4 Biggest Decisions that Baylor HC Dave Aranda Got Right Against ASU
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Depending on who you ask, not many expected the Bears to go into Tempe, Arizona on Saturday night and play as well as they did. Heck, the opening spread had Baylor pegged as the underdog heading into the game against the Sun Devils. However, after the 55-19 utter dismantling of ASU, the decisions made by Coach Aranda that led to that result share in their importance.
Continuing to Have Joe Klanderman Handle the Defense
As he has done for every game this season, Defensive Coordinator Joe Klanderman has done all of the defensive play calling for the Bears. And, after the results that just the first five games have produced, the Bears are already at or exceeding many of the metrics of last season's defensive unit. 42 TFLs (48 TFLs for all of 2025), 18 Sacks (12 all of last season), and they've already forced 4 fumbles this season (tying their mark from last year).
This Bears defense has given no quarter to any opposing offenses this season; if you want to earn a yard against Baylor, you'd better be prepared to fight for it.
Post-Game Dave Aranda Might be the Most Entertaining Version of Him
He's heard the media, local and otherwise, and made it a point to say in his opening post-game comments that, "So much criticism with this team and so much negative stuff. After a while, it's like, man, you just can't take no more, you know." The plane ride to Tempe must have provided Coach Aranda and the rest of the Bears time with their thoughts, or maybe it was the away-game atmosphere in Arizona, but the Baylor team that played on Saturday night felt like a team that had something to prove. And golly-gee-whillickers, did they ever make a statement against ASU as they dominated throughout the game.
Continuing to Believe in DJ Lagway
DJ Lagway was a 5-Star recruit for a reason, and we're finally starting to see some of that shine through. After suffering a high sprain to his right ankle in the first quarter of Auburn, he was visibly in pain as he completed that game. Lagway would find himself sitting out the next two games while he healed up and backup Nate Bennett took the helm and played very well.
A streaky but overall successful game against Colorado would be the result as Lagway shook off the rust that comes with recovery from an injury. Against the Sun Devils he didn't run around all of that much, but he really didn't need to as the Bears took control of the game early and Lagway seemed to have all day long in the pocket to find his intended receiver.
Believing in the Offensive Line
Giving credit where it's due and pointing out a flaw when it's visible; the first four games of the season, the offensive line had discipline issues with false start penalties and holding calls. Against the Sun Devils on Saturday night though the offensive line played the most disciplined football that they have the entire year. The issue was never talent though, as every member of the line is worth their weight in salt; and since this is an offensive line we're talking about, that's a lot of salt.
The Bears offensive line may not have been able to help establish the running game the first four games this season, but they've been able to protect both Lagway and Bennett in the pocket, keeping both on their feet much more frequently than having to help them back up off the ground. If the Baylor offensive line that played on Saturday against ASU performs as well the rest of the season, the Bears could be not only bowl-bound, but even a real contender for the Big 12 Championship.
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Brad is a writer and contributes to the Baylor Bears on SI, with aspirations to share his own unique thoughts and perspectives with fans. Whether through the facts and figures of the past or the untold potential and triumphs of the future, sports have always been a large influence on Brad's storytelling and life overall. His inspiration to write began while watching sports when he first noticed the highs and lows of each game, each quarter, each play; there's a story in each of them worth telling, and he wanted to tell them.
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