Baylor University || The Lariat Online || News
Class of '09 leaves with win
Nov. 18, 2008
By Kyle McKanna
ReporterPicture by Shanna Taylor- Lariat Staff
Saturday's Senior Day couldn't have been much more successful for the Baylor Bears, who walloped their Brazos River rival Texas A&M University 41-21. The importance of the victory was not overlooked by the 21 seniors who suited up for the game.
"When you come back here 20 years from now with your wife and kids, you're going to be like 'hey, we won our last game here against Texas A&M," senior offensive lineman Jason Smith said.
With the win, Baylor proved that they are a program heading in the right direction. Their 269 rushing yards were their most ever in a Big 12 game, and 510 total yards showed the Bears can attack through the air as well.
Head coach Art Briles attributes much of his team's success to the leadership of his seniors.
"I think I can honestly say not one of them has been late, missed any practices or any meeting since last December 1st," Briles said. "To me that is a great sign of want-to, a great sign of hope, a great sign of leadership."
Seniors accounted for three of Baylor's five touchdowns on Saturday. Jacoby Jones had two rushing touchdowns and Robert Griffin hooked up with wide receiver Thomas White for a 55-yard score early in the third quarter.
The recent success is bittersweet for the seniors, who have been waiting for the team to reach its potential since they arrived at Baylor.
"I think I speak for a lot of the seniors that I think we'd all love to have another four years," White said. "Especially with the direction of the program right now."
The Bears, who led 41-7 at one point in the game, played perhaps their best defensive game of the season.
"We had a swarming defense just like we have practiced and preached," senior cornerback Dwain Crawford said.
Crawford intercepted a pass in his final home game for the Bears, who won the turnover battle against the Aggies 5-0.
After the game, the seniors gathered together at the 50-yard line to take in all they had done, not only in the last 60 minutes, but the last 60 months.
"With the class we sacrificed a lot of things; we sacrificed our lives for five years. We forgot who we are and we've become something else," Smith said. "And at the end, we kissed it. We kissed that 50-yard line. Because this is our field; we love this place, and that's what we wanted our last moment to be, was kissing that 50-yard line."
Baylor will face one more Big 12 team Nov. 29, when the Bears will travel to Lubbock to compete against the No. 2 Texas Tech University Red Raiders, led by Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree.
Briefly: Joe Pawelek had two interceptions during the game, marking the first time the Smithson Valley product has accomplished more than one interception in a game. He leads all FBS middle linebackers in interceptions.
For his performance, Pawelek was named the Big 12 Conference's Defensive Player of the Week: the second player this year to receive a Big 12 Player of the Week award. Robert Griffin was selected after his Washington State performance.
I can finally brag to my A&M friends about how we beat them in football. My first year at Baylor (I transfered in as a Junior) I wen to every single football game. My second year I went to only one, which me lost... And this year I went to only one, the game against A&M and I am sure glad I did, because we beat the crap outta them :)
