Dave Aranda did not dance around the subject Monday. When Baylor’s coach was asked about the kind of physical play he wants from his team, he tied it directly to something bigger than scheme or slogans.
“I think we got to get it offensively where it kind of gets in phase of it. But that toughness thing, man, we've been talking about that since January.
And this was all based upon, hey, here's the money that we can spend. I hate bringing up money, but I think that's where it starts, guys.
It totally starts there. You look at the offense in the last two years, well, we spent a lot of money on that offense.
And we're spending a lot of money on this defense right now. And so I think if you just follow the money, you see where things are at.
And so that doesn't mean that you can't play well if you're not spending. And that doesn't mean that you can't play poorly if you are spending.
I think that's where you start. And so knowing we're, hey, this is what we're spending and everything else, we're going to have to be tough.”
That was the clearest thing Aranda had to say in a Monday media session that, like most of these, came with the usual run of coach answers. The difference was that he went beyond the standard talk of one week at a time, details, execution, and toughness, and pointed straight to the financial side of roster building.
The spending picture matters here. The top five teams in the A.P. poll - Texas, Georgia, Notre Dame, Miami (FL), and Ohio State - have all spent at least $30 million this season on their teams, according to NIL Standard.
Texas is said to be close to $50 million. Baylor, by comparison, is around $19 million, a figure the source notes is matched, nearly matched, or exceeded by every other Big 12 team.
That does not mean Baylor is refusing to spend. It does mean there are programs operating with deeper pockets. And Aranda’s point was that this is where the conversation starts when a team is trying to build the kind of toughness he wants.
The Bears also provide a useful example of how spending can line up with results without guaranteeing them. Colorado was estimated to have spent more than Baylor this season, with $23 million to Baylor’s $19 million, but Baylor beat the Buffaloes on Saturday. That result dropped Colorado to 2-2 and moved the Bears to 3-1.
The larger point from Aranda’s comments is simple enough: money does not decide everything, but it shapes the field before the game ever kicks off.
In Other News...
Baylors Close Win Revealed Who Carried The Offense And Who Didnt
Baylors first in-conference test turned into the kind of game that forces a hard look at where the offense really came from, and who was asked to do too much. DJ Lagway led the way for the Bears in the home matchup, piling up 221 passing yards and 116 rushing yards while helping push the offense to 23 points. He also hit Jadon Porter on a 33-yard touchdown pass, one of the few plays that consistently gave Baylor breathing room.
The bigger picture for Baylor was less about style points than survival, even against a Colorado team that went to Julian Lewis after halftime. Dawson Pendergrass added 85 yards on 16 carries, giving the Bears a steadier ground presence, but the game still underscored how much the offense ran through Lagway. For a team trying to settle into conference play, the win answered one question and left another hanging about how sustainable that formula will be. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Fans Already Have One Big Reason To Debate DJ Lagway
Baylors quarterback picture has already become one of the more interesting storylines of the season, even before the Bears have had much time to settle it. DJ Lagway opened as the starter, then missed two games with a right ankle injury, and Nate Bennett stepped in and won both of those starts. That kind of fill-in success can change the way a fan base talks about a position, especially when the team has now seen two different answers under center.
Lagway is still expected to stay in the job once hes healthy, and his contract status is part of why the Bears are likely to keep leaning that way. Still, Bennetts brief run gave Baylor supporters a real alternative to compare against, which is exactly how quarterback debates start to take on a life of their own. The Bears may have an answer for now, but the conversation around it is only getting louder. [Read more 🡒]
Baylors Offense Has A Red-Zone Concern Fans Cant Ignore
Baylors trip into the red zone against Colorado looked productive on the surface, but the finish told a different story. The Bears got there five times and came away with three touchdowns, a drop-off that stood out as their lowest red-zone touchdown rate of the season and a reminder that moving the ball and cashing in are not always the same thing.
DJ Lagways return from injury added another layer to the conversation. The starting quarterback was back on the field, but his limited mobility was noticeable and he missed several open receivers, which affected how the offense was called. Dave Aranda said Lagways health shaped the game plan, and Baylor will be watching closely to see whether further rehabilitation can help him operate more freely in the weeks ahead. [Read more 🡒]