Three Takeaways: September 18
9/18/2023 3:50:00 PM | Football
BU facing 'mature' Texas OL that can handle it 'when stuff comes at 'em'
Baylor Bear Insider Jerry Hill gives his three takeaways from Monday's weekly press conference with head coach Dave Aranda talking about the Bears' 30-7 win over Long Island University and this week's Big 12 opener between Baylor (1-2) and #3/6 Texas (3-0), which kicks off at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at McLane Stadium with a national TV broadcast on ABC:
- PING PONG AND POP-A-SHOT: Sophomore quarterback Sawyer Robertson "is one of the most competitive people I know," Aranda said. Where the snappers and holders are typically "the bullies of the ping pong table . . . Sawyer whoops up on them and calls them out." And then in the pop-a-shot basketball game in the players' lounge, "the boy competes versus anybody." In Saturday's game, completing just 10-of-22 passes for 113 yards and one touchdown, Robertson was "trying to be too perfect," Aranda said. "I think he was trying to not lose the game. I think the challenge with so much of this is to keep the outside on the outside and just to focus on what's inside. I feel like I failed him in that respect. To kind of clear the air with it and get focused on what's right in front of him, I think, gives him a great chance to just be competitive and go after it."
- WHAT MAKES TEXAS BETTER: In the first two years of the Steve Sarkisian era, the Longhorns were just one game over .500 (13-12), losing to Baylor, 31-24, two years ago in Waco and coming back from a fourth-deficit to beat the Bears, 38-27, last year in Austin. So, what makes them so much better this year, with a 3-0 start and a road win over then-No. 3 Alabama in Tuscaloosa? "I think the offensive line has matured to where . . . stuff comes at 'em, and they take it in stride," Aranda said. "In the past, with pressure and stunts, they'd be muddled in here and you'd have a free runner. . . . Last year, they had one receiver (Xavier Worthy), now they've got a guy on the other side. To be able to defend two guys that can do something after the catch, and to reduce space on them to a degree to where they're not given access but then not leave yourself vulnerable to one-on-one shot plays, that is a trick to play."
- CHIP ON HIS SHOULDER: This will be an interesting week for JACK linebacker Byron Vaughns, who spent three years at Texas before playing the last two seasons at Utah State and then transferring back to his home state to play for Baylor. Vaughns is coming off his best game as a Bear, recording two sacks in the win over LIU. "He brings a mentality of, 'I'll show you. Let me prove to you' chip on your shoulder, edge, fighter," Aranda said. "I think it's been great for us. It's been great for that (outside linebacker) room. It's been great for the defense. And I think his growth on the field (has) been way cool. I think he's just trending in the right directions, and (I'm) way proud of him."
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