And they found some young pieces along the way, adding a few pretty good transfers as well. 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). Hill is among a number of players who could have breakout seasons in 2023. If the offense can make the most of a strong group of running backs led by Richard Reese and an athletic crop of wide receivers, Baylor should be pretty good the defense has a chance to improve from where it was a year ago. Im perfect. I dont say it in an ugly way, I say it as thats probably where it is right now. His physical talent has always been there, but his improved maturity and preparation have readied him this season for the No. 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. Big TE Ben Sims is a chain mover, but 20 of his 30 catches happened in the first four games of the season. I always win. If that offense can jell and the defense can take a step forward, the Red Raiders could surprise. But if he comes in and truly finds his footing, the Cougars could be too low here. 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. Fleeks has all the ability in the world, and Baldwin is a dynamic player with really good speed. Other receivers could get looks at returner. 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. 6 overall recruiting class, ranking in the top 10 both in incoming high school and junior college talent (fourth) and in 247Sports transfer class rankings (eighth). Its safe to expect him to continue performing at a high level as a blocker and as a lethal receiving threat for Shapen. 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. And that would typically seem to indicate some regression. Here's a look at each Big 12 team's returning starters for the 2022 season. No one is going to underestimate the Bears this time around and that could mean dropping unexpected games en route to a 7-5 record. The 2019 class, which ranked 35th, has nine of the 24 signees still with the team, but the retention rates in 2020 (17 of the 18 signees are still with Baylor) and 2021 (16 of 17) are superb. The Bears badly miss Jalen Pitre and JT Woods. Will the unproven receivers step up? Somebody has to be last. The Horned Frogs suffered a surprising collapse last year, particularly defensively, that ushered in changes at the highest levels. The Longhorns could go as far as the quarterback position will take them this year, whether thats Hudson Card, who started two games last year, or Quinn Ewers, the former top-ranked overall prospect in the 2021 247Sports Composite. True freshman Kyron Drones might be a factor in the fall camp battle for the open gig. There are tangible questions that need answers, too. 2021 stats: 183 rushing yards (fourth on team), two rushing TDs (T-third on team). Sneed (Colorado) entered after the 2021 season and Bohanon (USF) and Landry (Missouri) departed after spring football ended. Will Howard, Kansas State An injury to Adrian Martinez in mid-October opened the door for The Bears average recruiting ranking from 2019-22, per the 247Sports Composite Rating, is 40.25. Finding another Terrel Bernard or Jalen Pitre on defense is a tall task. Baylor will contend for the Big 12 again this year. Ben Sims is the teams returning leader in receptions (31), receiving yards (361) and touchdown catches (six). Grimes said Sims has improved as a blocker and Drake Dabney as a receiver. 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 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. 2021 stats: Started all 14 games at left tackle. ", 2021 stats: Four sacks (T-third most), six TFLs (T-sixth most), played 13 games with 12 starts. Hes an athletic and ridiculously strong 0-tech NT thats very light on his feet for his size. Cornerback Al Walcott and safety Christian Morgan, both returning starters, will also see time at star, Roberts said. Baylor has to settle its quarterback situation, and Grimes doesnt have a Zach Wilson to work with. SHARE If BYU football players, coaches were stocks, who would you buy? 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. Another transfer, Gall made his way from Buffalo to a key role on Baylors excellent offensive line in 2021. Remember, too: Texas regular season losses last year came by a total of 18 points. Web2022 Football Roster - Baylor University Athletics Baylor University Athletics Scoreboard Football UAlbany Sep 3 6 PM ESPN + Football vs UAlbany September 3, 2022 6 PM 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. Breaking down the five best futures bets, picks, and predictions for the 2022 season. Even with Bijan Robinson moving on, Texas still ranks third nationally in returning offensive production, and with Texas bringing in the No. After a 12-2 season, a Big 12 championship and a Sugar Bowl win which could rank as the best season in school history there really arent those questions being asked now, he said. 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. Much like Morgan, he is stepping into an expanded role. Baylor football is riding high after the program attained its first 12-win season, highlighted by a Big 12 Championship and Sugar Bowl win. 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 The 6-5 Baylor Bears represent one of the most physical teams that Texas has seen this season, but meeting the other teams physicality hasnt been a problem for the Longhorns. Here are our predictions for the Big 12's order of finish in 2023. The Bears have six players on preseason watch lists for national awards. The Wolfpack will be competing in the ACC during the 2022 season. The Bears have a three-headed running back group comprised of two scatbacks and one power runner. Defensively, adding Player and having the entire two-deep back up front is viewed as a strength. During a 12-0 regular season, the Horned Frogs went a perfect 5-0 in one-score games, meaning TCU wasnt far from a vastly different season. (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. "I thought football had to be part of it, somehow." Breakdown: Of course, Blake Shapen was going to make this list, but the Shreveport native should be well-known already. In a classic good news, bad news situation, Houston ranks 24th nationally in returning offensive production, but 119th in returning defensive production. Editors note:This ispart of a seriespreviewing Power 5 and top Group of 5 teams for the 2022 college football season. Devin Neal, who played 13 games last year, is also in the hunt. Zeno (transferred to UAB) and Brown both entered the portal last September. 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. Josh Fleeks moved this offseason from receiver to running back. 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. 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. Five different pass catchers have been 21-30 receptions and they dont have a true #1. 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. With Connor Galvin

This 67 edge JACK Garmon Randolph leads them in sacks with 4.5 on the season. Power is in contention to be named the top punter in college football after averaging 45 yards per punt in 2021. Doyle and Jones are plenty physical, but Jones can miss assignments and both can be exploited in space by Bijan or Keilan. 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. Texas has to press their advantages here and not concede confidence building throws to Shapen. At least the defense will be anchored by Siaki Ika and a defensive line that should be just as stout as last year, especially with the addition of Jaxon Player from Tulsa. I see glimpses of speed from him where I feel like he can outrun guys, but hes also not afraid to put his shoulder down#SicEm, 2021 stats: 31 receptions (third on team), 361 receiving yards (fourth on team), six receiving TDs (second on team), recorded one rushing TD. UFC 278: Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards fight card, start time, channel guide, Mets: Buck Showalter pours cold water on potential call-ups, Oregon football 2022 season prediction, preview, awards, 2022 bowl game, Jake Paul Is Hilariously Bad at Taking Batting Practice, Sorry Calipari, Paul Finebaum has spoken: Kentucky is a football school, Oklahoma football 2022 season prediction, preview, awards, 2022 bowl game, Nebraska WR Decoldest Crawford debuts in coolest HVAC ad possible. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. All three specialists return: punter Issac Power, place kicker Isaiah Hankins and kickoff specialist Noah Rauschenberg. 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. The Red Raiders rank 31st in returning offensive production but could also stand to get a full season from Tyler Shough, which would likely lead to improvement on that end. But perhaps the single biggest reason to believe in Oklahoma: (Photo: Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire, Getty), (Photo: Jay Biggerstaff, USA TODAY Sports), (Photo: James Guillory, USA TODAY Sports), according to ESPNs Bill Connellys measurements, When we looked at how teams fared in one-score games. UW, of course, finished an 11-2 season with a No. With Tyquan Thornton gone via the draft and R.J. Sneed having transferred (Colorado), the Bears are young at wide receiver. The burst, football mind, physicality and speed that he has is gonna separate him, Aranda said. March 1, 2023 12:56 pm CT. College football writers are taking notice of the Longhorns loaded returning roster. Over their last 7 games, the Bears have given up 13 turnovers. There are also five transfers combined from those two cycles still around. Without certainty at running back or in the back seven of the defense, its fair to expect the Bears to take a slight step back. 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. It sets the tone for everything.. Now the Jayhawks are bringing back a number of those players who took their lumps in a winless season. Miller returns after a solid year, Byers could play guard or tackle and Jeffery and Mazzccua will also compete for those spots. Although not getting the glitz and glamour, the Bears can feel great knowing Apu is lining up opposite of the center this season. Pass protection improved immensely, too. pic.twitter.com/zg3fJXYoU9, 2021 stats (Tulsa): 14.0 TFLs (led team, second in AAC), four sacks (second on team), one forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He and his wife, Karina, got married last January and have a 4-month-old daughter, Zoe. With the Wildcats tied for the fourth-highest number of returning starters, and some of the players that Kansas State has back, are the Wildcats in position to become a dark horse Big 12 candidate in a year where there are few true frontrunners? The 6-7, 265-pound junior should build on his 2021, which included 29 tackles and three sacks in 11 games. Texas and Oklahoma are both in the middle of their respective builds: Steve Sarkisian heading into year three, Brent Venables in year two. March 1, 2023 12:56 pm CT. College football writers are taking notice of the Longhorns loaded returning roster. Dykes inherits six offensive starters and seven defensive starters, and theres plenty of room for growth on both sides. Ive watched them go through stretches where theyre utterly dominated by aggressive corner and nickel play. Will that lead to more wins? Hes a great athlete, good blocker, and can get involved in the vertical pass game. The travel schedule is brutal for Baylor with trips to BYU, Iowa State, Oklahoma and Texas on tap. Likely this will be another year like last year: West Virginia has the talent to sneak up and bite somebody, but might not have the consistent week-in, week-out results. The Bears won the league last year, return their starting quarterback from a season ago in Gerry Bohanon and top all other projected contenders and rank second in the Big 12 in returning starters. One of the most important factors in a team's success in college football is its returning experience. WACO, Texas Baylor football head coach Dave Aranda announced the signings of 20 student-athletes to the class of 2022 on Wednesday. Gavin Byers, a sophomore who started the first eight games of the year at right tackle, also returns in 2022 and will provide depth for an already deep unit. The strength of the offense lies up front. Wake Forest Demon Deacons Sam Hartman is likely back for Wake Forest, which makes a The Buffs have just five returning starters on defense, and their offensive line still isnt ready to compete with the top programs in the Pac-12, let alone the entire country. Ika is a monster inside who will pose a handful for Majors and big defensive end TJ Franklin (6-5, 285) is a negligible pass rusher who is one of the best run stoppers in the league. Web2021-22 Baylor Bears Men's Roster and Stats Previous Season Next Season Record: 27-7 (14-4, 1st in Big 12 MBB ) Rank: 4th in the Final AP Poll Coach: Scott Drew More School Info Big 12 Reg Season Champ Baylor (Men's) School History Roster & Stats Polls, Schedule & Results Game Log Starters On this page: Roster Per Game Team and Opponent Stats He joins an elite group of established, veteran O-lineman that are hoping to pound the rock en route to another successful season. Though none of those classes have been in the top 25, it doesnt mean they wont yield quality results. That includes competition for incumbent quarterback Blake Shapen and likely plug-and-play starters on the offensive line for the Bears. All aboard the Aranda train. The top three tight ends on the 2021 depth chart return. Breakdown: Another grizzled veteran, Morgan is stepping into a bigger role after playing alongside former Bear and current Los Angeles Charger JT Woods. . Theres talent on hand, particularly at quarterback where the Mountaineers added USC and Georgia transfer JT Daniels, giving West Virginia its most talented signal-caller in years. Doyle was second on the Bears defense with 90 tackles, adding 8.5 tackles for loss. 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. Posted on January 10, 2022. Breakdown: Gall is as dependable as they come. The biggest reason to propel the Bears down these rankings is that Baylor ranks 100th nationally in returning production, third-to-last in the Big 12. Will the rushing attack be as reliable as it was a year ago? And will Iowa States reluctance to fully embrace the transfer portal mean that the Cyclones wont fill the holes they do have? The offense will have to start over at quarterback Texas Tech transfer Donovan Smith could be the pick there and must replace Tunes favorite target in Tank Dell. 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. And while we dont think Cincinnati will be bad, the Bearcats rank last in the league in returning production, coming in at No. 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. Related: Early 2022 Big 12 QB Preview and Rankings 3. "We got married in Katy, Texas, about a mile from the high school stadium," he said. He was an All-Big-12 honorable mention in 2021 and will look to prove he deserved more than that with a big 2022. Baylor is the 45th ranked defense by FEI advanced statistics and while they allow only a reasonable 5.3 yards per play, offenses that are able to solve their disguised coverages and avoid turnovers will move the ball. Aranda likes how Blake Shapen is developing leadership skills: "The thing Im most proud of is his leadership and the art of when to say something and how to say it and being authentic with everything youve got. How the star shakes out will impact the rest of the secondary. 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. Sling it, Shape >> @BShapen @kelseyjohnsonjr #SicEm | #PersonOverPlayer pic.twitter.com/ItRAKelqx2. Matt Jones, who played all 14 games and was fifth on the team in tackles, will begin the year as Bernards successor at weakside linebacker. 70 nationally), the players that the Cougars replace departures with are often older and more physically ready to step in than the traditional redshirt freshman or sophomore. 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. On defense, the second coach sees Baylors defensive line as the deepest in the Big 12. The Bears rotated anywhere from six to eight linemen per game last season, and the returning talent gives defensive coordinator Ron Roberts a chance to do that again, with potentially an even higher level of play. Some of those bounces are likely to go the Sooners way this season, which could mean improvement in the win column just by being less unlucky. Whoever wins the quarterback job out of Tyler Shough and Donovan Smith has both starting experience and a high ceiling. On the other side of the ball, West Virginia will need some of the younger players it has landed in recent classes to pan out sooner rather than later. A Big 12 championship game record 17-straight completions is one way to get into the spotlight, but thats just what Shapen did. Your favorite teams, topics, and players all on your favorite mobile devices. Unlike last year, they dont take care of the ball all that well. But expecting TCU to reach the Big 12 title game again might be too much. The 2022 Georgia Bulldogs will be replacing a lot of experience on both sides of the ball especially on defense. Michael Haag is a Journalism student at Baylor University in Waco, TX. 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. before going out with a concussion. 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. If Johnson is at star, then Walcott will play corner and vice versa. 19 in the nation, good for second in the Big 12 Conference. Aranda stressed the need for reps among the candidates to get comfortable. Offensively, the coach praised the scheme and the job offensive line coach Eric Mateos does. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. (Photo: Kansas State Athletics Media Relations). 2022 College Football Returning Production Rankings Team Ret. Former Baylor standout linebacker and Sugar Bowl MVP Terrel Bernard is a Buffalo Bill, leaving Doyle to pick up the slack. Bohanon averaged only 157.9 passing yards per game and his completion percentage dipped to 61.5 percent in conference play. A number of transfers doesnt hurt either. Texas checks in at No. So some regression to the mean could occur. Their preferred front lines up Baylor size and power on the specific Longhorn OL whove dealt with that least well and its important that the Longhorns have some run game wrinkles that allow advantageous blocking angles inside and create some conflict in Baylors clean up crew. The buildup to the 2021 season was full of change. The 2021 Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year eats up two-to-three blocks and plugs up running lanes, giving the rest of the Baylor defense lots of flexibility and reduced stress. It might be way too early for college football predictions, but before the rest of the country hits the field for spring ball, here are our early predictions for Power-5 conference champions in 2023. The Jayhawks may still be a year off; there a number of those projected starters still have more eligibility after this year. With belief no longer an obstacle, Aranda fights different beasts: the teams attitude and maturity. 2 spot, Grimes said. Aranda called Player a twitchy and instinctive playmaker who creates havoc. The Bears match up well in some spots to Texas, but theyre a five loss team for a reason. Hes a graduate of BGSU and works as an auditor for Google content curation products. Now its just about getting experience on the field so theyre comfortable.. They combined for 2,400 yards and 14 touchdowns, so replacing them will be no easy feat. Each of the new schools comes in at a different place, and the 2022 Big 12 title game participants, TCU and Kansas State, both had major losses on at least one side of the ball. Can Iowa State replace Xavier Hutchinson, who seemed like the offenses only option at times last year? That was a full yard improvement over 2020, which was seventh in the Big 12 and 62nd nationally. #Baylor DT Siaki Ika (6-4, 354, SR) LSU transfer. The sample sizes are small, but also very promising for Morris. Starters Gabe Hall, Siaki Ika and Cole Maxwell and rotational linemen TJ Franklin, Chidi Ogbonnaya and Brayden Utley return. Returning Starters on Offense: 6 Offensive Coordinator Collin Klein, who was promoted to the position after a remarkable offensive output as the Wildcats Baylor took a bold step by not only reopening the quarterback competition after its historic season, but opting for its 2021 backup, Blake Shapen, over starter Gerry Bohanon. There was a point in spring where you say, Hes one of the top guys on our team, just based on production, Aranda said. One opposing coach sees the Bears as a force in the Big 12 again. Another year in Venables defensive system couldnt hurt either, as Oklahoma struggled at times to be assignment sound on that side of the ball. Its rare to see a combination of strength, speed and agility for someone with Halls frame. Key stat to know: Baylors stout defense forced the second-most third downs (200) in the Big 12 and 11th most in the Power 5 last season, a result of good early down defense. Baylor has been one of the least active teams in the transfer portal nationally. At middle linebacker, returning starter Dillon Doyle second on the team with 90 tackles in 2021 should be even better. Only two of Baylors 18 sacks allowed last season came within three seconds of the snap, the fewest in the country, per PFF. Its worth noting that while Baylor started the year rock-ribbed against the run with their massive interior Tite front, theyve surrendered 179 yards per game rushing over their last three games. Powledge, a Huntsville, Texas, native who played fullback at Sam Houston, is also back in his Texas roots. The Bears will ride the hot hand the 175 pound Reese has two games where he had 30+ carries, the 170 pound Sqwirl has a 25 carry game and theyre not going to worry about work load in a season finale. The Bears do lose starting left guard Xavier Newman-Johnson, who had 36 career starts and earned Pro Football Network First-Team All-American Honors in 2021. A lot of Longhorn offensive success will rest on Sarks ability to scheme up run game solutions on a short week. He covered the 2022 Allstate Sugar Bowl and multiple Texas Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremonies in Waco. Six four-star prospects and 14 three-star recruits headline BU's 26th-ranked class, according After losing eight players to the NFL over the summer, Baylor football will be forced to replace some big-time athletes from a 2021 Big In the past four years, Baylor has more or less recruited at a top-40 level nationally. Previously, he spent eight years covering college sports at ESPN.com and seven years as a sports reporter at the Houston Chronicle. There will be more on the QBs shoulders this season with reading rushers Abram Smith and Trestan Ebner gone. Itll be giving up a soft edge (pretty unlikely) or second level defenders overrunning or being paralyzed by backfield candy (more likely) allowing Baylor runners a crease in the alley. Bill Bender of Sporting News projectsthe Bears will face Oregon in the Alamo Bowl. Yes, we know. The Cougars are the top-ranked newcomer here, though whether that plays out will likely depend on whether Kedon Slovis can re-find some of the magic he showed a few years back at USC. Collins joined the Baylor staff in 2020 and spent three seasons with Aranda at LSU. There are certainly unknowns. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. But Oklahoma would tell you that some of the departures arent the worst thing in the world, and Brent Venables upset the apple cart a bit in the offseason by going guns blazing into the transfer portal. The stuff youre battling, especially if youre a young team, is, Im cool. Baylors offensive line was one of thirteen finalists for the Joe Moore Award, presented annually to the nations top offensive line in college football. If he can win the job and take advantage of both of those returning offensive starters and some potential transfer upgrades, things may be all right. He knows a thing or two because hes seen a thing or two over the course of his collegiate career. 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 Freshmen Reggie Bush and Tevin Williams III are also long, fast corner possibilities. Jones missed spring with a foot injury, allowing Will Williams to get the first-team reps at weakside linebacker, and Roberts was encouraged by his development.

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