Homecoming In Houston
12/13/2018 2:36:00 PM | Football
Baylor’s H-Town Players Excited About Texas Bowl
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Foundation
This is nothing new. Houston vs. DFW is a battle that's been going on forever.
"I remember when I was one of the younger guys, TY and X-Howard (Taylor Young and Xavien Howard), those guys would get into it. And that same argument has been going on for all five of my years here. It never dies," said senior offensive lineman Blake Blackmar, a Clear Lake product and one of 18 Houston-area players on this year's Baylor team that will play Vanderbilt in the Dec. 27 Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium in Houston.
Somehow fittingly, this year's senior class will have bookend bowl games in the Dallas and Houston areas. The Bears lost to Michigan State, 42-41, in the Jan. 1, 2015 Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium in Arlington and the seniors from Houston will now cap their careers with a bowl game in their hometown.
"It's an absolute blessing to be able to go to Houston, knowing I went to school at Willis, 30 minutes north of Houston," senior receiver Chris Platt said. "To be able to go somewhere close to home is an absolute blessing."
Despite growing up within a short drive of it, Platt and Blackmar have never played in the Houston Texans' home stadium.
"We never made it to the playoffs in high school, so I've just been there with my dad to see the Texans play," Blackmar said. "I have a lot of family and friends that haven't been able to make it up to Waco that are going to be at the bowl game for me."
"I've been there twice to see basketball games and once to see the Houston Rodeo," Platt said. "I've never been able to play in there, but my friends who are Texans fans always go there and cheer on the Texans. To be able to play in there, and have my family come watch me play, this is a great opportunity."
Senior defensive tackle Ira Lewis got the chance to play at NRG Stadium several times during a run to the Class 5A state championship game as a junior at Houston Lamar.
When Baylor got the bowl bid on Dec. 2, Lewis said he called his mom "right away to let her know, and she was just so happy that a lot of people get to see me play."
"I'm very happy to go back home," he said. "I've got a lot of family and friends who have been waiting to see play and are always watching me on TV. Now, I get to come back home, and they can see me in person."
For the seniors, in particular, this will be another chance to put some game film on tape and impress the NFL scouts.
"When you do have an extra game, I feel that's always an extra blessing if you haven't really been on the radar," said Platt, who's third on the team with 35 catches for 504 yards (14.4-yard average) and one touchdown. "I feel like being out there with the team at the bowl game will be a good opportunity."
While impressing the scouts is not priority No. 1 for Blackmar – "I'm just trying to play the best football I can to win the game" – the 6-5, 326-pound offensive lineman looks as every opportunity he has as a chance "for people to watch and an opportunity to impress people. So, everything is taken seriously."
In the 17 days since becoming bowl-eligible with a 35-24 win over Texas Tech, the Bears have only had a handful of practices with most of the coaching staff on the road recruiting – the early signing period begins next Wednesday, Dec. 19. But, for the "seniors that have a lot of mileage under our legs," Platt said, it's been a blessing being able to "just relax and get back to full health."
Two players, for sure, will miss the bowl game. Punter Drew Galitz suffered a torn ACL in pre-game workouts before the Texas Tech game, while senior receiver Jalen Hurd had a cleanup knee surgery the week after the game.
Platt said junior Marques Jones and freshman Josh Fleeks are receivers that will "step up in a big way" for the bowl-game matchup with Vanderbilt.
This is a chance for the seniors to cap their careers with a bowl victory, but it's also an opportunity to get a look at some of the younger players that could make a difference next year.
"Young guys like Rob Saulin and Chidi Ogbonnaya, these guys are making huge steps with mental reps," Lewis said of up-and-coming talent in the defensive line. "Getting all these practies and all these reps that they weren't getting in the games earlier in the season, now in a bowl game they'll be ready to play."
During the early bowl practices, Blackmar likes what he's seen from freshman offensive linemen Ty Smith and Jackson Kimble.
"Ty Smith's been banged-up a little bit. But, every time he gets in there, he gets better and better," Blackmar said. "The same can be said for Jackson Kimble. Those guys have definitely made strides going from scout team and maybe moving into a little more playing time for the bowl game."
Starting Friday, the Bears will go through six consecutive days of practices and then take a short break before reconvening on Dec. 23 for the drive down to Houston.
"This is the last time this group of people is going to be together, forever," Blackmar said. "It's one of those things that you really take for granted up until it's this time of the year and it's about to end. We're just all very thankful that we're in this position, that we get to come out here and try to make everyone better and put the best product we can on the field."
Baylor Bear Foundation
This is nothing new. Houston vs. DFW is a battle that's been going on forever.
"I remember when I was one of the younger guys, TY and X-Howard (Taylor Young and Xavien Howard), those guys would get into it. And that same argument has been going on for all five of my years here. It never dies," said senior offensive lineman Blake Blackmar, a Clear Lake product and one of 18 Houston-area players on this year's Baylor team that will play Vanderbilt in the Dec. 27 Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium in Houston.
Somehow fittingly, this year's senior class will have bookend bowl games in the Dallas and Houston areas. The Bears lost to Michigan State, 42-41, in the Jan. 1, 2015 Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium in Arlington and the seniors from Houston will now cap their careers with a bowl game in their hometown.
"It's an absolute blessing to be able to go to Houston, knowing I went to school at Willis, 30 minutes north of Houston," senior receiver Chris Platt said. "To be able to go somewhere close to home is an absolute blessing."
Despite growing up within a short drive of it, Platt and Blackmar have never played in the Houston Texans' home stadium.
"We never made it to the playoffs in high school, so I've just been there with my dad to see the Texans play," Blackmar said. "I have a lot of family and friends that haven't been able to make it up to Waco that are going to be at the bowl game for me."
"I've been there twice to see basketball games and once to see the Houston Rodeo," Platt said. "I've never been able to play in there, but my friends who are Texans fans always go there and cheer on the Texans. To be able to play in there, and have my family come watch me play, this is a great opportunity."
Senior defensive tackle Ira Lewis got the chance to play at NRG Stadium several times during a run to the Class 5A state championship game as a junior at Houston Lamar.
When Baylor got the bowl bid on Dec. 2, Lewis said he called his mom "right away to let her know, and she was just so happy that a lot of people get to see me play."
"I'm very happy to go back home," he said. "I've got a lot of family and friends who have been waiting to see play and are always watching me on TV. Now, I get to come back home, and they can see me in person."
For the seniors, in particular, this will be another chance to put some game film on tape and impress the NFL scouts.
"When you do have an extra game, I feel that's always an extra blessing if you haven't really been on the radar," said Platt, who's third on the team with 35 catches for 504 yards (14.4-yard average) and one touchdown. "I feel like being out there with the team at the bowl game will be a good opportunity."
While impressing the scouts is not priority No. 1 for Blackmar – "I'm just trying to play the best football I can to win the game" – the 6-5, 326-pound offensive lineman looks as every opportunity he has as a chance "for people to watch and an opportunity to impress people. So, everything is taken seriously."
In the 17 days since becoming bowl-eligible with a 35-24 win over Texas Tech, the Bears have only had a handful of practices with most of the coaching staff on the road recruiting – the early signing period begins next Wednesday, Dec. 19. But, for the "seniors that have a lot of mileage under our legs," Platt said, it's been a blessing being able to "just relax and get back to full health."
Two players, for sure, will miss the bowl game. Punter Drew Galitz suffered a torn ACL in pre-game workouts before the Texas Tech game, while senior receiver Jalen Hurd had a cleanup knee surgery the week after the game.
Platt said junior Marques Jones and freshman Josh Fleeks are receivers that will "step up in a big way" for the bowl-game matchup with Vanderbilt.
This is a chance for the seniors to cap their careers with a bowl victory, but it's also an opportunity to get a look at some of the younger players that could make a difference next year.
"Young guys like Rob Saulin and Chidi Ogbonnaya, these guys are making huge steps with mental reps," Lewis said of up-and-coming talent in the defensive line. "Getting all these practies and all these reps that they weren't getting in the games earlier in the season, now in a bowl game they'll be ready to play."
During the early bowl practices, Blackmar likes what he's seen from freshman offensive linemen Ty Smith and Jackson Kimble.
"Ty Smith's been banged-up a little bit. But, every time he gets in there, he gets better and better," Blackmar said. "The same can be said for Jackson Kimble. Those guys have definitely made strides going from scout team and maybe moving into a little more playing time for the bowl game."
Starting Friday, the Bears will go through six consecutive days of practices and then take a short break before reconvening on Dec. 23 for the drive down to Houston.
"This is the last time this group of people is going to be together, forever," Blackmar said. "It's one of those things that you really take for granted up until it's this time of the year and it's about to end. We're just all very thankful that we're in this position, that we get to come out here and try to make everyone better and put the best product we can on the field."
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