Big 12 media days will put Dave Aranda in the spotlight on Tuesday, and Baylor’s head coach has plenty to sort through before the season even kicks off.
The biggest storyline starts under center. DJ Lagway arrived in Waco as a prized transfer from Florida, brought in with the hope of helping revive a program that has been stuck searching for traction.
But Lagway is still a work in progress. Last season, he threw 16 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions, and Baylor cannot afford a repeat if it wants to push into the Big 12 race.
Aranda is going to have to explain how the staff plans to sharpen Lagway and lift the offense after last year’s struggles.
The questions do not stop with the quarterback. Baylor is also rebuilding almost the entire pass-catching group, with very little proven production back in the room after Josh Cameron left for the NFL following a strong season. The same reset is happening at tight end, where Michael Trigg is gone and the Bears are still looking for someone to step forward.
That makes the obvious follow-ups even more important: who becomes the receiver leader this year, and which transfer is adjusting fastest to the offense? At tight end, who emerges as the dependable target Baylor can lean on when the passing game needs a steady answer?
The offensive line deserves just as much attention. Baylor does have one returning starter in Kaden Sieracki, a redshirt senior who should bring some leadership to the group.
Beyond that, everything is unsettled. Aranda should be pressed on whether anyone has separated themselves, including Yakari Walker, Nate Kibble or Cole Rhett, and whether any of them have forced their way into the competition heading into fall camp.
That front matters just as much as the skill positions. If the line does not come together quickly, the offense is going to have a hard time getting anywhere.
Then there is Hosea Wheeler, whose situation adds another layer of uncertainty. He was in Indiana’s program at this time last year and contributed to a national championship team before transferring to Baylor with hopes of starting and improving his draft stock if he decides to go pro after the season.
But his status for 2026 is unresolved because he is in the middle of a lawsuit against the NCAA, where he is one of the plaintiffs trying to preserve his final year of eligibility. The NCAA is seeking to eliminate medical waivers and redshirts after the new five for five rule was passed.
If Wheeler is cleared to play, he could be a major piece on Baylor’s defensive line. If he is not, that would leave a real hole in a front that was repeatedly beaten up by opposing run games last season.
In Other News...
Baylor May Have Finally Found The Receiver This Offense Has Been Missing
Gavin Freeman arrived in Waco with a clear opportunity and a clear fit. After transferring from Oklahoma State, the receiver is expected to play a significant role in Baylors offense in 2026, and he has already sounded comfortable talking about what Jake Spavitals system can offer him. Freeman has been working to build chemistry with quarterback DJ Lagway, and the early signs point to Baylor having a more dynamic answer at receiver than it has had in a while.
Freemans own goals show how high the ceiling could be if everything clicks. He has talked about chasing a big season and believes the Bears can feature him in a way that lets him make an impact right away, with his debut set for Sept. 5 against Auburn. The bigger question now is whether that connection with Lagway can turn offseason optimism into the kind of production Baylor has been searching for at the position. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor May Have Found Its Answer In A Depleted Receiver Room
Baylors receiver room needed help after key departures from last season, and the Bears appear to have found a piece who can fill more than one role. Drelon Miller, who transferred in from Colorado, brings the kind of versatility that can matter quickly for an offense still sorting out its options, and Baylors staff clearly sees him as more than just another depth addition.
Wide receivers coach Dallas Baker has pointed to Millers similarities with former Baylor receiver Josh Cameron, especially in the way he plays bigger than his frame and hangs onto the football. Miller is expected to step in right away, with his first chance to show what he can do coming in the season opener against Auburn, where Baylor will get an early read on whether its latest addition can help stabilize a thin position group. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Receiver Made A Tough Choice That Could Change 2026
Louis Brown made a deliberate pause in his Baylor career last fall, redshirting the 2025 season after transferring in with the idea that a year spent learning the offense would pay off later. It was a tough call for a receiver who had already proven he could produce elsewhere, including a strong run at San Diego State, but the choice gave him time to settle in, sharpen his understanding of the playbook and keep building toward a bigger role in Waco.
Now, Baylors staff is seeing the benefits of that approach. Wide receivers coach Dallas Baker has seen Brown develop into a smarter, more dependable presence, the kind of player who can help steady a room as much as stretch a defense. With 2026 ahead, Brown is positioned to be part of the rotation, and the real question is how much that extra year of patience can change the shape of Baylors passing game. [Read more 🡒]