The Baylor Lariat Vol. 114No. 52 WE’RE THERE WHEN YOU CAN’TBE © 2012, Baylor University

Baylor makes history with 3rd bowl game MONDAY | DECEMBER 3, 2012 | the Bowl Issue 2 Baylor Lariat www.baylorlariat.com Belief drives Bears to Holiday Bowl

By Krista Pirtle against Texas Tech, has his team- Sports Editor mates’ support, trust and belief. His numbers aren’t too far off With 5:11 remaining in the fi- of Griffin’s, too. nal game at Floyd Casey Stadium Last year, Griffin threw for and a seven-point Baylor lead, 4,293 yards and 37 touchdowns sophomore Lache Seastrunk broke and ran for 699 yards and 10 through the line of scrimmage at scores. the Baylor 24-yard line and saw Florence has held his own with the light of the Promised Land. 4,121 yards and 31 touchdowns Halfway to the end zone, Sea- through the air and 531 yards and strunk caught a cramp in his left nine touchdowns on the ground. hamstring. At this point, he had “Nick [Florence] is a once in two options: he could fall down in a lifetime kind of person,” Briles pain or believe that he could finish said. “It is a privilege to be able to and take the rock to the house. be around people like that. You Belief is a word that has been wonder why people are able to do used a lot when talking to the foot- extraordinary things and then you ball team. study them and you realize they do After the SMU dominant per- it because they are dedicated, dis- formance, the team believed it ciplined, they have faith, and they could keep up the high profile are trustworthy. He is the defini- football from last season. tion of a leader.” After the nonconference sched- Another place of doubt was fo- ule was completed, the team be- cused on who would be his main lieved it could win the Big 12. target down the field. After four straight conference Last year, All-American Ken- losses, the team believed it could dall Wright made his place in the resurrect its season. record books. After getting its first conference This season, junior Tevin Reese win over Kansas, the team believed and seniors Lanear Sampson and it finally had all the pieces needed Terrance Williams each came in for success. with 1,000 yards and finished the After the upset over No. 1 Kan- regular season with 889, 639 and sas State, the team believed it could 1,764 respectively. Makenzie Mason | Round Up Photo Editor go to a third straight bowl. Plus, Williams has surpassed No. 25 running back Lache Seastrunk celebrates with No. 16 receiver Tevin Reese after Reese’s 75-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Baylor won After defeating Texas Tech for Wright’s records in Baylor’s books 41-34 over Oklahoma State on Saturday. win No. 6, the team believed it and has been named an All-Amer- could defeat Oklahoma State the ican and a Biletnikoff finalist. next week. The final, and biggest concern downs. play at a tremendous rate of speed to endure. Going from not playing tremendously, speaking for myself Now, after a season full of be- as the season progressed, was the Since Baylor’s inauguration in and also stay under control. I think for two years to just sitting there not just as a football player but as lief, that spirit will propel the Bears defense. the Big 12 in 1996, people have that says a lot about this football and watching everyone else play, a young man. These guys, in our into the post season for a record Something clicked against wondered whether the Bears be- team. They have a lot of confidence God still had my back. Everyone down times have taught me so setting third time in a row. Kansas that wasn’t confirmed until long in the conference. in what they are doing.” gave up on me except my family much. Looking to these guys when “We got players and we got a it held the No. 1 team in the nation This season, with a team fight- That mind-set is what took and Coach Briles. I’m so happy to I needed them, I wouldn’t trade it team that fights,” senior quarter- to only 24 points. ing for respect, its belonging over for Seastrunk as he caught the be here because the support sys- for anything.” back Nick Florence said. “A month “We had faith in our defense,” shouldn’t be a question anymore. cramp halfway through his run. tem that I have sat with me when As for Florence, who will hang ago, people were writing us off and junior running back Glasco Mar- “Congratulations to our foot- With a good chunk of field left I wasn’t able to play.” up his jersey after the bowl game,, this team fought hard. It means a tin said, “We knew as an offense ball team,” head coach Art Briles to go before the end zone, he found This team’s belief has brought this opportunity has been a bless- lot.” that we could potentially score said. “What they have accom- a second gear and galloped it in for it together as a family. While last ing. The nation, however, had quite every time we got the ball in our plished, in my mind, has been a the score. year’s team had 10 wins and a “I’m proud of this team,” Flor- a bit of unbelief coming into the hands. We just jumped on the story of heart, belief and attitude “It was all God,” Seastrunk said. Heisman Trophy winner, junior ence said. “I’m thankful for the op- season without Heisman Trophy backs of our defense and they and that’s what makes my position “I knew that it was bigger than me. nickel back Ahmad Dixon said portunity to play with this team. winner Robert Griffin III not in came up with a stop and we took so worth while because I get the It was all for my family. I’ve been that this team is his favorite. Win or lose, all glory goes to God the pocket. advantage of it.” privilege to hang around people praying and praying and for me “I wouldn’t trade this season and what he’s done on the cross for Florence, who took over in Since then, junior linebacker that do extraordinary things and to go through what I have gone for the world,” Dixon said. “These us. This team is a fighting team. I 2009 when Griffin tore his ACL Eddie Lackey has had three inter- extraordinary effort and that’s through these last two years, no seniors and these other guys that love it, and I wouldn’t want to be and burned his redshirt last year ceptions, two returned for touch- hard to do. We have been able to one will understand what I have are here with me, we have grown on any other team.” Dixon leads Baylor D By Daniel Hill athlete. He loves the game and has “It’s taken a big, great rise,” Dix- Sports Writer a passion for it.” on said. “Because when I signed When Dixon arrived at Baylor’s here, I was the highest recruit to When he was coming out of campus in the summer of 2010, the ever come to Baylor in 16 years. Midway High School in nearby main goal for the football game was After my class, we started getting Hewitt, Baylor junior nickel back just to make it to a bowl game. That two or three top recruits and next Ahmad Dixon could have chosen season, the Bears went 7-6 and lost thing you know we have the num- to go to pretty much any school to Illinois in the Texas Bowl. It was ber five or six players in the nation in the nation. He was ranked as Baylor’s first bowl game appear- coming to Baylor just to visit and the No. 15 national recruit by ES- ance since 1994. to come check us out. I know that’s PNU 150 and had scholarship of- “When I first got here, the key something that’s changed since I’ve fers from Alabama, Texas, USC point was getting to a bowl game,” been here. Even with me living in and pretty much everywhere else Dixon said. We got into a bowl Waco, I don’t even remember hav- in between. Instead of bolting for game. Then the next thing ing a top recruit visit Makenzie Mason | Round Up Photo Editor a glamorous, prestigious program, we wanted to do was win Waco. I’ve seen this No. 11 quarterback Nick Florence carries the ball down the field. Baylor defeated Oklahoma State 41-34 on Sat- Dixon decided to stay home and the Big 12. We didn’t win program grow very urday. head to Baylor, who was just com- the Big 12 my sophomore quickly. I mean, it’s ing off of a 4-8 season. year, so we wanted to get grown in the right Even back in high school, his the best bowl game we direction. What former Midway High School and could possibly get. coach Briles has Spread offense feeds Bears current Baylor teammate sopho- So you know, done here is tre- more wide receiver Levi Norwood this sea- mendous. He’s By Greg DeVries ecutes its offense. Seastrunk only on their blockers and hit the holes recognized the heart that Dixon s o n been patient.” Sports Writer had a few carries on the year be- when they open up. pours into football. we While fore he burst onto the scene against When five wide receivers take “Yeah, the year I played with Baylor has The spread offense is common- the Kansas Jayhawks with 194 total defenders deep down the field, a him in high school, I definitely saw were been enjoy- ly associated with accurate quar- yards and a touchdown. running back can use the extra that emotion out of him and it’s say- ing unprec- terbacks and athletic wide receiv- His combination of size and space to maneuver. This allows been like that ever since,” Norwood ing that edented ers, but this year’s Baylor football quickness is very rare, and his Seastrunk to use his ability to said. “He always leaves everything we would success on team is showing that great running 5-feet-10-inch, 205-pound frame change direction. In space, Martin out there on the field and gives it be the Big 12 the gridiron, backs can thrive in a five-wide set. suggests that he could make a liv- can gather speed and run through his all.” champs because Dixon believes Great college players like Gra- ing as an NFL running back some- smaller cornerbacks. Blocking is “Coach Briles, he brought his we made a bowl the program can ham Harrell, Chase Daniel, Robert day. He also plays with an immense still important, but a running back staff here believing in each other game, we made a reach even further Griffin III and Brandon Weeden amount of heart. This was never can showcase his natural ability and putting it into each player’s good bowl game the heights, such as a have all made their names famous more evident than in his 76-yard when the field is spread out. head that we are going to be a good year before, and now Big 12 champion- by being prolific passers in high- touchdown run with five minutes Senior quarterback Nick Flor- team,” Dixon said. “Everybody, we were aiming for ship and eventually powered Big 12 offenses. left against Oklahoma State where ence has used the running game even when I was coming on my vis- the Big 12 champion- a national champion- They all had wide receivers he broke through to the secondary to his advantage. Florence has al- its, would tell me, ‘Hey man, we are ship. Each and every ship. that could make unbelievable and ran into the end zone despite ways been able to tuck the ball and about to turn this program around. game that we lost, “We are putting to- catches over the coverage. Michael having a cramp. take it himself, but many of his best You need to come here. You need that we took an ‘L’ gether the pieces,” Dix- Crabtree, Jeremy Maclin, Kendall “It was one of those real good rushing games have some since the to stay home and help us do this. with, were each on said. “Yes, we want to Wright, and Justin Blackmon were Charlie horses that [you get when] Kansas game. Florence has also re- It’ll mean a lot to the community to within seven win a national champi- all the recipients of these talented you sleep, a good deep sleep, then corded one rushing touchdown in see us do that.’ I just felt like ‘Why points. I mean onship. Yes, we want to quarterbacks, but the running you wake up about to cry because each of the last five games. not do this?’ I mean why not bring we might have make an appearance in backs of these teams have faded it hurts so bad,” Seastrunk said. Florence has also kept his turn- this city and these fans everything had maybe one that but the main thing into obscurity. “Basically, it felt like I was in Call overs down since the Kansas game. that they’ve been wanting.” or two that first that we have to get Baron Batch was drafted 232nd of Duty and somebody sniped me.” A reliance on the passing game Last season with Heisman Tro- wasn’t, but you is the Big 12 champion- overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Junior running back Glasco forces Florence to force plays that phy winner Robert Griffin III at know that we ship. We know that if but was released last month af- Martin has also picked up his game may or may not be there. Since quarterback, Baylor enjoyed an ex- were just that we get the Big 12 cham- ter minimal production. Derrick since the running game reforma- Baylor’s homecoming win against ceptional 10-win season. This year, close with that. With that, it shows pionship, then us being a national Washington never had a senior tion. Martin, who has six touch- Kansas, Florence’s two intercep- with senior quarterback Nick Flor- us that we actually can do it. We contender will come into effect- season after having legal trouble. downs since the Kansas game, pre- tions against Kansas State have ence at the helm, the offense hasn’t can actually play with these teams because we would end up getting Terrance Ganaway was drafted by fers running out of a spread offense been his only interceptions in the skipped a beat. Florence is quick that are in the Big 12. That they’re guys to come here. We would get the New York Jets, but was waived because of the spacing on the field. last five games. to acknowledge the team aspect of just not that much better than we the recognition that we need and at the end of August. The Rams “I think its easier to run the ball His passing touchdowns may the game and he is thrilled to have are like it was a few years ago.” all of that kind of stuff and it will have since claimed him, but he out of the spread just because there have dropped off a little bit, but a Ahmad Dixon on his team. In just the three seasons that help us out.” has yet to be the go-to guy. Joseph aren’t as many people in the box,” balanced team has reintroduced “You want a guy on your de- Dixon has been here, it’s evident Dixon has been a central figure Randle has had a great year, but he Martin said. “It gives us a little Baylor to the win column. An air fense who is loud and rowdy and that the Baylor football program in the rebirth of Baylor football. has never been the go-to guy in an more space to run.” raid offense might be fun to watch, rallies guys up,” Florence said. “He’s has taken a giant leap forward with Along with Briles’ recruiting and offense. With a more spread out field, but running the ball out of the a real friendly guy who talks to ev- three consecutive bowl game ap- the positive attitude and attention The emergence of sophomore running backs can more easily spread has brought Baylor three erybody in the locker room and pearances. That’s something that Baylor football has received, Baylor running back Lache Seastrunk has take defenders on. In a two-tight straight wins. Four weeks ago, that makes conversation. He brings a had never happened before at Bay- should be competing for a Big 12 changed the way that Baylor ex- end set, running backs have to rely seemed out of reach. voice to the team and is a skilled lor. title soon enough. MONDAY | DECEMBER 3, 2012 www.baylorlariat.com Bowl Issue the Baylor Lariat|3 Baylor takes a Holiday

By Greg DeVries seafood. After all, the ocean Sports Writer is right there. After the win over Oklahoma State, senior San Diego is famous for a lot quarterback Nick Florence of things. Sunshine, beautiful was asked if he preferred a landscapes, Ron Burgundy and certain bowl game over an- the Bridgeport Education Holiday other. Florence said that he Bowl are just naming a few of the didn’t have a preference, but great things that this city has to of- in the next room over, soph- fer. omore running back Lache The Holiday Bowl is a great Seastrunk voiced his opinion. bowl for the Bears. Baylor gets “San Diego,” Seastrunk the chance to make a statement said. “I want to go to the against UCLA, the No. 17 team in beach.” the country. The payout is more The game will be played than $2 million per team. This is at 8:45 p.m. on Dec. 27. If you an improvement over the Texas will be in San Diego, that’s 6:45 bowl, which has a payout of $1.7 p.m. local time. million per team, and the Heart of Tickets start at $39 on StubHub Dallas Bowl, which pays $1.1 mil- and can go as high as $395. There lion per team. It also gives Baylor are plenty of hotels that are close to a chance to expand its brand to the stadium along I-8, the freeway the West Coast. The Holiday Bowl that connects Qualcomm Stadium started as a game that featured to the coast. December might be the Western Athletic confer- cold in most of the country, but ence Champion against a na- the weather in Southern Califor- tionally ranked team. Now nia is a little bit different. The high the game has ties to the Pac on the 27th is predicted to be 85 12 and Big 12. degrees. For the team, it will Since the Holiday be like they are just play- Bowl’s inception, the Big 12 ing another game at Floyd and Pac 10 (now known as Casey Stadium. For Bay- the Pac 12) have met 15 times. lor fans, it will be a great The Big 12 leads that series with way to get away from the nine wins to the Pac 12’s six. The cold. There are also plenty Pac 12’s last win was in 2010 when of gorgeous golf courses Nebraska lost to Washington. Ne- along the coast includ- braska has since joined the Big 10. ing Torrey Pines, which has The last loss for a current Big 12 hosted the U.S. Open. team was the year before when The plane ticket might be pric- Oregon beat Zac Robinson’s Okla- ey, but fans have a chance to wit- homa State Cowboys. The most ness history. The last bowl game recent win belongs to the Texas that Baylor won outside of Texas Longhorns. The 2011 Texas team was the 1985 Liberty Bowl. That beat California 21-10. game was a 21-7 win over the LSU Last year, Baylor set a lot of Tigers. offensive records in the Alamo Baylor’s overall bowl record Bowl. The Holiday Bowl has a his- since its first bowl game in 1948 tory of hosting high-powered Big is 9-9. If the Bears win, then they 12 offenses, so Baylor will have to will get to see their team have a have a prolific day to break Holi- win percentage over 50 percent for about four miles from the water. experience should be worth it. If Baylor’s dining halls and day Bowl records. The game will that Texas had to offer over the the first time in over two decades. be played at Qualcomm Stadium, So maybe San Diego might be a If you are staying near the the row of fast food chains across This game will also be the longer trip than the drive to Hous- stadium, then there is plenty to do. past two years, then Sea World San I-35 have you craving something the same stadium that the San Diego might remind you of home. first meeting between Baylor and Diego Chargers play in, which is ton, Dallas or San Antonio, but the If you’re missing the attractions worthwhile, be sure to grab some UCLA. Bears v. Bruins: UCLA analysis By Daniel Hill Granted 55th best in the nation is Sports Writer not overwhelming, but it is a defi- nite improvement from where this Under first year head coach Jim unit was last season in before coach Mora, UCLA Bruins football is Mora came to town. back on the map. UCLA is No. 15 in the nation in The UCLA Bruins finished the tackled for loss with 7.23 per game. regular season with a 9-4 record They are also seventh in the nation and posted a 6-3 record in Pacif- in sacks per game with 3.31. ic-12 Conference games. UCLA junior outside lineback- UCLA BAYLOR The mind-set for Bruins foot- er Anthony Barr is an aggressive CATEGORY NTL RANK ACTUAL NTL RANK ACTUAL ball underwent an immense defensive player who racked up change this season. Coach Mora 13.5 sacks this season. Jim Mora wanted to instill a sense of tough- called Anthony Barr “the most Rushing Offense 26 2,638 19 2,706 ness among his team. impactful defensive player in the For summer training camp, Pac-12”. 3,531 3 4,205 coach Mora banned his play- UCLA has a balanced offense Passing Offense 36 ers from having cell phones and with a passing attack that is 36th moved training camp to the Cal in the nation and a rushing at- Total Offense 20 474.54 1 578.75 State San Bernardino campus in tack that ranks 26th in the nation. the middle of the desert to make UCLA won’t blow anyone away of- his men gain an edge in toughness fensively, but UCLA has a sound Scoring Offense T29 35.08 5 44.08 in the sweltering summer heat. attack. The Bruins have a healthy Apparently the strategy to balance of run and pass schemes. forge a tough team worked be- Plus, they protect the football and cause UCLA plays a physical do not turn the ball over. Rushing Defense 54 154.54 89 190.83 brand of football. Senior running UCLA started the season with a back Johnathan Franklin amassed strong nonconference slate and de- 62.88 92 64.02 1,700 yards rushing on 268 carries. feated Rice, No. 16 Nebraska and Pass Efficiency Def. 65 Franklin, in impressive fashion, av- Houston. Once conference play eraged 6.3 yards per carry for the started for the Bruins in the Pacif- Total Defense 73 409.92 119 513.92 season. ic-12 conference, UCLA started off UCLA redshirt freshman quar- with a close 27-20 loss to the Or- terback Brett Hundley is a bud- egon State Beavers, who ended up Scoring Defense 48 25.9 117 39.5 ding superstar for head coach Jim being the No. 13 team in the BCS. Mora. Hundley had a breakout UCLA’s then defeated everyone season and averaged a phenomenal else in conference play except for passer rating of 150.1 for the sea- the Bay Area teams, California and Net Punting 14 43.31 40 44.32 son, which ranked 26th in the na- Stanford. By far UCLA’s worst loss tion. He threw for 3,411 yards and of the season happened in Berkeley 8.4 64 8.47 26 touchdowns, to go with only 11 when they lost 43-17 to an under- Punt Returns 65 interceptions. whelming California Golden Bears Rick Neuheisel, who was fired team. At one point, the Bruins were Kick Returns 47 22.51 67 21.2 from UCLA once joked that he’d 9-2 with Stanford looming in the still be the head coach at UCLA final game of the season. But the if he only knew how good Brett No. 6 BCS ranked Stanford Car- Turnover Margin T45 +.31 T39 +.42 Hundley really was at playing dinal defeated UCLA in the Rose quarterback. Bowl 35-17. To help Hundley out, he has one The first loss to Stanford setup of the best tight ends in the nation the Pac-12 Championship game Passing Defense 91 7.12 118 7.5 making plays for him in senior Jo- for another consecutive rematch seph Fauria. He is a premiere tight with the Cardinal. For the second 7.95 12 9.18 end and had 561 yards receiving time in two weeks, the Cardinal Passing Efficiency 26 and 11 touchdowns. When UCLA bested UCLA in a bitter, hard- is in the red zone, look for Fauria fought rematch 27-24. to receive targets and make plays. UCLA has not won a bowl 3.31 112 1.08 On the other side of the ball, game since 2009 and the Bruins are Sacks 7 the Bruins do have a strong de- clearly a team on the rise under the fense. Coach Mora hangs his hat guidance of head coach Jim Mora. Tackles for Loss 15 7.23 T31 3.83 on being a defensive coach and his Baylor and UCLA have never Bruins defense proves it. met on the gridiron, but this is def- The Bruins have the 55th best initely an intriguing match up be- Sacks Allowed 18 3.54 T31 1.42 scoring defense in the country and cause of the talent and resurgence only allow 25.9 points per game. of UCLA football. MONDAY | DECEMBER 3, 2012 4 | the Baylor Lariat www.baylorlariat.com |5

Meagan Downing | Lariat Photographer Matt Hellman | Lariat Photo Editor

Associated Press Matt Hellman | Lariat Photo Editor Associated Press

Matt Hellman | Lariat Photo Editor Makenzie Mason | Round Up Photo Editor MONDAY | DECEMBER 3, 2012 4 | the Baylor Lariat www.baylorlariat.com |5

Meagan Downing | Lariat Photographer Matt Hellman | Lariat Photo Editor

Associated Press Matt Hellman | Lariat Photo Editor Associated Press

Matt Hellman | Lariat Photo Editor Makenzie Mason | Round Up Photo Editor

Round Up 1949

Dudley Parker on another ramble through the Rice backfield. Baylor tied Rice 7-7.

Conference Standing Full Season

Team Won Lost Tied Won Lost Tied S.M.U. 5 0 1 9 1 1 Texas 4 1 1 7 3 1 BAYLOR 3 2 1 6 3 2 Rice 3 2 1 5 4 1 Arkansas 2 4 0 5 5 0 T.C.U. 1 4 1 4 5 1 Texas A.&M. 0 5 1 0 9 1