Thursday, October 29, 2009
Every weekday, on their way to the practice field, the Baylor football players emphatically slap a sign emblazoned with the message, “Start Fast.”
It’s a concept the Bears would like to carry over to the game field.
Baylor hasn’t scored a first-quarter touchdown since its final nonconference game against Kent State, and has been outscored by a combined total of 45-10 in the opening halves of its Big 12 games. Like an ancient, forgotten tractor on a chilly day, the Bears have been slow to crank, and those sluggish beginnings have led to some lopsided endings in conference play.
“I think (starting fast) is important every game, without a doubt,” Baylor coach Art Briles said. “What you don’t want to do is feel like you have to do that to be able to play well. So you’ve got to be careful saying we have to get off to a good start, and then if we don’t, then what? You know what I’m saying? Every game we’d like to start fast, without a doubt. We haven’t. But every game we’d certainly love to get out of the gates and make plays both sides of the ball and special teams.”
The Bears understand that keeping the audience engaged after a flat opening act is a difficult task. Moreover, they realize that marching the ball downfield against Nebraska’s stingy defense on the opening drive Saturday would go a long way toward creating some good vibes within the team itself.
“The first drive of the game is always huge, confidence-wise,” center J.D. Walton said. “It doesn’t make the game, but it sure as heck helps.”
“You’ve got to create momentum in a football game,” quarterback Nick Florence said. “It’s not just going to be handed to you. We haven’t done that the last few weeks, and it’s something huge that we’ve got to work for this week and fight for.”
How “huge” is it for Baylor to start strong? Well, it’s often the difference in winning and losing. Baylor hasn’t been a good come-from-behind team in recent years, having lost 22 straight games in which it’s trailed at halftime.
“It’s a lot easier to play ahead,” Briles said, “from a confidence factor, a momentum factor and all the things that go along with that.”
Baylor’s defensive leaders said it’s not just up to the offense to heat up rapidly, either. In last week’s 34-7 loss to Oklahoma State, the Cowboys chewed up more than five minutes of the clock on their opening drive, which ultimately led to a chip-shot field goal.
BU linebacker Joe Pawelek said the Bears need to open with more vigor than that.
“It’s crucial for us,” Pawelek said. “From a defensive standpoint, any time you can come out early and stop them is big, because then it forces them to start making changes, and we can adjust from there.”
So the Bears will burst through the smoke-filled tunnel Saturday and sprint out onto the Floyd Casey turf, while the band plays and the freshmen frolic and the fans cheer, same as ever.
For a change, they’d like to maintain that same level of energy once the game starts.
“Once you create that momentum and get those points on the board, then you’re in that groove,” Florence said. “You’re not trying to find that groove for the next three quarters, find out what’s working and what’s not. If we do that early, then we’ve got this, let’s roll with it, let’s do this, let’s ride this wave.”
bcherry@wacotrib.com
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Comments
By Harry
Oct 30, 2009 4:24 PM | Link to this
Im from Nebr and hope to see a great game. May the better team win. Baylor has a great baseball team, so give the football guys an even break. Nebr has done some sad things this year, so Bears hang in there.
By Harry
Oct 30, 2009 4:22 PM | Link to this
Im from Nebr and hope to see a great game. May the better team win. Baylor has a great baseball team, so give the football guys an even break. Nebr has done some sad things this year, so Bears hang in there.
By Brazosdog
Oct 30, 2009 1:28 PM | Link to this
Or, maybe reduce football scholarships to about 30 and let's see how the landscape changes, my government schooled friends.
By Scott in Omaha
Oct 30, 2009 11:50 AM | Link to this
As a Husker fan in Omaha, I can relate to the downturn of Baylor's season so far. It looks like the fans of both schools can turn on a dime, win or lose. But if the players on our teams were our OWN kids, would be acting the same way? Jeez, I highly doubt it- they would all be looked at as being perfect angels. My Husker team lost to VA Tech, Texas Tech and Iowa State- all teams that were in fact, pretty darn good squads. Trust me, I hate to lose, especially to un-ranked teams (i.e. IA State) But it's a GAME. A game made up of a group of barely men, a group of coaches and an oval piece of rubber with strings on it that can bounce in a gazillion different directions. If college football was dropped from every school in America, what would all the fans have left to complain about? Let's stop expecting perfection at our schools and take it for the amaetureism that it really is. And sit back, shut up and enjoy the game and way of life that we are so blessed to have here in the good ole U.S.A.!!
By Scott in Omaha
Oct 30, 2009 11:47 AM | Link to this
As a Husker fan in Omaha, I can relate to the downturn of Baylor's season so far. It looks like the fans of both schools can turn on a dime, win or lose. But if the players on our teams were our OWN kids, would be acting the same way? Jeez, I highly doubt it- they would all be looked at as being perfect angels. My Husker team lost to VA Tech, Texas Tech and Iowa State- all teams that were in fact, pretty darn good squads. Trust me, I hate to lose, especially to un-ranked teams (i.e. IA State) But it's a GAME. A game made up of a group of barely men, a group of coaches and an oval piece of rubber with strings on it that can bounce in a gazillion different directions. If college football was dropped from every school in America, what would all the fans have left to complain about? Let's stop expecting perfection at our schools and take it for the amaetureism that it really is. And sit back, shut up and enjoy the game and way of life that we are so blessed to have here in the good ole U.S.A.!!
By Scott in Omaha
Oct 30, 2009 11:46 AM | Link to this
As a Husker fan in Omaha, I can relate to the downturn of Baylor's season so far. It looks like the fans of both schools can turn on a dime, win or lose. But if the players on our teams were our OWN kids, would be acting the same way? Jeez, I highly doubt it- they would all be looked at as being perfect angels. My Husker team lost to VA Tech, Texas Tech and Iowa State- all teams that were in fact, pretty darn good squads. Trust me, I hate to lose, especially to un-ranked teams (i.e. IA State) But it's a GAME. A game made up of a group of barely men, a group of coaches and an oval piece of rubber with strings on it that can bounce in a gazillion different directions. If college football was dropped from every school in America, what would all the fans have left to complain about? Let's stop expecting perfection at our schools and take it for the amaetureism that it really is. And sit back, shut up and enjoy the game and way of life that we are so blessed to have here in the good ole U.S.A.!!
By Tellin' it!
Oct 30, 2009 8:56 AM | Link to this
"....marching the ball downfield against Nebraskaŭs stingy defense on the opening drive Saturday would go a long way toward creating some good vibes within the team itself."
Can we give this stuff a rest finally? Please, it gets rather ridiculous and mundane. It's like beating a dead horse, or rather a teddy bear in this case.
Every week, the Trib posts an article saying something to this effect, then the teddy bears respond with the same old lackluster, non-defensive, sputtering-offensive, disorganized, no dignity or pride, and comically-confused performance.
Why not approach it from another angle? Something more in line with the truth like, "Bears face collossal blowout by Nebraska this Saturday!", and then see how they respond?
At least it wouldn't put on the false facade that anyone anywhere is expecting anything else different.
By Chris
Oct 30, 2009 5:21 AM | Link to this
I think Baylor should refund all the tickets they sold and forfeit the season. It will be funny to see Baylor get ridiculed on national television again this Saturday. You just have to sit back and laugh at a university, that plans on a nationally recognized research center, but can't even put a respectable football team on the field and considering they are in a big conference in the best state for football recruiting is just icing on the cake. I think everyone likes Coach Briles, it's a shame his talents will be wasted at Baylor. Coach Briles is a better fit for Texas A&M.
By Wuzzy Bear
Oct 29, 2009 7:45 PM | Link to this
Per the article, you want fast starts, give the ball to RG III. Against WF and UCONN, TD's on 1st possession. I'm sick of this madness and my steroids are wearing off. If I get another injection I'll be back!
By Football Fan
Oct 29, 2009 6:05 PM | Link to this
Ok... You've got to remember Art Briles and his staff are working with a lot of what was at Baylor when they arrived last year. As stated, Baylor has not been a football college but could become one. And with that, a good football program would get the student body more involved backing football. It has got to be hard to recruit for football at Baylor when the football program has not been a priority or success. Baylor now has got one of the most talented coaching/training staffs and we all should be very thankful that they decided to come to Waco. Be patient and give it some time. On top of this, losing Robert Griffen did not help things. Keep in mind, a lot of students that come to Baylor really do not care about sports in general. But the best is yet to come, so let's see.
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