Good morning. I’m introducing a new series intended to take a look at each team in the new Big 12. I’m not sure how many I’ll get done each week, but the only way for me to really know about these teams is to actually do the research so I can be relatively informed when the season hits. So I spent time doing the research this weekend. There are links to everything below so if there isn’t a link, then I didn’t write it, but I always link back to the originator of the content. I wanted to take a quick look at the team: get a feel for the best players; look into their portal class consisted and how they ranked overall; a look at the 2024 recruiting class; and ending on the graphic from Sharp College Football.
Previous Snapshots: Arizona | Arizona State
Snapshot: Toledo QB Dequan Finn was MAC Player of the year and Baylor is counting on Finn being a star. Finn passed for 2,657 yards, 63% completion, 8.4 yards per completion, 22 touchdowns and 9 picks. New OC Jake Spavital had Texas State near the top of the nation in total offense, 3,500 passing and 2,400 rushing. The defense wasn’t great last year and this led head coach Dave Aranda to calling defense. Maybe the best player is CB Caden Jenkins who had 37 tackles, 3 picks and 3 passes defended. LB Matt Jones is a solid linebacker that’s in his 6th year of play and had 82 tackles and 3 sacks last year.
Do the Bears play Texas Tech? Yes, Texas Tech’s 7th game of the year is hosting the Baylor Bears on October 19th.
Returning Starters: Offensive returning starters – 9 (71% of offensive production); Defensive returning starters – 7 (62% of defensive production).
Transfer Portal Arrivals: 13. Quality over quantity as this gets a good rating by On3. Finn is the star of the show and Hawkins had 55 receptions for 874 yards and 3 touchdowns at Texas State. On defense, Linton from Texas Tech is interesting. A bit of a focus on the offensive line and receivers and you wonder how the defense improves unless the improvement will just be from the players already on the roster.
QB Dequan Finn (from Toledo)
WR Ashtyn Hawkins (from Texas State)
WR Jamaal Bell (from Nevada)
TE Michael Trigg (from Ole Miss)
OL Omar Aigbedion (from Montana State)
OL Kurt Danneker (from Ohio)
OL Colton Thomasson (from Texas A&M)
DL Elinus Noel (from Texas Southern)
DL Steve Linton (from Texas Tech)
LB Jacques Evans (from Western Kentucky)
DB Kendrick Simpkins (from Western Kentucky)
DB Cameren Jenkins (from UNLV)
DB Lorando Johnson (from Arkansas)
On3 Transfer Index Score: +5 (Big 12 high is +68 with Colorado and low is -30 with Houston)
Key additions: JaQues Evans, EDGE (Western Kentucky); Lorando “Snaxx” Johnson, DB (Arkansas); Elinus Noel III, DL (Baylor)
Key subtractions: Armani Winfield, WR (Colorado State)
Outlook: Baylor did solid work in the spring window, adding three difference makers on defense. Johnson returns to Waco after excelling in his lone season at Arkansas. Evans has the ability to get into the backfield, and Noel III should help clog up running lanes in the middle of the defensive line. The only notable loss is four-star receiver Winfield, who recorded just seven receptions for 90 yards in his first full season last year.
Pac 12 2024 Recruiting & Big 12 2024 Recruiting: Baylor’s class is ranked second-to-last in the Big 12 ahead of only Houston and one wonders where the spark comes for the Bears to return to Big 12 prominence. There are no four-stars among this group but flipping in-state three-star DB Joshua Lair was big during the late signing period. Linebackers Brock Jackson and Kyland Reed could form a dynamic pair.
Grade: C+
Sharp College Football Beta Rank Deep Dive: Baylor was very middle of the road last year (hence the change at offensive coordinator), the best thing that they did is throw the ball and would expect that to continue, but they’ve got to be better running the ball if they want to experience any success and they just weren’t good by any metric. The defense wasn’t much better (hence Aranda calling plays), couldn’t defend the pass or the run and too many explosive drives allowed.
