Baylor News & Notes
Next Baylor head coach?
In late September, new Baylor Athletic Director Mack Rhoades described the type of candidate he plans to find for the Bears' head coaching position to the Waco Tribune.
"I want somebody certainly who is the CEO of the program in all aspects," Rhoades told the Tribune. "The way they manage and lead their staff and lead their student-athletes. The culture they set. I tell the head coaches I've worked with in the past that if it's not important to you it's not going to be important to our student-athletes."
Rhoades went on to say that a candidate with head coaching experience is the preference, but not necessarily a requirement. He also mentioned that ties to the state of Texas were "imperative" for consideration.
So this starts our very unofficial coaching hot board, we plan to take a closer look at some of the candidates available each week.
Today we start with North Carolina head coach Larry Fedora...
Fifth season at UNC
36-21 overall record, 23-11 in conference play
1-2 in bowl game appearances
Finished 11-3 with a loss to your Baylor Bears in the Russell Athletic Bowl last season
Current salary = $3,000,000.00 per season
Contract = signed through 2022, buyout would be $1+ million
Prior to taking the UNC job, Fedora spent four seasons as the head coach at Southern Mississippi. He finished with a 34-19 overall record, a 20-12 conference record, and a reached a bowl game in all four seasons with a 2-2 bowl record.
Before becoming a head coach, Fedora spent six seasons with both Florida and Oklahoma State from 2002-2007. He also spent six seasons at Baylor as an assistant from 1991-1996, serving in a variety of roles from wide receivers, tight ends, and running backs coach for the Bears.
In terms of Texas ties, Fedora even spent three seasons coaching on the high school level at Garland high school before joining the Baylor staff.
Head coaching experience, check.
Texas ties, check.
Offensive minded head coach, check.
Knows the Big 12 conference, check.
By all accounts, Fedora fits the type of candidate Mack Rhoades is looking for as the next Baylor head coach. The only caveat would be the buyout involved after Fedora's most recent contract extension at North Carolina.
It's worth learning more about Fedora the recruiter and who could possibly join him in Waco, but after reviewing his resume and what Baylor is looking for in a head coach, it's difficult not to think he could lead for the opening.
Follow up on Jeremy Faulk
Obviously, we all know about the report from KWTX on Thursday denoting Baylor’s reinstatement of former defensive tackle Jeremy Faulk’s scholarship. We also know that he is never returning to Baylor.
To be fair, we didn’t watch KWTX’s follow up story on this episode, so perhaps we’re covering the same ground on what we’re sharing.
Although he won his appeal, it sounded like there were some academic eligibility issues Faulk had to deal with. Basically, if he was ever going to play for Baylor, he would have had to pass some summer school classes.
Given that Faulk was dismissed in June and his hearing wasn’t until much later, there was no way that he could have returned to Baylor to take those classes and regain his eligibility in order to play. Remember, he arrived in January and was enrolled with offensive lineman B.J. Autry, quarterback Zach Smith and wide receiver Tren Dickson.
Just sharing with you what we have.
-Kevin Lonnquist
NOTE: This would be the ideal time for Baylor coaches to potentially go out and watch recruits play on a weekend. And that still might happen (you don’t assume anything in recruiting). But given the continued uncertainty about the future of who exactly will be coaching the Bears in 2017, we didn’t come across one recruit or high school coach who told us that Baylor was coming out to evaluate them. Obviously, this is something that we will continue to monitor. Just recognize the big picture of what is to come once the season has finished and the new head coach/staff is in place.
Big 12 Power Rankings
Each week, SicEmSports ranks the Big 12 programs based on how they performed in the previous week. Now that the season has a couple of weeks behind it, the body of work comes into play. Agree or disagree, that’s what these are for.
1. Baylor – It’s not how you start but how you finish; see Iowa St.
2. West Virginia – Does anyone know they’re 4-0 or ranked?
3. Oklahoma – Beat Texas Saturday and their season looks different
4. Oklahoma St. – A really hard team to figure; turnovers are their story
5. Texas Tech – Their offense is definitely plug and play at the QB position
6. TCU – A once proud defensive team struggling to find answers
7. Kansas St. – This is a team that has to plod to a win; just missed in Morgantown
8. Texas – Charlie Strong coaching for his job this weekend
9. Iowa St. – May have found an offensive identity last week against Baylor
10. Kansas – Ryan Willis gets the call to be the starting QB.
-Kevin Lonnquist
Big 12 Weekend
A look at Saturday’s games. All times are central. TV listings are also provided. This is the first full weekend of the Big 12 schedule. Baylor and West Virginia do not play.
Texas (2-2, 0-1) vs. No. 20/22 Oklahoma (2-2, 1-0); 11:00 a.m., Cotton Bowl, Dallas (FS1):
Series: Texas leads, 61-44-5
Summary: The annual Red River Rivalry where the game means so much for each team. We’ll find out if the Longhorns are really playing for Charlie Strong or not. The Sooners aren’t exactly great defensively – allowing 91 points in the last two games – but they could put themselves in a good position for the conference championship. Texas is last in the league in scoring defense (38.2 ppg).
TCU (3-2, 1-1) at Kansas (1-3, 0-1); 11:00 a.m., Memorial Stadium, Lawrence, KS (ESPNU):
Series: TCU leads, 20-8-4
Summary: Time moves fast as the Horned Frogs hit the halfway point of their season. One of the main defensive problems TCU is experiencing is not winning 3rd down. The Horned Frogs are 9th in the Big 12 allowing opponents to convert at 43.5 percent. But that might get neutralized by the Jayhawks who are very friendly sharing the ball. They’re last in turnover ratio at minus 7. TCU QB Kenny Hill has thrown for the most yards of any conference QB, 1,936.
Iowa St. (1-4, 0-2) at Oklahoma St. (3-2, 1-1); 2:30 p.m., Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater, OK (ESPNU)
Series: Oklahoma St. leads, 29-18-3
Summary: The Cowboys are riding some momentum following their 49-31 beatdown of Texas last week. Mike Gundy may have found a running back in freshman Justice Hill who has rushed for 346 yards. Really, he’s made his name in conference play. The Cyclones still plan to use two quarterbacks but junior Joel Lanning was pretty efficient last week against Baylor throwing for 261 yards. Look for the Cowboys to run the football. The Cyclones are last in the league in rushing defense at 261.0 ypg.
Texas Tech (3-1, 1-0) at Kansas St. (2-2, 0-1); 6:00 p.m., Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Manhattan, KS. (ESPNU)
Series: Texas Tech leads, 9-7
Summary: It would appear that senior Nic Shimones will get the start at QB for the Red Raiders with Pat Mahomes dealing with a shoulder injury. This should be the most stress KSU’s league best pass defense (154.5) will face because the Red Raiders have the league’s best passing offense (547.8). The Wildcats are also the best in turnover ratio at plus 5. Texas Tech is even.
-SicEmSports
Baylor Notables
>Baylor men’s golf head coach Mike McGraw has been named to the 2016 Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame Class. A 3-time national champion, McGraw is in his third season leading Baylor and his 12th season as a Division I head coach.
> Baylor Athletics invites fans to come watch practice and “Select Your Seats” at the Ferrell Center on Friday, Oct. 14, beginning at 1:30 p.m. Parking is available in front of the Ferrell Center and the entrance into the arena will be through the Stone Room on the north side. The free event allows fans to watch both teams practicing for their upcoming seasons and select their season tickets. The Lady Bears will practice beginning at 1:30 p.m. and the men's team will take the court immediately after the women’s practice ends. Additionally, Bear Foundation donors and current season ticket holders are invited with ability to add seats.
>Nothing confirmed but we know Baylor's men's basketball coaching staff is working on lining up more official visitors for next weekend against Kansas. The only confirmed official visitor is Rivals No. 74 prospect, center Ikey Obiagu from Decatur, GA.
-SicEmSports