 34-3 at halftime, the Bears out-scored Missouri 21-7 in the second half. ... Missouri held Baylor to 13 yards rushing on 41 attempts in 2000. Meanwhile, the Tigers tallied 273 yards on 53 totes. ... In 1991, Baylor QB and current radio color analyst J.J. Joe totaled 328 yards of total offense, passing for 300 yards and rushing for another 28. Baylor tallied 338 yards rushing as a team and out-gained Missouri 649-382.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR ...
• Baylor looks to post two conference wins in a season for the first time since 1995 when the Bears were 5-2 in the final season of the Southwest Conference.
• The Bears look for their first five-win season since going 7-4 in 1995.
• Baylor looks for its first season with two conference road wins since 1995 when the Bears had wins at Houston and at SMU. That also was the last season in which the Bears had four total road wins.
• Baylor has not scored more than once in a quarter since a 10-point fourth quarter Oct. 8 at Iowa State (16 quarters).
• 2005 Thorpe Award candidate FS Maurice Lane has 359 career tackles (244 solos and 115 assists), third all-time at Baylor. He needs 21 tackles to match Ray Berry, who tallied 381 tackles from 1983 to 1986, for second on Baylor's all-time list.
• Lane should make his 44th career start against Missouri; he has started every game of his collegiate career in which he has played, a streak that is tied for the 12th-longest in Division I-A.
• Senior RT Lequalan McDonald should draw his 33rd straight start along the offensive line against Missouri, while senior OS Willie Andrews should make his 33rd straight start in the secondary.
• WR Trent Shelton has at least one reception in 31 consecutive games, tied for the 13th-longest active streak in Division I-A and the longest at Baylor since Reggie Newhouse's school-record 34-game streak.
• Shelton is seventh all-time at Baylor with 95 career receptions. He needs four catches to move into sixth place.
• Shelton is 13th all-time at Baylor with 1,117 career receiving yards. He needs five yards to move into 12th place and 57 yards to move into 11th place.
• Junior WR Dominique Zeigler is fifth on Baylor's career receptions list with 103.
• Zeigler is 17th all-time at Baylor with 1,086 career receiving yards. He needs three yards to move into 16th place, and 17 yards to move into 15th place.
• Zeigler has nine career TD receptions, tied for 10th all-time at Baylor. He needs one TD reception to move into a ninth-place tie and two TD receptions to move into a four-way tie for eighth.
• Zeigler has caught at least two passes in each of his last 19 appearances.
• Junior QB Shawn Bell ranks 13th all-time at Baylor with 2,606 career passing yards. He needs 45 yards to move into 12th place and 134 yards to moved into 11th place. With 394 yards, he would become Baylor's 11th 3,000-yard passer.
• Bell's 59.53 career completion percentage ranks 19th among active Division I-A quarterbacks, first all-time at Baylor.
• Bell is tied for fifth all-time at Baylor with 150 completions this season. He needs seven completions to move into a fourth-place tie, eight to move into a third-place tie, 23 to move into a second-place tie and 25 to break Don Trull's 1963 record of 174 completions.
• Junior RB Paul Mosley and sophomore RB Brandon Whitaker have combined for 263 touches this season without a fumble.
• Baylor's average starting field position has been its own 30 or better in seven of nine games this season, including a season-best of its own 43 against Iowa State.
• The Bears have scored 49 points off their opponents 19 turnovers while holding opponents to 40 points off their own 22 turnovers.
• Baylor is 7-3 under Morriss when scoring at least 24 points and 7-1 when holding the opponent under 20 points.
• Baylor's defense has allowed 23 or fewer points in six of nine games this season and fewer than 20 points in five of nine games this season.
• Baylor has held six of nine opponents this season to 10 or fewer second-half points.
• The Bears have forced 14 fumbles this season, the most by a Baylor team since the 2001 squad forced 22 fumbles.
• Baylor's defense has 11 interceptions this season, the most by a Baylor team since the 2001 Bears also had 11 picks.
BAYLOR vs. BIG 12 NORTH
Most of Baylor's success in the Big 12 Conference has come against teams from the North Division. The Bears are 5-24 against teams from the North with only two victories (Texas, 1997; Texas A&M, 2004) against teams from the South. Baylor's victories against North teams are as follows: Iowa State (1996), Kansas (1998), Kansas (2002), Colorado (2003), Iowa State (2005).
INJURY REPORT
Senior WR J Fields suffered a left knee injury during an Oct. 18 practice and is out indefinitely. Junior DT Corey Ford (right knee) is out due to a knee injury sustained against Samford.
DIFFICULT STRETCH CONTINUES FOR BEARS
Saturday's game against Missouri is the final of seven consecutive games for the Bears against teams who have at least received votes in at least one of the two major polls at some point this season -- Texas A&M, Iowa State, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Texas and Missouri. In fact, of those seven opponents, only Nebraska and Missouri have not been ranked at some point this season.
BEARS AIM FOR FIRST FIVE-WIN SEASON IN A DECADE
Baylor enters Saturday's game at 4-5 on the season, the first four-win season at Baylor since the 1996 team finished 4-7. A win against Missouri would give the Bears their first five-win season since going 7-4 in 1995. Since 1996, Baylor has finished with three wins four times, two wins three times and one win once.
HOME, HOME ON THE ... ROAD?
Baylor entered the 2005 season with a 24-game losing streak in games away from Floyd Casey Stadium, a streak that dated back to the 2000 season opener. However, the Bears won their first three road games this season and since have lost at Texas A&M and at Oklahoma, both in overtime.
After years of playing significantly better at home, that trend has reversed for the Bears in 2005. Baylor is better in nearly every statistical category on the road this season, including scoring offense (22.8 road/15.5 home), scoring defense (19.8 road/31.8 home) and, most importantly, record (3-2 road/1-3 home).
CATEGORY ROAD HOME
Scoring Offense 22.8 15.5
Total Offense 335.6 288.5
Passing Offense 202.6 183.2
Rushing Offense 133.0 105.2
Pass Efficiency Offense 109.70 104.76
Scoring Defense 19.8 31.8
Total Defense 328.2 418.5
Passing Defense 189.0 244.8
Rushing Defense 139.2 173.8
Pass Efficiency Defense 94.17 115.07
Turnover Margin +0.2 +0.3
FROM THE TEXAS GAME ...
• Attendace: 44,783 -- 25th-largest crowd in Floyd Casey Stadium history.
• Second-largest crowd since joining the Big 12 Conference.
• Largest crowd since Nov. 9, 1996, against Texas A&M (45,112).
• Sixth-largest crowd ever to see a Baylor-Texas game at Floyd Casey Stadium, largest since Nov. 24, 1990 (45,649).
• Baylor's defense did not force a turnover for the first time this season.
• Baylor's 201 total yards were the fewest yards gained since the 173 total yards against Missouri in 2004.
• Baylor's 89 passing yards were the first time under 100 since the 88 yards against Missouri in 2004.
• The 62-point margin of defeat was the largest since a 63-point loss at Texas A&M in 2003 (73-10).
• Texas' 645 total yards were the most Baylor allowed since Texas A&M's 719 total yards in 2003.
• QB Terrance Parks made his first start of the season; it was his second career start.
• WR Mikail Baker made his first career start.
• WR Carl Sims made his first career start.
• DT Vincent Rhodes made his first career start.
• DT Quincy Jenkins made his first start of the season; it was his seventh career start.
• FS Maurice Lane moved into third place on Baylor's career tackles list. He now has 359 tackles and trails only Mike Singletary (662) and Ray Berry (380).
HOME ATTENDANCE CLIMBS
Last Saturday's attendance of 44,783 for the Texas game was the 25th-largest crowd in Floyd Casey Stadium history and the largest since 45,112 fans showed for the Nov. 9, 1996, game against Texas A&M. It was the sixth-largest FCS crowd ever for a Texas game, the largest since the 1990 game (45,649). It also was Baylor's third 40,000-plus crowd of the season, the first year in which Baylor has accomplished that feat since 1995.
Through four home games, Baylor's season home attendance total stands at 165,758 for an average of 41,440. That would be the largest per-game average in the stadium's 56-year history, breaking the previous record of 41,180 in 1975. Baylor has averaged 40,000-plus only four times -- 1974 (40,560; five games), 1975 (41,180; five games), 1991 (40,061; six games) and 1995 (40,456; four games).
In order to break the 1975 per-game average, Baylor must draw at least 40,142 for the regular-season finale Nov. 19 against Oklahoma State. That game must draw at least 34,242 for Baylor's fifth season with a 40,000 per-game average.
A total of 435,363 fans have seen the Bears play (home and away) this season, already the 17th-largest season total in school history. A total of 101,470 fans would need to attend Baylor's final two games in order to match the school record of 536,833 established in 1997. Baylor's Oct. 22 game at Oklahoma drew a crowd of 83,456, the fifth-largest crowd ever to watch a Baylor game. The four larger crowds were two games at Michigan and two games at Ohio State.
EVIDENCE OF IMPROVEMENT
In Baylor's three seasons under head coach Guy Morriss, the Bears have improved in 11 of the 14 major team statistical categories tracked by the NCAA. The lone categories in which Baylor ranks lower this season than it did in 2002 are total offense, passing offense and pass efficiency offense. The Bears rank higher in the Big 12 this season in total offense than they did in 2002. Baylor also ranks lower nationally and in the league this season in rushing defense, but the Bears have allowed nearly 10 fewer yards rushing per game.
CATEGORY 2002 NCAA BIG 12 2005 NCAA BIG 12
Scoring Offense 16.8 115 12 19.6 96 11
Total Offense 334.9 95 11 314.7 97 10
Passing Offense 231.5 47 6 194.0 87 9
Rushing Offense 103.4 105 11 120.7 90 9
Pass Efficiency Offense 111.6 85 10 107.8 93 9
Scoring Defense 41.3 114 11 25.1 55 8
Total Defense 405.2 89 10 368.3 55 9
Passing Defense 251.6 93 10 213.8 52 5
Rushing Defense 163.6 69 7 154.6 73 11
Pass Efficiency Defense 147.0 107 11 105.6 12 2
Turnover Margin -1.42 115 12 -0.33 t-72 8
Kickoff Returns 16.3 115 12 25.0 12 2
Punt Returns 8.0 91 11 11.8 26 4
Net Punting 26.6 117 12 35.9 33 6
ANDREWS NEARS RETURNS MARK
Senior OS Willie Andrews enters Saturday's game against Missouri with 878 career punt return yards. He needs nine yards to break Baylor's career mark set by Gerald McNeil (1980-83). Andrews already owns Baylor's career records for total kick returns (157), total kick return yards (2,525), kickoff returns (67) and kickoff return yards (1,647). He ranks second in punt return yards and third in punt returns, needing 12 to break that mark.
With 51 return yards on three career interception and seven yards on one rushing attempt in 2003, Andrews also enters Saturday's game with 2,583 career all-purpose yards. He needs 24 yards to crack Baylor's career top 10 list. Andrews would have the fewest rushing and receiving yards of any player in Baylor's career top 10 (seven). Of the others in Baylor's top 10, Del Shofner (1954-56) had the next fewest rushing and receiving yards with 1,954.
BELL CLIMBS SEVERAL CAREER CHARTS
QB Shawn Bell ranks high in several of Baylor's career passing lists. He ranks 13th in passing yardage (2,606), 10th in attempts (467), 10th in completions (278), first in completion percentage (.595) and first in touchdown-to-interception ratio (16-7, 2.286).
ROCHON FINDS WAYS TO SCORE
With his 98-yard kickoff return for a TD Oct. 22 at Oklahoma, WR/KR Shaun Rochon became the first player in Baylor history to score on a punt return and a kickoff return in the same season. He also is the first player in Big 12 and Baylor history to score on a punt return, a kickoff return, a rush and a reception in the same season.
THIRD-AND-LONG TOUGH SPOT FOR BEARS
While Baylor's defense has been one of the league's toughest this season, third-and-long has been a tough spot for the unit. Through nine games, Baylor opponents have faced 80 third-down situations of seven yards or more to convert; they have converted 19 times (23.8 percent). Another seven times, the opponent converted a first down on the subsequent fourth-down play, meaning that opponents have sustained drives 26 of 80 times when facing third-and-long against the Bears (32.5 percent).
Baylor's opponents have scored 13 times on the 22 drives in which they have gained a first down after facing a third-and-long situation -- nine touchdowns and four field goals. The Bears have surrendered two touchdowns this season on third-and-long.
Opponents are 43-of-57 (75.4 percent) on third-down conversions when faced with fewer than six yards to move the chains.
AS FIRST DOWN GOES, SO GO THE BEARS
Much of Baylor's success this year can be directly connected to the team's success on first down. The Bears enter Saturday's game against Missouri averaging 4.3 yards per first down play with a completion percentage of 58.3 on such downs. QB Shawn Bell is 51-of-82 (62.2 percent) on first down for 389 yards and four touchdowns with one interception.
However, the telling numbers are the vast differences between Baylor's first-down statistics in its four wins and its five losses. In the four wins, the Bears averaged 5.5 yards per first-down play, including 4.5 yards per first-down rush and a 76.6 completion percentage (32-of-42) with four touchdown passes and only one interception. In the five losses, the Bears averaged 3.3 yards per first-down play, including 3.2 yards per first-down rush and a 45.9 completion percentage (28-of-61) with one touchdown and three interceptions.
LANE CLIMBS CAREER TACKLES CHART
Senior FS Maurice Lane enters Saturday's game against Missouri with 358 career tackles, fourth all-time at Baylor. He needs 21 tackles to match Ray Berry (1983-86) for second on Baylor's all-time list; he would trail only Mike Singletary on the school's all-time list. Lane has 19 career double-digit tackle outings.
Player Seasons Solo Asst TT
1. Mike Singletary 1977-80 351 311 662
2. Ray Berry 1983-86 231 149 380
3. Maurice Lane 2002-05 244 115 359
4. Kris Micheaux 1997-00 214 137 351
5. James Francis 1986-89 198 136 334
6. Doak Field 1977-80 164 166 330
7. Thomas Everett 1983-86 204 121 325
8. Gary Joe Kinne 1986-89 179 144 323
9. Mike Welch 1986-90 190 129 319
10. Joe Campbell 1977-80 170 146 316
THREE AMIGOS: PART SIX
WRs Dominique Zeigler (39), Shaun Rochon (32) and Trent Shelton (32) give Baylor three receivers with at least 30 receptions each this season, just the sixth Baylor trio to do so. Last season, Zeigler (55) and Shelton (38) joined Marques Roberts (40) to accomplish the feat. It also marks the ninth time in Baylor history that the Bears' top three receivers combined for at least 100 yards.
Here is a look at the nine seasons in which Baylor's top three receivers have combined for 100 or more receptions along with the six seasons in which those three receivers had at least 30 receptions each:
• 1963 -- 129 receptions
• 1964 -- 127 receptions (Lawrence Elkins - 50, Ken Hodge - 35, Harlan Lane - 32)
• 1966 -- 109 receptions (Tommy Smith - 41, Paul Becton - 38, Jack Eisenhart - 30)
• 1983 -- 113 receptions
• 1998 -- 107 receptions (Morris Anderson - 37, Derek Lagway - 37, Derrius Thompson - 33)
• 2001 -- 129 receptions (Reggie Newhouse - 61, Andra Fuller - 36, John Martin - 32)
• 2002 -- 140 receptions
• 2004 -- 127 receptions (Dominique Zeigler - 55, Trent Shelton - 37, Marques Roberts - 35)
• 2005 -- 103 receptions (Dominique Zeigler - 39, Shaun Rochon - 32, Trent Shelton - 32)
ZEIGLER, SHELTON CLIMB BAYLOR CAREER RECEPTIONS LIST
Junior WRs Trent Shelton and Dominique Zeigler enter Saturday's game against Missouri steadily climbing Baylor's career receptions chart. Zeigler is fifth with 103 receptions, while Shelton is seventh with 95. Shelton is 13th all-time at Baylor with 1,117 career receiving yards, while Zeigler is 17th with 1,086.
BAYLOR SECONDARY AMONG NATION'S BEST
Through games of Nov. 5, Baylor ranks second in the Big 12 Conference and 12th nationally with a pass efficiency defense rating of 105.55. The Bears have allowed only 10 passing touchdowns with 11 interceptions. Baylor has allowed a minimum of 13 TD passes in nine straight seasons and yielded 28 last season. Opposing quarterbacks have completed just 51.1 percent of their passes for 213.8 yards per game.
Baylor intercepted only four passes in 11 games last season; the Bears have nearly tripled that total through nine games this fall. Six different players have interceptions this season, including five different defensive backs. CBs C.J. Wilson has four picks, tied for the Big 12 lead and tied for 18th nationally, and CB Anthony Arline has three picks, sixth in the Big 12 and tied for 50th nationally. DT M.T. Robinson has the 11th interception.
BAYLOR IN BIG 12 CONFERENCE STATISTICAL RANKINGS
Through games of Nov. 5, Baylor ranks 10th (97th nationally) in total offense (314.7 ypg), ninth (90th) in rushing offense (120.7 ypg), ninth (87th) in passing offense (194.0 ypg), ninth (93rd) in passing efficiency (107.8) and 11th (96th) in scoring offense (19.6 ppg).
In special teams, the Bears are fourth (26th) in net punting (35.9 ypp), fourth (26th) in punt returns (11.8 ypr) and second (12th) in kickoff returns (25.0 ypr). Baylor ranks eighth (t-72nd) in turnover margin (minus-0.33 per game).
Individually, several Bears appear in this week's rankings. RB Paul Mosley is 11th in rushing (65.3 ypg), while RB Brandon Whitaker is 19th (44.1 ypg). QB Shawn Bell is eighth in passing efficiency (114.27), eighth in passing yardage (185.8 ypg) and ninth in total offense (182.8 ypg). WR Dominique Zeigler ranks ninth in receptions per game (4.2), while WRs Shaun Rochon (3.6) and Trent Shelton (3.6) are tied for 16th. In receiving yards per game, Zeigler (51.9) ranks 12th and Shelton (43.6) ranks 17th.
Defensively, CB C.J. Wilson is tied for the Big 12 lead (t-18th nationally) with 0.44 interceptions per game, while CB Anthony Arline (0.33) is sixth (t-50th). FS Maurice Lane is sixth with 8.7 tackles per game, second in the conference among defensive backs. Elsewhere in tackles per game, LB Jamaal Harper (7.2) is tied for 18th, LB Colin Allred (6.2) is tied for 31st and OS Willie Andrews (5.8) is tied for 34th. DE Marcus Foreman averages 4.7 tackles per game, seventh among defensive linemen; DE Montez Murphy (3.9) is tied for 11th among defensive linemen. Allred is tied for eighth in sacks per game (0.50) and ninth in sacks per game. CB James Todd is tied for third with 1.1 passes defended per game, while Wilson is tied for sixth with 1.0.
P Daniel Sepulveda ranks second (fourth) with 45.5 yards per punt. Rochon leads the Big 12 (16th nationally) with 27.6 yards per kickoff return, while Andrews (24.1 ypr) ranks fourth (41st). Andrews also ranks seventh (39th) in punt returns (10.2 ypr). PK Ryan Havens is fourth (t-33rd) with 1.3 field goals made per game. In all-purpose yardage, Rochon (92.1) ranks 11th, while Mosley (75.8) ranks 23rd.
SHELTON KEEPS STREAK ALIVE
WR Trent Shelton enters the Missouri game having caught at least one pass in 31 consecutive games, the longest such string for a Bear since Reggie Newhouse ended his career with a 34-game streak (2000-2002). Shelton's streak is the 13th-longest active streak nationally and the second-longest in the Big 12. Here is a look at the longest active streaks nationally:
46 - Charles Sharon, WR, Bowling Green State
45 - Jovon Bouknight, WR, Wyoming
39 - Chris Francies, WR, UTEP
38 - Derek Hagan, WR, Arizona State
38 - Bill Sampy, WR, Louisiana-Lafayette
37 - Mark Philmore, WR, Northwestern
36 - Garrett Mills, TE, Tulsa
35 - Nichiren Flowers, WR, Nevada
34 - Steve Odom, WR, Toledo
33 - Johnny Quinn, WR, North Texas
33 - Mark Simmons, WR, Kansas
32 - Vincent Marshall, WR, Houston
31 - Trent Shelton, WR, BAYLOR
31 - Brian Leonard, FB, Rutgers
31 - Tres Moses, WR, Rutgers
30 - Jeff Webb, WR, San Diego State
29 - Martin Nance, WR, Miami (Ohio)
28 - Ryne Robinson, WR, Miami (Ohio)
ANDREWS, BELL, SEPULVEDA AMONG CAREER ACTIVE LEADERS
OS Willie Andrews, QB Shawn Bell and P Daniel Sepulveda all rank among the NCAA's top career active leaders in sundry statistical categories.
Andrews is tied for third in career punt returns (90), fifth in punt return yardage (878), 14th in punt returns per game (2.0), ninth in kickoff returns (67), 10th in kickoff return yardage (1,647) and 10th in yards per kickoff return (24.6).
Bell ranks 19th in career completion percentage (59.53). Sepulveda is eighth in total punts (196), seventh in punt yardage (8,737), third in punts per game (6.1) and third in yards per punt (44.58).
OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS
Shaun Rochon's 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown Oct. 22 at Oklahoma was Baylor's 12th non-offensive score in 32 games under head coach Guy Morriss. It also was Rochon's second non-offensive score this season; he also had an 85-yard punt return for a touchdown against Samford, Baylor's first punt return (non-block) for a touchdown in 20 years. Here is a look at the 12 non-offensive scores under Morriss:
• 2003 vs. UAB -- James Todd blocked punt for safety
• 2003 vs. Colorado -- Jamaal Harper 7-yard fumble return (forced by Derrick Cash)
• 2003 at Kansas -- James Todd blocked punt recovery in end zone (blocked by Michael Boyd)
• 2003 at Kansas State -- Robert Quiroga 98-yard kickoff return
• 2003 vs. Texas Tech -- Robert Quiroga 100-yard kickoff return
• 2003 vs. Oklahoma State -- Willie Andrews 30-yard fumble return (forced by John Garrett)
• 2004 vs. Texas State -- Justin Crooks 9-yard fumble return (forced by Montez Murphy)
• 2004 vs. North Texas -- Braelon Davis blocked punt recovery in end zone (blocked by Davis)
• 2004 vs. Iowa State -- Braelon Davis defensive PAT (interception return)
• 2005 vs. Samford -- Jamaal Harper 29-yard fumble return (forced by Colin Allred)
• 2005 vs. Samford -- Shaun Rochon 85-yard punt return
• 2005 at Oklahoma -- Shaun Rochon 98-yard kickoff return
BELL NAMED TO AFCA GOOD WORKS TEAM
Junior QB Shawn Bell was among 12 student-athletes named to the American Football Coaches Association's 2005 Good Works Team, the AFCA announced recently. Bell, the first Baylor student-athlete ever so honored, is one of three signal-callers on the team, joining D.J. Shockley of Georgia and Vince Young of Texas. Four Big 12 Conference student-athletes were so honored as Nebraska WR Mark LeFlore and Kansas State FB Victor Mann also were honored.
The two teams, a Division I-A team and a combined team from Divisions I-AA, II, III and the NAIA, honor players for their dedication and commitment to community service. From 1992-1996, the Good Works Team was selected by the College Football Association. When the CFA disbanded in 1997, the AFCA began selecting the teams.
SPECIAL SPECIAL TEAMS
The strongest facet of Baylor's squad in Guy Morriss' two seasons on the sideline has arguably been its special teams play. After recording four scores in 2003, the Bears' 2004 special team units tallied two more scores and featured the 2004 Ray Guy Award winner in Daniel Sepulveda and consensus first-team All-Big 12 return specialist Willie Andrews.
The 2004 Bears, who ranked No. 5 nationally in net punting (40.6 ypp), No. 35 in kickoff returns (21.7 ypr) and No. 36 in punt returns (11.1 ypr), were the only Big 12 team to rank among the nation's top 36 in all three of those statistical categories a year ago. Perhaps even more impressive is the fact that in the year prior to Mark Nelson's arrival as Baylor's special teams coordinator the program ranked 91st nationally in punt returns, 115th in kickoff returns and 117th in net punting.
Sepulveda captured the Ray Guy Award as the nation's top collegiate punter after ranking No. 3 nationally with his 46.0 yard average and Andrews led the league and ranked 24th nationally in kickoff returns with his 24.7 yard mark.
A senior outside safety who will again contend for All-Big 12 and All-America honors, Andrews ranked No. 6 in the Big 12 and No. 65 nationally in 2004 with 107.6 all-purpose yards per game despite not taking a snap on the offensive side of the ball. He also led the Big 12 and ranked 24th nationally in kickoff returns (24.7 ypr) while standing No. 3 in the league and No. 43 nationally in punt returns (10.8 ypr).
BEARS GROWING UP
After fielding the nation's second-youngest team a year ago (only SMU at 76.1 percent had a higher percentage of underclassmen on its 2004 roster than Baylor, whose roster was 71.1 percent underclassmen) third-year coach Guy Morriss' 2005 Baylor squad will arguably be the most-seasoned of his tenure in Waco.
Baylor's 132-man 2005 roster includes 19 seniors, 34 juniors, 25 sophomores and 54 freshmen. The Bears' 2004 roster, by comparison, included some 96 underclassmen among the 135 players listed.
2005 BEARS FACE SIX 2004 BOWL TEAMS
After playing eight of 11 games a year ago against teams that went on to earn bowl invitations, Baylor will tackle six 2004 bowl squads in 2005. However, that's really nothing new for coach Guy Morriss' program: 15 times in Morriss' first two seasons (including 13 of 16 Big 12 contests), Baylor faced an opponent which wound up with a bowl bid at season's end.
The Bears' 2005 opponents combined for a 70-58 (.545) record a year ago and six earned bowl invites -- Texas A&M, Iowa State, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Texas and Oklahoma State.
All-told, six of BU's eight 2005 Big 12 games will be against teams that earned bowl bids last year. The Bears' eight Big 12 foes went 61-34 (.642) last year and accounted for six of the league's seven 2004 bowl bids.
Two of Baylor's three wins a year ago and six of its eight losses were at the hands of eventual bowl-bound teams. The Bears knocked off Cotton Bowl participant Texas A&M (35-34 in overtime) and New Orleans Bowl entrant North Texas (37-14) but dropped games to bowl-bound programs Texas (Rose champion), Iowa State (Independence champion), Texas Tech (Holiday champ), Oklahoma State (Alamo), Oklahoma (Orange) and UAB (Hawai'i).
Baylor and Syracuse were the only programs to play eight eventual bowl teams in 2004 and the Bears' slate ranked as the nation's sixth-toughest according to the NCAA's annual strength of schedule survey.
BAND OF BROTHERS
Baylor's 2005 roster features three sets of brothers: the Boatners (junior Yancy and true freshman Thad), Jenkins (junior Quincy and redshirt freshman Desmond) and McDonalds (senior Lequalan and true freshman LeQuantum).
COACHING STAFF BOASTS 198 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
The 2005 Baylor football coaching staff boasts a combined 198 years of sideline experience in the professional, collegiate and high school ranks. Six members of this year's staff -- Larry Hoefer (safeties), Harold Jackson (wide receivers), Chris Lancaster (offensive line), Wesley McGriff (cornerbacks/recruiting coordinator), Mark Nelson (linebackers/special teams coordinator and Brent Pease (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks) -- have been with Guy Morriss since he first became a Division I-A head coach in 2001 at Kentucky. Entering his fifth season as a head coach, Morriss was recently rated as one of the nation's eight most underrated coaches by SportsIllustrated.com.
The newest member of the Baylor staff is 26-year coaching veteran Don Wnek who replaced Tom Adams as the Bears' defensive line coach on Aug. 7, 2005. Wnek, a specialist in pass rush and defensive line techniques, spent the 2004 season as the director of football operations at the University of Indiana and worked as a federal law officer for the Department of Homeland Security in 2003. Prior to his stint with the U.S. Government, he worked in the CFL, XFL and in the college ranks at his alma mater, Northern Illinois, and Nevada.
Not only is the Baylor staff steeped in sideline experience, but it features three men, Morriss (one), defensive coordinator Bill Bradley (three) and Jackson (five), who combined to earn nine NFL All-Pro awards between them. Two others, Nelson and Pease, also enjoyed successful professional football playing careers.
TRANSFERS FIND HOME AT BAYLOR
Baylor's 2005 depth chart features seven players who began their collegiate careers at other Division I-A programs but have since found their way to Waco. All seven are former Texas high school preps.
Tulane transfer Will Blaylock missed nearly all of Baylor's spring drills with an ankle injury, but the junior is listed as the Bears' top center. Sophomore Jordan Adams stands No. 3 at tight end after joining the program from New Mexico. Junior RB Mario Price, who lettered as a true freshman at Army in 2002 before sitting out the 2003 season in Waco, is No. 4 on the depth chart at running back.
On the defensive side of the ball, sophomore Nick Moore, who lettered at Georgia Tech as a true freshman in 2003, is No. 2 at linebacker behind senior Jamaal Harper and another Tulane transfer, sophomore Alton Widemon, is No. 2 at cornerback.
Junior Paul Howard, the Bears' No. 2 defensive end, began his collegiate career at Texas Tech and played there as a redshirt freshman, and DT Klayton Shoals redshirted as a true freshman at Iowa State before joining the Baylor program.
Howard, Price and Shoals both lettered for the Bears in 2004 while the other four were in the program but sat out due to NCAA transfer rules.
BAYLOR AGAIN LEADS BIG 12 IN GRADUATION RATES
For the fifth time in the Big 12 Conference's nine-year history, Baylor University posted the highest student-athlete graduation rate of any league institution, according to figures released by the NCAA last fall.
The Bears' most-recent graduation rates, for the freshman class of 1997-98, is 78 percent, a school record by four points over the previous high of 74 percent in 2000. That figure is also 8 points higher than Baylor's general student population and 16 points better than the NCAA Division I national average of 62 percent.
Baylor also graduated a Big 12-best 76 percent of its male student-athletes and a league-high 82 percent of its female student-athletes. The Baylor football program produced a Big 12-leading 88 percent graduation rate, marking the fifth time in the league's history it set the standard for classroom excellence.
Among Division I-A institutions, Baylor's overall student-athlete graduation rate ranked as the nation's 10th-highest mark according to the most-recent NCAA figures.
In addition to leading the Big 12 in graduation rates five times, Baylor ranked second on three other occasions. All-told, 88 percent of Baylor student-athletes who exhausted their eligibility and entered school from 1988-89 through 1997-98 left with degree in hand according to the NCAA study.
LONE STAR TIES
The Bears' 132-man roster features 120 players who played their high school football in the Lone Star state. The other 12 players on Baylor's roster hail from Louisiana (2), Oklahoma (2), California (2), Arizona (1), Nebraska (1), Missouri (1), Mississippi (1), Illinois (1) and Virginia (1).
OVER THE AIR
Bear football games can be heard live on the Baylor/ISP Sports Radio Network. The network includes 11 affiliates across Texas, including flagship stations ESPN KRZI-AM (1660) in Waco. All Baylor games are broadcast by the "Voice of the Bears" John Morris, a veteran broadcaster in his 11th season as the signature voice of Baylor Athletics. Former Baylor football standouts J.J. Joe (color analyst) and Ricky Thompson (sideline reporter) complete the broadcast team.
BAYLORBEARS.COM
Baylor's official athletic web site can be found at www.BaylorBears.com. The comprehensive site, which includes releases, photos, biographical sketches and audio broadcasts, is part of the College Sports TV network. CSTV currently hosts sites for more than 100 universities, including four Big 12 schools and the conference office.
BAYLOR GAMES ON THE INTERNET
The radio call from all of Baylor's games can be heard free of charge live on the Internet at www.BaylorBears.com.
INSIDE BAYLOR SPORTS TV SHOW
Inside Baylor Sports, a half-hour look at the world of Baylor athletics, will air weekly throughout Central Texas and other outlets. The program, co-hosted by John Morris and Lori Scott Fogleman, airs on KCEN-TV Channel 6 (Sunday, 10:30 p.m. CT), Fox Sports Southwest (Wednesday, 1 p.m. CT), College Sports Television (Friday, 3:30 p.m. CT) and the College Channel (Waco cable 18).
NEXT UP...
Baylor concludes the 2005 regular season Saturday, Nov. 19, hosting Oklahoma State in a Big 12 Conference South Division matchup. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. CST at Floyd Casey Stadium. The game will not be televised.
