Anyone been paying attention to Baylor this year?

NebraskaJacket

NebraskaJacket

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Art Briles is doing a GREAT job this year in Waco. They're offense has been absolutely beautiful to watch all season.

Scores thus far:
W vs Wofford: 69-3
W vs Buffalo: 70-13
W vs LA-Monroe: 70-7
W vs WVU: 73-42 (56-14 at half)

Last 5 games last year:
L vs #12 Oklahoma: 34-42
W vs #1 K-State: 52-24
W vs Texas Tech: 52-45
W vs #23 Ok-State: 41-34
W vs #17 UCLA: 49-26

I bring this up because Baylor like GT is by no means a perennial power, but since the hiring of Art Briles they seem to be heading in that direction. Didn't need a huge booster like Oregon either to rise to power. We'll see how they finish this year but I could easily see them in a BCS bowl, and if CPJ ends up being fired after next season I think we should seriously consider hiring their OC. #1 in passing, #2 in rushing, #1 in points, and haven't played their starters nearly at all in any second half.
 
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After Gailey was let go, Art Briles was my #1 choice. He was quickly hired away from Houston before we had a chance to make him a candidate. At that point he had coached a program in an urban environment and had also improved academic standing with his athletes. Not to mention he runs a great offense. I've been anArt Briles fan for a while now.
 
Haven't watched them play but have been surprised by the scores because I thought their success was an anomaly due to RG3. Guess they've got more going for them than RG3.

Briles has an unusual career. 20 years coaching HS before college.
 
They are the big 12 favorite now. I hope they finish unbeaten and keep uga from the title game. They started the season 200:1 for the bcs title, but now only 6:1.

Wasn't it Mike Leach that gave him his first college coaching job? Good call by Leach, who is also doing a great job at Washington State. USC and Texas should really hire Leach and Briles...

Hopefully all of Baylor, Ohio State, winner of Stanford-Oregon, winner of Clemson-FSU and Louisville finish unbeaten so that the last year of the BCS era is a huge controversy. :)

That might get 8-team-playoff talks started too. Yeah, we can dream.
 
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Briles, who earns about the same as CPJ in disclosed base pay but probably has a lot of extra in bonuses as Baylor is a private school and does not have to disclose compensation.

He is a great story as he is 57, but coached high school until 2000 when Texas Tech made him their RB coach...then he because Houston's head coach in 2003.

In 5 year at Baylor:
2008: 4-8 (RG3's first year as starter)
2009: 4-8 (RG3 ACL in game 3; done for year)
2010: 7-6 (RG3's back for full season)
2011: 10-3 (RG3's Heisman year)
2012: 8-5

The challenge Briles has had was he took advantage of a good OOC schedule, but has only posted one winning season in the Big12 which was 2011.

if he can start beating the Big12 powers....that will be his next coaching stop. A program like Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska would buy him if they needed...assuming they do not want to go younger with a hire. He has a few more years to go to be considered a "can't miss HC" that is a consistent winner.
 
As bad as our defense was last year, we finished 43rd in total defense. Baylor was 119th in total defense. Out of 120 teams. They allowed over 6 yards per play and let opponents convert 52% of 3rd downs, both MUCH worse than what we did.

They scored like 45 points per game last year and still lost 5 games. You guys would be having conniptions if that was us. We would be burning effigies of Art Briles right now.

Jesus Christ, as much as we complain around here about our "high school offense", you guys are interested in someone that SPENT MOST OF HIS CAREER IN HIGH SCHOOL.
 
BTW, they've played 4 home games this year against Wofford, Buffalo, Louisiana Monroe, and West Virginia. Putting up 70 against those teams is nothing special - Hell, we already did it this year against equivalent competition and didn't get scored on at all. West Virginia is nothing special either. Maryland beat them 37-0 before losing 63-0 to Florida State.

Also, Baylor =/ GT. He gets plenty of players there that would never, ever get past the Hill.
 
Baylor doesnt have the defense to go the distance, and hasnt shown a lot of consistency against the meat of its schedule in recent years. Im hesitant to buy although their numbers have been impressive. They are a great team for betting lines though. They probably go 10-2 or better ATS this year and hit the over in as many games.
 
johncu said:
BTW, they've played 4 home games this year against Wofford, Buffalo, Louisiana Monroe, and West Virginia. Putting up 70 against those teams is nothing special - Hell, we already did it this year against equivalent competition and didn't get scored on at all. West Virginia is nothing special either. Maryland beat them 37-0 before losing 63-0 to Florida State.

Also, Baylor =/ GT. He gets plenty of players there that would never, ever get past the Hill.
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:rotfl:

Elon is not equivalent to any of those teams.

:rotfl:
 
cyptomcat said:
:rotfl:

Elon is not equivalent to any of those teams.

:rotfl:
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Does it really matter if it's an average FCS team or a fairly good one? You crush them either way. Would you feel better about the Elon win if it was over Wofford instead?
 
johncu said:
Does it really matter if it's an average FCS team or a fairly good one? You crush them either way. Would you feel better about the Elon win if it was over Wofford instead?
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Yes I would feel different if we averaged about 70 over those 4 teams.
 
johncu said:
Does it really matter if it's an average FCS team or a fairly good one? You crush them either way. Would you feel better about the Elon win if it was over Wofford instead?
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The upper crust of the FCS would be competitive against the bottom half of FBS. They have demonstrated as much this season alone. There is a very wide range of skill in that division. Elon, for the record, is near the bottom.
 
Baylor has one good season with a heisman quarterback and suddenly everyone freaks out. Let's see the pattern of success before abandoning all hope. Sure, there was the RG3 heisman year, then a fall off, now they are back... right? Beating Wofford, Buffalo, LA-Monroe, and WVU doesn't exactly scream impressive yet.
 
ThisIsAtlanta said:
The upper crust of the FCS would be competitive against the bottom half of FBS. They have demonstrated as much this season alone. There is a very wide range of skill in that division. Elon, for the record, is near the bottom.
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I get it. I follow Furman, so I'm familiar with both Elon and Wofford.

The point is, nobody cares about those games. Read this thread or any other. Poster after poster complaining that our stats are skewed because we RUTS on "weak sisters" like Duke, Elon, etc. We lose to the big boys, which is all that matters, right?

Baylor has had the following conference records under Briles:

2-6
1-7
4-4
6-3
4-5

Meanwhile Georgia Tech had the following conference records under Johnson:

5-3 (co-div. champs)
7-1 (div. champs)
4-4
5-3
5-3 (co-div. champs)

And you guys think WE have the issue winning the games that count?
 
NebraskaJacket said:
I bring this up because Baylor like GT is by no means a perennial power, but since the hiring of Art Briles they seem to be heading in that direction. Didn't need a huge booster like Oregon either to rise to power. We'll see how they finish this year but I could easily see them in a BCS bowl, and if CPJ ends up being fired after next season I think we should seriously consider hiring their OC. #1 in passing, #2 in rushing, #1 in points, and haven't played their starters nearly at all in any second half.
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Baylor is a private, rich kid school. Very expensive, with a lot of oil money boosters. Maybe not one huge one that everybody knows about, but a lot of people with a lot of money.

They can admit whomever they want and they are in the middle of talent-rich Texas. Hardly comparable to GT.
 
Overall, at least after Grant Teaff retired, someone has done a pretty good job with Baylor's overall athletic program.

Were they not in very dire times after a BB player murdered a teammate? Something like that, or am I thinking of another school?

Seems like it put a huge cloud over entire program and they were sucking wind everywhere for a few years.

Now, I think, besides their decent success in FB, their M & W BB is doing pretty well.

But somebody showed some leadership it seems.
 
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