Baylor Football

Baylor announced Thursday it temporarily shut down its football facility but still intends to play Oklahoma State on Saturday.

The Bears and Cowboys are scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m. ET at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas.

Two Big 12 games (West Virginia vs. Oklahoma and Kansas vs. Texas) have already been postponed for COVID-19-related reasons.

Today in Big 12 football:

--Oklahoma-West Virginia canceled
--Texas-Kansas canceled
--Texas Tech shuts down facilities
--Baylor shuts down facilities

— Sam Khan Jr. (@skhanjr) December 10, 2020

Dylan Buckingham of KFOR in Oklahoma City reported that some within Oklahoma State have "serious doubt" about playing its final regular-season game due to the situation at Baylor.

In September, the Big 12 laid out its minimum roster requirements for a team to step onto the field. At least 53 players need to be available. That group also must include seven offensive linemen, four defensive linemen and one quarterback.

The outcome of Baylor vs. Oklahoma State wouldn't have any implications in the Big 12 title race since Iowa State and Oklahoma have secured the top two places in the conference. The teams will face off Dec. 19 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Should Baylor fall below the 53-player limit, it would finish the regular season with a 2-6 record. The NCAA Division I Council waived the bowl eligibility standards for this year, but the Bears likely won't be earning a bowl berth.

Oklahoma State has gone 6-3 so far. ESPN's Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach projected the Cowboys to reach the Texas Bowl.

Baylor athletic director Mack Rhoades said Monday that there are 28 active cases of COVID-19 among football players, while 14 staff members within the program have also tested positive, according to Colt Barber of SicEm365.com.

According to Barber's colleague David Smoak, there are 32 active cases among all Baylor student-athletes. 

ESPN's Sam Khan Jr. reported that Baylor paused football activities on Thursday to perform contact tracing on recently returned positive tests and three days later postponed its Saturday game against No. 7 Oklahoma State.

Baylor's football schedule had already been adjusted twice for COVID-related matters. The Bears' Sept. 12 season opener against Louisiana Tech was moved because of test results returned by the Bulldogs, while a game against Houston for the following week was postponed the day before because positive tests limited Baylor in one position group, per Khan Jr. 

Oklahoma State's first game of the season was pushed back a week after Tulsa was forced to take a nine-day break from football activities due to COVID test results. 

The Big 12 said Sunday that the game will be played Dec. 12, and the league's championship game will be played either Dec. 12 or Dec. 19. 

Rhoades said in a statement Monday that football activities will remain suspended through Saturday. The 1-1 Bears are scheduled to return to action Oct. 24 against Texas, and Oklahoma State (3-0, 2-0 Big 12) will play No. 20 Iowa State the same day. 

Baylor University athletic director Mack Rhoades expressed disappointment in Houston head coach Dana Holgorsen to SicEm365 Radio in Waco, Texas, on Tuesday after the Cougars coach criticized Baylor for the postponement of a game between the two teams on September 19.

"Yeah, you know, I'll be candid, I'm disappointed in their head coach and the chirping," Rhoades said (h/t ESPN's Sam Khan Jr.). "And I let the [Houston athletic director] know it. And, you know, in my opinion, [it's] not professional, but we'll move on and we'll move forward."

Baylor called off the game a day before kickoff because of a shortage of offensive linemen, according to Max Olson of The Athletic. The Big 12 threshold to play is seven linemen with the Bears having just six available.

Holgorsen expressed frustration with the announcement while talking with reporters Monday:

"You know, I don't know how it gets to 22 hours before the game. We've had four games canceled, so we're kind of used to that. How it gets to 22 hours before the game, I don't know. I mean, there's a reason why our conference and the Big 12 test three times a week. So I would think that our opponent kinda knows where they're at just like we kinda knew where we were at."

Baylor and Houston quickly scheduled their Week 3 matchup after the Cougars' original opponent, the Memphis Tigers, was forced to postpone because of a COVID-19 outbreak. Nearly one day after the Houston-Memphis game was called off, Houston-Baylor was on.

Until it wasn't.

By the time Holgorsen learned the Baylor game was postponed, Houston's equipment truck was already sitting in the parking lot of the Bears' McLane Stadium.

Khan reports that most of the frustration stemmed from a perceived lack of communication from Baylor officials before an official announcement was made.

Yet Baylor's need to postpone didn't stem from an outbreak, but rather a player suspension. Rhoades confirmed a report from Fox Sports' Joel Klatt that the Bears were under the offensive lineman threshold because of a player who was serving a punishment.

Baylor didn't want to undo a suspension and send a wrong message to the player.

"You're starting to think 'Hey, the only way we can do this, is to unsuspend an individual,' and how does that play in for the for the good of, you know, the 110 [players on the roster]?" Rhoades said. "But then you sit there and you think about your moral and your value system. Dave and I probably had three or four different conversations about it. We just finally rested that, you know, that's just not something we're willing to do."

Linebacker Dillon Doyle, who is the son of former Iowa strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle, announced he will transfer from the Hawkeyes to Baylor:

"I'm excited to announce my decision to attend and compete for Baylor University," Doyle tweeted. "Baylor provides a special situation to be part of a culture with world-class people and coaches every day, and I can't wait to get started." 

https://twitter.com/dillondoyle_/status/1273716178901442560

Doyle arrived at Iowa as a 3-star recruit in the class of 2018, per 247Sports' composite rankings, and finished last season with 23 tackles and a forced fumble.

"I will tell you that we're very, very sad to see Dillon Doyle go," Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said, per Dave Wilson of ESPN. "But we fully understand and support his decision. He's a tremendous young man."

Doyle's decision to transfer comes after Iowa announced Monday it reached a separation agreement with Chris Doyle, who had been the school's strength and conditioning coach since 1999. The announcement noted the school has retained a law firm to look into "issues and allegations relating to racial disparities within the football program."

Brett McMurphy of Stadium noted Chris Doyle is set to receive a $1.11 million buyout and full health benefits for 15 months as part of the agreement.

The separation agreement came after a number of former Hawkeyes players detailed experiences of racism inside the program, many of which involved Doyle. 

In a statement that was not endorsed by Iowa, Doyle denied allegations of racism.

LSU defensive coordinator and associate head coach Dave Aranda has reportedly agreed to terms to replace Matt Rhule as head coach at Baylor after he helped guide the Tigers to the national championship Monday night with a win over Clemson, according to Stadium's Brett McMurphy.

Ross Dellenger of Sports Illustrated first reported Aranda was the leader for the vacant position.

Rhule guided the Bears to an 11-3 mark in 2019 before he accepted an offer to become head coach of the NFL's Carolina Panthers last week.

Aranda has 25 years of high school and college coaching experience. He's served as LSU's associate head coach, defensive coordinator and linebackers coach since 2016, and his $2.5 million salary for 2019 made him the nation's highest-paid assistant, per USA Today.

In December, the 43-year-old Texas Tech product was linked to the UNLV head coaching vacancy, but he opted to remain with the Tigers. He told Brooks Kubena of The Advocate he was "thrilled at the interest" but was waiting for the perfect opportunity for himself and his family.

"You know," Aranda said. "The interest of being a head coach, I think, has always been there."

If Dave Aranda leaves LSU for Baylor, the Tigers are going to have quite a rebuild on their hands. Seven JRs went pro yesterday, no Burrow, no Brady, no Aranda... hey, they’ll always have Monday night. Next year LSU hosts Texas and Alabama but travels to Auburn, Florida and A&M.

— Brady McCollough (@BradyMcCollough) January 16, 2020

Along with LSU, he's filled various roles on the staffs of Texas Tech, Houston, Hawaii, Utah State and Wisconsin, among other schools, during his career.

At Baylor, he'll inherit a Big 12 program that's reached double-digit wins in five of the past nine years, but there would be pressure to hit the ground running. The Bears sit last in the conference in 2020 recruiting class rankings ahead of national signing day Feb. 5, per 247Sports.

With the Matt Rhule era at Baylor officially over, the team will reportedly name Joey McGuire interim head coach of the Bears, per Niki Lattarulo of KCEN.

McGuire was an associate head coach on Rhule's staff where he primarily worked with defensive ends after spending 14 years coaching Texas high school football. Whether or not he will be in the running for the full-time job remains to be seen as the school announced it will not comment on Rhule's replacement until one has been announced. 

"We have launched a national search for our next head coach, and we will not make any comments on prospective candidates or where we are in the process until we are ready to introduce the next leader of our football program," Baylor athletic director Mack Rhoades said in a statement. 

McGuire first joined Baylor's staff in 2017 as a tight ends coach before earning a promotion in 2019. While the school may not be ready to commit to McGuire to run the program long-term, there's certainly precedent for taking a chance on a successful high school coach to oversee the Bears: Art Briles was a four-time 4A state champion coach throughout the 1980s and '90s before becoming Baylor's head coach in 2008.

Having strong relationships with high school coaches across the state is partially what made Briles a key target for Baylor's officials, and while the school has replaced many of those who hired Briles, the need to recruit in-state remains a priority for the Big 12 program. 

McGuire went 141-42 with three state titles in four championship game appearances while at Cedar Hill High School and was named the 2013 Texas Coach of the Year by the Dallas Morning News. Notably, McGuire's son, Garret, just finished his sophomore season as a backup quarterback for the Bears. 

There won't be much time for any sort of honeymoon phase if McGuire's going to make a strong impression with his new bosses. According to 247sports, Baylor currently ranks last in the Big 12's 2020 recruiting rankings with no five-star commitments and just two four-stars. It's 15 total commitments in 2020 are tied for the fewest in the conference with TCU—which boasts five four-star recruits.

Baylor opens the 2020 season on September 5 at NRG Stadium in Houston against the Ole Miss Rebels.

Baylor coach Matt Rhule could potentially be a top candidate for NFL openings this offseason, but he has indicated he wants to continue building his current program. 

"I think, next year, we're going to have a great team," Rhule said on ESPN's Golic and Wingo radio show Tuesday, via Garrett Stepien of 247Sports. "And I think the Sugar Bowl's going to be a big start for that. So I'll always be respectful when people call me. But I think, for my family and for what we're trying to do, we have unfinished business at Baylor."

Baylor will take on Georgia in the Sugar Bowl after producing an 11-2 record in Rhule's third year with the team.

Considering the Bears went 1-11 just two seasons ago, the turnaround under Rhule has been impressive.

This has made him a hot commodity at both the college and NFL level, reportedly a front-runner for the New York Jets job last offseason and apparently an option for the New York Giants job if it becomes open this year.

"It's hard to imagine this 44-year-old won't be at the top of their list," Ralph Vacchiano of SNY reported.

Rhule admitted he gets plenty of calls, but he said Tuesday he doesn't have much interest in leaving his current position:

"I'm really committed to being at Baylor—it's a great, great place. When college jobs have come at me this year, I've said, 'Hey, absolutely not.' I think, anytime an NFL team has called, in the past—people always kind of assumed that I wanted to go. I think, when an NFL team calls, you're really foolish if you don't at least hear them out or just listen to them. But I don't think that's the time and place for me right now."

Only an overtime loss separated Baylor from a Big 12 title and a potential spot in the College Football Playoff, a testament to the talent already on the roster.

Depending on attrition, the Bears could return starting quarterback Charlie Brewer as well as top playmakers like John Lovett and Tyquan Thornton. If Rhule remains in his current role, this is a team that can contend for a championship in 2020.

The No. 12 Baylor Bears defeated West Virginia 17-14 Thursday night at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas, to remain the lone undefeated Big 12 team. 

The Bears improved their record to 8-0 overall and 5-0 against Big 12 competition. The Mountaineers, meanwhile, fell to 3-5 overall and 1-4 in conference play.

Last season, the tables were turned. West Virginia was ranked 13th and cruised by an unranked Baylor 58-14. While Baylor was the ranked team this time around, West Virginia played them tough.

Baylor gutted out an ugly win, though, and topped West Virginia for the first time since 2015. 

Notable Performances

Baylor

QB Charlie Brewer: 277 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT; 19 carries, 25 yards

RB JaMycal Hasty: 14 carries, 77 yards

RB John Lovett: 12 carries, 49 yards

WR Denzel Mims: 5 catches, 99 yards, 1 TD

WR R.J. Sneed: 4 catches, 41 yards, 1 TD

WR Tyquan Thornton: 5 catches, 86 yards

West Virginia

QB Austin Kendall: 205 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; 9 carries, 20 yards

RB Leddie Brown: 9 carries, 27 yards

RB Kennedy McKoy: 5 carries, 19 yards

WR George Campbell: 1 catch, 83 yards, 1 TD

Baylor Barely Hangs on to Perfect Season

Baylor's perfect season almost came crashing down when Bears receiver R.J. Sneed fumbled a punt return to give West Virginia the ball back at the BU 34-yard line. 

And after the Bears defense, as the unit had done all night, halted the Mountaineers offense, Bravvion Roy blocked Casey Legg's 48-yard field-goal attempt that would have tied the game at 17. It was the Bears' ninth blocked kick in the last 13 games, according to the team.

West Virginia managed to get the ball back one more time with 30 seconds remaining, but without any timeouts or evidence that the offense could move efficiently, it was too late.

As a result, Baylor kept pace with No. 1 LSU, No. 2 Alabama, No. 3 Ohio State, No. 4 Clemson, No. 5 Penn State, No. 13 Minnesota and No. 15 SMU as FBS' only remaining undefeated teams. 

Baylor hangs on. 8-0. I’m pretty sure the Bears are not a serious playoff contender, but they will go into November with a chance.
Pretty impressive.

— Ralph D. Russo (@ralphDrussoATH) November 1, 2019

As the final score would suggest, Baylor won this game despite themselves.

The offensive line allowed West Virginia to sack junior quarterback Charlie Brewer seven times and to apply pressure on him more often than not. Then there were the three turnovers. Sneed's fumble that almost cost the Bears the game late in the fourth was preceded by a Sneed fumble in the second quarter and a Denzel Mims fumble on Baylor's first play of the third quarter. 

The Bears were bailed out by West Virginia's inability to turn any of those turnovers into points, as the Mountaineers' three ensuing possessions ended in a punt, fumble and missed field goal.

If WVU was able to play even slightly more competently on offense, chances are high that Baylor would have joined No. 20 Appalachian State in picking up its first loss against an unranked opponent. Baylor ranked 45th among FBS programs in total defense entering this matchup, while West Virginia ranked 119th in total offense.

Mountaineers junior quarterback Austin Kendall had 84 passing yards through the game's first two-and-a-half quarters before striking on an 83-yard touchdown pass to George Campbell that tied the game 7-7 with 6:42 remaining in the third quarter. Prior to Campbell's touchdown, West Virginia had compiled 87 total offensive yards.

And when Brewer answered with a 21-yard touchdown pass to Mims to take a 14-7 lead on Baylor's ensuing possession, West Virginia's special teams stepped up:

Wild one in Waco

Baylor (-18.5) scores to go up 14-7

Next play … https://t.co/l5NwyZuk4K

— br_betting (@br_betting) November 1, 2019

It's worth mentioning that Baylor went 1-11 in 2017, head coach Matt Rhule's first year in charge, and 7-6 last season. So in that context, ugly games like this one are to be expected regardless of the Bears' current perfect record. 

The real gauge of how far Rhule has brought this program will come in two weeks when No. 10 Oklahoma visits Waco. While the Sooners dropped behind Baylor in the Big 12 by losing 48-41 to unranked Kansas State last week, their top-ranked offense will prove a stark contrast to the Mountaineers squad the Bears barely squeaked by Thursday night. 

What's Next?

The Bears will travel to TCU next Saturday before their biggest test of the season on Nov. 16 when No. 10 Oklahoma comes to Waco.

West Virginia will host Texas Tech next Saturday before traveling to take on No. 22 Kansas State, which handed Oklahoma its first loss of the season last week.

Matt Rhule is staying with the Baylor Bears for the long run.

According to Chance Linton of 247Sports' Bears Illustrated, Baylor and its head football coach agreed to a contract extension that will keep him with the Big 12 program through the 2027 campaign. He was under contract through the 2023 campaign before this agreement.

David Smoak of ESPN Central Texas 1660 shared Rhule's statement regarding the extension:

"Since arriving at Baylor in December 2016, Waco has become our home. My family is very happy here. Baylor, its mission, and its people are a tremendous fit for myself and our staff and all the things we believe in. Most importantly, I have grown to love these players and I am proud of the things they are accomplishing on and off the field. Thank you to Mack Rhoades, Dr. Livingstone and the Board of Regents and I look forward to a bright future and continuing to work with our student-athletes for years to come."

Baylor hired Rhule after he was the head coach for Temple from 2013 through 2016 and finished with a 28-23 record and two bowl appearances.

"Matt embodies our institutional goal of Preparing Champions for Life and has done a phenomenal job leading our football program both on and off the field," vice president and director of intercollegiate athletics Mack B. Rhoades IV said in a release, per Linton. "We look forward to continued growth in all areas under his leadership. Matt is without a doubt one of the elite head football coaches in the country."

The Bears struggled out of the gate under Rhule and went just 1-11 during his first season.

However, Mark Schlabach of ESPN pointed out he "inherited a program that was plagued by accusations of sexual misconduct by players and the mishandling of other off-field issues, which led to the firing of former coach Art Briles and resignation of other university officials in 2016."

There was an immediate turnaround last year, as evidenced by a 7-6 record and Texas Bowl victory over Vanderbilt. Baylor has picked up right where it left off this year and is already 4-0 with a Big 12 victory over Iowa State.

The Bears have difficult tests remaining against Oklahoma, Texas and Oklahoma State on the schedule, but they appear well on their way to another bowl appearance.

Rhule will look to make that the new reality for the foreseeable future.

Former Baylor Bears head coach Art Briles returned to coaching Friday night by leading his Mount Vernon Tigers to a 44-16 victory over the Bonham Warriors in Texas high school action.

"I just want to coach football," Briles told reporters after coaching his first game in the United States since leading Baylor to a 10-3 record in 2015.

He was fired by the school in May 2016 following an investigation into the program's handling of sexual assault allegations against its players. The 63-year-old Texas native, who briefly coached Guelfi Firenze in France, said he didn't pay attention to criticism of his return to the sideline in the United States.

"You know, honestly, I haven't looked or noticed," Briles said. "Y'all don't wanna believe it, but I just like to coach football. That's all I pay attention to, and that's all I've ever done. People can think and say whatever they want to think and say. I have no control over that."

Briles started his coaching career as an assistant at Texas' Sundown High School in 1979 and served as a head coach at three schools in the state—Hamlin High School, Georgetown High School and Stephenville High School—before making a jump to the college ranks as a Texas Tech Red Raiders assistant in 2000.

After five years as the Houston Cougars' head coach starting in 2003, he accepted the Baylor job in 2008 and spent eight years creating a successful on-field product.

The Bears posted a .637 winning percentage (65-37) during his tenure and finished 13th or better in the final Associated Press poll in four of his final five seasons.

Baylor's Board of Regents announced in May 2016 an independent investigation raised "significant concerns about the tone and culture within Baylor's football program as it relates to accountability for all forms of student athlete misconduct," which led to Briles' firing.

"We were horrified by the extent of these acts of sexual violence on our campus," Board of Regents chairman Richard Willis said at the time. "This investigation revealed the University's mishandling of reports in what should have been a supportive, responsive and caring environment for students."

Briles explained his feelings to reporters about the chance to restart his coaching career:

"You know, I've got so many [emotions]. A lot of mine are personal, and nothing to do with anything that's happened other than through my father, because he coached all his life and he never got to see me coach, never got to see me get married, never got to be around me. That's the emotion I go with, because I want to share that with other people. I want them to understand how precious each day is and how you should always be grateful if you're given an opportunity."

Mount Vernon is on the road again next week when it takes on the Farmersville Farmers before the Tigers play their home opener Sept. 13 against the Canton Eagles.