Three Early Takeaways from Baylor Spring Ball

Baylor football's spring practices are in full swing, and we’ve gathered intel from coaches and players’ post-practice interviews. There is a lot of positive energy around the program, with players citing increased camaraderie among position groups compared to last year, and new coaches bringing fresh ideas and energy.

lagway — Dave Aranda and DJ Lagway sit together at a Baylor men's basketball game! | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Everyone knows this is a make-or-break year for Baylor and Dave Aranda. This time feels different, largely because new athletic director Doug McNamee has been vocal about how recent seasons have not met expectations. Here are some of the early takeaways from Baylor spring ball, as the Bears begin to take shape heading into the 2026 season.

Dawson Pendergrass confidently leads the running back room

Dawson Pendergrass missed all of last season due to an injury sustained a couple of weeks before the season was set to start. He and Bryson Washington were set to be one of the best rushing duos in the country, but we sadly did not get to see that pan out.

Pendergrass seems confident heading into the 2026 season. When asked about being the first guy up now that Bryson Washington is gone, he said, "Definitely excited, not just going to take that spot right now, I still got to come back and work for it." The coaching staff did not look for any running backs in the portal this offseason, as they are confident with what they have.

Pendergrass was a dynamic rusher in 2024. Providing power with an explosive play ability. He now has the opportunity to be the feature back for Baylor, with talented sophomores Caden Knighten and Michael Turner behind him to supplement.

Caden Knighten featured a lot last year as Bryson Washington battled injuries. | baylorbears.com

The defensive WILL be far improved

Dave Aranda said that this is the most money that has been invested in the defense since the inception of NIL at Baylor. The Baylor defense really needs a revival. They started at the coordinator position with a proven guy in Joe Klanderman.

Klanderman provides a new scheme and a new energy when compared to the combination job that Dave Aranda and Matt Powledge did in 2024 and 2025. Klanderman's defenses are based on getting to the quarterback. Something that Baylor did not do last year.

SO IT CAN BE AGAIN#BrazosBorn #Bears2026 #TheMcLaneDen pic.twitter.com/s3KeL0WwFD
— Joe Klanderman (@CoachKlanderman) April 9, 2026

Klanderman mentioned in a post-spring practice interview something called "havoc-rate." He defined it as plays that show up on the stat sheet. He has put an early emphasis on takeaways and getting to the quarterback. He also called his defense a "attack, not react" defense, something that Aranda's defense is not really known for. This scheme should give Baylor fans some newfound excitement when the defense runs onto the field in 2026.

DJ Lagway is in shape and is leading the Bears

If there were a Heisman-like award for best leader in college football, my preseason favorite would be DJ Lagway. Not only do his teammates and coaches talk about him glowingly on the field, but they also often talk about how he has brought the team together off the field and how he vocally leads on the field as well.

What goes up, must come down.@DerekLagway ➡️ @TheGavinFreeman pic.twitter.com/fsQ88Cj5C5
— Baylor Football (@BUFootball) April 3, 2026

DJ Lagway is massively talented. He is a former five-star who started two years in the SEC and is still only a true Junior, and he is now reporting that he is in the best physical condition of his life. Both at the weight he wants to play at and with the shoulder, which caused him issues in the 2025 campaign. The ceiling of this Baylor team lies within DJ Lagway's play, and as of right now, everything is set up for him to succeed.