ESPN College Football

Big 12 blogger David Ubben on Nick Florence and the Bears' spring and fall expectations.

We did it last year, and it's time to rev up the engines one more time.

The Big 12 had five passers top 3,000 yards in 2011. WVU's Geno Smith also topped 3,000 yards, but Texas A&M's Ryan Tannehill did, too. The league breaks even in that sense.

College football had 39 passers top 3,000 yards last year, up from 27 in 2010.

Which ones will crack the mark in the Big 12 next year? I'm glad you asked.

Remember: This isn't so much a ranking of the Big 12's best quarterbacks, but the QBs with the best chance to break the benchmark for a great season.

1. Geno Smith, West Virginia: Smith had his first season over 3,000 yards last year, and did it by a long ways, racking up 4,385 yards, which was 1,781 more than any other Big East QB. That's nuts. He may throw for more yards than any Big 12 QB this year, but it won't be that wide of a margin. He's got one of the best receiving corps in the league. Injury would be the only thing that could keep him under 3,000.

2. Landry Jones, Oklahoma: Jones has big question marks at receiver. Three of his top four returning targets are currently suspended. Still, he has Kenny Stills and hyped newcomer Trey Metoyer headlining the best class of incoming receivers in the country. He'll top 4,000 yards for the third consecutive season, and 3,000 for the fourth.

3. Seth Doege, Texas Tech: Doege took his place as the next in a long line of successful Tech QBs, throwing for 4,004 yards despite losing the heart of his running game and his two most talented receivers. Tech will throw it enough as always to make this one a no-doubter.

4. Nick Florence, Baylor: Florence will top 3,000 yards in his first full year as a starter with time to prepare for becoming one. He earned seven sudden starts when Robert Griffin III tore his ACL in 2009, Florence's true freshman season. He's got more experience now and arguably the best receiving corps in the league. That's a heck of a combo.

5. Wes Lunt, Oklahoma State: Lunt is a true freshman who better brace for growing pains, but he'll have plenty of great moments in OSU's loaded, pass-first offense. He'll top 3,000 yards by a narrow margin, but the biggest key for Lunt will be keeping his interception total low. If he does that, OSU could be scary.

6. Casey Pachall, TCU: Pachall will have to balance out TCU's running game, which should take advantage of some Big 12 defenses' weak interiors. He'll need to chuck it a whole lot more this season if TCU gets into shootouts or needs to come from behind. That'll happen a lot more in the Big 12 than in the Mountain West.

Just missed: Dayne Crist, Kansas. (Simply put, not enough offensive weapons to top 3,000 yards.)

The Big 12 season is approaching, and there's no league in which the quarterback position is more important. Want success? Experience is a good place to start. How do the QBs rank in experience? Let's take a look.

1. Landry Jones, Oklahoma (37 starts): Jones is the league's elder statesman by a long, long ways. He took over as a redshirt freshman in 2009 when Sam Bradford injured his shoulder, and didn't miss any of his 27 starts in 2010 and 2011.

2. Geno Smith, West Virginia (26 starts): Smith has been the team's unquestioned starter for each of the past two seasons, and should be ready for a big 2012 after topping 4,000 yards in 2011.

3. Collin Klein, Kansas State (15 starts): Klein had two more starts at receiver earlier in his career, but we're not counting those. Klein was a gadget QB in 2010, but took over as the team's offensive workhorse in 2011, accounting for nearly 70 percent of the team's total offense.

4. Casey Pachall, TCU (13 starts): Pachall played well in his first year as a starter, but often relied on his three star running backs in the offense and didn't top 3,000 yards. He's ready for more responsibility if necessary this year.

5. Seth Doege, Texas Tech (13 starts): Doege earned one start all the way back in 2009, but ceded that spot by the end of the game. He did no such thing in a strong 2011 season, though Tech missed a bowl game and had a losing season (5-7) for the first time in almost two decades.

6. Dayne Crist, Kansas (10 starts): Crist's 10 starts all came at Notre Dame, but there doesn't look to be much challenge from any other QBs on the roster this season. Does he have the offensive weapons to be productive?

7. Nick Florence, Baylor (seven starts): Florence started seven games in 2009 when Robert Griffin III suffered a knee injury, and earned a half of playing time last season against Texas Tech that cost him his redshirt season.

8. Steele Jantz, Iowa State (seven starts): Jantz got off to a strong start, but never figured out his very serious turnover issues. That cost him his starting job in midseason, despite three fourth-quarter comebacks to begin the 2011 season 3-0.

9. David Ash, Texas (six starts): Ash was the fourth-string QB last summer, but when Garrett Gilbert and Connor Wood transferred, it was up to him and Case McCoy to carry the load. By season's end, Ash had established himself as the future at the position, at least immediately, but Texas' coaches haven't given him the official designation yet.

10. Jared Barnett, Iowa State (six starts): Barnett took over for Jantz in the middle of the season and engineered wins over Texas Tech, Kansas and a historic win over No. 2 Oklahoma State, but struggled with inconsistency late and opened up the competition to Jantz in a Pinstripe Bowl loss to Rutgers. There's no assurance for either to be the starter after the spring.

11. Case McCoy, Texas (five starts): McCoy's gutsiest performance came in a comeback win over Texas A&M, but his lack of arm strength limited what the Longhorns could do in 2011. McCoy's got all the heart you could ask for, but his physical attributes bring about plenty of questions about his ability to carry the team over the course of his career.

12. Wes Lunt, Oklahoma State (zero starts): Lunt shocked even his own offensive coordinator by beating out junior Clint Chelf and redshirt freshman J.W. Walsh in the spring to earn the starting job. He still has to validate that spot in the fall, but Lunt is in a class of his own at the bottom of the Big 12 when it comes to experience. He's a big, NFL-sized QB with a big arm, though. Can his mind catch up fast enough to help the Cowboys defend a Big 12 title?

David Ubben says Baylor QB Nick Florence, OSU WR Josh Stewart and Texas RB Joe Bergeron are three players to watch in the Big 12 this year

2011 overall record: 10-3
2011 conference record: 6-3
Returning starters: Offense (6), Defense (8), P/K (2)

Top returners: WR Terrance Williams, WR Tevin Reese, S Ahmad Dixon, S Sam Holl, CB K.J. Morton, S Mike Hicks, OL Cyril Richardson, OL Ivory Wade

Key losses: QB Robert Griffin III, WR Kendall Wright, RB Terrance Ganaway, OL Philip Blake, LB Elliot Coffey, DT Nicolas Jean-Baptiste, DL Tracy Robertson

2011 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Terrance Ganaway (1,547 yards)
Passing: Robert Griffin III (4,293 yards)
Receiving: Kendall Wright (1,663 yards)
Tackles: Elliot Coffey (114)
Sacks: Tracy Robertson (4.5)
Interceptions: K.J. Morton* (4)

Spring answers

1. Don't sweat the quarterbacks: Anybody who thinks Baylor's destined to go back to 3-4 win seasons in the post-RG3 era isn't paying much attention. Nick Florence had a rough time as a true freshman filling in for RG3 in 2009, but he's grown up a whole lot since then, and he'll get a chance to show it this fall. Behind him, Bryce Petty is itching for a chance, too, but Florence's leadership and decision-making assured him the job in the spring.

2. The receivers are ready to roll: And what about Kendall Wright's absence? He led Baylor in receiving for each of the past four seasons, but Baylor's going to be just fine in his wake, too. Terrance Williams is a future NFL draft pick, and Tevin Reese is ready to see an increased role in the offense, too. Lanear Sampson offers more depth and playmaking ability at the position.

3. Lache Seastrunk is a lot more than just hype: The Temple, Texas, native couldn't quite catch on at Oregon, but he's proving he'll be a factor at Baylor at some point, if not immediately. The backfield is still crowded, but he exploded for 138 yards and a touchdown on seven carries. He's the fastest of the Baylor backs, but he's got to prove he can be the most productive too.

Fall questions

1. How much better can the defense get? Baylor doesn't have the RG3 Express to fall back on anymore. He helped make the Bears the first team to ever win four consecutive games in a single season while also giving up at least 30 points. BU won games in 2011 while giving up 56, 48 and 42 points, too. Phil Bennett's defense has the athletes, but it's got to force more turnovers like it did the second half of the season and get those point totals down. Florence is good, but he's no RG3. If the defense doesn't improve, making a bowl will prove difficult.

2. Can Baylor truly carry on without Robert Griffin III? Baylor has all the pieces in place to get back to a bowl game, but RG3 had plenty of truly intangible attributes that are hard to duplicate. He was a compelling leader who always seemed to make everyone around him better. Florence sounds like he has many of those same things, but will they translate into wins? You never quite know for sure. RG3 was a truly transcendent player unlike anything Waco had ever seen.

3. Will the Bears have a featured running back? Seastrunk made lots of noise in the spring game, but Jarred Salubi and Glasco Martin have a lot more experience, and that could pay off in playing time when it comes to things like pass blocking and doing the little things right. Jay Finley and Terrance Ganaway grabbed starring roles the past two seasons, but will coach Art Briles use a committee come fall? Or will he find a back to lean on?

Thanks for all your questions in today's chat. It was a fun one. Here's the link to the full transcript.

Have more to say? Reach me here.

Time for a few highlights.

Daniel (Dodge City): What do you think of K-State this year? Is 8 or 9 wins just right or too much for them?

David Ubben: If I had to guess, I'd say nine wins, but I do that with a lot of reservation. I'm not quite sure what to think. I'm certainly skeptical of their ability to duplicate last year's results, but I'm also very leery of doubting a Bill Snyder team that brings back as much talent as this 2012 squad does. Not sure I have a great feel for the Cats this year.

Nick (Ames): Do you think AJ Klein and Jake Knott will translate to good NFL linebackers? How much harder is it to get recognized by nfl scouts at a school like Iowa State compared to a tradionally power football school like Texas?

David Ubben: These days, exposure isn't much of a problem. The only thing I question from those two is their speed and coverage ability. They're both sure tacklers and tough as nails. But is their athleticism up to par? I haven't talked to many scouts about them, but I'd like to get a sense of how NFL teams see them. Something for the future, I think.

Chris (Houston): What games does Texas lose this year? Why does Texas lose those games?

David Ubben: Oklahoma. West Virginia. Kansas State. Not enough offense in the first two. Kansas State's spell over the Longhorns in the third.

chris sunny south alabama [via mobile]: Hey Ubbs! I think the Texas Tech offense is going to be unstoppable this season. Neal Brown has added a few plays to the offense similar to the Oregon Ducks Offense. They are tryin to get the ball in the hands of the speedy guys like Ben McRoy and Jakeem Grant. Do you think this will make the offense better

David Ubben: I don't know about unstoppable, but I do like Tech's idea of using running backs like Oregon has used guys like DeAnthony Thomas. Those jet sweeps and shovels are really tough to defend when you get the ball to speedsters.

andy (texas): 2 years ago it was justin blackmon, last year it was collin klein, who's this years break out player on offense?

David Ubben: Nick Florence.

Chris (Dallas): David with the shift of power and the landscape in the conference, do you think it's safe to say that we wont see the same sort of dominance from the UT's and OU's of the world?

David Ubben: I'll be writing about that tomorrow. Stay tuned. It's a big, big day on the blog on Wednesday, actually. That's all I'll say for now.

Nemo Cowbell (Pasture, TX): Do you think Bob Bowlsby was the wisest choice for Big 12 Commissioner?

David Ubben: There's no way to know right now, but I like the move. He's proven himself in college athletics, though only John Swofford has a history as an AD among commissioners. He's a bright guy, but understanding the dynamics between schools might take a little bit of getting used to. Bringing in someone from the outside was the best move, but it's too early to get any real read on what will happen in his tenure.

Brent A. Carter (Victoria, TX): Do you agree with me that OSU is due for a massive letdown in 2012? They are a program that is barely .500 over the life of their program and I just believe in the law of averages.

David Ubben: No. 8-9 wins with upside for 10-11 wins.

Kenny Little Rock [via mobile]: Best special teams player in the conference? ,ost important?

David Ubben: 1) Quinn Sharp by a mile. 2) Quinn Sharp by a mile.

Devon Shes. (Austin, TX): What penalties are on the horizon for Vaccaro, Okafor and Matthews after this past arrest on 6th St.?

David Ubben: This deal sounds like a whole lot of nothing. Nothing worth legitimate punishment unless new information surfaces. Some extra running for letting it reach the point where cops had to be called, but take it and move on.

Ed (Houston): How long does the Big12 boycott last? Will Baylor break first? Is the money just too good?

David Ubben: Now this is a great, great question. Ultimately, I think the money will be too much. Texas isn't like Nebraska. They're too close to everyone. I'd say the scheduling boycott ends with an announcement in five years. Games in 7-8 years with somebody in the Big 12.

Rob (Boise, ID): Regarding an earlier question, what boycott are you talking about? I hadn't heard anything about any boycott surrounding the Big12. Maybe you could write an article about it.

David Ubben: It's not a "boycott" per se, but nobody from the Big 12 is real keen on scheduling A&M in football. That's basically what we're talking about.

Baylor kicked off last season with a memorable Friday night win over TCU. We'll see the Bears play twice outside of Saturday this season.

Baylor moved its season opener against SMU in Waco to Sunday. The game will be televised at 6:30 p.m. ET on Fox Sports Net.

Last season, Texas A&M played its season opener against SMU on Sunday night, too.

Baylor will play on Friday night two weeks later, too. Its road opener against Louisiana-Monroe will be televised on ESPN or ESPN2 on Sept. 21 at 8 p.m. ET.

"We welcome opportunities to play on television and are pleased with the visibility and opportunity for Baylor Nation to watch our games," coach Art Briles said in a release.

It's a good move for the Bears, who'll be entertaining to watch in 2012, but won't have the national draw of an electric player like Robert Griffin III to make everyone stop and watch.

The game against SMU should be particularly interesting. They'll get a big stage to themselves, and former Texas quarterback Garrett Gilbert may be lining up across from them.

Could we see a big game to kick off the year from new starter Nick Florence? Could be another star in the making.

Don't worry about a short week after the opener. The Bears are off in Week 2 before facing Sam Houston State. They'll have a six-day week to prepare for the road game against Monroe.

The spring is nearing its end with just a little over a week remaining for some.

Oklahoma State and West Virginia will wrap up their spring practices this weekend. Until then, it's time to break down where we stand in the quarterback competitions around the league.

Baylor: Bears coach Art Briles said it was Nick Florence's job to lose entering the spring, and Florence did nothing to let Briles down. Instead, he seized the job ahead of talented backup Bryce Petty, who has a bright future ahead of himself. Florence gave up his redshirt last season by playing the second half against Texas Tech, but he'll try to make his senior season count. For now, this is his team.

Iowa State: Nothing's been settled after Iowa State's spring game last Saturday. Steele Jantz got back into the race when Jared Barnett struggled in the bowl game, and the competition was too close to call at the end of spring. ISU coach Paul Rhoads even said redshirt freshman Sam Richardson isn't out of the race. Former QB Jerome Tiller is, though. He was in the four-man competition last spring, which Jantz eventually won, but missed the season because of academic issues. He's a receiver now, and doing well at the position.

Kansas: Charlie Weis brought in his guy, Dayne Crist, from Notre Dame, and last year's starter, Jordan Webb, transferred. Crist has entrenched himself as the starter midway through spring practice, which ends with the spring game on April 28. BYU transfer Jake Heaps is taking reps with the second team now, but he'll be phased out in the fall while he sits out his NCAA-mandated redshirt season after transferring.

Kansas State: Collin Klein is still developing as a passer, but he is K-State's offense. Moving on ...

Oklahoma: Landry Jones returned for his senior season, but with a healthy set of running backs, the Belldozer, a power formation named after big-bodied backup Blake Bell, may be phased out this season. Bell, though, showcased his arm in the spring game and outperformed the older Drew Allen. The backup QB race should be interesting to watch this fall.

Oklahoma State: Coach Mike Gundy really wanted to name a starter by the end of spring, but it doesn't look likely to happen. No quarterback has established any distance, but they'll have a huge chance in Saturday's spring game. For now, true freshman Wes Lunt is still in the race, though dual-threat man J.W. Walsh may be the favorite ahead of junior Clint Chelf, who has some game experience the past two seasons. This is the league's best race, but also its most difficult to predict. Just about anything could happen.

Texas: Coach Mack Brown isn't making anything official, but sophomore David Ash was getting nearly all the first-team reps in the spring, ahead of Case McCoy. There's no official title yet, but there would be major shock if anyone but Ash starts the season opener. Now, if Ash struggles...

TCU: Casey Pachall had a great first year, and brings back his top three targets in Josh Boyce, Skye Dawson and Brandon Carter. The sky is the limit for Pachall.

Texas Tech: The Red Raiders' staff liked what Seth Doege did as a first-year starter, but the defense and injuries to his offense put too much strain on him in 2011. He'll look a lot better if his receivers and running backs can stay healthy.

West Virginia: Geno Smith may be the league's best quarterback, and coach Dana Holgorsen can't quit calling him "special." That's not to say he should. It could be a special season for him and the Mountaineers as they join the Big 12.

Miss Baylor's spring game on Saturday? We've got you covered.

What happened:

• Nick Florence ruined the defense's day, completing 14-of-18 passes for 180 yards and three touchdowns. Bryce Petty completed 18-of-27 passes for 146 yards and a touchdown.
• Lache Seastrunk stole the show with 135 yards on just seven carries, including a 75-yard touchdown.
• Lanear Sampson caught five passes for 65 yards and a touchdown. Tevin Reese had four catches for 89 yards.
• Josh Wilson led all tacklers with 10 stops.
• The Bears ran 112 plays in the 75-minute scrimmage.
• About 2,750 fans showed up.

What we learned:

• When I visited Baylor this spring, Seastrunk was the third man in what looked like a pretty balanced backfield by committee. Now, though? If he's that productive for the rest of fall camp, he may be validating that recruiting hype and hoopla that followed his transfer from Oregon. His competition, Jarred Salubi (88 yards, seven carries) and Glasco Martin (58 yards, TD eight carries) were productive, but Seastrunk has that home-run capability. Salubi does, too, but the senior hasn't shown it on the field. Fall camp should be an interesting race. All three could be productive, but Briles prefers to have a featured back in the offense. Jay Finley and Terrance Ganaway were outstanding the past two years, and I like Baylor's chances to have a third 1,000-yard rusher.
• Color me unsurprised at Florence and Petty's big day. Baylor, Oklahoma and West Virginia all have a case as the league's deepest roster of QBs.
• The easy rebuttal from those numbers is Baylor's defense is terrible. Well, it was last year. It won't be great this year, and it might not be a ton better. That said, putting up those kinds of numbers is difficult, and my point is this: Baylor's still going to have one of the league's most productive offenses. RG3 had lots of help around him and lots of potential behind him. We'll get a chance to see it this year. The spring game didn't change my mind about Baylor as a 6-8-win team, but this is not a program that's going to flatline without RG3 at quarterback. The receivers are really talented, really deep and really smart. The offensive line should be really good and the running backs will be productive.

They said it:

"I'm learning. I know my teammates are going to keep helping me. As long as I keep my head in the books and keep understanding all the checks and calls, I'll be fine." - RB Lache Seastrunk, on his day

Thanks for all the emails this week. I heard from the WVU faithful a whole lot during my visit. It's appreciated. The response from the onslaught of Mountaineer coverage has been overwhelmingly positive. Here's where you can reach me if you have entertaining musings or questions that haven't been asked 72 times.

Zac in Manhattan, Kan., wrote: David why didnt you put K-State in the poll for the big 12's best offense? I mean we have several returners coming back(one of the teams with the most starters returning in the nation) so why no love for KSU? Yeah the offense isn't flashy, but for K-state the goal is win the Time Of Possession battle. I guess I just want to know where we rank offensively in the grand scheme of the Big 12 in your mind.

David Ubben: Well, it might have something to do with the fact that K-State ranked ninth in the Big 12 in total offense, ahead of only Kansas.

Hey, I get it. I've written about it plenty. K-State's offense is the antithesis of every well-earned Big 12 stereotype about offense. The offense is effective. It wins games.

Ultimately, though, it doesn't scare anyone. It might if Collin Klein starts slinging it with the best of them, but offenses like West Virginia, Oklahoma and Baylor/Oklahoma State last year scare the heck out of people. Those guys could hang insane numbers of yards and points. Ultimately, it comes down to that. Excuse me for equating the "best offenses" with the offenses that score the most "points" and gain the most "yards."

It dominated the time of possession stat last year, too. That's aided by snapping the ball with less than 5-10 seconds left on the play clock while others in the Big 12 like to do it with 25-35 seconds left. I'm not that impressed by that stat.

K-State's offense fits what it wants to do and it wins. That's fine. It's not in the conversation as the league's best offense.

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Jeremy Dajao in Stafford, Texas, wrote: David,Really insulted you didn't put Tech up there in the which offense will be blah blah blah next year. Really? Baylor? Tech has an awesome returning QB and then Stephens should be back. Why?

DU: I actually heard from a whole lot of Tech fans on this one. Truth be told, Tech would probably be the sixth team on my list. Complain all you want, but don't forget, Tech was sixth in the Big 12 in total offense last year. These are not your father's (or, I guess, older brother's) Red Raiders. Injuries hurt, but I feel pretty confident in both Oklahoma State and Baylor's offenses with new faces. Baylor has one of the league's best receiving corps, and Nick Florence is ready for the spotlight. Just because Tech has returning talent -- and I wouldn't guarantee Stephens just yet -- they're still a little unproven at receiver, especially compared to Baylor. I seem to remember Florence and his running backs doing quite alright against the Red Raiders last season, to the tune of 66 points.

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Glark Griswold in Norman, Okla., wrote: The 3-4 is perfect for the Big 12. It puts more speed on the field and creates more confusing blitz packages among many other advantages. OU used a similar set towards the end of 2010 with a lot of success. Why has the 3-4 not made much of an appearance in the Big 12 with the except of West Virginia making the switch this year?

DU: I'll be writing about this in the weeks to come, but more and more teams are experimenting with alignments that mock the 3-4, even if the personnel is far unlike what the 3-4 looks like in the NFL. Those outside linebacker spots are the linchpin. Getting a good pass rush in the Big 12 is huge, and those versatile linebacker spots make it difficult on offensive lines and chipping running backs to know where the additional pressure is going to come from.

It's made more of an appearance than you'd think, but a lot of teams just don't identify themselves as "3-4" defenses.

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Cody in Mustang, Okla., wrote: Hey Dubbs, love the blog. Why has Tannehill flown up everybody's draft boards? To me he is overrated especially compared to Weeden. Everyone before the '11-'12 season had switched to liking A&M right before the season over OSU and look what happened. Weeden goes from being that top 20-25 pick to being early-mid second rounder due to whatever Tannehill showed. So I guess my question is what did he do in the pro day that accelerated this, because they sure didn't find anything on film after this past season. Thanks David.

DU: Well, there's no question in my mind that Weeden is currently in another league than Tannehill. I can buy Tannehill's upside, but I don't buy him as a top-10 pick. I can see maybe late first round, but Tannehill could theoretically go as high as No. 3. He's a fine person and his physical skills scream NFL, but his production and decision-making ought to provide plenty of question marks for NFL types.

All those second-half collapses? Tannehill was a turnover machine in some really bad spots, and played a huge part in A&M going from Big 12 title contender to 6-6 disappointment.

I was talking to a lot of folks around the Big 12 about Tannehill, and one coach in the league had this to say on the rise: "I don't get it. If a guy's throwing a lot of INTs, there's a problem." Tannehill tied Oklahoma's Landry Jones for the most with 15 interceptions last season.

Weeden threw 13 interceptions on 81 more attempts, but also completed 11 percent more of his passes and had nearly 1,000 more yards.

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Mark Stryker in Houston wrote: Hi David,Just wanted to say thanks for the great WVU football coverage! It was very complimentary (so of course I'm going to like it) AND the message itself is a great introduction to our new Big 12 Family. There's are many reasons that WVU alumni are so rabidly supportive of our alma mater, and you did a great job of describing our physical connection to the picturesque landscape that lives so close to our hearts.I think our new conference compatriots will be pleasantly surprised (at least in terms of ticket sales) at the amount of blue and gold they will see in the stands on game day.Our local alumni association here in Houston has nearly 400 members (nearly 1,200 when you take full family size into account), and we expect nearly everyone to make the trip. Hotel rooms in Austin for the October 6 weekend are nearly sold out. Nearly to a person our members believe that the move to the Big 12 is going to be a huge win the conference and for WVU. Thanks again! All the best, Mark

DU: Much appreciated, WVU. You guys have a gorgeous place to live. Glad you enjoyed the coverage. There's lots more coming.

Very cool tidbit about the hotel rooms in Austin.

WACO, Texas -- Nick Florence didn't have to come to Baylor. He didn't have to stay.

If football has been his only reason for coming to Waco, it'd be easy to see why he might've gone elsewhere.

But Florence did.

He stepped in as a freshman when future Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III tore his ACL, then stepped off the stage for the next two seasons while Griffin wrote his legacy.

Plenty of quarterbacks would have waved goodbye.

Florence didn't.

Here's why.

--

Florence didn't lose a game as a freshman at South Garland (Texas) High School. A year later, he took over the varsity squad in midseason and carried the team to a third-round loss in the state playoffs to Lufkin, led by Dez Bryant, now a receiver for the Dallas Cowboys.

"The QB that started the year as the starter, every opportunity Nick had, he would encourage him," said Mickey Moss, Florence's high school coach who now heads up a program in Rockwall, Texas. Throughout his career, Moss has put about 50 players into Division I programs like Nebraska, Oklahoma and Missouri.

"When Nick took over, he'd lead the senior linemen and just encourage them and give them confidence and praise. I was like, 'I’ve never seen a kid like this who had such confidence and maturity.'"

Florence earned a reputation on and off the field. Before school began, he and teammates would walk through the school's hallways while praying for classmates who would congregate there during the school year, which began in a few weeks. When school began, he'd join his twin brother, Luke, and others to often pray for classmates before class during the week.

"That’s just who he was and he believed in making a difference in the lives of other people," Moss said. "His leadership? He’s just got it."

His youth pastor at Lake Highlands Church in Dallas eventually took a job at Antioch Community Church in Waco, and Florence wanted to join him.

Florence pestered Moss to make a few calls down to Baylor. Moss did so and asked coaches if they'd seen Florence on film.

Minutes later, he got a call back.

Baylor offered Florence his first major scholarship offer, and Florence made it his only one.

"Nick just felt like this was where God wanted him to be, and that’s Nick," Moss said. "He does so much based on faith."

The problem? The coach who called back with that offer was Guy Morriss, who was fired after the 2007 season. Enter Art Briles and a kid from Copperas Cove whom nobody thought could play quarterback.

Briles, then at Houston, brought Cougars commit Robert Griffin III to Baylor with him, the two having faith of their own that they could win in Waco, which hadn't seen a winning football season since 1995.

Briles had his man, but honored Morriss' offer to Florence, whose playing time looked like it would be sparse.

"If God wanted you to be here and that’s what you believe, he doesn’t change his mind," Moss says he remembers telling Florence. "Knowing Robert Griffin was going to be the quarterback didn’t faze him."

Along the way, Florence kept working. He earned the respect of teammates. In the meantime, he got his business degree, worked closely with his church and married his wife, Rachel, last May. The two plan to enter the ministry whenever Florence's football career is over.

"His pastor told me, in all the locker rooms he’s been in, he’s never let his eyes view another naked woman in his life in print on TV or anywhere else until his wedding day. That says a lot about who he is, but also how others respect him," Moss said. "He doesn’t throw his faith in your face. Not at all. He has a genuine care, concern and love for people, and he’s always looking to make a difference. ... He’s going to compete, but the biggest thing I always believed he was going to do was make an impact in the locker room with his character and integrity."

Florence had been on campus a couple of years but RG3 was proving his mettle as the man at Baylor. Briles met with Moss and gushed about his backup.

"That kid is a winner," Moss recalls Briles saying.

He's done it since he was a freshman in high school, and now that the starting job at Baylor is nearly Florence's officially, he doesn't plan on that changing.

"You watch him play and it’s like, what’s special about him?" Moss said. "He wins. He leads. He makes plays. His throwing motion wasn’t the greatest. His speed wasn’t the greatest. His strength wasn’t the greatest. But the kid won, and then he influenced everyone around him."

When Griffin's knee injury meant Florence had to step in as a wide-eyed freshman, it also meant winning wasn't going to happen. It didn't. Baylor fell to 4-8 and won just one conference game, at Missouri when Florence set the school record for passing yards.

"He’s a different guy, just like I am since 2009 and like everybody. As you grow you mature, you learn to get better in everything you see act or do," Briles said. "He’s a guy that was thrown into a fire as a true freshman. Now, he’s had a chance to sit back and learn the system, understand what his strengths are, how to use them and what he needs to do to help this team grow."

Said Florence: "I'm not that 180-pound freshman anymore."

Baylor got a preview of its 205-pound senior in November when a concussion sidelined Griffin at Cowboys Stadium, near Florence's hometown.

Florence hopped off the bench just before halftime and completed 9 of 12 passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns to help Baylor keep its winning streak alive with a 66-42 victory over Texas Tech. That streak reached six games by season's end, the longest current string among AQ schools in college football.

Florence logged a memorable moment, but he also logged enough playing time to burn his redshirt and leave him with just one year of eligibility remaining entering 2012.

"He’s a guy who’ll do whatever and whatever happens in life, he’ll deal with it. If that means he has one year left to play, that means that’s what God’s will is. He’s obedient," Moss said. "If the team needed him to come in there and help win that game and burn his redshirt and then not play again the rest of the year, that’s OK with him."

Baylor needed Florence to come in and win that game. He did it. Now it's time to take over the full-time job of being the man who follows the man who did the unthinkable: winning a Heisman Trophy at Baylor.

"We don’t talk in terms of replacing. It’s just, what do we need to do now to do what we need to do at the end of July?" Briles said. "That’s the most important thing. We may not be able to do some of the same things we were able to do prior, so we’ve got to figure out different ways to do things and still have success."

Florence is no hurdler. He can't run 40 yards in 4.4 seconds and doesn't have an arm that will have NFL scouts drooling. For the time being, though, he does have the keys to Baylor's offense.

"It’s a great opportunity not everybody gets. I want to make the most of it and take advantage," Florence said.

That offense is going to look a little different now. Briles says time will show just how different it'll be.

"That’s the exciting part about it," Briles said. "We’ve got to expand and become better in all other areas scheme-wise, coaching-wise, player/individual technique-wise, and so that to me is the very exciting part, because we have to become a better football team."

Florence wants his chance to show he's the man to make Baylor a better team. Florence has proved his intangibles since high school, and as he's gotten older, they've only become more ingrained. Now is his chance to show them off to everyone outside of Baylor's practice field.

"When guys come in the huddle they have great confidence and respect in him. They know who he is. They know there’s not a selfish bone in his body, but at the same time, they know he’s a heck of a competitor," Moss said. "I’ve never been around a kid like Nick Florence, and I imagine I never will again."

David Ubben recaps his spring visit to Baylor, breaking down the prospects for both sides of the ball.

WACO, Texas -- Baylor practiced for about two hours in shoulder pads and shorts on Monday, and I got a chance to see the new-look Bears up close and personal.

I’ll be writing about this in detail in the coming weeks, but first things first: the quarterbacks.

• It was a windy day with what I’d say were easily 30-40 mph gusts, so the Bears moved inside for the second half of practice, but even in the wind, quarterback Nick Florence looked really good. Throwing into the wind, he hit Terrance Williams and Tevin Reese on consecutive deep balls down the field in one-on-one drills. Reese and Williams, by the way, looked great ... but you already knew that.
• Bryce Petty is a step above Florence when it comes to physical skills, but Florence isn’t that far behind. Petty has a bigger arm and a bit more velocity, but both quarterbacks can definitely “make all the throws,” as they say. We’ve seen Florence do it in game action, but ultimately, it’s hard to see Florence losing this job. He’s been in this system since 2009, and it shows. He’s decisive. He’s got a quick release. He makes moving the ball in pass skeleton or 11-on-11 look effortless at times and he takes care of the ball.
• [+] Enlarge
  Sarah Glenn/Getty ImagesEarly indications from spring practice shows Nick Florence will be Baylor's starter this fall.
  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Florence will be a well above average quarterback in this league, but Petty could already start for a handful of Big 12 teams. Bottom line is I think this plays out like most think. This is Florence's team in 2012. Baylor can feel good about that. In 2013 and 2014, this is Petty's team. Baylor can feel really, really good about that. Art Briles has to sleep easy at night when it comes to worrying about quarterbacks.
• I’ll have more on him today, too, but hyped transfer Lache Seastrunk looks like he’s bulked up a whole lot. It shows in his shoulders and calves, especially. He’s much thicker, which I have to think he understood he needed after an unproductive stop at Oregon before transferring to Baylor. His development will be fun to watch. Right now, he’s getting some reps with the first team, but Jarred Salubi was getting the majority of first-team reps. Surpassing him will be tough, but I think Seastrunk will get a decent chunk of touches this year. He’s got an explosiveness and shiftiness that’s rare; it’s easy to see why he was so highly recruited. But will that mean production? We’ll see. Late in practice, he disappeared in the pile during 11-on-11 drills, but broke outside and outran everybody down the left side for what would have been an 80-yard touchdown run.
• That wowed the defenders on the sideline. "He’s been hanging out with one of the best backs around, LaMichael James," exclaimed defensive end Tevin Elliott on the sidelines, to no one in particular. “That must be where he gets some of his swag from."
• That said, don’t let the hype from Seastrunk distract from what looks like a strong effort by Salubi to win this job ahead of Glasco Martin as well. He’s running hard inside the tackles and showcasing a physical style we didn’t see much of last year. Terrance Ganaway provided that all last season, and the Bears need someone to duplicate it. Salubi looks like he wants to answer the call and be known for more than shiftiness on the outside.
• One scary thing to watch for, Bears: Replacing center Philip Blake. I don’t recall many bad snaps last year, but the first two to Florence during 11-on-11 drills on Monday were bad, and I counted at least six through the rest of the practice. Four with the first unit. There’s a lot of time to fix that, but center is one of those positions people don’t quite appreciate until they don’t have a good one.
• A rough day for the defense. The athletes are there for the Bears, but the offense moved the ball at will in most of the team drills. Such is life going up against a high-powered set of skill players like the ones the Bears have. You couldn’t get much of a feel for the physicality, however, because players were only wearing shoulder pads.
• Baylor’s one of the most fun teams in the league when it comes to trick plays; the Bears successfully executed quite a few in wins over TCU and Oklahoma. They’ve got some more fun ones drawn up along the goal line; plays we didn’t see in 2011 and ones I haven’t seen anyone duplicate. Detailing those is a good way to make sure you don’t ever see a practice again, but I’ll say this: They’ll be fun when Baylor busts them out.
• With Baylor’s pro day looming on Wednesday, lots of the team’s departing seniors were on hand at Monday’s practice, back from training for the combine and pro day. Quarterback Robert Griffin III was on the field and for the first half and in the huddle for some of that period talking with Briles and various players. Receiver Kendall Wright and Ganaway were also on hand, and stuck around to watch the second half of practice indoors.
• We’ll have some more from Griffin later today, but don’t be surprised if he busts out some bright cleats at his pro day showcase on Wednesday. He showed up Monday toting cleats reminiscent of the “Electricity” uniforms Baylor’s basketball team wore this postseason. Scott Drew would be proud.

WACO, Texas — The Big 12 Blog will be paying a visit to a few campuses this spring, and following up the first stop at TCU last week is some time at Baylor this week.

Yours truly already indulged in my first Health Camp burger today (no, I don't know how I hadn't been there before yet, either), and I'll be spending some time out at Baylor's practice today getting to know a whole new set of Bears.

Last year's 10-win campaign was a great one, but it's in the past. Time for (probably) the Nick Florence Era to begin in earnest. I'll be here to log it and see the growth in its beginning stages.

Should be exciting. Look for plenty of Bears coverage later this week and later in the spring.

We'll kick off a new series today we've done in the past.

In "Spring Superlatives," we'll break down each team's best and worst positions entering the 2012 season. We'll kick it off with Baylor.

Strongest position: Wide receiver

Don't fret too much about losing Kendall Wright, Bears. The team lost an NFL-caliber receiver in Josh Gordon before the season and loses Wright, a 1,600-yard receiver, after the year.

Coach Art Briles, however, keeps reloading at the position and new quarterback Nick Florence will have plenty of targets next season. Terrance Williams tops that list, and NFL draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. lists him as the nation's No. 1 NFL prospect at receiver among players eligible for the 2013 draft.

Wright put together a Biletnikoff Award-caliber season last year, but Williams quietly put together a 59-catch, 957-yard, 11-touchdown season and finished fifth in the Big 12 in receiving.

That makes him the leading returning receiver in the Big 12. Who's No. 2? Funny you ask. How about Tevin Reese, another Baylor receiver who racked up 877 yards and seven scores on 51 catches.

West Virginia has a pair in Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey who were more productive in the Big East, but we'll see how they measure up.

Lanear Sampson fills out Baylor's receiving corps after grabbing 42 balls for 572 yards.

Weakest position: Safety

Baylor gave up loads and loads of big plays last year; they were one of four Big 12 teams to give up more than 200 plays longer than 10 yards. No Big 12 team gave up more plays of longer than 30, 40 or 50 yards, too.

Mike Hicks and Sam Holl both return. Is this good news or bad news for the Bears? Expectations will be low for the duo, but every year we see second- and third-year starters take big steps forward on the field. Baylor needs those guys to do that.

The duo combined for 218 tackles, and both picked off three passes, combining to break up six passes. Those numbers aren't good enough considering the yardage and points Baylor's defense gave up. Fixing this position has to be goal No. 1 during the spring.