By Braden Murray | Executive Producer, LTVN
Baylor’s offense lacks the killer instinct needed to win games.
The issue was on full display in the Bears’ 55-28 loss to #13 Utah Saturday. Throughout the first half, the Bears marched down the field with relative ease before running out of gas inside the 30-yard line.
On the second drive of the game, redshirt senior quarterback Sawyer Robertson connected with sixth-year wide receiver Ashtyn Hawkins for a 37-yard gain to Utah’s 23-yard line. At that point, the Bears appeared to run into an invisible wall, losing a yard over the next three plays.
What had initially looked like an opportunity for an early lead resulted in zero points for the Bears. Redshirt freshman kicker Connor Hawkins missed a 41-yard field goal attempt wide left.
“There’s no magic answer,” redshirt senior wide receiver Josh Cameron said. “Just whenever the offense gets a chance to score, we’ve got to do it. Whenever special teams gets a chance to make a big play, got to do it. Whenever defense gets the chance to make a big stop, they’ve got to do it.”
The invisible wall around Utah’s 35-yard line made its presence known again a few drives later when Robertson threw a 65-yard pick-six to put the Utes up 14-0. It was Robertson’s third pick-six at Baylor, and his first at McLane Stadium.
Robertson threw the ball an astounding 58 times, the most in his career. In the first half, he struggled to complete even the simplest of passes, missing Cameron three times in a row at one point. He also missed wide-open receivers streaking downfield.
“[There were] a lot of one-on-one opportunities,” head coach Dave Aranda said. “We were able to make completions on some of those, and then others we missed. And in games like this, we have to make those, whether it’s the catch or it’s the throw.”
The volume of passing attempts is a testament to Baylor’s lack of a solid run game at this point in the season. Redshirt sophomore running back Bryson Washington had 97 yards on 14 attempts, with 40 of those yards coming from a single run on Baylor’s first drive of the second quarter.
The Bears had first-and-goal at Utah’s 5-yard line and ran the ball three straight times, each of which failed to reach the end zone. On fourth down, Robertson connected with Cameron for Baylor’s first touchdown of the game.
“Our inability to get runs on first down, put it at long second down, to where now we’re throwing,” Aranda said. “I think initially there was some runs, again, run, run, and we weren’t getting anything. We ended up having to throw it too much.”
Robertson put up gaudy numbers, throwing for 430 yards and three touchdowns. But ultimately, those numbers are meaningless when down by 20 points. Time after time Robertson would connect with a receiver deep downfield — for instance, a 64-yard bomb to Kole Wilson in the second quarter — before the offense would seemingly give up on progressing any further. (After Wilson’s long reception, the Bears settled for a field goal.)
Cameron was one of the few players who stood out in the game, finishing with a career-high 165 yards and two touchdowns.
“Seeing Josh just keep playing all game long, catching, making catches that I’ve never seen before,” redshirt sophomore cornerback LeVar Thornton Jr. said. “Just all game long, just gives the defense hope.”
The lack of intensity was evident on defense, too. Baylor’s defensive front was able to flush Utah quarterback Devon Dampier out of the pocket rather consistently, before giving up a long scramble or deep shot downfield. Of the Utes’ eight touchdowns, three came on rushes of over 60 yards.
“It’s just guys, just one guy not being in the right spot,” Thornton said. “Just a key play at those key moments where those explosives just happen.”
If Baylor truly wishes to make a bowl game, they need to increase the intensity they play with.
“We got to get more guys in that boat,” Aranda said. “Where they’re consistently executing with the emotion that comes with playing the game and funneling it the right way.”
Baylor will travel to Tucson, Ariz., to take on Arizona (7-3, 4-3 Big 12) on Saturday. At the time of publishing, kickoff time and channel have yet to be announced.
