Most Glaring Concern Baylor Football Still Hasn't Solved (And How it Can)
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There is a lot to be excited about for Baylor football heading into the season opener against Auburn: a new signal caller, an exciting running back core and some other talented units all carry promise.
But let's tap the brakes a little bit and take a look at a concern that is still carrying a lot of weight going into week one:
The Baylor defense has to make a drastic recovery from last season in order to keep Baylor in Big 12 contention.
The numbers: 2025 defense
- Baylor finished 11th in the Big 12 with a 5-7 record.
- Rushing defense: 141.5 yards allowed per game, ranked 83rd in the country.
- Sacks: 12.0 over the whole season, tied for 132nd nationally.
- Yards allowed per game: 451.1, ranked 133rd.
- Emar'rion Winston led the team with 3.0 sacks.
All of this was taking place while Sawyer Robertson was leading the offense to be a top 30 scoring offense in the country. The defense couldn't capitalize.
A lot of work to do
In response to this, Baylor football brought Kansas State defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman aboard to try and right the ship.
Last season, Klanderman's defense gave up 26.7 points a game compared to Baylor's 32.6, not a very stark difference.
It is a daunting task for Klanderman to join Baylor and be handed the reins of a defense that needs a complete overhaul and still needs to build chemistry and learn the scheme.
Simply put, I'm skeptical that the defense can pull off a complete 180 and give us flashbacks of a 2021 Bears defense that allowed less than 20 points a game.
Not to mention, junior DJ Lagway is in town and will need all the help he can get from the defense. While he has a high ceiling, it is unrealistic to expect him to have the season stats that Robertson had in 2025.
The defense is going to have to get the ball in Lagway's hands without the pressure to score on every single drive.
A small solution
I think the solution for this defense lies in the quarterback pressure from the defensive line and some of the linebackers. "Our defensive line is really good," Klanderman said. "They're deep; they're explosive; they play well together; they're playing hard."
We cannot expect each and every player on the Baylor defense (especially in the secondary) to have a stellar season and carry the defense, but what if the pressure from the pass rush makes everyone's job just a little easier?
What if the line can contain the opponent's quarterback and not let him break out for huge yardage with his legs? Little things like this could be the medicine the defense needs for a step in the right direction in 2026.
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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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