Griffin brings life to Baylor’s offense

By John Hillman  |   Wednesday, September 10, 2008  |  Comments( 0 )

Baylor Bears
Got something to say?

Sign Up and be the first to comment on this article!

Futility has plagued Baylor football since the school joined the Big XII conference in the 1990s. But freshman quarterback Robert Griffin has brought new life and hope to the hapless Bears.

Commentary: In his first collegiate start, the Copperas Cove (Texas) graduate performed almost flawlessly. Last Saturday against Northwestern State, Griffin threw for 294 yards and three touchdowns in Baylor’s 51-6 win. The rookie signal-caller completed 15-of-19 passes and rushed for 42 yards on 10 carries, including a 3-yard scoring scamper.

“I’m definitely ready, but I’m not going to close my ears,” he said. “I’m here to learn. The more you learn, the better you’re going to get.”

Head coach Art Briles benched Griffin in favor of senior Kirby Freeman, a transfer from Miami, in the Bears’ opener, a 41-13 loss to No. 20 Wake Forest. The freshman quarterback entered the game in the second quarter with Baylor trailing 17-0.

Griffin showed flashes of raw talent, connecting on 11 of his 19 pass attempts for 125 yards. However, he botched two handoffs, and the Demon Deacons converted the second turnover into a touchdown, increasing their lead to 27-6.

The Bears’ latest quarterback learned the ropes under Briles last spring. After leading Copperas Cove High School to the Class 4A championship game last December, he graduated early and enrolled in Baylor.

Finished with spring training, Griffin turned his talent toward track. With only a few weeks of practice, he won the Big XII 400-meter hurdles title and placed third at the NCAA outdoor championship, capturing All-America honors.

Over the past 12 seasons, Baylor partisans have witnessed a plethora of struggling quarterbacks. Seeing one who combines speed, size and throwing ability like Griffin has turned their frowns into smiles.

Fan pulse: Bowl-hungry Baylor fans hope a win this weekend over Washington State serves as a springboard to the school’s first postseason appearance since 1994. Check out this link for their thoughts: http://www.baylorfans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=155633

Injury report: The Bears enter their contest against the Cougars with a clean bill of health.
Got something to say?

Sign Up and be the first to comment on this article! (0)

About John Hillman

John Hillman graduated from Baylor University in 1974 with a BBA in accounting and earned an MBA from Baylor in 1987. He worked for accounting firms until 1982 when he became the chief financial officer for an independent insurance claims adjusting service, a position he still holds today....
read more
Article Tools Share!   |  RSS  |  Bleacher Report About Bleacher Report