---

Follow me … don’t cost nothin’ @PeteFiutak

For some brilliant reason, Baylor quarterback Seth Russell was still in the game against Iowa State in the final few minutes of a blowout, and now he’s gone for the year with a broken neck.

And now a child shall lead them.

So is it really a case of Next QB Up in Art Briles system? Does the driver matter, or is it all about the car?

Freshman Jarrett Stidham is an elite quarterback prospect and should be a superstar, with the right talent in the right offense, but is he ready?

The 6-3, 210-pound super-recruit might be the most talented pure quarterback prospect Baylor has ever brought in – RG3 was hardly a next-level quarterback recruit – with dual-threat skills, size, and the upside to be the perfect fit for the Bear offense.

Playing a bunch of mediocre teams in a lousy schedule was working just fine. Baylor was improving, the machine was humming, and effectively, there were seven straight scrimmages to prepare for the big month of November. With Russell out, though, the timetable has been moved up and Stidham becomes one of college football’s most important players.

Don’t be shocked if he comes through and becomes the real deal right away.

It helps to have 2015-Biletnikoff-to-be winner Corey Coleman to throw to, along with Jay Lee and KD Cannon. It’s not a bad thing to have Shock Linwood to hand off to, and play behind a line that’s allowed just six sacks on 228 passing attempts. But now the kid has to actually to make plays and be a difference-maker just as everything starts to ramp up.

Unfortunately, it’ll be trial by fire with a trip to Kansas State up next, and then it’s Game On with Oklahoma, at Oklahoma State, at TCU and Texas to close out the regular season. Baylor might be able to lose once and get into the playoff, but it’s still going to be a fight.