Dean's Blog: Art Briles And Baylor

Day 2 at the Big 12 Media Days is jam-packed with four of the most recognized programs in the league on hand: Texas, Baylor, OU and OSU.

ART BRILES, Baylor

The folksy Briles has become a respected head coach not only in the league but around the country. His prolific offenses get most of the attention but he’s a savage recruiter, particularly with skill players, and has accumulated enough talent on both sides of the ball to be a challenger for titles every year.

On , new QB Seth Russell:

Great work ethic, local kid that we’ve got to make sure we don’t put too much pressure on him because we have nine back on defense and good players around him. He doesn’t have to be great. Be good and predictable and we’ll be fine.

Defensively: Not only 9 starters return but they’re good. Really good. And big. He’s got an OG who is a 6-8, 304-pounder who makes his defensive stalwart Shawn Oakman appear miniature. The stud DE is a 6-9, 280 pound senior who should become a first-round draft pick: “Great leader, human being, college graduate in December and incredible desire to be great.”

Baylor will don Gun Medal Grey colored helmets. Art says as long as his team has one more point than the opponent he’ll love the helmet.

Art says he never met a good loss or a bad win and that his job is to win. “If we win 12 games we will be in the title game.” That was his way of defending another weak non-conference schedule.

IN SUM:

Baylor has won/shared two straight conference titles and with a couple of breaks or an injured TCU QB Art’s bunch is good enough to make it a trifecta. I’d expect new QB Russell to rack up big numbers and gain experience before the late season gauntlet they, and all Big 12 powers face. But will Russell be good enough to make the game-winning plays that RG3, Nick Florence and Bryce Petty consistently pulled off? I’ll have to see it to believe it—but not doubt, OU and OSU will have their work cut out for them against a team that has out-recruited them, although the recruiting services say otherwise. Match up position by position between Baylor and our state schools and you’ll see that they would come out on top more times than not. That’s the test of who has the best talent.

Bob Stoops and Company are in the house.