Baylor’s offense heads into the UCF road game with a lot to clean up, and the run game sits right at the center of it. The Bears managed only 75 rushing yards from their running backs against Kansas, and that kind of production won’t get the job done if they want to move the ball with any kind of rhythm.
DJ Lagway has been one of the biggest pressure points over Baylor’s last two games. The offense has struggled to find any kind of flow, and while the offensive line hasn’t made life easier, Lagway’s inaccurate throws and miscommunication with receivers have only added to the problem. Even so, his running ability against Kansas stood out after his Week 1 injury against Auburn, and that could give Jake Spavital a few more options to work with.
That said, Baylor still needs Lagway to get comfortable early. If he can’t connect with his receivers right away, the Bears could be in for another frustrating afternoon on offense.
Gavin Freeman has clearly been Baylor’s most reliable receiver and has become Lagway’s top target. The Bears need more help around him, though, because the passing game can’t keep leaning on one player alone. Louis Brown IV has been a steady outside option, and Jadon Porter has flashed the ability to hit big plays, but consistency has been the issue.
Against UCF, Freeman should remain a central piece of the game plan, and Brown IV and Porter should also have chances to chip in with a few catches and at least one or two impactful plays.
The ground game hasn’t been just a running back problem, either. The offensive line has taken its share of the blame, and the overall numbers back that up. Baylor averaged only 2.6 yards per carry against TCU and 3.1 against Kansas, which is far too little to keep defenses honest.
A breakout rushing day doesn’t look likely for the Bears against UCF, but they do need enough from that part of the offense to keep drives from stalling completely.
In Other News...
Baylor Already Has An Early WBB Concern Fans Will Notice
Baylors womens basketball team got its first taste of outside competition in a 85-64 exhibition loss to Texas at the Moody Center, and the result came with an early wrinkle fans will notice. Trinity Turner led the Bears with 20 points, while Reese Ross added 13 points and five rebounds, but Baylor never found enough consistency to keep pace with a Longhorns group that controlled the night.
Zya Vann set the tone for Texas with 18 points and a perfect shooting night from beyond the arc, hitting all six of her 3-point tries. For Baylor, the bigger concern was less about one score in October than the way the game unfolded, since exhibition results do not count but still reveal what needs work before the real season begins. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Recruiting Fallout May Be Just Getting Started
Bryson Browns recruiting pivot is the latest reminder of how quickly Baylors future picture can change after a coaching shakeup. The three-star linebacker had already been part of the Bears 2027 class, and his decision to flip to Oklahoma State adds an early hit to a group that still includes 12 commitments and sits 72nd in the On3 rankings.
Browns change of heart is especially notable because he initially said Dave Arandas firing would not alter his commitment. Instead, the departure of the Baylor head coach has already started to ripple through the recruiting board, and the Bears may not be done feeling the effects as other prospects reassess where they fit in a program now searching for its next direction. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Heads To UCF With Its Slide Facing A Real Test
Baylor heads into its Week 9 trip to UCF trying to stop a slide at the same time it runs into a team that just found its footing. The Bears had built momentum with a four-game winning streak before dropping their last two, while the Knights snapped a two-game losing streak with a double-overtime win over BYU and suddenly look a lot more settled heading into this one.
Keyone Jenkins has been at the center of that turnaround for UCF, and his play against BYU showed why the Knights can be a difficult matchup when they are getting quality quarterback production. For Baylor, the challenge is not just reversing its own recent downturn, but doing it against a team that is coming off a confidence-boosting result and will have plenty of reason to press its edge at home. [Read more 🡒]