More normal for Baylor after altered Aranda debut and NCAA

Updated Aug. 20, 2021 12:01 p.m. ET

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Baylor players were on a knee in the middle of the practice field as athletic director Mack Rhoades and coach Dave Aranda addressed them about the

“I could feel them attentively listening to Mack. ... You could feel his energy, I thought it was very focused and very on point. That was a strong moment,” Aranda said. “But once Mack said what he said, and I commented at the end, it was, ‘How much time is before lunch is over?’ So, we were able to get right to it."

The Bears first had to get through Aranda’s first season, shortened and altered by the pandemic after keeping them from spring drills with their new coaches. Now gone is that

Senior receiver R.J. Sneed said there is a different feel with team chemistry going into 2021, nearly 20 months after Aranda was hired.

“COVID didn’t help out, especially with getting a new coach and you couldn’t talk to guys and we couldn’t really hang out with people,” Sneed said. “But after the season, in the spring and the summer, every Monday we’ve had like a gathering and get to know a new group and have personal talks with them. ... So, yeah, I sense a change in that, and I get to know my teammates better.”

Even after only limited on-field work to install his system before playing games, the Baylor defense was actually solid under Aranda, who got to Baylor fresh off a 15-0 national title as LSU's defensive coordinator.

But the Bears never developed an identity on offense while going 2-7, and Larry Fedora is gone after the Bears ranked 118th nationally with 310 total yards a game and averaged fewer than 24 points a game in his only season as offensive coordinator. New OC Jeff Grimes was in that role at BYU the past three seasons, after overlapping with Aranda on LSU's staff.

Aranda said going through last season, and knowing the history of productive Baylor offenses in the past, provided insight of what he really wanted.

“The wide zone offense, the play action pass, the shot plays, I think those are all things that allow our guys to take great ownership, play fast, be aggressive," he said. "And those are things that we are in need for.”

BERNARD BACK

Terrel Bernard had 55 tackles in five games and was the Big 12's leading tackler last year before a torn labrum and shoulder fracture ended his season. The senior linebacker is back, and now really knows Aranda's scheme.

“As negative as (the injury) was to have him off of the field, he really hunkered down and got in the film room and really mastered our playbook,” linebacker Dillon Doyle said. “He really solidified his leadership. He already was a leader, but he is the guy that everybody looks to to see what the standard is.”

THROWING AND CATCHING

Charlie Brewer started 39 games at quarterback and threw for 9,700 yards while leading the Bears in passing each of the past four seasons. He could have come back for yet another season, but instead transferred to Utah.

Junior Gerry Bohanon and sophomore Jacob Zeno got only limited snaps when Brewer was around, but they are now competing to be the starter along with redshirt freshman Blake Shapen.

While the Bears will have a relatively inexperienced quarterback, they return their top five receivers and tight end Ben Sims. Leading receiver Sneed caught 39 passes for 497 yards and three touchdowns in the nine-game season last year.

ADDING APU

Baylor returns 10 starters on defense and added transfer nose tackle Siaki “Apu” Ika, a 6-foot-4, 350-pounder who as a freshman was part of Aranda's defense for LSU's championship two seasons ago.

“I expect him to have the biggest impact on the defense,” said defensive tackle TJ Franklin.

THE SCHEDULE

at Texas State, becoming only the second Big 12 team to visit San Marcos. The Bears play five of their nine Big 12 games at home, with all of the league's Top 25 teams set to visit Waco: No. 7 Iowa State (Sept. 25), No. 21 Texas (Oct. 30) and No. 2 Oklahoma (Nov. 30).

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R.J. Sneed

Dillon Doyle

Charlie Brewer

Gerry Bohanon

Terrel Bernard

Ben Sims

Jacob Zeno

Baylor Bears