Workers of the Austin Commercial-Flintco LLC construction group continue constructing the west side of the new stadium on Tuesday, May 7, 2013. Baylor Stadium, which is set to be completed and ready for use by August 2014, is now approximately 21 percent complete and still on schedule.
Matt Hellman | Lariat Photo Editor

“Baylor Football finally returns home,” said Judge Ken Starr, president of Baylor University, at a press conference held Tuesday, May 7, to update on the new Baylor Stadium.

Sailgating, 168 concession stands, 45,000 seats and access to campus are just a few of the things to look forward to in the new, $250 million on-campus football stadium that is under construction on the Brazos River off Interstate 35 in Waco.

“We are on schedule and we will be playing football on the banks of the Brazos in August 2014,” said Bryan Nicholson, associate vice president for facility, planning and construction.

Workers of the Austin Commercial-Flintco LLC construction group continue building Baylor’s upcoming football stadium on Tuesday, May 7, 2013. Baylor Stadium, which is set to be completed and ready for use by August 2014, is now approximately 21 percent complete and still on schedule.
Matt Hellman | Lariat Photo Editor

There are currently 250 members of the construction crew working on Baylor Stadium, and at the peak of the building process there will be 600.  Jim Heley, the senior project manager, gave an update as part of a media day tour of the construction site.

Workers have dammed up the lagoon and pumped 33 million gallons of water back into the Brazos River, brought in 22,000 truckloads, or 70,000 yards, of dirt to fill in part of the lagoon and to raise the elevation of the footprint of the stadium.   They have installed five miles of underground piping, poured 8,000 cubic yards of concrete and drilled 1,129 piles, all 45-50 feet deep.

The first milestone celebrated among the crew and everyone involved was with the Corps of Engineers when they received the permit to build on the

President Ken Starr stands at the podium with Bruiser as he speaks on the progress of Baylor’s new football stadium on Tuesday, May 7, 2013, at the Simpson Athletics and Academic Center.
Matt Hellman | Lariat Photo Editor

lagoon.  Encore Electric was the first contractor on sight. Texas Department of Transportation is helping with the expansion of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, and the City of Waco is always willing to help with inspections of the site.

“We are trying to use as many local companies as possible.  Our mechanical contractor is local, the electrical contractor, paving and both of our concrete suppliers are local,” Horn said.

The crew is a little ahead of schedule on the lagoon and will be filling it up again in a month.  Two pedestrian bridges are in the works to be built, one over the Brazos River to reach campus and the other will connect with a walkway along the waterfront.

Jeff Horn, senior superintendent of the job site, gave more specifics on the structure itself.  He said that they have started the foundation, the concourse level and the columns.  “We started on the west side and are working our way clockwise around from west to east.”

One of the main challenges for the construction is the river.  The elevation had to be raised to get out of the floodplain.  The highest raised point is 10 feet.

“The biggest headache of the job,” according to Horn, “is everything has to be brought in.  The coordination of everything to be brought in on a timely manner is difficult.”

Workers of the Austin Commercial-Flintco LLC construction group hammer together boards at the site of Baylor’s upcoming football stadium on Tuesday, May 7, 2013. Baylor Stadium, which is set to be completed and ready for use by August 2014, is now approximately 21 percent complete and still on schedule.
Matt Hellman | Lariat Photo Editor

Horn made it clear that there are not many bad weather days built into the schedule.  It is a six-day workweek for the crew and sometimes they will use Sundays to catch up from bad weather or get ahead on one part of the project.  “It is a fast track job,” stated Horn, “we are about 20% done with the whole thing.”

“The steel and the precast for the stadium seats will take until the end of the year and then from the beginning of the year until opening will be the finishing stuff.”

“The stadium is very high profile because it is right on the freeway.  When the memorial service for West, Texas, was held, we wanted to do something special so we got an American flag and a banner that said ‘God Bless West, Texas’ and hung it on the side facing the freeway.  We did that in about two days.  Now that it is over, we are going to get all of the crew working on the stadium to sign it and then we are going to present it to West.”

Following the media tour, a press conference was held at the football practice field on campus. Athletic Director Ian McCaw spoke along with Baylor President Starr, Nicholson and Head Football Coach Art Briles.

“We have recently reached $100 million in private philanthropy donations for the stadium,” Judge Starr announced.

“In 15 months, the finest football stadium in America will be open,” he said. “Just this morning, the 300^th column of the stadium was poured. Columns are important to Baylor because of the four columns that stand on Academy Hill in Independence, Texas, just an hour and 45 minutes down the road, the first location of Baylor University.”

McCaw shared that 1,500 new season tickets were sold already for the 2013 school year.  All six Founders Suites, 39 Premium Suites and 79 Loge Boxes have been sold and over 1,400 stadium bricks have also been sold.  The club seats go on sale at the end of the month.

Coach Briles ended the press conference saying, “We can build a great facility and everyone is going to see it.  Over 42 million travelers on Interstate 35 are going to see the new stadium every year. It doesn’t need to be another miracle for Baylor to beat someone.  It needs to be just another day for us.  It’s a great day. It’s a good day. It’s a day to be proud.”

NEW ORLEANS — Johnny Manziel has decided he’s not going to allow the pitfalls of fame stop him from having a good time, forging friendships with rival quarterbacks or even going back to class — in person.

As for the pressure inherent in living up to the Heisman Trophy standard he set for himself in only his first season as quarterback at Texas A&M, isn’t concerned about that, either.

“I’m not thinking about it. I’m just going out and playing football and doing the things I’ve always done,” Manziel said Thursday, when he visited New Orleans to accept the Manning Award, which recognizes the nation’s top college quarterback. “The success that we had last year — I wasn’t worried about my own individual success. I was just worried about going out and playing football and trying to learn the system and get better.”

Following a memorable, highlight-filled regular season in which he accounted for 4,600 total yards, Manziel became the first freshman ever to win the Heisman Trophy — then racked up an additional 516 total yards in a 41-13 Cotton Bowl victory over Oklahoma.

And then the player sometimes called Johnny Football found out how public his private life could really be.

He was famously photographed partying in a Dallas nightclub with a sparkler in his mouth as if it were a cigar while flexing both biceps. Other photos showed him holding what looked like a bottle of Champagne, raising questions about whether Manziel, now 20, was partaking in under-age drinking. Another showed him triumphantly fanning out a wad of cash at a casino; he later noted on his Twitter page is legal for someone 18 or older to gamble at a casino.

Even his decision to take classes online last semester became controversial . Manziel has said his decision to limit himself exclusively to the virtual classroom was a reaction to the attention he was receiving on campus while simply walking to class, and he added Thursday that he expects to return to regular classes this summer and next fall.

“It was just one semester — something that I needed and wanted to do,” he said.

Manziel said he’s adjusting better to life as a celebrity, and is trying not to let it change him much.

“I continue to slip up every now and then with people that you think you can trust and you really can’t, so I’m continuing to learn things every day,” he said.

“I’m still having a good time. I know that. I’m not letting any of that factor into my life and what I want to do,” he continued. “There might be some cameras here and there and some things like that, but I’m going to continue to still go to some basketball games, continue to still do things I want to do, just be smart while I’m doing it.”

That includes making friends with Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron, who during the season will be among the players standing between Texas A&M and a chance at a Southeastern Conference championship or more.

“Once football season comes around, that’s when it becomes rivals,” Manziel said. “Off the field, we’re all 20, 21-year-old kids just enjoying going to school, playing football and like doing the same things. Me and him have talked on Twitter, exchanged numbers and still continue to talk every couple weeks. So I’m maybe building a little bit of a friendship there, maybe going on a trip together this summer some time or just trying to be friends and hang out and have fun.”

This July, Manziel plans to serve as a counselor at the Manning Passing Academy in Thibodaux, La., where he was a camper while in high school.

Manning said he looks forward to having Manziel back in a new role.

In introducing Manziel to a luncheon crowd gathered for the Manning Award trophy presentation at the Manning family’s downtown restaurant, Archie Manning talked of how extraordinary he thought it was for Manziel to do what he did in his first season in the SEC, a conference renowned not only for its string of national champions, but also for defenses loaded with NFL prospects.

Manning highlighted Manziel’s performance against Arkansas, in which the Aggie QB compiled 557 total yards.

“That day he broke a 43-year-old Southeastern Conference record set by an Ole Miss quarterback in 1969 vs. Alabama,” Manning said, referring to his own 540-yard performance against the Crimson Tide. “Thanks a hell of a lot, Johnny.”

Manning and Manziel both said they were aware of comparisons made of their free-wheeling, scrambling style of play.

Manning said Manziel’s 2012 season was among the best he’d ever seen for a college quarterback and was flattered to hear people say Manziel reminded them of his days at Ole Miss. Manziel, meanwhile, said being compared to Archie Manning is “awesome,” and an honor.

Manziel will be eligible to enter the NFL draft after his next season. He said he’ll make that decision with family and his Texas A&M coaches when the time is right.

Manning, who is routinely asked for advice by top college players’ said his only advice would be that if a quarterback in the SEC is not a lock as a top-10 pick, he should consider how an extra year in the conference might help.

Lanear Sampson | Wide Receiver

By Daniel Hill
Sports Writer

Two former Baylor receivers are hoping to hear their names called at the NFL Draft that starts today and ends Saturday.

Terrance Williams, the unanimous All-American performer, is expected to be the earliest Baylor player selected in the NFL Draft. Another Baylor receiver, Lanear Sampson, is also expected to be selected in the NFL Draft.

Baylor receivers entering the NFL have become a habit. It started when David Gettis was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft.

Then Robert Griffin III’s favorite target, Kendall Wright, was selected in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft. In his rookie campaign, Wright had 626 receiving yards and four touchdowns.

Josh Gordon was taken in the second round of the 2012 supplemental draft. Gordon proved to be a true deep threat and had a breakout rookie season with 805 yards and five touchdowns.

Terrance Williams | Wide Receiver

Williams racked up 1,832 receiving yards this past season to go along with 12 touchdowns. At 6 feet 2 inches and 208 pounds, Williams has prototype NFL wide receiver size.

At the NFL combine, Williams ran a 40-yard dash in 4.52 seconds, bench pressed 225 pounds for 11 reps and posted a vertical jump of 32.5 inches.

At times, Williams was considered by NFL Draft gurus and analysts as a top-tier, round-one wide receiver prospect. In the fall, mock drafts had Williams going in the late half of the first round.

The perception of Williams used to be that he was an exceptionally fast receiver with blazing speed. Williams changed that perception by running a 4.52 time in the 40-yard dash. While 4.52 is still fast, it’s not the phenomenal time many were expecting Williams to run, so that is one reason why Williams has fallen into second round consideration.

Williams was a 2012 Biletnikoff Award finalist and was a four-year starter for the Bears. He also holds eight school records.

Perhaps Williams’ most memorable moment in the Baylor green and gold came in the 2011 season when he caught RG3’s last-second pass in the end zone to give Baylor a shocking upset over Oklahoma.

Williams has shown a knack for making big plays when they matter most, and he undeniably has the ability to break the game open with a monster play. In 2012 alone, Williams had touchdown scores of 80 yards and 77 yards.

He is a fluid runner and does a fine job of being physical with his defender off of the line of scrimmage. When he hits the open field, he’s most likely heading for six.

Williams also excels at going up to catch the ball at its highest point and not allowing the defender a chance to make a play on the ball.

Another aspect of Williams’ game that is often overlooked is his ability to block in the running game. Williams is a tenacious blocker and a team player when it comes to sacrificing himself to give the team a few more yards.

Williams has the potential to be a true impact player in the NFL, but he most likely will not become a legitimate No. 1 receiver because he is not overwhelmingly exceptional at any single aspect, but rather well balanced in many skills.

At the end of the day, Williams will be a productive player in the NFL as a team’s No. 2 wide receiver because he brings such a diverse skill set to the table.

He is tall, lean, fast and talented. There’s no doubt he will be a contributing member of an NFL team in his rookie season. He’s the kind of guy that could probably have 500 or more receiving yards in his rookie campaign.

One minor weakness that all Baylor receivers must overcome is the questions concerning the Baylor offense.

Baylor does not even have a playbook and the receivers only run a limited number of routes. This means that some Baylor products can go into the league without knowing all the routes and concepts of a NFL offense. Kendall Wright struggled with route running in his time at Baylor, and he had to make the transition to a NFL offense with the Tennessee Titans. Both Williams and Sampson will have to adjust to the premiere NFL.

While Williams is considered the upper-echelon wide receiver prospect from Baylor this season, NFL teams should not overlook Lanear Sampson.

Sampson, Williams’ counterpart among the 2012 Baylor receiving corps, also had a strong senior campaign. He redshirted as a freshman and then started four seasons for the Bears.

In 2012, Sampson had 52 catches for 646 yards and six touchdowns. Sampson is 5 feet 11 inches tall and 204 pounds. Williams is a strong, compact receiver with top-notch speed. Sampson ran the 40-yard dash in 4.46 seconds at the NFL Combine. At his Baylor Pro Day workout, Sampson improved upon that time with a head-turning 4.33 time.

Sampson is a quick, receiver with a physical presence. Sampson has superb hands and has exhibited fine skills with the ball in his hands while at Baylor. Sampson also gives hustle in run-blocking on the outside edge.

One of Baylor’s favorite plays from this past season was when Sampson would have the option to run either a 8-10 yard hitch route or convert to a fade route.

It was a staple of Baylor’s offense and with Sampson’s ability, it became a bread-and-butter play. Countless times, Baylor quarterback Nick Florence would go back in the pocket and look for Sampson on the option route.

In all likelihood, Sampson will be taken in the latter part of the draft, most likely on Saturday. Sampson could be taken as early as the fifth round, but also could be a sixth or seventh round pick.

There’s also a chance that Sampson could go undrafted, which can also be a blessing in disguise. When a player goes undrafted, they have the ability to pick the situation that is right for them.

No matter where he ends up, Sampson has the skill and the work ethic to stay on an NFL roster and to contribute on Sundays at wide receiver or in the slot. Sampson could also contribute on special teams as well.

Williams and Sampson are not the only Bears hoping to make the jump to the NFL. Other Baylor hopefuls trying to make it to the NFL are defensive linemen Gary Mason and Nick Johnson, offensive lineman Ivory Wade, defensive backs Chance Casey, Mike Hicks, Josh Wilson and running back Jarred Salubi.

Junior quarterback Bryce Petty rolls out and makes a throw down the field Saturday in Baylor’s spring game. The Bears will begin the fall season on Aug. 31 against Wofford.
(Photo courtesy of Baylor Athletic Communications)

Fresh off of three straight bowl game appearances and back-to-back bowl wins, Baylor football looks to win the Big 12 Conference this season.

Baylor football concluded spring practice on Saturday with the annual spring game. It was a chance for Baylor fans to get a peak at this fall’s football team.

With eight starters returning to the defense, playmakers at the offensive skill positions and a dominating offensive line stocked with future NFL talent, the Bears have immense potential for the 2013 season.

Nick Florence replaced Robert Griffin III by setting a school record with 4,309 passing yards last season. The Bears’ projected starting quarterback next season, junior Bryce Petty, is larger in stature than any of his predecessors.

Petty brings another dimension to the offense. Griffin and Florence were skilled runners, but they didn’t have the ability to run with power and lower their shoulders like Petty will do this fall.

Aside from running, Petty is a gifted passer. At 6-feet-3-inches and 235 pounds, Petty has a rocket arm and superb mobility. He displayed his arm strength with a 55-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Jay Lee on Saturday. Petty also displayed his understanding of head coach Art Briles’ offense by completing 13-15 passes for 181 yards and two touchdowns.

“Physically, he has a chance to be a very dominant quarterback, but it’s a very mental game, so what you have to do is match it all together, your physicalness and your intellectualness and creativeness and instinctiveness,” Briles said. “It all has to come together.”

Baylor’s offense didn’t skip a beat when Florence stepped in for RG3, and Petty figures to be the next quarterback in line for Baylor’s stat-happy offense.

The offense also showed balance during the spring game between the aerial attack and the ground game. Talented running backs, senior Glasco Martin and junior Lache Seastrunk are the thunder and lightning combo in Baylor’s backfield.

Behind the physical offensive line, Martin rushed for 114 yards and three touchdowns on 12 carries, while Seastrunk added 90 yards off 10 rushes and scored on a 44-yard touchdown run where he went nearly untouched.

“I think we handed the ball off 300 times for 7,000 yards so it made my job easy, makes it fun,” Petty said. “That is our offense. The run sets up the pass so it was fun to see those guys get up and work and do what they do.”

Starting junior right tackle Troy Baker tore his ACL earlier in the offseason, so the offensive line had to shuffle some first-unit players around to fill the gap. Senior Stefan Huber, who had been playing right guard, shifted to center, and senior Kelvin Palmer moved from center to right tackle to replace the injured Baker.

Sophomore Desmine Hilliard started at right guard. Sophomore Spencer Drango was at his usual spot at left tackle and senior Cyril Richardson stayed at left guard to make the left side of the offensive line the strongest area of the unit.

The first-team defense has also made a few changes. Senior Ahmad Dixon, who last year played defensive coordinator Phil Bennett’s “Bear position,” which is a defensive back that tends to play closer to the line of scrimmage, has moved back into the secondary to play safety. Senior Sam Holl has moved from safety to the Bear position. The move isn’t set in stone as of yet, but the position changes will bring flexibility to Baylor’s defense.

Holl, a physical player with range, will have the ability to play inside the box and have more opportunities to attack against the run. Dixon will get a chance to match up on defensive backs with his elite speed and bring an intimidating fear factor to the backside of the defense with knockout shots on opposing wide receivers. Moving to safety will also give Dixon a better read of the field and hopefully quicken his reaction time to rally to the ball.

“Everybody has bought in,” Dixon said. “That is not to say that we weren’t bought in last season, but there is a difference between buying into a program that you have been in for two or three years. Now everybody knows what is going on and knows the ins and outs of the defense. We know what can kill us and what can help us.

With spring practice over, the Bears now move into summer conditioning and then begin fall training camp before the season starts on Aug. 31 against Wofford at Floyd Casey Stadium.

Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III looks for an open receiver in the first quarter as the Washington Redskins faced the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, December 30, 2012 in Landover, Maryland. (Linda D. Epstein/MCT)

By Taylor Rexrode
Staff Writer

Beginning this fall, Baylor’s future quarterbacks will receive financial assistance thanks to an endowed scholarship in honor of Baylor alumnus and Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III.

Griffin was honored on March 12, “RG3 Day,” at the State Capitol and Sen. Kirk Watson, a 1981 Baylor Law alumnus, and President Ken Starr announced the scholarship fund created in his honor.

As an endowed scholarship, the funds will be collected through donations. The scholarship size will be dependent on the amount of money put into the endowment.
Starr said this scholarship would need support from fans and the greater Baylor community.

“We want all of Baylor Nation to support Baylor athletics and rally around this particular project,” Starr said. “The more Baylor Nation works to support, the better it is for the overall budget for Baylor University.”

Interested donors can donate to the RG3 scholarship fund at www.baylor.edu/nation/rg3.

In an interview with Baylor Media Communications, Griffin said he could never have dreamed that a scholarship would be named after him. “It’s truly an honor to have your name associated with something so great,” Griffin said. “You don’t dream of that as a kid. You can dream of playing professional sports but you don’t dream of having a scholarship named after you. Those things just don’t come about, so you have to cherish them.”

Griffin earned his bachelor’s degree in political science at Baylor in 2010. Griffin was Baylor’s quarterback from 2008 to 2011 and brought much attention to Baylor football, particularly through the 2011 Valero Alamo Bowl victory and winning the Heisman Trophy that same year.

He had been working toward his master’s degree in communications when he was drafted in the 2012 NFL draft, joining the Washington Redskins. During his first season with the Redskins, Griffin was named NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Starr collaborated with other administrators and athletic department faculty members to put together the endowment project. He said the fund is a way to honor Griffin and the legacy he leaves behind.

“The Robert Griffin III endowed scholarship is a powerful recognition of Robert’s magnificent contributions to Baylor,” Starr said.

Starr said this scholarship fund opens up the chance for endowment programs to be set for all 19 of Baylor’s varsity sports.

“The RG3 scholarship gives us a great opportunity to rally around all of our student athletes with endowed scholarships,” Starr said. “I think it’s the beginning of a shift to endowing all of the starting positions in all of our 19 sports. We want this to be a very wonderful project that energizes all of Baylor Nation.”

Ian McCaw, director of athletics, said he is excited about the opportunity for fans to support the football team.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to honor Robert Griffin III,” McCaw said. “And, at the same time, it’s an opportunity to allow alumni and supporters to contribute to the scholarship fund for quarterbacks. It will be exciting for the quarterback to know their financial aid is coming from this fund.”

Baylor 2013 Football schedule final with addition of Wofford as season opener.
Matt Hellman | Lariat Photo Editor

By John Werner
Waco Tribune-Herald via Associated Press

Baylor has added a home game against Wofford College to its 2013 football schedule after its game at SMU was canceled last week.

The Bears will open the season Aug. 31 against Wofford, a Football Championship Subdivision school from Spartanburg, S.C. The Terriers, a member of the Southern Conference, finished 9-4 last season.

“We feel relieved that we were able to secure a game at such a late date,” Baylor athletic director Ian McCaw said. “Most nonconference schedules are set up five to 10 years in advance, so it’s difficult to find a game six months in advance. This was very much like finding a needle in a haystack.”

McCaw said there were no games readily available against Football Bowl Subdivision schools, so Baylor began looking for an FCS opponent to add to its nonconference schedule that includes a Sept. 7 home date against Buffalo and a Sept. 21 home date against Louisiana-Monroe.

McCaw said Nick Joos, Baylor executive associate athletic director for external relations, found that Wofford had a date available. Baylor normally plays one FCS opponent each year including Sam Houston State in 2012 and 2010 and Stephen F. Austin in 2011.

The Wofford game will replace the Sept. 14 date against SMU in Dallas.

“Nick Joos did a great job of locating it, and we were able to sign the contract today,” McCaw said. “They’re a very competitive team. We’re happy to have seven home games. This sets us up for a very favorable schedule for 2013.”

SMU athletic director Rick Hart announced last Wednesday that the Mustangs canceled the game against Baylor to give their schedule more balance. SMU is moving from Conference USA to the Big East this year, and also has nonconference games against Texas A&M, TCU and Texas Tech.

After the three nonconference home games, Baylor will stay at Floyd Casey Stadium for its Big 12 opener against West Virginia on Oct. 5 at Floyd Casey Stadium. The Bears’ first road game will be against Kansas State on Oct. 12 in Manhattan, Kan. The Bears also host Iowa State on Oct. 19, Oklahoma on Nov. 9 and Texas on Dec. 7.

—

2013 schedule

• Aug. 31: Wofford
• Sept. 7: Buffalo
• Sept. 21: La.-Monroe
• Oct. 5: West Virginia
• Oct. 12: at Kansas St.
• Oct. 19: Iowa State
• Oct. 26: at Kansas
• Nov. 9: Oklahoma
• Nov. 16: vs. Texas Tech (Arlington)
• Nov. 23: at Oklahoma St.
• Nov. 30: at TCU
• Dec. 7: Texas

Baylor’s recruiting class has drawn some national attention. ESPN ranked Baylor’s recruiting class at No. 28 in the country, just behind Oklahoma State and Oregon. There are only three Big 12 schools ahead of Baylor on the list: No. 15 Texas, No. 16 Oklahoma, and No. 27 Oklahoma State.

The Bears’ most highly touted recruit this year is wide receiver Robbie Rhodes. As a senior at Southwest High School in Fort Worth, Rhodes racked up 20 touchdowns, including 15 through the air. During his three years on varsity, Rhodes tallied 2,500 receiving yards and 751 rushing yards.

In high school, he was sometimes used on end-around plays because of his incredible speed. Rhodes even won the 4A state title in the 200m with a time of 21.06. He was also on the 4A state champion 4×100 team. This speed also earned him the kickoff return job for Southwest High School.

“He’s the No. 1-rated receiver in America,” head coach Art Briles said. “A guy that’s been loyal and faithful to us all the way through, whose going to have an outstanding future at Baylor University to help us continue our long line of success at the wide receiver position.”

Speed is only one aspect of Rhodes’ game that makes him a special receiver. He also has good, strong hands. He is able to go up into a crowd of defenders and come down with the football. Rhodes is also a smart receiver. He is able to adjust his route and come back to the football when needed. Rhodes will likely join a growing list of elite-level wide receivers that played for the Baylor Bears.

Baylor recruited Chris Johnson as a quarterback, but he also played defensive end while in high school. Defensive ends are athletes that have to have good footwork and hands. While high school quarterbacks can rely on raw athleticism, Johnson’s experience at defensive end will give him a solid framework of basic skills to continue to build upon during his tenure on the Baylor football team.

In Johnson’s junior year, he accounted for 900 yards of total offense and 13 touchdowns in just five games. He threw for seven touchdowns and four interceptions, and his completion percentage was just below 55 percent.

On designed quarterback runs and scrambles, Johnson averaged five yards per carry.

He finished his junior year with 431 rushing yards and 473 passing yards.

This dual-threat quarterback is elusive, but doesn’t have breakaway speed. His release is compact. He doesn’t have the long windup that some young quarterbacks have. This allows him to get the ball to receivers quickly. What he lacks in accuracy, he makes up for in raw arm strength.

Defense was not Baylor’s strong suit last season. While the defense did improve as the season progressed, the Bears finished the season ranked No. 96 in the nation in sacks with 19 on the season. When you consider that six of these sacks came in the Holiday Bowl against UCLA, it really sheds light on the fact that Baylor needs to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks. That’s where Andrew Billings comes in.

Billings is a local kid from Waco High School. Though he played some offensive line, Baylor wants and needs him to fill its defensive tackle position.

“You talk Robert Griffin III, you talk Ahmad Dixon, you talk Andrew Billings,” Briles said. “These are big-name, big-time, stud players from Central Texas, who are staying in Central Texas, and making Baylor University a university that other high school students wish to be at.”

The first thing that stands out is Billings’ size and strength. This 300-pound lineman can squat 700 pounds and bench 470 pounds. If you throw Billings into the mix with sophomore defensive end and Penn State transfer Shawn Oakwood and junior defensive end and Holiday Bowl defensive Most Valuable Player Chris McAlister, the Baylor looks to be much improved next year on the defensive line.

Baltimore Ravens defensive back Chykie Brown (23) celebrates after the NFL Super Bowl XLVII football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013, in New Orleans. The Ravens won 34-31.
Associated Press

By Parmida Schahhosseini
Sports Writer

Last year, the Baltimore Ravens lost a gut-wrenching match against the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship after wide receiver Lee Evans dropped a sure touchdown and kicker Billy Cundiff missed a chip-shot field goal. Baltimore Ravens middle linebacker Ray Lewis went on to give a passionate post game speech.

“God has never made a mistake,” Lewis said. “He never made one mistake. It ain’t about one play, it ain’t about nothing. This year we did what we were supposed to do. We fought as a team.”

Little did the world know, this “team of destiny” would set the stage for one of the most amazing stories in NFL history.

“The fact is that we have got to come back and go to work to make sure we finish it next time. That’s all we have got to do,” Lewis said.

During the following offseason, the Ravens lost many key players such as linebacker Jarret Johnson, defensive end Cory Redding and guard Ben Grubbs.

Linebacker and former defensive player of the year Terrell Suggs also tore his ACL. Many assumed Suggs would be out for the year, but he vowed to be back. He picked November as his goal to return to the field.

However, the Ravens did acquire wide receiver Jacoby Jones after he got run out of Houston, and Jim Caldwell was hired as the new quarterbacks coach after the disaster in Indianapolis.

This didn’t sit well with many fans, who then criticized the team for taking a step back, not forward. Despite general disagreement between fans and the front office, many Ravens faithful still trusted Ozzie Newsome, the general manager.

The Ravens suffered many injuries, including Ray Lewis’ tricep tear, an ACL tear to shutdown cornerback Lardarius Webb, and an abdominal injury and sports hernia to cornerback Jimmy Smith.

Haloti Ngata was playing injured most of the season, and linebacker Dannell Ellerbe missed a couple of games as well.

The Ravens season was anything but great as they got blown out by the Houston Texans in week seven and lost three in a row starting with a loss at Pittsburgh in week 13.

However, the Ravens had faith. They continued to fight and believe in each other as John Harbaugh preached brotherhood and love. He shared the testament of God giving them strength. He shared Bible verses and created a locker room filled with brotherhood, after a potential revolt.

Leadership was the key and Harbaugh kept the team accountable and did one of the hardest things he had to do: fire his dear friend, former offensive coordinator Cam Cameron.

After losing to the Washington Redskins, recording their first back to back loss since 2009, Harbaugh fired Cameron and promoted Caldwell.

This move seemed bold to most, but it made sense. Drew Brees and Philip Rivers had their worst seasons under Cameron during his tenure in New Orleans and San Diego.

The Ravens’ offense was highly inconsistent considering the amount of talent on that roster. After a blowout home loss to Denver, Baltimore found its rhythm. The Ravens defeated the Giants 33-14 and clinched the AFC North division.

Everything was starting to look up as the ride began. The Ravens were destined to win this year.

In week 12, running back Ray Rice saved the Ravens’ season after running for 30 yards on a 4th and 29 play against the San Diego Chargers. They have been battle-tested this season dealing with the death of wide receiver Torrey Smith’s younger brother, injuries and heartaches.

The Ravens also have never won more than four games in a row. After a week 17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, the Ravens were starting with no momentum to speak of, coming into the playoffs losing four out of the last five games.

However, with four games left, this streak seemed destined to happen.

On Jan 2, 2013, Ray Lewis told his team that this year’s playoff run would be his last. Emotions were high for the Ravens as they tried to send him off the right way.

After a decisive 24-9 victory against the Indianapolis Colts (a team the Ravens had never beaten in the postseason in franchise history) in the AFC Wild Card game, Lewis had a chance to keep moving on.

Rice called this team the “team of destiny.” A week later as nine point underdogs, the Ravens had the tough task of defeating Peyton Manning, a quarterback they had not beaten in franchise history. With an incredible 70-yard hookup between quarterback Joe Flacco and wide receiver Jacoby Jones, the Ravens sent the game into overtime.

With a 47-yard field goal by rookie kicker Justin Tucker, the Ravens defeated the top-seeded Denver Broncos.

In another divisional round playoff game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Atlanta Falcons, the Seahawks came back after being down 20-points to take the lead 28-27. The announcer went on to call the Seahawks the “team of destiny,” but they lost after a Matt Bryant field goal.

The stage was set for a rematch between the Baltimore Ravens at New England Patriots.

The Ravens were so close to the big game. The only team in their way was the team that they couldn’t get passed the year before.

Back where it all started, the Ravens were down 13-6 in the half. At the time, the Patriots were 67-0 in games where they took a lead into halftime.

However, the Ravens broke away in the second half and won 28-13, leaving the best offense in the NFL scoreless in the second half.

The Ravens were one game away to a happy ending.

Before the Super Bowl began, the Hall of Fame candidates took center stage with former Raven Jonathan Ogden being the first Raven player to make the Hall of Fame.

It was fitting that the first member of the Ravens entered the Hall of Fame on the same day the Ravens were to fulfill their destiny. The underdog Raven team played a dominant first half and led 21-6 at the half.

Baltimore started the second half with a Jones 108-yard kick return for a touchdown.

However, the lights went out, draining the Ravens of any momentum. The San Francisco 49ers came out of that break with a clear mind and momentum changed. San Francisco stormed back into the game, scoring 17 points in just over four minutes. It quickly turned from a blowout to a five-point game. Flacco led the offense on a long drive that resulted in a field goal putting the Ravens up 31-23. 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick orchestrated another touchdown drive but missed a 2-point conversion.

Flacco and the offense went on another long drive trying to score and take as much time off the clock as possible but only got a field goal. Kaepernick drove the ball down to the 5-yard line. Baltimore stopped the 49ers on 4th down to get the ball back. Despite another adverse situation, it was fitting that the Ravens came out on top defeating the 49ers 34-31.

Ray Lewis and the other Ravens got the ending they wanted. No matter how many people counted them out, no matter what obstacle came their way, they had faith not just in themselves, but faith in God and faith in each other.

Lewis was right, God doesn’t make mistakes. This was the ultimate story filled with passion, faith and love.

Matt Hellman | Lariat Photo Editor

By Daniel Hill
Sports Writer

To put it lightly, when Baylor football first went to the Texas Bowl in 2010, it was a big deal. It marked Baylor’s first bowl game appearance since 1994. Baylor nation was happy just to go to a bowl game, never mind actually winning it. But times have changed in Waco. The Bears have won two straight bowl games with the Alamo Bowl against Washington in 2011 and the Holiday Bowl versus UCLA in 2012.

Going to a bowl game is officially an expectation now and winning that bowl game is a must. Baylor put on a dazzling performance in San Diego during the bowl season by shellacking the UCLA Bruins 49-26.

Senior quarterback Nick Florence made his final game in the Baylor green and gold a memorable one by rushing for 37 yards and a touchdown and by completing 10 of 13 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns.

Sophomore running back Lache Seastrunk and junior running back Glasco Martin ran behind Baylor’s supremely talented offensive line to combine for 236 yards and four touchdowns.

Next year Seastrunk and Martin will return to lead the Bears’ rushing attack. Seastrunk had a breakthrough finish to the season by rushing for more than 100 yards in the five of the last six games of the season.

He asserted himself as the featured running threat in the Baylor backfield. Whenever Seastrunk received double-digit carries, he proved to be a lethal difference maker.

In the last four games of the year, his lowest rushing total was an astounding 136 yards against Texas Tech. Seastrunk had an electrifying average of 7.7 yards per carry for the entire season. With Seastrunk being more prominently featured in next year’s rushing attack, look for him to topple his season mark of 1,012 yards that he posted this past season.

While running backs typically receive all of the glory, they can’t go anywhere without a solid offensive line.

Baylor’s offensive line was stocked with elite talent and experience this season and that shouldn’t change much heading into next year. Much of the offensive line also returns as the Bears only lose two starters in center Ivory Wade and guard Cameron Kaufhold.

Cyril Richardson is a highly valued NFL offensive line prospect and it looks as of now, that he will be returning to Baylor next year instead of declaring for the NFL.

Starting tackles Troy Baker and Spencer Drango both return with a year of experience under their belts. Baylor will lose two talented wide receivers in Terrance Williams and Lanear Sampson. Thankfully, the Bears are still loaded at receiver with senior Tevin Reese, juniors Levi Norwood and Antwan Goodley.

Both Norwood and Goodley are versatile receivers with immense potential. Much of the offense remains intact, except for the obvious task of replacing starting Florence.

The early favorite to replace Florence would be junior quarterback Bryce Petty.

Petty is an athletic quarterback with a big frame and a strong arm. He was a highly sought-after high school prospect from Midlothian who had offers from Arkansas, Nebraska, Tennessee and Virginia Tech.

With Baylor’s successful offensive schemes and a talented offensive line, playmakers at running back and game-breakers at receiver, Petty or whoever the quarterback is, should be in a position to succeed next fall.

During the first half of the season, the Bears’ Achilles heel was the atrocious play of the defense. During the latter half of the season, the Baylor defense started to perform at an extremely high level.

The defense had a coming out party against No. 1 ranked Kansas State in which they had three interceptions and held the Wildcats to under 100 yards rushing as a team. Baylor made the sure tackles and intimidated the Kansas State offense, including then Heisman front-runner Collin Klein.

The Kansas State game single-handedly shifted the momentum of the Baylor season.

After that upset win over the top-ranked team in the country, the Bears went gangbusters and won all three of its remaining games—including two over ranked opponents in Oklahoma State and UCLA.

The Bears’ defense should continue to build upon its late season 2012 successes to lead into 2013. Key returning defensive members are senior safety Ahmad Dixon, senior safety Sam Holl, senior defensive end Chris McAllister, senior defensive end Terrence Lloyd, junior linebacker Bryce Hager and senior linebacker Eddie Lackey.

Defensively, the Bears should also get a boost of the addition of Penn State transfer Shawn Oakman. The junior defensive end will be eligible for the 2013 season after sitting out the 2012 season due to NCAA transfer rules.

If the defense can keep the momentum from the 2012 season and improve over the offseason, the collective wealth of experience should lend itself to a stout Baylor defense in the fall.

Robert Griffin III led Baylor to new heights and Nick Florence followed. Both greatly helped the ascension of Baylor football.

The foundation has been laid for this current Baylor football team to accomplish something that both Griffin and Florence could not—win a Big 12 championship.

Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III salutes the crowd as he walks off the field with a twisted knee during the second half of a playoff football game Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks. Washington lost the game. (AP Photo/Richard Lipski)

As the NFL season comes to an end after the Super Bowl on Feb. 3, the NFL teams will be looking back on their season trying to figure out what adjustments they need to make for next season.

The Washington Redskins are no different.

The Redskins have a rich history. They had the heated rivalry with the Dallas Cowboys and won three out of five Super Bowls, but they have not been relevant since 1992, the year they won Super Bowl XXVI.

While they have been in the playoffs a few times, they only won two out of six since then.

In 2010, Mike Shanahan was named the Redskins’ new coach, which brought a small glimmer of hope for the franchise waiting for a turnaround.

People started to question Shanahan, however, after he posted a 6-10 season in his first year and followed that with an abysmal 5-11 record.

While Shanahan never had much to work with in the quarterback position, which included the likes of John Beck and Rex Grossman, 2012 was destined to be a better year because Washington finally found its franchise quarterback.

In 2011 when Shanahan was switching between quarterbacks, one quarterback started to make history­—that was Baylor’s own Robert Griffin III.

Griffin and the Baylor Bears began the season with a 50-48 win over No. 14 TCU in which he threw for 359 yards and five touchdowns.

He followed that up with a 10-win season, including a thrilling 38-45 win against Oklahoma at Floyd Casey Stadium in which Griffin threw a touchdown pass with eight seconds left in the game.

Griffin finished off the season winning numerous awards, including the Heisman Trophy, and led the Bears to their first bowl victory since 1992, ironically the same year the Washington Redskins won the Super Bowl.

After the season ended, Griffin decided to enter the NFL Draft.

Before the draft, the Redskins gave up “the farm,” as many people called it, when they traded three first round picks and a second round pick to the St. Louis Rams to move to the second spot to get their franchise player.

The Redskins did indeed pick Griffin with the second overall pick.

While many people thought they traded away the future, Griffin is rejuvenating a once-great football city.

In Griffin’s rookie debut, he out-dueled Drew Brees on the road at the Superdome, completing 19 of 26 passes for 320 yards and two touchdowns in the 40-33 win.

Despite big plays from Griffin, the Redskins went 3-6 before the bye week and people began to write them off, but Griffin did not quit and neither did his team.

The Redskins went on to win seven straight games, including a week 17 victory against the Dallas Cowboys for the division title.

Through that win streak, Griffin made Baylor proud as reached the 100 mark in quarterback rating five times, threw 14 touchdowns and only two interceptions during that span.

In the regular season Griffin recorded 3,200 yards, a 102.4 passer rating and 20 touchdowns and five interceptions, which was an NFL low among starting quarterbacks. He is also in the running to win Rookie of the Year.

Griffin was a vital part of the Redskins’ success because there was pressure on him to score since his defense allowed an average of 25 points per game, though he was under the same pressure while at Baylor.

While the defensive unit was ranked 28th in the league, there were some key injuries on that side of the ball, such as linebacker Brian Orakpo and safety Brandon Meriweather.

Despite the shortcomings on defense, Griffin turned this franchise around and made the Redskins relevant again as teams started to consider them a threat.

Their pistol offense was enough to keep defenses on their toes, which allowed for more play action passes and bigger plays down the field.

Injuries to the offense also hurt as they lost tight end Fred Davis for the year and wide receiver Pierre Garcon for parts of the year.

Griffin, however, kept putting up big numbers with his arm and legs leading his team to the playoffs.

The Redskins did lose the wild card game against the Seattle Seahawks, but many feared that they lost their franchise quarterback after Griffin tore his LCL and ACL. Griffin, however continues to be positive and is eyeing a bigger year next year. Who knows, maybe he can come back and have an Adrian Peterson kind of bounce-back year and continue to make Baylor proud.