NOTE: The content on the Baylor Blitz is solely meant for the subscribers of SicEmSports. Let's all please make sure that whatever is written here stays here. We appreciate you all helping us with this. Now, let's all take a look at Baylor recruiting and what else is going on involving the Bears.
By KEVIN LONNQUIST
Publisher
The Topper
With three of Baylor's commits - Port Arthur Memorial RB Jordan Elliott - receiving major offers this week, it only represents the tier at which Baylor is recruiting. That said it's a good time to check the temperature of these recruits who received these offers.
Martin (Texas, Georgia): "Tell them don't panic. I'm Baylor all the way.''
Smith (Texas): "I'm thankful and blessed for the offer. [It doesn't change anything with Baylor].''
Elliott (Texas, Alabama among others): "No not really. Everything is still the way it was. But who knows. They talk to me daily and show nothing but love. I talk to coach [Chris] Achuff and [Kendal] Briles just about every day. It's going good.''
Craig-Myers, Art Briles visit
Early Thursday evening, the nation's No. 1 rated wide receiver was pretty much pumped when he had a telephone conversation with Baylor head coach Art Briles.
"I was surprised it was him because I thought I was going to be talking to [Kendal Briles],'' Tampa Catholic's Nate Craig-Myers said. "He seemed like a down-to-earth guy. It went really good. He was just telling me that I will be in good hands. I really wanted this offer and can see myself playing in that offense.''
Baylor started visiting with Craig-Myers as early as last September. That was two months after he committed to Auburn. He remains committed to the Tigers, but he's definitely exploring his options.
There's no question that Craig-Myers (6-2, 200) has the physical makeup with the speed to be considered Rivals No. 5 overall rated prospect. He locked into just about every Baylor game during the 2014 season and paid close attention to freshman K.D. Cannon, who finished the season with 1,030 yards and eight touchdowns.
"Just watching KD and what they did with him and how he was an impact freshman was cool,'' Craig-Myers said. "They got him the ball. He came in right away and delivered. They just let their wide receivers make plays. A five-yard screen can go 40. The tempo is amazing.''
Expect the daily conversations to continue. It's unlikely that Craig-Myers can get to Baylor for any of the spring football season. However, he said he plans on coming to Baylor sometime in the summer. The odds are Baylor will want him to come to a camp on the campus so the coaching staff can see him work in person.
Craig-Myers is fully recovered from a broken leg suffered in last season's opener. He proved it this week in 1-on-1 drills as Tampa Catholic started spring practice.
At this point, there's really not a lot Auburn can do but to live with Craig-Myers exploring his options.
"They understand,'' he said. "They're not telling me I can't talk to or visit other schools. They really want me, but they want me to make sure that I'm making the right decision.''
-This report contained material from the Auburn Rivals affiliate
The tweet that caused a stir
Earlier in the week, Galena Park North Shore safety Eric Monroe issued a tweet claiming that Baylor was his No. 1 school. He used the Baylor school logo to add more meaning. Now, the euphoria that went into the tweet caught a lot of people off guard, but Monroe said he was serious.
The Rivals No. 35 rated prospect finally made it up to Waco for the Jan. 31 Junior Day. That was his first trip to Baylor. But Baylor definitely made the ideal first impression.
"I just felt that the atmosphere was something I could really feel,'' Monroe said. "It was a great campus. Everything was nice. I had a great time talking with [Cris Dishman] and [Phil Bennett].''
While the speculation has long been that LSU is the favorite, Monroe said he's going through the process with everyone. He is visiting LSU this weekend and plans to visit the TCU and Oklahoma junior days in the coming weeks.
Baylor's hope may be through blood. Monroe'es cousin is current Denver Broncos wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders. Sanders, who was at Beeville, played for Bennett when Bennett was the head coach at SMU from 2002-2007.
"I talked to Emmanuel about him a couple of weeks ago,'' Monroe said. "He just told me that Bennett is a great coach. He's straight with you and he'll work you hard.''
Monroe suffered a strained meniscus during the 7-on-7 season last summer. But he said he has fully recovered. What's interesting is that not everybody views him as a safety. He said LSU is looking at him cornerback. Baylor hasn't pigeonholed him into a position either.
"They just know I'm a playmaker,'' Monroe said. "I'm fine with whatever.''
Monroe said he hopes to attend the March 20 Friday Night Lights event at McLane Stadium.
Baylor spring football notables
Just a reminder on the injuries as Baylor begins spring football on Tuesday. It runs through April 2. The tentative practice schedule for the first week is Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
>DB Ryan Reid (hernia) - Should be back by the latter part of workouts
>DE Jamal Palmer (ACL) - Will miss spring football but should be ready by August
>S Orion Stewart (shoulder) - Likely out but a chance he could be back by the end
>DE Shawn Oakman (wrist) - Probably will see some time
Assessment of Bennett's Interview with David Smoak
It didn't feel like a 30-minute interview with ESPN Central Texas' David Smoak on Wednesday, but here's what I took away from Baylor defensive coordinator Phil Bennett's interview.
>He made a great point about how thin the secondary was for the latter half of the year and that's probably why Ryan Reid and Xavien Howard were gassed at the end, especially in the fourth quarter of the Cotton Bowl. Today's college game is played with depth. While Baylor's younger secondary is talented -- Jourdan Blake, Chance Waz and Verkedrick Vaughns -- it just wasn't ready to be thrown into the heat of the season. Really, this unit limped to the finish line.
>Bennett wasn't kidding about linebacker Taylor Young making an impact. Collecting 15 tackles against the Spartans served as another reminder. Now, you wonder if Aiavion Edwards gets lost in the depth chart. Young has passed him.
>If Terrence Singleton and Terrell Burt are healthy, they will help this secondary. But their injuries really hurt. Alfred Pullom's spring should be fun to watch at safety. Remember, he had an interception in the Cotton Bowl.
>I'm not sure what kind of impact the new DL faces Josh Malin, Ira Lewis, Andrew Morris and Xavier Jones will have this spring. But none saw the field in 2014 as they spent a year with Kaz Kazadi. Their heads will spin in the beginning. However, their depth will be really important as Baylor tries to find a solid rotation.
>I've said this many times, college football is just a different game. It's really hard to play defense. Those units are just going to surrender a lot of yards and points. What it really comes down is making enough stops and creating depth to survive. With Baylor winning consecutive Big 12 championships and just missing the Final Four, there are still a few defensive pieces needed Baylor's closer than it ever has been competing for national championships. This spring could provide some of the missing links.
Baseball: vs. Kent State
The No. 21 Bears (3-1) open a three-game series with Kent State Friday and Saturday at Baylor Ballpark. With the threat of inclement weather for Sunday, a double header was created for Saturday. Here are the pitching matchups.
Friday (6:30)
Baylor: LHP Daniel Castano (0-0, 0.00); KSU: RHP Nick Jensen-Clagg (0-1, 1.80)
Saturday (1:00 p.m.; second game to start 45 minutes after the first)
Baylor: Gm. 1 RHP Ryan Smith (0-0, 0.00); KSU: RHP Andy Ravel (0-0, 1.50)
Baylor: Gm. 2 RHP Drew Tolson (0-0, 6.75); KSU: LHP Jared Skolnicki (1-0, 0.00)
The brothers Williams
They're separated by about 10 months but they have the ability to close down the secondary. After securing the signing of Woodlawn's Henry Black on signing day, Baylor moved across town and offered Calvary Academy's secondary of Rodarius and Andraez Williams. Both are three star recruits. Rodarius is rated at 5.5. Andraez is 5.7. Both said they believe Oklahoma could offer them as early as Friday.
But the story on how Baylor offered each had its own interesting journey. So let's break it down on each.
Rodarius Williams (6-0, 170): He came to Baylor's July 18 camp and went through the day with DB's coach Carlton Buckels. But as time passed, there was really no contact between Baylor and him.
"I thought they forgot about me,'' Williams said. "So when I talked to them the other day and found out I had the offer, it really felt like it came out of nowhere. When I talked to coach Bennett, he said he liked my speed and size. They really didn't have a spot in might. It's probably safety. But I'm not sure.''
Rodarius remembers the on-campus visit very well. Before the camp started, he went on a self-guided tour and didn't realize Baylor was more than he envisioned. The campus covered more ground than he thought. Plus, the facilities went beyond expectations.
The camp was also more than he could have wanted. He said he had a good session with Buckels.
"The best thing coach Buckels did was just work on our feet,'' Rodarius said. "We did so much one-on-one stuff that it really was great. I liked him because he was straight forward. We got the drill work in and were pushed. I loved it.''
He had an interesting 2014 season. Through the first five games, he had five interceptions. He finished the season with five interceptions. Teams stopped throwing the ball his way. He also had about seven pass break ups.
Time will tell when he and Baylor will connect again. If not spring in Waco, it could be the East Texas camp in early June.
Andraez Williams (6-2, 170): When Baylor talked with Rodarius, they told him to pass the message that his older brother had an offer as well.
Andraez said he was unable to attend Baylor's camps last summer because of a groin injury. But he's been very aware of Baylor's trajectory.
"I know they're ranked pretty high,'' he said. "There's a lot to be said about getting a private education. Their defensive has been pretty solid all around.''
Andraez offers a slender yet tall build. It's pretty safe to presume that he could add 20-25 pounds by the time he plays his first snap in college without losing any of his athleticism. He blessed with the height. A Division I program's strength and conditioning program can do the rest.
What's been interesting is that the Williams brothers and Sylvie go back to their grade school days. They competed against each other since fourth grade.
"It's amazing how well we play together because we know each other so well,'' Andraez said. "We are able to get into each other's faces and let each other know what we need to do well. It's either us or we're going to hear it all night from our parents. There's an accountability to each other.''
The offers are going to continue to mount. But Andraez said the main things he needs to improve upon during this offseason are his ball skills and his man to man coverage. He said he won't mind putting in the work.
Bears watching DFW offensive lineman
When Baylor recruited Wylie offensive tackle Kyle Fuller in 2012, the coaching staff eventually moved him to center.
Should Baylor offer Lewisville 2016 offensive tackle Denzel Okafor (6-4, 290), he could follow the same path. Okafor went to Baylor's Jan. 31 junior day.
"When I was talking with [Randy] Clements, he asked me about playing guard or center,'' Okafor said. "I said I was all up for it. I'm playing next to guards where they're pulling all the time so I'm used to it.''
He has a copy of Baylor's practice schedule so that's a clear sign that the staff is interested. It could be a case where it wants to know how interested Okafor is in Baylor. He already has offers from Minnesota, Colorado State, Kansas, TCU and Texas Tech. He's talked with Oklahoma and Texas coaches but it's unclear how those schools will react.
The junior day visit turned out to be Okafor's first visit to the Baylor campus. Needless to say, he was stunned as to what Baylor offered.
"It was really nice down there,'' he said. "They really care about athletics.''
Lewisville's program shares a district with defending Class 6A Division I state champion Allen, the Plano schools and the rest of the Lewisville ISD schools. That's not bad prep work.''
"Playing against those teams really makes me push myself to the next level,'' Okafor said. "I know I'm going to be a better player because of it.''
Emptying the Notebook
>Two of Baylor's bigs 2016 basketball prospects had phenomenal regular season. DeSoto's Marques Bolden led DeSoto to the District 8-6A district championship. The Eagles are 28-4 going into the playoffs. DeSoto does not yet know its bi-district opponent because of a playoff.
As for Lancaster's Nate Morris, he helped the Tigers to the District 14-5A championship and a 27-4 record. Lancaster faces Dallas Spruce in the bi-district round on Tuesday.
>When No. 20 Baylor (19-7, 7-6 Big 12) faces Kansas State at the Ferrell Center, the number 60 is important to watch. The Bears are 11-1 when they hold opponents to fewer than that total in the 2014-15 season.
>Sixth-man Taurean Prince has been the most valuable player for this team. He has a team-high 20 double-figure scoring efforts this season. He's been in double figures for 10 consecutive games.
By KEVIN LONNQUIST
Publisher
The Topper
With three of Baylor's commits - Port Arthur Memorial RB Jordan Elliott - receiving major offers this week, it only represents the tier at which Baylor is recruiting. That said it's a good time to check the temperature of these recruits who received these offers.
Martin (Texas, Georgia): "Tell them don't panic. I'm Baylor all the way.''
Smith (Texas): "I'm thankful and blessed for the offer. [It doesn't change anything with Baylor].''
Elliott (Texas, Alabama among others): "No not really. Everything is still the way it was. But who knows. They talk to me daily and show nothing but love. I talk to coach [Chris] Achuff and [Kendal] Briles just about every day. It's going good.''
Craig-Myers, Art Briles visit
Early Thursday evening, the nation's No. 1 rated wide receiver was pretty much pumped when he had a telephone conversation with Baylor head coach Art Briles.
"I was surprised it was him because I thought I was going to be talking to [Kendal Briles],'' Tampa Catholic's Nate Craig-Myers said. "He seemed like a down-to-earth guy. It went really good. He was just telling me that I will be in good hands. I really wanted this offer and can see myself playing in that offense.''
Baylor started visiting with Craig-Myers as early as last September. That was two months after he committed to Auburn. He remains committed to the Tigers, but he's definitely exploring his options.
There's no question that Craig-Myers (6-2, 200) has the physical makeup with the speed to be considered Rivals No. 5 overall rated prospect. He locked into just about every Baylor game during the 2014 season and paid close attention to freshman K.D. Cannon, who finished the season with 1,030 yards and eight touchdowns.
"Just watching KD and what they did with him and how he was an impact freshman was cool,'' Craig-Myers said. "They got him the ball. He came in right away and delivered. They just let their wide receivers make plays. A five-yard screen can go 40. The tempo is amazing.''
Expect the daily conversations to continue. It's unlikely that Craig-Myers can get to Baylor for any of the spring football season. However, he said he plans on coming to Baylor sometime in the summer. The odds are Baylor will want him to come to a camp on the campus so the coaching staff can see him work in person.
Craig-Myers is fully recovered from a broken leg suffered in last season's opener. He proved it this week in 1-on-1 drills as Tampa Catholic started spring practice.
At this point, there's really not a lot Auburn can do but to live with Craig-Myers exploring his options.
"They understand,'' he said. "They're not telling me I can't talk to or visit other schools. They really want me, but they want me to make sure that I'm making the right decision.''
-This report contained material from the Auburn Rivals affiliate
The tweet that caused a stir
Earlier in the week, Galena Park North Shore safety Eric Monroe issued a tweet claiming that Baylor was his No. 1 school. He used the Baylor school logo to add more meaning. Now, the euphoria that went into the tweet caught a lot of people off guard, but Monroe said he was serious.
The Rivals No. 35 rated prospect finally made it up to Waco for the Jan. 31 Junior Day. That was his first trip to Baylor. But Baylor definitely made the ideal first impression.
"I just felt that the atmosphere was something I could really feel,'' Monroe said. "It was a great campus. Everything was nice. I had a great time talking with [Cris Dishman] and [Phil Bennett].''
While the speculation has long been that LSU is the favorite, Monroe said he's going through the process with everyone. He is visiting LSU this weekend and plans to visit the TCU and Oklahoma junior days in the coming weeks.
Baylor's hope may be through blood. Monroe'es cousin is current Denver Broncos wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders. Sanders, who was at Beeville, played for Bennett when Bennett was the head coach at SMU from 2002-2007.
"I talked to Emmanuel about him a couple of weeks ago,'' Monroe said. "He just told me that Bennett is a great coach. He's straight with you and he'll work you hard.''
Monroe suffered a strained meniscus during the 7-on-7 season last summer. But he said he has fully recovered. What's interesting is that not everybody views him as a safety. He said LSU is looking at him cornerback. Baylor hasn't pigeonholed him into a position either.
"They just know I'm a playmaker,'' Monroe said. "I'm fine with whatever.''
Monroe said he hopes to attend the March 20 Friday Night Lights event at McLane Stadium.
Baylor spring football notables
Just a reminder on the injuries as Baylor begins spring football on Tuesday. It runs through April 2. The tentative practice schedule for the first week is Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
>DB Ryan Reid (hernia) - Should be back by the latter part of workouts
>DE Jamal Palmer (ACL) - Will miss spring football but should be ready by August
>S Orion Stewart (shoulder) - Likely out but a chance he could be back by the end
>DE Shawn Oakman (wrist) - Probably will see some time
Assessment of Bennett's Interview with David Smoak
It didn't feel like a 30-minute interview with ESPN Central Texas' David Smoak on Wednesday, but here's what I took away from Baylor defensive coordinator Phil Bennett's interview.
>He made a great point about how thin the secondary was for the latter half of the year and that's probably why Ryan Reid and Xavien Howard were gassed at the end, especially in the fourth quarter of the Cotton Bowl. Today's college game is played with depth. While Baylor's younger secondary is talented -- Jourdan Blake, Chance Waz and Verkedrick Vaughns -- it just wasn't ready to be thrown into the heat of the season. Really, this unit limped to the finish line.
>Bennett wasn't kidding about linebacker Taylor Young making an impact. Collecting 15 tackles against the Spartans served as another reminder. Now, you wonder if Aiavion Edwards gets lost in the depth chart. Young has passed him.
>If Terrence Singleton and Terrell Burt are healthy, they will help this secondary. But their injuries really hurt. Alfred Pullom's spring should be fun to watch at safety. Remember, he had an interception in the Cotton Bowl.
>I'm not sure what kind of impact the new DL faces Josh Malin, Ira Lewis, Andrew Morris and Xavier Jones will have this spring. But none saw the field in 2014 as they spent a year with Kaz Kazadi. Their heads will spin in the beginning. However, their depth will be really important as Baylor tries to find a solid rotation.
>I've said this many times, college football is just a different game. It's really hard to play defense. Those units are just going to surrender a lot of yards and points. What it really comes down is making enough stops and creating depth to survive. With Baylor winning consecutive Big 12 championships and just missing the Final Four, there are still a few defensive pieces needed Baylor's closer than it ever has been competing for national championships. This spring could provide some of the missing links.
Baseball: vs. Kent State
The No. 21 Bears (3-1) open a three-game series with Kent State Friday and Saturday at Baylor Ballpark. With the threat of inclement weather for Sunday, a double header was created for Saturday. Here are the pitching matchups.
Friday (6:30)
Baylor: LHP Daniel Castano (0-0, 0.00); KSU: RHP Nick Jensen-Clagg (0-1, 1.80)
Saturday (1:00 p.m.; second game to start 45 minutes after the first)
Baylor: Gm. 1 RHP Ryan Smith (0-0, 0.00); KSU: RHP Andy Ravel (0-0, 1.50)
Baylor: Gm. 2 RHP Drew Tolson (0-0, 6.75); KSU: LHP Jared Skolnicki (1-0, 0.00)
The brothers Williams
They're separated by about 10 months but they have the ability to close down the secondary. After securing the signing of Woodlawn's Henry Black on signing day, Baylor moved across town and offered Calvary Academy's secondary of Rodarius and Andraez Williams. Both are three star recruits. Rodarius is rated at 5.5. Andraez is 5.7. Both said they believe Oklahoma could offer them as early as Friday.
But the story on how Baylor offered each had its own interesting journey. So let's break it down on each.
Rodarius Williams (6-0, 170): He came to Baylor's July 18 camp and went through the day with DB's coach Carlton Buckels. But as time passed, there was really no contact between Baylor and him.
"I thought they forgot about me,'' Williams said. "So when I talked to them the other day and found out I had the offer, it really felt like it came out of nowhere. When I talked to coach Bennett, he said he liked my speed and size. They really didn't have a spot in might. It's probably safety. But I'm not sure.''
Rodarius remembers the on-campus visit very well. Before the camp started, he went on a self-guided tour and didn't realize Baylor was more than he envisioned. The campus covered more ground than he thought. Plus, the facilities went beyond expectations.
The camp was also more than he could have wanted. He said he had a good session with Buckels.
"The best thing coach Buckels did was just work on our feet,'' Rodarius said. "We did so much one-on-one stuff that it really was great. I liked him because he was straight forward. We got the drill work in and were pushed. I loved it.''
He had an interesting 2014 season. Through the first five games, he had five interceptions. He finished the season with five interceptions. Teams stopped throwing the ball his way. He also had about seven pass break ups.
Time will tell when he and Baylor will connect again. If not spring in Waco, it could be the East Texas camp in early June.
Andraez Williams (6-2, 170): When Baylor talked with Rodarius, they told him to pass the message that his older brother had an offer as well.
Andraez said he was unable to attend Baylor's camps last summer because of a groin injury. But he's been very aware of Baylor's trajectory.
"I know they're ranked pretty high,'' he said. "There's a lot to be said about getting a private education. Their defensive has been pretty solid all around.''
Andraez offers a slender yet tall build. It's pretty safe to presume that he could add 20-25 pounds by the time he plays his first snap in college without losing any of his athleticism. He blessed with the height. A Division I program's strength and conditioning program can do the rest.
What's been interesting is that the Williams brothers and Sylvie go back to their grade school days. They competed against each other since fourth grade.
"It's amazing how well we play together because we know each other so well,'' Andraez said. "We are able to get into each other's faces and let each other know what we need to do well. It's either us or we're going to hear it all night from our parents. There's an accountability to each other.''
The offers are going to continue to mount. But Andraez said the main things he needs to improve upon during this offseason are his ball skills and his man to man coverage. He said he won't mind putting in the work.
Bears watching DFW offensive lineman
When Baylor recruited Wylie offensive tackle Kyle Fuller in 2012, the coaching staff eventually moved him to center.
Should Baylor offer Lewisville 2016 offensive tackle Denzel Okafor (6-4, 290), he could follow the same path. Okafor went to Baylor's Jan. 31 junior day.
"When I was talking with [Randy] Clements, he asked me about playing guard or center,'' Okafor said. "I said I was all up for it. I'm playing next to guards where they're pulling all the time so I'm used to it.''
He has a copy of Baylor's practice schedule so that's a clear sign that the staff is interested. It could be a case where it wants to know how interested Okafor is in Baylor. He already has offers from Minnesota, Colorado State, Kansas, TCU and Texas Tech. He's talked with Oklahoma and Texas coaches but it's unclear how those schools will react.
The junior day visit turned out to be Okafor's first visit to the Baylor campus. Needless to say, he was stunned as to what Baylor offered.
"It was really nice down there,'' he said. "They really care about athletics.''
Lewisville's program shares a district with defending Class 6A Division I state champion Allen, the Plano schools and the rest of the Lewisville ISD schools. That's not bad prep work.''
"Playing against those teams really makes me push myself to the next level,'' Okafor said. "I know I'm going to be a better player because of it.''
Emptying the Notebook
>Two of Baylor's bigs 2016 basketball prospects had phenomenal regular season. DeSoto's Marques Bolden led DeSoto to the District 8-6A district championship. The Eagles are 28-4 going into the playoffs. DeSoto does not yet know its bi-district opponent because of a playoff.
As for Lancaster's Nate Morris, he helped the Tigers to the District 14-5A championship and a 27-4 record. Lancaster faces Dallas Spruce in the bi-district round on Tuesday.
>When No. 20 Baylor (19-7, 7-6 Big 12) faces Kansas State at the Ferrell Center, the number 60 is important to watch. The Bears are 11-1 when they hold opponents to fewer than that total in the 2014-15 season.
>Sixth-man Taurean Prince has been the most valuable player for this team. He has a team-high 20 double-figure scoring efforts this season. He's been in double figures for 10 consecutive games.
