CHECKING OFF BOXES
5/1/2025 12:09:00 AM | Football
Injuries might have slowed it down, but Baylor FB made significant progress in spring
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
WACO, Texas – Through a 15-workout spring that concluded with Saturday's Baylor Blitz at McLane Stadium, sixth-year Baylor head coach Dave Aranda wasn't moving boxes as much as checking them off.
"There were a lot of boxes that were checked off," Aranda said. "I think injuries and not having everyone as healthy as you'd like probably pulled us back a little bit. But outside of that, I think we did (check a lot of boxes)."
While injuries to tight end Michael Trigg, linebackers Travion Barnes and Phoenix Jackson and safety Calvin Williams IV might have kept some of those boxes from being checked off, it allowed some of the newcomers to shine.
"There were a lot of freshmen and transfers that showed up here that had proven and have done stuff in their previous stops," Aranda said, "and kind of believed and thought they could do it here. And they've shown that they could. And they had to do it under pressure, with someone in their face competing with them. When you've gone through that, you walk around in just a different way, and there's an energy and a confidence about you that's transformed."
Certainly, there are plenty of transfers who have made an impact this spring, including cornerback Calvin Simpson-Hunt from Ohio State, safety Devin Turner from Northwestern and wide receivers Kobe Prentice from Alabama and Kole Wilson from Texas State. But even the first-semester freshmen have jumped in and contributed.
With injuries at times depleting the receiving corps, the true freshman trio of Taz Williams Jr., Ashton Jones and Jacorey Watson were thrown into the fire early and often.
"There's just an electric component to them," Aranda said. "There's so much quick twitch, and they can turn an eight-yard gain into an 80-yard gain. And that's all of them. I think the amount of option and read routes and things that are more of an instinct and more of a read on the r un allows for those guys to play a little bit faster than normal."
Of course, it doesn't hurt that they're catching passes from one of the top returning quarterbacks in the country. Making 10 starts last year, Robertson completed 62.2% of his passes and threw for 3,079 yards and 28 touchdowns, while rushing for 230 yards and four touchdowns.
"I remember going to the Air Force game when he was going to take over, he was like, 'Dude, I'm going to let it fly, man. Just be ready.' So, I just kind of had that mindset in the back of my head. And then, (our connection) just kind of went off from there."
Aranda said there's a humility and empathy about Robertson to the point where you say, "Bro, it's okay to think of yourself. It's okay to be a little selfish here."
"I think his ability to walk in a room knowing that, 'Hey, I'm the guy, and this is my time,''' Aranda said. "I think that's a game-changer. It's crazy what the amount of belief can do, someone believing in somebody else. That was his story last year. I think he's inspring others now, whether it's the younger quarterbacks . . . or it's bringing up some of these freshman receivers and spending more time with them. We wouldn't be the team we are without him."
Other than some key losses at receiver, the offense returns most of its key pieces, including running backs Bryson Washington and Dawson Pendergrass, Trigg at tight end and four of the five starters in the offensive line.
"At the beginning of spring, we said, 'Hey, whatever happens, always look forward and always get 1% better every day," said Cameron, a returning All-Big 12 punt returner who also led the Bears with 52 catches for 754 yards and 10 touchdowns. "And I think that's what we really did. it was just an upward trajectory, guys making less mistakes and building off of that and getting better every day."
The Bears have to do more of a makeover on the defensive side, losing six starters – defensive linemen Elinus Noel III and Treven Ma'ae, linebackers Matt Jones and Garmon Randolph, safety Devin Lemear and cornerback Lorando Jones.
But like Robertson on offense, the defense returns arguably its best player in first-team All-Big 12 linebacker Keaton Thomas. In his first year at Baylor, after earning All-America honors at Northeast Mississippi Community College, Thomas totaled 114 tackles with seven stops behind the line, 2.5 sacks, three QB hurries and an interception that he returned 35 yards for a TD.
"Keaton has just a non-stop motor, and there's just an intensity, a great focus," Aranda said. "I think he gets the emotions going, and he'll kind of stir the pot. I think to have that type of juice, and to do it with the execution that he does it with and the communication that he does it with, it's one of the things that makes him special. For your best people to be your best players is a way special thing. And we have that this year with Keaton and Josh and Sawyer."
One of the biggest need areas was improving a pass defense that ranked in the bottom half of the Big 12 last year with a 136.72 defensive pass efficiency, allowing 234.2 yards passing per game, a 60.3 completion percentage and 22 touchdown passes with 14 interceptions.
To that end, the Bears brought in cornerback Simpson-Hunt from Ohio State and safeties Devin Turner from Northwestern and Tyler Turner from Oregon, along with new cornerbacks coach Paul Gonzales from TCU.
"I think Paul has been a great addition there," Aranda said. "I think his attention to detail and his coaching methods and just his connection with the guys have all been strong suits for us. We've brought in some guys that have played some football and have been spots. It's highly competitive, and they've got to show up day in, day out. And that's the case, they've shown up.
"We're not there, by any means, but we're a lot further along than we were last year. So, I'm excited about that."
Baylor football opens the 2025 season with a home game against Auburn on Friday, Aug. 29, at McLane Stadium. For single-game or season ticket information, go to the link at 2025 Baylor Football.
Baylor Bear Insider
WACO, Texas – Through a 15-workout spring that concluded with Saturday's Baylor Blitz at McLane Stadium, sixth-year Baylor head coach Dave Aranda wasn't moving boxes as much as checking them off.
"There were a lot of boxes that were checked off," Aranda said. "I think injuries and not having everyone as healthy as you'd like probably pulled us back a little bit. But outside of that, I think we did (check a lot of boxes)."
While injuries to tight end Michael Trigg, linebackers Travion Barnes and Phoenix Jackson and safety Calvin Williams IV might have kept some of those boxes from being checked off, it allowed some of the newcomers to shine.
"There were a lot of freshmen and transfers that showed up here that had proven and have done stuff in their previous stops," Aranda said, "and kind of believed and thought they could do it here. And they've shown that they could. And they had to do it under pressure, with someone in their face competing with them. When you've gone through that, you walk around in just a different way, and there's an energy and a confidence about you that's transformed."
Certainly, there are plenty of transfers who have made an impact this spring, including cornerback Calvin Simpson-Hunt from Ohio State, safety Devin Turner from Northwestern and wide receivers Kobe Prentice from Alabama and Kole Wilson from Texas State. But even the first-semester freshmen have jumped in and contributed.
With injuries at times depleting the receiving corps, the true freshman trio of Taz Williams Jr., Ashton Jones and Jacorey Watson were thrown into the fire early and often.
"There's just an electric component to them," Aranda said. "There's so much quick twitch, and they can turn an eight-yard gain into an 80-yard gain. And that's all of them. I think the amount of option and read routes and things that are more of an instinct and more of a read on the r un allows for those guys to play a little bit faster than normal."
Of course, it doesn't hurt that they're catching passes from one of the top returning quarterbacks in the country. Making 10 starts last year, Robertson completed 62.2% of his passes and threw for 3,079 yards and 28 touchdowns, while rushing for 230 yards and four touchdowns.
"I remember going to the Air Force game when he was going to take over, he was like, 'Dude, I'm going to let it fly, man. Just be ready.' So, I just kind of had that mindset in the back of my head. And then, (our connection) just kind of went off from there."
Aranda said there's a humility and empathy about Robertson to the point where you say, "Bro, it's okay to think of yourself. It's okay to be a little selfish here."
"I think his ability to walk in a room knowing that, 'Hey, I'm the guy, and this is my time,''' Aranda said. "I think that's a game-changer. It's crazy what the amount of belief can do, someone believing in somebody else. That was his story last year. I think he's inspring others now, whether it's the younger quarterbacks . . . or it's bringing up some of these freshman receivers and spending more time with them. We wouldn't be the team we are without him."
Other than some key losses at receiver, the offense returns most of its key pieces, including running backs Bryson Washington and Dawson Pendergrass, Trigg at tight end and four of the five starters in the offensive line.
"At the beginning of spring, we said, 'Hey, whatever happens, always look forward and always get 1% better every day," said Cameron, a returning All-Big 12 punt returner who also led the Bears with 52 catches for 754 yards and 10 touchdowns. "And I think that's what we really did. it was just an upward trajectory, guys making less mistakes and building off of that and getting better every day."
The Bears have to do more of a makeover on the defensive side, losing six starters – defensive linemen Elinus Noel III and Treven Ma'ae, linebackers Matt Jones and Garmon Randolph, safety Devin Lemear and cornerback Lorando Jones.
But like Robertson on offense, the defense returns arguably its best player in first-team All-Big 12 linebacker Keaton Thomas. In his first year at Baylor, after earning All-America honors at Northeast Mississippi Community College, Thomas totaled 114 tackles with seven stops behind the line, 2.5 sacks, three QB hurries and an interception that he returned 35 yards for a TD.
"Keaton has just a non-stop motor, and there's just an intensity, a great focus," Aranda said. "I think he gets the emotions going, and he'll kind of stir the pot. I think to have that type of juice, and to do it with the execution that he does it with and the communication that he does it with, it's one of the things that makes him special. For your best people to be your best players is a way special thing. And we have that this year with Keaton and Josh and Sawyer."
One of the biggest need areas was improving a pass defense that ranked in the bottom half of the Big 12 last year with a 136.72 defensive pass efficiency, allowing 234.2 yards passing per game, a 60.3 completion percentage and 22 touchdown passes with 14 interceptions.
To that end, the Bears brought in cornerback Simpson-Hunt from Ohio State and safeties Devin Turner from Northwestern and Tyler Turner from Oregon, along with new cornerbacks coach Paul Gonzales from TCU.
"I think Paul has been a great addition there," Aranda said. "I think his attention to detail and his coaching methods and just his connection with the guys have all been strong suits for us. We've brought in some guys that have played some football and have been spots. It's highly competitive, and they've got to show up day in, day out. And that's the case, they've shown up.
"We're not there, by any means, but we're a lot further along than we were last year. So, I'm excited about that."
Baylor football opens the 2025 season with a home game against Auburn on Friday, Aug. 29, at McLane Stadium. For single-game or season ticket information, go to the link at 2025 Baylor Football.
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