Three Takeaways: November 6

Baylor Bear Insider Jerry Hill gives his three takeaways from Monday's weekly press conference with head coach Dave Aranda talking about the Bears' 25-24 loss to Houston and Saturday's matchup between Baylor (3-6, 2-4) and defending Big 12 champion Kansas State (6-3, 4-2), which kicks off at 2 p.m. at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan and will be streamed on ESPN+:

CHIP ON THE SHOULDER: In one of the few really bad bumps on the road for the Bears last season, Kansas State got a lift from quarterback Will Howard off the bench and the Wildcat defense came up with a couple of takeaways in a 31-3 blowout victory at McLane Stadium. Now the starter, Howard has thrown for 1,955 yards and 18 touchdowns and added 293 yards and six TDs on the ground. "A lot of respect for Kansas State (and) just their style of football," Aranda said. "I very much see and respect and value physical line of scrimmage. They run the ball and they stop the run. They play a lot of man coverage; they blitz. You go back to our game last year, it was not a very good performance by us and we got choked out on a lot of their tight coverage. I'm sure they're seeing that as a way moving forward on Saturday. So, a lot of great challenges with us. I like our attitude. I like the mindset that we've got and the chip on the shoulder that we have."
YOUTH SERVED: Two years ago, when an 18^th-ranked Baylor team upset No. 4 Oklahoma, 27-14, in a Week 10 matchup at McLane Stadium, the eventual Big 12 and Sugar Bowl champs played 24 seniors and 69.1% upperclassmen (38 of 55). Those numbers were basically flipped in Saturday's overtime loss at home to Houston, with BU playing just nine seniors and 64.8% freshmen and sophomores (35 of 54). That included the true freshman trio of Caden Jenkins, Carl Williams IV and Brendan Bett starting on defense, along with a pair of redshirt freshmen in the offensive line (Alvin Ebosele and Coleton Price). "There is not this cloud hanging over, so to speak, when there's a youthful perspective and a lot of time ahead," Aranda said. "I think early in the season, there was a fair amount of anxiety and pressure. And that comes with youth, too. I think now that we're past that, they're kind of youthful veterans, in that sense. I think it's good for the future, granted that we keep them all. This is just a new day and age, and I think it's very important relationship-wise and then everything we can do – football and as an athletic department – to keep the good, young players that we have . . . because it's a good class that's performing well, despite the record and despite the appearances."
GOING FOR IT ON 4^TH: Baylor's offense leads the Big 12 and ranks second nationally in fourth-down attempts (32), four less than South Florida (36). But the Bears have converted on just 43.8% (14-of-32), which is 10^th in the Big 12 and tied for 88^th nationally. In Saturday's game, BU was 1-for-2, but a sack on fourth-and-six near midfield set the Cougars up for a short-field touchdown drive in just three plays. "We've talked about that the last couple of weeks," Aranda said. "And even in this particular game (quarterbacks coach) Shawn Bell is upstairs (in the coaching booth) with those numbers. And he goes, 'Dave, a lot of these numbers are just way big, way strong. Just let us know if you want to do it or not do it.' My view at the time was, if we're not moving it and we've got numbers like that, then let's not do it. If we're moving, if there's any form of success on offense . . . and there's an opportunity to keep it moving, then let's do it. That's what we played out, and unfortunately it didn't work."

Three Takeaways: November 6

Players Mentioned

Brendan Bett

Alvin Ebosele

Caden Jenkins

Coleton Price

Carl Williams IV

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Three Takeaways: November 6

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Players Mentioned

Brendan Bett

Alvin Ebosele

Caden Jenkins

Coleton Price

Carl Williams IV

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