By Kevin Lonnquist
Publisher
Baylor’s coaching staff is looking toward the future with the beginning of the official visit season. But it also needs to ensure what it presently has on its roster can help it bounce back in 2023.
The Bears linebacker corps is looking at practically a new lineup. It’s also looking for a leader to emerge much in the same way Terrel Bernard did in 2021 and Dillon Doyle in 2022. Of course, all defensive numbers count the same between the defensive line, linebacker and secondary.
While Baylor’s rushing game allowed just 148 yards per game – good for third in the Big 12 – that was a little deceptive because this group experienced problems in the win at Oklahoma and the losses to TCU and Texas – the second half and really the fourth quarter were a case where they just got pushed around.
It was a steady performance against Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl allowing 276 yards on 67 attempts. At a clip of 4.1 yards per attempt against a triple option approach.
Still, Baylor’s middle tier needs to find some solutions. It also has a new position coach in Christian Robinson who arrived from Auburn. Of course, Baylor has one unknown in Garmon Randolph who is indefinitely suspended for a violation of team rules. Back in early April he was arrested for DUI. Dave Aranda said there is a chance Randolph could return to the team.
In a new series, we break down how Baylor’s positions may play out this fall. On May 9, we started with the quarterbacks. We continue with the linebackers.
Projected Starters: With so much to review, you can start with Matt Jones who started 12 games last year and finished with 65 total tackles including 2.5 TFL. That’s a productive season, but the staff would like to see that go up even further. Should it, that would signal Jones is getting himself in position and the defensive line is funneling plays to him in the right lane.
Jones is the candidate to take over where Doyle and Bernard left off. He knows that. Where he ends up is the question because he spent spring at the Jack, Mike and Will positions.
However, Liberty transfer Mike Smith is the candidate to take over in the middle. Smith will have one year of eligibility remaining. But he served a big role for the Flames when he led the defense with 85 stops and started 12 games. Smith is built for the middle at 6-1, 225.
Time will tell in fall camp with the other positions. Randolph’s situation doesn’t help. But the candidates would be Tony Anyanwu, who appeared in nine games, LSU transfer Josh White (he was pretty much unavailable for 2022 with a concussion) and Brooks Miller who continued to impress during the spring season. Quietly, he appeared in 10 games and started one.
Should Randolph return, it would settle things and create a better rotation.
The depth chart: Keep an eye on Jeremy Evans, He appeared in three games in 2022 to keep his redshirt season and took a step in the offseason. Evans is the kind who can move around. He might be the successor at the Star in years to come. Tyrone Brown could be a starter candidate. He made two in 2022. Carmello Jones was recruited out of West Orange-Stark as a defensive lineman. However, the thinking was for him to switch to LB when he got to Baylor. He played in the Armed Forces Bowl. Kyler Jordan should also be in the mix.
The bottom line is that this group may be more athletic than last year’s group. But it’s effectiveness will hinge on once everyone gets settled into a particular position – yes, players can play other spots but they need to be primarily grounded into one – the Randolph situation resolves itself, Smith maintaining his productivity and the White becoming the player thinks he can and what LSU thought he was when he signed with the Tigers.
Publisher
Baylor’s coaching staff is looking toward the future with the beginning of the official visit season. But it also needs to ensure what it presently has on its roster can help it bounce back in 2023.
The Bears linebacker corps is looking at practically a new lineup. It’s also looking for a leader to emerge much in the same way Terrel Bernard did in 2021 and Dillon Doyle in 2022. Of course, all defensive numbers count the same between the defensive line, linebacker and secondary.
While Baylor’s rushing game allowed just 148 yards per game – good for third in the Big 12 – that was a little deceptive because this group experienced problems in the win at Oklahoma and the losses to TCU and Texas – the second half and really the fourth quarter were a case where they just got pushed around.
It was a steady performance against Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl allowing 276 yards on 67 attempts. At a clip of 4.1 yards per attempt against a triple option approach.
Still, Baylor’s middle tier needs to find some solutions. It also has a new position coach in Christian Robinson who arrived from Auburn. Of course, Baylor has one unknown in Garmon Randolph who is indefinitely suspended for a violation of team rules. Back in early April he was arrested for DUI. Dave Aranda said there is a chance Randolph could return to the team.
In a new series, we break down how Baylor’s positions may play out this fall. On May 9, we started with the quarterbacks. We continue with the linebackers.
Projected Starters: With so much to review, you can start with Matt Jones who started 12 games last year and finished with 65 total tackles including 2.5 TFL. That’s a productive season, but the staff would like to see that go up even further. Should it, that would signal Jones is getting himself in position and the defensive line is funneling plays to him in the right lane.
Jones is the candidate to take over where Doyle and Bernard left off. He knows that. Where he ends up is the question because he spent spring at the Jack, Mike and Will positions.
However, Liberty transfer Mike Smith is the candidate to take over in the middle. Smith will have one year of eligibility remaining. But he served a big role for the Flames when he led the defense with 85 stops and started 12 games. Smith is built for the middle at 6-1, 225.
Time will tell in fall camp with the other positions. Randolph’s situation doesn’t help. But the candidates would be Tony Anyanwu, who appeared in nine games, LSU transfer Josh White (he was pretty much unavailable for 2022 with a concussion) and Brooks Miller who continued to impress during the spring season. Quietly, he appeared in 10 games and started one.
Should Randolph return, it would settle things and create a better rotation.
The depth chart: Keep an eye on Jeremy Evans, He appeared in three games in 2022 to keep his redshirt season and took a step in the offseason. Evans is the kind who can move around. He might be the successor at the Star in years to come. Tyrone Brown could be a starter candidate. He made two in 2022. Carmello Jones was recruited out of West Orange-Stark as a defensive lineman. However, the thinking was for him to switch to LB when he got to Baylor. He played in the Armed Forces Bowl. Kyler Jordan should also be in the mix.
The bottom line is that this group may be more athletic than last year’s group. But it’s effectiveness will hinge on once everyone gets settled into a particular position – yes, players can play other spots but they need to be primarily grounded into one – the Randolph situation resolves itself, Smith maintaining his productivity and the White becoming the player thinks he can and what LSU thought he was when he signed with the Tigers.
