By Reuben Samuels | Focus Design Editor
Dave Aranda wasn’t satisfied with the rushing attack.
“You’d like to see more,” Aranda said.
Baylor (2-2, 0-1) lost its Big 12 opener to Arizona State (3-1, 1-0) on a walk-off field goal at McLane Stadium Saturday night, 27-24. The Bears left the field with plenty to be desired.
Though redshirt seniors Sawyer Robertson and Michael Trigg connected twice for touchdowns in the second half and the defense performed respectably, Baylor found itself on the losing side of a home game for the second time this season.
The loss featured several mistakes and miscues — Robertson’s interception to Keith Abney II, Sam Leavitt’s 61-yard connection to Derek Eusebio on a crucial third down — opening a dimension of the game which led to defeat for Baylor.
However, in eerily similar fashion to the Bears’ season-opening loss against Auburn, the Bears desperately needed a run game.
Though the stat sheet may tell a favorable tale — the Bears crossed the century mark and averaged 4.7 yards per carry — but with the exception of redshirt sophomore Bryson Washington’s 41-yard run early in the fourth quarter, the Bears’ run game totaled only 66 yards on 3.0 yards per carry.
The performance continues a trend of an inconsistent running game, which, if it continues to stagnate, could be a precursor to an up-and-down season for Baylor’s offense. The Bears’ passing offense is prolific, but could be hindered by a run game that has struggled to sustain drives or consistently gain yardage.
The broader ramifications of issues in the ground game could come back to bite the Bears. Three undefeated teams (Houston, UCF, TCU) remain on the schedule, as does No. 16 Utah, which lost its first game of the season to Texas Tech Saturday. Baylor will need a consistent rushing attack to salvage the season after the team’s 2-2 start.
For now, though, the focus shifts to preparing for Oklahoma State, a team giving up 211 yards rushing per game. It will be intriguing to see whether the Baylor run game can take advantage of the Cowboys’ woes and get back on track.
