As the Matt Rhule era begins in Waco, there will be numerous questions surrounding the Baylor Bears in 2017. Here are five of the most burning topics that will need answering.

1 . What will the Bears look like under Rhule? How will he and new offensive coordinator Matt Lubick change the offense? Will there be a new defensive scheme? Can Rhule eradicate the mental errors like penalties that have plagued Baylor for years?

2. Can Ishmael Zamora replace K.D. Cannon's production? Zamora was the Bears' second-best receiver this year behind Cannon, who recorded his second 1,000-yard season in three years. With Cannon declaring for the NFL, Zamora will need to step up his game to make life easier on quarterback Zach Smith in 2017.

3. Will depth issues catch up to Baylor? The Bears suffered an exodus of 2016 signees when Art Briles was fired and already stared down some depth issues when Seth Russell hurt his ankle and a walk-on was suddenly Baylor's backup quarterback. Will those issues become more pronounced in 2017?

4. Can Rhule fill up the 2017 recruiting class in time for Signing Day? He is off to a strong start, poaching record-setting QB and former SMU commit Charlie Brewer to headline his first recruiting class in Waco. But Rhule still has a long way to go to get the four-man class up to 25 by the first Wednesday in February. And even if does fill up the class, there's no guarantee that will be it for Baylor recruiting. With so many open scholarships due to the aforementioned depth issues, Rhule can be in the market for some JuCo or graduate transfers to make an immediate impact next season.

5. Will Johnny Jefferson return to Baylor? The running back missed the entire season due to "personal issues" and a statement from former coach Jim Grobe said he expected Jefferson to return in the spring semester. A return from Jefferson would solidify Baylor's running corps after Shock Linwood's departure to the NFL.

Twitter: @AdamGrosbard