Joe Klanderman arrives at Baylor with a clear mandate: change the look, change the feel, and change the results.
That’s the job after a stretch in which Baylor’s defense has taken too many hits. Since 2023, the Bears have allowed an average of 30.8 points per game and more than 399.9 yards per game over the previous three years. Those numbers left little room for the status quo, and Baylor responded by bringing in the Kansas State coordinator to reshape the unit.
Klanderman’s background gives Baylor a blueprint worth buying into. Kansas State fielded a top 30 ranked defense from 2021 to 2023 and finished top 50 in 2024, and his style is built around versatility, disguise and forcing quarterbacks to make fast decisions. The 3-3-5 alignment puts three defensive linemen up front to absorb blocks and double teams, opening space for linebackers to flow freely to the ball.
That structure should also show up in the places where games swing the hardest: third down and the red zone. The expectation is that Baylor will be much better at getting stops in those situations, just as Kansas State was under Klanderman. With portal additions and returning pieces helping to build the roster around that approach, the Bears should create more defensive possessions this season.
A big part of that system is flexibility at linebacker and safety. Klanderman leans on hybrid defenders who can both rush the passer and drop into coverage, a fit for the spread-heavy Big 12. Players like Travion Barnes, Daniel Cobbs and Colby McCalister were specifically noted as strong fits for that kind of role.
Turnovers are another piece Baylor is hoping to inherit from Klanderman’s Kansas State tenure. The Wildcats were among the Big 12’s most reliable takeaway defenses, averaging about 1.7 turnovers per game during his run there. If Baylor can generate that kind of disruption, it could make a real difference in the close, high-scoring games the Bears came up short in last year.
Up front, Baylor has also remade the defensive line. Indiana transfer Hosea Wheeler headlines that group, with Garrick Ponder, Jordan Mack and Jamaal Whyce Jr. also in the mix. A stronger interior should help create one-on-one chances for edge rushers while also tightening up the run defense.
That matters in a conference where offenses can light up the scoreboard in a hurry. The Big 12 has over seven teams in the top 50 in total yards per game, and Baylor’s answer is more bodies, more disguises and more options. With Cobbs and McCalister joining returners like LeVar Thorton and Jacob Redding, the Bears should be able to roll out multiple coverages without leaving their corners exposed.
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Baylor Line Just Earned National Recognition Bears Fans Will Love
The Baylor Line has long been one of the most recognizable sights in Waco, and now it has national hardware to match the reputation. USA Today Sports 2026 Readers Choice Awards named Baylors pregame ritual the Best Walk-Out Tradition in college football, a fan-voted honor that put the Bears at the top of a field of 20 nominees.
For Baylor supporters, it is a welcome nod to something that has helped define the atmosphere at McLane Stadium for years. The tradition of first-year students forming a human tunnel before kickoff has become part of the programs identity, and this time it beat out some heavyweights, including Auburns Tiger Walk and Penn States White Out Walkout, to earn the top spot. [Read more 🡒]
Auburns Week 1 Opener Just Got Personal For Bryson Washington
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Washington now enters the season with a familiar opponent on the other sideline and plenty still to sort out around how he fits into Auburns plans. Questions remain around health, role and how much of an impact he can have when the game arrives, which leaves this one with more anticipation than certainty for both the player and the people who followed him in Waco. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Has An Early Shot With A Fast-Rising 5-Star Big Man
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Baylor is one of four schools set to host him, alongside Cal, Kentucky and Providence, giving the Bears an early chance to make their case. With each program offering a different path based on roster outlook and coaching fit, Uvwos visits should help clarify where he sees the best long-term opportunity, and Baylor will want to use its turn to stay firmly in the conversation. [Read more 🡒]