Baylor Football: With 2009 Behind Them, Bears Look to Bright Future

Mercifully, the Baylor Bears football season is over.

But don’t blame head coach Art Briles (or the rest of the team for that matter) for Baylor’s one-conference-win season.

That one Big 12 ‘W’ is more than most thought the Bears would get.

"I think we are close [to being where we need to be] without a doubt," Briles told the Baylor Official Athletic Website at the team's final press conference. "It is a tough league and a tough schedule. Every game that we didn't win this year was to a bowl eligible team. We beat a team [in Missouri] that went 8-4 and had [represented] the Big 12 North in the [Big 12 Championship] the last two years. There is some progress being made. It is a welcome challenge because that is what we are here to do—we are here to do it right. We are on the road to doing that."

The Bears almost got another victory to close out the season, giving Texas Tech’s Red Raiders quite a scare before succumbing to a second half BU collapse in a 20-13 loss.
Regardless, next year should be an exciting time for Baylor football.

"[The coaching staff] will go back and analyze every situation and evaluate consequences and how we can improve the outcomes," Briles said. "[As a coach], you are never content, never satisfied and never pleased; that is what makes it great because you are always searching and working to get better regardless of the outcome." 

With a healthy group of key players slated to return to the gridiron in 2010, the Bears future appears bright.

And with Briles at the helm, there's no doubt that Baylor is on the right track.

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