By Foster Nicholas | Sports Editor
In Big 12 football, every week is another chance to prove yourself. For Baylor football, Saturday’s 11 a.m. matchup against No. 22 BYU at McLane Stadium isn’t just about bouncing back but also proving that losses won’t string together like they did in the previous two seasons.
Coming off a 38-31 overtime loss against Colorado, head coach Dave Aranda went over the film with the team on Monday but scrapped all conversation about the heartbreaking loss before practice on Tuesday. The Bears (2-2, 0-1 Big 12) have lost their last seven games against teams currently in the Big 12, but rather than the spiraling morales of the 2023 season, Aranda has seen passion to bounce back.
“When you’re cut wide open, you sit down, you bleed a little bit, and it’s important to rise up and fight again,” Aranda said. “We’re a resilient bunch. The guys fight for what they believe in. I know they believe in us.”
Under the vocal leadership of redshirt junior wide receiver Josh Cameron, senior wide receiver Hal Presley and sixth-year senior linebacker Matt Jones, Aranda said players have taken it upon themselves to get back into the right headspace.
“Every game, we have to make ourselves known and we have to get the win. A lot of us know that the only way we’re going to go to the [NFL] is if we win games. They want winners; they don’t want losers. A lot of that is going through our minds,” Presley said.
Although the Bears dropped their first Big 12 game, redshirt sophomore linebacker Keaton Thomas and the defense totaled eight sacks. With newcomers comfortable running Aranda’s defensive scheme and on-field communication flowing smoothly, Thomas felt shoring up tackling would take the unit to the next level.
“We had eight sacks but we should’ve had more. That’s the start, we’ve got to make sure we’re executing and finishing strong and making sure we make the sack. That’s the focus we have this week,” Thomas said. “We have great competition on our O-line and that’ll help us prepare for their O-line.”
The Cougars (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) ride into Waco with their best start to a season since 2021 when they started 5-0. BYU is tied for the Big 12 lead in interceptions (5) and fumbles (4), also maintaining top offensive and defensive lines who have played together for more than two full seasons.
“The team we’re playing is a physical team. Their quarterback is taking the next steps, and he’s an effective, efficient passer,” Aranda said. “The O-line is the deal that sticks out the most to me. They’re a veteran group and they’ve played a lot together, and it shows on tape. It’s going to test us.”
Chosen to start over former Baylor quarterback Gerry Bohanon, redshirt junior quarterback Jake Retzlaff stands as the Cougars’ lead rusher and passer. Helped by the stout offensive line, BYU head coach Kilani Sitake has been able to vary the offensive play calling with designed quarterback runs after stringing together multiple complete passes.
At a press conference held on Monday, Aranda voiced more support for his starting quarterback: redshirt junior Sawyer Robertson. This marked the first time this season he has alluded to Robertson being the starter early in the week. The redshirt junior is off to a hot start under center, with 463 yards passing, three touchdown passes and the fifth-best efficiency rating in the Big 12 (161.6) with just two starts under his belt in 2024.
“I’m excited about Sawyer… To manage us where we got stalled out a little bit, to push through on the other side, a lot of that was Sawyer’s leadership, so [I’m] really confident in him. I think he’s getting better with each with each start,” Aranda said. “I’m looking forward to this next one.”
Since training camp, Baylor has practiced on weekday mornings. With kickoff scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, the green and gold are excited to get up and play ball at McLane Stadium.
“I have to believe from maybe another perspective, the morning games are probably tough to maneuver. But all of us are up way early, and to get up and just play football is something that I think we’re getting accustomed to,” Aranda said. “To be able to have a morning game like that, I think our guys do like that, and they look forward to it.”
