"Seeing those teams on TV was a whole ’nother ballgame," Baker said. "I thought I could come in and dominate watching the game from a fans’ point of view. Actually going in there and playing the game, it was crazy. Everyone was bigger than what you thought they were on TV. Everyone’s faster than what you thought they were on TV."

Since last season, Baker has added weight to his frame, and at 230 pounds joked that he is heavy enough to hand out bruising hits like the ones he received as a freshman.

"It’s very hard (to play linebacker in the SEC), and that’s an understatement," Baker said. "People don’t understand the wear and tear on your body. The game is physical and the game is so fast. It takes a lot of mental focus to play in a game in the SEC."