Throughout the summer, Baylor has pushed tirelessly to fill Floyd Casey Stadium with its “Rise Up” marketing campaign.

On Saturday, the Bears hope a scintillating season debut will keep bringing fans back for encores.

The Bears want to walk away from Saturday’s 6 p.m. game against Sam Houston State with a win and create a buzz in the community.

“We’re not looking to blow these guys out or go in with that kind of mentality,” said Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin at Monday’s press conference. “But Coach (Art Briles) always talks about how this is a game of momentum. We want to execute and make plays and grow as a football team and let the scoreboard fall where it may — with a win of course.”

Baylor head football coach Art Briles says his team is ready to get the season under way on Saturday when the Bears host Sam Houston State.
Tribune-Herald file photo

After opening last season with a win at Wake Forest, the Bears saw how much of a buzzkiller a home-opening loss could be when they dropped a 30-22 decision to Connecticut. More life was drained out of last season when Griffin went down with a season-ending knee injury the next week against Northwestern State.

But with Griffin playing superbly during preseason camp, much of the excitement is back around the community and the Baylor campus. Baylor officials hope 40,000 will attend the game after an extensive marketing campaign to put fans in the seats.

“It’s an exciting time all across America, but especially right here at Baylor because we certainly feel like we have a lot to prove and have the people who can do it,” Briles said. “We’re as anxious and ready as everybody. It’s just all about winning. How else can you create excitement?”

Griffin said he’s healthy and ready to play after undergoing anterior cruciate ligament surgery last fall. Bulked up to 220 pounds, his arm is stronger than ever and he’s shown good mobility. He said he won’t worry about his repaired right knee even though it’s inevitable that he’ll get hit.

“I’m not going out there looking to run into anybody, but hopefully my offensive line will take care of that,” Griffin said. “I know getting hit is just part of playing football. I’m not a soft quarterback, so whenever I get hit, it will happen and I’ll get up from it and wave to the crowd.”

With the excitement surrounding the season opener, the Bears won’t overlook the Bearkats, the only Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) team on the schedule. Returning just three offensive and six defensive starters from last year’s 5-6 team, Sam Houston has been picked seventh in the Southland Conference preseason poll under new coach Willie Fritz.

Because they haven’t played a game since a 20-13 loss to Texas Tech at Cowboys Stadium last November, the Bears would be geared up to play regardless of the opponent.

“I’ve been excited to get back on the field since the bus left the Texas Tech game,” Baylor tackle Danny Watkins said. “We’ve got a lot of unfinished business. We look at this game as our first building block. You carry it over into the next game, and try to build a snowball effect.”

Sam Houston’s offense is facing massive reconstruction. Senior quarterback Bryan Randolph will move in as the starter after backing up Rhett Bomar in 2008 and Blake Joseph last season. The Bearkats are counting on Louisiana Tech transfer D.J. Morrow and freshmen Ridgeway Frank and Cameron Brown to carry the load at running back.

Facing Sam Houston State

Though Sam Houston’s offense is very inexperienced, Briles is anxious to see how his faster, more athletic defense plays.

“Defensively, we want to show that we can be a fast football team and have guys all over the field playing with a lot of fearless effort,” Briles said. “We know we’re going to face some people who can play, starting with Sam Houston State. They are going to expose some things that will give us an opportunity to work on because that is what happens every game.”

The Bearkats’ top returning player is former La Vega star Will Henry, an honorable mention all-SLC linebacker last season.

Baylor senior running back Jay Finley will be anxious to prove he’s overcome an ankle injury that plagued him much of last season and has limited practice time during preseason camp. Briles held Finley out of all three intrasquad scrimmages, but expects him to be ready for the Bearkats.

“Unless I’m wrong, I think he is 100 percent,” Briles said. “The thing I love about Jay is that he runs mad with the football. He’s a nice guy when he’s walking around, but put a football in his hand, and he gets real mean, and I like that. He really runs with a lot of intensity, passion and drive, so he brings an emotional element to the field, and that is fire.”

Several Baylor true freshmen could also see playing time, including safeties Ahmad Dixon and Prince Kent and receiver Tevin Reese. But more than anything, the Bears are anxious to get the season started in front of a potentially big opening night crowd.

“I’m seeing the excitement around campus, and it’s crazy,” Baylor junior linebacker Elliot Coffey said. “A lot of people are patting me on the back in class. It would mean a lot to me to see the stadium filled.”

jwerner@wacotrib.com

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Baylor football depth chart

KEY    rFR: redshirt freshman