By Blake Vines | Reporter
Saturday’s double-overtime victory over SMU featured 93 total points and over 1,000 yards of offense. Both teams scored multiple fourth-quarter touchdowns, and redshirt quarterback Sawyer Robertson alone threw for 440 yards.
And, as in most high-scoring thrillers, defense was optional.
“It’s been pretty sweet,” redshirt junior offensive lineman Kaden Sieracki said. “Sawyer’s been ripping it — he’s been dicing up the defenses.”
“Dicing up the defenses” might be an understatement. Robertson, a redshirt senior, completed 34-of-50 passes for four touchdowns and his third consecutive 400-yard passing performance.
Redshirt senior tight end Michael Trigg suffered a right shoulder injury, leaving the game after the first half and 38 yards. Head coach Dave Aranda said Monday that it is not a season-ending injury and that Trigg is working his way back to the field.
Baylor heavily relied on its passing offense Saturday, while the defense — which allowed 45 points and 458 yards — seemed to stall out as the game progressed.
“I think we have all got to get on the same page so we can attack somebody and not have to constantly play ourselves with self-inflicted wounds,” Aranda said.
Redshirt sophomore running back Bryson Washington totaled 115 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries, but the running game as a whole averaged just 3.7 yards per rush. After back-to-back Power-conference matchups, an FCS game against Samford could give the Bears’ offense a chance to work out its kinks in the running game.
“We’ve kind of been struggling, in the run-game wise, but I think this week is going to be a pretty good week to figure out those missing pieces and establish a strong run game,” Sieracki said. “I think right now we’re really focusing on really good double teams, and that’s been a big core emphasis … something that we’ve influenced today within drill work, and I think that’s going to be pretty crucial for us to make an impact in our game.”
While Baylor seems to be emphasizing run blocking to weaponize the run game more often, they are still battling injuries in the trenches.
“We played most of the day with two [injured linemen] and then the other times we played with one, you know, and so we’ll see if that continues into this next week,” Aranda said.
Baylor will kick off against Samford at 11 a.m. Saturday at McLane Stadium. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.
