Kansas State prepares for unknown Baylor quarterback, again

No one knows what Baylor’s offense will look like against Kansas State on Saturday when freshman quarterback Zach Smith makes his first college start, but coach Jim Grobe is hopeful it will resemble the same system the Bears have operated all season.

“We have tried to, in practice and in the limited time we have had Zach on the field, make no difference between our quarterbacks,” Grobe said earlier this week.

Smith replaces normal Baylor starter Seth Russell, who suffered a season-ending ankle injury last week against Oklahoma.

Both quarterbacks have the talent to successfully lead Baylor’s offense, but they are different players when it comes to experience. Russell is a senior that threw for 2,126 yards and 20 touchdowns in the Bears’ first nine games. Smith is fresh out of high school with just 272 yards and two touchdowns in his college career.

There will likely be some drop-off between the two, particularly in their running ability. Russell is one of the fastest players on Baylor’s roster, capable of eluding a tackle and breaking free for a long touchdown run. Smith is unlikely to outrun K-State’s defense.

Still, Grobe is optimistic about the young quarterback’s potential.

“The thing I liked about him was he didn’t look like a freshman, as far as his demeanor on the field,” Grobe said. “We have a lot of work to do with him this week, but he didn’t have that deer-in-the-headlights look. Sometimes, true freshmen, you put them out there in that situation and they are a little gun shy, but I thought he seemed very mature for a young kid and handled the position he was put in very well.”

Smith completed 6 of 15 passes for 144 yards in relief of Russell last week.

K-State coach Bill Snyder studied video of that game, as well as Smith’s high school action, to analyze what the Wildcats will be up against this weekend.

“He looks like a good young guy,” Snyder said. “I like the poise in which he seemed to handle himself when thrust into that game. Under the pressure that existed in the previous ball game, he was as collected as anybody you could imagine.”

K-State players aren’t overlooking his abilities.

“He’s a Baylor quarterback,” K-State linebacker Elijah Lee said. “They recruited him and he knows the system. You know he’s going to be good.”

This is the second straight season K-State has prepared for a new Baylor quarterback. Last season, Russell suffered a neck injury and heralded freshman quarterback Jarrett Stidham took over.

K-State would have rather faced Russell.

Stidham helped Baylor defeat K-State 31-24 by completing 23 of 33 passes for 419 yards and three touchdowns. Stidham has since transferred.

“We didn’t do very good against the one last year, so we have our work cut out for us,” Snyder said. “I don’t know why he wouldn’t step in and be up to par.”

This story was originally published November 18, 2016 at 2:57 PM with the headline "Kansas State prepares for unknown Baylor quarterback, again."