Big 12 Football Spring Review: Baylor

They Can Play Defense but…

Apparently the Baylor offense has struggled getting started this spring and the defense may have a lot to do with that. After struggling against the defense during a two-hour practice last Wednesday Baylor head coach Guy Morris addressed his team’s performance.

"We struggled offensively today, the defense got after us pretty good today," Morriss said. "It (the defense) is overwhelming us right now, we are still thinking too much and they are throwing the kitchen sink at us. And, they (our defensive staff) have a pretty good idea on handle on stopping this offense to start with. They are sending the house and we are still struggling to deal with all that stuff.“

When it comes to the defense dominating the offense Morris is trying to encourage his offense to continue to improve and build confidence.

"I try and encourage them (the defense), because we can't win ballgames if we can't stop anyone," he added. "We (the offense) need to see that because we are going to see that down the road and we have to deal with it. The defense makes the offense look bad at times and sometimes we get down, but I told our players this is not an overnight deal. We have to keep working at it."

The Bears are looking to replace seven starters from last year’s defense and to this point the coaches are pleased with what they are seeing on the field.

"Everyone that is out here, for the most part, has been in the system for at least a year, so there wasn't that lull of learning a new system," Morriss said. "The new guys have to learn the details and grow up in a hurry. They know the basics, but they don't have any experience."

Morriss did say he's been pleased with the play of fifth-year senior quarterback Shawn Bell and his redshirt freshman back-up, Blake Szymanski, but noted that "it is hard to throw the ball with bodies in your face."