supercentex
07-22-2006, 12:19 PM
WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS
If all goes according to plan, these are the stars of the show. Making the "air raid" offense work takes a squadron of receivers buzzing around in the secondary, getting open and causing havoc. Which is why the Bears are concerned about their depth at the position despite returning four of their top five receivers from last season.
"Receivers for us are essentially our running backs, just split out wide," Hays said. "We'd like to get them in space and create mismatches. & I think our receivers are solid. Right now the question is depth."
The top of the group ranks among the top receiving tandems in the Big 12. Senior Dominique Zeigler (Killeen Harker Heights) (6-3, 180) was a second-team all-conference choice in 2005 after leading the Bears for the second consecutive season with 48 catches, 563 yards and five touchdowns. He is fifth on the Baylor career receptions list with 112 and is within sight of the school records in career catches and touchdowns. He has caught at least two passes in each of his last 21 games.
On the opposite side, senior Trent Shelton (North Crowley) (6-2, 207) ranks sixth in career receptions (102) and is coming off a 39-catch, 452-yard, one-touchdown season. His 33-game reception streak is the nation's fourth longest and is one game short of Reggie Newhouse's school record. He had two or more catches in 27 of those 33 games.
"Oh, man, he really is very impressive," Hays said of Zeigler, the Bears' most dangerous offensive weapon. "And as far as emerging guys, the one that jumps out is Trent. He's got great vertical speed and he's a guy I think a few NFL teams are looking at."
After that, the receiver corps is more about potential than production, and the prospect that gets Hays excited the most is an incoming freshman. David Gettis (Los Angeles Dorsey High) (6-4, 198) was among the nation's top recruits when the Bears originally signed him in 2005, but the NCAA Clearinghouse ruled him academically ineligible. Now Gettis has his academics in order and has signed again with the Bears, who are eager to utilize his sensational speed.
As a senior at Dorsey High in Los Angeles, Gettis ran 400 meters in 45.84 seconds, the fastest prep time in the nation, to win a record third consecutive state title. He is also reported to have run 40 yards in 4.35 seconds.
"David can absolutely fly," Morriss said. "He's got great speed and athletic ability. I believe the sky is the limit for him. He's a world-class quarter-miler, but his first love is football."
Gettis is only one of several young Baylor wide-outs hoping to break out this season. Sophomore Mikail Baker (6-0, 191), a home-run hitter who last year averaged 19.8 yards per catch, enters fall practice as Shelton's primary backup at the X position.
Queito Teasley (Katy Cinco Ranch) (6-1, 175), an athletic sophomore who competes as a long jumper on the track team, is what Hays called "an all-purpose guy we've got to get on the field."
Sophomore Carl Sims (Waco High) (5-10, 168) is the type of water-bug receiver who can thrive in the spread attack.
Sophomore Trey Payne (LaMarque) (5-9, 182) and the rest of the incoming freshmen, including Justin Fenty (Denton Ryan) (5-10, 160) and Garfield Hicks (Waco Midway) (6-2, 172), also have a chance to make a quick impact.
"We have three or four highly touted receivers coming in that we're expecting to help us," Hays said. "With the kids that we have on campus right now, I think it will be a good mix. We'll have those freshmen just getting enough time to get their feet wet and spell the kids who are going to have to play the majority of the game. We're hoping one of them emerges this year."
The spread's multiple formations sometimes include a tight end -- referred to as "Big Y" or "Big H," depending on the set -- and the most intriguing of them for the Bears is Terrance Parks, (Lufkin) a 6-4, 243-pound junior who was moved from quarterback in the spring. "He really emerged at Y and is going to be a threat," Hays said.
He'll battle for time at that position with juniors Mike Miller (6-3, 243) and Jordan Adams (6-4, 248).
If all goes according to plan, these are the stars of the show. Making the "air raid" offense work takes a squadron of receivers buzzing around in the secondary, getting open and causing havoc. Which is why the Bears are concerned about their depth at the position despite returning four of their top five receivers from last season.
"Receivers for us are essentially our running backs, just split out wide," Hays said. "We'd like to get them in space and create mismatches. & I think our receivers are solid. Right now the question is depth."
The top of the group ranks among the top receiving tandems in the Big 12. Senior Dominique Zeigler (Killeen Harker Heights) (6-3, 180) was a second-team all-conference choice in 2005 after leading the Bears for the second consecutive season with 48 catches, 563 yards and five touchdowns. He is fifth on the Baylor career receptions list with 112 and is within sight of the school records in career catches and touchdowns. He has caught at least two passes in each of his last 21 games.
On the opposite side, senior Trent Shelton (North Crowley) (6-2, 207) ranks sixth in career receptions (102) and is coming off a 39-catch, 452-yard, one-touchdown season. His 33-game reception streak is the nation's fourth longest and is one game short of Reggie Newhouse's school record. He had two or more catches in 27 of those 33 games.
"Oh, man, he really is very impressive," Hays said of Zeigler, the Bears' most dangerous offensive weapon. "And as far as emerging guys, the one that jumps out is Trent. He's got great vertical speed and he's a guy I think a few NFL teams are looking at."
After that, the receiver corps is more about potential than production, and the prospect that gets Hays excited the most is an incoming freshman. David Gettis (Los Angeles Dorsey High) (6-4, 198) was among the nation's top recruits when the Bears originally signed him in 2005, but the NCAA Clearinghouse ruled him academically ineligible. Now Gettis has his academics in order and has signed again with the Bears, who are eager to utilize his sensational speed.
As a senior at Dorsey High in Los Angeles, Gettis ran 400 meters in 45.84 seconds, the fastest prep time in the nation, to win a record third consecutive state title. He is also reported to have run 40 yards in 4.35 seconds.
"David can absolutely fly," Morriss said. "He's got great speed and athletic ability. I believe the sky is the limit for him. He's a world-class quarter-miler, but his first love is football."
Gettis is only one of several young Baylor wide-outs hoping to break out this season. Sophomore Mikail Baker (6-0, 191), a home-run hitter who last year averaged 19.8 yards per catch, enters fall practice as Shelton's primary backup at the X position.
Queito Teasley (Katy Cinco Ranch) (6-1, 175), an athletic sophomore who competes as a long jumper on the track team, is what Hays called "an all-purpose guy we've got to get on the field."
Sophomore Carl Sims (Waco High) (5-10, 168) is the type of water-bug receiver who can thrive in the spread attack.
Sophomore Trey Payne (LaMarque) (5-9, 182) and the rest of the incoming freshmen, including Justin Fenty (Denton Ryan) (5-10, 160) and Garfield Hicks (Waco Midway) (6-2, 172), also have a chance to make a quick impact.
"We have three or four highly touted receivers coming in that we're expecting to help us," Hays said. "With the kids that we have on campus right now, I think it will be a good mix. We'll have those freshmen just getting enough time to get their feet wet and spell the kids who are going to have to play the majority of the game. We're hoping one of them emerges this year."
The spread's multiple formations sometimes include a tight end -- referred to as "Big Y" or "Big H," depending on the set -- and the most intriguing of them for the Bears is Terrance Parks, (Lufkin) a 6-4, 243-pound junior who was moved from quarterback in the spring. "He really emerged at Y and is going to be a threat," Hays said.
He'll battle for time at that position with juniors Mike Miller (6-3, 243) and Jordan Adams (6-4, 248).