11 Comments

  1. Cameron

    I know a lot of coaches talk about “the process” or being “process oriented,” but from what I’ve heard about Rhule’s tenure at Temple, he actually lives that mentality. Probably no great surprise given his tenure with Tom Coughlin. Its an approach that centers around the idea that motivation and willpower are generally insufficient. A system for building and sustaining habits, such as physicality, is required. I’m not saying it will work great at Baylor, but I definitely think it will be interesting to watch.

  2. Philly Frog

    I thought he did a very underrated job at Temple, but wonder whether he’ll get the 5+ years he’ll need in Waco to rebuild.

    The next two years could be all kinds of ug-ly.

    • ianaboyd

      His contract is guaranteed over six years…there’s a reason he thought Baylor was a really good place to take the next step in his career.

    • Davey OBrien

      For some reason I commonly hear and read from TCU supporters that Baylor is going to be devoid of talent next year.

      Briles might have done multiple bad things in Waco, but one good thing he did was red-shirt a number of kids from his prior classes and there is talent across the first team units.

      They have a big offensive line, a number of backs, an experienced transfer quarterback, and a system that emphasizes the run and clock management.

      If they can effectively run the ball and buy in to the changes that will take pressure off the defense and they have to be sounder on defense than what they blamed under Bennett.

      Time to apply the black swan principle to Baylor football and tread very carefully for most of the Big 12.

      It all could go to crap if some of these lawsuits turn something up that triggers NCAA sanctions, but until that happens the worst of the problems are behind the football program and each week puts Art Briles further behind them.

      • Philly Frog

        You’re not wrong about the front-line guys, but there are two looming short-term problems.

        One, they don’t have twos and threes that can plug the inevitable gaps.

        Two, they have a long summer ahead of them which will test their cultural transition to the Rhule regime. What happens if there’s another dog-beating video? Will that kid get a pass or get kicked off the bus?

        They should stabilize by Y3 or Y4 but don’t be surprised if they skim down to 4/5 win seasons in 17 and 18.

        Ian: If Rhule is playing sluggo football and goes 5-7 in Y4 you think his job is safe in Y5?

        Chicks dig the long ball in more than one sport.

        • ianaboyd

          If Rhule isn’t getting Baylor in bowl games by year 3 or 4 I think he’ll be in trouble once the contract approaches the end, for sure.

          To Davey O’Brien’s point, I think is feasible that they could go into next year and have some success with ground and pound (pending OL healthy like Philly Frog notes) but then a lot depends on how this defense turns out. I like Clay Johnston but he’s learning a new position, Taylor Young is good but we have to see how he adjusts to the new system, and I’m not sure if they have any weapons or not on the edge or if they have safeties that can cover or do everything Rhule’s safeties did at Temple.

          This will be my next article on the Rhule transition, the defense. I’m not really sure what to expect, I almost think his O will have an easier initial transition just because they found a nice fullback in Kyle Boyd and Briles left behind a bunch of blocking TEs and solid backs.

        • Davey OBrien

          Yes, they have depth problems but to count on that being an issue is again making something out of the information we have instead of recognizing it is possible that this is a year they don’t have those injury problems in key areas.

          If I want to find Baylor next year I would immediately go to their schedule and that Games 4-9 are no favor for a brand new coach. Bears go 2-1 or 3-0 in non-conference, somehow win 1 or 2 of those middle five and they could be sitting in a solid place to close with 2-3 wins and a winning schedule plus Bowl would be a great first year for Rhule.

          As far as the what if’s for Baylor in regards to player discipline issues over the summer which program in the Big 12 has not had issues in the past and can afford another issue? Rhule has said he is changing the standards and I have at this time no reason to believe he won’t pull a Charlie Strong and do just that.

          Bigger question is would Gary do the same if same Kenny Hill’s drinking problems were to reappear? Always found the expedience in which many grabbed stones to throw at Baylor interesting when there is not a program in the Big 12 not had recent issues. No, not to the extreme situation at Baylor, but I really wasn’t exactly excited to see Gary trying to arrange Fields’ transfer to SFA after his last incident at TCU nor was everybody happy in the program and on the team when Casey got his umpteenth chance to come back to the program.

          Glass programs, glass houses, etc……

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