Tag: Baylor Bears

Alabama transfer wide receiver commits to Big 12 program

An Alabama transfer wide receiver has announced his 2025 playing destination.

Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Kobe Prentice committed to the Baylor Bears on Tuesday afternoon.

Prentice is the first Alabama wide receiver currently in the transfer portal to decide where he will play in 2025. The other three at the moment are undecided.

RELATED: Alabama football 2024-25 offseason transfer portal tracker

The veteran receiver has been a key member of Alabama’s wideout room dating to his freshman season in 2022. Prentice had a combined 60 receptions for 780 yards and five touchdowns across the past three seasons.

This season, Prentice finished with a stat line of 11 receptions for 129 yards and a touchdown in 10 games played.

Prior to his time in Tuscaloosa, Prentice was a four-star, top-100 prospect in the Crimson Tide’s 2022 recruiting class out of in-state Calera High School.

76ers land V.J. Edgecombe in latest 2025 NBA mock draft from Bleacher Report

This would REALLY help Philadelphia.

The Philadelphia 76ers are struggling more than nearly any other team in the NBA, but that could lead to get them help in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Philadelphia only gets to keep their pick if it lands between No. 1 and No. 6 overall in the lottery. Otherwise, it is owed to the Oklahoma City Thunder on draft night.

However, as of right now if the season ended today, Philadelphia would indeed finish with one of the worst records in the league and would thus likely (81.0 percent chance) keep their pick.

If they earn the No. 4 overall pick, Edgecombe is a strong candidate.

Read more from Jonathan Wasserman on why this could make some sense to pair with 2024 draftee and potential NBA Rookie of the Year candidate Jared McCain (via Bleacher Report):

“Edgecombe may be the most dangerous freshman or draft prospect in space with some outrageous quickness, burst and bounce. That athleticism has also translated to wild defensive playmaking rates: 4.5 steal percentage and 7.5 block percentage.

And that athleticism should buy him time with scouts when it comes to skill development. Even without a pull-up game or advanced creation, he’s averaging 11.0 points and 3.0 assists just by capitalizing in transition, attacking in straight lines, hitting spot-up threes, making the extra passing and finding open shooters.”

Edgecombe is off to a strong start at Baylor, including this highlight dunk against Gonzaga.

He is currently the only high-major freshman with at least 8 dunks as well as 8 field goals made from beyond the arc, per Bart Torvik.

On the other side of the ball, he is the only high-major freshman with a block percentage and steal percentage both above 4.0 percent.

Edgecombe would also join Tari Eason and Matisse Thybulle as one of the only high-major players to reach his impressive block and steal percentage thresholds in over a decade.

Here is our latest NBA mock draft at For The Win, where Edgecombe goes to the Toronto Raptors.

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Mark Few’s son got brutally dunked on by V.J. Edgecombe after his dad put him in Gonzaga’s blowout win

This was NASTY.

Baylor freshman V.J. Edgecombe tried to put a man through the Earth’s crust on Monday during the Bears’ matchup with Gonzaga.

Let’s explain how we got here. To be clear, the Bulldogs embarrassed the Bears. It was never really any sort of competition. But that doesn’t mean Baylor went down without a fight. They were going to let out some frustration, even in garbage time.

As the second half ticked away, Gonzaga head coach Mark Few put his son, Joe, in to get some minutes. Unfortunately, poor Joe was on the receiving end of a steal and a fast-break transition bucket, and it didn’t end very well. Baylor guard V.J. Edgecombe moved up the court and immediately proceeded to dunk all over unsuspecting Joe Few. YIKES.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DB-tng0RkxG/?igsh=MTBoamZyNXl2dnBwbg==

(Feature image courtesy of ESPN)

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Are the Oklahoma Sooners bowling in latest Bowl Projections?

Did the Oklahoma Sooners make the cut in USA TODAY Sports latest Bowl Projections after week 10?

The Oklahoma Sooners are a win away from qualifying for a bowl game after their 59-14 win over Maine. Bowl eligibility on the line in November wasn’t what anyone expected but with the way the season has gone, expectations have recalibrated.

Earning a bowl game allows the Sooners to get extra practice in, which would give them a headstart on the 2025 season. In particular, it would give the Sooners young offensive linemen critical snaps to prepare to compete for a starting job next season.

With games against Missouri, Alabama, and LSU remaining, three top 25 teams, the Sooners will have to pull off an upset to earn a postseason bowl berth. But USA TODAY Sports believes the Sooners will get there. College Football writer Erick Smith projects the Sooners to make the Texas Bowl, which takes place on Dec. 31 in Houston at NRG Stadium.

Their opponent would be a red-hot Baylor Bears team that’s won three in a row, beating Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, and TCU. In the three wins, they’ve averaged 44 points per game and, in the process, made head coach Dave Aranda’s seat a little cooler.

The last time the two teams met was in 2022, when Baylor beat the Sooners 38-35. The Bears have won the last two matchups. The Sooners’ last win came with Caleb Williams under center towards the end of the 2021 season.

Oklahoma’s search for that elusive sixth win begins when they take on the [autotag]Missouri Tigers[/autotag] this Saturday evening in Columbia.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.

Watch: BYU QB Jake Retzlaff continues dominant start against Baylor

BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff is off to a scorching hot start against Baylor in Waco.

The BYU Cougars started the college football season 3-0 with road wins over SMU and Wyoming, but didn’t really start to get attention until blasting Kansas State in the Big 12 opener, 38-9, in Week 4.

Now the nationally ranked Cougars are putting on a clinic in Waco, TX, going up 21-7 in the first quarter against the Baylor Bears behind a dominant start from quarterback Jake Retzlaff.

Retzlaff completed 5-of-6 pass attempts for 81 yards and a touchdown in the first quarter, but it was a 17-yard touchdown run with 3:39 left in the quarter that gave BYU a 21-0 lead and quieted the surprising number of doubters still unsure if Retzlaff is the right man to lead the Cougars under center this season.

Retzlaff appeared in four games for BYU in 2023, completing just over 50% of his passes with three touchdowns and three interceptions. This season he looked outstanding in Week 1 over Southern Illinois, but threw a pair of picks against SMU and another against Wyoming, which had some folks worried he was too turnover prone for Kalani Sitake’s offense.

Retzlaff worked hard to put that narrative to rest with a pair of touchdown passes and a 71.4% completion rate against Kansas State, and now with a touchdown in the air and his first rushing score of the season already in the books against Baylor, it’s clear Retzlaff is not only good enough to start for BYU, he could lead them to a top three finish in the Big 12 and – perhaps – a shocking run to the College Football Playoff.

Growing unrest for pair of Big 12 coaches as hot seat warms

It was a tough weekend for two Big 12 head coaches on the hot seat coming into the season.

2024 represents a make-or-break season for both Dave Aranda of the Baylor Bears and Scott Satterfield of the Cincinnati Bearcats. Week 2 did not go well for either head coach, as the hot seat got even warmer after the performances of their teams on Saturday.

Things Are Not Well in Waco

Aranda and his Bears were not prepared for their Big 12 opener. They trailed the Utah Utes 23-0 before getting a field goal just before halftime. The Bears then scored nine points in the third quarter to make it somewhat respectable, but that was largely in part due to the injury to Utah’s Cam Rising.

The Bears quarterback play was miserable, with Dequan Finn completing just 9 of 21 passes for 115 yards in the game. On the defensive side, the Bears looked lost. Rising was torching them all over the field before the injury.

The 47-year-old Aranda has been with the Bears since 2020 and is under .500 in his career. He did have a monster 2021 season with the Bears, including a Sugar Bowl win. But, after back-to-back losing seasons, the folks in Waco are growing tired, and patience is running thin.

The heat will remain on as they host Air Force on Saturday, and then go to Boulder to take on Coach Prime and the Buffaloes on September 21st.

Epic Collapse to Rival not a Recipe for Success

Scott Satterfield was awfully good at Appalachian State and Louisville, but the 51-year-old has really struggled at Cincinnati so far. It may be too early, but a loss to a big rival such as Pittsburgh is many times a death sentence for a head coach. The loss dropped him to 4-10 as the leader of the Bearcats.

Cincinnati scored 27 of the first 40 points in the game. They led 27-6 late in the third. Then, disaster happened. Cincinnati saw Pittsburgh score three straight touchdowns and added a field goal to win the game on Saturday.

Running back Corey Kiner finished with nearly 150 yards but had a massive fumble in the game. The defense was good early, but could not get off the field when they needed to the most. Play calling, and lack of ability to put a game away, almost always falls on the head coach.

The Bearcats are at Miami OH on Saturday. A game they better be ready for, because the MAC has already shown up with big massive wins this early part of the season.

Both Aranda and Satterfield are going to be watched every game the rest of the way. If they can make it through this season, it probably is a miracle with the patience these athletic departments have when a coach is not winning.

Make or break 2024 season for Dave Aranda with Baylor Bears

Baylor Bears head coach Dave Aranda sits on the hot seat as the 2024 college football season gets underway.

The Baylor Bears open up the season on August 31st at home against Tarleton State. While the Texans should be no issue for the Bears, the rest of the schedule could prove to be a challenge. The man feeling the most pressure to have a big season in Waco is head coach Dave Aranda.

This is the fifth season for Aranda at Baylor. The 47-year-old came to Waco from LSU, where he was the associate head coach and defensive coordinator.

Aranda made a pair of bowl games, including a Sugar Bowl victory over Ole Miss. The last two seasons have not been great, however, with just nine wins in 22 games. The Bears are 6-12 in their last two seasons in Big 12 play.

USA TODAY Sports writer Scooby Axson put together a list of 10 head coaches who were on the hottest of hot seats to start the season. Aranda was on the list. Axson had this to say about his time with the Bears:

It seems like a lifetime ago since Baylor won the Sugar Bowl over Ole Miss (it was 2022), and any goodwill gleaned from the victory has slowly gone by the wayside. The Bears had the worst offense and defense in the Big 12, so Aranda has taken the reigns back and is calling the defense. Bringing in Jake Spavital to retool the offense was a smart move. The truth is there is no reason why the Bears can’t win this conference and win it consistently for years to come.

After Tarleton State leaves town, things get serious right away. Baylor goes on the road to Utah, which is the favorite to win the Big 12 in 2024. The Bears have a home game against Air Force, before going to Boulder to take on Coach Prime and the Colorado Buffaloes. The Bears finish September with a home game against BYU.

Texas A&M loses out on 2025 4-star Edge Kamauryn Morgan

Nothing is set in stone until pen hits paper

As the college football recruiting landscape becomes more competitive, losing out on prospects who seemed like sure things is just part of the process. For Texas A&M, the Aggies’ 2025 recruiting class is now 18 commitments deep, as first-year head coach Mike Elko has the program on the right track.

On Sunday, one of A&M’s priority defensive prospects announced his collegiate destination. Four-star edge Kamauryn Morgan committed to Baylor over the Aggies and SMU.

Becoming the highest-ranked prospect in the Bears’ 2025 cycle, Morgan is also the ninth highest-ranked prospect to ever commit to the program. The productive pass rusher likely prioritizes immediate playing time, something that’s definitely in the cards down in Waco.

Standing at 6’5″ and over 230 pounds, Morgan sees Baylor head coach Dave Aranda as someone who could develop his skill set in the long term. Due to his size and impressive athleticism, the young pass rusher clearly possesses NFL potential.

However, as Aggie insider Jaxson Callaway points out, Elko and his staff will stay in contact with Morgan heading into his senior season at South Oak Cliff HS, knowing that nothing is set in stone except pen his paper on National Signing Day in February.

During his 2023 junior season at South Oak Cliff HS, Morgan recorded 65 tackles, six sacks, two forced fumbles, and 13 tackles for loss while already accounting for 11 sacks and 21 tackles for loss in his last two seasons.

According to 247Sports, Morgan is currently positioned as the 94th-ranked prospect in the 2025 class, the 12th-ranked Edge, and the 16th-ranked prospect in Texas.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

Baylor freshman VJ Edgecombe put college basketball on notice during Olympic qualifiers

Baylor Bears incoming freshman VJ Edgecombe dominated for the Bahamas in the Olympic qualifiers.

Another year, another outstanding guard prospect for Scott Drew and the Baylor Bears.

Two years ago Keyonte George was among the best guards in the country, ultimately getting selected in the lottery of the 2023 NBA draft by the Utah Jazz. Last year Ja’Kobe Walter had an outstanding season with Baylor, getting selected 19th overall by the Toronto Raptors last month.

Next year the story will be superstar guard VJ Edgecombe – and he has a real chance to be the best of the bunch.

Edgecombe played with the Bahamian squad as they competed for a spot in the 2024 Olympic Games, ultimately falling to Spain in the championship game on Sunday.

On a squad with NBA stars like Buddy Hield and DeAndre Ayton – and competing against much older professionals – the 18-year-old Edgecombe averaged 16.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game, including multiple 20+ point performances, high-flying dunks, and a dagger three pointer against Poland.

“Everything [Edgecombe] does contributes to winning – offensively, defensively, getting downhill and the way he talks [on the court],” Bahamian head coach Christopher Demarco said. “He stepped into our training camp right away, and he belonged.”

The Bahamas may not have secured a spot in Paris for the Olympic games, but Edgecombe certainly did his part and gained valuable experience against older players.

He’s now set to head to Waco to prepare for his freshman season with Drew and the Bears, who have a new look roster after bringing in transfer stars Jeremy Roach (Duke) and Norchad Omier (Miami) in a quest to challenge Kansas, Houston, Iowa State, and Arizona for a Big 12 title.

VJ Edgecombe nears double-double to help Bahamas to Olympic qualifying finals

A pair of double-doubles helped the Bahamas defeat Lebanon to advance to the finals of the Olympic qualifying tournament.

A pair of double-double performances by its star players helped the Bahamas defeat Lebanon to advance to the finals of the Olympic qualifying tournament in València, Spain.

Deandre Ayton produced 24 points and 15 rebounds and Buddy Hield had 19 points and 10 assists in their 89-72 victory on Saturday. Eric Gordon contributed 13 points and VJ Edgecombe chipped in 13 points, eight assists, six rebounds and three steals.

The Bahamas led by as many as 20 points in the first half before Lebanon cut the deficit to five points early in the fourth quarter. However, the group outscored its opponent 22-10 the rest of the way to inch closer to securing its first appearance in the Olympic Games.

Edgecombe, who will play next season at Baylor, is one of six collegiate players on the roster and is representing the Bahamas for the first time at the senior level. He has emerged as one of their top players, averaging 18 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and two steals.

After beating Lebanon, the Bahamas (3-0) remained perfect in the qualifying tournament. The team will face either Spain (2-0) or Finland (1-1) in the final on Sunday (2 p.m. EDT), which will determine one of the four remaining spots in the 2024 Olympic Games.

The team that wins on Sunday will be placed in Group A to start the Olympics, along with Australia, Canada and the country that wins the qualifying tournament in Greece.

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