Baylor happy to be home

By Jeff Latzke - Associated Press Sports Writer     Oct 13, 2005

Off to their best start in a decade and with a 37-game road losing streak in conference finally behind them, Baylor coach Guy Morriss and the Bears are interested to see what kind of reaction they get back home.

After all, the Bears (4-1, 1-1 Big 12 Conference) have hardly been in Waco, Texas, this season. Four of their first five games were on the road.

After a 23-13 victory Saturday at Iowa State, the Bears announced a “Fill the Floyd” effort to pack the 50,000-seat Floyd Casey Stadium with gold-clad fans for Saturday’s game against Nebraska. In their only home game so far this season, 36,595 fans turned out.

“It will be interesting to see how many folks show up,” Morriss said. “I think enthusiasm right now is pretty high. We’re expecting a big crowd. I hope that we get a big crowd.”

The 4-1 record through five games is Baylor’s best since 1995, the team’s last year in the Southwestern Conference. Baylor finished 7-4 that year and moved to the Big 12 a season later.

Already, the Bears have four victories in a season for the first time since 1996, and players are starting to be treated differently on campus.

“It’s the first time in forever that we’ve been 4-1. They’re getting some attention. Of course, they go to class and everybody is patting them on the back, telling them how good they are,” Morriss said. “We just have to speak to them as coaches about tuning that stuff out.”

Morriss, however, isn’t getting inundated with praise.

“I got a few more e-mails, but that’s about it right now,” said Morriss, who was 6-17 in his first two seasons at Baylor after coming from Kentucky. “I think the general alumni group is excited and enthusiastic in the way that the program has gone so far.

“That’s not to say that if we don’t win another game that that couldn’t reverse itself, though. We understand the pressures that are on us to continue to win.”

Morriss said Baylor is starting to have a chance with better recruits.

“People are kind of starting to notice what’s going on here and feel that this program is beginning maybe to turn the corner,” Morriss said. “I think obviously there’s a light at the end of the tunnel now, and that will help us recruit better players.

“And that, to me, is the key of turning around any program or being successful anywhere. You’ve got to have players to win.”

Iowa State coach Dan McCarney said he was impressed by Baylor’s defense, which ranks 13th in the nation, and team speed.

“They’re an improved football team this year,” McCarney said. “There’s no fluke to them being 4-1.”

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