Really good points. I'm not a big college football fan by any means, so I can't really say where we or you guys rank in regards to every other team in the nation, but I've been researching your team and obviously I know the Bears. So, with that said, let me pick out some things you said:
SouthernMustang wrote:So SMU outrecruited BU 2 out of the 4 years, 1 year they were only 4 ranking spots apart -- and neither of last year's classes *SHOULD* be on the field.
Very true. I think that the only way there could be discrepencies between the team is
(a) these are "diamonds-in-the-rough" type of guys or
(b) coaching staff can build these guys into solid players.
I know that our strengths coach, Big John, is known across the country for his outstanding program (not just for the football team but our #4 baseball team, our #1 women's basketball team, and gold medalists Jeremy Wariner and Darold Williamson) so that should be at least some type of edge. I know for a fact that especially our o-line is leaner, faster, stronger, etc. but again, we'll see once we hit the road.
Baylor has started out very, very slow under GuyMo... 2 years ago under Morriss they lost to UAB at home, and then were stomped 52-14 by UNT on the road. Also, beat Sam Houston something like 24-6 at home -- not exactly a dominant performance.
Last year -- they got slammed at UAB (56-14) and then beat Texas State 24-17. The win against UNT was good -- but it just seems like Guy Morriss is able to get them geeked up for a few games a year, and not keep any momentum.
We really really struggle on the road. The UNT game was an embarrasment, plain and simple. It'd be like if you guys went to a Juco and lost. Last year's UAB game was painful, but understandable. Our QB was experiencing his first D1 game, had no O-line to protect him, and consequently our defense was run ragged the entire day. These are all excuses, and hopefully we'll be past them this year.
I also wanted to comment and say that the first two years have been hard in terms of getting the players into the schemes that Morriss wants to run. We've therefore had a pretty weak playbook with little surprise, but already we're seeing a difference this year in what we have in our arsenal.
Both years they beat 1 Big XII team at home ... and did nothing with it. They also lost 2 close Big XII games they should've won (KU and ISU). I know they cite improvement, but were demolished 44-14 to Texas, 35-0 to OU, and 42-17 to Tech. How bad were they losing before? If they played better during the first quarter or until the half, well that's nice -- but SMU would've won 5 or 6 games in 2002 if games were called then (including BU)... yet we laid a goose egg that year.
I first want to comment on the bolded question. We were really bad. I mean, I sat through games where we lost 70-0. Several in one season. I saw us get demolished by Cal 70-14 or something like that. Typically what happened with us is that we'd hang with them for the first half while our defense still had energy, but by the second half they were so tired, the other team could throw their second team out and still run up the score -- I'm sure you guys know the feeling too. In the past we've also had a defeatist attitude where as soon as we start losing, we give up. This has changed this year. If the a&m win did nothing else, it showed that if we just stick with it, no matter how far back we are, we can do some good stuff. The two close losses in Big 12 play is also demoralizing, but I feel like we finally have the ability to stay in those games mentally and physically (thanks to Big John).
They had the exact same record these previous 2 seasons as well. It just seems to be the same team and same type of season under Morriss the past 2 years-- recruiting improved one year, but as Stallion pointed out, that won't make an impact one month from now.
Yes, we've had the same record the past years, but it's a different story and season. We've narrowed our losses, improved our turnover ratio -- all the things that if they continue to get better we'll win some games. It does sound like smoke and mirrors, but I think in the next couple years we'll see Baylor building on these strengths to build a respectable program.
Recruiting is a different story. You make it sound like our last class was an abberation, but I believe it is part of a stronger trend. For example, a big part of recruiting are the relationships and respect built between the staff and high school coaches. It takes a year or two for those to finally build. Also, it is getting more important to look at kids at a younger and younger age to get them interested in your program. As such, after you have built a recruiting network for a couple years, you finally have the ability to look at those type of kids. Baylor recruiting will get much better, especially after some more wins.
Also -- some BU fans seem to think that they will out# SMU fans at this game. Granted, our fan support isn't great. But Tech brought 18,000 fans out of the 34,689 last year. Baylor will probably bring around 1/2 that ... and I would expect around 18,000-20,000 SMU fans (hey that many showed up for SJSU). A large contigency of BU fans? Yes .. Outnumbering SMU? Hardly.
I would expect about 15,000 from Baylor. You have to realize that this is the first game of the season, an easy roadtrip for students, and there are a lot of Baylor alum in the Dallas area. I think our fans want this win more than you do. Also, I know several people who aren't alums from either school but are just showing up to see a pillowfight -- so they're just as much our fans as yours. I don' think we'll outnumber you, but in terms of passion, I think we'll give you a run for your money.
SMU's improvements were very inconsistent last year, but a lot of us will credit that to youth and inexperience -- hopefully the year of growth and exp. will help early in the season ... as in a home opening win for the first time since 2000.
I agree that your youth is/was a big problem, and something we faced as well. Inconsistency is also evidence of a weak mental game. While some of that can be changed with experience, some of that is what is instilled in the kids by the coaches. I know that this year has seen a huge difference in how the Baylor players act in practice. Last year, they would go through the motions to get the drill done. Now, they do the drill twice because they know it will make them better. Mistakes are not funny anymore, they now cause more practice. All I'm saying is, these guys really want the wins and if you guys are ready, good luck.
[/quote]Does anyone know how to join the Young Alumni Association and get the tailgate package BTW? The link on ther website doesn't work.[/quote]
Can't help with that, but Baylor's Young Alumni page works just fine.
#25 athletic program in the nation ain't bad...
