By Kevin Lonnquist
Publisher
Baylor is in the middle of its Mock Week before it starts preparing in earnest for the Sept. 4 opener at Texas State.
The final scrimmage of fall camp was held on Saturday at McLane Stadium. On Sunday, Gerry Bohanon was named the starting quarterback.
There are just a few other notables as the Bears make the turn and start preparing for the 2021 championship season.
>As we mentioned, running backs Trestan Ebner and Abram Smith are having great camps. Ebner is noticeably stronger. That was evident by how he looked when he did fall camp opening day interviews on Aug. 6.
But for all of the talk about how he would be more successful running to the perimeter, his new frame gives him a better chance of finding success through the A and B gaps. He seems more determined.
Obviously, time will tell how much Baylor wants to continue that. Plus, he’s still a value lining up at the slot and being used as a receiver.
>Smith has returned to his roots and blossomed. He’s considered “a bull” and will stick his head for the tough yards. It’s becoming a situation where Baylor could feel like it has its 1-2 punch between these two.
>Wide receiver play has been consistent from the veterans between R.J. Sneed and Tyquan Thornton. There’s still some hope that some of the younger faces will emerge. But that’s really going to depend on how the season unfolds and who is ready to do that. There’s not much of a track record.
Sneed has been the most dependable thus far. Thornton has rallied from a slow start to become much much better. We mentioned last week how much more physical he is in just appearance. That should make a difference for this season because he was dealing with minor injuries.
>Baylor head coach Dave Aranda mentioned last week that the scrimmage may go a long way toward finalizing a starting five in the offensive line.
It’s not clear how that would look. The depth chart for Texas State will reveal that. However, one lineup that could be considered would be Connor Galvin at left tackle, Jacob Gall at left guard, Xavier Newman at center, Grant Miller at right guard and Khalil Keith at right tackle.
All the talk from players in camp about Newman, fifth-year player, has been noteworthy.
>Nothing really new with the defense in terms of its productivity and potential. There were a couple of times when the intensity was there. There were also some times when there wasn’t. But that could be a reflection of the offense starting to catch up and being able to move the ball more effectively. Backup defensive back Mark Milton had a tough day.
While the depth at linebacker from the media depth chart was a concern, the work being put in seems to be paying off. Will Williams is having a very good fall camp.
A reminder that practices are all closed through Sunday. That includes Meet the Bears on Saturday. There’s no indication that will change. Should we get word, we’ll make you aware of it.
Look for my 2021 season record prediction next Monday.
Publisher
Baylor is in the middle of its Mock Week before it starts preparing in earnest for the Sept. 4 opener at Texas State.
The final scrimmage of fall camp was held on Saturday at McLane Stadium. On Sunday, Gerry Bohanon was named the starting quarterback.
There are just a few other notables as the Bears make the turn and start preparing for the 2021 championship season.
>As we mentioned, running backs Trestan Ebner and Abram Smith are having great camps. Ebner is noticeably stronger. That was evident by how he looked when he did fall camp opening day interviews on Aug. 6.
But for all of the talk about how he would be more successful running to the perimeter, his new frame gives him a better chance of finding success through the A and B gaps. He seems more determined.
Obviously, time will tell how much Baylor wants to continue that. Plus, he’s still a value lining up at the slot and being used as a receiver.
>Smith has returned to his roots and blossomed. He’s considered “a bull” and will stick his head for the tough yards. It’s becoming a situation where Baylor could feel like it has its 1-2 punch between these two.
>Wide receiver play has been consistent from the veterans between R.J. Sneed and Tyquan Thornton. There’s still some hope that some of the younger faces will emerge. But that’s really going to depend on how the season unfolds and who is ready to do that. There’s not much of a track record.
Sneed has been the most dependable thus far. Thornton has rallied from a slow start to become much much better. We mentioned last week how much more physical he is in just appearance. That should make a difference for this season because he was dealing with minor injuries.
>Baylor head coach Dave Aranda mentioned last week that the scrimmage may go a long way toward finalizing a starting five in the offensive line.
It’s not clear how that would look. The depth chart for Texas State will reveal that. However, one lineup that could be considered would be Connor Galvin at left tackle, Jacob Gall at left guard, Xavier Newman at center, Grant Miller at right guard and Khalil Keith at right tackle.
All the talk from players in camp about Newman, fifth-year player, has been noteworthy.
>Nothing really new with the defense in terms of its productivity and potential. There were a couple of times when the intensity was there. There were also some times when there wasn’t. But that could be a reflection of the offense starting to catch up and being able to move the ball more effectively. Backup defensive back Mark Milton had a tough day.
While the depth at linebacker from the media depth chart was a concern, the work being put in seems to be paying off. Will Williams is having a very good fall camp.
A reminder that practices are all closed through Sunday. That includes Meet the Bears on Saturday. There’s no indication that will change. Should we get word, we’ll make you aware of it.
Look for my 2021 season record prediction next Monday.
