Note: You might have seen elsewhere or internet gossip that Baylor 2014 LB commit T'Kevian Rockwell had been arrested. We can tell you that is NOT the case. We know what happened. But given what we have learned, we're not going to report what happened. Suffice to say, Rockwell's status with Baylor has not changed. He is also still attending Wylie and we have every reason to believe he will show up for the second semester when it begins on Jan. 6.
If you don't know anything about what happened with Rockwell, then pretend you didn't read this.
A long way to go
Rockdale 2014 soft commit, LB James David, had a strong season after coming back from a pretty tough knee injury in 2012.
He finished the 2013 season with 113 tackles including eight for loss, three forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries (one went for a touchdown).
But his future at getting into Baylor is far from a certainty. As we continue to check David's academic progress, we do know that David still has a lot more to do in several areas to get this part of his resume in order for him to even have a chance to get into a Baylor.
We also know that David has been speaking with several junior colleges. So there is the possibility he could double sign on Feb. 5, 2014. That really shouldn't surprise anyone given what we have learned when he gave that odd commitment to Baylor back in June.
While there is another semester to go, the early read on a best-case scenario for James is that he would arrive at Baylor in August before fall workouts begin.
-Kevin Lonnquist
Florida LB wants to hear from Baylor
If Baylor still wants to find some defensive help and wants to focus on a linebacker, Fort Pierce (FL) Central's Sharieff Rhaheed would like to get to know the staff more. The 5.7 3-star prospect holds 30 offers and has taken official visits to Arkansas and Missouri.
At 6-4, 215, Rhaheed said he would like to learn a little more about Baylor because he has seen the defense take major steps in 2013. And a Big 12 championship didn't hurt it either.
"I've seen them play three times this year, and I've really watched the way [Eddie] Lackey has played,'' Rhaheed said. "They're pretty good.''
Rhaheed is looking at everything right now. He moved up five spots on the Rivals outside linebackers' national list to No. 40. However, he missed most of the 2013 season with a wrist injury.
While he told our Arkansas colleagues that he has narrowed his list to Arkansas, Missouri, Alabama, Louisville and Tennessee, he appeared to leave the door open should he and the Baylor coaching staff ever make contact.
-Kevin Lonnquist
Lodge has stronger feeling toward Baylor
Cedar Hill WR DaMarkus Lodge is feeling pretty good these days after helping the Longhorns win the Class 5A Division II state championship last week, a 34-24 victory over Katy.
Lodge rushed for 103 yards including a 61-yard touchdown run. He also made an incredible catch on the go-ahead 3-yard touchdown catch midway through the fourth quarter from QB Justin McMillan. The play unfolded as McMillan rolled to his left and found Lodge right on a tight window with little room to spare before he went out of bounds. But Lodge showed uncoachable body control and kept both feet in bounds.
"I saw Justin scrambling out of the pocket, and I thought he was going to run it in,'' Lodge said, "so I was actually coming out of the end zone to hit the man chasing him, and I saw the ball flying at me at a high speed. I caught it knowing where I was on the field and made sure I got my two feet down. It was good.''
Baylor appears to have made up some lost ground to the likes of Texas and Oklahoma with the Rivals No. 29 2015 prospect. But there's still a ways to go here. Lodge finished the season with 1,255 receiving yards (17.4 ypc) and 22 touchdowns.
"[Baylor] is definitely on the top of my list right now if I had one,'' Lodge said.
-Kevin Lonnquist
Big 12 Bowl Season
A look at the conference teams playing in their bowl games. All times are central are in chronological order. All rankings are BCS. The Big 12 only has six bowl representatives. TCU, West Virginia, Iowa State and Kansas were not bowl eligible.
Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl
Michigan (7-5) vs. Kansas State (7-5)
9:15 p.m. Saturday, Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, AZ (ESPN)
The skinny: A very intriguing Big 12-Big 10 matchup. The Wolverines really struggled defensively this year surrendering 26 points per game but also losing four games by four points or less. Michigan quarterback Devin Gardner (toe/foot) is out, according to coach Brady Hoke. Freshman Shane Morris gets the start. The Wildcats won five out of their last seven to become bowl eligible. Coach Bill Snyder has maintained there will be a quarterback rotation between Jake Waters and Daniel Sams. DE Ryan Mueller is the Big 12 defensive player of the year.
Valero Alamo Bowl
No. 10 Oregon (10-2) vs. Texas (8-4)
5:45 p.m. Monday, Alamodome, San Antonio (ESPN)
The skinny: The final game for Texas coach Mack Brown, who announced on Dec. 14 he is stepping down. Of course, the speculation surrounding his replacement is at the forefront. DE Jackson Jeffcoat completes a brilliant career. The Ducks had BCS title hopes but fell short because their offense just wasn't physical enough. QB Marcus Mariota has announced he will return for 2014.
National University Holiday Bowl
Texas Tech (7-5) vs. No. 14 Arizona State (10-3)
8:15 p.m. Monday, Qualcom Stadium, San Diego (ESPN)
The skinny: Two programs heading in different directions. Despite losing the PAC 12 championship game at home to Stanford, the Sun Devils are hot winning seven of their last eight. Quarterback Taylor Kelly has thrown for 3,510 yards and 28 TDs. The Red Raiders look like they will start QB Michael Brewer. That caused walk-on Baker Mayfield to move on. Tech lost its last five games because it gave up at least 38 points in all of them and couldn't run the football.
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
No. 15 UCF (11-1) vs. No. 6 Baylor (11-1)
7:30 p.m. Wednesday, University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ (ESPN)
The skinny: The Big 12 champion Bears are trying to finish a magical season with a 12th victory. It appears WR Tevin Reese (wrist) should play but warmups should tell the story. The Baylor defense finished second in the Big 12 in total defense at 344.1 ypg. The Golden Knights won the AAC thanks to stellar QB play from Blake Bortles who could be first round choice should he declare for the NFL draft. RB Storm Johnson is 1,000-yard bruising rusher.
AllState Sugar Bowl
No. 11 Oklahoma (10-2) vs. No. 3 Alabama (11-1)
7:30 p.m. Thursday, Superdome, New Orleans (ESPN)
The skinny: Somehow, the Sooners found their way into the BCS with an at-large berth. They've had quarterback inconsistencies all year between Blake Bell and Trevor Knight. This team has had to rely on its running game. What Alabama must face is how interested it is in playing this game since head coach Nick Saban had this team prepared to play in Pasadena, CA in the BCS title game until the freakish loss to Auburn. QB A.J. McCarron makes his final start.
AT&T Cotton Bowl
No. 13 Oklahoma State (10-2) vs. No. 8 Missouri (11-2)
7:30 p.m. Jan. 3, AT&T Stadium, Arlington (FOX)
The skinny: Both of these teams needed wins to get to the BCS but lost their finales. Still, this should be a great matchup between the former Big 12 rivals. The Cowboys have had excellent quarterback play from senior Clint Chelf. Missouri, which won the SEC East, has one of the most dangerous wide receiver corps in the country led by former Rivals No. 1 prospect Dorial-Green Beckham.
-SicEmSports
Big 12 Power Rankings
Each week, SicEmSports ranks the Big 12 teams based on expectations and performance. Ratings always vary. Agree or disagree, there's nothing like finding out who is ranked where. These rankings were before the bowl games.
1. Baylor - Big 12 Champions looking for a Fiesta Bowl win
2. Oklahoma - You look at this team and wonder how it won 10 games
3. Oklahoma State - Cotton Bowl matchup with Missouri should be a dandy
4. Texas - Longhorns have daunting task in Mack Brown's finale against Oregon
5. Kansas State - Second consecutive bowl appearance in Arizona (2013 Fiesta)
6. Texas Tech - Coach Kliff Kingsbury's first season ending with a major thud
7. TCU - Horned Frogs make overhaul with the offensive coaching staff
8. Iowa State - Paul Rhoads got this team to play with great effort at the end
9. West Virginia - If the defense isn't better in 2014, it could be Dana Holgorsen's last
10. Kansas - Finding stability at quarterback is a must in the offseason
-Kevin Lonnquist
Emptying the Notebook
>As for the Texas opening, it appears that any serious movement by AD Steve Patterson will probably start next week after Texas finishes its Alamo Bowl game with Oregon on Monday. Everything that we have learned to this point reveals Art Briles name continues to be a part of the discussion. What we can tell you is that it doesn't seem like Briles is the first option as Texas wants to make a run at Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher first. Even though the movement may start next week, if Texas thinks it has a real chance at Fisher, it obviously must wait until the BCS championship game on Jan. 6 before it can move.
However, we do know that Briles is among the top 3-4 names being considered in this process. Of course, Baylor is watching this closely. There is natural concern, but everybody in Waco has to ride through this as uncomfortable as it is. You've just watched Baylor go through arguably the best four-year stretch in its history. Now, it has a coach that a lot of football programs covet including the NFL (Washington). That's just the way this works. Briles' salary of about $4.5 million reportedly makes him among the Top 10 paid coaches in college football. Chip Brown of Orangebloods has said that Texas offering anything beyond $7 million per year is not accurate. That would still be 50 percent increase to what Briles just agreed to in mid-November.
But in a worst case scenario - meaning Briles leaves for Texas - the program has never been in better position than before he arrived. The facilities (present and coming) are great recruiting tools. And Baylor AD Ian McCaw would be in a great position to sell this program to a better applicant pool.
We'll stay on this in the best and most responsible way possible.
-SicEmSports
If you don't know anything about what happened with Rockwell, then pretend you didn't read this.
A long way to go
Rockdale 2014 soft commit, LB James David, had a strong season after coming back from a pretty tough knee injury in 2012.
He finished the 2013 season with 113 tackles including eight for loss, three forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries (one went for a touchdown).
But his future at getting into Baylor is far from a certainty. As we continue to check David's academic progress, we do know that David still has a lot more to do in several areas to get this part of his resume in order for him to even have a chance to get into a Baylor.
We also know that David has been speaking with several junior colleges. So there is the possibility he could double sign on Feb. 5, 2014. That really shouldn't surprise anyone given what we have learned when he gave that odd commitment to Baylor back in June.
While there is another semester to go, the early read on a best-case scenario for James is that he would arrive at Baylor in August before fall workouts begin.
-Kevin Lonnquist
Florida LB wants to hear from Baylor
If Baylor still wants to find some defensive help and wants to focus on a linebacker, Fort Pierce (FL) Central's Sharieff Rhaheed would like to get to know the staff more. The 5.7 3-star prospect holds 30 offers and has taken official visits to Arkansas and Missouri.
At 6-4, 215, Rhaheed said he would like to learn a little more about Baylor because he has seen the defense take major steps in 2013. And a Big 12 championship didn't hurt it either.
"I've seen them play three times this year, and I've really watched the way [Eddie] Lackey has played,'' Rhaheed said. "They're pretty good.''
Rhaheed is looking at everything right now. He moved up five spots on the Rivals outside linebackers' national list to No. 40. However, he missed most of the 2013 season with a wrist injury.
While he told our Arkansas colleagues that he has narrowed his list to Arkansas, Missouri, Alabama, Louisville and Tennessee, he appeared to leave the door open should he and the Baylor coaching staff ever make contact.
-Kevin Lonnquist
Lodge has stronger feeling toward Baylor
Cedar Hill WR DaMarkus Lodge is feeling pretty good these days after helping the Longhorns win the Class 5A Division II state championship last week, a 34-24 victory over Katy.
Lodge rushed for 103 yards including a 61-yard touchdown run. He also made an incredible catch on the go-ahead 3-yard touchdown catch midway through the fourth quarter from QB Justin McMillan. The play unfolded as McMillan rolled to his left and found Lodge right on a tight window with little room to spare before he went out of bounds. But Lodge showed uncoachable body control and kept both feet in bounds.
"I saw Justin scrambling out of the pocket, and I thought he was going to run it in,'' Lodge said, "so I was actually coming out of the end zone to hit the man chasing him, and I saw the ball flying at me at a high speed. I caught it knowing where I was on the field and made sure I got my two feet down. It was good.''
Baylor appears to have made up some lost ground to the likes of Texas and Oklahoma with the Rivals No. 29 2015 prospect. But there's still a ways to go here. Lodge finished the season with 1,255 receiving yards (17.4 ypc) and 22 touchdowns.
"[Baylor] is definitely on the top of my list right now if I had one,'' Lodge said.
-Kevin Lonnquist
Big 12 Bowl Season
A look at the conference teams playing in their bowl games. All times are central are in chronological order. All rankings are BCS. The Big 12 only has six bowl representatives. TCU, West Virginia, Iowa State and Kansas were not bowl eligible.
Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl
Michigan (7-5) vs. Kansas State (7-5)
9:15 p.m. Saturday, Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, AZ (ESPN)
The skinny: A very intriguing Big 12-Big 10 matchup. The Wolverines really struggled defensively this year surrendering 26 points per game but also losing four games by four points or less. Michigan quarterback Devin Gardner (toe/foot) is out, according to coach Brady Hoke. Freshman Shane Morris gets the start. The Wildcats won five out of their last seven to become bowl eligible. Coach Bill Snyder has maintained there will be a quarterback rotation between Jake Waters and Daniel Sams. DE Ryan Mueller is the Big 12 defensive player of the year.
Valero Alamo Bowl
No. 10 Oregon (10-2) vs. Texas (8-4)
5:45 p.m. Monday, Alamodome, San Antonio (ESPN)
The skinny: The final game for Texas coach Mack Brown, who announced on Dec. 14 he is stepping down. Of course, the speculation surrounding his replacement is at the forefront. DE Jackson Jeffcoat completes a brilliant career. The Ducks had BCS title hopes but fell short because their offense just wasn't physical enough. QB Marcus Mariota has announced he will return for 2014.
National University Holiday Bowl
Texas Tech (7-5) vs. No. 14 Arizona State (10-3)
8:15 p.m. Monday, Qualcom Stadium, San Diego (ESPN)
The skinny: Two programs heading in different directions. Despite losing the PAC 12 championship game at home to Stanford, the Sun Devils are hot winning seven of their last eight. Quarterback Taylor Kelly has thrown for 3,510 yards and 28 TDs. The Red Raiders look like they will start QB Michael Brewer. That caused walk-on Baker Mayfield to move on. Tech lost its last five games because it gave up at least 38 points in all of them and couldn't run the football.
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
No. 15 UCF (11-1) vs. No. 6 Baylor (11-1)
7:30 p.m. Wednesday, University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ (ESPN)
The skinny: The Big 12 champion Bears are trying to finish a magical season with a 12th victory. It appears WR Tevin Reese (wrist) should play but warmups should tell the story. The Baylor defense finished second in the Big 12 in total defense at 344.1 ypg. The Golden Knights won the AAC thanks to stellar QB play from Blake Bortles who could be first round choice should he declare for the NFL draft. RB Storm Johnson is 1,000-yard bruising rusher.
AllState Sugar Bowl
No. 11 Oklahoma (10-2) vs. No. 3 Alabama (11-1)
7:30 p.m. Thursday, Superdome, New Orleans (ESPN)
The skinny: Somehow, the Sooners found their way into the BCS with an at-large berth. They've had quarterback inconsistencies all year between Blake Bell and Trevor Knight. This team has had to rely on its running game. What Alabama must face is how interested it is in playing this game since head coach Nick Saban had this team prepared to play in Pasadena, CA in the BCS title game until the freakish loss to Auburn. QB A.J. McCarron makes his final start.
AT&T Cotton Bowl
No. 13 Oklahoma State (10-2) vs. No. 8 Missouri (11-2)
7:30 p.m. Jan. 3, AT&T Stadium, Arlington (FOX)
The skinny: Both of these teams needed wins to get to the BCS but lost their finales. Still, this should be a great matchup between the former Big 12 rivals. The Cowboys have had excellent quarterback play from senior Clint Chelf. Missouri, which won the SEC East, has one of the most dangerous wide receiver corps in the country led by former Rivals No. 1 prospect Dorial-Green Beckham.
-SicEmSports
Big 12 Power Rankings
Each week, SicEmSports ranks the Big 12 teams based on expectations and performance. Ratings always vary. Agree or disagree, there's nothing like finding out who is ranked where. These rankings were before the bowl games.
1. Baylor - Big 12 Champions looking for a Fiesta Bowl win
2. Oklahoma - You look at this team and wonder how it won 10 games
3. Oklahoma State - Cotton Bowl matchup with Missouri should be a dandy
4. Texas - Longhorns have daunting task in Mack Brown's finale against Oregon
5. Kansas State - Second consecutive bowl appearance in Arizona (2013 Fiesta)
6. Texas Tech - Coach Kliff Kingsbury's first season ending with a major thud
7. TCU - Horned Frogs make overhaul with the offensive coaching staff
8. Iowa State - Paul Rhoads got this team to play with great effort at the end
9. West Virginia - If the defense isn't better in 2014, it could be Dana Holgorsen's last
10. Kansas - Finding stability at quarterback is a must in the offseason
-Kevin Lonnquist
Emptying the Notebook
>As for the Texas opening, it appears that any serious movement by AD Steve Patterson will probably start next week after Texas finishes its Alamo Bowl game with Oregon on Monday. Everything that we have learned to this point reveals Art Briles name continues to be a part of the discussion. What we can tell you is that it doesn't seem like Briles is the first option as Texas wants to make a run at Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher first. Even though the movement may start next week, if Texas thinks it has a real chance at Fisher, it obviously must wait until the BCS championship game on Jan. 6 before it can move.
However, we do know that Briles is among the top 3-4 names being considered in this process. Of course, Baylor is watching this closely. There is natural concern, but everybody in Waco has to ride through this as uncomfortable as it is. You've just watched Baylor go through arguably the best four-year stretch in its history. Now, it has a coach that a lot of football programs covet including the NFL (Washington). That's just the way this works. Briles' salary of about $4.5 million reportedly makes him among the Top 10 paid coaches in college football. Chip Brown of Orangebloods has said that Texas offering anything beyond $7 million per year is not accurate. That would still be 50 percent increase to what Briles just agreed to in mid-November.
But in a worst case scenario - meaning Briles leaves for Texas - the program has never been in better position than before he arrived. The facilities (present and coming) are great recruiting tools. And Baylor AD Ian McCaw would be in a great position to sell this program to a better applicant pool.
We'll stay on this in the best and most responsible way possible.
-SicEmSports
