Dave Aranda enters the season with no shortage of pressure, and Baylor’s roster makeover says everything about how urgent this year feels. After seven years in Waco, Aranda is sitting on the hot seat, and the Bears responded to an offseason of uncertainty by bringing in 32 players through the transfer portal. That kind of turnover makes one thing clear: this is not a wait-and-see roster.
The money spent on the rebuild was modest by conference standards, too. Baylor’s estimated $19.3 million in NIL spending ranked 15th out of 16 in the Big XII, but the message behind the roster construction was still plain enough. This group was assembled to win now, even if it comes with a whole new cast of names and faces.
There is also the reality of what Baylor needs to replace. Sawyer Robertson’s 2025 season ended with 3,681 passing yards and 31 touchdowns, numbers that ranked fourth and fifth all-time for a Baylor quarterback, respectively. That leaves a big opening, and DJ Lagway, the transfer from Florida, steps into it with plenty of expectations and plenty of hype if he can make the job his own.
The culture piece matters here, too. Team unity is the standard at Baylor, and the idea is simple enough: a happy team is a winning team. If Lagway turns out to be the player NFL scouts have been buzzing about, this could be the season where he takes off.
There are other names worth watching in the backfield, starting with Pendergrass, who is back after a foot injury and surgery kept him out for all of last season. But Caden Knighten is the running back who stands out.
As a freshman last year, he shared the bulk of the carries with Bryson Washington, who is now at Auburn, and his high school track background showed up in the best possible way. His north-south speed is the kind that can flip a run into a chunk gain in a blink, especially if he gets one clean block.
Baylor also added Dre'lon Miller, who played last season at Colorado, and Gavin Freeman, who played last season at Oklahoma State. On paper, that kind of addition gives the Bears options in the passing game. But the most interesting name might be the one that isn’t the most obvious.
That would be London Smith, the Waco native and true freshman whose Baylor ties run deep as the son of former safety Rodney Smith, who played from 1996-99. If the question is who could become the breakout star rather than just the easiest player to project for catches, Smith is the one to circle.
Miller and Freeman could put up productive numbers, but they arrive with established roles. Smith has the kind of upside that can turn into something more.
That is what makes him so intriguing in this group. It is a lot to ask of a true freshman, but he could be the piece that gives Baylor something extra this season.
With eight days left until kickoff, the anticipation keeps building. Baylor’s ceiling and its unknowns are both hanging in the air, and that’s enough to make this stretch feel even tighter. Soon enough, practice reps against teammates will give way to real games, where the only goal on the other sideline is stopping Baylor from winning.
In Other News...
Baylor Is Bringing Back A Game Day Tradition Fans Remember
Baylor is dusting off one of its old game-day signatures, announcing the return of the Bear Bell for the 2026 football season. The tradition dates to 1972, back to the Grant Teaff era, and it is set to be part of the routine again when the Bears score touchdowns and when the team makes its way through Bear Walk at home games.
The bell has been redesigned with help from Sigma Chi and Baylor Student Activities, giving the program a refreshed version of something longtime fans will recognize right away. Its debut is scheduled for Sept. 12, 2026, against Prairie View A&M, adding a nostalgic touch to a season that will already have plenty of attention on it. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Is Suddenly In The Hunt For A Massive 5-Star Prize
Baylor has put itself squarely in the mix for one of the biggest prizes in the class of 2027, with 6-foot-11 center Lewis Uvwo setting up a run of official visits that includes the Bears. The highly regarded big man, ranked No. 7 nationally and No. 1 at his position by 247Sports, is drawing the kind of attention that comes with elite size and a well-defined skill set, especially on the defensive end where his rim protection and rebounding stand out.
Uvwo is expected in Waco on August 28, and Baylor will be competing with Kentucky, Providence and California for a chance to make its case over the next several weeks. Scott Drews reputation for developing NBA talent gives the Bears a real selling point in a recruitment like this, and the timing of these visits suggests Baylor has earned a legitimate place in what could become a serious battle. [Read more 🡒]
DJ Lagway Just Gave Baylor Fans Another Reason To Dream
DJ Lagways arrival in Waco already gave Baylor a different kind of buzz, and the junior quarterback picked up a little more of it this week with a national preseason nod. After transferring from Florida, Lagway has brought a track record that blends passing production with a real threat on the ground, and his name now carries weight beyond the Big 12 as Baylor heads into a season with higher expectations than it had a year ago.
Lagway landed on a prestigious award watch list that will get trimmed later in the fall as the field narrows to semifinalists and finalists. For Baylor, the recognition is another reminder that the program has a quarterback with enough rsum and visibility to stay in the conversation deep into the season, even if the real judgment still has to wait until December and beyond. [Read more 🡒]