Baylor University’s football team is 2-1 and off to its best start since going 3-0 in 1996. They have notched wins against North Texas (20-7) and South Florida (28-13), and their lone loss this season came at the hands of Minnesota (34-9). The Bears’ loss to Minnesota was more than just another loss for Baylor, as Minnesota knocked out starting quarterback Greg Cicero, who broke his collarbone and has been put out of commission for the rest of the season. Now Head Coach Kevin Steele has turned to redshirt freshmen Guy Tomcheck to handle the quarterback duties. All Tomcheck did in his first college game against South Florida was complete 20 of 28 and throw for 223 yards and three scores. He also became the first Baylor Quarterback to throw three touchdowns in a game since 1996, and currently ranks fourth in the Big 12 with a quarterback rating of 149.5. In the backfield for the Bears is senior tailback Darrel Bush and junior fullback Melvin Barnett. Bush leads the team in rushing and is seventh all-time on Baylor’s career rushing list. Tomcheck will look to wide receivers: sophomore Reggie Newhouse and junior Andra Fuller to continue to make plays. Newhouse has a pair of 100-yard games and has 14 catches for 258 yards and a score. Fuller has collected 71 yards on 10 catches. Tight end junior Andrew Obriotti has three catches in three games. Protecting Tomcheck up front are three juniors: left guard Greg Jerman, right tackle Jon Erickson, and center Joe Jackson. Sophomore Ethan Kelley makes the start at left tackle, with redshirt freshmen Cedric Fields playing right guard. The Bears’ offensive line averages nearly 300 pounds. Baylor’s strength, however, has to be on defense. They currently rank first in the Big 12 and third nationally in turnover ratio. The defense has 10 take-aways for a plus 7 turnover ratio, and their opponents are averaging a modest 18 points per game. Highlighting the defense are two seniors: cornerback Gary Baxter and middle linebacker Kris Micheaux. Baxter was named preseason first-team all-Big 12 and ranked 15th nationally at his position by The Sporting News. Micheaux was named second-team all-Big 12 and ranked 10th nationally as an inside linebacker, also by The Sporting News. Joining Baxter in the secondary are senior cornerback Daniel Wilturner, junior strong safety Samir Al-Amin, and redshirt freshmen free safety Matt Amendola. Al-Amin leads the team in interceptions with 2, with Amendola collecting one. Micheaux is second on the team in tackles with 34, trailing weakside linebacker senior Anthony Simmons who has 35. The third member of the linebacking crew is another senior, McKinley Bowie. Bowie has four tackles for loss and a forced fumble. Junior Ryan Gillenwater will line up at nose tackle for the Bears, joining sophomore left end Charles Mann and defensive tackle Kevin Stevenson, along with redshirt freshmen right end Aaron Lard. The Baylor defensive line has managed only one sack and struggled to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Handling the placekicking and punting duties for Baylor is junior Adam Stiles. Stiles has connected on two of four field goal attempts and landed four punts inside the opponents’ 20 yard line. Stiles is averaging 38.4 yards on 21 punts. Sophomore Daniel Andino is a perfect six of six on PATs. Fuller will return punts, and currently ranks fifth in the Big 12 and 22nd nationally with a 14.1 yards per return average.