You've heard the rumors. The whispers. And the fear seizing the campus of Wake Forest cannot be ignored. Could it be true -- could Head Football Coach Jim Grobe leave sleepy ole' Winston-Salem for Waco, Texas, to coach the Baylor Bears?

In an interview with The Winston-Salem Journal, Grobe said that while Baylor has contacted him, no visits or interviews have been set up -- yet -- contrary to some reports in two Texas newspapers.

Baylor is, reportedly, willing, or ready (depending on who you believe) to offer Grobe as much as five times as much as he makes at Wake Forest. Although the Demon Deacons are rather tight-lipped about how much their high-profile coaches make, we can figure that Baylor is prepared to dish out a lot of benjamins.

This clearly could not come at a worse possible time. The Deacons just finished a pretty solid season of 6-6, and are in the midst of recruiting season. This up-and-coming squad has been bowl eligible two seasons running now, and next year, definitely should go bowling.

But are they going to have to do it without the man and leader who has instigated the revival on the gridiron?

I don't know what is going to happen. And don't let anyone else fool you, neither do they. But I do know one thing: It is in the interest of Wake Forest University as a whole that Grobe stays put. There is no substitute for success, and Grobe has bathed in success (comparatively speaking) during his two seasons at the helm of the Deacons.

I also truly believe one thing: it is in the best interest of Grobe to stay with the Deacons, at least in this scenario. And here are two reasons why:

2) Come on É it's Baylor

If Texas A&M were calling Grobe to fill their vacancy, it'd be a different story. I'd be so giddy for the man that I'd carry him to College Station, Texas, myself.

But this isn't College Station. This is Waco, better known as the place where Janet Reno and David Koresh came to blows.

For those of you who don't know, which I completely understand, when one thinks Texas football, Baylor doesn't spring to mind -- Baylor is a Baptist school with 13,000 students.

Their football team's heyday died with the old Southwest Conference, and they currently rank behind Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Rice, Houston, North Texas and Southwestern Gavelston State Tech in terms of recruiting power in the pecking order of Texas schools.

I'm not arguing that Wake Forest is the center of the college football universe, by any means. But the Deacons are now the second-best program in North Carolina (behind State) and should continue their meteoric rise. After all, Appalachian State and East Carolina should not be able to compete with us anymore, and Duke and UNC have more letters in their names than wins.

Beyond that, Wake Forest has a national attraction that few schools in the nation do, and one that Baylor certainly does not possess.

If you're planning on jumping Grobe, wait for the jump that has a parachute. Because while the view from the plane may be nice at Baylor, it's one that'll kill you.

Just ask Kevin Steele, the Bears' former head coach. Five years ago, Steele was a young coach on the rise (like Grobe) who seemingly had limitless potential, due to a potent defensive mind. Steele was hired away from the position of defensive coordinator at Notre Dame. Four years, nine wins and a 1-28 Big 12 record later, Steele is looking for a job.

1) The Demon Deacon program is the Grobe program

There is something to be said for not only building a school's program, but seeing it through. Just ask Knute Rockne and Notre Dame. Or John Wooden and UCLA basketball. Or Marv Levy and his Buffalo Bills.

Grobe has a chance to do the unthinkable -- make Wake Forest, make North Carolina, hell, even the nation -- care about Deacon football.

The fact is, as hard as it is to resurrect a program -- such as Tyrone Willingham at Notre Dame -- building a successful program from scratch is even more difficult, and subsequently, more rewarding.

Because Baylor was good at one point in history (it was doomed by the outbreak of the French and Indian War), Grobe would technically be resurrecting it. Luckily, however, Wake Forest has never truly been great at football! Grobe can change that if he gives it a shot.

Whether Grobe goes to Baylor or not, he will always be known as the man who turned things around for Wake Forest football at the beginning of the 21st century.

The question is how long will his impact be felt? Clearly, we'll have a good team next year dripping with potential. Who knows what can happen after that. That's up to Grobe.