ON THIS SPECIAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE WE ASK THAT OUR LORD
AND SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, LEAD US, GUIDE US, AND DIRECT US,
IN EVERYTHING WE DO AND SAY AND WE THANK HIM FOR ALL HIS
B;LESSINGS HE HAS BESTOWED UPON US.

AMEN.....BLESSINGS TO ALL.....

Just catching you up

>Scott Drew gets inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame this weekend.

>The NCAA ruled that OVs are no longer capped at five. They are limitless. So it's a question of logistics and money and strategy. Still this is a game changer.

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By Kevin Lonnquist
Publisher
Baylor's official visit calendar for June is taking shape. And the final weekend where recruits can visit has the makings of being a big one.

Mix in Baylor's run on pursuing tight ends out of Arizona and it becomes more and more interesting. Scottsdale Desert Mountain 2024 tight end Dillon Hipp said on Friday he has scheduled to take an official visit to Baylor June 23-25.

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This will be the second visit to Baylor in 2023 for Hipp. He made special arrangements to travel out for the Jan. 29 Junior Day.

"I learned how much they used the TE for sure,'' Hipp said. "The majority of snaps there are 2 or 3 TEs on the field. That’s really what intrigues me the most about Baylor. The multiplicity and complexity of their offense is what really makes it beneficial for a TE to get open and have chances to make explosive plays.''

The Bears have made no secret that they want tight ends to be a valued piece in their offense. There are high expectations in 2023 between Drake Dabney, Kelsey Johnson and North Texas transfer Jake Roberts. In 2023, Baylor signed Phoenix Horizon tight end Matthew Klopfenstein. Klopfenstein arrived in January and currently going through spring football.

Things are heating up for Hipp. In March, he used his spring break and took unofficial visits to Louisville (March 10), Ole Miss (March 11), Auburn (March 13) and Miami (Fl.) March 14. Maryland then offered on March 16.

In 2022, Hipp caught 30 passes for 350 yards along with four touchdowns. He was a chain mover averaging 11.7 yards per snare. Hipp said Baylor is one of the top eight schools he is considering.

Login to view embedded media Caleb Collins
(On Kyler Jordan)
Oh, Kyler, man? The biggest thing about Kyler is Kyler is a football guy. Not the biggest, not the strongest — and he'll get there like he will get there. He’s never even done a football offseason. Kyler was a great baseball player in high school. So, I was watching his offseason, I'm like ‘OK, he may not be as strong as some of the other Jacks, but he's able to make plays out there because Kyler’s gonna go home, he's gonna watch the tape, he's gonna study his playbook.’ So, that way his thinking is to a minimum when he's on the field. He’s just playing green and I think that's what kind of puts him in a position to have success is like, he’s not one of the guys on the field that’s just thinking a whole lot. He’s like ‘I looked at this last night. I'm good. I'm just ready to play football and have fun.’ That's what I think puts him in a position to have success is (that) he’s a smart guy. And he's gonna put in the work on the front end, that way when he gets to the field, he could just kind of be making full speed mistakes, like, ‘Oh, yeah, coach. I know what I messed up on that play.’ (I’m) like, alright cool.

(On Kaian adjusting to Jack)
Man, Kaian got all the ability in the world. I just think with Kaian right now, it's kind of like drinking from a fire hydrant. I'm talking, I'm installing this call in meetings, and every now and then he'll remind me like, ‘Hey, Coach, what's a slam?’ And I'm like, (snaps his fingers) ‘I'm tripping. Like, let me go back to the beginning.’
So, I think when Kaian hears it all again in the summer, he's gonna be like ‘Ain’t no way this was the same stuff you was teaching during spring.’ I’ll be like ‘Yeah, Kaian, it’s the same stuff.’ But it’s just, right now he's hearing a lot of this stuff for the first time. But I think Kaian accels the best when it's like, individualized drills. Like, ‘Kaian, go pass rush against this guy.’ No call, nothing. And you will really see his ability show up. Just the simplest drills — even in individual — you kind of see his ability show. I just think right now it just got to slow down for him a little bit. But (he has) all the ability in the world, man, and I'm happy to have him in our room, forreal.

(Any other guys standing out?)
Prince (Ugoh) has come along really good. Prince Ugoh, he's really done a good job of just slowing things down and really taking advantage of the opportunity to get some reps. I think Tony's doing a good job of leading the room right now. I think Tony is a freak in the weight room and some of that stuff is starting to really translate on the field to where like, the things you expect Tony to do well; be a hammer, be a brute force, like set an edge. Like, he's doing those things. So, that's the thing I appreciate most from Tony's. It’s like, the things that you would expect him to do well being so big, so strong (and) so fast, he's starting to do those things on the field. And that's been pleasing to see.

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Kyler Jordan
(How has Tony come along)
Oh yeah, I've seen a ton of improvement in him and he's just such a leader in the group. Always leading by example, doing what's right and you can't help but follow in his footsteps.
(Do you feel like you needed that redshirt year last year?)
Yes, sir. It's just such a different game than what you play in high school. I mean, the speed, the strength, everything. It’s just, everything happens faster. It was a big transition, but I'm definitely starting to feel more comfortable with it.

(Are you guys feeling like with this new defense it can be more aggressive?)
Yes, sir. It's definitely a little simpler than what we were doing in the fall, which is definitely helping me just be able to play faster. Not so much thinking but more doing. So, I definitely like that aspect with Coach Pow (Powledge).

(What’s it like bringing in another Lubbock guy with Sawyer Robertson)
Oh, it's awesome. I mean, I went to church with Sawyer growing up. I played against him in football, baseball, kind of everything. So, it's pretty cool to see him here and that connection was already built, I mean, back in the 806
(Lubbock area code). So, it's definitely good to have him here. I think he’ll be a good addition to the team.

(Any church stories?)
(Laughs). Not really. We would always show up on Sundays and talk about what happened on Friday night. Always talking about games and all that good stuff; talking a little trash when you need to.

(Did you remind him that you got him a couple of times in high school?)
(Laughs) I got him a couple of times. He got me once, so I can't talk too much. Can’t talk too much.

(On Coach Pow)
I already talked about the simplicity — he just helps us play faster — but just his day in and day out energy. He shows up every day ready to teach us and you can’t help but be ready to learn. So, it's just awesome. Learning from a guy that has that much passion about the game and his knowledge is as much as you can imagine.

(Where have you seen Coach Collins grow in your time here)
He's grown a lot in his confidence. I think he's starting to realize that he can be a good teacher and that's what he's really good at. So, he always tells us whenever we get into the position group that we need to be ready to learn because he's ready to teach. And I just think compared to last fall, he's just, he's really confided (I think he used this right) in us and he's taken the extra effort to meet us halfway outside of football, too. So, I think that's really helped in just building a relationship.

(How would you define a JACK)
I would define a Jack as kind of a hybrid. You kind of got to be able to do a little bit of everything. So, speed, strength; you kind of got to have a little bit of it all. But yeah, really just a hybrid, I would say.

(Does the Jack fit you)
Yes, sir. I think I'm coming around. It's definitely — like I said before — it's such a different game than it was in high school. So, the stuff that you could get away with in high school, you can't get away with here. So, it's really just more of a speed adjustment for me than anything.

(Were you ever in the middle)
(Laughs) In high school I did a little bit of everything. I played a little bit of three technique in high school. A little bit of Mike (linebacker), kind of a little bit of everything yeah, I like it a lot.

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Tony Anyanwu
(how’s the defense coming along) I really like it. With Coach Powledge returning, because we would all run through a wall for him, he’s got great energy. And I just like where (the defense) is coming.

(changes scheme-wise Powledge has implemented) The scheme is definitely just getting more simpler, allowing us to play fast and stuff like that. Move around, easy rotations. Very memorizable (definitely not a word) defense. I like it.

(what is it about Coach Pow that makes you that dedicated to him) He just brings energy every day, like every day. He’s a real good people person. He gets us all lit before we take the field and everything, all kinds of stuff.

(how do you view the role of the JACK position) We like to call us the militia, like Special Forces, kind of, because there are certain plays that will call for us to be the ones to make the play or be the ones to rush, get a sack in critical moments and stuff like that (his favorite term).

(feel like it’s a good fit for you) I feel amazing, to be able to drop in the open field and then come down, set an edge, run after the ball, chase, all kind of stuff (yes, he said it again).

(any of the younger guys at the position catching your eye) Oh, he’s right over there, Kyler Jordan. Yeah, he’s coming along really good, taken to the coaching. I’m really proud of how far he’s got.

(what makes him special) His physicality, his coachability (apparently is a word). He learns real quick, he’s real smart. You’ve got to watch out for him.

(how has Coach Caleb Collins grown over the last year or so) He’s definitely become more connected to us. We hang out a lot, we go out to eat as a position group, a lot. And he tries to bond with his players. When you have that bond, people are going to play harder for you. At least that’s what I believe.

(where do you feel like you’ve improved the most since the start of the spring) Definitely my drops and a little of my pass rushing. We changed up our footwork a little bit, but with a good alert, we can know. And we’ve been working on a lot of pass-rushing moves. My long arm is looking good, a lot of stuff has been getting better.

(could Coach Collins beat you) Maybe in his prime, because he went to LSU. He was nice back in the day, but that’s back in the day. He’s slowed down, for sure.

(try to add weight or strength in the offseason) Actually, he told me he doesn’t worry about that anymore. It used to be that he wanted me to be a certain weight, or maintain a certain weight, but he doesn’t really care as long as I’m still able to do what I can do out on the field.

(what about speed) Oh, definitely, definitely. But that’s all with reaction time, breaking up the stacks, things of that nature.

(on Garmon Randolph, expect from him) I’m expecting a lot from him. I’m expecting him to be able to lead us and be able to coach us up, especially the younger people and newer people to ghe group, when they need.

(how do you feel like Kaian Roberts-Day has adjusted to the position after switching from running back) He’s adjusting pretty good for a first-timer. For all he’s learned on offense, once he puts it all together, he should be able to call out plays pretty quickly and just really connect the whole game.

All football podcast. We talk about the upcoming Saturday scrimmage and what will be decided about who starts.
We follow up with a discussion on where the Bears look for QBs for 2024 and beyond.



Came in at 22:16
Listen to the podcast here

Caitlan Bickle has signed with the CONNECTICUT Pro Women's team. Wishing her the
very Best in Life and success at the Pro Level as she was at Baylor. Athletic, aggressive,
always gave her best in every game.
Sic 'em Caitlan, be the best you can be.

According to ESPN he announced today

By Kevin Lonnquist
Publisher
The relationship Baylor has established with 2025 quarterback Kelden Ryan began more than a year ago.

And it’s safe to say that actions will always speak louder than words. The Fort Worth All Saints spinner attended Baylor’s first scrimmage on April 1 at McLane Stadium. It was at least his fourth visit to campus.

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It was a chance for him to see more of how this offense works and witness the starting quarterback battle between Blake Shapen and Sawyer Robertson.

“We always have a great time when we are on campus,’’ said Ryan who transferred from Keller Central to All Saints earlier this year. “I really liked what I saw in the scrimmage. I think Coach [Jeff] Grimes and Coach [Shawn] Bell did a good job of creating easy throws for the QBs and the QBs put the ball where it needed to be.”

Ryan’s development continues. It’s hoped that the change in programs will be part of it. In 2022, he and Keller Central struggled to a 1-9 record. For his part, Ryan threw for nearly 1,400 yards to go along with five touchdowns against seven interceptions.

Indeed, it was a learning curve. But through struggles comes success.

“We had a young team and some new staff members in key positions last year, so we definitely dealt with adversity,’’ Ryan said. “I tried to take advantage of every opportunity and give my all on the field every play.

“It’s been really awesome [at All Saints]. It’s such a great environment with everyone - coaches, administration, teachers, and students. I’m excited to kick off spring ball in a couple weeks.”

It’s been a busy spring for Ryan who recently picked up offers from Houston, Penn State and Missouri. There have also been some other visits including Texas and Missouri.

There are hopes at All Saints to win a TAPPS state championship.

“Personally, I’m continuing to work on the mental side of the game, both pre-snap and post-snap reads,’’ Ryan said. “We have a pretty strong receiving core and OL unit, so I think that’s going to create a lot of opportunities for me to stand in the pocket and distribute the football.”

While Ryan said he doesn’t plan to be at the spring game on April 22, he does have plans to return. Of course, when the May contact period begins, Baylor definitely will be seeing him.

“I’m really high on Baylor,’’ Ryan said. “We always have a great time with Coach Aranda, Coach Bell, and the entire staff every time we’re on campus. Baylor is definitely one of my top schools.”

According to Rivals, Ryan is the No. 28 rated Pro-Style QB.

Login to view embedded media Gavin Byers
(Do you need to be a leader) Absolutely, we’re always going to need leadership positions. But I feel like having a lot of young guys that have been through this too, they don’t really need a lot of people telling them what to do. We mesh really well together, so there’s not a lot of that.

(Learning from older guys) Absolutely, coming in they showed me the ropes so I can pass that down to the younger guys.

(What do see from this group) I just say the way we work, we put our heads down and everything is full speed. Everyone’s going 100 percent.

(Moving from tackle to guard) I’ve actually enjoyed it a lot. I like playing with my hand in the dirt. I feel like I can come off the ball a lot faster and get to people better. I’ve enjoyed it and I feel like I can be successful at it.

(Can you tell the Barrington brothers are brothers) Oh yeah and we love having them. They’re a blessing to have on the offensive line. They’re fun, spirited, goofy. But when we play football you can tell they have some seriousness to them. They flip the switch whenever they get on the field and that’s cool to see.

(Going to West Virginia as a freshman, now older guy) It’s kind of flown by but it’s been a good transition coming into more of a leadership role and I’m enjoying it.


Login to view embedded media Tate Williams
(Chance to start) It’s been a lot of fun coming through the winter and this spring. I’m really just stepping into the shoes of those older guys last year, and really set an example for the younger guys. That’s something I’ve always enjoy is leading by example. I feel like I’ve been able to step into the shoes as somewhat of a leader and I’ve enjoyed it for the most part.

(This year’s O-line) I think the best part about it is that everybody’s so tight. Every single one of us is like we align on the same sense of humor and the same wavelength , I guess. I think that comes into when we’re playing as well. All the guys seem to connect really well and that’s the best part about it.

(Funniest guy in the room) I think Kaden Sieracki. He probably doesn’t mean to be but he is. He’s a freak athlete, love the kid to death. But he has some spacy thoughts now and then. He’ll have a comment and everybody will be like ‘What?’ But I love the kid to death, he’s awesome.

(Moving from tackle to guard) It’s a little bit of a transition. I’ve been working through a lot of different technique things and breaking old habits is tough. But the boys have my back and I’m working through it and I think I’m adapting well to it. I’ve got a future on the inside, I guess. You’ve got to get used to being in tight spaces inside where at tackle you’re more reacting to movement and space. It’s a little more physical on the inside, so that’s something you’ve got to get used to as well.

(Gavin also moving inside) Gavin actually lives with me. We’ll talk about stuff at the house and try to figure out what we need to fix. You can see a lot watching film, but I think we’re both adapting well and I think Gavin is going to be great inside. It’s been good living with him. We’ve become pretty good friends.

(Improving strength) Yes and I’ve gained a lot of weight as well. I was probably 270 pounds when I got here. I’ve been working to gain weight with the help of a lot of people here on the staff. I’ve finally got my weight and strength up and feel like I’m ready to compete at this level.

(What’s Coach Mateos like) Coach Mateos first year was my first year here, but I really enjoy having a coach like him because he really takes the time to care about his players. He wants to know how we’re feeling about certain things. It’s more of a democracy rather than a dictatorship. He’s not yelling at you all the time. He’s coaching you rather than cussing you. I’ve really enjoyed that aspect of it and the fact that he really knows ball. Everything about him screams I love football. He spends more time than anyone else watching film and understanding film, understanding defenses. It’s really awesome to have somebody like that on my side.

(What are Barrington brothers like around each other) Campbell is a little quieter, Clark speaks out more. They don’t really knock heads like you’d think brothers on a football team. I think they get along good and everybody in the room seems to love them. We’ve brought them in as one of our own. They live in the same apartment complex, but I don’t think they live in the same place.

Login to view embedded media Clark Barrington
(Transferring to Baylor) It’s been good. It can be a little different, but the boys have accepted me and I’ve been able to make a lot of new friends, so it’s been good.

(Relationship with Mateos) That played a role. I knew how I would be coached if I came here, so that was a big thing for me, just receiving that great coaching every day and learning and improving and getting better.

(New guy in the room) I’m really the new guy in the room which is weird. I’m here to do whatever the coaches ask me to do, and I’m here to prove it.

(Where did play at BYU) No center, my starts mostly came at left guard and some at right guard. It’s an easier transition than going from tackle to center.

(Brother here) It’s fun, another big reason why I decided to come down here was because he was coming down here too. It’s always good to know somebody when you’re headed somewhere new.

(What do you see from the O-line) Just like coach was saying, it’s a bunch of athletic freaks in the room. It’s a bunch of young guys who know what they’re doing and they’re able to do it. The ceiling for the O-line is sky high and we’ll see where we go.

(Welcome here after playing BU last two seasons) It was cool because I had played Baylor two years in a row, so I knew the whole D-line because I had studied them and played against them for two years. It was cool to be able to connect with those guys and be able to continue to make friends with other guys as well. It’s been good.

Login to view embedded media Eric Mateos
got a relatively young group, how’s it going) I think they’re doing good. Nine practices. We have some youth, but we have some older guys that have been in the system and have heard the language and heard the calls. They’ve been through nine practices, they’ve done a great job of playing together and learning. Just pleased so far.

(lot different than last year when you had so many fifth and sixth-year guys) Yeah, it’s different, it’s a new challenge. I like it because it forces you to go to the roots of your teaching, go to the base level and really just kind of rebuild it from the ground up. And that’s a fun thing as a coach. You’ve got guys that are either hungry or soaking it up. It’s been a lot of fun, I’ve enjoyed it.

(what’s the biggest way you can tell whether or not young guys get it) I think there’s multiple levels to it. Like the football IQ part, we talk a lot in our room about, the only way you know that you know it is if you could teach it. So, we really challenge our guys every day in meetings, do you know exactly what you’re doing, or are you just listening to somebody else? So, I think there’s a football IQ piece of just knowing the system, knowing the scheme, understanding, ‘Hey, they play this front, we make this call.’ ‘They rotate the safeties like this, we make this call.’ ‘They bump the linebackers on this shift, we’ve got to make this call.’ So, that’s heavy, and we demand a lot out of our guys when it comes to that. And then, I think physically, you’ve just got to see them put their face on somebody. Do they have contact courage or are they backing down? Are they backing down from veteran D-linemen? Are they in the fight? Are they face-turners, or are they putting their face on somebody? So, I think there’s two levels to it, because somebody might be ready mentally but not ready physically and vice versa. So, there are just different levels to it.

(your relationship with the Barrington brothers help in getting them here) I would say that’s probably the reason they’re here. I never coached Campbell at BYU, nor did I recruit him. But I coached Clark for two years. So, when Clark made the decision to play another season and go into the portal, I felt that was a no-brainer. And then, when Campbell got in the portal, knowing his dad and knowing the family, I think that was a huge help, obviously. I think their parents appreciated how I coached Clark when I was at BYU. I think that’s probably a big reason why they’re in Texas, and probably for some warmer weather, too, despite today.

(particularly with losing so many older guys, how big was it to get Clark) I think it’s big. The portal, for us, is to find guys that are a net positive, both on and off the field. It’s really important for me, if we’re going to bring in a guy from another program, he’s going to fit in the room. And it’s not just a skill level thing, it’s not just ‘Hey, is this guy a great player? It’s, is this guy going to fit? And I think just knowing their personalities, at least knowing Clark’s personality, I knew that he was going to be a great fit with the room that we had coming back. And they have been nothing but humble and hungry, and been all that we would hope they would be.

(telling Clark he’s got to come in and be the leader, even in a new room) Me and Clark had a lot of talks about how to go about this because you are a veteran with a lot of accolades and All-American stuff attached to your name. But at the end of the day, this is still a new room, and it’s like being a free agent in the NFL. You don’t just show up and pound your chest and act like the Alpha (dog) Day One. We talked a lot one-on-one just about, ‘Hey, you’ve got to come in here and you’ve got to earn respect first, earn trust, and then you can be a leader. And once people know what kind of worker and person you are, then you can find your way to lead.’ And we talk all the time in our room, everybody has their own way to lead. I don’t want anybody to try and be me, I want our guys to lead in their personalities, how they would lead. And that’s how our guys are doing it.

(who are some of the guys who have stepped into leadership roles) I would say Tate Williams has done a great job of being a leader. I would say Elijah (Ellis) has done a good job, Gavin (Byers) has done a good job, just guys that have been here and learned the language and gone through the offseasons. I feel like all of them do a really good job with that.

(having an experienced guy like Gavin coming back) It’s great. Gavin has been here and won and competed and won big-time ballgames. And he’s been on the field for big-time moments four our team. So, him having the experience and the skins on the wall, as we say in our room, he’s got skins on the wall. He’s been in the fight, he’s been in the grind. He’s battled against great players in this conference, and he’s whupped them. So, when you have a guy like that, you feel good about it.

(Clark play any center before) No, as far as I know. I never played him at center at BYU. And I don’t think he played any center there at all. So, a lot of it’s been new. But at the same time, me and Clark have been in a lot of wars together, too, and been in a lot of game preps and been in a lot of meetings. So, he’s heard the same language from me and the same coaching points for a long time. And he played with great centers there at BYU. So, he knows the position and has really done a good job.

(any young guys you’re looking at, that maybe need to take that next step) I mean, we’ve got a lot of young freaks in the room. You look out there, and you look out there and you look at our young players, they’re freaky. (look the part) They’re freaky. There are a lot of guys right now that have four years of eligibility that are going to make a lot of money playing football on Sundays. They’re coming along great. I’ve been super-impressed with them. And they’ve all taken huge steps. Every single guy has had a rep where you can say, ‘Wow, that looks like an NFL player!’ And he’s still got four years left. So, really excited about all the youth, the young talent in the room. It’s a good, talented room.

(that’s the redshirt freshmen) Yeah, all the boys that redshirted last year. We signed six players in that class, and they can all play.

(is that the thing that helps you sleep at night, the amount of talent in the room, even with the lack of experience) I sleep pretty good because I like our guys, I like our room. They’re good people, they work really hard, they care about the game, they like to play. A lot of people make a lot of hoopla about returning starts, how many starts you’ve got coming back on your O-line. I think that’s one of the silliest things to talk about. And the only reason they talk about it is because they don’t have any other stats for the offensive linemen. So, they’re like, this guy’s started this many games. Well, it doesn’t really mean anything. You don’t get your first start until you start your first game. And then, all of a sudden, it’s like, ‘you’re the man now,’ because you started a couple of games. And really, people don’t consider how you played. I think just the effort, the attention to detail, the eagerness that the guys are showing, how much they want to learn, how much they want to get better, that’s really the key, the drill. And you know, everybody’s going to get their first start and they’re going to get a little blood on their lip, and they’re going to have to spit the blood in the bucket, and have to go back in there and fight. And then, all of a sudden, they’re not a new guy anymore. Now, everybody will anoint them that they’re some great players because they started some games. That’s just now how the game works. We’ve got to prep for every game like it’s the most important thing, and so we’ll worry about Texas State. And whoever starts or gets their first start or gets their first action, they’ll have to play well and then there will be another (game).

She is approaching GOAT status, especially when you throw in her playing success. Geno, Pat Summit and Kim

By Kevin Lonnquist
Publisher
The return of Baylor defensive coordinator Matthew Powledge is hoped to bring a fresh approach to what the Bears do on the field.

Yet it also has recruiting benefits. Pflugerville Weiss 2024 athlete Peyton Morgan is an example of that. Before Powledge, no Baylor offer. After Powledge, Baylor offered.

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“I love coach Powledge,’’ Morgan said, “because I feel like if he didn’t go to Baylor, they would not have offered me. He also keeps in touch and shows so much love which I really like.’’

Baylor’s path to Weiss is widely known. Wide receiver Micah Gifford signed for the 2023 class, enrolled in January and is going through spring ball. The Bears are in pursuit of 2025 national recruit in wide receiver Adrian Wilson.

“It’s definitely really cool how Micah committed there and how now me and Adrian have been offered by Baylor,’’ he said.

While he is listed as an athlete, Morgan said the staff likes him at free safety but has also mentioned the star. He learned that during his March 17 visit, shortly before Baylor started spring football.

“It’s like they would like for me to play the down safety or the nickel,’’ he said. “I thought the program was great and the defense they run I know I could play in it. It’s a good fit for me.’’

It’s not clear if Morgan will return for another spring practice or the spring game on April 22 at McLane Stadium. He has been taking other visits. But he will return.

Morgan has already set his official visits. Baylor gets one of them.

>Texas Tech June 9

>Arizona June 15

>Baylor June 23

>SMU, a date is being worked out.

While the Rivals FutureCasts have Morgan heading to Texas Tech, it doesn’t appear to be clear cut at the moment. This should be a summer commitment decision.

“I describe myself as a big hitter, physical, hard worker with great ball skills,’’ he said. “I feel like my feet are really good. I’m working on everything this spring.’’

Morgan enjoyed a productive 2022 season with 85 tackles (34 solo), had a team-high five interceptions – Weiss’ defense had 11 – along with nine PBUs.

He’s currently running in track in the 110 and 300 hurdles along with serving a leg in the 4x200 relay. Weiss is in the district track mee this week.

Ranked a 3-star with a 5.6 rating, Morgan is the No. 57 athlete in the country.

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Series at Baylor Ballpark starts a day early with Easter this coming Sunday. Thursday's game will start at 5:00 pm rather than 6:30 pm because of the potential for bad weather.

SERIES HISTORY VS OKLAHOMA

• Baylor trails the all-time series, 55-50, to Oklahoma, though the two sides have split the last 10 meetings 5-5.

• The Bears dropped two of three to the Sooners last year in Norman, but salvaged the series finale with a 16-8 win on Sunday.

• BU is looking for its first series win over OU since 2019.

PROBABLE STARTERS
• Thursday, April 6 • 5:00 p.m. • RHP Blake Helton (0-3, 7.96 ERA) vs. RHP Braxton Douthit (4-1, 3.26 ERA)

• Friday, April 7 • 6:30 p.m. • RHP Mason Marriott (1-4, 8.90 ERA) vs. LHP James Hitt (1-0, 4.88 ERA)

• Saturday, April 8 • 2:00 p.m. • RHP Will Rigney (2-1, 3.97 ERA) vs. RHP Will Carsten (1-1, 5.21 ERA)

Ja'Kobe walter will play Tuesday, McDonalds AA game, 8 PM Central, ESPN for the West and he has been
praised in practices for his DEFENSE....,, and as well for his shooting accuracy.
Alisha Blackwell, who was injured and could not finish her season in 2022 is stated to return
for her SR year.......A GREAT STEP FOR BOTH MENS AND WOMENS TEAMS......
Sic 'em Bears, in all Athletics be the BEST.

It's allegedly between Baylor and Louisville. But everything points to the Cardinals. This would hurt because he came to see them March 13 and it seemed like they were in a good position for them. Our Rivals regional analyst Nick Harris and I have put in our FutureCast predictions for Louisville. Was it NIL? You never can discount that in this era of recruiting.

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One QB the staff is monitoring 2024 Haslet VR Eaton's Noah Lugo. Not the most impressive offer list you'll find. But Baylor's at a point where it has to keep searching because its first options are off the table.

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By Kevin Lonnquist
Publisher
Baylor’s groundwork for the 2025 class has more work to do, of course.

However, when the program can entice national and nearby prospects to take the time to visit, that matters.

That’s where Lewisville offensive tackle and Rivals No. 106 Michael Fasusi comes in. The highly decorated recruit checked out Baylor’s first spring scrimmage on April 1 at McLane Stadium. He wasn’t fooled by anything.

“It was amazing man, one of the best coaching staffs I’ve ever seen,’’ Fasusi said. “Great energy and great environment. Both coaches and players came out with lot of intensity you know, made their practice fun to watch.’’

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Fasusi’s recruitment has evolved into a who’s who event. The Bears are among the first 18 who have offered him. That list includes LSU, Ohio State, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Penn State. He considers himself open.

Hard to pass up on someone who already stands 6-6, weighs 290 and still has more to fill out on his frame with more to come to whichever Division I strength and conditioning program he becomes a part of.

In March, Fasusi put on a show at an Under Armour camp in Dallas, earning offensive line MVP honors. Fasusi has only been playing football for three years.

But this is why he is in demand: “I play long, I got quick feet so it helps, I’m physical and I’m always on the right guy,’’ Fasusi said.

Baylor’s presence with Lewisville is starting to find some momentum. Fasusi’s former Fighting Farmers’ teammate Caden Jenkins signed in December and arrived in January. The Bears are also pursuing current teammate and safety Jaydan Hardy, the No. 145 recruit for the 2024 class.

At this point, this is the due diligence portion of Fasusi’s recruitment. He’s checking out to get a feel for things. Baylor is doing everything it can to put its best foot forward.

“Really good school,’’ Fasusi said. “Academics is on point. The coaches really keep it real with you not just tell you want you want to hear.’’

The recruiting experience has had a lot of everything including learning how to eat crawfish.

“Didn’t fill me up, though,’’ he said. “Other than that I watched some tapes that’s helped improve my technique.’’

It’s not clear when his next visit to Baylor will be. There’s hope for the April 22 spring game.

Along with his national ranking, Fasusi is the No. 16 player in Texas and the No. 11 player at his position.

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Max Olson put this up on twitter:

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While the PAC tries to reach a media deal, Yormark is bringing a new spin to college athletics.
You may like it. You may not. It's going to be different.
Rucker Park is one of those New York landmarks that people outside of New York don't think about. It is a basketball court, built in the 1950s, and games are played there all the time. Guys like Julius Erving and Willis Reed played there, but it's also accessible to any kid that wants to go out and shoot hoops. This will get publicity.

Here's another one. The B12 is doing a combined Pro Day at the Star in Frisco. It's going to be televised on the NFL Network. None of the other conferences are doing that. It will bring in revenue and TV eyeballs. Also, they're going to have recruiters there for other industries, kind of a job fair. Public can't watch directly, but can watch on big screens outside the venue. The Big 12 partnering with the NFL is a good thing.

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Here's the one that may be controversial.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.c.../21/big-12-closes-in-on-data-rights-deal.aspx

The B12 will be working on a partnership where a company will pay them for access to to their data and statistics. This partnership may involve allowing the company to sell those statistics to gambling interests.

This from our Nick Harris

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Aledo (Texas) quarterback
Hauss Hejny
decommitted from Duke on Friday as his pledge to the Blue Devils proved to be short-lived with regional programs in hot pursuit. With his recruitment back open, I expect Hejny's options to be whittled down to Baylor and TCU the second time around as each program looks to add a unique dual-threat weapon to its class. Hejny's parents each played sports for the Horned Frogs and graduated from TCU, but Baylor has made him a big enough priority to overcome TCU's legacy advantage. Depending on what happens with Michael Hawkins could determine a lot in the conclusion of this recruitment. Oklahoma State and Houston also remain deep in the mix at this point as each hosted Hejny over the weekend.

WACO, Texas – Baylor men's basketball will host Seton Hall on Tuesday, Dec. 5, at the Ferrell Center as part of the 2023 Big East-Big 12 Battle, with tipoff time and television network to be determined.

December will mark the first meeting between these two programs, although they were scheduled to meet in November of 2020 before COVID issues within the Baylor program forced the cancellation of that contest.

The Pirates are coming off a 17-16 season, earning a spot in the NIT, where they lost in the opening round to Colorado. The Bears are coming off a fourth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance, becoming one of just four teams in the nation to win at least one game in each of the last four tournaments.

Despite two losses against them last season, Baylor will enter the battle with a 13-3 record against Big East teams under head coach Scott Drew.

The Bears are a perfect 5-0 at home against Big East teams, 8-1 in neutral-site games and 0-2 on the road during the Drew era. BU will be looking for a win over an eighth-different Big East squad, already with wins against Xavier (3-1), Creighton (2-1), Providence (2-0), Villanova (3-0), St. John's (1-0), Georgetown (1-0) and Butler (1-0).

BU won its inaugural Big East-Big 12 Battle matchup when the No. 11-ranked Bears hosted No. 19 Butler at the Ferrell Center on Dec. 10, 2019. Baylor led the game wire-to-wire, and Mark Vital had a block in the final seconds to seal a 53-52 victory.

Baylor is 13-4 all-time in conference challenges, the best record of any Big 12 team. The Bears hold the best record of any team at 8-2 in the Big 12/SEC Challenge, a 3-1 mark in the Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series and a 2-1 record in the Big East-Big 12 Battle.

Of the new conference mates, Houston will be the only participating in this. BYU, Cincinnati and UCF will not.

2023 BIG EAST-Big 12 Battle Schedule
November 30Texas Tech at Butler
November 30 Creighton at Oklahoma State
December 1Iowa State at DePaul
December 1Houston at Xavier
December 1 Connecticut at Kansas
December 1 St John's at West Virginia
December 2 TCU at Georgetown
December 5Texas at Marquette
December 5 Providence at Oklahoma
December 5 Villanova at Kansas State
December 5 Seton Hall at Baylor

Two topics today. Changes on the basketball team, and in football, the defensive secondary.


WRs Jonah Burton (26), Elijah Bean (83), Armani Winfield (14), Micah Gifford (88) and Ketron Jackson (11 - standing to the right). Can't tell who is standing behind Jackson.
Came in at 25:00

Listen to the podcast here


Stephen might know this one.


Jonah Burton


I believe that's Josh Cameron (34)

The 7-game losing streak is over.

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By Kevin Lonnquist
Publisher
New Baylor defensive coordinator Matthew Powledge met with the media for the first time on Tuesday and talked about taking over, the style of defense he wants to play and developing leadership. Star Bryson Jackson also discussed his transition to the new position, while defensive back A.J. McCarty spoke.

Matt Powledge
(Goals this spring) We’ve been really trying to establish relentless effort on the defensive side of the ball. We really emphasize the takeaways at practice with some of the circuit drills we’ve been doing. In the meetings, we’ve been teaching exactly how to take the ball away and finishing on the ball when it’s in the air, and then playing together. We called that shared commitment, brotherhood, connection. It’s bigger than just me, it’s all of us. For us, that has really been the main emphasis of the spring.

(Trying to force turnovers like in 2021) I think it starts with playing hard. So we want people to turn on the film on Sundays when they’re playing us that next Saturday and say holy cow, these guys played balls to the wall, like their hair’s on fire. So that’s really what we’re looking for right now with each practice. Can we improve that because there will be some mistakes sometimes, but more than that when we’re playing hard, turnovers will kind of come when more guys are around the ball and there’s more guys with strip attempts, fumble attempts, sack attempts, and now tipped balls all of a sudden become picks. That’s really been a huge emphasis for us.

(Press man coverage) We want to get up in people’s faces and really challenge them at the line of scrimmage, so I think that’s something we want to have as a tool in our bag. Is that going to be who we are all the time? I can’t really tell you that right now. But I do think for us it’s an area we want to improve on. We want to be tighter in coverage and we want to take away the windows for the quarterback. We want to apply some pressure, and then all of a sudden you get rush and coverage working together. That’s the shared commitment again.

(Bringing energy to defense) Now that I’m doing this interview, you’re like where is all this energy? I think everything counts and everything matters. It’s been part of me for a long time. I’m very, very passionate about football, whether we’re in a meeting setting where we’re talking about football and I’m trying to get the guys fired up about that day at practice or that week of the game. Coach Aranda comes up today using an example about everything counting and everything mattering, and how there’s an art to just about everything. As you see it, you know it, and I see meetings that way. I see cut-ups that way, I see walk-throughs that way, I see practices that way. I think for us as coaches, it’s really hard if you don’t bring energy to get guys to play with relentless effort. It’s easy for me because I’m passionate about it and I love it so much. The best part of my day is when we hit the grass. Sometimes there will be a lot of things on your mind, but once you get out there if you can be like what you’re getting the players to do and just be 100 miles an hour, you’re going to like the results.

(Coming back to help establish culture) Yeah, 100 percent. I think the culture is a huge part. All I can tell you is my experiences here. I felt like in that 2021 season that team culture was as good as I’ve ever been around, and I know we’re working hard with this 2023 team to build it in a similar manner built on the same principles. I think there’s a lot of things on this ’23 team that resemble that team in certain ways. The youth would probably be a little bit of the difference, but I do think we have some key leaders. We have some older guys with experience to help the other guys.

(Biggest obstacle) I think the biggest obstacle is the older guys showing the younger guys the way. Sometimes when a young guy who is now a sophomore or junior and is an old guy and now needs to be a leader. It’s being able to call people up when it’s good and then also try to call them out and bring them up when it’s bad. Sometimes that can be a challenge. But we’ve got some guys that are starting to get comfortable doing that. I think with us trying to play together and work together, and all those types of things, I think the young guys understand that it’s not coming from a bad place. It’s this dude really cares about me, this dude really wants me to really do good and succeed and make plays, and be a part of something great.

(What changes have you seen in Aranda since you’ve been back) To me, he seems way more comfortable. Coach is himself 100 percent himself all the time, and that’s one of the things I love about him. He’s unique but he’s so sharp, he’s so bright. But I would think just the comfort level in that position, it feels so natural right now. I’ll go to every staff meeting and leave with two or three pages of notes. There’s not many I’ve been around that I’ve been more impressed with. He’s that guy, not just from a defensive perspective, but from a team perspective. I really believe he’s doing an elite job right now.

(Who has stood out as leaders) I think in the front, TJ and Gabe are starting to take those reins. I think when you talk about the backers, Matt Jones, and Mike Smith has been extremely vocal the last two practices. He’s been helping a lot of the younger guys. Secondary-wise, Devon Lemear’s role right now, it’s really cool to see him try to take those reins. Those would be some guys defensively that I think stand out for sure.

(your growth in the year when you were gone) One, I think seeing it done a different way. And that’s in a lot of rooms. So, maybe defensively, maybe team-wise, maybe recruiting-wise. At a place that’s done it at a high level, or for a staff with a lot of coaches that have done it a high level. I think that experience, being able to bring in new guys, being able to bring in maybe a different way to . . . I was going to say skin a cat, but I feel like that’s an old coaching term that I don’t even know if that makes sense to other people. Anyways, I would say that, the experience that I gained from there. That was big-time.

(how have the safeties doing) A lot of the things that we’ve been emphasizing, the relentless effort piece, I think we’ve done a good job of attacking the ball. I think there have been guys that not only understand what their job is but they’re starting to understand where their help is. And to me, that was a huge difference in ’21 was understanding, ‘Hey, I can play to my help.’ ‘Hey, in coverage, this is where the help is. ‘In run support, this is where my help is.’ And being extremely detailed in that category. I really feel like, as we’ve gotten to practice six, seven and eight, we’ve become a little bit more detailed, especially in the foundation base calls of our defense.

(Back at Baylor, how special is that?) Yeah, I mean, I tell people all the time, whether it's family members, whether it's recruits, whether it's our players, I mean, this place is special. And you don't realize it until you're immersed in it and you really feel it. There's not another place where you can get an elite education like here. You can grow in faith (and) obviously compete for championships, it's been done just about in every program on campus. And so, it's really, really cool from that standpoint. And then I think that just the community in Waco and the Baylor support system, whether it's alumni or y'all (the media), it’s just been amazing, and I love it. So, appreciate that question. (Dave???)

(On QB battle) Man, it's been awesome to see. They give us their best every day. Just like most position groups, they're competing at a really high level right now. Blake threw a couple of balls on Saturday (where) I'm like ‘how did he fit that in there?’ And I've seen his growth, his Moxie, him growing as a leader. And then Sawyer on the other side, man, I mean, holy moly. I mean, (he’s a) really good athlete. I mean, he's energetic. He's got this vibe about him. And so, yeah, it's been really cool to see and they've been pushing us from a defensive standpoint.


Bryson Jackson
(New spot, how’s it going) It’s going well. It’s a lot of just attention to detail and focus that goes into it and couldn't be more proud to be with Coach Powledge. He's just been so detailed and intentional in meetings and every day so, that keeps all the guys in there locked in, and questions are always flying. He's able to answer them and apply them to film. And so, just that preparation part and aspect to it — but the footwork – it's been different. So, just getting with the guys after practice and working on that. But it's been an adventure, it’s been an experience and I just couldn't do it with a better group.

(And what do you like about Coach Powledge?) I just love his enthusiasm. I love his intentionality. And when it comes with being a younger coach like that, that brings energy. And what happens with that is that gets everybody locked in and gets everybody focused. And he's able to relate to us a lot. So, the things that go off script, like when we come home, when we get done with practice, we go up there and watch film with him. He's very relaxed, he got the mood set for us so we can go in there and get that film in. And he's able to still be intentional after practice and having that focus. So, we all love it and we all are locked in whenever he's talking.

(Was that a spot you always felt like you could play? When did you get interested in the STAR role) So, when I first came here, back in 2017, I came in as a Sam (line)backer. So, it’s just bigger personnel at that position, but that was something I came in playing and worked there for my first two years. So, it just kind of felt like home and it was natural. And just being able to apply what I learned at pass rushing at playing Jack, and being able to play Will backer a little bit in some of the games previous, it just kind of helped me out and allowed me to come to this position and apply all of that to make up for that position. So, I love it.

(What’s the difference that you’ve seen since we last saw you at the beginning of spring) Our whole thing's been ‘pound the rock’ every day coming in, being intentional with how we prepare and how we just go out there and practice. So, protecting the team and that's just in practice, being pros, and that's keeping guys up, practicing body position, being able to play fast and violent without hurting each other (and) being able to be intentional. So, I think the team has become pros at that. And it's really unique. It's really cool to see because you got a bunch of guys flying around full speed at practice, and then people are staying up off the ground. People are being intentional with their assignment. And that's just what we want to be, we want to be a fast, violent and assignment-based defense, and offensively that's exactly what we want to be as well. So, to be an offense, to be a team that goes out there and not having penalties and being able to have O-lineman having tight hands, (wide) receivers being able to have tight hands (and) quick feet on routes. Man, those are the things that we want to have on the team. So, I give kudos to all the guys because they take every day seriously and practice has been really intentional, so have meetings.

(Anybody that’s really stood out to you) Definitely Blake, definitely Drake Dabney offensively. Gavin Yates has been in there, Clark (Barrington) on O-line. Running backs wise, all of all those guys — so ‘Dom (Dominic Richardson) has just come in and Qualan and Bryson (Washington) the little freshman — like everybody's been intentional; Richard Reese. So, offensively those guys have been locked in and been really, really focused. Defensively, TJ (Franklin) and Gabe (Hall), they’re getting to the quarterback and then they're breaking out of the (stags??) running full speed. So, we got GPS, and like seeing those guys run 20 miles per hour at practice, man that’s elite. So, just seeing those guys like that take charge. And then we got Mike Smith (Jr.) that just came in at linebacker, and man, when I tell you, he's out there talking, keeping guys’ heads up, like that’s the positivity, that’s what we want on the defense. And I think that's what's gonna keep us and give us our edge in the season.

(What's the biggest difference you've seen in Blake so far?) In Blake, just the confidence and the courage, man. He comes out to practice, he's focused, he's locked in. He's keeping everybody else around him up(beat). And that's what we need on offense. And just seeing that confidence in him was something that he was working on last year to improve on. So, definitely the confidence piece (and) the intentionality piece. He's always been elite on that, but he's definitely stepped his game up on that and being able to bring guys up with him.

(On transfers leading) Absolutely, yeah. He's out there talking and he's out there completely buying in. And what's cool is, we have like call ups and put ups at the end of practice, and he's one of the guys who's been up there multiple times. So, that's just from coaches watching him and other players are watching him, and it's something that's come up in meetings, but you got these guys that are coming in (like) Carl, Isaiah Dunson, corners; man, they're all talking, communicating and upholding the standard, man. So, that's part of being a team and we need that. And that's been our culture so far. So it's awesome.

AJ McCarty
(what have you learned from Coach Powledge) He’s really been stressing technique and playing green. And if you mess up, it don’t matter, just keep going. I really like Coach Pow, because I feel like he brings confidence and energy into everybody. And it makes everybody want to play harder and put more effort into the things that we’re doing on the field. I think that’s one of the big things.

(have you seen a difference in Coach Powledge from ’21 to when he came back this year) Nah, it’s the exact same Coach Pow, he never changed. I like Coach Pow just because the energy he brings is unique. And he has all these different slogans and things that he says that you really don’t hear too much, so it’s really cool having him back.

(how helpful was that to bring in somebody everyone was already familiar with) I think it’s really helpful because, like I keep saying, the energy part of it. Like with Coach Roberts, he was really X’s and O’s, and he was really strict, but he never really had just that energy that he brought to the team. And with Coach Pow, the bar has been raised 10 times. I feel like in meetings and stuff, everybody’s more locked-in, paying attention, and able to take it out to the field.

(big opportunity at safety with a lot of the veterans gone) Yeah, for sure. At safety, we kind of really had the same people. Devin Lemear is going to come back (from injury), and he did his thing last year. Me and Bryson (Jackson), we’re working at the STAR right now and I think we’re competing pretty good in that. But, honestly, I feel like we have a higher ceiling this year than we did last year, for sure, just because the people in the room, we want to compete, we want to win. We don’t want to be mediocre.

(more corner last year, how’s the adjustment to safety going) It’s been going great. Actually, I feel more natural at safety because I feel more free. I’m a high-energy dude, so I like running around and getting to the ball. And I feel like at corner, I was more restricted, like this is your guy, this is who you got to be with, don’t have your eyes nowhere else. So, I feel like I’m more open and more free to play.

(how does that experience from last year help you, Devin and Bryson get to that higher ceiling that you talked about) I think it leads us toward a higher ceiling because we have experience. We played last year, we know how it feels on the field instead of this being our first year about to play and ‘Oh, this is the first time we’re out here,’ and being more hesitant. Having a year under your belt, I honestly feel like you can go out there and be more calm and be yourself, and you don’t have to think as much.

(mentality heading into the season to make that safeties group, the DB group the best in the Big 12) Yeah. Like I was saying earlier, everybody in the group, it doesn’t matter who it is, we want to work and we want to get better. And I feel like I practice that we’ve been showing that. We’ve been out there competing and striving to reach a higher ceiling than we did last year, for sure.

Kevin's never been crazy about conference realignment talk, cause things go stupid too fast.
Recognizing the risk, I still think it's important to look at the landscape and see what's happening.
Yormark made what is looking like a master stroke in negotiating the B12 contract early. He also didn't overextend and try to get a contract matching what B1G/SEC got.
The B12 is now as stable as it's ever been. It may be faint praise, but there aren't any bigger, better deals out there for B12 members. Nobody's clawing on the door to get out. Schools have good exposure. Most importantly, the deal was signed before the full impact of the recession hit.
This brings us to the next thing. The PAC has some issues.
Everybody's rights are tied up, except the PAC, and we're in a recession, one that is hitting entertainment hard. Disney is cutting 5.5 billion and laying off 5,000. SVB Bank shut down, damaging the entertainment industry. FOX and CBS have their sports contracts nailed down. NBC has Notre Dame, and otherwise isn't a major player in college football. All the good college windows are taken. In the current atmosphere, and these atmospheres are contagious, people aren't talking about making deals. They're talking about shedding liabilities.
ESPN, FOX and CBS run the major sports "news" shows, and ESPN and FOX are where most people will eventually land to watch highlights. There were a lot of factors in the SEC becoming the premiere football league, but one of them was that ESPN put their thumb on the scale in coverage, giving glowing coverage of SEC games. Think of those highlight shows as being advertising for the schools that appear on them. ESPN covers all conferences, but if you think they're not going to boost their own programming, you're naive.
Here's the PAC's next problem. Streaming. Streaming shows are not going to get the same ratings as cable or broadcast. Amazon and Apple have both expressed interest in the PAC, but their reach is minimal compared to the others. This is huge in recruiting.
How often do you see Nick Saban on TV? How often do you see Dan Lanning (Oregon head coach)? You're a hot shot high school junior & get two phone calls, one from Nick Saban, and one from Dan Lanning. Which call is more exciting?
The other problem with streaming is that Tim Cook and Jeff Bezos aren't running charities. They want the best deal for their dollar. Amazon has stopped construction on some warehouses and is cutting over 7,000 jobs. Apple's core market (get it?) isn't sports fans. Neither of them is going to take significant risks. If they can get the PAC cheap, they will. Make no mistake, though. Neither of them needs the PAC.
If there's a way for the PAC to build leverage to get more money, I don't see it.
The SEC and B1G got Tiffany deals. B12 jumped in and got a Target level deal. PAC may end up with either Ollie's or Dollar General.

By Kevin Lonnquist
Publisher
Baylor's 2023 secondary will have several new faces, especially at corner. Defensive backs coach Kevin Curtis, Tevin Williams, who started the Armed Forces Bowl against Air Force and Miami (FL) transfer Isaiah Dunson met with the media after Monday's practice.

KEVIN CURTIS
(younger group this year, how’s it been going) It’s been good. Those guys are coming to work every single day. And we’re asking them to press more and we want to challenge wide receivers and make it hard for them. So, they’re coming to work. We’re getting better every day. The offense, the receivers are really good, so they’re making us better. So, that’s all you can ask for.

(on Tevin having some experience) I think the next step for him is just playing with confidence, playing with discipline, but just understanding that he can do it and just go out there and do it.

(does the press coverage come from Powledge, or just a tweak) I mean, in ’21, we were tight coverage, and everything would start from there. So, we want to get back to that. if you can press, you’re going to do other things. But you want to be able to play press man and take away easy throws, access throws. So, that’s what we want to be able to get good at. So, in order to do that, you’ve got to do it all the time. So, that’s what we’re working on.

(what has been the biggest difference in this defense with Powledge) You love his energy. Every day, he’s bringing energy. I think all the guys are going to play for him. They have a relationship with him, being the special teams coordinator, having a relationship with everybody a couple years ago. So, I think that’s the biggest thing is we’re going to go back to more basics, and go from the ground and build it back up.

(on Chateau) He’s been doing good, he’s taking the next step. So, every day, we just need to keep taking the next step with him. Just like everybody, playing with confidence. At the corner position, the ball is going to be in the air. Sometimes, you can make a play, sometimes you won’t. But you’ve got to know that, ‘Hey, next play, make it hard for him.’

(on Isaiah Dunson, Maimi transfer) Oh, he’s good, he’s a worker, and he’s very intentional about the things that he does. He practices hard, so I’m excited about what he can bring to the table and the leadership to the group.

(in the fall, placed an emphasis on forcing turnovers. Is that still a key point) Yes, in order to win ballgames, you’ve got to create turnovers. If you look at all the teams that win a lot of games, they’re creating a lot of turnovers. So, sometimes it’s not always the prettiest defense. But if you create turnovers, you always have a chance. And that’s one of our pillars, creating turnovers.

(Is it still Jackers and Robbers?) Yes, it is. Coach (Caleb) Collins has done a great job of taking ownership of that. And the guys have taken a liking to it, and we have a little competition going on. We had a draft with guys on defense, so just making it even more of a competition and try to create turnovers, and not just fumbles that they just dropped on the ground. No, take the ball away from them, force turnovers.

(besides Tevin, Isaiah and Chateau, who are some of the other guys) Reggie (Bush) is taking the next step. Caden (Jenkins) and Carl (Williams IV), are both freshmen that were mid-year guys. So, every rep that they get, they’re getting better. So, sometimes it might feel like, ‘Oh, I got beat,’ but it’s just a learning experience. So, the more you can take those experiences and learn from them and see what I did right and what I could do better, it’s all good.

(do they seem to like the press coverage) Yes. As a corner, you always want to get hands on guys and destroy the timing of it. and the more you do it, it’s just like shooting 3’s – like Golden State was really good at shooting 3’s because they shot 3’s all the time. So the same thing, if you keep pressing over and over again, you get better. You understand what you can do, what you can’t do. So, this will be the start of it in the spring, and then they’ll take the next step as well in the summer when they’re working with each other, and getting with the receivers and doing one-on-ones and doing releases.


Tevin Williams II
(Young CB group, what do you bring)
Just stepping into more of a leadership role. Me and Chateau are the oldest in the room right now. So, just being more talkative and helping younger guys along as we go.

(Feel weird that you’re one of the older guys?)
Yeah, it does because Mark (Milton) last year, he was a sixth-year (senior), and I used to rely on him. So, I’m just trying to take notes from what Mark used to do just to help out our younger guys.

(What specifically have you been working on?)
Just staying more relaxed, being more patient in press (coverage). Sometimes I get a little bit hyper. But other than that, it’s just playing with full speed and playing with confidence.

(Do you like the press coverage?)
Oh yeah. It’s way more fun. It’s less to think about because last year, we had a lot of reads to make. Now, you just have one man, and you have to cover him.

(What’s your biggest takeaway from the end of the season last year?)
I feel like mainly just complacency because last year, we thought we made it. It’s just, knowing that we have to work every day to get better (and) stacking good days onto good days.

(Powledge back, what does he bring)
He has a lot of swagger. Last year, we were playing for each other and not really the coaches, but kind of with this year, you can tell that we're going to play for Coach Powledge and everybody around us.

(On emphasis to create turnovers and who’s winning that intrasquad competitions?)
Oh, yeah, it’s still a big emphasis. Right now, it's my team (that’s winning). We have one team (called) jackers, one team (called) robbers. I forgot the score, but I think we're up about 60 points. So, we're doing pretty good right now.

(What does the winner get)
We don't know yet.

(What did you learn from Mark)
Mainly just how to carry yourself, how to do meetings, how to take notes, how to conduct yourself on the field, just the little things like that, that what he's doing now and in the future with the pros that carries on.

(Is the mindset to get the defense to what it was in 2021)
Yeah, totally. It’s just, we have to keep stacking good days and sooner or later we’ll be clicking again.


Isaiah Dunson
(Why pick Baylor) Coach Aranda, Coach Powledge, Coach Curtis, it felt like the right fit and the right scheme for me. I like the press man. I like it a lot and work on it a lot.

(BU receivers) They’re working every day, it’s a good group. They’re correcting little things after practice that night. It’s a really good group.

(Dave Aranda sales pitch) It’s just him. He’s himself and there’s really not a pitch. He just tells you how it is, and I like that.

(Big switch from ACC to Big 12) I don’t think so, football is football.

(Does press coverage put more pressure on you) Nah. The more you work on it, the better you get.

(Goals) I just want to be around the guys and do what I’ve been doing.

(Who is winning battles between receivers and DBs) We’re going at it every day, it’s competition.

The word for today is "rebuilding."
The indoor training area is being renovated. By renovated, we mean stripped to the steel frame and completely rebuilt. The field was 80 yards long. It's being extended and some offices are being attached. While I had read about the renovations, it was still surprising to see a building that opened around fifteen years ago being gutted.
The absence of the indoor practice field and interview area has changed the practices.
The are a lot of new faces on the field. With NIL and the transfer portal, players are moving and schools have to adjust.

It starts with the quarterback room. Last year at this time, it was Bohanan, Shapen, Drones, and walk ons. This year, it's Shapen, Sawyer Robertson, and some guys you'll never see except in the spring game.

#12 Blake Shapen 6'0", 200 lbs redshirt junior


#13 Sawyer Robertson 6'4", 210 lbs, redshirt sophomore


We're just into spring ball, but it's clear that Sawyer Robertson is the new hotness. Blake Shapen is under pressure. Shapen may win the starting job, but in the interview, Shawn Bell became more animated when talking about Robertson. With Shapen, he was sympathetic, but it's hard to miss the difference when he goes from saying, "nobody's harder on Blake than Blake" to saying about Robertson, "you can put him in any kind of offense and he can run it."

It won't be THE consideration, but it will be A consideration as to what happens after they name a starter. Robertson came in knowing there's an incumbent QB, so waiting for his chance was not just a possibility, but a probability. What happens if Robertson wins the starting job? Last year, the loser of the competition transferred. After Drones transferred, Baylor finished the season with one scholarship QB. That's not optimal. Shapen started as a two sport athlete, and has already exceeded expectations by beating out an incumbent. Shapen's got a reasonable shot at keeping his job, but he needs to do a few things. First, last year is history. His trajectory had been steadily uphill until the injury early last season. He needs to expect to win the competition for the starting job and act like he's going to win the competition. He can't play scared. Just off measurables, Robertson is going to be a tough competitor.

I don't believe the old "rah, rah, they're all rooting for each other" story line. I've competed, and yeah, when someone I'm trying to beat out does something good, I say, "great job" and pat them on the back, but I don't mean it. Everybody's not a winner, and no real competitor likes being outshone. They do like being pushed, so you want the competition to be good to push you towards your best, but you still want to leave them face down in the dust.

There's also the leadership issue. Shapen, by his nature, is more inside himself. Robertson is more gregarious. He talks more easily, and projects more. Shapen glances at you. Robertson looks at you.

The defense will also undergo significant changes. There are a few familiar faces coming back, but there are more new ones, and ones that haven't seen significant playing time. Basic question: are the existing guys going through a growth process, or are they going to be bypassed by the new guys?

#97 Cooper Lanz, 6'3", 270, redshirt sophomore, 1 year letterman


#35 Jackie Marshall, DL, 6'3", 281 lbs, RS sophomore
I'm not going to pretend I know what's going to happen with the defensive line. It's going to be different, but we're ten feet down the road, and have no clue where the highway ends.

#25 Jacoby Clarke, RB, 5'11", 231, RS senior, takes the role of quarterback for some hand off drills


#26 Jonah Burton, WR, 5'11", 203 lbs, RS sophomore, running after a catch.


#83, Elijah Bean, WR, 6'4", 220 lbs, RS sophomore


#98 Isaiah Hankins, K, 6'0", 189 lbs, RS sophomore