Briles preaches full faith in his young QB thrust into the fire

Freshman quarterback Jarrett Stidham will make his first start for No. 2 Baylor on Nov. 5 at Kansas State.

True freshman Jarrett Stidham left Stephenville High School a semester early last year so he could join the Baylor Bears for spring workouts and get a head start on Baylor coach Art Briles' offense.

The Bears are about to find out if his early tutorial will pay off.

Stidham, a 6-foot-3, dual-threat quarterback, will make his first start in place of the injured Seth Russell on Nov. 5 at Kansas State. He'll benefit from this week's bye to ratchet up his reps and become more familiar with the explosive weapons all around him such as running back Shock Linwood and the nation's touchdown…