Everything Baylor coach Dave Aranda said ahead of Arizona

The Baylor Bears moved to 5-5 on the season after suffering a loss to Utah. Baylor hasn't played well at home this year, and despite some extra energy in the stands on Saturday, the Bears suffered another loss.

There is plenty of uncertainty surrounding head coach Dave Aranda in Waco. But Aranda met with the media on Monday for his normal weekly press conference and answered plenty of questions.

Here is everything Aranda said.

Opening statement

It's good to see you guys. Really, really tough game to watch. A lot of missed opportunities. I thought defensively, I thought the first two drives was kind of what I was expecting and really working for, for the entire game. I thought some of the line stunts we were doing and the quarters coverage that we're playing, guys were where they needed to be. You know, a lot of the early drives was 11 personnel and they went to 12 personnel and we had a line movement package for that and we didn't execute that as well.

And there's a motion and we gotta get it back in the box. He didn't come in the box, he stayed outside. We have too many guys outside and it pops. But then we get back to playing consistently and it was, you know, from then on, it was a mix of the inconsistent spacing. We'd have nine guys or 10 guys where we need them to be and one or two where we don't. And we couldn't get it over that hump.

I thought offensively, a lot of zero blitz. More zero than we've seen all year. I think there was parts of man free that we saw early in the game and we're able to run some pick routes and rub routes essentially and be able to make some plays on it. The zone we saw, we're way effective on and really got them out of the zone. And I think the third thing to go to was zero blitz and it was basically that way for the rest of the game. And we could never quite get a throw and a catch to exploit it.

You know, we're a drop away, a miss away, a play away from an eight yard slant going 80 yards. And if we would have gotten that early in the game, I think it's a different game. And so just frustrating .I think the emotions boiling over at the end is disappointing and it's not us. And we're dealing with that now. But this morning's meetings was really good to move focus and to work on to a really good opponent here coming up.

A lot of respect for Coach Brennan. I've known him. And when I was at Calhoun, I remember him interviewing for a job at Calhoun. I was a student at Cal Lutheran and I was a student assistant and our head coach there, Scott Squires, had me as a part of the interview process. And Brent came in and we interviewed him. I remember I had a question or two questions.

Resetting goals with the Big 12 off the table

Yeah, we're working really hard to win. I think that's the goal. And to play better and to improve. And so, you know, so much of what we talk about is past performance doesn't predict anything in the future. Right, just cause you won doesn't mean you're gonna win next week or just cause you lost. No matter what the loss, doesn't mean you're gonna lose next week. It's the choices that you make. It's the effort that you bring. It's the attitude that you decide on. Those are the things. We're really focused on that. Trying to go 1-0 today if we can.

How he blocks out the outside noise with so much uncertainly

I just get focused on my job, you know? And then when I'm not doing it, don't go to my phone. And then I'm so exhausted, I crash, you know? And so, a lot of work to get done. I thought, you know, the bye week was a bunch of work going into this last one. So it was just so frustrating that the outcome was what it was. You know, this is just, when you come off a bye, and it's so much of a faster week, just a normal week. And so there's so much work that's gotta get done. There's really no time for anything but trying to get right to it. So I think all of that, and then just not looking at your phone.

Where the defense was out of position

I thought our linebackers played their worst game. I thought, you know, you look at every touchdown, just about, that we gave up. It was that position group. And it's just, you know, I don't know. We talked about, we had, so we had an 11 personnel, and then in 12 personnel, there's, we just played one coverage the whole game, but we had different fronts with stunts and stuff.

Really kind of simple stuff, and we just, you know. I think one of the things that we talked about this morning was here's all the clips of us in practice doing it right, and here's the first time we see it in a game, and we do it wrong. There's a lot of hard answers that have to come from that question.

Has Sawyer 'cracked' after needing to play perfect games in order for Baylor to win

Yeah, I think, oh, I think the [Utah] pressure got to him. I think, you know, there was, you know, Sawyer could have played a better game, and, you know, I could have called a better game. Our DBs could have tackled better in the game. But I thought that there was, there's plays that we got to make versus how they're playing us, right?

Whether it's man-to-man, and, you know, I think Kole, we're able to connect with Kole on one or two. There's a whole lot more out there, just fade balls from that slot position, and I thought we're there, and we got to get it there, and then, you know, the zero blitz, there's multiple times that we got inside breaking routes, and we got to connect with them, and I think, you know, I mean, without Sawyer, you know, we're not able to win any games.

We're not to be in any type of position to get to a bowl game or to be competitive or any of those things, and so I just think Sawyer always wants to do what's right, and he always wants to go above and beyond, and so I think kind of get it to where it's kind of refocused and, hey, man, just make this play. Let's make this, let's execute this. I think to get it back to that level would be good for everybody.

Update on Carl Williams

He's still, he's still working back to 100% full speed. I think his, well, let me say that. His speed is good. It's just change of direction's got to improve. There, you know, there's spots where, and maybe positioning where, he could play and be effective, but I think as far as the whole gamut goes, I think we're still working to get there with the goal to get there.

Is his leaders leading

Yeah, there's been, whether it was Saturday night or, let's use an example of Saturday night. So we had commitment time Saturday night. And so for all the stuff that sucks, for certain guys, it sucks even more. And so if they were late to a class or missed a class, then there's study hall Saturday night. And it goes from really right after the game to 2 a.m. And so double, double suck, you know? And so our leaders were guys who were making sure they were there.

And so they were making sure, hey, you ain't, you're not, everyone feels like this, but you're going. And so that's, I mean, it's been that way. It'll continue to be that way. I think as far as moving forward to next week or this week, I think it's showing up, making the decision to bring the right type of energy and focus and mindset, and then getting guys to match them and calling them out. And I count that our guys are going to do that.

Status on Omar Aigbedion

He's a big part of it. He's kind of the heart and soul of it.I mean, there's a tenacity about him, and just, you know, they're good anger issues that come out in appropriate times. And, you know, we need that. And so I think for him, I think he's got, he's got maybe a doctor appointment here in the middle of the week. That's a big one. I think we get over that hump. I think we're expecting him. And so we're working towards that. You know, I think he very much wants to finish what he started.

Challenges Arizona presents

I thought, you know, well, defensively, a lot of respect for their coordinator. I think he does a great job, and he has multiple spots he's been. They're pretty creative there. So there's some stunts and some pressures. They get in and out of three down, four down fronts. There's some good length in the back end. They've gotten a lot of takeaways, which for us has been an issue this year. And so I think that's a concern.

And I think offensively, they've been able to run the ball and really hit on some runs, some big runs. And then quarterback does a great job of throwing the ball down the field. They've got guys that go up and get it. It's more of a vertical passing game.

You know, this is probably the first time, maybe since Arizona State, that a team's gonna drop back pass just on first or second down. We just haven't seen it this year, outside of probably Arizona State. Most teams, quarterback's gonna run, or there's gonna be some type of RPO, play action, or some type of thing. They're gonna just sit back there and throw it.

And so that's gonna be a challenge for us because we just haven't really seen it most of the year. I think their O-line's massive. Big dudes who play hard. You know, I think if you put it all together, though, they believe. There's confidence with them. You know, they had a big win this past Saturday. And so there's, you're gonna have to crack the belief to get to the win.

Does bowl eligibility fuel the team in the final two games

I think so. I think so. Our guys recognize that and they want that. You know, I mean, I want that. I want that bad for just the guys that deserve it, that deserve more than where it is right now.

Has he had talks with the administration following the absence of Mack Rhoades? Does he [Aranda] expect to be here in the future?

Yeah, I appreciate that question, you know, but our focus is just on just right now and winning. You know, there's nothing else really matters. I mean, for any chance, any chance at anything, I have to do my best and our team has to do our best. And I'm just thinking like for our fans, I'm thinking for our players and their families.

I'm thinking for everyone that wants to don a BU something on a Saturday. We have to play better than what we're playing. And, you know, just the, if I can get the football better, I really believe all the other stuff will work out and it'll be however it'll be. And I put my faith in it, but the football's got to get better. So that's what I'm focused on.

Will Arizona run Noah Fifita?

He is, yeah. He can run the ball. He scrambles, particularly to his right. He's going to scramble to his throwing hand and he'll elongate it to try to throw it. They're pretty good on their scramble drill. We were able to hit one of those last week or last Saturday for a touchdown there at the end, but they do a pretty good job of it. But, you know, they have the ability to run the quarterback. We've been hurt by that. I would anticipate that we see that.

Will anyone face punishment for scuffle against Utah

Well, yeah. I mean, we're not going to have Ashtyn [Hawkins] for that first half, but then outside of that, we're taking care of it all just kind of throughout this week.

On not having Hawkins for the first half

I thought Ashtyn was really playing hard. I thought there was throws, there was catches that he made where he was playing really full speed. And, but then what really showed was there was catches the other guys made and he was racing to get blocks. And he was sacrificing himself to get blocks.

He got in front of the team prior to that game on Friday and said that he was going to play with crazy effort. And he did it. He did it. You know, I just think in that moment, he has to control his emotions. You have to be all the way in and then all the way out at the same time. And we're still working on that with him.

How hard that is being in the heat of the moment

Yeah, that's part of it. You know what I mean? You just represent so much more. There's so much more at stake than just, you know, what you feel at that particular time. And so that whole thing's a thing, but he recognizes it, he understands it, and he's committed to doing it.

On Michael Trigg trusting the process and the staff

Yeah, one step forward, two steps back. Two steps forward, one step back. I think whenever there's not like a built-in or an ability to easily trust or connect, I think it's hard. Because I think it's, you're gonna be judged anyways. You're gonna be kind of evaluated, you know, not only for what your words say, but what your energy is and your facial expression and just kind of the whole. And so it's very much that way.

And then, you know, your decisions on just about anything have to be really well thought out because he's kind of keeping track and measuring. Oh, this was with this guy, this was with that guy. So this is how it is, or this is what it's gonna be with me. And so I think that you have to almost like pass that test, so to speak, to get to the other level of now where there's an opening up of trust.

And this is when, if you're coming from a spot where there's really none. And so, yeah, that's what it was. But I think now it's like you can say what you feel and he believes you and knows it's for his own growth and his own good, which is where you were in the beginning. But sometimes you have to go through that to show people how much you really mean it.

Who fills the spot with Hawkins out

Yeah, I mean, Jadon can move on outside. We can move, there's Kole we can move to. I think Kole's at his best when we can get him kind of space and stuff to operate. And so there's opportunities there too. And then even Trigg being out there is an opportunity as well when he's worked outside, not inside all the time.

On Arizona's run game

He plays hard. Yeah, they run hard. There's arm tackles that he busts through. There's not really a ton of tempo with them. And it's good for them. They don't need it. They've been able to really kind of be effective without the use of it. But the thing that strikes me is running hard. There's multiple arm tackles or dragging guys, falling forward, busting through first, second level. So they do a really good job. I think that's the key to them. I mean, they've got some good receivers and the quarterback's really good and they protect well, but the run game is what makes it go.