BAYLOR TURNING THINGS AROUND?
By mark rogers
June 7, 2009
Yeah, as crazy as it sounds...it just might be happening.
And there's a big, BIG difference in "turning things around" and being a contender or winning championships.
If you'll remember, back in November I predicted that Baylor would upset Texas Tech and gave some reasons why
(http://blogs.scripps.com/abil/bigcountryfootball/archives/2008/11/baylor-danger.html)
Baylor was leading that game late and nearly pulled it off.
They ended the season 4-8 but really had a pretty good year. It was made even brighter by the emergence of shining star Robert Griffin, a true freshman QB who threw for more than 2,000 yards, 15 touchdowns, 3 interceptions, completed 60% of his passes, rushed for 843 and 13 more touchdowns and had a 142.00 rating...pretty good numbers for a true freshman playing against Wake Forest, Connecticut, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Nebraska, Missouri, Texas and Texas Tech.
Last year was former Stephenville HS and University of Houston head coach Art Briles first as the head coach at Baylor, and he is turning the tide in Waco.
Turning the tide doesn't begin with winning championships, installing more discipline, getting stronger or having a huge stadium (although all that helps in the long run).
Turning the tide begins with recruiting.
Period.
And a few weeks ago, Baylor may have just pulled the stunner of the 2010 recruiting class by getting 5-star Safety prospect Ahmad Dixon (Waco Midway) to de-commit from Texas and commit to Baylor.
That move is the equivalent of a 9-year-old taking Mariano Rivera deep the opposite way with two men on and two outs in an important game.
It's like Tom Cruise doing something completely normal.
Or Terrell Owens playing in a Super Bowl...all absurdly out of the question.
Dixon is a local kid, whose dad is a preacher so staying home and being close to family is something very important to him.
It also doesn't help that Texas is probably the deepest team in the country at Dixon's position, and he would play immediately under Briles at Waco.
Dixon's commitment isn't going to bring a national championship to Waco anytime soon, but it could go a long way in changing the culture at Baylor from a dismal, gloomy quagmire to a division contender in a few years.
I think the Bears have a legitimate shot at going 6-6 this year and becoming bowl eligible.
And if THAT happens, count on even more big-time recruits choosing to spend their collegiate years in Waco.
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