By Kevin Lonnquist
Publisher
Playing its most complete game of 2022, Baylor stormed through and past Texas Tech this past Saturday, 45-17. The win kept the Bears (5-3, 3-2) in the hunt for the Big 12 Championship game.
Now, it’s on to Norman, OK where the Bears meet the Oklahoma Sooners. Baylor has won only once at Owen Field at Memorial Stadium. That was in 2014 when the Bears were on their way to a second consecutive conference title.
So what was trending from a buying and selling mode? SicEmSports continues its new segment that began with the conference opener against Iowa State and runs through the rest of the season.
Buying: Blake Shapen to Gavin Holmes
They have connected 22 times this season for 470 yards. That equals out to Big 12-best 21.4 yards per catch. Surprisingly, they’ve only been the duo for three touchdown passes. However, you can see the trust and connection building between these two. Against Oklahoma State, that faith was never shaken. Even after a couple of drops, Shapen went right back to Holmes who didn’t let him or his teammates down.
Selling: Containing running QBs
If you looked at Texas Tech QB Behren Morton’s rushing yards, you’d shrug your shoulders (6-6). But those three sacks accounted for rushing totals. For the other three attempts he had 32 yards including a 14-yard scramble score. Baylor had issues with Spencer Sanders Oct. 3. The Bears are going to see this Saturday against Oklahoma’s Dillon Gabriel. When a QB is a dual-threat, the Bears have had some contain issues.
Buying: Turnover ratio
What a difference a week makes. When a team goes from -3 to +1 in the turnover ratio in one game, it’s pretty startling but for a good reason. Forcing five of them – all interceptions – against Texas Tech was impressive. Now, the challenge for this team is to stay on the right side of it. Most importantly, Shapen has to be pretty clean in November in order for this team to have a chance for Dec. 3.
Buying: Using 2022 class
There has been burn used for the likes of TE Kelsey Johnson, who probably will see more now that Drake Dabney (broken leg) is done for the year, wide receiver Jordan Nabors and of course, running back Richard Reese. But they are the trio that is contributing in important segments of games. This isn’t where they’re getting burn at the end of blowouts.
Hold: Stringing this together
There was and should be a lot of euphoria coming a big-time performance in Lubbock. Baylor played a near perfect game to win by four scores on the road. Does this mean the ship has been righted? Well, let’s wait and see on this. Through the first seven games, the Bears were an erratic team. If they can play at a similar level at Oklahoma and win it, then you can feel really good about their chances in the final three. The light needs to stay on.
PFF OL Grades
To start, your publisher goofed and forgot to add these after West Virginia and Kansas. Getting back on track.
Thanks to Rivals’ relationship with Pro Football Focus, each week we’ll share with you how Baylor’s offensive line graded from the previous week. This one comes following Oklahoma State. We’ll break it down from run blocking, pass blocking and overall in that order.
Grant Miller: 91 snaps, 63.5 run, 62.0 pass = 64.1 overall
Jacob Gall: 91 snaps, 61.6 run, 52.3 pass = 60.8 overall
Khalil Keith: 78 snaps, 49.1 run, 74.3 pass = 56.5 overall
Gavin Byers: 13 snaps, 58.3 run, 72.7.0 pass = 59.8 overall
Micah Mazzccua: 91, snaps, 64.4 run, 59.6 pass = 64.6 overall
Connor Galvin: 91 snaps, 69.8 run, 76.7 pass = 74.2 overall
Publisher
Playing its most complete game of 2022, Baylor stormed through and past Texas Tech this past Saturday, 45-17. The win kept the Bears (5-3, 3-2) in the hunt for the Big 12 Championship game.
Now, it’s on to Norman, OK where the Bears meet the Oklahoma Sooners. Baylor has won only once at Owen Field at Memorial Stadium. That was in 2014 when the Bears were on their way to a second consecutive conference title.
So what was trending from a buying and selling mode? SicEmSports continues its new segment that began with the conference opener against Iowa State and runs through the rest of the season.
Buying: Blake Shapen to Gavin Holmes
They have connected 22 times this season for 470 yards. That equals out to Big 12-best 21.4 yards per catch. Surprisingly, they’ve only been the duo for three touchdown passes. However, you can see the trust and connection building between these two. Against Oklahoma State, that faith was never shaken. Even after a couple of drops, Shapen went right back to Holmes who didn’t let him or his teammates down.
Selling: Containing running QBs
If you looked at Texas Tech QB Behren Morton’s rushing yards, you’d shrug your shoulders (6-6). But those three sacks accounted for rushing totals. For the other three attempts he had 32 yards including a 14-yard scramble score. Baylor had issues with Spencer Sanders Oct. 3. The Bears are going to see this Saturday against Oklahoma’s Dillon Gabriel. When a QB is a dual-threat, the Bears have had some contain issues.
Buying: Turnover ratio
What a difference a week makes. When a team goes from -3 to +1 in the turnover ratio in one game, it’s pretty startling but for a good reason. Forcing five of them – all interceptions – against Texas Tech was impressive. Now, the challenge for this team is to stay on the right side of it. Most importantly, Shapen has to be pretty clean in November in order for this team to have a chance for Dec. 3.
Buying: Using 2022 class
There has been burn used for the likes of TE Kelsey Johnson, who probably will see more now that Drake Dabney (broken leg) is done for the year, wide receiver Jordan Nabors and of course, running back Richard Reese. But they are the trio that is contributing in important segments of games. This isn’t where they’re getting burn at the end of blowouts.
Hold: Stringing this together
There was and should be a lot of euphoria coming a big-time performance in Lubbock. Baylor played a near perfect game to win by four scores on the road. Does this mean the ship has been righted? Well, let’s wait and see on this. Through the first seven games, the Bears were an erratic team. If they can play at a similar level at Oklahoma and win it, then you can feel really good about their chances in the final three. The light needs to stay on.
PFF OL Grades
To start, your publisher goofed and forgot to add these after West Virginia and Kansas. Getting back on track.
Thanks to Rivals’ relationship with Pro Football Focus, each week we’ll share with you how Baylor’s offensive line graded from the previous week. This one comes following Oklahoma State. We’ll break it down from run blocking, pass blocking and overall in that order.
Grant Miller: 91 snaps, 63.5 run, 62.0 pass = 64.1 overall
Jacob Gall: 91 snaps, 61.6 run, 52.3 pass = 60.8 overall
Khalil Keith: 78 snaps, 49.1 run, 74.3 pass = 56.5 overall
Gavin Byers: 13 snaps, 58.3 run, 72.7.0 pass = 59.8 overall
Micah Mazzccua: 91, snaps, 64.4 run, 59.6 pass = 64.6 overall
Connor Galvin: 91 snaps, 69.8 run, 76.7 pass = 74.2 overall
