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.
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NOTE: Whatever rumblings we’re hearing about Navasota WR Tren’Davian Dickson wanting to get back into Baylor’s thinking may be coming more from his side than anything else. We’ve talked to several sources who are of the belief that Baylor is no longer involved in Dickson’s recruitment. So if Dickson was to come up to the Baylor-West Virginia game, it would more likely be on his own doing. Given that news, we will continue to work under the knowledge that Baylor has no interest. If Dickson were to de-commit from Texas and go elsewhere, it would appear that Baylor will not be it.
NOTE II: Two other Saturday visits to watch. Trophy Club Byron Nelson offensive tackle Kellen Diesch, who recently de-committed from Arkansas and is a Baylor target, is going to be attending the Texas A&M-Alabama game at Kyle Field. We also checked in with Kennedale linebacker and 2017 commit Baron Browning who told us he will not be attending Baylor’s game against West Virginia on Saturday. At this point, we do not know if he is headed elsewhere this weekend. It would appear that Baylor is making a push to have its major recruiting targets come to Waco for the Nov. 14 game against Oklahoma. One of those is expected to be Plano East 2017 linebacker Anthony Hines.
Baylor-West Virginia visitors:
A look at those who are expected to attend Baylor’s game against West Virginia at 11:00 am Saturday at McLane Stadium. As always, these lists are subject to change.
>J.P. Urquidez, OL, Copperas Cove (Baylor 2016 commit)
>Kameron Martin, RB, Port Arthur Memorial (Baylor 2016 commit)
>Jared Atkinson, WR, Mesquite Horn (Baylor 2016 commit)
>Denzel Mims, Ath, Daingerfield (Baylor 2016 commit)
>Deonte Williams, LB, Plano Prestonwood (Baylor 2016 commit)
>James Lynch, DE, Round Rock (Baylor 2017 interest)
>Rashauud Paul, Ath/WR, Caldwell (Baylor 2017 interest)
>Rajah Preciado, Ath/S, College Station (Baylor 2016 commit)
>Ondario Robinson, DE, Hutton (Baylor 2017 interest -- Georgia has already offered)
>Garrison Tullos, OL, Bremond (Baylor 2017 interest)
>Kenneth Murray, DB, FB Elkins (Baylor 2017 interest)
There were a lot of notes sent out to recruits with no response or those who said they were not going. Again, that 11:00 a.m. is going to be tough. We were told that on one from Dallas Bishop Dunne was expected to attend.
-Kevin Lonnquist
VIDEO: Bears in the spotlight
Stephen Cook rounded up media gatherings from WR Corey Coleman, QB Seth Russell and NB Travon Blanchard. There's also an audio clip from DB Xavien Howard.
Xavien Howard
Audio clip
Corey Coleman
Seth Russell
Travon Blanchard
-SicEmSports
Pitch and Catch:
When Seth Russell threw his 21st touchdown pass of the season last week against Kansas, it was also his 13th to Corey Coleman. So that got us to thinking about the most prolific touchdown combinations in Baylor history.
And you don’t have to go back very far to find them. Not surprisingly, every passing and receiving record in Baylor history is during the Art Briles era (2008-2015 and counting).
Still, we wanted to give you an idea of where Russell-to-Coleman stands. These are unofficial.
>QB Robert Griffin III to WR Kendall Wright – 27
>QB Bryce Petty to WR Antwan Goodley - 18
>QB Seth Russell to WR Corey Coleman - 14
>QB Nick Florence to WR Terrance Williams - 12
>QB Robert Griffin III to WR Terrance Williams - 11
As an aside, Tevin Reese finished with 24 career touchdowns but he played with three different quarterbacks from 2011-2013. He was with Robert Griffin III in 2011, Nick Florence in 2012 and Bryce Petty in 2013 so his TD receptions were divided between those three signal callers.
Here’s what’s interesting about Baylor receiving stats: Receiving yardage stats starting being recorded in 1945. From 1945-2010, Baylor produced only two 1,000-yard receivers. Gerald McNeil had 1,034 in 1983. Reggie Newhouse had 1,140 in 2002. With 678 receiving yards, Coleman is closing in on giving the Bears their fifth consecutive 1,000-yard receiver.
-Kevin Lonnquist
Another 2017 WR target:
Mansfield (Texas) 2017 wide receiver Saiid Adebo already holds five offers and continues to hear from several other programs, including Baylor.
“I have been talking with Coach (Jeff) Lebby from Baylor,” Adebo said. “He has just talked about getting me down there for a game. They want me to visit and see what they are all about, we haven’t talked about the program very much.”
The 6-foot-1, 175-pound prospect remains open to any school at the moment, but did mention a few programs that are showing more interest than others.
“I would say that Duke, Arkansas, Tech and Oklahoma are the coaches showing the most interest,” Adebo said. “Baylor, TCU and Oklahoma State are also in the mix. Most of the coaches like my hands, speed and length at the receiver position.
“I was planning on taking visits to Oklahoma, Baylor and Arkansas this season. I just haven’t got around to scheduling visits because it’s been busy during the school year and season. I did attend the TCU and SMU game, it was pretty nice.”
Rated a three-star prospect, Adebo is the No. 75 player on the Rivals.com Texas Initial Top 80 for the 2017 class.
-Matt Clare
Baylor DT commit Roy sidelined:
Spring (Texas) defensive tackle and Baylor commitment Bravvion Roy is currently serving a three game suspension.
The Lions recently faced the rival Westfield Mustangs and the two teams were involved in a bench clearly brawl of sorts. Several players were involved, some were ejected and the athletic director handed down suspensions during the following week.
“Yeah, I got mixed up in that,” Roy said. “We tried to appeal the decision, but it’s still a three game suspension. I have already sat out one game and have two more left.”
The 6-foot-2, 315-pound tackle plans to officially visit Waco for the game against Texas on December 5th.
-Matt Clare
Big 12 Weekend:
A look at the Big 12 games for Saturday Oct. 1. All times are central and are listed in chronological order according to kickoff time. Baylor’s game vs. West Virginia will not be listed because of the preview. Texas and Oklahoma State have byes.
Texas Tech (4-2, 1-2) at Kansas (0-5, 0-2); 11:00 a.m. Memorial Stadium, Lawrence, KS. (FOX Sports 1) – Texas Tech leads the series, 15-1: The Red Raiders are on the march toward being bowl eligible. They put 66 points and nearly 800 yards of total offense. Kansas freshman QB Ryan Willis is expected to make his second consecutive start. There were times when he played OK and against Baylor. The Jayhawks are the only Big 12 team not to break 100 points.
No. 19/19 Oklahoma (4-1, 1-1) at Kansas State (3-2, 0-2); 2:30 p.m. Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Manhattan, KS (ABC) – Series: Oklahoma leads, 72-19-4: Call this a turning point game for the Sooners who need this after getting physically beat up by Texas last week. The mystery of why Oklahoma’s running game is struggling continues. The Sooners averaged less than two yards per carry last week. Kansas State has the league’s top rushing defense (105.2). KSU needs some good luck after dropping its first two games – Oklahoma State and TCU – by a total of nine points and inside the final 90 seconds.
No. 3/3 TCU (6-0, 3-0) at Iowa State (2-3, 1-1): 6:30 p.m. Jack Trice Stadium, Ames, IA (ESPN2) – Series: TCU leads, 5-1: The gauntlet of facing high powered offenses for the Cyclones continues. TCU is 3rd in the Big 12 at 615.5 yards per game and features QB Trevone Boykin who has thrown for 2,103 yards and 21 TDs. WR Josh Doctson needs 113 more receiving yards to reach 1,000 for the season. TCU’s defense is slowly getting it together. It’s in the middle of the Big 12 in yards allowed at 368.8 yards per game. Iowa State is least penalized team in the conference at 261 yards.
-SicEmSports
Big 12 Power Rankings:
Each week, SicEmSports releases its power rankings. Their rankings are determined by how teams performed from the previous week. Agree or disagree, that’s what makes these interesting.
1. Baylor -- Bears looking to avenge 2014 loss in Morgantown, WVA
2. TCU – Horned Frogs pulling out another gutsy Big 12 road win at KSU
3. Oklahoma State – Watch this defensive line and how much it’s improving
4. Oklahoma – Bob Stoops and his staff really up against the wall in Manhattan, KS
5. West Virginia – From turnover stingy to turnover friendly
6. Texas Tech – Scored 316 points and allowed 238
7. Kansas State – Bill Snyder regrets not going a first down vs. TCU
8. Texas – Is everything starting to stabilize on the 40 acres?
9. Iowa State – In a thankless stretch of facing Texas Tech, TCU and Baylor. Yikes!
10. Kansas – QB Ryan Willis getting on-the-job training
- Kevin Lonnquist
Emptying out the Notebook:
>There’s a good reason why Grandview QB Zach Smith will not be attending Baylor’s game on Saturday. He and his teammates will be in Fort Worth feeding the homeless.
>With Corey Coleman’s season on the verge of becoming historic. On Thursday, the junior was added to the Maxwell Award Watch list. That award is presented to the outstanding collegiate football player in the country. The award dates back to 1937. Coleman joins RB Shock Linwood and QB Seth Russell who were originally on the list.
>Keep on the lookout for Colleyville Heritage 2018 wide receiver Ke'Von Ahmad on Friday. He's going for his consecutive 200-yard receiving performance against Hurst L.D. Bell. He's already at 900 yards for the year.
>According to his profile, Highland CC OLB Tyree Horton (6-1, 225) is scheduled to take an official visit to Baylor Nov. 14 (Oklahoma game). Obviously, Baylor has been set on taking one LB (Deonte Williams). However, there could be something more at work. He is a linebacker type. If Baylor has changed its mind and wants to add a second linebacker, it could slot Horton into Grant Campbell's spot and give Williams -- depending on if the staff see Horton and Williams as the same LB -- a redshirt and break him in gradually. Horton de committed from Florida State earlier this summer. He was scheduled to visit Waco in July when those plans changed.
-SicEmSports