Bearkats to battle Baylor in Waco
9/15/2012 7:32:00 AM | Football
Now, 28 games later, the Kats are back in Waco for another crack at Baylor.
"I remember my sophomore year, they beat us, but we were young," Sam Houston senior safety Kenneth Jenkins said following Tuesday's practice. "For some guys, it was their first game and we didn't know the defense that well. Now that we know the defense, I think that we've got a shot."
In 2010, the Bears had the explosive playmakers such as Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Robert Griffin III, running back Terrance Ganaway or wide receiver Kendall Wright, all who are now playing in the NFL.
Baylor already looks to be picking up where it left off last season in which the Bears finished with the second-best offense (587.08 yards of offense per game) and the fourth-highest scoring offense (45.31 points) in the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2011.
In its season opener, Baylor throttled SMU 59-24 with 613 yards of offense, thanks to 341 yards and four touchdowns from new signal-caller Nick Florence as well as 220 yards and two scores on the ground from a stable of tailbacks.
With how potent the Bears can be on the offensive side of the ball, the Bearkats will need to be razor sharp and execute perfectly on defense in order to contain them.
"We're going to have to play well. There's no ifs, ands or buts about it," Fritz said. "We've got to follow our creed, do a good job of ball security and do a good job of ball-hawking since they throw the ball real well. We've got to have good effectiveness of running the ball, have some big plays in the kicking game and all of the same things that we look at each and every week.
"It's going to be a tremendous challenge for us. They've got unbelievable team speed. They've got good size. They're probably a top 20 team in the country. They certainly were last year and after the way they played against SMU, I think they're a top 20 team this year as well."
In the 26 games that have past since the last time Sam Houston and Baylor tangled, the Kats have made marked improvements on offense and defense. With experience on their side, the Bearkats, who pulled off a victory over an FBS opponent (New Mexico) last season, know that they're a different team this time around and are ready for the challenge that the Bears will bring.
"The difference has to be the experience of the guys," Sam Houston senior defensive tackle J.T. Cleveland said. "We're more driven now. We play with more of a fire and more of a passion. In the last game we played them, we were a bit young and didn't really know what to expect. I know it was my first start. It's a big difference between the 2012 and 2010 teams. Experience will be the biggest factor.
"Having the experience helps. We're kind of going to know the speed of the game and their players. I know some of the same offensive linemen are back. Just the familiarity with the team as a whole, it helps."
The last time the Bearkats went head to head against Baylor's defense, Fritz and his staff were still trying to figure out who would go in the right spots on offense and how it would all come together.
It wasn't until running back Timothy Flanders, who now is Sam Houston's all-time leading rusher, entered the game late in the fourth quarter that the Kats generated their longest drive of the night (38 yards). Flanders rushed for 31 yards on his first collegiate carry, finishing with 40 yards on four carries.
Now with weapons such as Richard Sincere, Trey Diller and Terrance Robinson at receiver and quarterback Brian Bell, the Bearkats look to produce much more than 195 yards of offense and a field goal.
"I think we've got a different team than the one we brought in there last time. Last time we went there, we weren't sure who our quarterback was or our running backs and we weren't sure what we were running on offense," Fritz said. "I watched that tape the other day and I'm not quite sure what we were doing either. We were kind of feeling our way. That was one game into our regime compared to 28 games into it. Really, I think we're running a totally different offense."
BEARKAT FOOTBALL
Today: Sam Houston at Baylor, Floyd Casey Stadium, Waco, 6 p.m.
Records: Bearkats are 1-0 overall; Bears are 1-0 overall
TV: Fox College Sports
(Direct TV Ch. 608, 623 or 626 and Suddenlink Ch. 132)
Radio: KSAM (101.7 FM), 5:30 p.m.
