Blueprint for Baylor

[Firebird]

I think everyone can agree that Baylor has certainly been a surprise (if not a pleasant one) this season. They need to notch 2 more wins to become bowl eligible for the first time since they joined the Big 12. Now, much of their recent success is undoubtably due to the fact that the Big 12 is having a down year all around, but, it confirms my sneaking suspicion that Baylor has had no reason to be so bad, so long. But they are operating at a disadvantage when it comes to recruiting. UT, of course, is the 500 pound gorilla in the state, especially CenTex, but every year Aggie raids the area, and Tech, Oklahoma, TCU, even Okie St. beat them for players. Baylor needs an edge, something special to lure players to Waco. So here it is my Baylor Blueprint. Some of this may seem controversial.

1. CenTex, CenTex, CenTex. First things first. UT gets the pick of the litter in CenTex. It will always be that way. But, after UT gets the 5 and 4 star recruits, Baylor needs to make sure that no 2 and 3 star recruits leave home. A winning season will help with that. Most of all, they need to pitch themselves as better choice than Aggie or Tech for CenTex players, they need to build up a rep with area coaches. Case in point-- Taurean Hendersen, out of Gatesville, should never have been allowed to slip off to Lubbock.

2. Pay attention to who Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austin are recruiting. The NFL is cram packed with athletes coming out of I-AA. These are players that should have been playing D-IA somewhere, but got overlooked. Baylor needs to start looking for talent outside of the "starred" recruits. Look for guys that are just a little bit too small for UT to notice. Look for the phenomanal athletes that haven't played much HS ball-- been buried behind a bigger talent, have transferred around from school to school, etc., etc. Look for the monster lineman forgotten down in 2A or 1A ball. Operating at a disadvantage already, Baylor msut get creative and try to find new sources of talent, then try to make up the development difference in-house. They are already doing so-- they have a D-lineman who played six man ball.

up next-- the stuff I'll really get knocked for.

[wide-e-wide]

Calm down Baylor...don't get to big for your britches just yet.
Vince is coming to Floyd in a couple of weeks.
That will put things in perspective.

[jtk1519]

I like what Baylor is doing and if they can keep it up, the possibilities are endless.

Baylor needs to heavily recruit Central Texas (Waco, Temple, Copperas Cove, Killeen, etc.). Texas is going to get the cream of the crop, but there are still great athletes in these areas. I would also recruit kids from schools that are used to the system that Baylor runs. That means recruit SLC, Ennis, Highland Park, etc. There are some underrated athletes at those schools.

I would also take a serious look at JUCOs. Blinn, Navarro, etc. all have great athletes.

I think Baylor has the coaches to win with those athletes. If they can get the ball rolling, Baylor will start having an easier time recruiting in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, etc. A little more winning and Baylor will be able to start recruiting the region and eventually the nation.

[Firebird]

3. The Divine Intervention method. They are in every locker room in the NFL, and nearly every college. They tear people's heads off on Sunday or Saturday afternoon, then go to Bible Study all week. They are the guys who kneel to pray after every touchdown, thank the Lord after every sack. Football and religion mix, and mix often, and more often than not, its the Baptist brand of Christianity (or other close relative).It cuts across racial and economic divides. Ironically, as the admin at Baylor are looking to pull away from their strong Baptst roots, they are giving up a powerful recruiting tool. Baylor needs to actively and strongly pitch itself as THE choice for the Christian athlete. The place where big-time athletics does not have to go hand in hand with big-time debauchery. They lost some cred with the basketball scandal, but they can make that up. It is one of the few D-I schools actively promoting their religious ties.

Baylor needs to have recruiters hitting up Fellowship of Christian Athlete meetings and church "Fifth Quarter" parties across Texas and the south/southwest. They need a recruiting office that has one job, and one job only: calling every Baptist preacher in the south and asking "Know of any local grid-iron heros sitting in your pews on Sunday?" Then following up on it. They must push these athletes HARD, convine them that Baylor will help develop their soul AND NFL draft stock. It will make a difference, for more kids than you realize.

4 "Mom's the word". This goes hand in hand with above. Even if that star qb is more interesed in co-eds than church, there is a good chance that Mom isn't. Recruit mom. Invite her on recruiting trips. Take her to church with some nice, clean cut team members and assistant coaches. Mom has junior's ear, more than anyone knows. Put the full court press on her, let her know that at Baylor, the staff cares about more than wins on Saturday. And all the while, current players are pointing out to Mr. Gunslinger that those blonde things in sundresses sitting two pews down aren't exactly woofers (Baylor girls hold their own.) Plus, there is less of a chance of them having some loathsome STD or getting fat 'cause they drink too much and are on the pill.
By the time the trip is over, Mom KNOWS where jr needs to go, and junior is beginning to see the upside.

That's it. Cynical I know. But as I see it, even after winning some ball games, Baylor needs an edge, an angle. This might just be it.

[Firebird]

Wide-E-Wide--

I'm not even a Baylor fan. I would like them to pass up Aggie though. And I realize they are light years behind UT, and always will be. But no one can deny that they have taken strides under Morris. This is just an idea of how they can develop further. A little change is good for the conference, I don't want to see Baylor a perpetual doormat.

[wide-e-wide]

I don't either...that's the job of aggy...and no one else. Sic 'em....errrr....
I can't say that....sorry...Hook 'em...
just beat aggy...