By Kevin Lonnquist
Publisher
Baylor’s 2022 season concluded last Friday with a 38-27 loss at Texas. The Bears finished at 6-6 overall and 4-5 in the Big 12. They held a 19-17 halftime lead and then took a 27-24 lead in the opening moments of the fourth quarter.
However, Texas was able to use its rushing attack to move successfully against the defense and score on its next two possessions. Baylor’s offense didn’t score in the second half and only had 56 yards of production.
Baylor now awaits its bowl assignment which will be announced on Sunday after the college football playoff teams and NY6 games are released.
So what was trending from a buying and selling mode from Texas? SicEmSports continues its new segment that began with the conference opener against Iowa State and runs through the rest of the season.
Buying: The Start
If you had wondered about this team’s willingness to play the game after the way it lost to TCU, you probably could have understood if it came into this one flat. But they didn’t. That’s one thing about Dave Aranda’s teams. While they have had more than their share of tough setbacks, they have been a resilient group, not felt sorry for themselves and competed. That’s half the battle. The 9-0 nothing jump revealed that. What made it better is that when they took the 2-0 lead on the Quinn Ewers intentional grounding in the end zone, they scored off the Texas free kick.
Selling: Defensive line
They got a good pash run on Ewers and recorded five sacks. The last of which led to the Gabe Hall scoop and score. But when it was on the line in the fourth quarter as Texas decided to lean on Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson, the front offered pretty much presented no resistance. This group was the strangest story all season. Because everybody was coming back and it added depth with Tulsa transfer and Waco product Jaxon Player, it just never translated this year. Nothing close to the group we saw in 2021.
Buying: Al Walcott
It took all the way to the end of the season, but Walcott really looked comfortable playing in the star role. Maybe switching to him in fall camp was a bit late. However, football is a repetition sport. He didn’t walk on Senior Day against TCU. The good news is that if he really is going to return in 2023 he’ll have a full season to work on the position. The strip sack forced fumble is what that position is designed to do.
Selling: Special teams
The kicking game hurt this team again. It impacted the game by 10 points, seven that were created for Texas and three that the Bears missed. First, there is the Issac Power shank punt of 11 yards that went out of bounds at the Baylor 29 that led to a Texas touchdown and gave the Longhorns the lead, 14-9. Then there was the forced fumble in the third quarter. The Bears got it at their 47 and drove to the Texas 22 where John Mayers missed from 40. Now, Mayers’ 40-yard FG issues have returned. He’s missed his last two from that distance.
Buying: Bowl practices
However many this team gets before its bowl assignment should be treated as a special spring football season. This team needs to work on all of the little things. Quarterback Blake Shapen has to use this time to be in the film room looking at every game where his mistakes really hurt this team. The Bears can’t fix it all before the bowl game. But they can show signs that they’re getting it right.
PFF OL Grades
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 Texas. We’ll break it down from run blocking, pass blocking and overall in that order.
Grant Miller: 76 snaps, 62.3 run, 88.5 pass = 67.0
Jacob Gall: 76 snaps, 70.4 run, 77.2 pass = 74.7
Khalil Keith: 76 snaps, 42.3 run, 80.8 pass = 54.2
Connor Galvin: 76 snaps, 63.1 run, 90.5 pass = 72.7
Mose Jeffery: 76 snaps, 57.2 run, 76.8 pass = 61.3
Publisher
Baylor’s 2022 season concluded last Friday with a 38-27 loss at Texas. The Bears finished at 6-6 overall and 4-5 in the Big 12. They held a 19-17 halftime lead and then took a 27-24 lead in the opening moments of the fourth quarter.
However, Texas was able to use its rushing attack to move successfully against the defense and score on its next two possessions. Baylor’s offense didn’t score in the second half and only had 56 yards of production.
Baylor now awaits its bowl assignment which will be announced on Sunday after the college football playoff teams and NY6 games are released.
So what was trending from a buying and selling mode from Texas? SicEmSports continues its new segment that began with the conference opener against Iowa State and runs through the rest of the season.
Buying: The Start
If you had wondered about this team’s willingness to play the game after the way it lost to TCU, you probably could have understood if it came into this one flat. But they didn’t. That’s one thing about Dave Aranda’s teams. While they have had more than their share of tough setbacks, they have been a resilient group, not felt sorry for themselves and competed. That’s half the battle. The 9-0 nothing jump revealed that. What made it better is that when they took the 2-0 lead on the Quinn Ewers intentional grounding in the end zone, they scored off the Texas free kick.
Selling: Defensive line
They got a good pash run on Ewers and recorded five sacks. The last of which led to the Gabe Hall scoop and score. But when it was on the line in the fourth quarter as Texas decided to lean on Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson, the front offered pretty much presented no resistance. This group was the strangest story all season. Because everybody was coming back and it added depth with Tulsa transfer and Waco product Jaxon Player, it just never translated this year. Nothing close to the group we saw in 2021.
Buying: Al Walcott
It took all the way to the end of the season, but Walcott really looked comfortable playing in the star role. Maybe switching to him in fall camp was a bit late. However, football is a repetition sport. He didn’t walk on Senior Day against TCU. The good news is that if he really is going to return in 2023 he’ll have a full season to work on the position. The strip sack forced fumble is what that position is designed to do.
Selling: Special teams
The kicking game hurt this team again. It impacted the game by 10 points, seven that were created for Texas and three that the Bears missed. First, there is the Issac Power shank punt of 11 yards that went out of bounds at the Baylor 29 that led to a Texas touchdown and gave the Longhorns the lead, 14-9. Then there was the forced fumble in the third quarter. The Bears got it at their 47 and drove to the Texas 22 where John Mayers missed from 40. Now, Mayers’ 40-yard FG issues have returned. He’s missed his last two from that distance.
Buying: Bowl practices
However many this team gets before its bowl assignment should be treated as a special spring football season. This team needs to work on all of the little things. Quarterback Blake Shapen has to use this time to be in the film room looking at every game where his mistakes really hurt this team. The Bears can’t fix it all before the bowl game. But they can show signs that they’re getting it right.
PFF OL Grades
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 Texas. We’ll break it down from run blocking, pass blocking and overall in that order.
Grant Miller: 76 snaps, 62.3 run, 88.5 pass = 67.0
Jacob Gall: 76 snaps, 70.4 run, 77.2 pass = 74.7
Khalil Keith: 76 snaps, 42.3 run, 80.8 pass = 54.2
Connor Galvin: 76 snaps, 63.1 run, 90.5 pass = 72.7
Mose Jeffery: 76 snaps, 57.2 run, 76.8 pass = 61.3
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