Baker senior and Lawrence High alumnus Kharon Brown, right, celebrates the Wildcats' 45-41 comeback win in the NAIA semifinals with Hayden Jenkins, left, Saturday at Liston Stadium.

The Baker University football team boards a flight for Florida today in search of more than just warmer weather.

Playing in the NAIA national-title game for the first time since Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy wore No. 85 and played tight end for the school in 1986, the Wildcats face St. Francis of Fort Wayne, Ind., 5 p.m. Saturday, at Municipal Stadium in Daytona Beach, Fla.

As usual, Baker (14-0), led by head coach Mike Grossner, has recruits who played their high school football in Lawrence and bordering towns.

Defensive coordinator Jason Thoren, former Lawrence High and University of Kansas standout linebacker, handles area recruiting for Grossner.

A look at how senior Kharon Brown, a Lawrence High graduate, moved from defensive tackle to linebacker in the middle of his freshman season demonstrates the trust Grossner puts in Thoren, with whom he has worked since his first season as head coach at the school, 2004.

“If he tells me a guy can play, he can play,” Grossner said. “I don’t have to go second-guessing him. Now I want to see it and see what he’s seeing. It’s very rare that we butt heads in that area. He’s a natural. He understands good football players.”

Brown fit the prototype of a Baker defensive lineman.

“His point was he’s so smart, he can run, and after he drops a little weight he can make him a great middle ‘backer, and he has,” Grossner said.

Brown earned first-team all-conference honors.

“He’s a 30-ACT-type kid, just very intelligent, and he likes the X’s and O’s of football, and why are you doing that,” Thoren said. “He had always had his hand on the ground and a lot of those guys are always worried about what’s right in front of him. Kharon was always interested in what was going on behind him, what’s going on in the secondary. He’s playing at a level right now I haven’t seen. Really good leader. Really good personality.”

Added Grossner: “Tougher than tough.”

A look at other Baker players from the area listed on Baker’s two-deep depth chart with comments from Grossner and Thoren:

Cornell Brown, WR, Baldwin High. Grossner: “The greatest thing for him was to stay here and be around the mentors that he has here. The locals didn’t think he was going to go to college and wondered why we took a chance. I remind him the Cornell-haters are out there and they’re always there. Keep proving them wrong.”

Nick Becker, DL, Eudora High. Thoren: “Our D-line is the ‘Goon Squad,’ and I nicknamed Nick ‘Animal Goon.’ Physically, he’s one of the most gifted kids I’ve ever been around, very intelligent in the classroom as well. He makes plays that you just say, ‘Wow.’ He can run.” Added Grossner: “He can dance too, one of the best dancers I’ve ever seen.”

Jarrod Kaup, OL, Eudora High. Grossner: “Lunch-pail, program guy. Backs up three positions. Left the program and came back. Missed it.”

Tye Hughes, WR/special teams, Free State High. Grossner: “Made some plays this year. Had a great kick return in our semifinal game. I remember when Bob (Lisher) told me Tye was one of his best receivers ever. Tye’s getting his degree in sports-administration. Proud of him.”

Kyle Wittman, RG, Lawrence High. Grossner: “Two-time, first-team all-conference, engineering student. Great, great kid.”

Freshman cornerback Ivan Hollins and senior tight end Joshua Seybert, both Lawrence High graduates, also contribute but are not listed on Baker’s two-deep.

Baker athletics has been on quite a run.

Sophomore Ally Hertig, a Free State High grad, helped Baker’s women’s soccer team reach the Final Four.

Sports Illustrated featured McCarthy last week and included a picture of the Packers’ coach from his playing days, on one knee wearing his Baker uniform.

And those who watched Tyreek Hill’s punt return for touchdown on Thursday night against the Oakland Raiders might have caught a glimpse of Grossner in a crowd shot.