So though some may expect a return to the Big 12 title game, Aranda is zeroing in on how his team acts in these summer months. "I thought football had to be part of it, somehow." Heres why he prefers it that way, Are these Rangers good? Baylor will get the Cowboys at home, but theyll be coming back from a road trip to Iowa State while OSU will be coming off a bye week. But West Virginia also ranks 89th in returning offensive production nationally, and doesnt really make up for it on the defensive side, where the Mountaineers are 49th. Those are some pretty big haymakers to take, and with Cincinnati bringing in 247Sports 11th-rated transfer class, Scott Satterfield could have a bit of an uphill climb to keep things where theyve been. Breaking down the five best futures bets, picks, and predictions for the 2022 season. Players Im most excited to see in CFB - Pt 20Ben Sims - TE - BaylorSims was very productive on @BUFootball Big 12 championship run. Offensively, the coach praised the scheme and the job offensive line coach Eric Mateos does. Will the Bears scratch and claw for progress the way the 2021 team did? Besides Alabama or Georgia, I dont know whos got a better front scheme-wise than Baylor.. WebVisit ESPN to view the latest Baylor Bears news, scores, stats, standings, rumors, and more Big 12 football schedule release: Every game for every team in 2023 2022 Team Leaders. Already an A+ run defender and also shows flashes of having passing down value to melt the pocket. Shapen is 60 and quite mobile, but not the running threat represented by a Jalen Daniels or Adrian Martinez. The Waller native is set for another huge year, playing alongside some of the nations best D-lineman, who are good candidates to be on this list. And will Iowa States reluctance to fully embrace the transfer portal mean that the Cyclones wont fill the holes they do have? The strength of the offense lies up front. Hes long and has some quickness, but hes a one trick finesse pony. This article was first published in the Cougar Dave Aranda enters Year 3 in Waco in considerably better shape than last year, with a Big 12 Championship in the trophy case. After a 2-7 debut during a season impacted by COVID-19, the head coach pulled his team together to win the Big 12 for the first time since 2014, going 12-2 with a victory in the Sugar Bowl to cap things off. Copyright 2017-22 Heartland College Sports. #Baylor RB @TayeMcwilliams on what its like behind a good O-line that returned so much talent:[Its] way easier, it makes life super easy. WebBaylors special teams will be in good hands with junior punter Issac Power and freshman kicker Isaiah Hankins returning. But there are worse bets to take than a Kansas State team with a returning starter at quarterback in Will Howard, playing behind the bulk of his offensive line returning. Ten of Kansas 11 offensive starters are back from a team that ranked in the top 10 in Offensive SP+; the lone exit comes at left tackle, where Kansas signed a former five-star recruit in Wisconsins Logan Brown. 21 transfer class, the third-best in the Big 12. Theyre certainly at their best running free on play action shots. With both coordinators back and all the returnees on the line of scrimmage, Baylor can figure it out. After helping the Bears reach the semifinalist phase for the Joe Moore Award, he could target individual honors in 2022. And with seven of 11 starters returning on defense, the Red Raiders could bow up on that side of the ball with increased experience and the toughness that McGuire is attempting to instill. Still, he said, players wondered: Why are we doing this? Cornerback Al Walcott and safety Christian Morgan, both returning starters, will also see time at star, Roberts said. It sets the tone for everything.. On average, Baylor opponents had 8 yards to go on third downs, the longest average distance in the Big 12 and seventh best in the nation, according to PFF. Daniel Green has been among the Big 12s best linebackers when healthy, and hell try to shore up a defense that ranks 94th in returning production, but was sprinkling through some of the younger players over the course of the season. Iowa State ranks 28th in returning production on offense, and while the defense looks vastly different in returning production, Jon Heacock gets a bit of benefit of the doubt there. He scored two offensive touchdowns (rushing and receiving) versus BYU. March 1, 2023 12:56 pm CT. College football writers are taking notice of the Longhorns loaded returning roster. Baylor had a backloaded schedule in terms of difficulty and theyre on a two game slide after being obliterated by Kansas State 31-3 and then losing a heartbreaker to TCU by one point in which they outplayed (an injured-riddled) TCU for most of the game. It certainly helps that one of the offensive starters is Deuce Vaughn. Powledge, a Huntsville, Texas, native who played fullback at Sam Houston, is also back in his Texas roots. Anticipate Gall to be another invaluable piece to a stellar offensive line group. Max Duggan is a returning starter at quarterback, but must hold off last years backup in Chandler Morris. "We got married in Katy, Texas, about a mile from the high school stadium," he said. A native Houstonian, Sam graduated from the University of Houston. The tricky part will be actually defending the title with Oklahoma State still rolling, Oklahoma with their own defensive guru at the helm and Texas strengthening. February 8, 2023 7:57 pm CT. ESPN announced its returning production rankings for the 2023 season on Tuesday. Baylor tabbed a new starting quarterback. The slinger has proven he has an elite arm, and if the cards fall right, he is a legitimate contender for Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year. Everybodys going to talk about Apu Ika, and rightfully so, but Gabe Hall is the real deal, he said. Iowa State enters 2022 without OT Derek Schweiger (67.1 This team went 2-3 in one-score games in the regular season; getting another win or two this year certainly wouldnt be a shock. When Baylors outside zone running game is humming, theyre a Bear to defend as Reese and Sqwirl are adept at finding small creases or using their quickness to make sharp cuts against the grain when second level defenders overrun to the sideline. in returning offensive production theres reason to believe some of those close games are going to go the other way in 2023. The third and final of the three Big 12 schools who return 12 starters, Texas joins Kansas State with six returning starters on both offense and defense. Thats the bad. Baylor football 2021 season in review Arandas second season in charge could hardly have gone more perfectly. Replacing some of the losses on defense will be a bigger challenge, though Joey McGuires first year saw the Red Raiders play with physicality and toughness on that side of the ball, and Texas Tech added four defenders through the transfer portal, including three players up front. Zeno (transferred to UAB) and Brown both entered the portal last September. Dykes inherits six offensive starters and seven defensive starters, and theres plenty of room for growth on both sides. Its one thing to go from being a weakness to a strength, Grimes said. Baylor Football: 2022 Bears Season Preview and Prediction Athlon Sports Jun 7, 2022 Blake Shapen and the Bears are ranked No. With Texas and Oklahoma moving their Big 12 ousters to 2024 rather than 2025, this season will mark the only one that includes the two departing conference schools along with the four new additions: BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF. Its safe to expect him to continue performing at a high level as a blocker and as a lethal receiving threat for Shapen. This was a big component of their 38-35 win over OU in Norman, forcing Dillon Gabriel into 3 first half interceptions, even though OUs offense was otherwise humming along. Editors note:This ispart of a seriespreviewing Power 5 and top Group of 5 teams for the 2022 college football season. This year the Bears are out to prove they can retain their crown by reloading instead of rebuilding. 19 in the nation, good for second in the Big 12 Conference. Tyquan Thornton, R.J. Snead and Drew Estrada have all departed, leaving tight end Ben Sims as the leading returning pass-catcher along with tight end Drake Dabney. 10:00 AM on Aug 5, 2022 CDT. And the unit got a boost in the offseason, when Baylor landed Tulsa defensive tackle transfer Jaxon Player, a Waco, Texas, native and two-time All-AAC selection. The incoming Bears represent five different states, including Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah. Those returning starters include seven on offense and seven on defense, and while the Bears will be looking to replace some fairly irreplaceable players, Baylor should once again field tough lines on both sides of the ball and an armory of speed. Sling it, Shape >> @BShapen @kelseyjohnsonjr #SicEm | #PersonOverPlayer pic.twitter.com/ItRAKelqx2. The Bears have six players on preseason watch lists for national awards. Oklahoma and Texas will loom in the second half of the season but the Oct. 1 matchup with Oklahoma State could be the early indicator of what the Bears are capable of. We did some decent things last year at times, but we were just inconsistent, Grimes said. Seth Jones, another sophomore, is up to nearly 200 pounds after being recruited at 180. Jahdae Barron and Ryan Watts have the potential to shut down Baylors receivers if Dshawn Jamison or Terrance Brooks can bring it on the other side. Build your customFanSided Daily email newsletter with news and analysis onFanSided.com and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more. SHARE If BYU football players, coaches were stocks, who would you buy? This article was first published in the Cougar With nine offensive returning starters and eight defensive returning starters and Lance Leipold getting his first spring with the team after signing on after spring ball last year, the Jayhawks should have significantly better understanding of the teams system and what it takes to compete in the Big 12. The OL is also stacked with returning starters and a few players who havent spent as much time in the trenches, so Im hoping that those who have led in the past: senior RG Sam Tecklenburg and C Jake Fruhmorgen will encourage the younger players to step up when theyre needed. 240 pound interior linebacker Dillon Doyle leads them in tackles and is also solid dropping into zone coverages (2 interceptions). Roberts is leaning toward Walcott at star and Johnson at corner. Related: College Football's Top Quarterbacks on the Rise for 2023 4. Of 5 teams for the 2023 season on Tuesday 21 transfer class the... 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