Baylor Football Offseason Recap: Where Bears Improved (and Where It Didn't)
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On the heels of a 5-7 season, Baylor head coach Dave Aranda should be looking for more than a normal reload over this offseason.
He has taken a Hail Mary by bringing in Florida transfer DJ Lagway to be the signal caller, but what else has he done over the offseason, both good and bad?
Improvement #1
The defensive outlook. New defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman was brought in from Kansas St. over the offseason, and he has completely revamped the defensive line along with seven other signees.
Baylor's defense was the clear issue last season, coming in dead last in the Big 12 in several metrics, including touchdowns and points allowed.
Considering many of the defensive units needed a complete overhaul, Klanderman has done well to bring in guys like Hosea Wheeler and Garrick Ponder to bolster the line.
Question Mark #1
The offensive line. The unit only has one returning player while suffering big losses like Coleton Price signing with Kentucky after making 31 straight starts for the Bears.
The O-line has the potential this season to go from one of the better units of 2025 to an Achilles' heel for DJ Lagway and the offense.
Improvement #2
Reloading the wide receiver room. With losses like Josh Cameron, Kobe Prentice, and Kole Wilson, Baylor had a lot of work to do to revamp the receiving unit, but the staff has risen to the occasion.
The trio of Dre'lon Miller, Gavin Freeman, and Louis Brown IV, along with some promising freshmen, are supposed to be a solid slew of weapons for Lagway.
While it is hard to know for sure if the unit has taken a jump, the staff has done well to bring in some experience along with young blood to give Lagway some weapons.
Question Mark #2
Net roster loss. According to On3, has a net roster loss of -30 (29-59), meaning the Bears have lost 59 players while only bringing in 29.
Yes, Baylor football needed a fresh look, but losing almost 60 players to the portal is never ideal. Look at the best teams in the country and squads like Indiana has a net loss of +6 or Texas Tech with +1
Having to build a roster from the ground up is not an easy task for Aranda, especially when his job is on the line. Time will tell if he is up for the task.
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Bennett is an undergrad student at Baylor University, studying journalism on the sports track. He is from the DFW area and grew up playing and watching sports, which inspired him to pursue sports writing.
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