5 Reasons Baylor Football Hasn't Been Able to Establish Its Run Game
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Nate Bennett capped off the Bears' first drive against LA Tech with a 25 yard touchdown run, and true freshman Ryelan Morris ended the game on a 33 yard run that nearly saw Morris in the end zone. If you only heard that stat and nothing else, you could assume that Baylor had a dominant ground game. But when you hear that those are also the longest runs of the entire game the question arises, "why not the rest of the game?"
The O-Line Has Protected the Quarterback, but Hasn't Pushed the Defense
Something has to be done to solve the offensive line's struggles. They've been mostly successful at keeping both DJ Lagway and Nate Bennett protected in the pocket, and that importance to Baylor's successes this season can not be overstated. However, the Bears have yet to fully establish the running game in any game this season.
From Injuries to Penalties; Struggles Aplenty
Injuries have also been an issue for Baylor this season with several players either out for the year or others who have missed significant snaps. They've performed admirably this season adjusting to player rotation, the rotation of positions being played, the new team, and the new system as most of the team hadn't played a collegiate game together as a unit until these past few weeks.
Penalties as well have been a struggle for Baylor throughout the first quarter of this season, especially the false starts and holding calls.
Is Too Much of a Good Thing Really a Good Thing?
Dawson Pendergrass, Caden Knighten, Michael Turner, and even Ryelan Morris; Baylor has depth at running back. Each of these runners is just one good block away from something special happening, but so far this season true freshman Ryelan Morris' back to back runs at the end of regulation against LA Tech have really been the most explosive and intriguing that the Bears' running game has had.
And, given that both runs occurred when running out the game clock to assure a Baylor victory was more of a formality than a stress or worry, it's unfortunately difficult to judge them properly.
Establish the Run to Keep the Defense Honest
The Bears have been able to move the ball on the ground, but in more of a "three yards and a cloud of dust" manner rather than "busting through the line and into the secondary" and that's where the problem lies. If the opponent's defensive front four players are enough to limit Baylor to only a few yards on each carry, the linebackers and secondary have more freedom and ability to hone in on defending the pass.
Baylor has an entire running back corps of "one block and they're gone" threats, but if the Bears' offensive front five can't open up gaps and running lanes for any of Baylor's running backs to run through to force the second and third levels of the defense to always have to be paying attention, the Bears will quickly become one dimensional on offense.
The DJ Lagway Variable
A healthy DJ Lagway has all of the potential to shred a defense through the air or on the ground. That's however only hypothetical as his ankle injury that's seen him on the sidelines the past two games happened early in the loss against Auburn. Still finishing that game in the fashion that he did, career highs in both attempts and completions on an ankle that clearly limited his mobility, ultimately losing the game against Auburn by only a few feet.
But that's precisely the point. Even an injured and throwing-flat-footed Lagway was almost enough to defeat Auburn. The sky is the limit for Lagway if he can stay healthy, and all of that is going to start with the offensive line finding their rhythm together.
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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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