Aug. 26, 2005

Fifteen Baylor football players returned to the practice field after missing the last two practices with strep throat infections as the Bears continued work for next Saturday's 2005 season-opener at SMU with a 70-minute workout in shells Friday afternoon.

"Today wasn't too bad," said Baylor coach Guy Morriss. "We had a couple of plays on offense where we got soft on our protection, but we were moving around pretty good. It has been a long, hot week.

"I don't think it (the strep throat infections) sidetracked us really," he added. "In a lot of spots it forced us to look at some young guys. They got a ton of reps in two days which can't do anything but make those guys better. Most of the guys who were our are our veterans, so I don't think it will hurt them."

The Bears will run through a mock game on Saturday, going through their entire game-day routine beginning at 4 p.m. before hitting the field at 7 p.m. for a short practice. The team will then take Sunday off before returning to work on Monday evening.

Notes: About a dozen new walk-ons joined the team for the first time on Friday ... Baylor won't select its 2005 team captains until Monday ... True freshman wide receiver David Gettis continues to wait on a decision on his eligibility status from the NCAA Clearinghouse, Morriss said. The Clearinghouse has requested more paperwork from Gettis, according to Morriss ... Senior wide receivers Ryan Jeffrey (broken left hand) and J Fields (hamstring) missed Friday's workout as did freshman linebacker Justin Osinde (knee), senior offensive tackle Hunter Herring (knee) and junior offensive tackle Travis Farst (kneecap) ... Both season and single-game tickets for Baylor's five-game home schedule are on sale through the school's Athletic Ticket Office (1-800-BAYLOR-U).