Baylor Bears Offensive Players to Watch vs. Texas
There could be major conference title implications on the line when the Texas Longhorns host the Baylor Bears on Nov. 26.
Last year’s 31-24 loss to the Bears was in the middle of a 6-game losing streak, the worst in program history since 1956.
The Bears enter the 2022 season as the hunted rather than the hunter for the first time in Big 12 history. They are coming off their first Big 12 title in program history and were picked by the media to repeat as conference champions in 2022.
Coach Dave Aranda went 2-7 in his first season as Baylor’s head coach. It is rare for a program to turn around as quickly as Baylor did in Year 2 under Aranda. Do not expect the Bears to fall back down to Earth now that they are operating at a high level.
The Bears lost some talent on both sides of the football, but as long as they have Aranda at the helm, they will put a quality product on the field.
One of the defining characteristics of Baylor’s team in 2021 was their play up front. If you build a program from the inside out, as Aranda has, you can sustain success at the Power 5 level. Standout play at the lines of scrimmage is expected of the Bears in 2022. That alone should put them back in the conference title race come November.
Be sure to stick with LonghornsCountry.com as we preview every aspect of the matchup with the Bears throughout the week. We’ve already done a general preview of the Bears. Now let’s take a look at Baylor offensive players the Longhorns should watch out for.
QB Blake Shapen
Aranda was confident enough to name Blake Shapen his starter over Gerry Bohanon after just one month of spring practice. Bohanon went 10-2 as the Bears’ starter in 2021. Rarely do quarterbacks impress their coaches enough to end a quarterback competition before the start of fall camp.
Shapen saw action in six games and made two starts. He threw for 596 yards, five touchdowns, and no interceptions. His 82.1 completion percentage led the Bears to a 21-16 victory over the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the Big 12 Championship.
TE Ben Sims
Baylor’s offense relies heavily on their tight ends. The Bears will often be in 12 personnel with tight ends Ben Sims and Drake Dabney on the field together. Sims is more of a passing threat than Dabney, but both veteran tight ends will have a significant impact on the offense.
Sims finished fourth on the team with 361 receiving yards en route to an All-Big 12 honorable mention. Baylor’s top three pass catchers have moved on from the program, so Sims will be asked to take on a larger role in the passing game.
RB Taye Washington
The Bears have a ton of production to replace in their backfield. Abraham Smith and Trestan Ebner combined for 2,400 yards and 14 scores on the ground in 2021. Taye Washington has big shoes to fill as the Bears’ feature running back.
The Bears need Washington to break out in order to rely on their rushing attack as much as they did a season ago. Washington ran for 181 yards and two touchdowns in his second season with the Bears.
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