During the past week, we’ve been examining the strongest and weakest positions on each Big 12 team heading into summer workouts and preseason camp.

We continue the series with the Baylor Bears:

Strongest position: Quarterback

Does Baylor have the best quarterback duo in college football? Notre Dame fans would probably disagree, but you can make a credible case for the Bears.

Seth Russell was one of the nation’s most productive, efficient quarterbacks in his seven starts last season. He’s now 100 percent healed and healthy after the neck injury that ended his season early. He was playing his very best football a week before that injury, when he racked up 380 passing yards, 160 rushing yards and six total TDs against West Virginia. Maybe it will take him a couple games to get back into that rhythm, but another easy nonconference slate should help.

There might not be a better No. 2 quarterback in college football than Jarrett Stidham. He showed a lot of potential in 10 games as a freshman. His performance in his first career start -- a Thursday night road game at Kansas State -- was impressive, but so was the way Stidham dueled with Baker Mayfield despite playing most of the game with an injury. Had he been able to finish out the season, there would be a lot of hype on Stidham right now.

Behind those two there’s a future gunslinger in Zach Smith, a true freshman who enrolled early and checks all the boxes of what they look for to run this offense. Most important, all three of these quarerbacks made it clear they plan to stay despite Baylor’s coaching change.

Weakest position: Defensive tackle

The biggest takeaway from watching Baylor’s final spring scrimmage inside McLane Stadium back in April wasn’t hard to spot. The Bears spent much of that day relying on 3-4 fronts on defense. Their staff believes three-man fronts are becoming the best method for utilizing their talent. A lack of proven defensive tackles was also a factor.

“It's hard to find interior guys defensively,” Art Briles said after the scrimmage. “If you find 'em, they leave after three years.”

To replace Andrew Billings (who, yep, left after three years) and Beau Blackshear, Baylor’s staff signed juco transfers Jeremy Faulk and DeQuinton Osborne. By the end of spring ball, Faulk was their No. 1 nose tackle. But he’s gone now, and Osborne – who never showed up – is reportedly heading to Oklahoma State. So that’s a problem.

The Bears do have senior Byron Bonds, a trusted veteran who should be a good starter. His backups -- Ira Lewis, Andrew Morris, Tyrone Hunt, true freshman Bravvion Roy -- are all unproven. Even if Baylor only needs one starting defensive tackle, a few of Bonds’ peers will have to step up this season.