Everything Dave Aranda said on Monday after Auburn loss, previewing SMU

Dave Aranda spoke about the Auburn loss, including a big game against SMU that is looming

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Baylor started off 0-1 after a 38-24 loss to Auburn on Friday. Following the loss, Aranda hit on how Baylor needed to do a better job tackling, and he also credited the performances of guys like Kole Wilson, Sawyer Robertson, and Michael Trigg, among others.

On Monday, Aranda touched on the Auburn loss, along with previewing another big game at SMU. Here is everything Aranda said on Monday during his press conference.

What it means for the defense when the offense doesn't convert a fourth down

You'd like it to be that way. I think to execute all of that the best, you would like that. You'd like to have the confidence that if you don't get it, then wherever the ball is put down, that you're putting up a fight for them to get seven.

And if they get three, then you can move on with it. But I think we're still working to get that expectation.

Update on Carl Williams and Jackie Marshall

Carl's with us today, so he's going through all the things that everyone was going through. So he's got a big smile on his face, so I'm happy for him. And then Jackie wasn't with us. He's still day to day.

Who fills the void in Jackie Marshall's absence

That's a good question. I think that is the question right there, is that one. I think there's a lot of struggles on the front of the defense. And just physicality-wise, playing blocks-wise, just things that really would like for us to be beyond at this point. And so we're kind of going back to square one with all of that. We're going to have to be creative, I feel.

Is SMU a must-win game for Baylor

We're looking to play better, and we're looking to start faster, and we're looking to, when we get into adversity, maneuver through that better. I think, you know, I think offensively, there's a lot of positive from this last game, and there's still things that we could play cleaner. I think there's a lot of weapons on that side of the ball, and so the expectations there are really high.

And I think special teams-wise, you know, we've had back-to-back games now with the return going the other way, and so there's a lot to clean up there. I think a lot of the guys that were on the field when that was happening were on the field with some of the rushing yards and everything else, and so we've got to be able to clean up their eyes and where they fit and everything.

I have to coach that better. So we're just focusing on getting better, getting back out there. Today was a good example of that. There's some good energy today.

Did he every consider spying Jackson Arnold

Yeah, I think, you know, we have a friend that's on that staff, and it was like, hey, you know, anytime you see this coverage, just pull up and run, and so a lot of it would be kind of, there would be almost run plays where if he saw the coverage, he was just taking off and runs. It was kind of unconventional. You know, it would be, with the guy we're playing now, it's going to be, hey, third down.

It's going to be wide open deals, formations, and there's going to be, hey, this is a passing situation. You got to play spy. A lot of what we saw was it was a run action.

He pulls it out.It's a play-action pass. He sees that we're running with someone, and he just takes off and runs, so a little bit unconventional that way. The spy would have been, really, if we had to get him off the ball, he would have been sucked up in the run and been a non-spy spy.

Yeah, I mean, you know, there's opportunities to make plays, and it's just really frustrating that we didn't make them. You know, we've got guys that I know can make those plays, and we've got to coach them better so that they can.

Is it important to play an in-state game between SMU and Baylor

No, I think it is. I think any time, you know, you have conferences that are just across the landscape, you know, from East Coast to West Coast and from Central to all over, I think it's good to have a rival or to have an opponent that's just down the street where the stadium can be packed and it can be energized and there can be, you know, brought back to life some old memories and old games and all. I think that's, I know that was the college football that I grew up with. I know a lot of you guys are that way, so it's good to be able to get into that. I hope to get into that more.

How Baylor can get Josh Cameron involved more in the first half

Yeah, I thought, you know, they were, I thought their corners were playing a lot of press early in the game, and, you know, I thought Josh, towards the end of the game, really did a great job of separating and getting off, you know, I thought the inside of, whereas the outside was really kind of sticky on the outside, or on the outside was really kind of sticky on the inside, there was a lot of space.

And you saw kind of Kole get loose, and you saw Trigg get loose, and so really it was kind of just taking where the grass was. And then once that was kind of operating, then it opened up some for Josh on the outside. So sometimes you take it as it comes.

I think there's probably an opportunity for screens, and, you know, some deliberate, yeah, I'm gonna get the ball out fast. You know, we didn't know what they were gonna play, and so that was part of it too, was trying to maneuver through and see what it was.

On guys going harder after a loss

Yeah, you know, I think the message to the team is that we're a good team, and we've got a lot of talent, and guys have sacrificed a bunch to get to this point. And we can win a lot of games, and I believe that wholeheartedly.I know our team does. And it just sucks to lose, and, you know, the negativity that comes with losing, and just all of it. But told them to represent, you know, out in class, and just on campus, and just the whole thing. Be proud of it. We're gonna win here soon.

On Sawyer not using his legs

Nothing yet. You know, I think, I mean, he's healthy, and he's, you know, he was running around today. I think the pass rush was pretty good from Auburn, particularly on the edges. So I think the pocket was kind of collapsed for him somewhat. But yeah, he's, we can run him if need be. And that's always there.

On going for the early fourth down

It's a good question. It was both, you know, I think you look at it now, where some of the numbers that we're putting up, you know, I don't know if we put them up all the way without going for it on fourth down. And that's not to take away anything from anybody. It's just, it's really, really hard to defend an explosive, talented offense that goes for it all four downs.

And is, you know, sometimes on the 30 or on the 40, and these are all just, you know, I think, we're naturally inclined to think, what happens if we don't make it, you know? But those are sometimes the hardest calls to make on the other side of it. Because you don't want to sell the house because the thing could go all the way. And then, you know, how do you play all of that?

And I think it's just, it's difficult, puts defenses in a bind. And then, so I think that is, that's one part of it. I think the other part is it does give confidence and an edge to the offense, because they know that we're going for it. We're in attack mode all the way. And there's a bunch of second down and third down runs that normally would not be there. There'd be more drop back pass. There'd be more, you know, I think our guys are adept at all of that. I think that's not, I don't think they were born and raised to be drop back pass protectors. They were born and raised to be run defenders and RPOs and all that.

And so the whole thing kind of fits us better that way. And then you look at just the numbers of it, and you look at the people that have done it, and their points have gone up, and their wins have gone up. The time of possession has gone up. A lot of positives have come up with it. I think the, you know, looking at it when it's happening in front of you on a 30 or 40, there's still that shock value of it. So I understand that.

Thoughts on Caden Knighten

Yeah, I thought, you know, he showed what he had been showing here. And I think, you know, on the practice fields and that, and there's a couple guys that, you know, we were not able to see that from. And so really working to get them on the forefront for this next game to be able to show out like we know they can. But it was really good to see him capitalize on the moment. And he had some big runs there when we needed him. I thought pass protection wise, he was where he needs to be. And so there's a lot of positives for him, for a young dude and everything happening fast and the bright lights and everything. I think he did a great job.

Is the run defense correctable

Yeah, I think we have to, I think right now we've got, in the past, we would have guys that would be so, so attuned to how something would fit. Run fits are kind of hard to explain, but every play in design, there's a blocking scheme. And within those blocking schemes, there's spaces or gaps. And so it's 11 on 11 and everyone's got a gap and they fit. And in the past, particularly on the inside, we'd have guys that were just born to do the addition and subtraction of gaps and where should I fit and just all of it.

And there's some people that we play that are kind of, the math changes so much, it's very difficult to keep up with. And we'd be very good at that aspect of it. If something broke down, if a play broke down or a play was spilled on the perimeter or say something wasn't perfect, we would struggle to get the guy down. If the thing was kind of contained and all kind of fenced in and everything was in the gap that was prescribed originally, we'd knock it down. I think we've got a lot of guys right now where if the thing breaks down, if the thing spills out, if it kind of goes haywire from the beginning, we got guys that can run it down.

And so we just haven't had that before. Really, probably since I've been here. They need to get better when the fences are in and the doors are locked and this gaps your gap and this gaps my gap and that.A nd so we have to build to teach that better and spend some more time with that. But we've got the guys that can do it.

On run defense against Kevin Jennings and SMU

Yeah.I think one of the differences, now it may not be versus us, the quarterback we just played, he was scrambling to run it. So if he saw certain coverage, he ran. Where Kevin, a lot of his runs are to throw it. So he'll keep the drive alive and then he'll make you pay with a ball down the field.

There's a bunch of, we would play Purdy and he would be this way where he would be scrambling and he'd be running behind the line scrimmage, but behind time and there'd be a defender that was covering a back or a tight end. And the defender would see Purdy run this way and he would come up. And at the same time, the defender would come up and leave his coverage.T he receiver, the tight end would go vertical and it'd be kind of a pop shot there.

There's a bunch of that on film with the guy that we're playing. And so there has to be plaster rolls in the back end. There has to be use of spies and three-man rushes. We gotta try to flush them certain ways. And so there'll be the whole gamut going in to try to be able to control them. I think he does a great job of identifying coverage and he's a very, very adept passer. He's done a great job maturing through all of it and they've done a great job coaching him because he's impressive to watch.

On Tevin Williams

I think the healthy thing is the main thing there. I think he's very fast, he's very smart. I think early on probably could have more physicality here and probably a harder hit needed there. And he's addressed that and he's improved in that facet.

I think Paul's been really good for him because I think Paul Gonzalez is driving him pretty hard. And I think there's times when Tevin gets uncomfortable, which is a good thing. And so I think his best football's still ahead of him for all the years that he's been playing football because I think he's getting pushed to growth.

And I think the top level for him is at the top of the route, he's making a play, he's coming down with the ball. He'd be a guy that all through the mechanics of the initial start, the release, the stem, the run, is all where he needs to be. He needs to be able to top it off and make the play at the top.

What a win over a CFP team in 2024 would mean to Baylor

You know, I would certainly respect the opponent. And I've known Coach Lashlee for a long time.He's just an awesome dude, and much respect for him personally. And he's got a great program there and all of it. So the thing with us is we just have to get better. There are things that are in our control. You know, the opponent sometimes ain't, you know, but there's things that are in our control that we have to do better. And I think if we do those things and play the standard of what we can, what we're capable of, then all the other things are gonna fall into place. And so the emphasis is really on that.

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