Baylor Football: Bears Look to Get Back on Track by Casting Out the Demons

WACO, Texas—The Demons of Northwestern State (0-3) probably could not have chosen a worse time to visit the world of the Baylor Bears (1-1).

Baylor will host Northwestern State on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 6 p.m. at Floyd Casey Stadium as the Bears aim to get back on track after a lackluster performance last weekend against U-Conn.

“It [the loss to Connecticut] was definitely eye-opening,” Baylor senior center J.D. Walton said. “We came in thinking we were just going to roll through them and keep on moving with our goals that we had set. We were a little over confident, a little too cocky walking into the game thinking we were just going to get it. We definitely learned from our mistakes and we are never going to start acting like that again. The seniors are going to be on top of stuff.”

Come kickoff on Saturday afternoon, Art Briles’ Bears have one goal and one goal only in mind: winning the game at-hand.

“They [Northwestern State] had a tough opener at Houston,” Briles said. “They had some turnovers that really hurt them in the second week and the game against North Dakota last week was a battle till the end. They are getting better on both sides of the ball. They’re improving and they’ll be tough, we know we have our hands full.”

Regardless of the game plan, the Green & Gold team—the players that go out there and make it happen—are ready to take care of business.

“As seniors, we have a big part when it comes down to it,” Baylor senior linebacker Joe Pawelek said. “Coaches are going to give us schemes and plans and as players we have to execute them. Whether it is in the locker room or on or off the field, we have to step up and help them do that.”

For the coaching staff—as well as the rest of the Baylor Nation—Saturday’s game with the Demons will hopefully show an improvement on both sides of the ball.

“It’s not necessarily about easing the pain; what we’re trying to do is improve as a team,” Briles said. “We are trying to grow and understand situations that we get involved in from a players’ standpoint and a coaches’ standpoint. Pain has memory so that’s with us but we have to grow as a team and find our determination, execution and drive.”

In a little over 48 hours, the Bears aim to put that pain in their past as Baylor aims to keep on trucking—especially with Big 12 Conference play seemingly right around the corner.

“Conference is coming and we know that,” Baylor junior safety Byron Landor said. “We know teams are going to be ready for us. You know, teams heard the hype or whatever you call it so we just have to take it one day at a time and one game at a time. No more bye weeks, so every week we have to participate, play, play well and learn our teams. Learn what we need to learn and learn from this game because like I said in three weeks we will be in conference.”

Denton Ramsey may be reached via email at [e-mail]