The sting of Baylor’s Week 1 loss to Auburn still hangs around, but the Bears get a chance to reset at home in Week 2 against Prairie View A&M. That matchup gives Baylor an opening to lean harder on a few players who didn’t get nearly enough run last Saturday.
Caden Knighten is the first name that jumps out. Dawson Pendergrass deserves every touch he gets, but Knighten’s usage against Auburn barely scratched the surface.
He was on the field for 28 of Baylor’s 99 snaps and carried the ball just 12 times for 33 yards. That’s a small slice of work for a back whose speed could play even better if Baylor pushes the tempo.
At receiver, Baylor already got plenty from Gavin Freeman, who hauled in 12 passes for 154 yards. But Kole Brown still has a case for a bigger role.
He caught five passes for 62 yards, including one touchdown, and his 6'2" frame gives Baylor a different look from Freeman’s 5'9" build. Brown may not separate the same way against zone coverage, but in one-on-one situations, he gives the Bears a target with a bigger catch radius and a different kind of matchup problem.
Dre'lon Miller is another player who should see more of the action. He was on the field for just 16 plays against Auburn, and despite DJ Lagway’s 54 passing attempts, Miller wasn’t targeted once.
At 6' and 207 pounds, Miller brings a more physical style than the other receivers mentioned here. He looks like the kind of player who should be getting involved on screens, slants, and other quick hitters that let him work after the catch.
Then there’s Travion Barnes, who may not always make the loudest kind of impact, but still made his presence felt against Auburn with 9 total tackles, 7 of them solo. Coach Aranda has spoken highly of Barnes’ locker room leadership and camaraderie with fellow teammates. The hope now is that Week 2 gives him a chance to stand out in a bigger, more obvious way on the field, not just on the stat sheet.
Finally, Baylor’s tight end situation deserves attention, and the pass to Klopfenstein in the Auburn game says plenty about where the trust was in the biggest moment. Former Bears tight end Michael Trigg left some big shoes to fill this season, but the 6'4", 248-pound senior may be ready to help handle that load. Aranda clearly had a reason for going his direction when the Bears needed their best shot at a win.
In Other News...
Baylors Loss Still Revealed A Reason For Real Optimism
Baylors narrow loss to Auburn still offered a pretty clear reason for optimism, because the defense looked far more disruptive than it had at times earlier in the season. Even without star safety Jacob Redding, the Bears were active all over the field, and the result was a unit that made Auburn work for just about everything while leaving the impression that this group is starting to find its edge.
The most encouraging part is that Baylor did it with contributions from unexpected places, which matters this late in the year. The offensive line was a mixed bag, giving up only one sack but not opening enough running room, so there is still plenty to clean up, but the upcoming stretch is manageable enough that the Bears have time to build on this showing and see whether the defensive progress can hold up. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Just Found A Perfect Way To Reset The Mood After Auburn
After a Week 1 loss to Auburn, Baylor is looking for a cleaner start to its home slate, and the program already found a little levity around the upcoming opener against Prairie View A&M. The backdrop came from the SMU-Florida State delay, when a power outage tied to an electrical short in the stadiums main transformer pushed that game back nearly 90 minutes and turned stadium lights into an unexpected talking point.
Baylor Football leaned into the moment by noting its own stadium lights would be on for the home opener, a simple setup that fit the mood of a team trying to reset after a rough first weekend. It was the kind of post that invited a reaction, and it did, adding a little extra edge to what should otherwise be a straightforward chance for the Bears to get back on track. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Golf Gave Fans An Early Sign Worth Watching
Baylors golf team opened the season with a result that should give the program some confidence after a strong showing at the Bomb Darts Birds Collegiate in Arizona. Competing at Whirlwind Golf Club against a field full of teams from major conferences, the Bears held their own and finished tied for seventh, a respectable early marker in a tournament that Santa Clara won.
Jonas Appel provided the headliner for Baylor, handling the week well enough to stay near the top of the board throughout the event. His performance set the tone for a roster that looked comfortable in a competitive setting, and it gives the Bears something tangible to build on as they move deeper into the fall schedule. [Read more 🡒]