Baylor put no-contact restriction on 400-pound TE so he wouldn't injure teammates

Baylor is ready to prove that using LaQuan McGowan as a tight end was not a one-time thing.

McGowan, a converted 6-foot-7 guard who weights in at 400-plus pounds, caught an 18-yard touchdown pass against Michigan State in the Cotton Bowl. Since then, McGowan, who told Fox Sports that he was “425 (pounds) butt naked” and “probably about 440” in pads for the Cotton Bowl, has practiced exclusively at tight end for the Bears and is listed as a co-starter coming out of spring practice.

Baylor head coach Art Briles says the team is ready to unleash McGowan, a fifth-year senior who he has nicknamed “The Annihilator.”

“I don’t have to worry about what I say about him, because no one else has got anybody like him,” Briles told Fox Sports’ Stewart Mandel. “He’s the most unique football player in the United States with his combination of size and athletic skill.

“He’s going to be a dominant player. Not just a guy who jogs out on the field and does his job, he’s going to be dominant in what we ask him to do.”

The Baylor defense got a taste of McGowan, who’s now down to 405 pounds, throughout spring practice. The coaches actually had to put no-contact restrictions on McGowan so he wouldn’t injure his defensive teammates.

“Me and a linebacker (Grant Campbell) went head-to-head and it didn’t end well,” McGowan said. “They’re going to take the chains off (for the first game). I’m going to come out with a full head of steam.”

He also had a 21-yard catch during the Bears' spring game: 

McGowan struggled to get on the field during his first three years with the program. He had trouble keeping up with the Bears’ fast-paced offense. Now as a tight end, he’ll be able to substitute in-and-out to the point where he can stay fresh.

Offensive coordinator Kendal Briles, Art Briles’ son, said that tight ends in their offense play around “45 to 60 snaps per game” and catch “around 24 to 30 passes” per season in the Bears’ offense. With McGowan (and his huge hands) splitting time with 2014 starter Tre’von Armstead, Art Briles says they think they’ve found the perfect role for McGowan to contribute in a big way.

"I think we've found his niche," said Art Briles. "It's taken four years but we've found the way he can help our football team win games and help himself, and that to me is inspirational. We stereotype these guys in their roles because of their body types, and that's something we have to be careful with."

For more Baylor news, visit SicEmSports.com.

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