Baylor’s ground game has flashed just enough to tease something bigger, but it still hasn’t put together the kind of steady push that changes how defenses play the Bears.
The most eye-catching runs came at the start and finish of the LA Tech game. Nate Bennett opened Baylor’s first drive with a 25-yard touchdown run, and true freshman Ryelan Morris closed things out with a 33-yard burst that nearly ended in the end zone.
On paper, that sounds like a team that should be rolling on the ground. In reality, those were the longest runs of the night, which tells the real story.
Baylor has been fighting to get its offensive line sorted out, and that has been the biggest roadblock to a consistent run game. The line has done a decent job keeping both DJ Lagway and Nate Bennett upright in the pocket, and that protection has mattered a great deal to what Baylor has been able to do this season. But the Bears still haven’t fully established the run in any game.
The challenges go beyond blocking, too. Injuries have forced Baylor to keep adjusting, with several players out for the year and others missing meaningful snaps. The Bears have had to juggle rotation, position changes, a new team, and a new system, all while many of these players had not taken a collegiate game field together as a unit until these last few weeks.
Penalties have only made the problem worse. False starts and holding calls have been a recurring issue through the first quarter of the season, and those mistakes keep Baylor from building any kind of rhythm.
There’s no shortage of options at running back. Dawson Pendergrass, Caden Knighten, Michael Turner, and Morris all give Baylor depth in the backfield, and each one looks like he’s one good block away from popping a big play. So far, though, Morris has delivered the most intriguing burst, especially with those back-to-back runs late against LA Tech.
Even then, those carries came while Baylor was draining the clock, which makes them hard to judge too closely.
That’s the larger issue with this offense right now. Baylor can move the ball on the ground, but it has mostly looked like a grind - the kind of running that chips away for a few yards at a time instead of breaking a defense open. If opposing front fours can keep the Bears bottled up, linebackers and defensive backs are free to sit on passing lanes and close in faster.
The Bears have the kind of running backs who can make one clean block turn into a huge gain. But unless the offensive front five starts opening real lanes, Baylor’s backs will keep running into crowded spaces, and the offense will become easier to defend.
That makes the health of DJ Lagway even more important. When he’s right, he gives Baylor the ability to attack through the air or on the ground.
But that remains hypothetical for now, since his ankle injury has kept him out the past two games. It happened early in the loss against Auburn, a game he still finished despite clearly being limited.
Even then, an injured Lagway throwing flat-footed came close to pulling out the win. He set career highs in attempts and completions, and Baylor lost by only a few feet.
That only sharpens the point: if Lagway can stay healthy, the ceiling is there. But for that to matter, the offensive line has to find its rhythm first.
In Other News...
Baylors Colorado Game Is Bringing Back A Feeling McLane Stadium Needed
McLane Stadium is set to get a different kind of buzz when Baylor opens Big 12 play against Colorado, with tickets still available across the official and secondary markets at a wide range of prices. The get-in options have dropped into the low-end range for fans hoping to be there in person, while resale seats are being listed much higher depending on the view and the marketplace, a sign that there is still plenty of interest in a matchup with real conference weight and a national TV window on ESPN2.
For Baylor, this is the sort of September atmosphere McLane has been waiting for. A conference opener has a way of changing the feel around a stadium, especially when both teams arrive with something to prove and the game is getting a standalone spotlight on national television. Even with tickets still circulating, the setup suggests a crowd that should have a little more edge and energy than the average early-season date in Waco. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Is Battling Heavyweights For A Texas Athlete Bears Fans Should Watch
Brayden Arnold is already drawing attention well before the end of his high school career, and Baylor is among the programs keeping close tabs on the Duncanville, Texas, defensive back-athlete. A four-star prospect in the 2028 recruiting class, Arnold has trimmed his list to eight schools, a sign that his recruitment is beginning to sharpen even with his junior and senior seasons still ahead.
The Bears are battling a crowded field for a player who has flashed rare athletic traits for his age, including a 40.1-inch vertical jump and a 100-meter time of 11.78 seconds. Ranked No. 357 in the class by 247Sports Composite, Arnold remains undecided for now, but Baylor has positioned itself in the mix for one of the states more intriguing young prospects. [Read more 🡒]
Nate Bennett Is Starting To Show Why Baylor's Chemistry Matters
After Baylors win over Louisiana Tech, the postgame spotlight landed on quarterback Nate Bennett and receiver Louis Brown IV, who both spent time talking through the Bears performance and the way the group is coming together. Bennett didnt try to dress up his own outing, instead acknowledging there are still parts of his game he needs to clean up, while also pointing to the bigger picture of a team that is learning how to function as one.
Brown, meanwhile, used the opportunity to highlight the progress of Jayden McGowan and the kind of presence he has become in the offense. For Baylor, those kinds of comments matter because they speak to something beyond one good afternoon: a locker room still settling into roles, but one that seems to understand how chemistry can raise the floor when the season starts asking tougher questions. [Read more 🡒]