By Jeffrey Cohen | Sports Editor
Leo Tolstoy uses the idea of “putting yourself to the proof” as the primary means for moral and psychological growth in his influential 1869 book “War and Peace.”
He wrote that people live in comfort and performance as part of high society in St. Petersburg, Russia, until they face trials, typically in battle. Interim head coach Joe Klanderman equated that idea to Baylor entering its first ranked game of the season against No. 10 BYU.
“The only thing that I really remember is the line that ‘Unless you put yourself to the test, you can deceive yourself endlessly about what you are,'” interim head coach Joe Klanderman said. “We’re looking at this as a great gauge to see where we are as a program, going into probably one of the best environments in the country against a top-10 team.”
The Bears (6-3, 4-2 Big 12) anticipate their first top-25 test against the Cougars (7-2, 4-2 Big 12) to establish themselves among the conference’s best.
“They feel passionate about this opportunity and excited about this opportunity,” Klanderman said. “They’re looking at this as a proving ground.”
Baylor has seen a quick turnaround under Klanderman. The Bears have won their last two games by a combined 43 points, including a dominant road win over UCF, who knocked BYU off the week prior. While the Cougars are reeling off two losses in their last three games, the Bears’ success will lie in how they come out of the gate on Saturday.
“If our guys really have that look in their eye like we can get this thing done, then we’ll know we’re turning a corner,” Klanderman said. “If they look catatonic, then maybe we haven’t turned that corner yet.”
Baylor has been itching to play one of the Big 12’s six ranked teams. Senior offensive lineman Cole Rhett is ready to take on a BYU defensive line that can take over, recording eight sacks among its four starters.
“They’re a great D-line,” Rhett said. “You want to play the best of the best every single week, and BYU got some dogs.”
Baylor has mainly benefited from its away schedule. It blew out Arizona State 55-19 to go alongside the Bears’ last road win in Orlando. Senior cornerback LeVar Thornton Jr. credits the team’s underdog mentality with its success away from home.
“We tend to play better away,” Thornton said. “It’s just how we are playing under pressure and us coming together, because when we’re away, it’s just us against everybody else, and we can feel that.”
A part of Baylor’s resurgence is junior quarterback DJ Lagway’s newfound confidence running the ball. He tallied a season-high 119 rushing yards and a 54-yard score in the win over Iowa State. His recent dual-threat ability and quicker decision-making have opened the offense to scoring 83 points in the last two games.
“DJ’s an incredible athlete; one of a kind,” Knighten said. “When I saw that, that was the DJ I believed in. That’s the DJ I knew. So, it never really shocked me. … I knew it was there, just seeing him finally open up and be him.”
The Bears’ defense is also set to face a physical BYU offense headlined by quarterback Bear Bachmeier. The sophomore stands at 6-foot-2, 237 pounds and uses that size to bully defenders on the ground and through the air.
“He’s almost a second running back because of his size,” Thornton said. “There are designated places for him to run the ball. We are aware of his running capabilities; we’ve just got to gang tackle and chop him down, because he’s a big kid.”
Bachmeier enters the matchup with 2,022 passing yards and 395 on the ground, capped off by a combined 20 touchdowns on the year.
While his running ability is what sets him apart from other quarterbacks, Klanderman still noticed that he has a “cannon for an arm” and can hurt defenses in multiple ways.
BYU also looks to continue ramping up running back LJ Martin. The reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year missed four weeks before returning last week against No. 2 Utah, finishing with 19 yards on seven carries.
The Bears take on the Cougars at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah. The game will be broadcast on Fox.
