He didn’t want his first hit from an opposing defender to be much of a bell-ringer.
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“Definitely not”, Russell said, drawing a comparison to a high-profile former National Football League quarterback who went through a similar situation following neck surgery in 2011.
Seth Russell threw four touchdown passes in less than a half as the 23rd-ranked Bears crushed Northwestern State 55-7.
The Bears look to improve on tonight’s win when they host the Mustangs of SMU next Saturday at McLane Stadium, while Northwestern State will host Incarnate Word.
Russell, a senior, said he is 100 percent ready, and he will certainly need to stay healthy for the Bears since there is no proven backup quarterback after Jarrett Stidham left Baylor.
Baylor fired Art Briles in May after an independent review by the Philadelphia law firm Pepper Hamilton criticized the way the school investigated claims of sexual assault and disciplined its players.
On a night that began with rumors of possible protests outside the stadium (they never materialized), the Bears handled their business inside the stadium. In rushing, Shock Linwood led the Bears with 1,329 yards and 10 touchdowns in 196 carries.
NSU’s touchdown came on a 4-yard keeper from graduate transfer quarterback Brooks Haack, capping a 45-yard, 8-play drive late in the third quarter.
The second half started with Baylor continuing to find success on the ground, as redshirt freshman JaMychal Hasty carried most of the load for the Bears.
“I’ve got a good feeling about this team after this game”.
“We’ll go through this tape, find a lot to fix, learn from it, and get ready for a big ballgame next Thursday at home, a Southland Conference game, against a team that beat us a year ago”, he said, looking forward to the White Out Game at Turpin Stadium against Incarnate Word.
Russell, who was playing his first game since suffering a season-ending neck injury last October, threw four touchdown passes then shed his shoulder pads with 5 minutes to go in the second quarter.
Check back on September 24 when Baylor opens Big 12 play against No. 21 Oklahoma State if you want an accurate reading of this team’s potential.
A rebuilt Baylor defensive line, led by nose tackle Ira Lewis, spent most of the night making plays at the line of scrimmage or in the Demons’ backfield.
Mississippi Valley State avoided a shutout with a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter, including a 13-yard TD strike from Austin Bray to Joshua Banks.
Cornerback Ryan Reid said he and his teammates needed to put the dark offseason behind them. “The kids were on a high to play football again”, Grobe said.
Acting head coach Jim Grobe retained the rest of the coaching staff, including offensive coordinator Kendal Briles, the former coach’s son.
“To think about him losing Art as his head coach.it had to be tougher on KB than anybody”, Grobe said.
No. 21 Baylor was every bit as good as expected.
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“That was the plan to go out there and have a presence”, said Baylor linebacker Taylor Young who collected six tackles and a sack told the Waco-Tribune. That is something No. 9 Tennessee can not claim, in the wake of Thursday’s 20-13 overtime escape from Appalachian State, and it reflects well on Grobe. But it’s just the first step for a team adjusting to the loss of 16 players from its spring roster in the wake of Briles’ departure, a personnel shortfall that will be more evident against Big 12 opponents.
