By Kevin Lonnquist
Publisher
He’s one of the great message board names in recent Baylor football history.
The talk of how good he is and what he could mean for BU defenses reached feverish levels.
But that’s all it was. Talk.
For the first two years of his Baylor career, Gabe Hall was frustrated by injuries that derailed seasons but fueled the discussions.
Finally, health was with the Waller junior defensive tackle in 2021. A glimpse was shown. The message board talk came to fruition.
“I want to pay attention to details and set a good example for my team,’’ Hall said. “I want to be the hardest worker out there on the field and just push everybody. I want us to be the best unit and the best defense.”
Hall got the max out of his opportunities with 18 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, six sacks and QB hurries. Indeed, one out of every three times Hall made a stop, the opposing quarterback went down.
Baylor’s projected defensive line has gone from unknown in 2021 to established in 2022. In fact, the rise of the of the defensive line coincided with Baylor’s charge to putting together a record setting season.
“It’s very day and night,’’ Hall said. “We didn’t have a lot of people at first, you didn’t know when you’re going to see this person, when this person is going to be out. Now we’re more certain people are going to be there, and it’s just like a better feeling. We can attack every game and get better.”
Baylor’s defensive front could rival the 2014 Big 12 championship team in terms of talent, productivity and effectiveness. Hall, Chidi Ogbonnaya and Apu Ika are the strength up the middle. Brayden Utley, Cole Maxwell and TJ Franklin deliver from the edge.
Mix in Tulsa defensive tackle transfer and Waco Midway product Jaxon Player and there are options from which head coach Dave Aranda and defensive line coach Dennis Johnson can choose. Player was considered one of the top 2022 portal transfer prospects.
“We want to lead from the front,’’ Johnson said. “We lost a lot of guys that were skill players this past year. And just filling the void, leadership-wise, up front. Big men leading the way. And I think if we can take that step as a unit, we’ll be a lot better as a whole team.”
Opposing running games had nowhere to go in 2021. They averaged just 117 rushing yards per game and 3.4 yards per carry.
But here’s the note that brings more to the table. Baylor’s defense collected 81 tackles for loss. The average loss was 4.3 yards. That could have meant 2nd-and-3 turned into 3rd-and-7. That changes a call and a possession.
“We’re carrying that momentum. I’m 100 percent positive,’’ Hall said. “I see the work we’re putting in. I see how much the coaches are putting in, and how serious we are. I think it’s going to carry over. We make sure everybody stays humble, and make sure everybody knows it’s probably not going to be the same.”
Hall is trusting that his work this spring will carry forward into 2022. His numbers may look the same because of the depth. However, if that means Baylor is playing the first week of December – a return to the Big 12 championship game – or sometime in January then message boards could be saying something different.
“We start from ground zero and build our way back up, just the way we did last time,’’ Hall said, “and be there for each other and make sure we’re getting better because we can’t be satisfied where we are.”
Publisher
He’s one of the great message board names in recent Baylor football history.
The talk of how good he is and what he could mean for BU defenses reached feverish levels.
But that’s all it was. Talk.
For the first two years of his Baylor career, Gabe Hall was frustrated by injuries that derailed seasons but fueled the discussions.
Finally, health was with the Waller junior defensive tackle in 2021. A glimpse was shown. The message board talk came to fruition.
“I want to pay attention to details and set a good example for my team,’’ Hall said. “I want to be the hardest worker out there on the field and just push everybody. I want us to be the best unit and the best defense.”
Hall got the max out of his opportunities with 18 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, six sacks and QB hurries. Indeed, one out of every three times Hall made a stop, the opposing quarterback went down.
Baylor’s projected defensive line has gone from unknown in 2021 to established in 2022. In fact, the rise of the of the defensive line coincided with Baylor’s charge to putting together a record setting season.
“It’s very day and night,’’ Hall said. “We didn’t have a lot of people at first, you didn’t know when you’re going to see this person, when this person is going to be out. Now we’re more certain people are going to be there, and it’s just like a better feeling. We can attack every game and get better.”
Baylor’s defensive front could rival the 2014 Big 12 championship team in terms of talent, productivity and effectiveness. Hall, Chidi Ogbonnaya and Apu Ika are the strength up the middle. Brayden Utley, Cole Maxwell and TJ Franklin deliver from the edge.
Mix in Tulsa defensive tackle transfer and Waco Midway product Jaxon Player and there are options from which head coach Dave Aranda and defensive line coach Dennis Johnson can choose. Player was considered one of the top 2022 portal transfer prospects.
“We want to lead from the front,’’ Johnson said. “We lost a lot of guys that were skill players this past year. And just filling the void, leadership-wise, up front. Big men leading the way. And I think if we can take that step as a unit, we’ll be a lot better as a whole team.”
Opposing running games had nowhere to go in 2021. They averaged just 117 rushing yards per game and 3.4 yards per carry.
But here’s the note that brings more to the table. Baylor’s defense collected 81 tackles for loss. The average loss was 4.3 yards. That could have meant 2nd-and-3 turned into 3rd-and-7. That changes a call and a possession.
“We’re carrying that momentum. I’m 100 percent positive,’’ Hall said. “I see the work we’re putting in. I see how much the coaches are putting in, and how serious we are. I think it’s going to carry over. We make sure everybody stays humble, and make sure everybody knows it’s probably not going to be the same.”
Hall is trusting that his work this spring will carry forward into 2022. His numbers may look the same because of the depth. However, if that means Baylor is playing the first week of December – a return to the Big 12 championship game – or sometime in January then message boards could be saying something different.
“We start from ground zero and build our way back up, just the way we did last time,’’ Hall said, “and be there for each other and make sure we’re getting better because we can’t be satisfied where we are.”
