2007 Baylor Bears College Football Picks & Predictions


June 5, 2008 | Posted By Larry Cook

Quarterback Shawn Bell is gone and now it’s time for 25-year old former minor-league baseball player Michael Machen to take over. Machen transferred from Kent Stat and exited the spring with a lead on sophomore Blake Szymanski, transfer John David Weed and redshirt freshman Tyler Beatty. Lee Hays returns as the offensive coordinator and will be asking Machen to take over the spread offense that he brought over from Division II West Texas A&M. Hays’ main objective this season is to make the offensive unit more physical while still spreading the field.

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This change in attitude could help bolster a running game that ranked last in Division I-A last year, averaging a measly 40.2 yards per game and only 2.1 yards per attempt. Those numbers aren’t going to get it done in Big 12 football. Running backs Brandon Whitaker and Jay Finley will be able to find more holes behind an experienced line includes returning starters Jason Smith, Dan Gay and Chad Smith. Arizona State transfer J.D. Walton will take over at center. Only one returning starter at receiver in Thomas White will have this receiving corps playing with much youth. But a load of talent with targets that love playing in the spread offense should be able to step right in and be productive.

Defensive coordinator Larry Hoefer runs a rare 4-2-5 scheme that will need some tweaking as we head into the 2007 season. Hoefer will have to replace two starter cornerbacks with seniors Josh Bell and Alton Widemon. Braelon Davis will likely crack the line-up if he regains his academic eligibility this summer to add some depth. Baylor has full intentions of becoming more aggressive defensively because of its experience in the front six. Hoefer stated that they aren’t just going to sit back and play defense this year.

Middle linebacker Joe Pawelek earned Freshman All-American honors with a team-high 86 tackles and nine QB hurries. When Baylor turns him loose on the quarterback, opposing linemen and backs will have a hard time slowing Pawelek down. The safeties played musical chairs in the spring with all guys switching in and out of positions. Even with new starters at the corners, the defense should be better than last year’s unit that allowed 408 yards and 32.6 points per game. It almost has to improve, otherwise Baylor will once again be a bottom feeder in this tough conference.

The Bears finally have a year of experience under their belts in the spread offense. That fact, alone, should help dramatically. But the offense has little experience at the skill positions, including a new starting man under center. With a few holes still to fill on defense, the 2007 season doesn’t appear to be one where Baylor football ends their 13-year bowl drought.

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