Doug McNamee has been on the job as Baylor's athletic director for nine months. He sits down with the Waco Tribune's Baylor beat writer, Zach Smith, to talk about the athletic department on the eve of football season to discuss the most rewarding and challenging parts of his job, how the Protect College Sports Act can be a benefit, what he's most excited to see in action, and much more. Be sure to subscribe to the Bear Necessities Newsletter (https://bear-necessities.beehiiv.com/) to get Baylor athletics news delivered to your inbox twice a week and stay up to date with all Baylor happenings on the Waco Tribune-Herald (https://wacotrib.com/sports/) website.

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It doesn't get much bigger than this. Baylor will open the season against Auburn in Atlanta on Saturday in the Aflac Kickoff Classic. Waco Trib sports editor Brice Cherry and Baylor beat writer Zach Smith are joined by Jacob Waters from the Opelika-Auburn News to break down the game and touch on some of the biggest storylines. Which team is this game more important for? What can fans expect from former Baylor running back Bryson Washington, who now plays for the Tigers? Where will the game be won or lost? Also, the crew talks about Zach's unique opportunity to embed with the Baylor football program for this game and get a behind-the-scenes look at how the Bears operate during a road game. Be sure to subscribe to the Bear Necessities Newsletter (https://bear-necessities.beehiiv.com/) to get Baylor athletics news delivered to your inbox twice a week and stay up to date with all Baylor happenings on the Waco Tribune-Herald (https://wacotrib.com/sports/) website.

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Football is back... almost. With Baylor's season opener against Auburn less than two weeks away, Waco Tribune-Herald sports editor Brice Cherry and sports reporter Zach Smith are back to recap everything that happened in the offseason. Dave Aranda is entering his seventh year in charge on one of the hottest seats in the country, but he seems more relaxed than ever. Why? Quarterback DJ Lagway was the prized recruit of the portal and has been getting a lot of hype throughout the fall. Is it warranted? Plus, just how good can the revamped defense be for the Bears? Be sure to subscribe to the Bear Necessities Newsletter (https://bear-necessities.beehiiv.com/) to get Baylor athletics news delivered to your inbox twice a week and stay up to date with all Baylor happenings on the Waco Tribune-Herald (https://wacotrib.com/sports/) website.

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Baylor softball coach Glenn Moore hasn’t had a boring summer. After wrapping up his 26th season in charge of the Bears by advancing to the NCAA Tournament, Moore replaced nearly his entire coaching staff while simultaneously working the transfer portal. He sits down with Baylor beat reporter Zach Smith to discuss everything, from what he expects from incoming coaching Jenny and Brad Fuller, to what excites him about his deep pitching staff and whether he still enjoys coaching after more than 30 years in college.

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Nothing is withering in Waco when it comes to women's basketball, and head coach Nicki Collen sat down with the Tribune-Herald's women's basketball writer Zach Smith to discuss it all. Baylor made the NCAA Tournament yet again last season and brings back Taliah Scott, one of the most elite scorers in the country. Scott will be joined by a talented transfer portal class and a strong group of returning players. That includes Johnson, who tore her ACL just before the postseason and is hopeful to return to the court at some point next season.

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Josh Cameron began his Baylor career as an unheralded walk-on, and he ended it as one of the best and most consistent receivers in the Big 12. He's expected to get drafted next month in the NFL Draft. Cameron joins Tribune-Herald Baylor beat writer Zach Smith to discuss what has been going on in his life since the Bears' season ended in November. He played in the Senior Bowl and attended the NFL Scouting Combine, but didn't run any on-field drills while rehabbing an injury. That hasn't dampened his spirits as he looks forward to the NFL Draft.

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Baylor quarterback Sawyer Robertson sits down with Tribune-Herald Baylor beat writer Zach Smith to discuss the NFL Draft process. Since the end of the college football season, Robertson has participated in the Senior Bowl, gone to the NFL Combine and will participate in Baylor's Pro Day at the Allison Indoor Facility on Sunday. He will be selected on the final two days of next month's NFL Draft.

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After some time off for the holidays, Trib sports editor Brice Cherry and sports reporter Zach Smith are back to talk about all the happenings in Baylor athletics. First, the Baylor women's basketball team is on an eight-game winning streak. What makes Nicki Collen and the Bears so good, and can they compete for a Big 12 title? Things aren't as rosy on the men's side, as Scott Drew is having one of his worst seasons in recent memory. What went so wrong this season, and can it be fixed? The football transfer portal has slowed down considerably. Baylor's biggest signing was former Florida quarterback DJ Lagway. Is he enough to give the Bears and Dave Aranda hope next season? Finally, Brice and Zach discuss their recent interview with new Baylor AD Doug McNamee and what questions still need to be answered as he settles in.

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Doug McNamee has been in his job as Baylor Athletic Director for just under two months. A Baylor graduate, McNamee previously worked in the athletics department from 2012 to 2017. He worked with the Bear Foundation for the first four years before serving as the Associate AD for External Relations in 2017. He left Baylor to become the President of the Waco-based brand Magnolia in 2018, founded by Baylor alumni Chip and Joanna Gaines. In 2022, he became the President of Field & Stream, an outdoor retailer and magazine. McNamee replaces Mack Rhoades, who stepped down in late November after spending nine years in the role. Waco Tribune-Herald sports editor Brice Cherry and sports reporter Zach Smith sat down with McNamee to discuss how he is adjusting to the new role, his plans for the future of the department, NIL and various sports.

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Baylor and Texas are set to renew their women's basketball rivalry Sunday afternoon in Fort Worth. Texas beat writer Danny Davis from the Austin American-Statesman joins Baylor beat writer Zach Smith to break down the matchup between the Bears and Longhorns. What makes No. 2 Texas so good? How good are the talented Texas duo of Rori Harmon and Madison Booker? Will the Longhorns be intimidated by elite Baylor scorer Taliah Scott? Should this game continue even with schools in different conferences?

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