Baylor’s 2026 offense is going to look different, but the Bears still have a position group that could help define the season. With Sawyer Robertson, Michael Trigg, Josh Cameron and Bryson Washington all gone from last year’s team, Baylor is replacing a lot of production. Even so, the running back room is not a weakness.
That’s the part associate head coach and running backs coach Khenon Hall keeps coming back to. He sees a group that has its own identity, one built around toughness, competitiveness and a little bit of chip-on-the-shoulder energy.
"It's the running back, the outlaws, it's just our calling card," coach Khenon Hall said. "We want to hang our hat on some, we want to kind of just build - that's how we build our bond. We are the outlaws, we feel like - the running backs sometimes get thrown in the pasture and don't get the respect and the love that they deserve sometimes.
"So we just want to make sure we bring something, we cultivate something, and that's kind of like our badge of honor."
The group gets a major boost with Dawson Pendergrass returning after a season-ending injury last fall. Pendergrass gives Baylor a bigger back, but Hall said there’s more speed there than people might expect. He’s part of a room that also includes sophomores Caden Knighten and Michael Turner, both of whom carved out important roles as true freshmen last season.
That trio gives Baylor options. The Bears could even see freshman Ryelan Morris in the mix. But the common thread, according to Hall, is the same across the board: physical play.
"I guess they're pretty tough, they're competitive, they're fiery," Hall said of the RBs. "Our group is a brotherhood.
They put the work in since they've been here, getting to know each other, hanging out with each other, so I think it's a pretty competitive group. I'm fired up about them.
"I love them, so I think this group is going to be exactly what we are. We're going to be tough, smart, and they're going to be pretty dependable, but as everybody knows, we want our calling card to be physical, so they're going to bring that physical mindset and toughness every day."
Baylor still has to settle on a starter when it opens against Auburn on Sept. 5, and Pendergrass is the likeliest candidate to run with the first unit. But that doesn’t mean the Bears are looking for one back to carry everything. The plan is to keep the rotation moving and lean into whoever has the hot hand.
Pendergrass sounds just as confident in the depth behind him. He sees a room that can survive injuries and still keep rolling.
"This is a very, very deep room, I mean like, think about it right now, I think we'd be okay if anybody went out there and ran the ball," Pendergrass said. "Like everybody's got the skill set, everybody's put in the work all summer, everybody's been putting the work all camp.
I mean, if it's kind of like a next man up mentality. Ff someone goes down, like we still got somebody else, so I'm very confident in this room."
The Bears will get their first chance to show what that group can do when they face Auburn on Sept. 5 at 2:30 CT.
In Other News...
Baylor Just Unveiled A Throwback Look Fans Will Debate
Baylors conference opener against Colorado on Sept. 26 will come with a fresh dose of nostalgia, as the Bears unveiled a throwback uniform that leans into the programs classic look. The design features a green jersey with large gold numbers and bear paw shoulder patches, along with white pants trimmed in a three-stripe pattern, giving the matchup a little extra polish before the first Big 12 test of the season.
The reveal drew mostly positive reaction on social media, where plenty of fans embraced the retro feel and the clean color contrast. Still, the design did not land as a universal favorite, with some mixed opinions surfacing around a few of the style choices, which should keep the uniform conversation going right up until kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Is Bringing Back A Look Bears Fans Never Forgot
Baylor is leaning into a familiar piece of program history this fall, turning to the bear paw look that helped define one of its most recognizable eras. The Bears will wear throwback uniforms for the Sept. 26 game against Colorado at McLane Stadium, a nod to the Grant Teaff years and the teams that carried the design from 1982-92.
The timing adds a little extra weight because the 1991 Bears are set to be honored during the game, giving the throwback even more of a direct connection to the past. For fans who want to be there when it happens, season and single-game tickets are already on sale, and the matchup should have a little more sizzle than a standard nonconference date. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Faces A Brutal Bowl Line With Dave Aranda Under Pressure
Baylor enters a pivotal season with plenty of change on the offensive side, headlined by a new starting quarterback in DJ Lagway and the kind of reset that can make early expectations hard to pin down. Under Dave Aranda, the Bears are trying to rebound from a stretch that has put the program under a brighter spotlight than usual, especially with the offense needing to find its footing quickly.
CBS Sports recently projected Baylor to miss bowl eligibility again, a forecast that would only sharpen the pressure around Aranda if the Bears struggle to gain traction. In a college football coaching market that can get complicated in a hurry, another lost season would force Baylor to confront not just where the program is headed, but how difficult it might be to chart a new course if change becomes necessary. [Read more 🡒]