Answering Fans' Mail Bag Questions about the 2026 Baylor Bears
In this story:
We at Baylor Bears on SI thought it would be fun to do a fan Q+A. Here are three of your questions answered about the Baylor Bears in 2026.
More information on the offensive line and what to expect
I want more info on this o line! What should we expect?Chris Missimo, @cmissimo on X
The offensive line remains my biggest question mark heading into the season. The offensive line group lost some immense talent from a 2025 group that already slightly underperformed. Two of the main starters for that group, Omar Aigbedion and Colton Price, both moved on from the program, one by graduation and the other via the transfer portal.
Now there are some silver linings for this offensive line group that many have overlooked. While it is a completely new group, they are one of the most heavily experienced offensive line groups in the country, with a cumulative 4,532 snaps. A lot of this experience comes from transfers Yakiri Walker and Rhett Cole, from Memphis and Toledo, respectively.
While these two have played a lot of football in the past four years, their adjustment to Power Four football and a new offensive scheme is what leaves this group with question marks that can't be answered until we see them on the field in September.
Koltin Sieracki and Kaden Sieracki are two offensive linemen who return to the team from 2025, and they are both poised to have big seasons. Kaden, the older of the two, had a great season last year and has been receiving love from all over in the media heading into the 2026 season.
I'd say the main takeaway from this group is that there is a lot of potential; they have a good distribution of youth to experience, and a lot of good size that can also be tapped into. If new offensive line coach Austin Woods puts it together, it could be the key to another great offensive year from Baylor and Jake Spavital.
Sleeper names to watch for this fall
Who are some sleeper names to watch this Season For Baylor Football?Coach O' Malley, @Coach__OMalley on X
On the offense, someone I think will have a breakout year is junior wide receiver Jadon Porter. While he might sit behind Dre'lon Miller, Gavin Freeman, and Louis Brown IV, he will have ample opportunity to prove himself as the season moves on.
Porter is from Lorena, TX, just outside of Waco, and is well-spoken about in the Baylor program as a hard worker on and off the field. Porter scored his first career touchdown at TCU last season, and is known for his lightning-fast track speed. With the amount of receiver rotation that Spavital has used in the past few seasons, Porter is poised to stand out this year.
On the defensive side of the ball, I think two guys are set up nicely to build on the good years they had in 2025. Sophomores Kaleb Burns and Bo Onu got to see the field last season in important games and did very well when they were out there. Burns is a linebacker who got to feature early on due to the unfortunate injuries that the linebacker group faced early in the season.
Not only did he make tackles and have an interception last season, but he also looked comfortable in his role and never looked out of place schematically, something that was a major issue for Baylor last season. Onu also got to feature at safety, where the staff trusted him in some important games. I expect both of these guys to have even bigger roles in 2026.
Vibes around the program
What are the current vibes emanating from the Baylor football program?Ed Helinski, @MrEd315 on X
I think that a lot of Baylor fans have simply lost trust in this team and in Dave Aranda after having their expectations not met time and time again. In 2022, this team underachieved; in 2023, the team once again underachieved; in 2024, the team shocked everyone and won eight games; and then in 2025 the team again underachieved. It's hard for Baylor fans to get excited when a Dave Aranda team has never met high expectations.
Inside the facility, though, I believe there is a positive vibe. They landed marquee transfers that bring energy to this building. The defense is being completely overhauled by Joe Klanderman, someone who is proven in the Big 12, and the offense is being led by one of the greatest quarterback prospects ever in DJ Lagway. Along with that, the team has not had any season-ending injuries to projected starters as they did in the spring last season.
On paper the pieces are there to be a quality team, good transfers in the secondary, an elite quarterback, talented wide receivers, proven returning running backs, and a lot of strength on the defensive line is the makings of a good football team, but will they piece it together and do the things to win football games or will they again fall short and lose in humiliating fashion as they have three of the last four seasons.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Jacob is a contributor for Baylor Bears On SI. A lifelong sports fan, he started writing game reactions and opinion pieces during Baylor football and basketball seasons, turning that hobby into a growing presence in sports media. He brings an authentic, fan-driven voice to his work and is excited to keep building his voice and breaking down the topics Baylor fans are talking about every day.
Follow JacobHaddadinU