By Nate Maki | Sports Writer
After a tough 2023 season, Baylor football is back with an overhauled offense and a high-energy offensive line, poised to significantly impact the upcoming season.
In the face of change, the green and gold gear up for combatting several offensive challenges, and all eyes fall to the offensive line. After a disappointing 3-9 season, the offense has had a full overhaul, but the offensive line has especially changed, bringing in four transfers and two true freshmen.
Anchoring the offensive line is redshirt sophomore center Coleton Price. Bringing an understanding of the new offense and six starts, Price said they’re ready to come back with a chip on their shoulder and with a new scheme.
“I don’t think that was really us.” Price said. “We’ve played really well so far, and this whole offense is going to change really well. We have a whole new thing now. Omar (Aigbedion) and Sidney (Fugar), and all those other guys who came on this team, they’ve been wonderful. They bring all this energy to the team. Bringing in these different backgrounds helps a whole lot.”
After joining the staff earlier this year, offensive line coach Mason Miller is sure to make a difference in adapting new faces to the scheme. Bringing his experience in the Air Raid offense, Miller is working towards creating an improved offensive line.
“I think there’s been some noticeable progress,” Miller said. “What we’re going to do is be the best that we can be every single day and really focus on one play at a time, one rep at a time.”
The position group has flet steady improvement among all the changes, as senior right tackle Campbell Barrington said he feels more confident in the team, slowly moving closer to where they want to be. Barrington, who transferred to Baylor from BYU prior to 2023, started all 12 games in his lone season in the green and gold and ranked as the 12th best tackle in the Big 12 by Pro Football Focus.
“We’re taking it day by day,” Barrington said “Its going to take time, so we’re just attacking it day by day and fixing the little things. There’s definitely a new approach. We’ve brought in a lot of high-energy guys [who are] really helping the room grow. Now that we’re rolling, it’s definitely slowly getting better.”
Redshirt sophomore tackle Alvin Ebosele is also adjusting well after starting the last 11 games during his redshirt freshman season at left tackle. As an underclassman Ebosele has been thrust into a leadership role and still learning a new scheme. Yet, despite all the change, a fresh start has brought the team closer than before.
“Going from our wide-zone offense last year to our more vertical run scheme this year is a big thing,” Ebosele said. “For an offensive line to be able to do that at a high level consistently, especially with the tempo we’re going to be running, we got to be a whole lot of tough linemen.
“This is the tightest o-line I’ve ever been on, everyone’s talking, holding each other accountable. We’ve all been performing better than anyone could expect.”
