Kickoff 2007
Badgers open Bailey era on road tonight
By JEREMY HEATH Staff Writer

Sophomores Vann Millican, left, and Brode DuBose will be asked to play large roles. Millican will start at quarterback, and DuBose will start in the backfield alongside senior Melvin Batiste when the offense goes to two-back sets. Millican will wear No. 9 and DuBose No. 2 during the regular season.

Lampasas at Waco University, 7:30 p.m

Waco University might be just what the doctor ordered.

The Trojans are 3-18 since the start of the 2005 season and are coming off a 48-0 zero-week loss at the hands of Ennis.

For a Lampasas team desperate to establish an identity in its first game under new head coach Ryan Bailey, the prospect that University might once again be down could be a good one.

Bailey, though, does not see it that way. He'd rather his team focus on a University offense with a proven tailback and a quarterback with big-play potential outside of the pocket.

"That's been my main focus so far, letting them know this is a team with talent all over the field," said Bailey.

PHOTOS BY ED DIMAS First-year head coach Ryan Bailey wants to see plenty of penetration and pressure from the guys up front on defense. Bailey said defensive pressure will make life easier for his defensive backs and help eliminate big plays in the passing game. New defensive coordinator Jimmy Randolph plans to rotate four players at both the tackle and defensive end spots. He will rely on linebackers Coleton Lucas, Stephen Eskola and Reese Vann to make plays behind the guys up front.

University senior tailback Marquis Hughes ran for 1,300 yards last year. Sophomore quarterback Randy Price threw for more than 1,300 as a freshman, and senior cornerback Marcus Young is coming back from a six-interception campaign.

Bailey said the 48-0 score had more to do with Ennis' probable strength than it did University's possible weakness. Ennis racked up 480 total yards, but much of that came on the heels of nine University turnovers.

"Ennis is a just a top-notch program," he said. "If we can force the same kinds of mistakes they forced, we'll be in good shape. If we don't, this is a very good opponent, and the game will be close."

Along with Melvin Batiste and Jarrod Bowen, receiver Chase Jordan is one of just three seniors at the skill positions.

The offensive-minded Bailey isn't just looking for a W tonight. He wants to see execution from specific groups. Receivers Jarrod Bowen and Chase Jordan and running back Melvin Batiste are the only seniors slated to start at skill positions in Bailey's Spread, and three sophomores will be counted upon to contribute. Quarterback Vann Millican, running back Brode DuBose and receiver Aaron Reyna all will see significant playing time.

"For us, it's about several groups," Bailey said. "Our skill position players on offense are young, so I want them to go out there and gain some confidence. Defensively, it's the four guys inside, the tackles and linebackers because they're all new. I want to see those guys up front provide some pressure and help out our secondary."

Ultimately, the coach wants to see where his team is fundamentally and mentally. With a complicated offensive system and new defensive and special teams systems in place, Bailey wants to derive from tonight's game what his team can and cannot do at this point. The biggest indicator of where the team is, however, will be whether or not players take advantage of their opportunities to make plays.

"Mostly, I just want to see us execute," the coach said. "If we can execute the things we've been working on on offense -- our receivers running good routes and letting Vann find them instead of them improvising -- and just catch the football, we'll be all right."

Bailey also wants to find out which players are willing to play with emotion, especially in kickoff and punt coverage and returns.

"We've got a whole new special teams system in every phase," he said. "What I'm looking for out of the special teams is intensity."