Baylor Bears College Football Preview 2021: Keys To The Season
Baylor Bears Biggest Key: Offense
The Bears have to get more out of the offensive line in the tweaked system. New offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes was able to help crank up the BYU offense last because 1) he had Zach Wilson to work with and 2) the O line was a dominant force.
Xavier Newman-Johnson is only 6-2, but he’s a 315-pound veteran of a blocker on the inside, 6-7, 310-pound Connor Galvin is an experienced tackle, and a few parts are coming in through the transfer portal …
And now the line has to be better.
Baylor was among the worst in the nation at giving up sacks – 3.44 per game – along with a whole bunch of tackles for loss. Not surprisingly, the running game didn’t do much and the downfield passing game struggled as team after team applied too much pressure.
Baylor averaged just 2.7 yards per carry and failed to hit 100 yards on the ground in every game but the win over Kansas and the close-call loss to Texas Tech.
The program didn’t consistently crush in the big 2019 season and didn’t hit five yards per carry since 2016, and it’s not exactly going to be Wisconsin this year. However, as long as the line is a bit better and the running game can be consistent enough to be a positive, the offense will take on a whole new look.
Baylor Bears Biggest Key: Defense
Be bit more consistent against the run. The defense was solid overall and did what it could considering the offense didn’t provide any help.
There weren’t that many problems early on – no one hit four yards per carry in any of the first three games – but Kansas, West Virginia and Texas each scored multiple rushing touchdowns.
Everyone but Oklahoma ran for rushing touchdowns in the strange defensive fight – a 27-14 Sooner win – late in the year. However, just when it seemed like the Bears were past the 256 rushing yards allowed to Kansas State the week before, Oklahoma State thumped away for 261 yards on the ground to close out the year.
Five of the last seven teams ran for 198 rushing yards or more on the Bear D – the 2019 defense allowed over 200 yards just twice in 14 games.
Baylor Bears Key Player To A Successful Season
QB Jacob Zeno, Soph.
And junior Gerry Bohanon. The 6-2 Zeno was a terrific recruit for the program, but he hasn’t been able to see too much time over his first two seasons throwing just 26 passes so far. He’s got the upside to blow up if he gets the full-time gig, but Bohanon is getting an equal shot.
The 6-3, 221-pounder is most famous for almost pulling off the 2019 Big 12 Championship when Charlie Brewer got hurt. He’s an academic all-star who’s got the mobility, size, and just enough experience to take over.
However, in a new system under a new coordinator, the gig is open.
Baylor Bears Key Game To The 2021 Season
Iowa State, Sept. 25
Baylor won just two games in 2020 against a slate full of just Big 12 teams. It pushed Iowa State on the road in a 38-31 loss after pulling off a big 23-21 win in 2019 – the Cyclones have won three of the last four – but this one could be the pivot point early on in the Dave Aranda era.
At Texas State, Texas Southern, at Kansas. Baylor should be 3-0 to start the season, and if it can pull off the upset at home over the Cyclones, all of a sudden, a big season is possible.
2020 Baylor Bears Fun Stats
– Fumbles: Opponents 11 (lost 5) – Baylor 5 (lost 1)
– Field Goals: Opponents 12-of-12 – Baylor 10-of-16
– Rushing Offense Yards Per Game: Opponents 180.4 – Baylor 90.3