It wont be a big one, but itll be enough for the Cowboys to close the gap. 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. I dont say it in an ugly way, I say it as thats probably where it is right now. Athletes in Action announced its winner for the coveted Coach Wooden Keys to Life Award, and its a Big 12 coach. In the return game, Baylor lost Ebner, a third-round pick and the Big 12 special teams player of the year. 7:00 AM on Aug 19, 2022 CDT. 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. Everything theyre doing, I feel good about it, Roberts said. Hes the smallest guy out there but maybe the toughest guy, Grimes said. The good news? We looked at not just the numbers for each team, but breakdowns on each side of the ball and whether teams return starters at the most important positions on the football field as well. 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 12 championship squad. Texas has a real opportunity to hold down this unit if theyre assignment sound and the corner opposite Ryan Watts comes to play. Previously, he spent eight years covering college sports at ESPN.com and seven years as a sports reporter at the Houston Chronicle. Baylor football defensive tackle Siaki Ika and linebacker Dillon Doyle. Whoever wins the job should have plenty of talent to utilize, but will need the offensive line to come together. Doyle and Jones are plenty physical, but Jones can miss assignments and both can be exploited in space by Bijan or Keilan. They combined for 2,400 yards and 14 touchdowns, so replacing them will be no easy feat. The Bears have been a strong Big 12 road team, compiling a 3-1 record, and their play style and experience tends to travel well. 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). When the Bear running game hits it rhythm, its a lot of fun to watch and loading up the box can actually make things worse for the run defense. 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. 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. 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. The Bears badly miss Jalen Pitre and JT Woods. 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. Follow Sam on Twitter @skhanjr, Baylor quarterback Blake Shapen set an AT&T Stadium collegiate record with 17 straight completions en route to going 23-of-28 for 180 yards and a career-best three touchdowns against Oklahoma State in the Big 12 title game. And will Iowa States reluctance to fully embrace the transfer portal mean that the Cyclones wont fill the holes they do have? The Bears have a three-headed running back group comprised of two scatbacks and one power runner. If Shapen gets hurt this year, theyre (in trouble).. They were turnover magnets and sure tacklers that were instrumental in the Bears getting off of the field on 3rd downs. While talent and certainly coaching are major indicators, perhaps nothing is quite as important as having good players who have already seen the field. He and his wife, Karina, got married last January and have a 4-month-old daughter, Zoe. 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. Nobody has really stepped forward yet and said, Im the guy, and this is my job,' Grimes said. That includes competition for incumbent quarterback Blake Shapen and likely plug-and-play starters on the offensive line for the Bears. You can learn more about Pete by visiting his personal website: PeteMundo.com. Offensively, John Rhys Plumlee headlines a group that ranks 78th in returning offensive production, but may be more ready to hit the ground running with a strong group of wide receivers and Plumlees ability to impact games with his legs as well. 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 Bears are returning a total of 13 starters from last season, but they lost nearly all of their offensive production from 2021 and almost all of their starting secondary. (Top photo of Dave Aranda: Stephen Lew / USA Today). There was a point in spring where you say, Hes one of the top guys on our team, just based on production, Aranda said. 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. A year ago, Grimes found his running back by moving linebacker Abram Smith, a former running back recruit, back to the position. (Kevin Jairaj / USA Today), He looked inward, forcing himself to evolve, Aranda signed a contract extension in February, but opting for its 2021 backup, Blake Shapen, over starter Gerry Bohanon. 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 was hard, but necessary. 124 nationally: 121st on offense and 107th on defense, are stepping up in conference AND are doing so while replacing head coach Luke Fickell, who went who went 53-10 over the last five years. 2021 stats: Started all 14 games at left tackle. Josh Fleeks moved this offseason from receiver to running back. Grimes said Sims has improved as a blocker and Drake Dabney as a receiver. A big physical front headlined by plus size nose tackle Siaki Ika isnt designed to compile stats, but to dominate the interior line of scrimmage and force runners to either collide into an interior wall or bounce wide on a rounded angle that allows easy clean up. Breakdown: Apu, one of Halls companions, is one of the best nose guards in the country. #Baylor DT Siaki Ika (6-4, 354, SR) LSU transfer. Things could take a turn for the worst early if the defense isnt quite up to their 2021 form in the first half of the season. The good is that Brent Venables may be just the coach to deal with that kind of roster turnover and has already drawn rave reviews for the way hes circled the wagons and begun building culture. All three specialists return: punter Issac Power, place kicker Isaiah Hankins and kickoff specialist Noah Rauschenberg. Here are our predictions for the Big 12's order of finish in 2023. The nucleus of the 2021 team is largely gone, with six players chosen in the NFL Draft. The arrival of four-star freshman Armani Winfield could be right on time. The biggest piece were moving through right now is probably just immaturity, Aranda told The Athletic. 247Sports writer Kevin Flaherty joined Athlon Sports 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. Remember, too: Texas regular season losses last year came by a total of 18 points. Find more Baylor coverage from The Dallas Morning News here. CLICK HERE to download the CBS Sports Mobile App and get the latest on your team today. With Tyquan Thornton gone via the draft and R.J. Sneed having transferred (Colorado), the Bears are young at wide receiver. 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. The Cyclones were one of the nations most experienced teams last year the reason for Iowa States lofty preseason expectations and now need to start over in a major way after a number of those players moved on. Despite the change, theres a sense of stability. This year it could be the playoff by avoiding another loss like that pesky one against TCU. The Cowboys came within inches of the Big 12 championship last year, and are tied with two other schools with 12 returning starters. Hes a guy that opened up his heart to the team and led his team in a real prideful, courageous way, Aranda said of Bohanon. BYU wide receiver Keanu Hill makes a touchdown catch against Utah Tech at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022. Its one thing to go from being a weakness to a strength, Grimes said. The No. Powledge, a Huntsville, Texas, native who played fullback at Sam Houston, is also back in his Texas roots. March 1, 2023 12:56 pm CT. College football writers are taking notice of the Longhorns loaded returning roster. Now hes the uncontested No. 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 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. Aranda recruited the 2020 four-star prospect while with the Tigers but left for Baylor before getting a chance to coach him. Seth Jones, another sophomore, is up to nearly 200 pounds after being recruited at 180. The Wolfpack will be competing in the ACC during the 2022 season. Baylor will contend for the Big 12 again this year. 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. They work really well together and dont necessarily need to physically dominate at the point of attack to make their outside zone system hum. With Connor Galvin But the defense let Houston down in a major way at times, including allowing 48 points to now-Big 12 foe Kansas, and will need to become more consistent in 2023. Returning Starters on Offense: 6 Offensive Coordinator Collin Klein, who was promoted to the position after a remarkable offensive output as the Wildcats They can probably look at the 20-13 Norristown loss where the Eagles made a goal line stand and a few kneel-downs to pull off the upset as a turning point, You just dont typically see that kind of shift within a season. Making the field bigger is preferable to playing in a phone booth. Zeno (transferred to UAB) and Brown both entered the portal last September. 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. Another key defensive position to fill is the star, Baylors hybrid nickelback/outside linebacker role, previously occupied by 2021 Big 12 defensive player of the year and second-round pick Pitre. I do stuff that I win, and I dont even make it look like Im trying that hard. Those are all things that have to die. 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. Cumulus and the Big 12 are not affiliated with this website. 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. And while Nebraska quarterback transfer Adrian Martinez couldnt give it a go in the spring, hes certainly an experienced option and would seem to be the frontrunner to take over for the graduated Skylar Thompson at quarterback. 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. 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. 240 pound interior linebacker Dillon Doyle leads them in tackles and is also solid dropping into zone coverages (2 interceptions). 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. 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. Breakdown: Of course, Blake Shapen was going to make this list, but the Shreveport native should be well-known already. 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 In the history of the Big 12, 2023 will always stand as an outlier.
Five best college football futures bets to make, including our Syracuse Orange, who return 80% of their starters this season. There may be inexperience at those key offensive spots, but sufficient talent exists. There are tangible questions that need answers, too. How the star shakes out will impact the rest of the secondary. The Bears average recruiting ranking from 2019-22, per the 247Sports Composite Rating, is 40.25. He covered the 2022 Allstate Sugar Bowl and multiple Texas Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremonies in Waco. Can Iowa State replace Xavier Hutchinson, who seemed like the offenses only option at times last year? Another opposing coach agrees that Baylors offensive and defensive lines will be the strength and expects the Bears to be a contender to return to the Big 12 championship game. Point, blank period. A year ago, Dave Aranda sensed his team still having doubts. before going out with a concussion. 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. Hes a graduate of BGSU and works as an auditor for Google content curation products. With belief no longer an obstacle, Aranda fights different beasts: the teams attitude and maturity. Sam Khan Jr. is a senior writer for The Athletic covering college football and recruiting primarily in Texas. 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. Safety Christian Morgan is an experienced starter (leads them in INTs with 3) and physical SPARQ freak and smallish safety Devin Lemear has traits, but hes too inexperienced. Taye McWilliams is the leading returning rusher but had only 17 carries in 10 games last year. Expect more transfer help at running back (UNLVs Aidan Robbins) and on both lines. Shapen can be very sharp in the play action game, but he tends to fixate on his first read and defenses that deny him quick decisions can turn him over and get to him in the pocket. Qualan Jones, a fourth-year junior, hasnt seen many carries but is among the options. 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 Can a transfer class that brings in a few potential impact players turn the tide? Josh Cameron, a former walk-on who was awarded a scholarship, gives the group some size (6-2, 210 pounds). STAR Al Walcott is of the Big Nickel variety (6-2, 220) and he can be exploited if Texas can hunt formations to put him 1 on 1 in the slot. This is a let it hang out game and Sark and PK should expect Dave Aranda to go for it on 4th down until Texas punishes them for it. Powledge, a Huntsville, Texas, native who played fullback at Sam Houston, is also back in his Texas roots. 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. Much of the fault is on Baylors second and third level defenders not hitting their run fits when runners spill wide. 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. The 2021 season was no fluke. Roberts is leaning toward Walcott at star and Johnson at corner. 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. 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. 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