Dallas Baker is in his fourth year as the Baylor wide receivers coach.
Baker’s 2024 receiver group was a standout positional unit on an eight-win team that advanced to the Texas Bowl. The Bears finished the year with wins in six straight to conclude the regular season, the longest such streak in program history.
His unit in 2024 was led by a truly breakout season from Josh Cameron, a junior who had 52 catches for 754 yards and 10 TDs, which ranked 10th in single-season history and marked the most for a Bear since Tyquan Thornton had 10 in 2021. Only twice since 2017 has a Baylor player caught 10 or more TDs in a season. Cameron also pieced together an All-America season as a punt returner, averaging 20.7 yards per punt return, a school-record and finishing just shy of qualifying for the national lead.
The 2024 receiving group also featured the debut season of Ashtyn Hawkins, a transfer from JUCO and Texas State, who had 45 catches for 567 yards and five TDs. Senior Hal Presley battled injuries to catch 31 balls for 429 yards and three scores. Overall the receiver unit helped QB Sawyer Robertson rank top five nationally in QB rating, and first in the Big 12, while throwing for 3,071 yards and 28 TDs in just 11 starts.
Baker mentored a youthful and diverse group of receivers in 2023, led by slot dynamo Monaray Baldwin, who totaled 623 yards and four TDs. Ketron Jackson Jr. battled injuries but still managed 28 catches for 489 yards and a TD, and former walk-on turned starter Josh Cameron continued to establish himself as a threat through the air.
Baker had an immediate impact on a young and unproven wide receivers’ unit in 2022. The Bears had to replace their top three, and four of their top five, receivers from a Sugar Bowl and Big 12 Championship season in 2021. Baker’s unit found its footing in 2022, with five receivers totaling 25 or more catches and four targets hauling in at least three TDs.
Baldwin had a break-out season in 2022, leading the team with 33 grabs for 565 yards and four TDs. Hal Presley finished with 32 catches and four TDs, while Cameron emerged into a reliable target, totaling 28 catches for 386 yards. Fifth-year senior Gavin Holmes returned from a two-year injury recovery process to total 26 catches for 517 yards and four TDs.
Prior to his arrival in Waco, Baker spent a season as the wide receivers coach at the University of Buffalo under head coach Maurice Linguist. Under Baker’s guidance, Buffalo Wide Receiver Quian Williams finished in the top ten of the Mid-American Conference with 63 catches.
Williams and fellow wideout Dominic Johnson averaged over 13 yards per catch which were top-15 in the conference among players with at least 30 catches.
Before joining Linguist and the Bulls, Baker coached wide receivers for four seasons at Marshall University. In 2020, the Herd had four wide receivers with at least 18 catches, which was more than any other team in Conference USA.
In 2017 and 2018, he helped Marshall receiver Tyre Brady earn first-team All-Conference USA honors. Brady’s stellar seasons led to him signing a free-agent contract in the NFL. As a senior in 2018, Brady led the team in receiving (1,002 yards) for a second-straight season and became the first Herd player to eclipse 1,000 yards since 2014. Brady joined an exclusive list of players who have led the team in receiving consecutive years, joining the likes of Marshall legend Randy Moss. Wide receiver Marcel Williams also earned honorable mention All-Conference-USA in back-to-back seasons.
Baker got his start in coaching as the wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator at Warner University in Lake Wells, Fla. From 2015-16.
Baker was a standout receiver at the University of Florida from 2003-06. With the Gators, he earned first-team All-Southeastern Conference honors as a senior after notching career-highs in receptions (60), receiving yards (920), and receiving touchdowns (10). He helped Florida to an SEC title and a win in the 2007 BCS National Championship.
Upon graduating from Florida in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in health and human performance, Baker was drafted in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
He played three seasons with the Steelers (2007-09) and won a Super Bowl with the organization following the 2008 season.
Baker continued his pro career with the Jacksonville Sharks of the Arena Football League for the 2010 season. He then played for the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes and Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2011.
Baker was born in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, where he was a star wide receiver for New Smyrna Beach High School. In 2001, he set the single-season school record with 17 touchdowns, 67 catches, and 1,142 yards.
Baker is married to Vanessa and the couple has a daughter, Angelina (15).