Five Keys to Friday's Game
8/28/2025 3:40:00 PM | Football
Bears' No. 1 priority on defense is stopping the run
BAYLOR vs. AUBURN
- BLACK IT OUT: In what is arguably the biggest season opener in the Bears' 12th year at McLane Stadium, the Bears are wearing anthracite jerseys and bringing back the gold chrome helmets for the first time since 2017. Promoted as a "Blackout on the Brazos," fans are encouraged to wear black to the game. "We lost our minds when coach showed us (the chrome helmets)," fifth-year senior offensive lineman Ryan Lengyel said. "The Easter eggs kind of got us going a little bit. Going out Friday in them will be nice. The black unis and chrome helmets, but then, how much it means to this community. Baylor has waited a long time for it, and now we get to be the first team to wear it Friday night during the big game."
- STOP THE RUN: Safety Devyn Bobby said that's the goal every week. "We want them to pass more," Bobby said, "so that's our key, stopping the run." Head coach Dave Aranda said the running game is "the best thing they do. They're physical, they move people. There are countless examples of combo blocks where that 3-technique (defensive lineman) is just getting ejected. It's like watching a car crash. We can't let that be us. There's a bunch of people that have put that on film. Our challenge is to not do that. . . . They're a physical run game, and they've got talent (at running back)."
- WIN THE ONE-ON-ONES: This goes for both sides. Baylor's receivers have to be able to get off the line and work through contact to get open. On the defensive side, cornerbacks Tevin Williams III, Caden Jenkins and LeVar Thornton Jr. will have their hands full with Auburn receivers Cam Coleman and Georgia Tech transfer Eric Singleton. "We're just falling back on our technique," Bobby said, "things we've been doing in the offseason, spring ball, summer, fall camp. And we've got a great receiver corps that pushes every day, gets us better. So, we're going to be ready."
- BRING THE HEAT: The weather is actually going to be probably better than expected, with game-time temps in the 80s. But the Baylor defense has to bring the heat and get to Oklahoma transfer Jackson Arnold. "It's a challenge," Aranda said. "I think it's going to take the front people doing their part to help the (secondary). We're going to have to be able to get calls in, we're going to have to have cleats in the ground. It's going to come down to stopping the run and getting them (in situations where) they've got to throw it. If we're able to get it to where it's a one-sided ething, at least partly, I think we can play some of that better."
- MAKE 'EM EARN IT: As the "Zero Week" games showed, particularly early in the season, "more games are lost rather than won," Aranda said. Iowa State and Kansas State combined for four turnovers, and the Wildcats were uncharacteristically flagged six times for 48 yards in their 24-21 loss to the Cyclones in a top-25 matchup in Dublin, Ireland. "You look at those games, just all the turnovers and just all of it. I think our game is probably going to be lost before it's won by somebody. Being aggressive and all these things are things that you want to do. But you've got to be sound. You've got to keep the quarterback contained, and you've got to make them earn it. Those are the things that we're focusing on."
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