Dave Aranda breaks down the 'challenge' Auburn’s WRs pose for Baylor’s secondary
Baylor welcomes in Auburn for a Friday night showdown in Waco. It's a big game for both programs. The Bears hope to show the nation that they can contend for a Big 12 title, and a win over the Tigers would be a good indicator. On the other side, Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze needs to win this game for his job. Freeze has had two poor seasons with the Tigers, and he could be on the chopping block if this season doesn't end well.
Offensively, Baylor should be able to hold its own -- with any team -- having Sawyer Robertson and Co. But it's the defense that has had some issues. Head coach Dave Aranda went out and made several key signings from the transfer portal to elevate that side of the ball. But on Friday, the challenge will be facing Auburn's prolific wide receivers.
The duo of Cam Coleman and Eric Singleton will be tough for any defense to stop this season. Coleman caught for 598 yards and eight scores as a true freshman last season, and Singleton had 754 receiving yards with Georgia Tech last season.
On Monday, during his press conference, Aranda talked about the challenge that presents the Baylor secondary.
"It's a challenge. I think it's a challenge," Aranda said on Monday. "I think it's going to take the front people doing their part to help the people that are in the back. I think it's going to, I think we're going to have to be able to get calls in. We're going to have to have cleats in the ground. You know, I think if you're looking at it as a one-on-one or one versus one proposition, I can see where maybe from the Auburn side you feel confident about all of it.
"I think we have to look at it as, hey, this is where my help is. This is where I'm playing to my help. This is my part in the thing. I'm going to do my part so that the overall team can execute. And so I think pass rush is a big part of that too.
"I think it's going to come down to stopping the run and getting them into when we feel like they've got to throw it. I think if they're running the ball and they can play action pass and four-by-one RPO kind of at will, then I think we're not kind of in control of anything, and then that's when those matchups become an issue. I think if we're able to get it to where it's a one-sided thing, at least partly, I think we can play some of that better."
One are that Aranda could utilize to slow down the Tigers' playmakers is getting to the QB. The Baylor head coach was asked if blitzing was an option for the Bears in hopes of limiting Coleman and Singleton.
"It's interesting because a lot of respect for the QB that they have, and we've watched a lot of film of him, whether it's OU or even high school, and he's got a big arm, so he's a big shot guy, and then is confident and collected enough to get checkdowns. But the scrambles are worrisome, and so I think more games are lost rather than won early in the season," said Aranda.
"You look at the games that were played in Week 0 here, just all the turnovers and just all of it, and I think our game is probably going to be lost before it's won by somebody .So I just think being aggressive in all these things are things that you want to do, and you've got to be sound. You've got to keep the quarterback contained. You've got to make him earn it, and so those are things we're focusing on."
Fans will see Baylor in action on Friday night against Auburn.
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