A Big 12 championship game record 17-straight completions is one way to get into the spotlight, but thats just what Shapen did. Injuries certainly played a part, but the offseason attrition was also worrisome. CLICK HERE to download the CBS Sports Mobile App and get the latest on your team today. If he can win the job and take advantage of both of those returning offensive starters and some potential transfer upgrades, things may be all right. Quinn Ewers should become more consistent in his second year as a starter, and getting a healthy Isaiah Neyor to catch passes next to Xavier Worthy could bring an impact newcomer who technically doesnt count as a newcomer. On the other side of the ball, West Virginia will need some of the younger players it has landed in recent classes to pan out sooner rather than later. 8 national ranking last fall and has Pac-12 title and CFP aspirations in 2023. Tay McWilliams is the top returning player at running back and he had just 181 yards on 17 carries last year. The Cougars are the top-ranked newcomer here, though whether that plays out will likely depend on whether Kedon Slovis can re-find some of the magic he showed a few years back at USC. Find more Baylor coverage from The Dallas Morning News here. Aranda called Player a twitchy and instinctive playmaker who creates havoc. 2023 On3 Media, Inc. All rights reserved. They were turnover magnets and sure tacklers that were instrumental in the Bears getting off of the field on 3rd downs. Some of those bounces are likely to go the Sooners way this season, which could mean improvement in the win column just by being less unlucky. They combined for 2,400 yards and 14 touchdowns, so replacing them will be no easy feat. The Bears average recruiting ranking from 2019-22, per the 247Sports Composite Rating, is 40.25. And while the Cyclones are getting younger on defense, theres talent there and Iowa State boasts one of the Big 12s top defensive coordinators in Jon Heacock. Hes got new ideas and new ways to look at things that are going to improve all of us.. One opposing coach sees the Bears as a force in the Big 12 again. The Jayhawks may still be a year off; there a number of those projected starters still have more eligibility after this year. Athletes in Action announced its winner for the coveted Coach Wooden Keys to Life Award, and its a Big 12 coach. Iowa State ranks 28th in returning production on offense, and while the defense looks vastly different in returning production, Jon Heacock gets a bit of benefit of the doubt there. Thats the next challenge.. WebBaylors special teams will be in good hands with junior punter Issac Power and freshman kicker Isaiah Hankins returning. Note: Baylor OC Jeff Grimes loves trick plays. Projected defensive starters: DE Lonnie Phelps DT Kenean Caldwell DT Caleb Sampson* DE Malcolm Lee* LB Taiwan Berryhill* LB Gavin Potter* LB Rich Miller A better, and more cohesive showing on defense would both be a welcome sign and would allow either Card or Ewers a bit more cushion to get comfortable. He and his wife, Karina, got married last January and have Returning that kind of experience should give Baylor the best offensive line in the Big 12, and possibly the country, in 2022. In run blocking in 2020, the Bears averaged 1.4 yards per rush before first contact, which was last in the Big 12 and 111th in the FBS. Defensively, adding Player and having the entire two-deep back up front is viewed as a strength. It sets the tone for everything.. 247Sports writer Kevin Flaherty joined Athlon Sports Our standards are so high that it is difficult to be who you say were going to be, but Im going to stay on the path, Aranda said. In the history of the Big 12, 2023 will always stand as an outlier. Taye McWilliams is the leading returning rusher but had only 17 carries in 10 games last year. He will put the ball in peril and he isnt shy about taking deep shots, even on 3rd and forever. Aranda pointed to Fleeks and Baldwin as possibilities. And with the departure of Max Duggan, Kendre Miller and Quentin Johnston TCU ranks 130th (!!!) Perhaps the fog has never fully lifted as he was particularly ineffective as the season progressed against Kansas, Oklahoma and Kansas State. Things could take a turn for the worst early if the defense isnt quite up to their 2021 form in the first half of the season. Build your customFanSided Daily email newsletter with news and analysis onFanSided.com and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more. Another opposing coach agrees that Baylors offensive and defensive lines will be the strength and expects the Bears to be a contender to return to the Big 12 championship game. So some regression to the mean could occur. WebVisit ESPN to view the latest Baylor Bears news, scores, stats, standings, rumors, and more Big 12 football schedule release: Every game for every team in 2023 2022 Team Leaders. Breakdown: Gabe Hall has come up in recent news as being one of college footballs top freak athletes, and its true. Ika is a monster inside who will pose a handful for Majors and big defensive end TJ Franklin (6-5, 285) is a negligible pass rusher who is one of the best run stoppers in the league. I see glimpses of speed from him where I feel like he can outrun guys, but hes also not afraid to put his shoulder down#SicEm, 2021 stats: 31 receptions (third on team), 361 receiving yards (fourth on team), six receiving TDs (second on team), recorded one rushing TD. (Kevin Jairaj / USA Today), Baylor linebacker Dillon Doyle finished second on the team in tackles with 90 and second with 8.5 tackles for loss. Pass protection improved immensely, too. I act like this. The buildup to the 2021 season was full of change. This is a let it hang out game and Sark and PK should expect Dave Aranda to go for it on 4th down until Texas punishes them for it. In the three games Shapen saw significant action Kansas State, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State Shapen completed 71 percent of his passes and averaged 190 passing yards. "We got married in Katy, Texas, about a mile from the high school stadium," he said. 2022 College Football Returning Production Rankings Team Ret. He currently resides in Kansas City where he is a talk show host and program director at KCMO Talk Radio. 240 pound interior linebacker Dillon Doyle leads them in tackles and is also solid dropping into zone coverages (2 interceptions). A more consistent downfield and intermediate passing game will be the big difference., Added Aranda: (Shapens) ability as a thrower to read coverages, to anticipate looks his arm is strong, his delivery can be unique. In the return game, Baylor lost Ebner, a third-round pick and the Big 12 special teams player of the year. Power is in contention to be named the top punter in college football after averaging 45 yards per punt in 2021. This makes the Bears However, they look to have a spectacular shot at doing so in 2022. Alan Bowman transferred in to potentially take over the quarterback spot after Spencer Sanders departure, but Bowman struggled to stay healthy at Texas Tech and he attempted all of 11 passes over the last two years at Michigan combined. Add in Oklahoma State ranking 101st in returning defensive production, and the Cowboys have some question marks. UW, of course, finished an 11-2 season with a No. The Horns need Quinn Ewers to throw the ball capably within the construct of a run first offense. 2 spot, Grimes said. It was hard, but necessary. before going out with a concussion. Studying what Oklahoma and Kansas State did to them will be instructive. Texas and Oklahoma are both in the middle of their respective builds: Steve Sarkisian heading into year three, Brent Venables in year two. Sneed (Colorado) entered after the 2021 season and Bohanon (USF) and Landry (Missouri) departed after spring football ended. While they lost to Oklahoma State and suffered a two-point defeat at TCU, they punched a ticket to the conference title game where they avenged their loss to the Cowboys for the crown. The Bears have six players on preseason watch lists for national awards. Ten of Kansas 11 offensive starters are back from a team that ranked in the top 10 in Offensive SP+; the lone exit comes at left tackle, where Kansas signed a former five-star recruit in Wisconsins Logan Brown. Brennan Armstrong entered the 2022 season as one of the most experienced quarterbacks in the ACC but had the lowest completion percentage of his career as a starter. They may not have won that award in 2021, that distinction belongs to Michigan. March 1, 2023 12:56 pm CT. College football writers are taking notice of the Longhorns loaded returning roster. That has turned each team's returning starter count into one of the most panned metrics heading into a given season. The ranking takes a look at data on both sides of the football for all FBS teams in the country. One of the most important factors in a team's success in college football is its returning experience. There may be inexperience at those key offensive spots, but sufficient talent exists. While talent and certainly coaching are major indicators, perhaps nothing is quite as important as having good players who have already seen the field. Oklahoma State actually topped our Big 12 power rankings at one point, then by years end, the Cowboys might have legitimately been the Big 12s worst team. Shapen can be very sharp in the play action game, but he tends to fixate on his first read and defenses that deny him quick decisions can turn him over and get to him in the pocket. You just dont typically see that kind of shift within a season. Will Howard, Kansas State An injury to Adrian Martinez in mid-October opened the door for WACO, Texas Baylor football head coach Dave Aranda announced the signings of 20 student-athletes to the class of 2022 on Wednesday. 3 overall class (including both high school talent and the Longhorns smaller transfer class), Texas should get some increased firepower on both sides of the ball. The Bears have been in the conference title game two of the past three years and have six double-digit win seasons and three Big 12 championships since 2011. Ronnies smart, he cares a lot, hes a tireless worker, Aranda said. Former Baylor standout linebacker and Sugar Bowl MVP Terrel Bernard is a Buffalo Bill, leaving Doyle to pick up the slack. Theres a lot to like about what the Golden Knights are building defensively for the future, and the good news is that with UCF ranking 43rd in returning defensive production, those younger players wont be needed immediately. Wake Forest Demon Deacons Sam Hartman is likely back for Wake Forest, which makes a But when looking at what most Big 12 teams lose and the Longhorns ranking second in the conference in returning production (according to ESPNs Bill Connellys measurements), a Texas team that finished a game out of the Big 12 Championship Game probably makes for the best bet. And while we dont think Cincinnati will be bad, the Bearcats rank last in the league in returning production, coming in at No. Lorando Johnson, S Lorando Johnson likely wont declare in the 2023 NFL Draft cycle, but his name is one to keep in the memory banks. Theres talent on hand, particularly at quarterback where the Mountaineers added USC and Georgia transfer JT Daniels, giving West Virginia its most talented signal-caller in years. His confidence started to grow.. Returning Starters on Offense: 6 Offensive Coordinator Collin Klein, who was promoted to the position after a remarkable offensive output as the Wildcats 1 and in charge of moving the Bears forward on offense. Baylor football is riding high after the program attained its first 12-win season, highlighted by a Big 12 Championship and Sugar Bowl win. The Bears return some experience at linebacker but must replace second-round draft pick Bernard. I expect an all conference season.6 TD catches in 21 pic.twitter.com/gOOF8Armmd. Besides Alabama or Georgia, I dont know whos got a better front scheme-wise than Baylor.. If Bohanon takes to development the way many second-year starting quarterbacks so, Baylor could once again be the class of the league. The Bears rotated anywhere from six to eight linemen per game last season, and the returning talent gives defensive coordinator Ron Roberts a chance to do that again, with potentially an even higher level of play. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, Stand with us in our mission to discover and uncover the story of North Texas, 10 key Baylor players to know in 2022: Returning O-line, D-line alleviates concerns, Everything you need to know about Baylor football: Key storylines, predictions and more, Ray Davis optimistic, anxious about Rangers season amidst tumultuous TV situation, Cowboys Mike McCarthy has more power, fewer excuses. "I thought football had to be part of it, somehow." Hill is among a number of players who could have breakout seasons in 2023. To call last year a tale of two seasons for the Cowboys wouldnt even be touching what actually happened. The strength of the offense lies up front. They work really well together and dont necessarily need to physically dominate at the point of attack to make their outside zone system hum. On3 is a registered trademark of On3 Media, Inc. There are certainly unknowns. Were winning every day. Hes the smallest guy out there but maybe the toughest guy, Grimes said. 21 transfer class, the third-best in the Big 12. Daniel Green has been among the Big 12s best linebackers when healthy, and hell try to shore up a defense that ranks 94th in returning production, but was sprinkling through some of the younger players over the course of the season. Michael Haag is a Journalism student at Baylor University in Waco, TX. All aboard the Aranda train. Mark Milton, who started two games at corner last year, is a strong candidate at cornerback. But Texas Tech also just couldnt get healthy quarterback play with some downright awful injury luck at the position. Jun 16, 2022 7:08 PM EDT The Baylor Bears offense had some serious turnover this spring, with quarterback Gerry Bohanon hitting the NCAA Transfer Portal in Baylor has added two more super-seniors to the list of returning players, as defensive linemen Cole Maxwell and Chidi Ogbonnaya have announced that they will be back in 2022. Blake Shapen rode an excellent performance in the Big 12 title game to the starting job this spring, unseating Gerry Bohanon, who has since transferred and is now the starter at USF. Starters Gabe After a 2-7 Baylor Head Coach Scott Drew Named Coach Wooden Keys to Life Award Winner, Iowa States Ashley Joens, Oklahomas Madi Williams Named Finalists for the Cheryl Miller Award, Niners GM John Lynch Updates Brock Purdys Status, Surgery Timeline, Oklahoma TE Brayden Willis Announces 2022 Return, K-State Promotes Collin Klein to Offensive Coordinator. In comparison to Baylors six returning starters, BYU has a clear advantage in this department as they return a colossal 19 players from last years already stacked team. On average, Baylor opponents had 8 yards to go on third downs, the longest average distance in the Big 12 and seventh best in the nation, according to PFF. There is still veteran talent on the roster. But West Virginia also ranks 89th in returning offensive production nationally, and doesnt really make up for it on the defensive side, where the Mountaineers are 49th. The burst, football mind, physicality and speed that he has is gonna separate him, Aranda said. Defense drove the Bears to the Big 12 title and if theres one thing Aranda can be counted on having, its a good defense. The Cowboys came within inches of the Big 12 championship last year, and are tied with two other schools with 12 returning starters. Related: Early 2022 Big 12 QB Preview and Rankings 3. Theyre certainly at their best running free on play action shots. Hes going to be filling some big shoes. It resulted in nine 100-yard performances and 1,621 rushing yards, the most in Baylor history. Hes a guy that opened up his heart to the team and led his team in a real prideful, courageous way, Aranda said of Bohanon. The 2022 Georgia Bulldogs will be replacing a lot of experience on both sides of the ball especially on defense. After losing eight players to the NFL over the summer, Baylor football will be forced to replace some big-time athletes from a 2021 Big The 6-7, 265-pound junior should build on his 2021, which included 29 tackles and three sacks in 11 games. There are tangible questions that need answers, too. Bohanons passing numbers were solid in nonconference play (66.6 percent completion rate, 626 yards, four touchdowns and one interception in three games) but his yardage and completion rate dipped in Big 12 games. Baylor struggles to get an honest pass rush at times and they rely heavily on deceptive coverages on the back end to confound QBs and force sucker throws. Over their last 7 games, the Bears have given up 13 turnovers. There was a point in spring where you say, Hes one of the top guys on our team, just based on production, Aranda said. The 6-5 Baylor Bears represent one of the most physical teams that Texas has seen this season, but meeting the other teams physicality hasnt been a problem for the Longhorns. Powledge, a Huntsville, Texas, native who played fullback at Sam Houston, is also back in his Texas roots. Much like Morgan, he is stepping into an expanded role. Explosive Florida State running back transfer Treshaun Ward is among the Big 12s most exciting transfer additions, and hell join DJ Giddens in making sure the Wildcats can still run the ball. Their star defensive ends will need to be replaced, but their five returning starters make the Wolverines worthy of a high ranking in the 2022 college football preseason top 25. #Baylor OL @grantmiller55 spoke highly of RB @TayeMcwilliams Thursday:I think hes like a little bit of a combination of both Abram and Trestan. Key stat to know: Baylors offensive line improvement from 2020 to 2021 was significant. But perhaps the single biggest reason to believe in Oklahoma: (Photo: Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire, Getty), (Photo: Jay Biggerstaff, USA TODAY Sports), (Photo: James Guillory, USA TODAY Sports), according to ESPNs Bill Connellys measurements, When we looked at how teams fared in one-score games. But expecting TCU to reach the Big 12 title game again might be too much. 10:00 AM on Aug 5, 2022 CDT. There will be more on the QBs shoulders this season with reading rushers Abram Smith and Trestan Ebner gone. The Bears won the league last year, return their starting quarterback from a season ago in Gerry Bohanon and top all other projected contenders and rank second in the Big 12 in returning starters. The Cyclones were one of the nations most experienced teams last year the reason for Iowa States lofty preseason expectations and now need to start over in a major way after a number of those players moved on. Somebody has to be last. Texas checks in at No. This article was first published in the Cougar That includes competition for incumbent quarterback Blake Shapen and likely plug-and-play starters on the offensive line for the Bears. While Kansas State had six on both sides of the ball and added a transfer quarterback to fill one of the openings, Oklahoma State returns seven starters from the nations 53rd-best offense, according to SP+, including quarterback Spencer Sanders. Aranda stressed the need for reps among the candidates to get comfortable. Breakdown: Returning for his fifth season, the 2021 Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year will yet again be a force to be reckoned with in the trenches. Morgan, the one returning starter in the group, will be deployed either at safety or star, depending on need. Their preferred front lines up Baylor size and power on the specific Longhorn OL whove dealt with that least well and its important that the Longhorns have some run game wrinkles that allow advantageous blocking angles inside and create some conflict in Baylors clean up crew. Can a transfer class that brings in a few potential impact players turn the tide? Miller returns after a solid year, Byers could play guard or tackle and Jeffery and Mazzccua will also compete for those spots. The proof? At middle linebacker, returning starter Dillon Doyle second on the team with 90 tackles in 2021 should be even better. Aranda signed a contract extension in February that is scheduled to keep him at the school through 2029, quieting coaching carousel discussion. That makes for a wide open race where it seems like the 12 teams that don't reach the Big 12 championship game are likely to finish somewhere between 8-4 and 4-8, decided by a bounce here or there. Baylors departing players registered 1,579 points, 512 rebounds, and 234 steals/blocks in the 2020-2021 season; those numbers rank 11th, 49th, and 7th in the country among non-returning players. Except for that group, every Baylor signing class since 2017 has ranked either fourth or fifth in the Big 12. Baylor football 2021 season in review Arandas second season in charge could hardly have gone more perfectly. Follow Sam on Twitter @skhanjr, Baylor quarterback Blake Shapen set an AT&T Stadium collegiate record with 17 straight completions en route to going 23-of-28 for 180 yards and a career-best three touchdowns against Oklahoma State in the Big 12 title game. What should fans expect in 2022? He creates openings for himself that maybe others dont. But if he comes in and truly finds his footing, the Cougars could be too low here. Per PFF, Baylor QBs were pressured 35.2 percent of the time in 2020 (8th in the Big 12, 96th in the FBS) but only 29.1 percent of the time in 2021 (first in the conference, 45th nationally). A year ago, Dave Aranda sensed his team still having doubts. BYU wide receiver Keanu Hill makes a touchdown catch against Utah Tech at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022. He joins an elite group of established, veteran O-lineman that are hoping to pound the rock en route to another successful season. CLICK HERE to download the CBS Sports Mobile App and get the latest on your team today. The transfer portal will help the Sooners make up for some of the losses, and if Dillon Gabriel can join the five returning offensive starters and hit the ground running, the Sooners could take off. Breakdown: Of course, Blake Shapen was going to make this list, but the Shreveport native should be well-known already. Craig Sqwirl Williams, 5-foot-8, 173 pounds, has battled injuries but was healthy this spring. Sixth-year senior Gavin Holmes has starting experience but has endured multiple injuries in his career. Redshirt freshman Kyron Drones was thrust into the backup role after Bohanons November hamstring injury. Both are expected to contribute immediately. The Bears should be one of the top three teams in the Big 12, and it shouldnt surprise anyone if theyre back in the conference title game in December. Get the fastest scores, stats, news, LIVE videos, and more. With Tyquan Thornton gone via the draft and R.J. Sneed having transferred (Colorado), the Bears are young at wide receiver. The Bears have been a strong Big 12 road team, compiling a 3-1 record, and their play style and experience tends to travel well. Likely this will be another year like last year: West Virginia has the talent to sneak up and bite somebody, but might not have the consistent week-in, week-out results. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. I dont say it in an ugly way, I say it as thats probably where it is right now. That was a full yard improvement over 2020, which was seventh in the Big 12 and 62nd nationally. Another year in Venables defensive system couldnt hurt either, as Oklahoma struggled at times to be assignment sound on that side of the ball. Baylors one-two punch of Abram Smith and Trestan Ebner left the program. To replace receivers coach Chansi Stuckey, who joined Marcus Freemans staff at Notre Dame, Aranda hired former Buffalo and Marshall receivers coach Dallas Baker. Matt Jones, who played all 14 games and was fifth on the team in tackles, will begin the year as Bernards successor at weakside linebacker. By far, this is the most depth weve had since Ive been here, Roberts said. The 2021 second-team All-AAC selection should thrive being back in his hometown of Waco. The average sack allowed by the Baylor line in 2021 took 4.6 seconds from snap to sack, the second-longest average in the FBS. The Red Raiders rank 31st in returning offensive production but could also stand to get a full season from Tyler Shough, which would likely lead to improvement on that end. He played pretty well against TCU, so maybe hes on the rebound. Freshmen Reggie Bush and Tevin Williams III are also long, fast corner possibilities. Starters Gabe Hall, Siaki Ika and Cole Maxwell and rotational linemen TJ Franklin, Chidi Ogbonnaya and Brayden Utley return. Still, he said, players wondered: Why are we doing this? Related: College Football's Top Quarterbacks on the Rise for 2023 4. The 2021 season was no fluke. He is the sports editor for the school's student newspaper, the Baylor Lariat. Fleeks has all the ability in the world, and Baldwin is a dynamic player with really good speed. Other receivers could get looks at returner. When former outside linebackers coach Joey McGuire took the Texas Tech head coaching job in November, Aranda elevated quality control coach Caleb Collins. "I thought football had to be part of it, somehow." Sims had the best season of his career with 361 yards and six touchdowns last year. Shouldnt we do it some other way?. With the heartbreak kid gone, Morgan has a great chance to shine in the spotlight as one of Baylors best defensive players. After a 12-2 season, a Big 12 championship and a Sugar Bowl win which could rank as the best season in school history there really arent those questions being asked now, he said. The pass rush will be good, the run D will be great, and With nine offensive returning starters and eight defensive returning starters and Lance Leipold getting his first spring with the team after signing on after spring ball last year, the Jayhawks should have significantly better understanding of the teams system and what it takes to compete in the Big 12. Two years ago, Kansas had the youngest team in college football. The Longhorns werent far off. The tricky part will be actually defending the title with Oklahoma State still rolling, Oklahoma with their own defensive guru at the helm and Texas strengthening. Venables defensive bonafides will be put to the test with a talented, but young, group that brings back four defensive starters. Remaining steady in the trenches should be a big help to the offense. Can Iowa State replace Xavier Hutchinson, who seemed like the offenses only option at times last year? Although Baylor lost four key defenders via the NFL Draft and five starters total, theres a lot to like about the unit, starting with the defensive line. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. Matthew Powledge, Baylors former safeties and special teams coach, joined Dan Lannings staff at Oregon in December. Baylor football shocked the Big 12 last year. The arrival of four-star freshman Armani Winfield could be right on time. Sling it, Shape >> @BShapen @kelseyjohnsonjr #SicEm | #PersonOverPlayer pic.twitter.com/ItRAKelqx2. The good is that Brent Venables may be just the coach to deal with that kind of roster turnover and has already drawn rave reviews for the way hes circled the wagons and begun building culture. This was a big component of their 38-35 win over OU in Norman, forcing Dillon Gabriel into 3 first half interceptions, even though OUs offense was otherwise humming along. Gavin Holmes is the senior statesman of the group, but after dropping 210 yards against West Virginia, hes had 84 yards receiving total over the last five games. (Kevin Jairaj / USA Today), He looked inward, forcing himself to evolve, Aranda signed a contract extension in February, but opting for its 2021 backup, Blake Shapen, over starter Gerry Bohanon. Only one league team brings back more than 14 starters, meaning that there's something of a hole at the top of the conference from where it has been in previous years. 124 nationally: 121st on offense and 107th on defense, are stepping up in conference AND are doing so while replacing head coach Luke Fickell, who went who went 53-10 over the last five years. Josh Cameron, a former walk-on who was awarded a scholarship, gives the group some size (6-2, 210 pounds). The stuff youre battling, especially if youre a young team, is, Im cool. Thats the bad. Making the field bigger is preferable to playing in a phone booth. Baylor had the most players of any team in the state of Texas chosen in the 2022 NFL Draft (six) and those recruits came from the 2017 and 2018 classes, which ranked 40th and 29th, respectively. A returning starting quarterback in Dillon Gabriel is a good thing, and the Sooners have the No. Theyre veteran, older players and thats really where you want your leadership to come from. Its one thing to go from being a weakness to a strength, Grimes said. pic.twitter.com/zg3fJXYoU9, 2021 stats (Tulsa): 14.0 TFLs (led team, second in AAC), four sacks (second on team), one forced fumble and a fumble recovery. The Wildcats have their 12 returning starters equally spread across both sides of the ball, with six on offense and six on defense. 2021 stats: Started all 14 games at left tackle. It finished fourth in the Big 12 in total D and tenth in the nation in scoring defense, but the it was really, really good at was taking the ball away. Wheat also worked with Aranda at LSU, spending seven seasons as a defensive analyst for the Tigers, including all four in which Aranda was defensive coordinator. The second coach expects Baylors running game will again be solid but noted how little production returns at receiver. Tackles and is also back in his Texas roots shine in the Big 12 championship and Bowl. (!!!!!! to call last year Sugar win... Sides of the Big 12 special teams will be more on the QBs shoulders this season with reading Abram... Veteran, older players and thats really where you want your leadership to come from, veteran O-lineman that hoping...: college football writers are taking notice of the most panned metrics heading into a given season that. Preview and Rankings 3 be the class of the most important factors in a few potential impact turn! Two other schools with 12 returning starters equally spread across both sides of the field bigger preferable! Returns after a solid year, is a Journalism student at Baylor University Waco. Media, Inc probably where it is right now ball especially on defense pick and the Sooners the. Last 7 games, the Bears getting off of the football for all teams! Injuries in his Texas roots guard or tackle and Jeffery and Mazzccua will baylor football returning starters 2022 compete for spots! Is stepping into an expanded role and Jeffery and Mazzccua will also compete for those.! Second-Year starting quarterbacks so, Baylor could once again be solid but noted how little production at! Shy about taking deep shots, even on 3rd and forever for national awards pic.twitter.com/gOOF8Armmd! Spread across both sides of the most depth weve had since Ive here! Na separate him, Aranda elevated quality control coach Caleb Collins 6-2, 210 pounds ) defensive! At receiver but the Shreveport native should be well-known already the stuff youre,! 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