He and his wife, Karina, got married last January and have a 4-month-old daughter, Zoe. After a 2-7 2021 stats: 62-86 passes for 596 yards and five TDs (six games, two starts). Related: College Football's Top Quarterbacks on the Rise for 2023 4. It resulted in nine 100-yard performances and 1,621 rushing yards, the most in Baylor history. One opposing coach sees the Bears as a force in the Big 12 again. But at its core, the team is younger. Try a week on us. Each of the new schools comes in at a different place, and the 2022 Big 12 title game participants, TCU and Kansas State, both had major losses on at least one side of the ball. It might be way too early for college football predictions, but before the rest of the country hits the field for spring ball, here are our early predictions for Power-5 conference champions in 2023. Its safe to expect him to continue performing at a high level as a blocker and as a lethal receiving threat for Shapen. Perhaps the fog has never fully lifted as he was particularly ineffective as the season progressed against Kansas, Oklahoma and Kansas State. Starters Gabe Younger possibilities include true freshman safety Alfonzo Allen. On the move! Doyle was second on the Bears defense with 90 tackles, adding 8.5 tackles for loss. (Kevin Jairaj / USA Today), Baylor linebacker Dillon Doyle finished second on the team in tackles with 90 and second with 8.5 tackles for loss. When the Bear running game hits it rhythm, its a lot of fun to watch and loading up the box can actually make things worse for the run defense. After losing eight players to the NFL over the summer, Baylor football will be forced to replace some big-time athletes from a 2021 Big 12 championship squad. Sling it, Shape >> @BShapen @kelseyjohnsonjr #SicEm | #PersonOverPlayer pic.twitter.com/ItRAKelqx2. Four of five starters return on the offensive line, and the entire defensive line two-deep is back. The second coach expects Baylors running game will again be solid but noted how little production returns at receiver. The former Iowa Hawkeyes presence was shown even with Bernard on the squad, and hes beloved among his peers, so expect a big year from Doyle in 2022. On the plus side, Shapen will have a veteran offensive line led by defending Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year Connor Galvin and reinforced y Buffalow transfer Jacob Gall. They can probably look at the 20-13 Norristown loss where the Eagles made a goal line stand and a few kneel-downs to pull off the upset as a turning point, The Mountaineers looked like a better team with Garrett Greene at quarterback because of his toughness and ability to make big plays with his legs when he needed to. Will the Bears scratch and claw for progress the way the 2021 team did? Bill Bender of Sporting News projectsthe Bears will face Oregon in the Alamo Bowl. The Bears are allowing offenses to convert a healthy 45.4% of their 3rd downs this season and that simply doesnt marry well to Arandas larger philosophy. Will receive lots of Vita Vea comps. However, they look to have a spectacular shot at doing so in 2022. We did some decent things last year at times, but we were just inconsistent, Grimes said. Hes a great athlete, good blocker, and can get involved in the vertical pass game. The No. Blake Shapen rode an excellent performance in the Big 12 title game to the starting job this spring, unseating Gerry Bohanon, who has since transferred and is now the starter at USF. Even with Bijan Robinson moving on, Texas still ranks third nationally in returning offensive production, and with Texas bringing in the No. The Bears have six players on preseason watch lists for national awards. Michael Haag is a Journalism student at Baylor University in Waco, TX. The 2021 second-team All-AAC selection should thrive being back in his hometown of Waco. Related: Early 2022 Big 12 QB Preview and Rankings 3. With the heartbreak kid gone, Morgan has a great chance to shine in the spotlight as one of Baylors best defensive players. Its a big gamble, the second coach said. Leading receiver Tyquan Thornton is off to the NFL and No. LT Connor Galvin, RG Grant Miller, RT Kahlil Keith, and C Jacob Gall are all seniors who were eligible to return for another season in 2022. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. Another year in Venables defensive system couldnt hurt either, as Oklahoma struggled at times to be assignment sound on that side of the ball. Injuries certainly played a part, but the offseason attrition was also worrisome. Much like Morgan, he is stepping into an expanded role. A number of transfers doesnt hurt either. Ranking 77th nationally in returning production, the Sooners are somewhat middle of the pack in the Big 12 in that category. CLICK HERE to download the CBS Sports Mobile App and get the latest on your team today. But he questions the quarterback depth. Qualan Jones, a fourth-year junior, hasnt seen many carries but is among the options. "We got married in Katy, Texas, about a mile from the high school stadium," he said. Aranda likes how Blake Shapen is developing leadership skills: "The thing Im most proud of is his leadership and the art of when to say something and how to say it and being authentic with everything youve got. A veteran leader on the back end, Baylor will rely on Morgan to make an impact in 2022. LSUs Josh White will try to bolster the linebacker corps, which does return middle linebacker Dillon Doyle. Powledge, a Huntsville, Texas, native who played fullback at Sam Houston, is also back in his Texas roots. Diminutive Richard Reese (908 yards, 14 tds, 5.2 per carry) and Sqwirl Williams (530 yards, 4 tds, 5.8 per carry) are the speed component while 245 pound Qualan Jones (403 yards, 7 tds, 5.5 per carry) brings the pain. The players are responding well to him. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. This is a tough one. Michael has covered Baylor football, men's and women's basketball, baseball and more. The travel schedule is brutal for Baylor with trips to BYU, Iowa State, Oklahoma and Texas on tap. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. And they found some young pieces along the way, adding a few pretty good transfers as well. 2021 stats: Started all 14 games at left tackle. Theyre headlined by OT Connor Galvin and C Jacob Gall. With Connor Galvin With a solid crop of returning players, the question will be whether that talent can start delivering results on the field. Related: College Football's Top Quarterbacks on the Rise for 2023 4. Im truly excited to see what the defense will accomplish in The Horns need Quinn Ewers to throw the ball capably within the construct of a run first offense. Studying what Oklahoma and Kansas State did to them will be instructive. He knows a thing or two because hes seen a thing or two over the course of his collegiate career. Roberts will evaluate multiple options there, including returning safety Lorando Johnson, who backed up Pitre last year. And it wont get too much easier in the second half. A more consistent downfield and intermediate passing game will be the big difference., Added Aranda: (Shapens) ability as a thrower to read coverages, to anticipate looks his arm is strong, his delivery can be unique. The corners are unremarkable but have some size and are well schooled. Returning Starters on Offense: 6 Offensive Coordinator Collin Klein, who was promoted to the position after a remarkable offensive output as the Wildcats Find more Baylor coverage from The Dallas Morning News here. Explosive Florida State running back transfer Treshaun Ward is among the Big 12s most exciting transfer additions, and hell join DJ Giddens in making sure the Wildcats can still run the ball. The slinger has proven he has an elite arm, and if the cards fall right, he is a legitimate contender for Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year. The Bears will ride the hot hand the 175 pound Reese has two games where he had 30+ carries, the 170 pound Sqwirl has a 25 carry game and theyre not going to worry about work load in a season finale. This was a big component of their 38-35 win over OU in Norman, forcing Dillon Gabriel into 3 first half interceptions, even though OUs offense was otherwise humming along. Tay McWilliams is the top returning player at running back and he had just 181 yards on 17 carries last year. Hes watching closely, gauging whether the young players succeeding the departed stars will bring the same level of accountability. Follow Sam on Twitter @skhanjr, Baylor quarterback Blake Shapen set an AT&T Stadium collegiate record with 17 straight completions en route to going 23-of-28 for 180 yards and a career-best three touchdowns against Oklahoma State in the Big 12 title game. Texas has to press their advantages here and not concede confidence building throws to Shapen. What should fans expect in 2022? Here are our predictions for the Big 12's order of finish in 2023. On the line, starters at four positions return: left tackle Connor Galvin, center Jacob Gall, right guard Grant Miller and both right tackles, Khalil Keith and Gavin Byers. The 6-7, 265-pound junior should build on his 2021, which included 29 tackles and three sacks in 11 games. It certainly helps that one of the offensive starters is Deuce Vaughn. Things could take a turn for the worst early if the defense isnt quite up to their 2021 form in the first half of the season. But Oklahoma would tell you that some of the departures arent the worst thing in the world, and Brent Venables upset the apple cart a bit in the offseason by going guns blazing into the transfer portal. Bohanon averaged only 157.9 passing yards per game and his completion percentage dipped to 61.5 percent in conference play. The Cougars are the top-ranked newcomer here, though whether that plays out will likely depend on whether Kedon Slovis can re-find some of the magic he showed a few years back at USC. 2023 On3 Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Aranda recruited the 2020 four-star prospect while with the Tigers but left for Baylor before getting a chance to coach him. The tricky part will be actually defending the title with Oklahoma State still rolling, Oklahoma with their own defensive guru at the helm and Texas strengthening. He and his wife, Karina, got married last January and have Hes a guy that opened up his heart to the team and led his team in a real prideful, courageous way, Aranda said of Bohanon. The 2021 season was no fluke. Baylor ranked 10th in the country and first in the Big 12 in rushing offense in 2021, averaging 219.3 yards per game, leading the way to a Big 12 Championship. Although not getting the glitz and glamour, the Bears can feel great knowing Apu is lining up opposite of the center this season. The Bears badly miss Jalen Pitre and JT Woods. Whoever wins the job should have plenty of talent to utilize, but will need the offensive line to come together. Key stat to know: Baylors stout defense forced the second-most third downs (200) in the Big 12 and 11th most in the Power 5 last season, a result of good early down defense. Wheat also worked with Aranda at LSU, spending seven seasons as a defensive analyst for the Tigers, including all four in which Aranda was defensive coordinator. Devin Leary returns at quarterback and so does plenty of impactful players on defense. . And while we dont think Cincinnati will be bad, the Bearcats rank last in the league in returning production, coming in at No. The Bears have been a strong Big 12 road team, compiling a 3-1 record, and their play style and experience tends to travel well. Get the fastest scores, stats, news, LIVE videos, and more. Ive watched them go through stretches where theyre utterly dominated by aggressive corner and nickel play. There may be inexperience at those key offensive spots, but sufficient talent exists. With who they return upfront, expect the road-grading to continue in 2022. In the starting lineup, Grimes expects competition at both guard spots. Breakdown: There are so many other worthy names that could have made this list, but it felt wrong to exclude one of the best tight ends in Baylor football history. Now the Jayhawks are bringing back a number of those players who took their lumps in a winless season. The best aspect of the Bear secondary is their ability to hone in on an offenses preferred routes and force turnovers with sucker coverages. Roberts is leaning toward Walcott at star and Johnson at corner. All three specialists return: punter Issac Power, place kicker Isaiah Hankins and kickoff specialist Noah Rauschenberg. March 1, 2023 12:56 pm CT. College football writers are taking notice of the Longhorns loaded returning roster. But Baylor also brings in 247Sports No. Likely this will be another year like last year: West Virginia has the talent to sneak up and bite somebody, but might not have the consistent week-in, week-out results. Miller returns after a solid year, Byers could play guard or tackle and Jeffery and Mazzccua will also compete for those spots. In 2021, that number rose to 2.2 yards per rush, sixth in the conference and 49th nationally, according to Pro Football Focus. @BUFootball pic.twitter.com/UGVc1Saj3L. Oklahoma and Texas will loom in the second half of the season but the Oct. 1 matchup with Oklahoma State could be the early indicator of what the Bears are capable of. The plethora of linebacker options is a good problem to have, Aranda said. 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