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| | Thursday, August 31 Baylor uses past to prepare for future | |||||
| By Todd Cooper Special to ESPN.com Baylor Bears 1999 record: 1-10 (0-8 Big 12) Coach: Kevin Steele Returning starters: 13 (8 offense, 5 defense) Outlook Baylor coach Kevin Steele must have a spine to match his last name. After a 1-11 season, the former assistant with Nebraska and with the NFL's Carolina Panthers says he has no intention of trying to forget the bumble and the fumble. Up 24-21, Baylor had driven inside the 10-yard-line of UNLV in their second game of the season. Hoping to provide a statement with another touchdown, Steele called for a handoff up the middle to Darrell Bush. Bush fumbled on his way across the goalline. As the clock ticked off, UNLV's Kevin Thomas returned the ball 100 yards to, um, Steele the victory. It was a cruel ending for a team that had lost a week earlier to Boston College by missing an extra point in overtime. College football fans might have thought he had steel in his head with that play call, but the second-year coach doesn't shy away from it. While he said he doesn't want his players looking in the rearview mirror, he keeps the play-by-play sheet and final score of the UNLV game laminated in his office. "The first thing we have to do is become a football team with an attitude that expects success without limitations," Steele said. He paused, then added: "And we have to fight to the end." The defensive-minded disciplinarian will be fighting an uphill battle this year. Leading the charge will be quarterback Greg Cicero, a junior college transfer who started his college career at Texas. The 6-4, 210-pound junior threw three touchdowns for every interception in the JUCO ranks. Bush also will be back after nearly doubling his 1998 output with 682 yards last year - an average of 4.2 yards per carry. But both Cicero and Bush will need help from an offensive line that struggled last year, leading the team to a lowly 11th place finish in rushing in the conference. The defensive line is also a concern, as the Bears were manhandled last year. Baylor might end up starting two sophomores and a redshirt freshman. But Steele said his weakest point could be at defensive end, where two freshmen and a sophomore are competing for spots. Luckily, the linebackers behind them are the strength of the defense, with Kris Micheaux anchoring the middle. And fortunately, the Bears open with North Texas - the only team they beat last year. Unfortunately, they play one of the toughest conference schedules. In fact, Iowa State, Texas Tech and Missouri might be their only chances to break the 13-game losing streak in the conference. Keep an eye on ... Cicero. His arm could keep the season from becoming unbearable. It's a good season if ... The Bears win two conference games and two non-conference games for their first three-or-more win season since 1996. Todd Cooper is a staff writer for the Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald |
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