LEARNING FROM SAWYER

By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider

For Baylor redshirt freshman quarterback Walker White, this has to feel a little bit like déjà vu all over again.

After playing behind and learning from fifth-year senior Payton Thorne last season at Auburn, the 6-4, 230-pound White is studying at the feet of Baylor fifth-year senior quarterback Sawyer Robertson.

"I'm a huge development guy. I want to learn, I want to get better," said White, who played in only one game for the Tigers last year. "I asked those guys questions, and Payton took me under his wing last year. I really wanted to be around him all the time, learn from him.

"Same thing when I got here with Sawyer. I was fired up, fifth-year guy, started at Mississippi State. And he's been through so many (offensive coordinators). So, he knows ball. I've talked with him just about how he watches film and what he looks for . . . and also mentally, on how he approaches the game, because he didn't have the easiest path to becoming a starter."

A former four-star prospect at Little Rock (Ark.) Christian Academy, White listed Baylor among his top three choices before signing with Auburn. So, when he opted to enter the transfer portal after his freshman season "and Baylor called, it was an almost automatic yes for me."

"I still had to hear from other coaches, but I knew I loved Coach (Dave) Aranda," he said. "I just wanted to do my own research. And once I got some word on (offensive coordinator Jake Spavital), I was just fired up to work with (assistant coach) Rhett Holcomb, who also recruited me out of high school. And Texas football, it doesn't get any better than that."

White joins a suddenly crowded quarterback room with Robertson, fellow redshirt freshman Nate Bennett and true freshman Edward Griffin, a three-star prospect from Coppell, Texas, who was ranked as the fifth-best QB in the state.

"I think the biggest thing is just the check game and being able to see a look within the play call and understand, 'Okay, this probably isn't the best look to get into,''' White said of the quarterbacks' growth from the spring. "That's always a big part of the quarterback game. I also think just the comfortability of year two in Coach Spav's offense, getting comfortable with the new guys that have come in."

Despite the talent behind him, for the first time in his career, Robertson is entrenched as QB going into the start of the season. Two years ago, he backed up Blake Shapen, and then last year he was beat out by Toledo transfer Dequan Finn before taking the reins in Week 3. He threw for 3,071 yards and 28 touchdowns with only eight picks last year and led the Bears to six-straight wins at the end of the regular season.

Asked how he could improve and take another step, the former Mississippi State transfer said, "a lot of ways."

"Shoot, there's a lot of things that go into it," he said. "You want to make it as easy on your receivers as possible, as easy on the O-line, getting in and out of checks. And then, throwing the ball, just making it easy on the receivers so they don't have to work too hard. So, just getting better with all that stuff is really important, whether it's feet, arm slot, whatever it is."

Robertson's authenticity, just being himself, is something that "people are attracted to," making him a naturally strong leader.

"Just being the same guy every day, it's challenging to do. But I think it's part of being a leader," he said. "So, it's been really cool to kind of grow in both those aspects."

Admittedly biased, Bennett said "whether you want to be a leader or not," quarterbacks "have to be, in some sense."

"Some people are vocal leaders, some people lead by action," said Bennett, a three-star prospect out of Oaks Christian (Calif.) High School. "The coolest thing about Sawyer is that he does both. When something needs to be said, he's going to say it.

"And he's always the first to do everything. He's going to be the guy who always does the right thing. And me being a quarterback, it's really easy for me to watch what he does and be like, 'Okay, that's how it's supposed to be done."

After going through two summers and already having a fall under his belt, Bennett said he is much more comfortable in the offense in year two with Spavital.

"I had to learn a lot through not doing the right thing," said Bennett, "which I think is probably the best thing for me, just learning from it, having tape. The biggest thing for me is just recognizing something and then realizing, 'Oaky, is this cool to do, or do I need to get in something better?' And if it doesn't work, awesome, move on. Short-term memory. Coach Spav gives us a lot of freedom to mess around with things and then find what works for me personally, but also for our whole team."

The Bears will go through their third day of workouts Friday afternoon and wrap up the first week of fall camp with a Saturday afternoon practice. Baylor opens the 2025 season on Aug. 29 with a nationally televised (FOX) matchup with Auburn at McLane Stadium.

For season-ticket or single-game options, go to the link at 2025 Baylor Football Tickets.

LEARNING FROM SAWYER

Players Mentioned

Nate Bennett

Edward Griffin

Sawyer Robertson

Walker White

Footer