BALL, BROTHERHOOD, BATTLE
7/31/2025 12:53:00 PM | Football
After opening practice of fall camp, Bears explain 2025 theme
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
Baylor football's theme for the 2025 season of Ball, Brotherhood, Battle was started in winter conditioning following the Texas Bowl loss to LSU, but sixth-year head coach Dave Aranda said the Bears still "have some room to improve."
"I think we've got guys that love football," Aranda said after Wednesday's opening practice of fall camp. "One of the things we're talking about on defense is asking them why they love football. Each guy will get up and talk about what their thing is and why they came to love this game.
"The brotherhood part is we've got guys that are tight and hang together off the field more than they ever have. The battle part is not accepting losing and doing whatever you can to win."
Named a preseason All-American by Athlon magazine, fifth-year senior receiver/punt returner Josh Cameron said ball is "why we're here."
"We're here to play football. We're here to bring a Big 12 championship to Baylor," said Cameron, who had a breakout year last season, hauling in a team-high 52 catches for 754 yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging 20.7 yards as the punt returner.
Outside linebacker Kyler Jordan said the locker room "is obviously a brotherhood."
"Coach (Carson) Hall asked us what fall camp meant to us," Jordan said. "And I said, 'You're figuring out who you're going to war with, and you're figuring out how you're going to fight."
The brotherhood aspect is also about "the guys next to you, the guys on the opposite side, getting to know them, their story, more than just, 'Hey, hi, bye.,''' Cameron said.
"Really, just getting to know your brother and what he's been through," Cameron said, "because the closer you get, the more you care and the more you really want to play for them."
Starting with Wednesday's opening practice, "each and every day is going to be a battle."
"This is a physical, contact, violent sport," Cameron said. "You can't just come out here, lollygag and expect to just kind of make it. You want to attack it and get yourself. But the man across from you can also get better. That's what (battle) means to me."
Aranda said the Bears have a "bunch of individuals on the team. We've got to be more of a team."
"I don't mean any of it in an ugly way," he said. "I look back at the years that we've won a lot of games (school-record 12 in 2021 and eight last year). Those games have been won in the fourth quarter and those games were goal-line stands and two-minute drives. This league is so competitive that it takes everyone giving everything they've got, and we can't get in the way of that. That's probably our biggest obstacle we've got right now is us."
The wide receiver room might be the most competitive position group on the team, with six transfers and five freshmen added to the group and returning starter Ashtyn Hawkins granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA. The transfer list includes Kobe Prentice from Alabama, Kole Wilson from Texas State, Louis Brown IV from San Diego State and late-addition Ryne Shackelford from Purdue.
"It's really just taking advantage of your reps," Cameron said. "That's the main thing (receivers coach Dallas Baker) hit on. We have a whole bunch of talent, a whole bunch of bodies in the room. So, every time you get a chance to make a play, make the play. Every time you get a chance to be perfect, be perfect. It's really a test to push yourself, but still be comfortable, still remember you're here for a reason. You have the ability."
Aside from the receiver room, Baylor made its biggest splash in the transfer portal on the defensive side, adding defensive backs Calvin Simpson-Hunt (Ohio State) and Tyler Turner (Oregon), linebackers Phoenix Jackson (Fresno State), Travion Barnes (FIU), Emar'rion Winston (Oregon) and Matthew Fobbs-White (Tulane) and tremendous size up front with Samu Taumanupepe (Texas A&M) and Adonis Friloux (Tulane).
"Just in my position group, Emar'rion and Fobbs are awesome," Jordan said of the outside linebackers. "They're great football players, but they're also great dudes. They've been a great culture fit, and we're super lucky to have them."
While the offense has nine returning starters from a unit that became one of the best in the country, averaging 440.1 yards and 34.4 points per game, the defense has some holes to fill after losing linebacker Matt Jones, safety Devin Lemear, defensive lineman Treven Ma'ae and edge rusher Garmon Randolph. They also have to make another stride this year after recording 19 sacks and forcing 21 turnovers.
"You can ask anybody, (the offense) was the stars of our team last year," Jordan said. "So, what are we going to do about it? Are we going to just let that stay the same, or are we going to match their energy?"
The Bears will return to the practice fields Thursday afternoon to continue preparation for the Aug. 29 season opener at 7 p.m. against Auburn in a nationally televised (FOX) matchup at McLane Stadium. For season-ticket or single-game options, go to the link at 2025 Baylor Football Tickets.
Baylor Bear Insider
Baylor football's theme for the 2025 season of Ball, Brotherhood, Battle was started in winter conditioning following the Texas Bowl loss to LSU, but sixth-year head coach Dave Aranda said the Bears still "have some room to improve."
"I think we've got guys that love football," Aranda said after Wednesday's opening practice of fall camp. "One of the things we're talking about on defense is asking them why they love football. Each guy will get up and talk about what their thing is and why they came to love this game.
"The brotherhood part is we've got guys that are tight and hang together off the field more than they ever have. The battle part is not accepting losing and doing whatever you can to win."
Named a preseason All-American by Athlon magazine, fifth-year senior receiver/punt returner Josh Cameron said ball is "why we're here."
"We're here to play football. We're here to bring a Big 12 championship to Baylor," said Cameron, who had a breakout year last season, hauling in a team-high 52 catches for 754 yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging 20.7 yards as the punt returner.
Outside linebacker Kyler Jordan said the locker room "is obviously a brotherhood."
"Coach (Carson) Hall asked us what fall camp meant to us," Jordan said. "And I said, 'You're figuring out who you're going to war with, and you're figuring out how you're going to fight."
The brotherhood aspect is also about "the guys next to you, the guys on the opposite side, getting to know them, their story, more than just, 'Hey, hi, bye.,''' Cameron said.
"Really, just getting to know your brother and what he's been through," Cameron said, "because the closer you get, the more you care and the more you really want to play for them."
Starting with Wednesday's opening practice, "each and every day is going to be a battle."
"This is a physical, contact, violent sport," Cameron said. "You can't just come out here, lollygag and expect to just kind of make it. You want to attack it and get yourself. But the man across from you can also get better. That's what (battle) means to me."
Aranda said the Bears have a "bunch of individuals on the team. We've got to be more of a team."
"I don't mean any of it in an ugly way," he said. "I look back at the years that we've won a lot of games (school-record 12 in 2021 and eight last year). Those games have been won in the fourth quarter and those games were goal-line stands and two-minute drives. This league is so competitive that it takes everyone giving everything they've got, and we can't get in the way of that. That's probably our biggest obstacle we've got right now is us."
The wide receiver room might be the most competitive position group on the team, with six transfers and five freshmen added to the group and returning starter Ashtyn Hawkins granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA. The transfer list includes Kobe Prentice from Alabama, Kole Wilson from Texas State, Louis Brown IV from San Diego State and late-addition Ryne Shackelford from Purdue.
"It's really just taking advantage of your reps," Cameron said. "That's the main thing (receivers coach Dallas Baker) hit on. We have a whole bunch of talent, a whole bunch of bodies in the room. So, every time you get a chance to make a play, make the play. Every time you get a chance to be perfect, be perfect. It's really a test to push yourself, but still be comfortable, still remember you're here for a reason. You have the ability."
Aside from the receiver room, Baylor made its biggest splash in the transfer portal on the defensive side, adding defensive backs Calvin Simpson-Hunt (Ohio State) and Tyler Turner (Oregon), linebackers Phoenix Jackson (Fresno State), Travion Barnes (FIU), Emar'rion Winston (Oregon) and Matthew Fobbs-White (Tulane) and tremendous size up front with Samu Taumanupepe (Texas A&M) and Adonis Friloux (Tulane).
"Just in my position group, Emar'rion and Fobbs are awesome," Jordan said of the outside linebackers. "They're great football players, but they're also great dudes. They've been a great culture fit, and we're super lucky to have them."
While the offense has nine returning starters from a unit that became one of the best in the country, averaging 440.1 yards and 34.4 points per game, the defense has some holes to fill after losing linebacker Matt Jones, safety Devin Lemear, defensive lineman Treven Ma'ae and edge rusher Garmon Randolph. They also have to make another stride this year after recording 19 sacks and forcing 21 turnovers.
"You can ask anybody, (the offense) was the stars of our team last year," Jordan said. "So, what are we going to do about it? Are we going to just let that stay the same, or are we going to match their energy?"
The Bears will return to the practice fields Thursday afternoon to continue preparation for the Aug. 29 season opener at 7 p.m. against Auburn in a nationally televised (FOX) matchup at McLane Stadium. For season-ticket or single-game options, go to the link at 2025 Baylor Football Tickets.
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