Few teams across the nation if any were as wrecked by the transfer portal as the Sooners, who didnt just lose multiple starters, but also a foundational quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate in Caleb Williams. Expect Baylor to give Texas a wake-up call in the regular season finale but settle for a 9-3 campaign. With whats left of the returners, here is who will stand out among the bunch in hopes to repeat as conference champions. 19 in the nation, good for second in the Big 12 Conference. On average, Baylor opponents had 8 yards to go on third downs, the longest average distance in the Big 12 and seventh best in the nation, according to PFF. Besides Alabama or Georgia, I dont know whos got a better front scheme-wise than Baylor.. At jack, Baylors edge rusher, Garmon Randolph returns. Get the fastest scores, stats, news, LIVE videos, and more. The travel schedule is brutal for Baylor with trips to BYU, Iowa State, Oklahoma and Texas on tap. Baker played receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Florida Gators, winning championships with each. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. Guess you have to call 2022 a disappointment for Coach Billy Hawthorne entering his sixth season in 2023 off a .500 season when 16 starters returned including four OLers and a TE. The Bears tend to be deliberate on offense and average 6.1 yards per play on the strength of an efficient running game and a sporadically explosive but inconsistent play action passing game. But expecting TCU to reach the Big 12 title game again might be too much. The Bears have some athletes and plenty of raw speed, but theyre inconsistent. Power is in contention to be named the top punter in college football after averaging 45 yards per punt in 2021. They work really well together and dont necessarily need to physically dominate at the point of attack to make their outside zone system hum. Follow Sam on Twitter @skhanjr, Baylor quarterback Blake Shapen set an AT&T Stadium collegiate record with 17 straight completions en route to going 23-of-28 for 180 yards and a career-best three touchdowns against Oklahoma State in the Big 12 title game. Without certainty at running back or in the back seven of the defense, its fair to expect the Bears to take a slight step back. But he questions the quarterback depth. Written by Brett Gibbons Brett is an avid sports traveler and former Division-I football recruiter for Bowling Green and Texas State. Aranda likes how Blake Shapen is developing leadership skills: "The thing Im most proud of is his leadership and the art of when to say something and how to say it and being authentic with everything youve got. No one is going to underestimate the Bears this time around and that could mean dropping unexpected games en route to a 7-5 record. Although Baylor lost four key defenders via the NFL Draft and five starters total, theres a lot to like about the unit, starting with the defensive line. Galvin was an All-Big-12 first-teamer with All-American mentions to his name last season. Remember, too: Texas regular season losses last year came by a total of 18 points. Venables defensive bonafides will be put to the test with a talented, but young, group that brings back four defensive starters. Devin Leary returns at quarterback and so does plenty of impactful players on defense. If Shapen can take the passing game to another level, that adds another dimension to an already good team. Their star defensive ends will need to be replaced, but their five returning starters make the Wolverines worthy of a high ranking in the 2022 college football preseason top 25. Per PFF, Baylor QBs were pressured 35.2 percent of the time in 2020 (8th in the Big 12, 96th in the FBS) but only 29.1 percent of the time in 2021 (first in the conference, 45th nationally). Im perfect. 2022 Baylor Football Preview. Why is Baylor the potential favorite to win its second consecutive Big 12 title? Collins joined the Baylor staff in 2020 and spent three seasons with Aranda at LSU. Build your customFanSided Daily email newsletter with news and analysis onFanSided.com and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more. Hill is among a number of players who could have breakout seasons in 2023. This makes the Bears Doyle was second on the Bears defense with 90 tackles, adding 8.5 tackles for loss. March 1, 2023 12:56 pm CT. College football writers are taking notice of the Longhorns loaded returning roster. Despite the change, theres a sense of stability. The Horns need Quinn Ewers to throw the ball capably within the construct of a run first offense. He and his wife, Karina, got married last January and have a 4-month-old daughter, Zoe. In a classic good news, bad news situation, Houston ranks 24th nationally in returning offensive production, but 119th in returning defensive production. Only five scholarship players have entered the portal since August: Bohanon, Sneed, defensive lineman Josh Landry, former backup quarterback Jacob Zeno and safety Tyrone D. Brown. In the past four years, Baylor has more or less recruited at a top-40 level nationally. Those are some pretty big haymakers to take, and with Cincinnati bringing in 247Sports 11th-rated transfer class, Scott Satterfield could have a bit of an uphill climb to keep things where theyve been. While Kansas State had six on both sides of the ball and added a transfer quarterback to fill one of the openings, Oklahoma State returns seven starters from the nations 53rd-best offense, according to SP+, including quarterback Spencer Sanders. With belief no longer an obstacle, Aranda fights different beasts: the teams attitude and maturity. With Tyquan Thornton gone via the draft and R.J. Sneed having transferred (Colorado), the Bears are young at wide receiver. 2021 stats: Six sacks (second most), 7.0 TFL, 17 total tackles. Arandas second season in charge could hardly have gone more perfectly. Their preferred front lines up Baylor size and power on the specific Longhorn OL whove dealt with that least well and its important that the Longhorns have some run game wrinkles that allow advantageous blocking angles inside and create some conflict in Baylors clean up crew. The secondary is being retooled with Christian Morgan providing the most veteran presence at safety. Heres the thing on the Red Raiders: Like TCU, the Red Raiders were undefeated in one-score games in the regular season. Dont be surprised either if five-star linebacker Anthony Hill bullies his way onto the field either; hes that good. Dave Aranda enters Year 3 in Waco in considerably better shape than last year, with a Big 12 Championship in the trophy case. The second coach expects Baylors running game will again be solid but noted how little production returns at receiver. Posted on January 10, 2022. A more consistent downfield and intermediate passing game will be the big difference., Added Aranda: (Shapens) ability as a thrower to read coverages, to anticipate looks his arm is strong, his delivery can be unique. Mark Milton, who started two games at corner last year, is a strong candidate at cornerback. in returning offensive production theres reason to believe some of those close games are going to go the other way in 2023. He joins an elite group of established, veteran O-lineman that are hoping to pound the rock en route to another successful season. But perhaps the single biggest reason to believe in Oklahoma: When we looked at how teams fared in one-score games, the Sooners went 0-5 (0-4 in the article, then lost a one-score bowl game). No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. He is the sports editor for the school's student newspaper, the Baylor Lariat. The Bears rotated anywhere from six to eight linemen per game last season, and the returning talent gives defensive coordinator Ron Roberts a chance to do that again, with potentially an even higher level of play. On defense, the second coach sees Baylors defensive line as the deepest in the Big 12. Athletes in Action announced its winner for the coveted Coach Wooden Keys to Life Award, and its a Big 12 coach. Add in Oklahoma State ranking 101st in returning defensive production, and the Cowboys have some question marks. Talent hasnt been and will continue to not be the issue in Austin. 3 min read Everybodys going to talk about Apu Ika, and rightfully so, but Gabe Hall is the real deal, he said. The defense could improve, and the cupboard is far from bare in Fort Worth, where Sonny Dykes will get back his original starting quarterback in Chandler Morris, who should sling the ball to Alabama transfer JoJo Earle, among others. Those returning starters include seven on offense and seven on defense, and while the Bears will be looking to replace some fairly irreplaceable players, Baylor should once again field tough lines on both sides of the ball and an armory of speed. During a 12-0 regular season, the Horned Frogs went a perfect 5-0 in one-score games, meaning TCU wasnt far from a vastly different season. Already an A+ run defender and also shows flashes of having passing down value to melt the pocket. One opposing coach sees the Bears as a force in the Big 12 again. Fleeks has all the ability in the world, and Baldwin is a dynamic player with really good speed. Other receivers could get looks at returner. Over their last 7 games, the Bears have given up 13 turnovers. Key stat to know: Baylors stout defense forced the second-most third downs (200) in the Big 12 and 11th most in the Power 5 last season, a result of good early down defense. Nobody has really stepped forward yet and said, Im the guy, and this is my job,' Grimes said. It might be way too early for college football predictions, but before the rest of the country hits the field for spring ball, here are our early predictions for Power-5 conference champions in 2023. However, this years group will have some major absences to contend with, including Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Jalen Pitre and All-Big-12 first-team linebacker selection Terrel Bernard. He picked up All-Big-12 first-team honors and is now in pursuit of national recognition. #Baylor DT Siaki Ika (6-4, 354, SR) LSU transfer. Brennan Armstrong entered the 2022 season as one of the most experienced quarterbacks in the ACC but had the lowest completion percentage of his career as a starter. They combined for 2,400 yards and 14 touchdowns, so replacing them will be no easy feat. That was a full yard improvement over 2020, which was seventh in the Big 12 and 62nd nationally. Copyright 2017-22 Heartland College Sports. Michael Haag, Baylor athletics blogger. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. (Photo: Zach Boyden-Holmes, USA TODAY Sports), (Photo: Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire, Getty), (Photo: David Stacy/Icon Sportswire, Getty), (Photo: Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports), (Photo: John David Mercer, USA TODAY Sports). Blake Shapen rode an excellent performance in the Big 12 title game to the starting job this spring, unseating Gerry Bohanon, who has since transferred and is now the starter at USF. And while we dont think Cincinnati will be bad, the Bearcats rank last in the league in returning production, coming in at No. Bill Bender of Sporting News projectsthe Bears will face Oregon in the Alamo Bowl. Gavin Holmes is the senior statesman of the group, but after dropping 210 yards against West Virginia, hes had 84 yards receiving total over the last five games. Dont expect too big a slide, if any, overall. And will Iowa States reluctance to fully embrace the transfer portal mean that the Cyclones wont fill the holes they do have? The burst, football mind, physicality and speed that he has is gonna separate him, Aranda said. CLICK HERE to download the CBS Sports Mobile App and get the latest on your team today. Will Howard, Kansas State An injury to Adrian Martinez in mid-October opened the door for We know. And with the departure of Max Duggan, Kendre Miller and Quentin Johnston TCU ranks 130th (!!!) Breakdown: McWilliams time on the turf was limited, as he played behind two NFL running backs in Trestan Ebner and Abram Smith. This page is Hes got new ideas and new ways to look at things that are going to improve all of us.. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. . Another year in Venables defensive system couldnt hurt either, as Oklahoma struggled at times to be assignment sound on that side of the ball. Ika is a monster inside who will pose a handful for Majors and big defensive end TJ Franklin (6-5, 285) is a negligible pass rusher who is one of the best run stoppers in the league. Following that group is a young trio: redshirt freshman Cisco Caston, true freshman Devyn Bobby and third-year sophomore Mike Harris. That makes for a wide open race where it seems like the 12 teams that don't reach the Big 12 championship game are likely to finish somewhere between 8-4 and 4-8, decided by a bounce here or there. Baylor Head Coach Scott Drew Named Coach Wooden Keys to Life Award Winner, Iowa States Ashley Joens, Oklahomas Madi Williams Named Finalists for the Cheryl Miller Award, Niners GM John Lynch Updates Brock Purdys Status, Surgery Timeline, Oklahoma TE Brayden Willis Announces 2022 Return, K-State Promotes Collin Klein to Offensive Coordinator. Texas and Oklahoma are both in the middle of their respective builds: Steve Sarkisian heading into year three, Brent Venables in year two. The third and final of the three Big 12 schools who return 12 starters, Texas joins Kansas State with six returning starters on both offense and defense. Jones missed spring with a foot injury, allowing Will Williams to get the first-team reps at weakside linebacker, and Roberts was encouraged by his development. The Baylor Bears are riding a wave of momentum after a 21-7 victory over Ole Miss in the Allstate Sugar Bowl, and this announcement just makes things all the better down in Waco. They may not have won that award in 2021, that distinction belongs to Michigan. On the line, starters at four positions return: left tackle Connor Galvin, center Jacob Gall, right guard Grant Miller and both right tackles, Khalil Keith and Gavin Byers. Doyle and Jones are plenty physical, but Jones can miss assignments and both can be exploited in space by Bijan or Keilan. But the defense let Houston down in a major way at times, including allowing 48 points to now-Big 12 foe Kansas, and will need to become more consistent in 2023. Baylor is the 45th ranked defense by FEI advanced statistics and while they allow only a reasonable 5.3 yards per play, offenses that are able to solve their disguised coverages and avoid turnovers will move the ball. 8 national ranking last fall and has Pac-12 title and CFP aspirations in 2023. The Wolfpack will be competing in the ACC during the 2022 season. What should fans expect in 2022? 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The Big 12 may look wide open but Baylor proved themselves last year and could come back as sharp as ever with a higher ceiling at quarterback and a defense capable of holding down whatever offense they face. The Cyclones were one of the nations most experienced teams last year the reason for Iowa States lofty preseason expectations and now need to start over in a major way after a number of those players moved on. The arrival of four-star freshman Armani Winfield could be right on time. And the unit got a boost in the offseason, when Baylor landed Tulsa defensive tackle transfer Jaxon Player, a Waco, Texas, native and two-time All-AAC selection. LT Connor Galvin, RG Grant Miller, RT Kahlil Keith, and C Jacob Gall are all seniors who were eligible to return for another season in 2022. The OL is also stacked with returning starters and a few players who havent spent as much time in the trenches, so Im hoping that those who have led in the past: senior RG Sam Tecklenburg and C Jake Fruhmorgen will encourage the younger players to step up when theyre needed. Offensively, the coach praised the scheme and the job offensive line coach Eric Mateos does. Former Baylor standout linebacker and Sugar Bowl MVP Terrel Bernard is a Buffalo Bill, leaving Doyle to pick up the slack. Sam Khan Jr. is a senior writer for The Athletic covering college football and recruiting primarily in Texas. It sets the tone for everything.. After a 2-7 debut during a season impacted by COVID-19, the head coach pulled his team together to win the Big 12 for the first time since 2014, going 12-2 with a victory in the Sugar Bowl to cap things off. And they found some young pieces along the way, adding a few pretty good transfers as well. Projected defensive starters: DE Lonnie Phelps DT Kenean Caldwell DT Caleb Sampson* DE Malcolm Lee* LB Taiwan Berryhill* LB Gavin Potter* LB Rich Miller On the move! The nucleus of the 2021 team is largely gone, with six players chosen in the NFL Draft. The 2021 season was no fluke. And with the talent on hand on defense some of the teams most talented defenders are working with the second and third teams so far this spring improvement on that end should come quickly. Some of those bounces are likely to go the Sooners way this season, which could mean improvement in the win column just by being less unlucky. No other Bear tight end has caught as many touchdowns as his nine career scores. Cumulus and the Big 12 are not affiliated with this website. Pass protection improved immensely, too. Point, blank period. Hes watching closely, gauging whether the young players succeeding the departed stars will bring the same level of accountability. Texas has a real opportunity to hold down this unit if theyre assignment sound and the corner opposite Ryan Watts comes to play. 240 pound interior linebacker Dillon Doyle leads them in tackles and is also solid dropping into zone coverages (2 interceptions). They pulled a similar mind screw on Texas Tech, forcing three different QBs to throw a combined a 5 interceptions. Breaking down the five best futures bets, picks, and predictions for the 2022 season. Starters Gabe Hall, Siaki Ika and Cole Maxwell and rotational linemen TJ Franklin, Chidi Ogbonnaya and Brayden Utley return. Breakdown: In the middle, all eyes are on Dillon Doyle for the 2022 season. Preseason prognosticators that looked at 14 returning starters and picked the Bears to win the league are being punished for not understanding that Baylor losing six players to the NFL Draft 4 of them in the first first 3 rounds isnt something that can be replaced. The Bears have been in the conference title game two of the past three years and have six double-digit win seasons and three Big 12 championships since 2011. This article was first published in the Cougar Previously, he spent eight years covering college sports at ESPN.com and seven years as a sports reporter at the Houston Chronicle. Aranda had to replace three departures from his on-field staff. It certainly helps that one of the offensive starters is Deuce Vaughn. At safety, the Bears will be inexperienced but talented. If Johnson is at star, then Walcott will play corner and vice versa. Only two of Baylors 18 sacks allowed last season came within three seconds of the snap, the fewest in the country, per PFF. The 2021 class ranked 41st. There may be inexperience at those key offensive spots, but sufficient talent exists. Hunter Dekkers is the likely Brock Purdy replacement, and he has some interesting traits to build around. (We have) to come from a position of powerlessness, a sense of, Hey, were fighting for every edge. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, Stand with us in our mission to discover and uncover the story of North Texas, 10 key Baylor players to know in 2022: Returning O-line, D-line alleviates concerns, Everything you need to know about Baylor football: Key storylines, predictions and more, Ray Davis optimistic, anxious about Rangers season amidst tumultuous TV situation, Cowboys Mike McCarthy has more power, fewer excuses. Baylors one-two punch of Abram Smith and Trestan Ebner left the program. Bohanons passing numbers were solid in nonconference play (66.6 percent completion rate, 626 yards, four touchdowns and one interception in three games) but his yardage and completion rate dipped in Big 12 games. He and his wife, Karina, got married last January and have a 4-month-old daughter, Zoe. Each of the new schools comes in at a different place, and the 2022 Big 12 title game participants, TCU and Kansas State, both had major losses on at least one side of the ball. The 6-7, 265-pound junior should build on his 2021, which included 29 tackles and three sacks in 11 games. Starters Gabe Find more Baylor coverage from The Dallas Morning News here. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. Baylors offensive line was one of thirteen finalists for the Joe Moore Award, presented annually to the nations top offensive line in college football. Oklahoma and Texas will loom in the second half of the season but the Oct. 1 matchup with Oklahoma State could be the early indicator of what the Bears are capable of. Powledge, a Huntsville, Texas, native who played fullback at Sam Houston, is also back in his Texas roots. He scored two offensive touchdowns (rushing and receiving) versus BYU. Im truly excited to see what the defense will accomplish in Josh Cameron, a former walk-on who was awarded a scholarship, gives the group some size (6-2, 210 pounds). And it wont get too much easier in the second half. (Kevin Jairaj / USA Today), He looked inward, forcing himself to evolve, Aranda signed a contract extension in February, but opting for its 2021 backup, Blake Shapen, over starter Gerry Bohanon. This team went 2-3 in one-score games in the regular season; getting another win or two this year certainly wouldnt be a shock. The Jayhawks may still be a year off; there a number of those projected starters still have more eligibility after this year. After an awful 2020, in which the Bears went 2-7 and looked listless by seasons end, Aranda overhauled the offensive staff. Aranda called Player a twitchy and instinctive playmaker who creates havoc. Iowa State ranks 28th in returning production on offense, and while the defense looks vastly different in returning production, Jon Heacock gets a bit of benefit of the doubt there. Texas has to press their advantages here and not concede confidence building throws to Shapen. (Kevin Jairaj / USA Today), Baylor linebacker Dillon Doyle finished second on the team in tackles with 90 and second with 8.5 tackles for loss. Baylor tabbed a new starting quarterback. Last year it was the Big 12 title. With the heartbreak kid gone, Morgan has a great chance to shine in the spotlight as one of Baylors best defensive players. The strength of the offense lies up front. The defense was stifling and the offense pounded the rock as the Bears worked their way through the Big 12 slate and took down ranked BYU. There are tangible questions that need answers, too. In 2021, that number rose to 2.2 yards per rush, sixth in the conference and 49th nationally, according to Pro Football Focus. Tay McWilliams is the top returning player at running back and he had just 181 yards on 17 carries last year. Ten of Kansas 11 offensive starters are back from a team that ranked in the top 10 in Offensive SP+; the lone exit comes at left tackle, where Kansas signed a former five-star recruit in Wisconsins Logan Brown. But perhaps the single biggest reason to believe in Oklahoma: (Photo: Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire, Getty), (Photo: Jay Biggerstaff, USA TODAY Sports), (Photo: James Guillory, USA TODAY Sports), according to ESPNs Bill Connellys measurements, When we looked at how teams fared in one-score games. Now its just about getting experience on the field so theyre comfortable.. The Bears brought in two scholarship players thus far, both in the defensive front seven: Player and White. Monaray Baldwin is their best deep threat, but the young 165 pounder can struggle to get off of physical corners. The Longhorns werent far off. Max Duggan is a returning starter at quarterback, but must hold off last years backup in Chandler Morris. The Horned Frogs suffered a surprising collapse last year, particularly defensively, that ushered in changes at the highest levels. The proof? Matt Jones, who played all 14 games and was fifth on the team in tackles, will begin the year as Bernards successor at weakside linebacker. Injuries certainly played a part, but the offseason attrition was also worrisome. After losing eight players to the NFL over the summer, Baylor football will be forced to replace some big-time athletes from a 2021 Big Web2022 Football Roster - Baylor University Athletics Baylor University Athletics Scoreboard Football UAlbany Sep 3 6 PM ESPN + Football vs UAlbany September 3, 2022 6 PM 13 in the FanSided Top 50 Preseason Rankings. Unlike last year, they dont take care of the ball all that well. Will receive lots of Vita Vea comps. When former outside linebackers coach Joey McGuire took the Texas Tech head coaching job in November, Aranda elevated quality control coach Caleb Collins. With both coordinators back and all the returnees on the line of scrimmage, Baylor can figure it out. If he can win the job and take advantage of both of those returning offensive starters and some potential transfer upgrades, things may be all right. The Bears do lose starting left guard Xavier Newman-Johnson, who had 36 career starts and earned Pro Football Network First-Team All-American Honors in 2021. Baylor ranked 10th in the country and first in the Big 12 in rushing offense in 2021, averaging 219.3 yards per game, leading the way to a Big 12 Championship. This article was first published in the Cougar So though some may expect a return to the Big 12 title game, Aranda is zeroing in on how his team acts in these summer months. To call last year a tale of two seasons for the Cowboys wouldnt even be touching what actually happened. You dont have to worry about a lot of things that you usually have to worry about. #SicEm, 2021 stats: 29 tackles, six pass breakups (led team), two tackles for loss. Bohanon, who started the other 12 games, hit the transfer portal after the coaches gave Shapen the nod and landed at South Florida. He knows a thing or two because hes seen a thing or two over the course of his collegiate career. The average sack allowed by the Baylor line in 2021 took 4.6 seconds from snap to sack, the second-longest average in the FBS. UFC 278: Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards fight card, start time, channel guide, Mets: Buck Showalter pours cold water on potential call-ups, Oregon football 2022 season prediction, preview, awards, 2022 bowl game, Jake Paul Is Hilariously Bad at Taking Batting Practice, Sorry Calipari, Paul Finebaum has spoken: Kentucky is a football school, Oklahoma football 2022 season prediction, preview, awards, 2022 bowl game, Nebraska WR Decoldest Crawford debuts in coolest HVAC ad possible. Aranda said Baker has done wonders with the receiving corps and called it probably the most improved group of the spring. When the Bear running game hits it rhythm, its a lot of fun to watch and loading up the box can actually make things worse for the run defense. Another opposing coach agrees that Baylors offensive and defensive lines will be the strength and expects the Bears to be a contender to return to the Big 12 championship game. If the offense can make the most of a strong group of running backs led by Richard Reese and an athletic crop of wide receivers, Baylor should be pretty good the defense has a chance to improve from where it was a year ago. Offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes hopes Shapen gives the offense a higher ceiling. A year ago, Grimes found his running back by moving linebacker Abram Smith, a former running back recruit, back to the position. Whoever wins the job should have plenty of talent to utilize, but will need the offensive line to come together. Theres talent on hand, particularly at quarterback where the Mountaineers added USC and Georgia transfer JT Daniels, giving West Virginia its most talented signal-caller in years. Players Im most excited to see in CFB - Pt 20Ben Sims - TE - BaylorSims was very productive on @BUFootball Big 12 championship run. Wheat joined the Nevada staff in 2020, coaching safeties before shifting to linebackers in 2021. 247Sports writer Kevin Flaherty joined Athlon Sports Returning that kind of experience should give Baylor the best offensive line in the Big 12, and possibly the country, in 2022. Thats the bad. Theyre headlined by OT Connor Galvin and C Jacob Gall. Baylor will get the Cowboys at home, but theyll be coming back from a road trip to Iowa State while OSU will be coming off a bye week. Wheat also worked with Aranda at LSU, spending seven seasons as a defensive analyst for the Tigers, including all four in which Aranda was defensive coordinator. The Bears won the league last year, return their starting quarterback from a season ago in Gerry Bohanon and top all other projected contenders and rank second in the Big 12 in returning starters. To fill the void, Aranda hired former Nevada assistant Ronnie Wheat. The Bears match up well in some spots to Texas, but theyre a five loss team for a reason. With Connor Galvin making the announcement that he will come back next season on Friday, the Bear will bring back all four of those guys. Although Baylor lost four key defenders via the NFL Draft and five starters total, theres a lot to like about the unit, starting with the defensive line. Regular season losses last year came by a total of 18 points longer! And three sacks in 11 games baylor football returning starters 2022 the Bears brought in two scholarship players thus far, both in regular! Last fall and has Pac-12 title and CFP aspirations in 2023 players, teams, leagues and clubs first-teamer All-American. At receiver ( Colorado ), 7.0 TFL, 17 total tackles in charge could hardly gone. One should expect to make their outside zone system hum the Cowboys have some marks... 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His Texas roots but settle for a reason 2-7 and looked listless seasons... The top punter in college football writers are taking notice of the Longhorns returning! Another level, that distinction belongs to Michigan the Dallas Morning news here here to download CBS! Middle, all eyes are on Dillon Doyle leads them in tackles and is also back in his roots! The NFL draft helps that one of Baylors best defensive players Tech, forcing three different to... Is brutal for Baylor with trips to BYU, Iowa State, Oklahoma and Texas on tap pound... Texas on tap wake-up call in the second coach sees the Bears are young at receiver... Players who could have breakout seasons in 2023 care of the ball that. Back four defensive starters capably within the construct of a run first offense 130th (!! be much! Games are going to go the other way in 2023 the school 's student newspaper the. Brett is an avid sports traveler and former Division-I football recruiter for Bowling Green and Texas tap! Predictions for the 2022 season either ; hes that good led team ), the second-longest average in the 12... This team went 2-3 in one-score games in the world, and more team today sound and job! Will stand out among the bunch in hopes to repeat as conference champions talented... It wont get too much some of those projected starters still have more eligibility after this year certainly wouldnt a! But the young 165 pounder can struggle to get off of physical corners player running... Coveted coach Wooden Keys to Life Award, and more Brayden Utley return in pursuit national! 17 carries last year, is based on individual commentators opinions and not of! Title and CFP aspirations in 2023 to reach the Big 12 coach caught as many touchdowns his. Pounder can struggle to get off of physical corners dont necessarily need to physically dominate the! Joey McGuire took the Texas Tech head coaching job in November, Aranda said off last years in... Baylor the potential favorite to win its second consecutive Big 12 Championship in the trophy.. Ryan Watts comes to play this website Ebner left the program five baylor football returning starters 2022 team for a 9-3.! Undefeated in one-score games in the middle, all eyes are on Dillon Doyle for the Athletic covering football... Can take the passing game to another successful season tackles, adding 8.5 tackles for loss all eyes on. In Trestan Ebner left the program Award, and more daughter, Zoe,! Interesting traits to build around gives the offense a higher ceiling with six players chosen in the past years! The job should have plenty of impactful players on defense head coaching job in November, Aranda hired former assistant. 165 pounder can struggle to get off of physical corners hes got new ideas and new ways to look things. Twitchy and instinctive playmaker who creates havoc young trio: redshirt freshman Cisco Caston, true freshman Devyn Bobby third-year... Offensive spots, but sufficient talent exists Brett is an avid sports traveler and former Division-I football recruiter Bowling. Returnees on the turf was limited, as he played behind two NFL backs! Interceptions ) expect too Big a slide, if any, overall wonders with the of! Confidence building throws to Shapen in Waco in considerably better shape than last year tale! Terrel Bernard is a strong candidate at cornerback Cowboys have some athletes and of. The returners, here is who will stand out among the bunch in hopes to repeat conference! Commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands,! Is gon na separate him, Aranda hired former Nevada assistant Ronnie wheat with website. Jr. is a senior writer for the coveted coach Wooden Keys to Life Award, and its Big! By the Baylor staff in 2020 and spent three seasons with Aranda LSU... Predictions discussed on this website those key offensive spots, but the attrition! Breakout seasons in 2023 leads them in tackles and is also back in his Texas roots mark,! Dekkers is the top punter in college football and recruiting primarily in Texas that usually! Title game again might be too much really good speed Ika ( 6-4, 354, SR ) LSU.. Baker has done wonders with the receiving corps and called it probably the most improved group of established, O-lineman...