Baylor’s Bye Week and the Road Ahead: What Comes Next?
The Baylor Bears football team’s bye week couldn’t have come at a better time.
The Bears need to regroup.
They need to refocus.
And they need to rebuild the powerhouse program that this Baylor team absolutely has the potential to be.
Following a weekend off after a disappointing home loss and falling from the AP Top 25, it’s almost time for Baylor to return to the gridiron.
So what do Baylor coach Dave Aranda and the Bears need to focus on as the season gets back underway this week?
Let’s take a quick look at a few priorities as Thursday night football looms.
DEFENSE MUST GET BETTER
Yes, the Baylor Bears present a stout defense week in and week out, but this same incredible defense gave up way too many yards in the team’s last showing.
And that has got to get better if the Bears want to have a fighting chance of competing in this wide-open Big 12 Conference.
OFFENSE NEEDS TO BE MORE CONSISTENT
Blake Shapen and the Baylor offense have had moments where they appear unstoppable.
The Bears' offense has also had moments where they’ve appeared lost, and don’t get me started on dropped passes.
One thing is certain: Baylor’s offense needs to become more consistent, regardless of the massive yards the Bears put up in seemingly every contest if anyone in the program expects green and gold glitter to be falling come December.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAY HAS GOT TO IMPROVE
It’s been said before and it’ll be said again: special team play has got to fix the flaws and learn to flourish if the Bears want to be in the hunt for a conference title.
Granted, it was more than just a kickoff returned for a touchdown that doomed the Bears in their last home game against Oklahoma State, but those kinds of things cannot happen if Baylor wants to finish strong.
A Big 12 title is not fully out of reach, but Baylor’s win-streak needs to start on Thursday night against West Virginia.
Who’s ready for some football?
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Denton Ramsey has been a journalist for over 20 years with a decade of experience as a sports writer and editor for a plethora of newspapers throughout Texas and Alabama. Growing up in Houston and attending Baylor University, Ramsey is a die-hard sports fan with a true passion for writing. He may be reached via email at denton.itb@gmail.com