Haughton follow up
Waco Midway 2015 S Kahlil Haughton stunned Baylor, Arkansas, Duke, Oklahoma and Texas Tech fans by announcing he was going to postpone his decision until after he takes his official visits.
He said he was ready to commit until talks with his parents this week convinced him to take them without having to make a decision. Had he committed, Haughton said he still would have taken them. But clearer thinking prevailed.
"Doing officials was something I was really looking forward to,'' he said. "And after discussing with my parents this week, we thought taking visits while being committed would cause problems. They also believed taking officials would help give me a better view of what I actually liked or didn't like. It would help me to be positive about my decision.''
On Aug. 1, Haughton tweeted he was going to announce his decision on Aug. 8. He visited Oklahoma twice, Texas Tech twice, Arkansas and Duke once each and Baylor numerous occasions including Thursday's practice.
"The official visits always have been important, but my plan was to take them while being committed,'' Haughton said. "But by doing that it didn't seem like the smart and loyal thing to do.''
As we reported, Haughton said he has scheduled an official visit to Oklahoma on Sept. 13 and is working with Arkansas and Texas Tech on dates. He said he doesn't plan on taking an official to Baylor because he knows the campus and the coaching staff so well.
Now, a decision that seemed imminent is months away. Still, it's probably a pretty safe bet all five finalists will wait for him.
-Kevin Lonnquist
Browning came close
In his young life Baron Browning learned through his grandfather that character counts.
"He's always preached to me to be a man of your word,'' Browning said. "Once you say something, you better stick by it.''
So in the aftermath of Baylor offering Kennedale 2017 linebacker in early June, Browning said he was pretty close to committing to the Bears. But he heeded the words of his grandfather and used a "cooling off" period to get a handle on everything.
Still, his interest with Baylor remains strong. He went to Baylor's practice on Thursday. It definitely was an eye-opener.
"They do everything fast tempo, and they were going after each other pretty hard,'' Browning said. "It was a lot different than what I expected. I could tell they had everything planned out and kept on schedule. I liked it.''
Browning reiterated he plans on returning to Baylor for the Aug. 31 McLane Stadium opener against SMU. There's an outside chance he will return for another practice. Until now, he's just focusing on the season. He's also picked up offers from Arkansas and Oklahoma State.
"I did a lot over the summer working on my technique and my [pursuit] angles, so I think I'm ready,'' he said. "I just realized that I have plenty of time to look at everything.''
-Kevin Lonnquist
For Hines, a first
Plano East 2017 linebacker Anthony Hines liked what he saw from Baylor's practice earlier this week. But he was even more impressed with the lifting session prior to the practice, his father Anthony said.
"It was his first chance to watch a college lift,'' the elder Hines said. "He's a workout guy and is in the gym quite a bit. So it was pretty great for him to see it all. It wasn't so much how much they were putting on the bar but the intensity that came with it.''
The linebacker, who picked up his 49th Division I offer from UT-San Antonio last week, paid strict attention to strength and conditioning coach Kaz Kazadi before moving out to the practice. He followed Baylor linebackers coach Jim Gush throughout and watched the way Gush interacted with his position players.
Hines is still committed to Mississippi State but the family made it clear to that coaching staff that he was going to continue to visit. The staff told the family it was good with that.
This is the final week for Hines to make visits. Before Baylor, he went to Oklahoma State on Tuesday, will see TCU on Friday and Texas A&M on Saturday. But he does plan to visit Baylor for its season opener against SMU on Aug. 31.
"He's handling this attention better than his mother and I,'' the elder Hines said. "He's a really bright kid and is wise beyond his years. When he's taking these visits, he's really watching the practices and how the coaches coach and then see how the players respond to the instruction.''
-Kevin Lonnquist
First week of camp impressions
You really don't know a lot about a football team until it breaks out in pads. That's when it becomes real. But know this team to the extent like we hope we do and just getting impressions from other sources, here are some observations.
>This could be the fastest team ever in Baylor history. We talked about the incoming freshman wide receiver class. But when you add up the speed from the 2012 and 2013 classes from all positions, this group has speed that could rival any SEC team.
>The references to quarterback Seth Russell's maturity with the offense and ability to take over at a moment's notice is something that people can rest a little easier about. It should since he's no longer on the crash course that he was in 2013. Russell seems to get what the coaches are asking. His velocity may not be that of Bryce Petty but there is a good sense that he can handle and be comfortable in 2015 when he would be the presumed starter.
>There had been several instances where the running game has had frustrations against the Baylor defensive line. What that should tell you is how good this front can be in 2014. The depth at tackle is exceptional between Andrew Billings, Byron Bonds, Beau Blackshear and swingman Javonte Magee who will also probably play a lot of defensive end. There is enough depth there to make this one of the elite units in the country. You just don't possess depth like this because you are fortunate. Baylor recruited for it.
>As I was told, "time will tell" on the return of DE Sam Ukwuachu. The good news is that he hasn't left the program a la what happened with Magee last year.
>If you're looking for true freshmen candidates to play this year, the money would fall directly on wide receivers KD Cannon and Davion Hall. But don't be surprised if the other two could be athlete Jourdan Blake and running back Terence Williams. With the latter two, Baylor may be poised to not declare anything formal on a redshirt for either during the season. The coaching staff could handle it like it did with Bonds in 2013. Bonds was told he was playing against West Virginia. Blake and Williams may just go through the season and not play but could be used if and when the moment arises.
>On a personal note, it would be interesting to see how Baylor wants to incorporate its tight ends into this offense this year. Yes, tight ends never catch the ball. Between Jordan Navjar and Jerod Monk caught 12 passes. I think there is better athleticism between Tre'Von Armstead and Gus Penning. I think that number could go to 30 receptions. That doesn't sound like much but that would be more than double in 2013.
-Kevin Lonnquist
2015 recruiting reset
So Kahlil Haughton didn't pick Baylor. But he didn't pick anyone, either.
The about face by the Waco Midway safety, who planned to commit Friday but decided to wait, puts him in the minority of 2015 prospects with Baylor offers. Haughton is one of just 23 recruits who have received Baylor offers but have not committed to a program so far. That's 23 out of 80 prospects with Baylor offers (including Baylor commitments), or just less than 30 percent.
With Haughton still in play -- for Baylor as well as its competitors -- this seemed like a good time for a refresher on Baylor's 2015 class, which currently stands at 11 commitments. We expect Baylor to sign around 15 players, so with only four spots available, expect the staff to be very judicious with any new offers.
Unless Baylor can pry Jarrett Stidham away from Texas Tech, the Bears are done recruiting quarterbacks.
That's not the case with running back. Three uncommitted RBs have offers -- including two players, Tyreik Gray and Chris Warren -- who have both been very complimentary of Baylor lately. But Baylor seems more focused on Soso Jamabo, who would give Baylor a "big back" to pair with the commitment of JaMycal Hasty. While Corey Dauphine remains committed to Texas Tech, we don't believe Baylor will stop working on that.
Like quarterback, receiver appears to be done as well. Ryan Newsome has ruled out Baylor (that could viewed as vice versa), while Cordell Broadus is a very long shot. There's a chance Baylor has stopped recruiting him as well. Those are the only two uncommitted receivers with Baylor offers.
Baylor has an offer out to Arkansas TE Will Gragg, but the Bears didn't make his top six, so don't expect to see a tight end in this class.
Getting offensive line commitments to go with the two current pledges probably comes down to two JUCO products: Dominic Desouza and Deya Mhiesen. Both have scheduled official visits to Waco. If Mhiesen were to commit on his official opening weekend, he might be the last O-linemen Baylor takes in this class. There's also an offer to Arlington Bowie's Madison Akamnonu, but he left Baylor out of his recent top two, as well as Coppell's Connor Williams.
Only one defensive lineman with a Baylor offer remains, Bishop Dunne's Darrion Daniels. Expect Baylor to continue pursuit of him. It's hard to believe Baylor could take one or none in this class, but Baylor's current D-line makes this position less of a priority.
Four linebackers are still on the market looking for a program. Baylor, for now, has all its eggs in the Malik Jefferson basket, pursuing him far more than the other three available linebackers. With two commitments already at this position, it's not a big need, but getting Jefferson would be huge to say the least.
A whopping six cornerbacks have Baylor offers but haven't committed yet. It seems Baylor is really high on just two of them: Kendall Sheffield and Holton Hill. On Thursday, Sheffield named Baylor to the 12 schools he was considering. Not coincidentally, the only safety remaining on the board is Haughton. He's definitely one of Baylor's top 2-3 priorities, if not the top.
There's one "athlete" still available, JW Ketchum, but it appears Baylor has moved on. And that's really it for the 2015 targets. If Baylor fills its final four (or more) spots with guys from this list, this class will be small but loaded with quality. However, don't be surprised to see more offers going out during the 2014 football season, which could change Baylor's strategy even more.
-Jake Shaw
Odomes likes Baylor
Copperas Cove 2015 3-star guard Rashard Odomes isn't ready to narrow his college choices yet but said he will soon.
The 6-5 guard has scheduled official visits to Oklahoma (Aug. 30) and Oklahoma State (Sept. 6). There's a chance Baylor could be one of those. At least, there's a good relationship building between both sides.
"I'm really interested in Baylor,'' Odomes said. "The coaches said they like the way I drive strong to the basket and the energy I bring on defense.''
Odomes is coming off a very impressive summer with his AAU team, D1 Ambassadors. Like a lot of young players, Odomes has a good feel for attacking the rim. However, he still has to working on his shooting. He does plan to sign in November.
We will keep you posted should he schedule a visit to Baylor. Of course, with the commitment of JUCO 7-foot center Joseph Acuil, there's about two more spots left for the 2015 class.
-SicEmSports
NCAA Power 5 autonomy fallout
With the NCAA Division I board of directors allowing the 65 schools - the five power leagues and Notre Dame - to create their own rules, the next thing is for the leagues to start moving toward creating their own legislation. That could start as early as Oct. 1. It's pretty much a given that the 75 non-power schools won't override this ruling because if they did, the five leagues could break off and form their own governing alliance.
"I am greatly encouraged by the Board's action to reform the NCAA governance structure and grant autonomy to the five high visibility conferences,'' Baylor athletic director Ian McCaw said. "This action creates a pathway to address student-athlete welfare and other important issues.''
Obviously, at the heart of this will be the full cost of attendance stipends instead of the traditional scholarships. There are others including travel allowances for players and families and four-year scholarships instead of the standard yearly renewals.
-SicEmSports
Meet the Bears visitors
We're going to try and give you a better list on Friday and early Saturday. But here is a snapshot of players we expect to arrive for Saturday's event.
>Manor 2016 Erick Fowler (Baylor offer)
>Waco 2016 DB Eric Cuffee (Baylor interest)
>Waco La Vega 2016 DB Parrish Cobb (Baylor interest)
>Longview 2014 RB JaMycal Hasty (Baylor commit)
Emptying the Notebook
>Although much was made of UConn guard Shabazz Napier's hungry comments at the Final Four ? followed by the NCAA's capitulation to end food restrictions for student athletes and make them limitless for scholarship athletes and walk ons ? Baylor already had the jump. The school had invested $1 million into nutrition and healthy snacks one year prior to the Beauchamp Athletics Nutrition Center's opening.
>At this point, there are no plans for Baylor 2016 basketball commit Mark Vital to leave for another school after transferring to the embattled Prime Prep Academy. The school has submitted its appeal to the TEA after receiving notice in mid-July that its charter was being revoked.
-SicEmSports
Waco Midway 2015 S Kahlil Haughton stunned Baylor, Arkansas, Duke, Oklahoma and Texas Tech fans by announcing he was going to postpone his decision until after he takes his official visits.
He said he was ready to commit until talks with his parents this week convinced him to take them without having to make a decision. Had he committed, Haughton said he still would have taken them. But clearer thinking prevailed.
"Doing officials was something I was really looking forward to,'' he said. "And after discussing with my parents this week, we thought taking visits while being committed would cause problems. They also believed taking officials would help give me a better view of what I actually liked or didn't like. It would help me to be positive about my decision.''
On Aug. 1, Haughton tweeted he was going to announce his decision on Aug. 8. He visited Oklahoma twice, Texas Tech twice, Arkansas and Duke once each and Baylor numerous occasions including Thursday's practice.
"The official visits always have been important, but my plan was to take them while being committed,'' Haughton said. "But by doing that it didn't seem like the smart and loyal thing to do.''
As we reported, Haughton said he has scheduled an official visit to Oklahoma on Sept. 13 and is working with Arkansas and Texas Tech on dates. He said he doesn't plan on taking an official to Baylor because he knows the campus and the coaching staff so well.
Now, a decision that seemed imminent is months away. Still, it's probably a pretty safe bet all five finalists will wait for him.
-Kevin Lonnquist
Browning came close
In his young life Baron Browning learned through his grandfather that character counts.
"He's always preached to me to be a man of your word,'' Browning said. "Once you say something, you better stick by it.''
So in the aftermath of Baylor offering Kennedale 2017 linebacker in early June, Browning said he was pretty close to committing to the Bears. But he heeded the words of his grandfather and used a "cooling off" period to get a handle on everything.
Still, his interest with Baylor remains strong. He went to Baylor's practice on Thursday. It definitely was an eye-opener.
"They do everything fast tempo, and they were going after each other pretty hard,'' Browning said. "It was a lot different than what I expected. I could tell they had everything planned out and kept on schedule. I liked it.''
Browning reiterated he plans on returning to Baylor for the Aug. 31 McLane Stadium opener against SMU. There's an outside chance he will return for another practice. Until now, he's just focusing on the season. He's also picked up offers from Arkansas and Oklahoma State.
"I did a lot over the summer working on my technique and my [pursuit] angles, so I think I'm ready,'' he said. "I just realized that I have plenty of time to look at everything.''
-Kevin Lonnquist
For Hines, a first
Plano East 2017 linebacker Anthony Hines liked what he saw from Baylor's practice earlier this week. But he was even more impressed with the lifting session prior to the practice, his father Anthony said.
"It was his first chance to watch a college lift,'' the elder Hines said. "He's a workout guy and is in the gym quite a bit. So it was pretty great for him to see it all. It wasn't so much how much they were putting on the bar but the intensity that came with it.''
The linebacker, who picked up his 49th Division I offer from UT-San Antonio last week, paid strict attention to strength and conditioning coach Kaz Kazadi before moving out to the practice. He followed Baylor linebackers coach Jim Gush throughout and watched the way Gush interacted with his position players.
Hines is still committed to Mississippi State but the family made it clear to that coaching staff that he was going to continue to visit. The staff told the family it was good with that.
This is the final week for Hines to make visits. Before Baylor, he went to Oklahoma State on Tuesday, will see TCU on Friday and Texas A&M on Saturday. But he does plan to visit Baylor for its season opener against SMU on Aug. 31.
"He's handling this attention better than his mother and I,'' the elder Hines said. "He's a really bright kid and is wise beyond his years. When he's taking these visits, he's really watching the practices and how the coaches coach and then see how the players respond to the instruction.''
-Kevin Lonnquist
First week of camp impressions
You really don't know a lot about a football team until it breaks out in pads. That's when it becomes real. But know this team to the extent like we hope we do and just getting impressions from other sources, here are some observations.
>This could be the fastest team ever in Baylor history. We talked about the incoming freshman wide receiver class. But when you add up the speed from the 2012 and 2013 classes from all positions, this group has speed that could rival any SEC team.
>The references to quarterback Seth Russell's maturity with the offense and ability to take over at a moment's notice is something that people can rest a little easier about. It should since he's no longer on the crash course that he was in 2013. Russell seems to get what the coaches are asking. His velocity may not be that of Bryce Petty but there is a good sense that he can handle and be comfortable in 2015 when he would be the presumed starter.
>There had been several instances where the running game has had frustrations against the Baylor defensive line. What that should tell you is how good this front can be in 2014. The depth at tackle is exceptional between Andrew Billings, Byron Bonds, Beau Blackshear and swingman Javonte Magee who will also probably play a lot of defensive end. There is enough depth there to make this one of the elite units in the country. You just don't possess depth like this because you are fortunate. Baylor recruited for it.
>As I was told, "time will tell" on the return of DE Sam Ukwuachu. The good news is that he hasn't left the program a la what happened with Magee last year.
>If you're looking for true freshmen candidates to play this year, the money would fall directly on wide receivers KD Cannon and Davion Hall. But don't be surprised if the other two could be athlete Jourdan Blake and running back Terence Williams. With the latter two, Baylor may be poised to not declare anything formal on a redshirt for either during the season. The coaching staff could handle it like it did with Bonds in 2013. Bonds was told he was playing against West Virginia. Blake and Williams may just go through the season and not play but could be used if and when the moment arises.
>On a personal note, it would be interesting to see how Baylor wants to incorporate its tight ends into this offense this year. Yes, tight ends never catch the ball. Between Jordan Navjar and Jerod Monk caught 12 passes. I think there is better athleticism between Tre'Von Armstead and Gus Penning. I think that number could go to 30 receptions. That doesn't sound like much but that would be more than double in 2013.
-Kevin Lonnquist
2015 recruiting reset
So Kahlil Haughton didn't pick Baylor. But he didn't pick anyone, either.
The about face by the Waco Midway safety, who planned to commit Friday but decided to wait, puts him in the minority of 2015 prospects with Baylor offers. Haughton is one of just 23 recruits who have received Baylor offers but have not committed to a program so far. That's 23 out of 80 prospects with Baylor offers (including Baylor commitments), or just less than 30 percent.
With Haughton still in play -- for Baylor as well as its competitors -- this seemed like a good time for a refresher on Baylor's 2015 class, which currently stands at 11 commitments. We expect Baylor to sign around 15 players, so with only four spots available, expect the staff to be very judicious with any new offers.
Unless Baylor can pry Jarrett Stidham away from Texas Tech, the Bears are done recruiting quarterbacks.
That's not the case with running back. Three uncommitted RBs have offers -- including two players, Tyreik Gray and Chris Warren -- who have both been very complimentary of Baylor lately. But Baylor seems more focused on Soso Jamabo, who would give Baylor a "big back" to pair with the commitment of JaMycal Hasty. While Corey Dauphine remains committed to Texas Tech, we don't believe Baylor will stop working on that.
Like quarterback, receiver appears to be done as well. Ryan Newsome has ruled out Baylor (that could viewed as vice versa), while Cordell Broadus is a very long shot. There's a chance Baylor has stopped recruiting him as well. Those are the only two uncommitted receivers with Baylor offers.
Baylor has an offer out to Arkansas TE Will Gragg, but the Bears didn't make his top six, so don't expect to see a tight end in this class.
Getting offensive line commitments to go with the two current pledges probably comes down to two JUCO products: Dominic Desouza and Deya Mhiesen. Both have scheduled official visits to Waco. If Mhiesen were to commit on his official opening weekend, he might be the last O-linemen Baylor takes in this class. There's also an offer to Arlington Bowie's Madison Akamnonu, but he left Baylor out of his recent top two, as well as Coppell's Connor Williams.
Only one defensive lineman with a Baylor offer remains, Bishop Dunne's Darrion Daniels. Expect Baylor to continue pursuit of him. It's hard to believe Baylor could take one or none in this class, but Baylor's current D-line makes this position less of a priority.
Four linebackers are still on the market looking for a program. Baylor, for now, has all its eggs in the Malik Jefferson basket, pursuing him far more than the other three available linebackers. With two commitments already at this position, it's not a big need, but getting Jefferson would be huge to say the least.
A whopping six cornerbacks have Baylor offers but haven't committed yet. It seems Baylor is really high on just two of them: Kendall Sheffield and Holton Hill. On Thursday, Sheffield named Baylor to the 12 schools he was considering. Not coincidentally, the only safety remaining on the board is Haughton. He's definitely one of Baylor's top 2-3 priorities, if not the top.
There's one "athlete" still available, JW Ketchum, but it appears Baylor has moved on. And that's really it for the 2015 targets. If Baylor fills its final four (or more) spots with guys from this list, this class will be small but loaded with quality. However, don't be surprised to see more offers going out during the 2014 football season, which could change Baylor's strategy even more.
-Jake Shaw
Odomes likes Baylor
Copperas Cove 2015 3-star guard Rashard Odomes isn't ready to narrow his college choices yet but said he will soon.
The 6-5 guard has scheduled official visits to Oklahoma (Aug. 30) and Oklahoma State (Sept. 6). There's a chance Baylor could be one of those. At least, there's a good relationship building between both sides.
"I'm really interested in Baylor,'' Odomes said. "The coaches said they like the way I drive strong to the basket and the energy I bring on defense.''
Odomes is coming off a very impressive summer with his AAU team, D1 Ambassadors. Like a lot of young players, Odomes has a good feel for attacking the rim. However, he still has to working on his shooting. He does plan to sign in November.
We will keep you posted should he schedule a visit to Baylor. Of course, with the commitment of JUCO 7-foot center Joseph Acuil, there's about two more spots left for the 2015 class.
-SicEmSports
NCAA Power 5 autonomy fallout
With the NCAA Division I board of directors allowing the 65 schools - the five power leagues and Notre Dame - to create their own rules, the next thing is for the leagues to start moving toward creating their own legislation. That could start as early as Oct. 1. It's pretty much a given that the 75 non-power schools won't override this ruling because if they did, the five leagues could break off and form their own governing alliance.
"I am greatly encouraged by the Board's action to reform the NCAA governance structure and grant autonomy to the five high visibility conferences,'' Baylor athletic director Ian McCaw said. "This action creates a pathway to address student-athlete welfare and other important issues.''
Obviously, at the heart of this will be the full cost of attendance stipends instead of the traditional scholarships. There are others including travel allowances for players and families and four-year scholarships instead of the standard yearly renewals.
-SicEmSports
Meet the Bears visitors
We're going to try and give you a better list on Friday and early Saturday. But here is a snapshot of players we expect to arrive for Saturday's event.
>Manor 2016 Erick Fowler (Baylor offer)
>Waco 2016 DB Eric Cuffee (Baylor interest)
>Waco La Vega 2016 DB Parrish Cobb (Baylor interest)
>Longview 2014 RB JaMycal Hasty (Baylor commit)
Emptying the Notebook
>Although much was made of UConn guard Shabazz Napier's hungry comments at the Final Four ? followed by the NCAA's capitulation to end food restrictions for student athletes and make them limitless for scholarship athletes and walk ons ? Baylor already had the jump. The school had invested $1 million into nutrition and healthy snacks one year prior to the Beauchamp Athletics Nutrition Center's opening.
>At this point, there are no plans for Baylor 2016 basketball commit Mark Vital to leave for another school after transferring to the embattled Prime Prep Academy. The school has submitted its appeal to the TEA after receiving notice in mid-July that its charter was being revoked.
-SicEmSports
