Three Takeaways: November 18
11/19/2024 12:07:00 AM | Football
This deep into the season, Aranda says, ‘you kind of are who you are’
Baylor Bear Insider Jerry Hill gives his three takeaways from Monday's weekly press conference with head coach Dave Aranda talking about the Bears' 49-35 road win at West Virginia and this week's matchup between Baylor (6-4, 4-3) and Houston (4-6, 3-4), which kicks off at 6 p.m. Saturday at TDECU Stadium in Houston and will be broadcast by FS1:
- 'YOU ARE WHO YOU ARE': As much as the Baylor defense needs to improve by "leaps and bounds and miles and miles," Aranda said, "it's a fight to get better by an inch." The Bears allowed 499 yards in their first-ever win in Morgantown and have given up at least 30 points in six of the last seven games. "It's one of those things where you get to a part of the year where you kind of are who you are," he said. "You're fighting for every inch there is to get better. I think to not be discouraged and to continue to fight for that inch and believe that you're going to et it, that's the most important thing. Because it's not going to be this (steady climb), it's going to be like this, this, this (ups and downs). The game on Saturday is a good example of that. I wish that it would be way prettier than what it is, but you've got a new baby, it's an ugly baby, and you've got to love it, nonetheless."
- REDDING IS READY: With Carl Williams undergoing surgery to repair the meniscus in his knee and Kendrick Simpkins missing the last six games, Baylor's depth at safety "is being tested right now," Aranda said. Jacob Redding, a redshirt freshman safety from New Braunfels who came to Baylor as a preferred walk-on last year, "started to make his move on special teams, and he's starting now on a few teams and performing really well," Aranda said. "He can run and jump and do all these things. And he can think on the move and make the right calls and get everyone where they need to be. I think he's emerging. I'm excited about him and just his athleticism and the dog that he is, too. So, there's an opportunity on Saturday for him. It's going to be a bigger one here coming up."
- FACING ANOTHER RUNNING QB: After TCU "wildcat" quarterback Savion Williams rushed for 57 yards on eight carries (7.1-yard average), West Virginia QB Garrett Greene picked up a game-high 129 yards and two touchdowns on 22 attempts (5.9-yard average). Now, the Baylor defense will be tested by Houston sophomore quarterback Zeon Chriss, who rushed for a combined 120 yards in back-to-back wins over Utah and then-No. 17 Kansas State. "Those are things that we can control," Aranda said. "Those are things that I need to coach better, and we need to coach better. And you can go from a five-yard gain to a two-yard gain. What we put on tape versus quarterback run, these next two weeks, that's all we're going to see. You ask for it, you're going to get it. And it's coming Saturday with Houston, for sure.
Players Mentioned
S
/ Football
S
/ FootballBaylor Athletics Hall of Fame: Derek Turner Induction Speech
Wednesday, November 19
Baylor Athletics Hall of Fame: Cyril Richardson Induction Speech
Wednesday, November 19
Baylor Athletics Hall of Fame: Bryce Petty Induction Speech
Wednesday, November 19
Baylor Football: Matthew Klopfenstein & Kyler Jordan Availability | Nov 18, 2025
Tuesday, November 18
