After a win over #8 Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl to ring in the New Year, Coach Dave Aranada and his Baylor Bears were on top of the world. They finished the 2021-2022 season as Big 12 champions, Sugar Bowl Champions, a 12-2 record, and #5 in the final AP Top 25 rankings. A dream season for a team that was projected to maybe make a bowl if they got lucky.
To call their 2022 season a step back would be quite the understatement. Finishing 6-7, allowing over 30 points per game in conference play, and losing their last four games, one of those being a one point loss to their bitter rival, TCU and another to Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl…in TCU’s home stadium. Just a brutal season that most accurately can be translated in a golf term known as the PBFU (Post Birdie F*ck up).
Defense: The fans in Waco, and Coach Aranada’s crew hope to turn the clock back to 2021 this season. Aranada brought in a new face, Matt Powledge, as defensive coordinator to help the cause. Powledge is a familiar face to the Baylor faithful, as he was a part of the magic in 2021, helping run the defense and special teams that was an integral part of the team's success. Now, the defense only returns five starters, but that could be a good thing given last year's performance. This defense will be filled with young talent but headed by seniors, Gabe Hall and TJ Franklin, who will be lined up on both ends of the line of scrimmage. I trust coach Powledge and his ability to improve this defense. He is following a very ugly performance in 2022 by Ron Roberts, so he will look like the golden child regardless.
Offense: This offense will be fun to watch. Blake Shapen will be starting the year under center, but it sounds like he will be on a short leash as Sawyer Robinson, a talented transfer from Mississippi State, will be lurking like a thief in the night waiting for Sharpen to make a mistake and for an opportunity to arise. The good news is, they are both extremely talented and good options. Shapen has the experience though, leading the Bears to their Big-12 Championship victory as a true freshman. He didn’t have the season he hoped to have last year, throwing for 18 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, but neither did anyone on the field or on the sidelines for the Bears. The running game regressed, the defense was atrocious, and there were multiple coaching changes made at the end of the year.
With an improved running game, an experienced wideout group, and a proven defensive coordinator, I believe this Bears team will improve from last year…maybe not to the 2021 level though
Prediction: 7-5. The Big 12 is tough. I think we see improvement on both sides of the ball, but not to the extent Baylor fans probably want.
Comments