JR's 7 Points to Ponder Regarding the Baylor Bears

1. The Sooners need to eliminate negativity whether it be in yards lost, penalties, dropped passes, missed assignments, tackling, disgruntled fans or from watching too much Sports Center and build on the positives that are staring them square in the face.  A Big 12 Title is still attainable but winning at home Saturday afternoon is likely the Sooners only option of earning their 4th consecutive Big 12 Championship.

2. Baylor has quality players. Center J.D. Walton is ranked by most NFL scouts as the #1 senior center in college football and the 6’3”- 305 pounder will match up at times this weekend against Oklahoma’s Gerald McCoy. That’s will be an intriguing battle in the trenches as is Baylor’s 6’4”- 355 pound defensive tackle Phil Taylor, a Penn State transfer, against the Sooner offensive guards. Taylor is currently ranked as the #4 senior defensive tackle by NFL insiders. Bears’ inside linebacker Joe Pawelek, #41, is one of the best defenders in the Big 12 and must be accounted for at all times.  Pawelek is a top five pro prospect at inside linebacker.

3. Last week Kent State gained 424 offensive yards in their loss to the 3-1 Bears in Waco, 259 passing and 165 rushing.  DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown are averaging 5.4 yards per carry as a tandem this season and that pair should have a productive Saturday afternoon running the ball. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Murray and Brown on the field together at times this week in the hopes of getting every, able bodied playmaker OU has on the field to present as many challenges for the Baylor defense as possible. Murray, at times, in the slot could be interesting whether he’s catching passes, carrying the ball or as a decoy as #7 is always accounted for by the opposition.  However, the bottom line is that everything starts up front, as usual. 

4. Brandon Caleb will likely replace injured Ryan Broyles, another huge loss, while Cameron Kenney and Mossis Madu (remember Madu’s productivity in the Big 12 Title game?) will get their touches as well. Expect to see more of the gifted DeJuan Miller at wide receiver this week and the 6’4”-225 pound sophomore wide receiver has the opportunity to make an impact in an area that the team desperately needs. Let’s hope that Saturday that it’s finally “Miller Time.” For any athlete, having potential is a great thing but at some point simply “having potential” won’t buy the BBQ.  

5. One stat to keep track of is how many “3 and out’s” the Sooner defense garner. The OU defenders, lead by defensive end Jeremy Beal who is ranked 3rd in the nation in sacks, must consistently dominate the line of scrimmage and certainly tackle better than they did at Miami. At QB Baylor will likely start veteran Blake Szymanski, who has had a bad shoulder, but pure freshman Nick Florence started and won last week’s game. No matter who starts at QB, most defensive masterminds say that treating the other team’s quarterback like a government mule is imperative and that will be the mission this Saturday afternoon….for both teams.    

6. Baylor blocked three kicks against Kent State, two field goals and one extra point, which simply illustrates that special teams play cannot be overlooked or taken for granted in this Big 12 opener. The Bears are 0-18 lifetime against Oklahoma and probably feel that they are “due.” Point is that Baylor can’t be gifted “hope” including a big play from their special teams. Oklahoma’s kicking game, especially punter Tress Way, was stout in south Florida last Saturday night and the left footed Way can be a weapon. A Sooner special team touchdown Saturday afternoon on ABC wouldn’t shock me. 

7. Sam Bradford….will he play or not? I wish that I knew but my “guess” is that he will. I’m simply taking the positive route and speculating that Sam’s right arm will adequately recover from this week’s practice. In all due respect to redshirt freshman QB Landry Jones who has done a tremendous job this season in the face of major adversity, I would hate to be the player whose opponent even touches #14 if Sam does take some snaps. I don’t see Bradford playing 4 quarters Saturday but the returning Heisman Trophy winner getting some manageable series in against Baylor seems feasible. However, as many have seen, the Sooners primary issues have not been at quarterback.  
 
The “funk” that has surrounded this Oklahoma football needs to disappear “Sooner” than later and be replaced by a great Saturday afternoon highlighted by an OU victory in front of a raucous, home crowd. Winning builds confidence in any endeavor and the Sooners have four quarters of football to build some much needed momentum before traveling to Dallas on October 17. Yes, I freely admit that I’m an unabashed Oklahoma fan who’s been known to eat  BBQ for breakfast and who doesn’t have anything orange in his home but from where I sit, this season is FAR from over.  That’s my story and I’m sticking with it.                             

Editor's Note:  Jim “J.R.” Ross is a WWE Hall of Fame broadcaster who has also broadcast in the NFL for the Atlanta Falcons and the XFL on NBC and spent 20 seasons as a football official. J.R., with wife Jan, has penned two, best selling cookbooks and is the owner of J.R.’s Family BBQ in Norman. J.R.’s slow, hickory smoked “Q” is nationally known and located on the East side of I-35 at the Main Street Exit (109) in Norman and is open 7 days a week at 11 a.m. For tail gate packs, to go orders, catering, or any other info, call 405-360-4BBQ (4227).