Worried about Baylor starting a freshman QB? Don’t be.
Don’t call Baylor’s newly-minted starting quarterback a freshman. Head coach Art Briles isn’t. Freshman is now “a word we don’t use,” Briles told the media on Monday. And when asked if he would simplify the nation’s top offense or temper the team’s lofty expectations with a young quarterback newly thrust into the starting role, his answer was even more direct.
Seth Russell’s season-ending injury vs. Iowa State and subsequent surgery to repair a broken bone in his neck have caused many to wonder how Baylor’s title hopes will be impacted. But with quarterback Jarrett Stidham waiting in the wings, there’s reason to believe the high-octane Baylor offense will continue to operate as the nation’s best.
First, there’s Art Briles — the quarterback whisperer; his results speak for themselves. Briles helped mold Robert Griffin III into a Heisman Trophy winner, Nick Florence into the program’s single-season passing leader, Bryce Petty into a two-time Big 12 champion and Seth Russell into a QB who was on pace to shatter numerous records before his injury. No coach in the last decade has done a better job of putting each starting quarterback he’s coached in a place where he can succeed.
Then, there’s the cast around Stidham. No one questions the value of starting behind Baylor’s stellar offensive line, which has paved the way for the nation’s highest scoring and most-balanced offense. Stidham will also have weapons like Corey Coleman (on pace to set the NCAA single-season receiving touchdown record), Shock Linwood (on pace to become Baylor’s all-time leading rusher), and the rest of Baylor’s incredible collection of receivers and running backs to lean on. The returning players formed the nucleus of an offense that led the nation in points and yards the last two seasons, and is poised to do so again.
Then, there’s Stidham himself — the No. 1 dual-threat high school quarterback in the nation a year ago, and a guy who graduated high school early so he could get a jump start on joining his new team. That means he’s been with the program for almost 11 months, gaining valuable reps and experience that will suit him now that he’s in the starting role.
With the Bears blowing out so many opponents during the first half of this season, Stidham has gotten far more playing time than most backup QBs — and he’s made the most of it. His very first collegiate pass was a 42-yard touchdown, and so far this year he’s thrown more touchdowns (6) than incompletions (4). Overall, Stidham is 24-of-28 passing for 331 yards and six touchdowns without an interception.
Even so, asking a freshman quarterback to help pilot a team to a national championship seems impossible, right? Nope; you only have to go back to last year for an example, when freshman J.T. Barrett — a backup to start the season — led Ohio State to the brink of a national championship before the Buckeyes won it all with their third-string quarterback, Cardale Jones. Those with longer memories might recall the 1985 season, when Oklahoma lost Troy Aikman to an injury and won the national title with freshman Jamelle Holieway at quarterback.
Yes, the road ahead is challenging. The Bears’ remaining games include road games at Kansas State, No. 12 Oklahoma State and No. 5 TCU, plus home games against No. 14 Oklahoma and long-time rival Texas. You could consider those obstacles to the end goal — or opportunities to build a resume in a quest to reach the playoffs and contend for a national title.
Sic ’em, Jarrett Stidham and Baylor football!