Comfortable Being Uncomfortable: Baylor Prepping for Big 12 Repeat

After making history in 2021, Baylor hopes to continue its success by staying true.

ARLINGTON -- Bryson Jackson wants to be uncomfortable Week 1 against Albany. He wants Baylor to be that way throughout the regular season. 

That's an important for the Bears outside linebacker for more than one reason. It factors into workouts. It plays a role in meetings and film study. It certainly factors into long trips from Waco to locations like Provo and Morgantown.

"Every environment is different," Jackson said Wednesday at Big 12 Media Days. "You're going to be put in chaotic environments, so being able to control that chaos, being able to be your most authentic self and being able to play complimentary football, it's incredibly important.

"That's something we take pride in." 

It is a tad uncomfortable being at the top of the food chain and public enemy No. 1. For the first time in forever, that title belongs to Baylor. Preseason favorites to repeat as conference champs, the target is only expanding as the Bears prepare to face the Great Danes. 

Dave Aranda takes the "comfortable being uncomfortable" phrase to heart. The dress code players wear on road trips might be itchy. Teammates could be sharing a row with someone during road trips on long flights. Heck, the flight might only have Pepsi instead of the traditional Coca-Cola. 

There's a reason the third-year coach is going into much detail. The way things run in Waco under his watch -- outlined, finely tuned and no stone left unturned. And don't expect things to change despite plenty of movement surrounding the future of the Big 12 and college football. 

Why fix what isn't broken? 

"A fight that all teams are really trying to fight is putting a full game together," senior linebacker Dillon Doyle said. "Through great leadership, through all those offseason growth process, plus a little bit of time, it all added to the equation. You've seen the daily things we've been doing and the results have shown."

The upcoming season could be the start of something new for Aranda and the Bears in terms of the bigger Big 12 picture. Texas and Oklahoma are on the way out. BYU, Central Florida, Cincinnati and Houston are on the way in. Now, there needs to be a new leader of the conference. 

Why not Baylor? Seriously, why not? The Bears are coming off their first 12-win season in program history. They're winning on the recruiting trail thanks to the new NIL deals and success of Jeff Grimes finding the right players in scheme, along with the culture. 

Culture is key for any promise with Aranda. That's been the case throughout his time coaching. He isn't the rah-rah type that blows the whistle and makes players run gassers to get the point across. Instead, he gets on a player's level to talk one-on-one on areas that need improvement. 

Jackson, a sixth-year senior, calls Aranda "genuine in the best way possible." Doyle, who joined the Bears from Iowa in Aranda's first season, said he's learned to love this style of coach because "everything he does intentional." Both are true, as is his love for the players he coaches. 

Aranda has never considered a separation between players and coaches. You win and lose as one, so taking the input of those seeing things on the field might benefit his play design. His defensive formation. Countless other decisions that seem to unravel in the process. 

"He's a calculated person," Doyle said. "Every decision he's making, he's also thinking about the ramifications of those decisions and the butterfly effect that those decisions can have. 

"He's very forward thinking. His decision making models in his head are very advanced and very intentional." 

Perhaps that's why Baylor is the favorite to repeat despite losing starting quarterback Gerry Bohanon to the transfer portal. This past spring, the Bears starter elected to leave after Aranda named sophomore Blake Shapen the starter. 

Shapen, a native of Louisiana, set a Big 12 Championship record with an 82.1-percent completion on his way to leading the Bears to a 21-16 win over Oklahoma State. The sample size is small, but the future is bright. 

How bright? Aranda wanted to end the QB battle and award Shapen the starter's role before the start summer workouts. Since then, the head coach has noticed Shapen's ability to go "beyond the breaking and answer the call to the forefront." 

It also helps that Grimes and four starting offensive linemen from a season ago are set to return. 

The Bears were quiet in terms of the transfer portal, but Jackson isn't sure they needed to added more talent. Instead, Baylor will trust in him, Doyle, cornerback Mark Milton and others to expand on the results started by players such as All-American defensive back Jalen Pitre, linebacker Terrel Bernard and safety JT Woods. 

Said Jackson: "Last year was last year, but this year we have a new set of guys with a new mindset toward how we can attack this thing. Plus, we have a leader stepping up that have never been putting those roles before. They're stepping into a new territory." 

Culture is one key for Baylor. A short memory is another. Tight end Ben Sims said it was cool to return to the field where dreams came true last December. That's version of Baylor football is over. 

Doyle said he remembers crying when Jairon McVea made the stop at the 1-yard line to give the Bears the title. It's been seven months since the play. His attention is on Albany. 

The trio focused on July 13. Tomorrow, the focus is on July 14 and so on and so forth until kickoff ensues at McLane Stadium. It's new roster, a new feel and a new team at Baylor. 

The new Bears roster wants to be uncomfortable. It's never cozy being at the top of a food chain with nine others clawing for the same title. Jackson is up for the challenge. 

So is Aranda. 

"Thoughts leads to words leads to action. We try to go there," Aranda said. "There isn't much time to be worried about the rankings." 

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