Two weeks into fall camp, Baylor’s offense is starting to reveal its shape, and a few of the biggest questions around the unit have already come into focus with Auburn looming in less than three weeks.
One of the clearest developments is behind center. The Bears brought Lagway in to run the offense this season, but the backup job is drawing real attention because every team eventually needs someone ready to keep things moving. That’s where Nate Bennett, Edward Griffin and true freshman Quinn Murphy come in, with all three getting steady work in recent practices.
“There’s a battle between Nate and Ed and Quinn,” said Spavital when asked about the backup situation. “Like, all three of them had their moments, and it gets tough repping them evenly, so you can’t really make that decision once you kind of get more of a resume built on all of them.”
The offensive line has been another major storyline, and for good reason. It looked like the biggest question on the roster heading into camp, especially after the loss of starting center Yakiri Walker when he was denied a temporary injunction in late July. With Walker out, the pressure shifts to Kaden Sieracki, the lone returning starter and the player Dave Aranda is leaning on most heavily.
Aranda has already pointed to three linemen who have separated themselves early, but he singled out Sieracki as the group’s biggest improver.
“I feel like we’re improved. Kaden Sieracki is probably the most improved player on the team from where he was last year to this year,” said Aranda.
The other big message coming out of camp is about Lagway himself. Coaches around the program believe he can be one of the country’s best quarterbacks when he’s loose and playing with confidence. Spavital said the next step is less about raw talent and more about how freely Lagway is operating.
“Confidence... when he plays confident, I think he’s one of the best quarterbacks I’ve seen,” Spavital said, adding that a confident Lagway “gives life to this offense” and “elevates everyone around him.”
That’s the version of the quarterback the Bears are selling right now, and if the people around him are right, the box score may not tell the whole story.
In Other News...
Baylor Freshmen Could Decide How Fast This Rebuilt Roster Comes Together
Baylors 2026 roster is being built with a familiar modern formula, blending experienced transfers with a freshman class that could be asked to play sooner rather than later. Among the newcomers and returners expected to matter are redshirt freshman wide receiver Taz Williams Jr., true freshman wide receiver London Smith, running back Ryelan Morris, offensive lineman Donel Robinson Jr., quarterbacks Quinn Murphy and Edward Griffin, defensive lineman JaeLin Battle and linebacker Jamarion Phillips, all of them names coaches have pointed to as possible pieces in the next stage of the rebuild.
The interesting part is not just who is on the roster, but how quickly that group can help tighten the gaps between potential and production. Baylor has enough experience in the room to avoid throwing everyone into the fire at once, but the freshmen could end up shaping the pace of the season if they earn trust early, especially on the edge positions and in a few spots where depth and versatility tend to matter most. The sooner those young players settle in, the faster this roster can start looking like a team instead of a collection of parts. [Read more 🡒]
Baylors New-Look Offense Is Starting To Take Shape In Camp
A clearer picture of Baylors offense is starting to emerge in fall camp, with the Bears mixing familiar production and new faces as they sort out what the first unit could look like this season. Quarterback Blake Lagway appears to be at the center of it, with Dawson Pendergrass shaping up as a key piece in the backfield and a cast of receivers and offensive linemen beginning to settle into projected roles based on what has been observed so far.
The buzz around camp is less about final answers than about how quickly the group can come together, especially with transfers in the mix and spots still being evaluated. Baylors staff has a good sense of the players who should drive the offense, but the lineup is still more forecast than fact, and the real test will come once the Bears get into game conditions and see whether the chemistry in camp carries over. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Fall Camp Battle Could Decide The Bears Early Ceiling
Two weeks into fall camp, Baylors biggest questions are still buried in the trenches and in the back end of the defense, where several starting jobs remain unsettled. The offensive line is still sorting itself out after a leadership change in camp, and the line work has become one of the clearest indicators of how ready the Bears might be when the season opens.
On defense, the Star position is drawing its own attention, with Bo Onu and Daniel Cobbs locked in a tight battle for that spot. The personnel picture is still taking shape, and Baylors early ceiling may end up depending less on star power than on which of these ongoing competitions settles cleanly before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]