Coming off of a season that saw the Baylor Bears pull off crazy upset wins over TCU and Oklahoma, while also providing some exciting games, the 2012 season may be one that brings the Big 12 squad back to reality.  The squad loses Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III, All-American wideout Kendall Wright and record-setting running back Terrance Ganaway.

Offense: Despite losing RG3, his replacement is not one that is going to come out of nowhere.  Nick Florence started seven of Baylor’s last nine games in 2009, when Griffin was out with a knee injury.  He has thrown for nearly 2,000 yards and eight touchdowns, while completing 62 percent of his passes.

Despite the loss of the most prolific receiver in school history in first-round NFL Draft pick Wright (Titans), Baylor returns a deep and talented receiving corps led by Terrance Williams, Tevin Reese and Lanear Sampson – a trio of 1,000-yard career receivers who all totaled more than 40 receptions and 500 yards last season. Six of last season’s seven top receivers return in 2012. Williams is a fifth-year senior who ranks among the top receivers in school history. He is coming off a 2011 season in which he made 59 receptions for 957 yards and 11 touchdowns. Sampson has 32 career starts (second on team) and 113 career receptions (10th in school history). Sampson is coming off a 42- catch, 572-yard season in 2011.  Reese, an elusive, quick junior had 877 yards and seven TDs on 51 receptions last year.

The options to replace Ganaway at running back are varied. Veterans Jarred Salubi and Glasco Martin, as well as transfer Lache Seastrunk, will all vie to be the primary ball carrier. Listed No. 1 on the post-spring depth chart was Salubi, a fifth-year senior with 844 career rushing yards. The versatile and elusive scatback also had 29 career receptions for 234 yards. Martin is a hard-running fourth-year junior who rushed for 289 yards on 40 carries (6.7 yards-per-carry) and two TDs in 2011. The 2012 season will be the debut for Seastrunk, a former prep All- American who sat out the 2011 season at Baylor after transferring from Oregon. A sophomore from nearby Temple, Texas, Seastrunk stole the headlines during BU’s Spring Scrimmage when he totaled 138 yards on seven carries and scored on a 75-yard TD run.

Defense: The Bears defense returns 24 lettermen and eight starters from 2011, including eight of the top nine tacklers from a year ago.

The defensive line returns starters at the edges as well as new –but veteran– starters inside. On the outside Baylor will line up with third-year starters Mason (senior) and Terrance Lloyd (junior). Mason finished with eight tackles for loss in 2011, including 2.5 sacks for -23 yards. The fifth-year veteran has played in 35 career
games and his 19 career starts are the most among BU’s defensive players. Lloyd is a fourth-year junior with 17 career starts, who totaled 36 tackles in 2011, including seven tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Kaeron Johnson is a fifth-year senior whose 37 career starts are the most on the defensive side of the ball.

The linebacker corps will include a relative newcomer stepping into the defensive quarterback spot, as sophomore Bryce Hager takes over at the Mike position. The third-year year player  totaled 13 tackles and one forced fumble last season as a reserve and on special teams. Also available at MLB is fifth-year senior, and last year’s starter, Rodney Chadwick. Chadwick, a veteran with 22 career games played, made 68 tackles, 2.5 sacks and five breakups in 10 starts in 2011. Penciled in to start at Will linebacker is newcomer Eddie Lackey, a mid-year transfer from Riverside Community College who exited spring camp No. 1 on the depth chart.  Also in the mix at WLB will be versatile veteran Brody Trahan and Cordarius Golston, a former transfer from Arizona. Trahan had 32 tackles and made three starts in 2011. Back as the starter at the hybrid nickelback/” Bear” position is returning All-Big 12 honoree Ahmad Dixon. A third-year junior, Dixon made 89 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss in 2011.

The secondary returns all four starters (three of which were 2011 All-Big 12 honorees) from last season, and includes two reserves with starting experience. After being thrown into the fire shortly after arriving in Waco last August, the cornerback duo of K.J. Morton and Joe Williams returns as seasoned juniors in 2012. Morton earned 2011 All-Big 12 honors after logging 75 tackles and a team-high four interceptions. His four interceptions came during a late-season, three-game stretch that included wins over No. 5 Oklahoma (one), Texas Tech (one) and Texas (two). Williams started nine games and had a team high 12 PBUs along with 43 tackles in 2011 Three players coming off injury limited 2011 seasons provide depth at cornerback: one-time starter Tyler Stephenson, promising sophomore Tuswani Copeland and former Gonzaga basketball letterman Demitri Goodson.  Senior Mike Hicks, a returning All-Big 12 honoree, is back as the starter at cover safety. The fourth-year local totaled 103 tackles, five PBUs and three interceptions in 2011, including a late-game pick that sealed the season- opening upset of No. 14 TCU. Sam Holl, a third-year junior and 2011 All- Big 12 selection, is the returning starter at down safety. Holl’s 113 tackles in 2011 are the most among returning players, and he added three interceptions.

Recruiting: The Bears were able to capitalize on their strong 2011 season by picking up two HUGE commitments, both literally and figuratively, in the weeks leading up to Signing Day.  Both of those players were defensive stalwarts, linebacker Brian Nance and defensive end Javonte Magee.  Both were All-Americans and played in the U.S. Army All-American Game.  Magee comes in as the more heralded of the two, after totaling 49 tackles and 11 sacks.  Nance comes in after totaling 67 tackles, two interceptions and five sacks in eight games, a season cut short because of injury.  He burst out on the scene tho in his junior year, after he finished with 16o tackles, 20 tackles-for-loss, six interceptions and 13 sacks.  The star on offense is wide receiver Corey Coleman.  Coleman’s stat line looked like this: 69 receptions for 932 yards and 11 TDs, 567 yards and 15 TDs on 84 rushes. He had 69 receptions for 1,003 yards and 11 TDs as well as 97 carries for 426 yards and 13 TDs as junior in 2010.

Schedule: The schedule isn’t one that’s too favorable to the Bears, especially at the front of the slate.  Of the first seven games, five are against bowl teams and Sam Houston State was the 2011 FCS runner-up.  Not exactly the start you wanted to a season where you have many pieces to replace.  The season-opening visit from SMU, one of those eight bowl teams, won’t be a breeze either.