Know Your Foe: Baylor Offensive Breakdown

Baylor looks to lean on the run Thursday night

The West Virginia Mountaineers (2-3, 0-2) host the Baylor Bears (3-2, 1-1) Thursday night at 7:00 with the action broadcasting on FS1.

Statistically, Baylor ranks seventh in the Big 12 Conference in offensive yards per game at 436.2 ypg.

The Baylor rushing attack averages 187.8 yards per game led by freshman Richard Reese’s 400 yards and seven touchdowns on the year, while Craig Williams and 5’10 242-lb Qualan Jones have combined for 346 yards and five touchdowns.

Quarterback Blake Shapen enters the game coming off a career-high 345 yards to go with a pair of touchdowns versus Oklahoma State but threw two of his three interceptions on the season on the 36-25 loss to the Cowboys. The sophomore won the starting job in the spring over last season’s starting signal caller Gerry Bohanon, who led the Bears to a 12-2 record, a Big 12 Championship, and a Sugar Bowl win over Ole Miss. Of note, Bohanon torched the Mountaineers for 336 yards and four touchdowns.

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Monaray Baldwin leads the team with 261 receiving yards to go with a team-best three touchdowns with the bulk of his production coming in the OSU loss - 174 yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, tight end Ben Sims has a team-high 20 receptions for 139 yards. Sims had two receptions for two touchdowns against the Mountaineers last year.

Hal Pressley is third on the team in receiving with 13 receptions for 182 yards and a touchdown. The Sophomore’s only reception last season came against West Virginia.

Redshirt senior Gavin Holmes will make his first appearance against the Mountaineers since 2017. As a freshman he hauled in five receptions for 72 yards in Waco (TX) against WVU. This season, he has nine receptions for 180 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

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