Baylor punter Palmer Williams picked up another piece of hardware Monday, earning Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week after a dominant day against Colorado.
Williams was at the center of Baylor’s field-position battle in Saturday’s 23-13 win to open Big 12 play. He punted a career-high seven times, piling up 353 total yards for a 50.4-yard average. Four of those punts traveled 50 yards or more, and the longest went 63 yards.
The placement was just as sharp as the distance. Williams had four punts land inside the 20, and three of them were pinned inside the Buffaloes’ 5-yard line. His punts were downed at the CU 2, CU 3, CU 5 and CU 10-yard lines, giving Baylor repeated chances to control the game from the field-position side.
Through four games in 2026, Williams has punted 14 times for 709 yards, good for a 50.6-yard average. Eight of those punts have gone 50 yards or more.
He now sits tied for third in Baylor history with 47 career punts of over 50 yards, just three shy of moving into sole possession of second place. His 47.02-yard career punting average is the best in school history by nearly two full yards.
The honor is Baylor’s 27th Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week award all-time and the program’s first weekly conference award of the 2026 season. For Williams, a 2025 All-American, Ray Guy Award finalist and the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year, it’s the second weekly conference award of his career. He is also the fourth Baylor punter all-time to win the award, giving the Bears six total wins from that spot.
Baylor football’s 2026 honors list also includes recognition for Michael Allen, Travion Barnes, Ryan Davis, Gavin Freeman, DJ Lagway, Tony Livingston, Dawson Pendergrass, Jacob Redding, Dylan Schaub, Kaden Sieracki, Devonte Tezino, LeVar Thornton Jr., Devin Turner, Hosea Wheeler and Williams.
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DJ Lagways return from injury added another layer to the conversation. The starting quarterback was back on the field, but his limited mobility was noticeable and he missed several open receivers, which affected how the offense was called. Dave Aranda said Lagways health shaped the game plan, and Baylor will be watching closely to see whether further rehabilitation can help him operate more freely in the weeks ahead. [Read more 🡒]