Three Takeaways: September 16
9/16/2024 3:37:00 PM | Football
Baylor defense has to shift from run-oriented to pass-happy offense
Baylor Bear Insider Jerry Hill gives his three takeaways from Monday's weekly press conference with head coach Dave Aranda talking about the Bears' 31-3 victory over Air Force and this week's Big 12 opener between Baylor (2-1) and Colorado (2-1), which kicks off at 7 p.m. CT Saturday at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado, and will be broadcast by FOX:
- FROM ONE EXTREME . . . : After facing three run-oriented teams in the first three weeks of the season – the Bears have allowed the fewest passing yards per game (75.7) in the country – Baylor's defense has to flip the page completely this week and go against a Colorado offense that spreads it out with as many as five receivers and ranks ninth in the country in passing yards per game (333.0). That's 106 yards more than the Bears have given up in the first three games. "I have a lot of respect for what they do offensively," Aranda said. "The quarterback (Shedeur Sanders) makes some really hard throws. If he knows what you're in, the throws are out before the turns are made and before the coverage has a chance to work a leverage. Once he knows, it's bad for the defense. . . . We've been playing a lot of running teams, so to go from one end to the other end id our task. So, it's a lot of work that needs to happen for us."
- HE LOVES FOOTBALL: Coming off a career-high-tying nine tackles against Air Force, redshirt junior strong safety Devyn Bobby ranks third on the team with 18 total 18 tackles and also recorded his first-career fumble recovery against the Falcons. "I think he's playing more confident," Aranda said of Bobby, who has made 15-consecutive starts. "He knows the defense. I think he's communicating and verbalizing and taking leadership on the field. And then, I think some of the run game that we've seen has played into some of his strengths. He is an underrated good coverage safety as well. So, we will have an opportunity to feature that and see that here coming up. But I think he's a dude that loves football, and he doesn't want people to score. So, I'll take that."
- THIS IS REAL: Harkening back to his Three Amigos reference from earlier in the season, Aranda said Saturday's conference opener against the Buffaloes means "that this is real." He said, "The intentionality of today leads to an outcome that we want on Saturday. And then, it has to be that way, where the bright lights and the TV cameras and just all the things don't get in the way of what's right in front of us and what we've been repping since Monday. So, we've got to be able to get that better this time than a couple weeks ago (in a 23-12 road loss at Utah)."
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