With two weeks left before the opener, Dave Aranda came out of Friday’s high-intensity stadium scrimmage sounding convinced his team is moving in the right direction - and just as interested in the details of how a season starts as in how it ends.
Aranda said the trip to the stadium mattered because it let the team rehearse the full game-day rhythm, from the early adrenaline rush to the emotional dips that come with tape, warmups, and the walk back out onto the field.
“We've gotten better every single day. Coming to the stadium was critical for practicing our pre-game preparation and mental routine.
Game day brings a high when you arrive, followed by a lull while getting taped, a spike for warmups, another drop in the locker room, and finally running onto the field. Managing those emotional waves takes a clear plan, and today provided a solid dry run before we do it for real.”
The scrimmage itself reinforced a point Baylor has hammered all camp: start fast. Aranda said the message is sticking, but he wants that same edge to carry over once the lights are brightest.
“Our focus on starting fast. We've emphasized that the start is the main event, and that message is directly translating from the meeting rooms to the practice field. Now, we have to take that same energy into prime-time games when it matters most.”
Health-wise, Aranda said the team is in good shape overall, though Taz Williams will miss time after suffering a broken collarbone on a pass attempt in a game-like situation. Williams is scheduled for surgery and expected to be out for a few weeks.
“We're looking solid. We had a minor hand issue and a loose knee today, but neither should hold anyone back long-term.
However, Taz Williams suffered a broken collarbone going up for a pass during a game scenario. He's undergoing surgery and will be out for a few weeks, but he will be back.”
One of the day’s biggest moments came from outside the program. Olympic legend Michael Johnson spoke to the team, and Aranda said the message fit exactly what he wants his players hearing right now: stay locked into the process, no matter who’s on the other sideline.
“Having Michael Johnson speak was incredible-there's nobody better when it comes to approaching success, failure, and high-stakes events. The biggest takeaway is sticking to our process and routine. Whether it's Week 1 or Week 2, the opponent changes, but our preparation stays identical.”
Aranda also made clear what he expects from Joe Klanderman’s defense. He called Klanderman and his staff elite teachers, pointed to the buy-in from the players, and said the team’s investment along the defensive front should pay off.
“Joe and his staff are elite teachers, and the player buy-in is extremely high. We made a significant financial investment up front on the defensive line, and those guys are playing hard with a real chip on their shoulder. Expect a vastly improved unit.”
That theme of being ready for the unexpected came up again when Aranda discussed how the staff is preparing players for adversity. He said early-season games often hinge on self-inflicted mistakes, and he wants his team trained to avoid getting derailed and to recover quickly when things do go sideways.
“Early in the season, more games are lost than won due to self-inflicted mistakes. We talk openly about external distractions-bad sleep, poor hotel food, wrong pre-game music, or blown assignments.
We train two distinct skills: How to lock in early to prevent getting turned sideways. How to quickly reset and get back on track when things do go wrong.”
Aranda also opened up about a change in how he’s showing up this year. He said the shift toward a more open, passionate style came after a long stretch of feeling pressure, then learning from both success and failure.
“When I first stepped into a head coaching role, it felt almost too big, and I had moments of fear. After experiencing some success and then dealing with failure, my initial instinct was to pull back and cover up.
But that's the opposite of how I want to live or what I'd want my kids to see. Since December, I've made a conscious effort to bring raw passion and authentic energy.
I feel rejuvenated, and the team feels that energy.”
As for what this team is supposed to be, Aranda boiled it down to three words: tough, smart, and dependable. He defined tough as physical, fourth-quarter football; smart as avoiding turnovers and penalties; and dependable as the kind of steady day-to-day effort shown by players like Gavin Freeman and Kyler Jordan.
“Tough, smart, and dependable: Tough: Staying alive and physical in the fourth quarter when things aren't going right, led by physical play on both lines. Smart: Avoiding self-inflicted wounds like turnovers and pre-snap penalties.
We refuse to play against ourselves and the opponent. Dependable: Guys like Gavin Freeman and Kyler Jordan consistently showing up.
Day-to-day dependability leads to big results on Saturdays.”
Aranda was also encouraged by what he’s seeing from the offensive line, especially the way it’s moving people off the ball in the run game. He described the inside zone in this scheme as a wedge dive and said the film work has centered on players like Abraham Smith and Conner Galvin falling forward.
“Their ability to move the line of scrimmage has been impressive. In this scheme, inside zone functions more like a wedge dive.
When two linemen double-team a defender, they are consistently displacing him off the ball. We've been studying film of guys like Abraham Smith and Conner Galvin falling forward, and that physical, downhill style is our blueprint.”
That emphasis on line play wasn’t accidental. Aranda said the staff made a deliberate choice this offseason to put more resources into both lines after previous years leaned more heavily toward skill positions.
“In past years, capital was directed heavily toward skill positions. This year, we intentionally allocated resources to both the offensive and defensive lines. If you pay to win up front, that line play has to carry the team.”
By the end of camp, Aranda said the energy has held up even through the heat and long practices. More than that, he said the mood around the team has changed.
“Despite the heat and long practices, the energy late in the session was at an all-time high. The biggest shift from the past to now is that football is fun again. The guys are enjoying the grind, and that enthusiasm makes all the difference.”
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