Five Keys to Saturday's Game
9/2/2022 1:50:00 PM | Football
Bears Need to Identify the New Playmakers
FIVE KEYS: #10 BAYLOR vs. UALBANY
- WHO ARE WE?: Coming off an historic 12-2 season, Sugar Bowl victory and Big 12 championship, what is the identity of this Baylor football team? Typically, the identity is determined through the course of a long season, but the Bears need to at least start establishing their identity against an FCS UAlbany team. "There's a jazz musician who said, 'Jazz is simple, but simple ain't easy,''' said third-year Baylor head coach Dave Aranda. "It would be great to be good at the 'simple ain't easy' part. I think there's a fair amount of teams that maybe struggle with that part. For us to really make an impact in that area would be ideal."
- IDENTIFY THE PLAYMAKERS: Gone are Abram Smith, Trestan Ebner, Tyquan Thornton and R.J. Sneed on offense and Terrel Bernard, Jalen Pitre and JT Woods on defense. Taye McWilliams, who's had all of 30 carries in his first two seasons at Baylor, steps into big shoes at the running back position. But, he had a 100-yard game last season against Texas Southern and gives the offense a nice combination of Smith and Ebner. Sixth-year senior center Jacob Gall says Taye's "ability to kind of do anything is really what makes him so special." At receiver, the projected starters are Hal Presley, Monaray Baldwin and Seth Jones, but you'll also get a look at Armani Winfield, Josh Cameron and Javon Gipson and the return of sixth-year senior Gavin Holmes.
- TAKE THE REINS: Unlike last year, when Gerry Bohanon was a first-time starter with limited reps under his belt, Blake Shapen has been in the QB1 saddle for two starts and was even named the Most Outstanding Player in the Big 12 Championship game victory over Oklahoma State. But, he's not just a fill-in now, he's the offense's leader. "I'm not the backup quarterback anymore, so I've got to take full control of everything that's going on on the field," said Shapen, who threw for 596 yards and five touchdowns last season. "I think I learned a lot of things being the backup. Stepping into a leadership role is key for me right now."
- DOMINATE UP FRONT: Not sure if there's anything more comforting to a football coach than having veteran and talented offensive and defensive lines. Dave Aranda added Tulsa transfer Jaxon Player to a defensive line that returns its entire two-deep, anchored by Siaki Ika. And then on the offensive side, Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year Connor Galvin has made 37 starts at left tackle and is joined by sixth-year seniors Gall and Grant Miller. Particularly against an outmanned UAlbany team, the Bears need to dominate up front, shutting down the Great Danes' rushing attack and giving Shapen the protection and time he needs.
- LIMIT THE MISTAKES: It's inevitable. No matter how much you prepare, first games are always fraught with mistakes and things you have to correct. Look back a year ago, and the Bears had 11 penalties for 99 yards in a sloppy 29-20 road win over Texas State and turned it over on their first series of the game. "I think we can define suffering as anytime that you're not in control," Aranda said. "What's great about football is that a fair amount of us will not be in control of outcomes, of this call or that result. How we handle that will have a lot to do with where our competitive maturity is. Obviously, a lot to be desired from our first game a year ago."
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