Pokes Report Big 12 Preview: Baylor

Missing a lot of key players from a trip to the Big 12 Championship Game last season, Baylor also is starting with a new head coach in Dave Aranda and a new staff and fighting a pandemic.

Our Big 12 preview reports continue with the Baylor Bears. Last season Baylor was within inches and seconds of being the Big 12 regular season champions and looking at a possible berth in the College Football Playoff. They just missed and lost to Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship Game 30-23. Matt Rhule is now coaching in the NFL as the head coach of the Carolina Panthers. A big number of players have graduated and moved on, while Baylor brought in a natinal champion defensive coordinator in Dave Aranda to take over. There is a heavy Oklahoma State influence on that staff as Larry Fedora is the offensive coordinator, Joe Wickline coaches the offensive line, and he brought in one of his former pupils in Zach Crabtree as the quality control coach on the offensive line. 

Baylor needed spring football badly with a new staff and a lot of player development needed, but did not get it. They used the pandemic and Zoom meetings as best they could, but Aranda admits it is not the same. 

How have they handled COVID-19?

Baylor did well. The Bears seemed to have fared well with their testing and while some felt that the delay in starting practice was a negative and COVID-19 related, Aranda was more about not overloading his players when there was not clear target ahead. The Big 12 and other conferences were trying to decide whether to play or not.

“We’ve tried to be very transparent and have encouraged our players to reach out to us with any form of concern or questions, really anything at all. Some of them have.” said the new head coach of discussing all the COVID-19 concerns. “We’re continuing to get to that point where they’re all comfortable enough to bring it up. I think it’s something we’re continually working for.”

When the Big 12 announced their Aug. 11 decision, Aranda said things immediately picked up. Baylor has not had a single player opt out of the season. In fact, he's seeing players buy in more and more confidently.

“We talk about giving it our best shot and playing to our best version of ourselves,” Aranda said. “I thought a lot of guys were able to do that. But collectively that’s still a work in progress of getting 11 guys held to the same standard and the same expectation. I think there’s still some work to do there.”

He has been proud of his players and their attention to detail and the discipline to follow through on all of the protocols, even when it is not comfortable and not easy.

“I think so much of it has been how we do things,” Aranda said. “When we have meetings, is everybody sitting straight up? Do we have 100 percent, everybody got their masks up? The day-to-day little things are the things that we’re really trying to hone in on just that process. I know we have really, really strong character kids, so you take that character and then apply that process, that day-to-day, I feel like we’re going to be where we need to be for that first game.”

What are the Bears prospects for success?

Baylor lost a lot of talent from their 11-3 team in 2019. They lost most of their starting defensive unit although they have helped replenish with a pair of linebacker transfers. They also lost a lot of their offensive line depth. 

The offensive line is of great concern because they need to keep quarterback Charlie Brewer on his feet and off the turf, especially from hits to the head as that has been a problem. The tackles and center are back with left tackle Connor Galvin, right tackle Blake Bedier and center Xavier Newman-Johnson.  

“I’m impressed with the improvement and the attitude and the work ethic of our offensive line,” Aranda said after the first scrimmage. “I feel like it’s going to be a strength of our team, and I feel like the attitude and the edge that I think is developing there is a real positive for us and something that can lead out in front as compared to kind of supplementing from behind.”

Baylor was late getting into full pads, but so were a lot of schools. They just scrimmaged this past weekend. The head coach thought that Fedora and company did a good job getting the ball in the hands of skill players like receiver R.J. Sneed and running back Tristan Ebner.

"I think offensively we moved the ball pretty well at times.” Aranda said.

Back to defense and the transfers have really helped in joining with returning All-Big 12 caliber linebacker Terrel Bernard Jr. William Bradley-King is an Arkansas State and All-Sunbelt Conference standout that wants to show what he can do in a Power Five situation. Meanwhile, Dillon Doyle transferred in from Iowa where he was a senior starter for the Hawkeyes before his father, the program's strength and conditioning coach was let go in the midst of racial issues in the program.

"Experience is probably the biggest thing," said Baylor defensive coordinator Ron Roberts, who coaches the inside linebackers. "Since they have that game experience, it's a little easier for them to make adjustments . . . and a lot of times they can recall the things they've done previously."

Bernard, who is still going to be a focus of attention for opposing offenses welcomes the two experienced teammates.

"That's the big thing is getting two guys that have played a lot of ball, two guys that can come in and play right now," said Bernard, a second-team All-Big 12 pick who had a team-leading 112 tackles last season. "You never know until they get here who they really are and how much they love football, but both of those guys have been really, really dedicated and taken time to learn the stuff and learn the technique and grow together."

“William has really been impressive,” Aranda said. “He’s been a great mentor to that room. Whether it’s been tips on stance, tips on keys, tips on hand placement, tips on pass rush get-offs, tips on this offensive tackle setting to that offensive tackle setting, tips to back sets. When he gets on the field, he’s a load, so we’re going to influence a slide and a protection, I feel, just because of his ability to win one-on-ones and he’s shown that.”

Who could be the Bears' difference maker?

The key with Charlie Brewer and make no mistake, Brewer is the key for the Bears, is keeping the senior quarterback from taking hits. He has had a number of issues, whether you want to call them concussions or dings. The ability of the offensive line as discussed in the Bears prospects will go a long way toward having the much needed difference maker.

“I think Coach Fedora is adjusting and manipulating the offense to fit what best suits Charlie – option routes, backs out of the backfield, cutting down on formations,” Aranda said. “So I think those are all things that he’s liking and striving in right now. So that’s exciting.”

"He's feeling the confidence that comes from the o-line that's improving and the (receivers and running backs) doing a lot with the ball in their hands," Aranda said of Brewer and offensive coordinator Larry Fedora. 

Fedora handpicked the offensive line coach in Wickline. He has supreme confidence in "Wick" as they have worked together for so many years. 

Aranda also feels the relationship between Fedora and Brewer is instrumental in how producitve Baylor can be offensively. 

"I think the third piece with that is going to be just the relationship he has with (offensive coordinator ). It's a close one, I think Coach Fedora is adjusting and manipulating the offense to fit what best suits Charlie – getting the ball out, option routes, backs out of the backfield, cutting down on the formations."

Is the new schedule for 2020 better or worse?

Baylor gets a much softer start than their original schedule. The Mississippi opener is gone and they will start with Kansas on Sept. 26, but instead of a trip to Oklahoma on Oct. 3, they will host West Virginia. Two weeks after that they will get a good gauge when Oklahoma State comes to the shores of the Brazos River. 

A tought stretch of Texas on the road, TCU at home, and Iowa State on the road follows. 

The final three games at Texas Tech on the road, home with Kansas State and finishing on the road at Oklahoma. 

I think the Bears got a balanced slate from the Big 12 and they had best not relax for that opener with Louisiana Tech. 

Conclusion

It's a step back this season for Baylor. I look at the schedule and I think I see three or four wins, but I see the Bears loading this season for some better times ahead with Aranda and his coaching staff.