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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
FOOTBALL GAMEDAY PREVIEW
CONNOR OBERKROM
coberkrom@kansan.com
STARTING LINEUP
OFFENSE
Baylor has drawn a lot of comparisons to the 2011 Oklahoma State squad featuring Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon, but that's a little unfair to Baylor. Baylor has put up more points through six games than any team in Big 12 history and is on pace for some historical, gaudy numbers. Bryce Petty has already eclipsed the 2,000-yard mark and has two of the best wideouts in the country in Antwan Goodley and Tevin Reese. Aside from their air attack, they feature one of the most elusive, powerful running backs in the game in Lache Seastrunk who averages 9.2 yards per carry. Baylor's speedy receivers and bulky offensive line keep the defense on its heels regardless of the score. Baylor averages 78 plays per game, but that number is skewed simply because the game has been already out of hand in the first quarter in all but one of Baylor's games.
DEFENSE
POSITION NAME NO. YEAR
QB Bryce Petty 14 Jr.
RB Lache Seastrunk 25 Jr.
WR Jay Lee 4 So.
WR Antwan Goodley 5 Sr.
IR Tevin Reese 16 Sr.
IR Levi Norwood 42 Jr.
OT Spencer Drango 58 So.
OT Kelvin Palmer 77 Sr.
OG Cyril Richardson 68 Sr.
OG Desmine Hilliard 67 So.
C Stefan Huber 54 Sr.
Baylor has always had trouble with their defense, but this unit is vastly improved from just one season ago. They are currently 11th in the country in total defense and have three of the top five tacklers in the Big 12. Baylor's defense will likely stack the box against Kansas, which looks to slow down the clock in order to stifle Baylor's offensive attack. Bryce Hager currently leads the Bears in total tackles with 52. The Bears lead the Big 12 in sacks.
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POSITION NAME NO. YEAR
DE Terrance Lloyd 11 Sr.
DE Chris McAllister 31 Sr.
DT Trevor Clemons-Valdez 98 So.
NT Beau Blackshear 95 So.
LB Eddie Lackey 5 Sr.
LB Sam Holl 25 Sr.
LB Bryce Hager 44 So.
CB Joe Williams 22 Sr.
CB Demetri Goodson 3 Sr.
S Ahmad Dixon 6 Sr.
S Terrell Burt 13 So.
BY THE NUMBERS
714. 3 Total yards per game from Baylor
21 Sacks by Baylor, first in Big 12
9. 2 Average tackles for loss per game
Edited by Madison Schultz
QUESTION MARKS
Will Baylor look better in their second road game? We are not quite sure if the Kansas State game is an outlier or a blueprint of how to beat Baylor, but there is a sample that they have struggled at least one game, so there's hope. Also, can Kansas stop one aspect of their offense? Baylor is unlike most high-tempo offenses in that it can run and pass the ball with ease. If Kansas can limit one portion of Baylor's offense then that should be a victory in itself.
BABY JAY WILL WEEP LE
Baylor ends the game in the first quarter, which is Kansas' strong point this season. A night game on the road could present some challenge, but if Kansas can keep it interesting, that'll be enough to keep fans happy before booking it at halftime.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Levi Norwood, Baylor's punt and kickoff returner, has posted an 11.1 average on punt returns and a 16.3 average on kickoff returns. Their punter has been used sparingly, as has their kicking game, only attempting eight field goals so far on the season.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Head coach Art Briles is 3-0 all-time versus Kansas and Baylor is currently riding a 10-game winning streak. This is Baylor's second road game of the season. In its first road game against Kansas State, Baylor saw its season-low point output as they put up just 35 points, which is subpar for their offense.
AT A GLANCE
Head coach Art Briles is 3-0 all-time versus Kansas and Baylor is currently riding a 10-game winning streak. This is Baylor's second road game of the season.In its first road game against Kansas State, Baylor saw its season-low point output as they put up just 35 points, which is subpar for their offense.
COACHING
Art Briles is one of the best offensive gurus out there and has even drawn some interest from other schools as he has shown he can run a plug-and-play system with multiple quarterbacks. Briles' system can beat you either way, but K-State showed that slowing Baylor's running game worked to an extent, but you still have to account for all facets. Briles will look to pass more, as he knows Kansas' offense can't realistically keep up.
MOMENTUM
Outside of Oregon, Alabama or Florida State, Baylor may be the hottest team in the country. On a 10-game winning streak, it looks to beat Kansas with its feature matchup with Oklahoma. Not a whole lot is going to halt Baylor's run at this point unless you believe in miracles.
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EMILY WITTLER/KANSAN
Sophomore safety Isaiah Johnson tackles Oklahoma quarterback Blake Bell during the Oct. 19 game at Memorial Stadium.
Kansas lost the game 34-19.
2013 Kansas Law Review Symposium
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