Baylor Bears Defensive Players to Watch vs. Texas

The Bears have veteran talent in all three phases of their defense.

There could be major conference title implications on the line when the Texas Longhorns host the Baylor Bears on Nov. 26.

Last year’s 31-24 loss to the Bears was in the middle of a 6-game losing streak, the worst in program history since 1956.

The Bears enter the 2022 season as the hunted rather than the hunter for the first time in Big 12 history. They are coming off their first Big 12 title in program history and were picked by the media to repeat as conference champions in 2022.

Coach Dave Aranda went 2-7 in his first season as Baylor’s head coach. It is rare for a program to turn around as quickly as Baylor did in Year 2 under Aranda. Do not expect the Bears to fall back down to Earth now that they are operating at a high level.

The Bears lost some talent on both sides of the football, but as long as they have Aranda at the helm, they will put a quality product on the field.

One of the defining characteristics of Baylor’s team in 2021 was their play up front. If you build a program from the inside out, as Aranda has, you can sustain success at the Power 5 level. Standout play at the lines of scrimmage is expected of the Bears in 2022. That alone should put them back in the conference title race come November.

Be sure to stick with LonghornsCountry.com as we preview every aspect of the matchup with the Bears throughout the week. We’ve already done a general preview of the Bears and offensive players to watch. Now let’s take a look at Baylor defensive players the Longhorns should watch out for.

DL Siaki Ika

Siaki Ika was a dominant force up front for the Bears last season. The former LSU Tiger moves incredibly well for his size. He can take on double teams and eat up space. His power and strength make him difficult for offensive linemen to move.

He recorded 24 total tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, and four sacks in 2021 en route to an All-Big 12 Second Team selection. He was also named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year. Without Ika’s presence in the trenches, another team may have hoisted the Big 12 Championship trophy. Ika has a chance to hear his name called early in the 2023 NFL Draft with a strong junior campaign.

LB Dillon Doyle

Linebacker should be a strength for the Bears in 2022, and Dillon Doyle is a factor of that equation. He was second on the team in total tackles (90) and tackles for loss (8.5). He also recorded two pass breakups and an interception. The former Iowa Hawkeye enters the season on the media’s preseason All-Big 12 Team. Doyle and Matt Jones will be a plus inside linebacker duo this season.

S Christian Morgan

Christian Morgan is the leader in a Baylor secondary that lost a lot of talent to the NFL. Morgan led the team with six pass breakups last season and recorded 29 total tackles. He earned an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention by the coaches. The fifth-year will be Baylor’s last line of defense at the free safety position. The Bears need inexperienced defensive backs around Morgan to step up if they want to match last year’s production. 

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