Griffin's Injury Shatters My Preseason Predictions

The announcement Sunday that Baylor QB Robert Griffin is out for the rest of the season with an ACL tear in his right knee completely obliterates two of my offseason predictions. Despite all of the hype for Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy coming into the season, I thought Griffin might be the best QB in the whole conference. The loss of such a dynamic playmaker for the Baylor offense completely alters the expectations for their season. With Griffin, Baylor might have been a bowl-bound team. My prediction for the upset of the year in the Big 12 was predicated on a healthy Griffin playing against texas in Waco. Now, without Griffin, Baylor may only be looking at a 3-4 win season. I can see Baylor beating Kent State and possibly Iowa State to finish with two more wins on the year, and a 4-8 record identical to last season. Unfortunately for the Bears, they don't get Big 12 North lightweights Kansas State and Colorado this year, or Bear fans might have been able to pencil in two more wins for bowl eligibility.


Senior Blake Szymanski will have to pick up the pieces and lead this Baylor offense for the rest of the season.  Szymanski replaced Shawn Bell after his ACL injury in 2006 and started 10 games in 2007, so it isn't like he is completely lacking experience. We'll get an opportunity to see just how creative Art Briles is as a coach, as he tries to adjust his offense designed for the mobile Griffin to a scheme more friendly for a pocket-passer like Szymanski.

Griffin's injury also effects the Big 12 South as a whole, because a division that looked to have all six teams competing for bowl eligibility now looks like it has a true weakest link in the Bears. The Bears come to College Station on November 21.

Here is hoping Griffin has a full recovery and a quick rehabilitation so he is able to be back at full-strgenth in 2010; the Big 12 football season is more exciting with Griffin leading the Bears.