Baylor’s Saturday meeting with Louisiana Tech comes with a message that reaches far beyond the scoreboard.
During media availability this week, Dave Aranda and several players kept coming back to the same point: this one means more than football. Baylor’s Childhood Cancer Awareness game on September 19 will feature a special helmet decal, and every Baylor player will wear it for the game.
The design has a personal touch. It was created by a pediatric hematology/oncology patient and drew inspiration from artwork made during a recent visit to McLane Children’s Medical Center in Temple.
Baylor football student-athletes and pediatric patients spent time together personalizing versions of the Baylor Bear Head, and the selected artwork came from 6-year-old ILaria Ramirez of Cameron, Texas. Her “Helmet of Hope” includes the words "victory," "strength," and "faith," and is meant to stand as support for children and families facing pediatric cancer.
Aranda said the connection hit home.
"It is, yeah. Ilaria is one of us, and so we represent her and want her and her family to know that we're fighting along with her.
And so that was a really special day. I know a couple guys have mentioned this game coming up just because of her."
The helmet decal is only part of the day’s tribute. Fans at McLane Stadium are being encouraged to wear gold and yellow as part of the “Gold Rush” theme, which is intended as a nod to children battling cancer and the resilience they show every day.
Aranda also said in a separate quote: “Our football program is honored to support the incredible children and families at McLane Children’s,” and “Our players are inspired by their courage and resilience, and it’s a privilege to wear a helmet that represents them during our Childhood Cancer Awareness game this September.”
Players echoed that feeling.
Kyler Jordan called the effort "a great cause" and said the team is glad to play for it. He also pointed to how fortunate the Baylor players are compared with many others, saying bringing attention to that reality is important. He added that it was really good to meet ILaria.
Michael Allen said ILaria and her family visited during one of Baylor’s fall camp walk-throughs, and described the day as "way, way bigger than football." He said seeing her excitement when the decal and helmet were shown made the moment special, and that the team wants her and her family to know they are being thought about and prayed for.
The broader point was clear throughout the week: Baylor’s focus on Saturday is not just on Louisiana Tech. It’s on a young girl from Cameron, on families dealing with pediatric cancer, and on using the program’s platform to show support.
In Other News...
Baylor Suddenly Has A Defensive Line Question Slug Mitchell Could Answer
Baylors defensive front has a new wrinkle after fifth-year lineman Traevon Mitchell, better known as Slug, was granted a temporary injunction by Judge Alan Bennett that makes him eligible to play for at least the rest of the regular season. With the next trial date still estimated to be about 90 days away, the Bears suddenly have a veteran body back in the conversation at a position group that can use all the help it can get.
Dave Aranda has already been asked about what Mitchell could mean after a season-ending injury thinned out the rotation, and the timing makes the situation especially relevant for Baylors defense. For a team trying to stabilize its line depth in the middle of the season, Mitchells availability adds another layer of intrigue, even if the legal process around his status is still far from finished. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Heads Into La Tech With One Big Problem Up Front
Baylor is trying to steady itself up front as it heads into Louisiana Tech with one of its most important pieces suddenly gone for the year. Fifth-year senior Devonte Tezinos season-ending lower body injury leaves a hole on the defensive line, but there is at least one bit of relief in the room: fellow fifth-year senior Traevon Mitchell was granted a temporary injunction that allows him to play the rest of the season. With Kyler Jordan and others now expected to absorb more of the workload, the Bears will have to find answers quickly on the line of scrimmage.
There is better news on the other side of the ball, where starting center Koltin Sieracki is expected back after missing a game with an injury. Baylors larger focus, though, remains on cleaning up the mistakes that have slowed it down, especially penalties, as it tries to look sharper heading into the Louisiana Tech game. The Bears have enough talent to get by, but the way they handle these issues up front could go a long way toward deciding whether the next stretch feels like damage control or a reset. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Has A Week 3 Problem It Needs To Fix Fast
Baylor heads into its Week 3 matchup at McLane Stadium tied at 1-1 with Louisiana Tech, and the early-season tone around the Bears is clear enough: there are fixable issues, but they need fixing quickly. The cleanest path to a win runs through the basics, with turnover margin, time of possession and penalty control all sitting near the top of the list as Baylor tries to sharpen up before the schedule starts demanding more from it.
The Bears have already stressed the need for discipline and consistent effort on both sides of the ball, and that emphasis is no accident after the first two games. Against a Louisiana Tech team that will be looking for the same kind of early momentum, Baylor cannot afford sloppy stretches or self-inflicted setbacks if it wants to leave Saturday with the kind of performance that steadies things rather than complicates them. [Read more 🡒]