Baylor Football Report Card: How Each Position Graded in Loss vs. Auburn
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After a dramatic finish in Baylor's matchup against the Tigers, I feel good about some aspects of this team, while others raised my concerns.
The outcome of this game wasn't what Baylor fans wanted, but there are some position groups that stepped up and showed signs of promise compared to last year's team.
Quarterback: B-
It's hard for me to critique DJ Lagway too much after he stayed in the game despite injuring his right ankle in the first quarter. There was a lot from his game that I was impressed with, but also a lot that showed his flaws.
Lagway ended the game with 333 passing yards, the majority of which were gained in the first half. Without the costly turnovers in the first half and a few missed throws, his grade would be a lot higher.
It's unfortunate that he wasn't able to scramble due to his injury, as that limited the offense quite a bit. Other than that, I was very impressed with his arm talent and some of the next level throws that he made with his injury.
Wide Recievers: A
Gavin Freeman. What a game by the Oklahoma State transfer. Freeman ended the game with a career-high of 154 receiving yards. He was extremely impressive and made many big plays, including a few big catches on the last drive of the game.
Louis Brown and Jadon Porter also contributed with a combined 10 receptions and a total of 139 yards. As expected, these guys both showed up and made some big plays.
On the other hand, Colorado transfer Dre'lon Miller was essentially nonexistent for the Bears. He ended the game with 0 receptions.
Running Back: B+
While it seemed difficult for Baylor to establish a run game, Dawson Pendergrass and Caden Knighten still made the most of it. There were times when it looked like Pendergrass would only pick up a yard or two, and he would turn it into a 5-6-yard gain. Plays like that aren't focused on very much after loss like that, but it kept drives alive.
Pendergrass ended the game with 88 rushing yards, and Knighten picked up 33 yards. Overall, I was satisfied with the performance of the running backs.
Tight End: C-
My expectations for this group may have been a little too high after having the luxury of watching Michael Trigg in this offense last year, but there just isn't much to say about this group after that game.
Offensive Line: C+
I didn't have high expectations for this offensive line going into the game, but I wasn't completely disappointed. It was a struggle for them to set up a run game, but they did a decent job of protecting Lagway in the pocket, as he was unable to scramble at all.
There were some occasions where the Sieraki brothers struggled at left tackle and center. Overall, it could've been a better performance for this group, but it also could've been a lot worse.
Defensive Line: A+
As expected, the defensive line was very impressive. I expected a lot from them coming into this game, but they may have even exceeded my expectations.
This group came away with 5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss. They held their ground and gave the Auburn offense trouble for a lot of the game. They limited the Tigers to just 3.2 yards per carry on the ground.
The staff did an incredible job of bringing in new players to significantly improve this defensive line from last year. I was very satisfied with their performance as a whole.
Linebackers: B-
The linebackers had a solid game overall, but there is still room for improvement. This group was active during the game and was a big part of limiting Auburn to 130 rushing yards.
Travion Barnes came away with 9 total tackles tying for the team high, and Kyland Reed ended up with 7.
Their physicality in the run containment and closing gaps really impressed me. Altogether, I was satisfied with their performance against Auburn.
Secondary: A-
Although there were times when Byrum Brown was able to make some easy completions, the secondary was able to come away with 3 takeaways. Micah Gifford, Reggie Bush II, and Devon Jordan all came away with an interception.
Limiting chunk plays was a big part of their game. On top of that, safety Devin Turner also tied the team high with 9 tackles and may be one of the hardest hitters on this defense.
Auburn did end up with 259 passing yards in this matchup, but the 3 takeaways gave the Bears a good chance to win this game, leading me to give them a higher grade.
Special Teams: B-
The kicking game may be a struggle for the Bears this year. Rhett Armstrong converted on a 22 yard field goal after completely missing a 42 yarder at the beginning of the game. The first miss may have been nerves, considering the fact that this was his first start as a field goal kicker.
Dave Aranda and the staff didn't seem too confident in sending Armstrong out there after continuously going for it on 4th down.
Palmer Williams was a massive bright spot for Baylor after averaging 52 yards per punt on 4 attempts. On top of that, he pinned Auburn at their 2-yard line after a perfect punt.
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Grant is a writer for Baylor Bears on SI with a focus on Baylor football and basketball. He is a Texas A&M Sport Management graduate and longtime Baylor fan who has followed the Bears closely for more than a decade. His passion for sports drives him to find the stories, stats, and perspectives that matter most to Baylor fans
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