Baylor game notes: Get to know the Samford Bulldogs
The Baylor Bears have started off the 2025 season at 1-1 with a loss to Auburn, followed by a thrilling win over SMU. The Bears will wrap up the non-conference slate on Saturday, hosting FCS Samford. The Bulldogs have had a rough start to the season, losing to both West Georgia and The Citadel by large amounts. Samford is 0-2 and will enter McLane Stadium as massive underdogs.
Sawyer Robertson, after leading the nation in passing yards per game, could be in store for a massive game on Saturday against the Bulldogs, who have allowed 73 points in their first two games of the year.
But before fans get to see Baylor back in action, here are some things to know about Samford.
You can see the game notes below on Samford:
• Samford opened the season with a 34-3 loss vs. West Georgia in Birmingham, Ala., and suffered a loss to powerhouse The Citadel on Saturday, 40-13. Last year, Samford went 4-7 and 3-4 in Southern Conference play, averaging 358.9 yards per game, including 244.5 passing, while surrendering 346.7 yards per game and 236.6 passing.
• The Bulldogs are averaging eight points per game, 361.5 yards, 57 rushing yards and 304 passing yards through two stiff games to open the year. Defensively, Samford is allowing 37 points per game, 370.5 yards of total offense, including 199.5 through the air and 171 on the ground.
• RB CJ Evans leads the team with 54 rushing yards on 14 carries with a TD, while QB Quincy Crittendon has toted it a team-high 27 times for 34 yards. Crittendon has completed 62-of-85 passes for 478 yards with three interceptions. Brady Stober is 13-of-20 for 131 yards. Preston Bird has a team-high 20 catches in two games, for 160 yards, while Jaden Gibson has 16 grabs for 125 yards. Defensively, Jaden Mosley has 19 tackles, while Carson Sloan has chipped in 17. Malik Thonrton and Quantaves Gaskins each have interceptions.
• Samford is led by a legendary figure in the Air Raid tree, Chris Hatcher, a native of Macon, Ga., who has led Samford since 2015. Hatcher previously served as the head coach at Murray State (2010-14), Georgia Southern (2007-09) and Valdosta State (2000-06). He starred at Valdosta, where he won the Division II Heisman, the Harlon Hill Trophy in 1994 as the star QB for Hal Mumme. He shattered 29 passing records as the QB at Valdosta, which is where he began his coaching career in 1995 as a student assistant. He worked on the staff at UCF in 1996, before rejoining Mumme at Kentucky as a GA in 1997-98 and as the QB/WR coach for the Cats in 1999, before taking over the Valdosta program in 2000.
• Ricky Turner serves as the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator, his sixth year with the program. DC Scott Sloan is in his first season at Samford, after two seasons as the DC at App State. Shawn Bostick is in his 11th year at Samford and his fourth as the associate head coach.
• Martin Newton, the son of longtime Kentucky Athletics Director and former Alabama head coach C.M. Newton, has been the AD at Samford since 2011. A member of the NCAA Men's Basketball Committee, Newton is on the D1 Council and Men's Basketball Oversight Committee. Newton opened his career with 13 years each as a member of the marketing staff at Converse and Nike, before working for two years on the staff at Kentucky.
• Newton is assisted by longtime Samford administrator, Deputy AD Michelle Durban, who spent four years prior to her 21 year tenure on the women's basketball staff at Alabama. First-year Executive Associate AD Corey Green and Senior Associate AD JeNorri Armstead, former administrator at powerhouse Hoover High School, round out the Samford leadership team.
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