Best Case/Worst Case in 2017: Baylor Bears

All of our Best Case/Worst Case scenarios:Texas / Texas A&M / Texas Tech / TCU / Baylor / Houston / UTSA / SMU / UTEP / Rice / North Texas / Texas StateWill this season be a dream or a nightmare for your favorite FBS program in the state of Texas? In this series, we take a look at the best and worst case scenarios for all 12 teams.Baylor 2016 record: 7-6Best Case Baylor is in a unique position heading into the 2017 season. After what’s been a tumultuous year for the university, the Bears turned to Matt Rhule to right the ship and get the football program back on track. Last year was about as bad as could be expected under the circumstances, but Rhule has done all the right things in setting the program up to return to its former success. The offensive line is the biggest question for the Bears, as the team has some extreme depth concerns up front as the season rapidly approaches. Baylor is going to have to rely on some freshmen to step up and play right away. Best-case scenario, the Bears are able to overcome the depth concerns up front early in the season and stay relatively injury free. With Terence Williams out until at least the start of Big 12 play, JaMycal Hasty emerges as a reliable No. 1 back and builds on the potential he showed last season. Zach Smith returns at quarterback, and while Arizona transfer Anu Solomon was expected to compete for the job, freshman Charlie Brewer looked good in spring ball. But Smith holds on to the job and takes a big step forward as a sophomore while looking to Chris Platt and Blake Lynch to put up big numbers in the absence of both K.D. Cannon and Ishmael Zamora. Defensively, K.J. Smith and Taylor Young continue to hold things together in the front seven. While the secondary is inexperienced, Davion Hall and Grayland Arnold build on their potential and anchor the unit. The Bears still have an ideally light start to the season and go into the Oklahoma game with a 3-0 mark. The Bears bounce back from a loss to Oklahoma to split road games against Kansas State and Oklahoma State before winning two of three against West Virginia, Texas and Kansas. Baylor adds a win over Texas Tech in Arlington and a home win over Iowa State, finishing at 8-4. It’s an immediate improvement in year one for Rhule and gives the coaching staff the momentum needed down the stretch of its first full recruiting cycle. Worst Case After a dismal end to the regular season in 2016, the Bears struggle early in the season under Rhule. An upset loss in the non-conference schedule to either UTSA or Duke damages the team’s confidence significantly heading into Big 12 action. From there, Baylor is blown out at home by Oklahoma before embarking on a tough road trip to take on Kansas State and Oklahoma State. A loss to Texas and first-year coach Tom Herman hurts in conference play, and the lack of depth on the offensive line continues to show as the season goes along. Disappointing losses to both Texas Tech and TCU down the stretch would likely move the Bears’ record in this worst case scenario to 4-8, which would be a disappointing start for Rhule as the program fails to advance to a bowl game for the first time since 2009.

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