Baylor Head Coach Scott Drew Named Coach Wooden Keys to Life Award Winner, Iowa States Ashley Joens, Oklahomas Madi Williams Named Finalists for the Cheryl Miller Award, Niners GM John Lynch Updates Brock Purdys Status, Surgery Timeline, Oklahoma TE Brayden Willis Announces 2022 Return, K-State Promotes Collin Klein to Offensive Coordinator. Defensively, adding Player and having the entire two-deep back up front is viewed as a strength. So some regression to the mean could occur. There may be inexperience at those key offensive spots, but sufficient talent exists. The Bears have some athletes and plenty of raw speed, but theyre inconsistent. Copyright 2017-22 Heartland College Sports. LT Connor Galvin, RG Grant Miller, RT Kahlil Keith, and C Jacob Gall are all seniors who were eligible to return for another season in 2022. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. Prod. It wont be a big one, but itll be enough for the Cowboys to close the gap. He is the sports editor for the school's student newspaper, the Baylor Lariat. 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. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. The 2021 season was no fluke. 3 min read Baylors departing players registered 1,579 points, 512 rebounds, and 234 steals/blocks in the 2020-2021 season; those numbers rank 11th, 49th, and 7th in the country among non-returning players. That could make picking the 14-team Big 12 an absolute madhouse with so many variables. After a 2-7 Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards will take over a lot of the running duties with the potential to really be successful as a one-two punch. Outside of those scheme induced meltdowns, theyve actually proven fairly susceptible to the passing game, giving up steady gains to Will Howard and Max Duggan in recent weeks. . The Horned Frogs suffered a surprising collapse last year, particularly defensively, that ushered in changes at the highest levels. Sims had the best season of his career with 361 yards and six touchdowns last year. Much of the fault is on Baylors second and third level defenders not hitting their run fits when runners spill wide. Baylor football defensive tackle Siaki Ika and linebacker Dillon Doyle. Powledge, a Huntsville, Texas, native who played fullback at Sam Houston, is also back in his Texas roots. For there to be an ascent, there has to be a descent first. March 1, 2023 12:56 pm CT. College football writers are taking notice of the Longhorns loaded returning roster. Key stat to know: Baylors offensive line improvement from 2020 to 2021 was significant. Im truly excited to see what the defense will accomplish in He scored two offensive touchdowns (rushing and receiving) versus BYU. Kansas hasnt won more than three games in a season since 2009, Mark Manginos final season with the program. In comparison to Baylors six returning starters, BYU has a clear advantage in this department as they return a colossal 19 players from last years already stacked team. And with the talent on hand on defense some of the teams most talented defenders are working with the second and third teams so far this spring improvement on that end should come quickly. The Big 12 Conference lays claim to two of the top five small forwards in the country. Related: Early 2022 Big 12 QB Preview and Rankings 3. #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. WACO, Texas Baylor football head coach Dave Aranda announced the signings of 20 student-athletes to the class of 2022 on Wednesday. Brennan Armstrong entered the 2022 season as one of the most experienced quarterbacks in the ACC but had the lowest completion percentage of his career as a starter. The Bears O-line was the most improved unit in 2021, becoming a true strength as the Bears led the Big 12 in rushing and allowed the third-fewest sacks. 2022 Baylor Football Preview. 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. The challenge for Texas wont be physicality. True freshman Kyron Drones might be a factor in the fall camp battle for the open gig. 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. Get the fastest scores, stats, news, LIVE videos, and more. The Horns need Quinn Ewers to throw the ball capably within the construct of a run first offense. Lorando Johnson, S Lorando Johnson likely wont declare in the 2023 NFL Draft cycle, but his name is one to keep in the memory banks. 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. Though none of those classes have been in the top 25, it doesnt mean they wont yield quality results. Injuries certainly played a part, but the offseason attrition was also worrisome. The wild card at linebacker is LSU transfer Josh White, who just arrived on campus this month. The No. With those two moved on, fall camp has indicated the Richmond native as being the likely bell cow back starting in Week 1, and hes impressed many as of late. 14. On the line, starters at four positions return: left tackle Connor Galvin, center Jacob Gall, right guard Grant Miller and both right tackles, Khalil Keith and Gavin Byers. It takes trust and a sense of safety to put yourself out there to die and then to be born again.. I act like this. And will Iowa States reluctance to fully embrace the transfer portal mean that the Cyclones wont fill the holes they do have? Whoever wins the job should have plenty of talent to utilize, but will need the offensive line to come together. Theres still plenty of talent in H-Town, and the offense still has enough pieces to cause havoc (the young receiving corps could be particularly nasty). Will that be enough for the Cyclones to overcome the leagues lowest returning starter count? "We got married in Katy, Texas, about a mile from the high school stadium," he said. Hill is among a number of players who could have breakout seasons in 2023. His physical talent has always been there, but his improved maturity and preparation have readied him this season for the No. 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. The NFL Draft and NFL Draft Logo are copyright of the National Football League and in no way are owned by Ourlads Scouting Services LLC. If he can avoid making mistakes, the Cougars should be physical enough a trait BYU has shown in recent matchups with Big 12 teams to at least compete. The next group of schools Iowa State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, and TCU lost two starters. Related: College Football's Top Quarterbacks on the Rise for 2023 4. (We have) to come from a position of powerlessness, a sense of, Hey, were fighting for every edge. But Baylor also brings in 247Sports No. Remember, too: Texas regular season losses last year came by a total of 18 points. Bill Bender of Sporting News projectsthe Bears will face Oregon in the Alamo Bowl. 2 spot, Grimes said. 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. 247Sports writer Kevin Flaherty joined Athlon Sports in predicting Texas to finish first in the Big 12 conference. Joey McGuires first team will be fascinating to watch with an offense that returns four starters but also adds Zach Kittley, the architect of last years explosive Western Kentucky group. Diminutive Richard Reese (908 yards, 14 tds, 5.2 per carry) and Sqwirl Williams (530 yards, 4 tds, 5.8 per carry) are the speed component while 245 pound Qualan Jones (403 yards, 7 tds, 5.5 per carry) brings the pain. Iowa States Ashley Joens and Bad blood spilled over in a major way during the opening round of the SEC Womens Basketball Tournament between Florida and Kentucky About us: HCS is owned and operated by Pete Mundo. The Bears match up well in some spots to Texas, but theyre a five loss team for a reason. 2023 On3 Media, Inc. All rights reserved. He played pretty well against TCU, so maybe hes on the rebound. He creates openings for himself that maybe others dont. In the return game, Baylor lost Ebner, a third-round pick and the Big 12 special teams player of the year. And it wont get too much easier in the second half. Breakdown: Of course, Blake Shapen was going to make this list, but the Shreveport native should be well-known already. Aranda had to replace three departures from his on-field staff. 2021 stats: Started all 14 games at left tackle. On the plus side, Shapen will have a veteran offensive line led by defending Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year Connor Galvin and reinforced y Buffalow transfer Jacob Gall. Oklahoma State actually topped our Big 12 power rankings at one point, then by years end, the Cowboys might have legitimately been the Big 12s worst team. 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. The Cyclones starter count includes five on offense and three on defense, with the former group including a new starter at quarterback. Those expecting last year to be a one-off for Kansas arent looking at what Kansas brings back: the Jayhawks rank second nationally in returning production, including first offensively and 10th defensively. Bohanons passing numbers were solid in nonconference play (66.6 percent completion rate, 626 yards, four touchdowns and one interception in three games) but his yardage and completion rate dipped in Big 12 games. Big TE Ben Sims is a chain mover, but 20 of his 30 catches happened in the first four games of the season. There are tangible questions that need answers, too. The average sack allowed by the Baylor line in 2021 took 4.6 seconds from snap to sack, the second-longest average in the FBS. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Add in Oklahoma State ranking 101st in returning defensive production, and the Cowboys have some question marks. Sims is a staple of the Baylor offense and saw his production soar in 2021. Sixth-year senior Gavin Holmes has starting experience but has endured multiple injuries in his career. In a classic good news, bad news situation, Houston ranks 24th nationally in returning offensive production, but 119th in returning defensive production. Now hes the uncontested No. Qualan Jones, a fourth-year junior, hasnt seen many carries but is among the options. Texas checks in at No. Sophomore Tony Anyanwu, whom Roberts said was the starting jack before foot surgery forced him to miss the season, will be in the mix, as well as redshirt freshman Jackie Marshall. Baylor Bear Insider One of seven returning starters from a 31-20 Baylor team, sophomore infielder Tre Richardson didn't like that aching feeling last May when 2020-21 Season-Ending Roster (bold denotes returning for 2021-22): F Flo Thamba (6-foot-10), G LJ Cryer (6-1), G/F Jordan Turner (6-8), G Adam Flagler (6-3), G/F Mark Vital (6-5), G Jared Butler (6-3), G/F Jackson Moffatt (6-7), F Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua (6-8), G/F Matthew Mayer (6-9), G MaCio Teague (6-4), F Zach Loveday (7 Michael Haag, Baylor athletics blogger. ", 2021 stats: Four sacks (T-third most), six TFLs (T-sixth most), played 13 games with 12 starts. But at its core, the team is younger. Posted on January 10, 2022. Freshmen Reggie Bush and Tevin Williams III are also long, fast corner possibilities. Now the Jayhawks are bringing back a number of those players who took their lumps in a winless season. February 8, 2023 7:57 pm CT. ESPN announced its returning production rankings for the 2023 season on Tuesday. The Jayhawks may still be a year off; there a number of those projected starters still have more eligibility after this year. March 1, 2023 12:56 pm CT. College football writers are taking notice of the Longhorns loaded returning roster. Grimes also looks at fifth-year senior Mose Jeffery, sophomore Micah Mazzccua and redshirt freshman tackle Tate Williams as possible contributors. Hes watching closely, gauging whether the young players succeeding the departed stars will bring the same level of accountability. It finished fourth in the Big 12 in total D and tenth in the nation in scoring defense, but the it was really, really good at was taking the ball away. With Connor Galvin The best aspect of the Bear secondary is their ability to hone in on an offenses preferred routes and force turnovers with sucker coverages. (Kevin Jairaj / USA Today), Baylor linebacker Dillon Doyle finished second on the team in tackles with 90 and second with 8.5 tackles for loss. The Mountaineers will be leaning fairly heavily on the transfer portal after bringing back six offensive starters and three defensive starters from last years team. 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.
Five best college football futures bets to make, including our Syracuse Orange, who return 80% of their starters this season. Both are expected to contribute immediately. There will be more on the QBs shoulders this season with reading rushers Abram Smith and Trestan Ebner gone. Baylor (6-7 in 2022) (Photo: Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire, Getty) The biggest reason to propel the Bears down these rankings is that Baylor ranks 100th nationally in LSUs Josh White will try to bolster the linebacker corps, which does return middle linebacker Dillon Doyle. Almost a third of the league has less than 10 returning starters, and seven of the Big 12's teams have 12 or fewer. Finding another Terrel Bernard or Jalen Pitre on defense is a tall task. The Mountaineers looked like a better team with Garrett Greene at quarterback because of his toughness and ability to make big plays with his legs when he needed to. 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. Besides Alabama or Georgia, I dont know whos got a better front scheme-wise than Baylor.. Preseason prognosticators that looked at 14 returning starters and picked the Bears to win the league are being punished for not understanding that Baylor losing six players to the NFL Draft 4 of them in the first first 3 rounds isnt something that can be replaced. And while we dont think Cincinnati will be bad, the Bearcats rank last in the league in returning production, coming in at No. The stuff youre battling, especially if youre a young team, is, Im cool. Grimes said Sims has improved as a blocker and Drake Dabney as a receiver. The transfer portal will help the Sooners make up for some of the losses, and if Dillon Gabriel can join the five returning offensive starters and hit the ground running, the Sooners could take off. Seven months removed from winning the national championship, Baylor could be good enough to reach the final game again this season. Perhaps the fog has never fully lifted as he was particularly ineffective as the season progressed against Kansas, Oklahoma and Kansas State. The Wildcats return 14 starters from last seasons 8-5 team, with 10 being All-Conference players. Only two of Baylors 18 sacks allowed last season came within three seconds of the snap, the fewest in the country, per PFF. Breakdown: Returning for his fifth season, the 2021 Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year will yet again be a force to be reckoned with in the trenches. Hes joined by Matt Jones, who has been a massive drop off from the cat quick NFL draftee Terrel Bernard. The 2022 class, which includes 21 signees, finished 36th. With belief no longer an obstacle, Aranda fights different beasts: the teams attitude and maturity. He will put the ball in peril and he isnt shy about taking deep shots, even on 3rd and forever. Devin Leary returns at quarterback and so does plenty of impactful players on defense. Texas safeties and linebackers cant get caught up in trash and must fit the cutback lanes. Returning starters (5): DT Cole Maxwell, NT Siaki Ika, WLB Matt Jones, MLB Dillon Doyle, S Christian Morgan. Only one league team brings back more than 14 starters, meaning that there's something of a hole at the top of the conference from where it has been in previous years. LT Connor Galvin, RG Grant Miller, RT Kahlil Keith, and C Jacob Gall are all seniors who were eligible to return for another season in 2022. Breakdown: Apu, one of Halls companions, is one of the best nose guards in the country. 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. 2021 stats: 62-86 passes for 596 yards and five TDs (six games, two starts). Younger possibilities include true freshman safety Alfonzo Allen. Somebody has to be last. This makes the Bears The travel schedule is brutal for Baylor with trips to BYU, Iowa State, Oklahoma and Texas on tap. [Get a FREE 7-day trial of Inside Texas Plus!]. A Big 12 championship game record 17-straight completions is one way to get into the spotlight, but thats just what Shapen did. Thats the bad. Anticipate Gall to be another invaluable piece to a stellar offensive line group. They were turnover magnets and sure tacklers that were instrumental in the Bears getting off of the field on 3rd downs. Morgan, the one returning starter in the group, will be deployed either at safety or star, depending on need. Breakdown: McWilliams time on the turf was limited, as he played behind two NFL running backs in Trestan Ebner and Abram Smith. Jun 16, 2022 7:08 PM EDT The Baylor Bears offense had some serious turnover this spring, with quarterback Gerry Bohanon hitting the NCAA Transfer Portal in Their star defensive ends will need to be replaced, but their five returning starters make the Wolverines worthy of a high ranking in the 2022 college football preseason top 25. Returning that kind of experience should give Baylor the best offensive line in the Big 12, and possibly the country, in 2022. With Tyquan Thornton gone via the draft and R.J. Sneed having transferred (Colorado), the Bears are young at wide receiver. In that regard, the Big 12 is a league in transition. However, this years group will have some major absences to contend with, including Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Jalen Pitre and All-Big-12 first-team linebacker selection Terrel Bernard. 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