By Kevin Lonnquist
Publisher
Baylor’s spring football season began on March 22. The Spring Game is April 23 at McLane Stadium.
As the 15-practice schedule marches toward that date, there’s no better time than to start looking at the Bears position by position to see how things unfold.
A position that began in 2021 with many questions eventually got settled, really never faced injury issues, found a rotation and began to assert itself toward the second half of the season.
Baylor’s 2022 defensive line now carries the expectation of leading this side of the ball as a young secondary finds its way. It’s often said and proven true that a great pass rush will help a secondary and perhaps hide some of its flaws.
Quarterback pressures can come from anywhere. But the fact that the Bears’ front created 14 of the 46 in 2021 represents the beginning of what could be coming for 2022. Players know their assignments. They know they what gaps they have to plug. They must create the right openings for the linebackers to do their jobs.
Let’s take a look at the defensive line room.
Brayden Utley, 6-1, 270, Super Senior (in 2022), Huntington Beach (CA) Loyola
Stats: 12 solo tackles, 11 assisted tackles, 4 TFL, 2 sacks, 1 INT, 3 QB hurries, 1 PBU
Recruiting: Was not recruited; a walk-on later awarded a scholarship
Apu Ika, 6-4, 350, Junior (in 2022), Salt Lake City East
Stats: 18 solo tackles, 7 assisted tackles, 6.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 4 QB hurries, 1 PBU
Recruiting: Was a 4-star with a 5.9 rating
TJ Franklin, 6-4, 290, Senior (in 2022), Temple
Stats: 14 solo tackles, 14 assisted tackles, 6 TFL, 4 sacks, 1 FF, 3 QB hurries, 1 PBU, 1 blocked kick
Recruiting: Was a 3-star with a 5.5 rating
Jaxon Player, 6-0, 294, Super Senior (in 2022), Waco Midway/Tulsa
Stats: 21 solo tackles, 28 assisted tackles, 14 TFL, 4 sacks, 7 QB hurries, 1 PBU, 1 FF, 1 FR (at Tulsa)
Recruiting: Was a 3-star with a 5.6 rating
Josh Landry, 6-1, 285, Super Senior (in 2022), Houston Lamar
Stats: 4 solo tackles, 1 assisted tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1 sack
Recruiting: Was a 4-star with a 5.8 rating
Gabe Hall, 6-5, 295, Junior (in 2022), Waller
Stats: 12 solo tackles, 6 assisted tackles, 7 TFL, 6 sacks, 1 FF, 6 QB hurries
Recruiting: Was a 3-star with a 5.6 rating
Cole Maxwell, 6-5, 295, Super Senior (in 2022), Allen
Stats: 18 solo tackles, 9 assisted tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 1 FF, 2 QB hurries, 1 PBU
Recruiting: Was a 3-star with a 5.5 rating
Cooper Lanz, 6-4, 255, RSFR (in 2022), Denton Guyer
Stats: Did not play in 2021; redshirted
Recruiting: Was a 2-star with a 5.4 rating
Chidi Ogbonnaya, 6-5, 305, Super Senior (in 2022), Houston Langham Creek
Stats: 3 solo tackles, 4 assisted, 1 TFL, 0.5 sack
Recruiting: Was a 2-star with a 5.3 rating
Also on the roster: Frank Jin, 6-1, 280, Jr. Beijing, China (walk-on)
2022 Signees: Devonte Tezino, Killeen Ellison; Tre Emory, Mount Pleasant; Kyler Jordan, Lubbock-Cooper (projected at the Jack position); Carmello Jones, West Orange-Stark
A look back to 2021
It was a bit of a choppy start for this front when the season. Ika looked a little out of sorts in the opener at Texas State and then was suspended for a violation of team rules for the Texas Southern game.
But by the time the West Virginia game rolled around, the light literally clicked on for everybody. They were starting to push the pocket. Ika and Ogbonnaya developed a nice 1-2 punch. Finally, Hall started to live up to the promise that had been bestowed on him despite battling injuries for much of his career.
Not coincidentally, when this front played better, Baylor’s defense played better and found that next level. It wasn’t any surprise when it shut down Oklahoma – seven points before a late touchdown in the fourth quarter – and holding an explosive Ole Miss offense (yes, it lost QB Matt Corral to a sprained ankle) to only seven points.
Big Question in the Spring
Really, it’s going to come down to finding a rotation that works well. Ika, Ogbonnaya, Hall, Franklin and Maxwell are proven. Newcomer Player makes that six. Head coach Dave Aranda and defensive line coach Dennis Johnson know what they are going to get from these five.
However, a defensive line that doesn’t experience a drop off in the rotation has to be around seven and perhaps eight. The age of specialization means that the aforementioned players are not going to play all three snaps. Down, distance and field position will determine who rotates in, who rotates out and what the objective is on the push.
One Guy
While Hall has been a favorite of many to see what he can do, perhaps the one that isn’t talked about enough is Landry. This is an important season for him.
To be honest, he’s never lived up to the high school rankings that followed him to Baylor. Now, he’s at the end of his career. Landry isn’t going to crack the starting lineup unless a rash of injuries hits this group and then the depth really gets tested.
However, Landry has to give this coaching staff a reason to really use him. While he appeared in 11 of the 14 games last year, Landry maybe just wasn’t the enforcer he could have been. He might have more of a problem doing that now since Player is there.
Early Forecast
Baylor has the flexibility to use both a 3-man and 4-man front. The addition of Player creates some possibility to where he is playing alongside Ika or Ogbonnaya or Hall.
All these four have to do is consistently plug of the A gaps and allow the linebackers to dissect and roam. As always, don’t pay attention to their stats because those are not representative of what they are asked to do.
Pressure off the edge should be coming from Utley, Maxwell, Franklin and perhaps Ogbonnaya or Player. The athleticism will allow the staff to use everybody in multiple looks.
This unit is probably the best Baylor has had since the 2014 group was led by Andrew Billings. A great football team is great when the QB holds the No. 1 position, and the defensive line is No. 1A.
Expect this unit to receiver a lot of preseason accolades when the summer preview magazines are published.
Publisher
Baylor’s spring football season began on March 22. The Spring Game is April 23 at McLane Stadium.
As the 15-practice schedule marches toward that date, there’s no better time than to start looking at the Bears position by position to see how things unfold.
A position that began in 2021 with many questions eventually got settled, really never faced injury issues, found a rotation and began to assert itself toward the second half of the season.
Baylor’s 2022 defensive line now carries the expectation of leading this side of the ball as a young secondary finds its way. It’s often said and proven true that a great pass rush will help a secondary and perhaps hide some of its flaws.
Quarterback pressures can come from anywhere. But the fact that the Bears’ front created 14 of the 46 in 2021 represents the beginning of what could be coming for 2022. Players know their assignments. They know they what gaps they have to plug. They must create the right openings for the linebackers to do their jobs.
Let’s take a look at the defensive line room.
Brayden Utley, 6-1, 270, Super Senior (in 2022), Huntington Beach (CA) Loyola
Stats: 12 solo tackles, 11 assisted tackles, 4 TFL, 2 sacks, 1 INT, 3 QB hurries, 1 PBU
Recruiting: Was not recruited; a walk-on later awarded a scholarship
Apu Ika, 6-4, 350, Junior (in 2022), Salt Lake City East
Stats: 18 solo tackles, 7 assisted tackles, 6.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 4 QB hurries, 1 PBU
Recruiting: Was a 4-star with a 5.9 rating
TJ Franklin, 6-4, 290, Senior (in 2022), Temple
Stats: 14 solo tackles, 14 assisted tackles, 6 TFL, 4 sacks, 1 FF, 3 QB hurries, 1 PBU, 1 blocked kick
Recruiting: Was a 3-star with a 5.5 rating
Jaxon Player, 6-0, 294, Super Senior (in 2022), Waco Midway/Tulsa
Stats: 21 solo tackles, 28 assisted tackles, 14 TFL, 4 sacks, 7 QB hurries, 1 PBU, 1 FF, 1 FR (at Tulsa)
Recruiting: Was a 3-star with a 5.6 rating
Josh Landry, 6-1, 285, Super Senior (in 2022), Houston Lamar
Stats: 4 solo tackles, 1 assisted tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1 sack
Recruiting: Was a 4-star with a 5.8 rating
Gabe Hall, 6-5, 295, Junior (in 2022), Waller
Stats: 12 solo tackles, 6 assisted tackles, 7 TFL, 6 sacks, 1 FF, 6 QB hurries
Recruiting: Was a 3-star with a 5.6 rating
Cole Maxwell, 6-5, 295, Super Senior (in 2022), Allen
Stats: 18 solo tackles, 9 assisted tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 1 FF, 2 QB hurries, 1 PBU
Recruiting: Was a 3-star with a 5.5 rating
Cooper Lanz, 6-4, 255, RSFR (in 2022), Denton Guyer
Stats: Did not play in 2021; redshirted
Recruiting: Was a 2-star with a 5.4 rating
Chidi Ogbonnaya, 6-5, 305, Super Senior (in 2022), Houston Langham Creek
Stats: 3 solo tackles, 4 assisted, 1 TFL, 0.5 sack
Recruiting: Was a 2-star with a 5.3 rating
Also on the roster: Frank Jin, 6-1, 280, Jr. Beijing, China (walk-on)
2022 Signees: Devonte Tezino, Killeen Ellison; Tre Emory, Mount Pleasant; Kyler Jordan, Lubbock-Cooper (projected at the Jack position); Carmello Jones, West Orange-Stark
A look back to 2021
It was a bit of a choppy start for this front when the season. Ika looked a little out of sorts in the opener at Texas State and then was suspended for a violation of team rules for the Texas Southern game.
But by the time the West Virginia game rolled around, the light literally clicked on for everybody. They were starting to push the pocket. Ika and Ogbonnaya developed a nice 1-2 punch. Finally, Hall started to live up to the promise that had been bestowed on him despite battling injuries for much of his career.
Not coincidentally, when this front played better, Baylor’s defense played better and found that next level. It wasn’t any surprise when it shut down Oklahoma – seven points before a late touchdown in the fourth quarter – and holding an explosive Ole Miss offense (yes, it lost QB Matt Corral to a sprained ankle) to only seven points.
Big Question in the Spring
Really, it’s going to come down to finding a rotation that works well. Ika, Ogbonnaya, Hall, Franklin and Maxwell are proven. Newcomer Player makes that six. Head coach Dave Aranda and defensive line coach Dennis Johnson know what they are going to get from these five.
However, a defensive line that doesn’t experience a drop off in the rotation has to be around seven and perhaps eight. The age of specialization means that the aforementioned players are not going to play all three snaps. Down, distance and field position will determine who rotates in, who rotates out and what the objective is on the push.
One Guy
While Hall has been a favorite of many to see what he can do, perhaps the one that isn’t talked about enough is Landry. This is an important season for him.
To be honest, he’s never lived up to the high school rankings that followed him to Baylor. Now, he’s at the end of his career. Landry isn’t going to crack the starting lineup unless a rash of injuries hits this group and then the depth really gets tested.
However, Landry has to give this coaching staff a reason to really use him. While he appeared in 11 of the 14 games last year, Landry maybe just wasn’t the enforcer he could have been. He might have more of a problem doing that now since Player is there.
Early Forecast
Baylor has the flexibility to use both a 3-man and 4-man front. The addition of Player creates some possibility to where he is playing alongside Ika or Ogbonnaya or Hall.
All these four have to do is consistently plug of the A gaps and allow the linebackers to dissect and roam. As always, don’t pay attention to their stats because those are not representative of what they are asked to do.
Pressure off the edge should be coming from Utley, Maxwell, Franklin and perhaps Ogbonnaya or Player. The athleticism will allow the staff to use everybody in multiple looks.
This unit is probably the best Baylor has had since the 2014 group was led by Andrew Billings. A great football team is great when the QB holds the No. 1 position, and the defensive line is No. 1A.
Expect this unit to receiver a lot of preseason accolades when the summer preview magazines are published.
