'Sweating Through Sluggish Play': Baylor Coach Dave Aranda Looks For More Energy In Practice

After a rough practice in Waco, Dave Aranda isn't ready to hit the panic button.

Sometimes it's best to hit the pause button instead of the panic one. That's the way Baylor coach Dave Aranda is looking at the situation following Saturday's scrimmage.

Baylor didn’t bring its Big 12 championship energy in the sweltering heat of the Waco sun. No, it wasn’t based on the throws from quarterback Blake Shapen. It wasn’t because the defense allowed far too many plays deep in coverage.

Sure, not everything was perfect from an on-field perspective, but that’s not what Aranda was fixated on.

“The execution was good, I think the energy kind of lagged at times,” Aranda said. “Energy-wise probably not our best day, but I thought they were able to persevere.”

Baylor looks to repeat as Big 12 champs come December in Arlington. To do so, the Bears must be at their best throughout conference play.

Each week, the weather could be a factor in the outcome of games. So while the near 95-degree heat factored into perhaps a stifling practice, Aranda said it couldn’t be an excuse for proper execution.

Rain isn’t going to stop in Norman when the Bears travel to play Oklahoma. The heat of Lubbock isn’t going to take a delay because Baylor is set to face Texas Tech.

“We don't control the clouds,” Aranda said. “We have to control our own actions and attitudes and all that. I think all of it’s good. We’ve talked about it before, to get to where you’re going you’ve got to start where you are.”

Some players received praise from Aranda following the scrimmage. One was Shapen, who continues to build off his Big 12 record-setting outing against Oklahoma State in the title game.

Part of the reason Aranda elected to name Shapen the starter of former starter Gerry Bohanon was because of his consistency as a passer. So far, that remains the sophomore’s biggest asset.

“The thing I’m most proud of is his leadership and the art of when to say something and how to say it and being authentic with everything you’ve got,” Aranda said of Shapen.

For Shapen to find success, he’ll need consistency at the receiver position. Leading target Tyquan Thornton is now in New England. Drew Estrada is trying to make the Houston Texans’ active roster. R.J. Sneed, who finished with 46 receptions for 573 yards last fall, transferred to Colorado.

What does this mean for the offense? It’s a chance for any receiver to step up as the new No. 1. Sixth-year senior Gavin Holmes is a favorite to take over for Thronton, but Auburn transfer Hal Presley could be in line to handle the reps as well. The same could be said for either sophomore Monaray Baldwin or junior Jaylen Ellis.

“In terms of making contested catches, in terms of route running and getting off the press and their competitiveness that relates to catching, I think they’ve done an outstanding job,” Aranda said. “They’re playing hard.”

Baylor has a target on its back. It’s for good reason, too. Last season, no one expected a team that finished 2-7 in 2020 to win the Big 12 title, let alone finish with a program-setting 12 wins.

Fighting through adversity is something all contending teams face on the way to hoisting the title. Aranda sees Saturday’s sluggishness as perhaps a sign of how to fight through negativity.

“I think this is a good reminder of kind of where everything’s at, and I think for us to get to the level of it’s a tight game, it’s on the road, it’s in a storm and you can’t see north from south, and you can’t hear from left to right,” Aranda said. “In order to get where you need to be and what you have to do, we have a ways to go.”

Baylor opens the season at McLane Stadium on Sept. 3 against Albany. 

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