DALLAS -- The numbers were good enough for Baylor's Bryce Petty last season that head coach Art Briles thought his quarterback deserved a trip to the Heisman Trophy ceremony last December.
It didn't happen though as Petty's rise from an unknown commodity to one of the top QBs in the country for one of the top teams didn't merit a trip to New York.
That won't be the case this year if Petty is able to duplicate the performance he had as a junior. Not with the national spotlight on both Petty and a Baylor team that's expected to compete for the Big 12 title once again.
It's a glare the senior from Midlothian welcomes.
"My job is to try and play and be the best at it," Petty said at Monday's Big 12 media days. "That's the only thing I can worry about and only thing I can do. The rest is up to the voters and you guys. This year it's going to be different."
If different means a better Petty then it's going to be bad news for the rest of the Big 12.
In his first year as starter in 2013 Petty was the Big 12 offensive player of the year after throwing for 4,200 yards and 32 touchdowns against just three interceptions. While those numbers only warranted a seventh-place finish in the Heisman voting, they were good enough to put him on every major watch list this season.
The numbers, plus a season that ended with a Big 12 title and trip to a BCS bowl, have Petty in the conversation for best player in the country.
"His perception, his image, is different now that it was a year ago because he had none," Briles said. "Now he's got some substance. He's got some things people can believe. What he can bring this year is an attitude of 'When I talk people are going to listen a little bit.' I like to tell our players that if they want to be listened to they've got to produce. When he speaks now people listen."
What Petty had to say Monday was that the Bears expect to be just as prolific offensively in 2014 as they were last year when the Bears went 11-2. In 2013 the Bears led the country in total offense. And despite the losses of key contributors like lineman Cyril Richardson, running back Lache Seastrunk and receiver Tevin Reese, the Bears seem loaded again.
According to Phil Steele, the Bears return a nation-high 6,319 yards of total offense from last year's team. That could be bad news for the rest of the Big 12 and it all starts with Petty.
"He's a tremendous guy to be around," said receiver Antwan Goodley, who was Petty's favorite target last year when he had 1,339 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. "He's a tremendous athlete. The guy works hard and busts his tail all the time. Having him back I know we'll have a good chance to compete for a national title."
While a trip to New York would be nice, that's Petty's goal too. He's not nearly as concerned about his individual numbers as he is about helping the Bears. A trip to Arlington next year for the national championship trumps a trip to New York any time.
Petty, who got to pick the brain of superstar Peyton Manning at the Manning Passing Academy a couple of weeks ago, believes his team can have that kind of season.
"No doubt," he said. "We're going to be more talented, faster, stronger, more explosive. We're losing some key guys but we've got a lot of guys ready to step up who had a great spring, great summer. Guys are hungry."
