Individual honors abound with BU football one month from kicking off 2011
Can you believe we’re already one month away from the start of Baylor’s 2011 football season? The Bears kickoff at 7 p.m. on Sept. 2 at Floyd Casey Stadium against the defending Rose Bowl champs, TCU, in a game that will be nationally televised on ESPN.
Even after losing four Bears to the NFL Draft in April and seeing six others sign NFL free agent contracts last week, Baylor still returns plenty of talent, many of whom are already getting consideration for individual honors.
It all starts, of course, with Heisman candidate QB Robert Griffin III. (It feels good to be able to say that, doesn’t it?) Entering his junior season, RG3 is on the preseason watch lists for the Maxwell and Walter Camp awards (each honoring the nation’s most outstanding player) and the Davey O’Brien Award (nation’s best quarterback). He’s also been nominated for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, which recognizes football student athletes for their work in the community.
But Griffin is far from the only star on this team. Senior Kendall Wright, Baylor’s all-time receptions leader, was named to the watch list for the Biletnikoff Award (nation’s top receiver). Senior Philip Blake is on the watch list for the Rimington Trophy (top collegiate center), and sophomore Aaron Jones is on the watch list for the Lou Groza Award (top kicker).
Add up that sort of talent on the offensive side of the ball, then add in the reputation of new defensive coordinator Phil Bennett, and you can see why the Bears are receiving more respect entering 2011. Baylor was picked to finish sixth in the Big 12 by the league’s coaches, and preseason football magazines have raved about the Bears as well.
So make sure you get your tickets and your gear (including the 2011-12 Gold Rush shirt), and we’ll see you at Floyd Casey on Sept. 2!
Sic ’em, Baylor football!