Aranda's Call Sheet: Being "Close", Injuries and More

Four games to go and three wins to obtain, that is, if these Bears want a thirteenth chance to play together and a third consecutive bowl berth. 

Up first in the remaining gauntlet, the Houston Cougars, newbies to the Big 12, but an old acquaintance who've experienced a couple of memorable and historic highlights and lowlights in their first conference season. They Hail Mary'd West Virginia and took top-ten Texas to the wire. They also just lost 44-0 to Kansas State. So, you win some, and you lose some. 

Now, it's anyone's best guess as to what to expect when an up-and-down Bears squad encounters the Cougars variant. 

Dave Aranda took the podium on Monday to discuss the team's loss to Iowa State and what lies ahead at McLane Stadium, and here were three takeaways. 

"WE'RE CLOSE"

Despite all the negativity due to results and performances, Aranda reinforced that this team is close to breaking through and reaching its full potential. With four games remaining, time is precious if that's the case, and with a must-win situation for bowl hopes, the time is now or never for this 2023 group. 

Aranda understands that criticism comes with the territory, but he doesn't agree with some of the critiques. In a staff meeting on Monday, they recognized the outside noise and negativity but with nuance.  

"That's there. But when you look at the tape, we're so close on so many things," Aranda said. And that was the message he drove home to staff members. 

"I told them I had a philosophy professor that told me that for every fact there's at least double the nuance. And I think early in the season there would be let's just say facts that were wrong. You know, we’re in the nuanced part now." 

Aranda says upon review, there's one glaring issue they can't deny, but also some misconceptions. 

"There was not a lot of confusion there, hardly any in this last game. Guys were where they needed to be, guys all knew what I'm doing, what everyone else is doing. And there was togetherness with all that. It's just when the play comes to us, we got to make it."

So, it boils down to execution, and yes, that falls at the feet of the coaches, too. Despite what missing nuance he's referencing above, it's clear as day there is a severe lack of execution, and that's directly impacted the results and a majority of their woes through eight games. 

The Bears head coach believes he can help with some of that by ramping up opportunities and pressure in practice, increasing the competition. I get a feeling of deja vu with some of this. 

Still, he and the staff have to keep it positive, and they can see a different vision than many of us on the outside looking in.

"We're really close. So if it's kind of coming, digging yourself out of a hole, we can see the light as coaches and so we've got to be able to get that across to the players, because I know that the other side of it can be pretty dark."

THE CURIOUS CASE OF RICHARD REESE 

A season ago, running back Richard Reese was thrust into full-time duty as a true freshman due to a rash of injuries. He had to grow up quickly but eventually earned various All-Big 12 honors, including Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year, as voted on by the coaches. 

Reese ran 198 times for 972 yards and 14 touchdowns to earn those accolades. He also caught 13 passes for 89 yards. 

But in 2023? 

Through seven games, Reese has 54 carries for 240 yards and two touchdowns, both from the Long Island game in week two.

So, what gives? Why the dramatic dropoff? Well, it's a combination of factors, and Aranda shed some light on the thought process. 

"I think his strengths so far this year has been his ability in space to make plays. His ability on the perimeter to make plays. And I think in the interior run game; I think the work has been on getting yards after contact. So, if the offensive line gets me two yards, let's get another two or get another yard on my own," the Bears head coach explained.  

"And so that's been, I think, where he's been really working hard to improve. I think the blocking on the perimeter has to improve so that Rich can do his thing. And so that's been, one step forward, two steps back."

Okay, but nine total carries in the last three games? 

Also playing into matters is their strategy over the past couple of weeks. Against Cincinnati, the staff avoided the run early by design. Against Iowa State, as Aranda would put it, they thought there were some angles to take advantage of, but they couldn't execute. 

The first carry of the game, a 12-yard pickup from Dom Richardson, was the blueprint, but there were few to no examples like that afterward. 

"The idea would be just try to run it, because you'd like to have the balance. But if we're not having it, what we don't want to do is continue with something that's not getting us positive yards." 

The Bears are averaging 109.5 rushing yards per game, placing them at 110th in the country, just three spots behind, yes, the Houston Cougars. 

This week, the combo of Pendergrass-Reese-Richardson, etc., will face a borderline Top 100 run defense nationally, also on the Cougs' side. So, there should be more opportunities compared to recent contests. 

As for Reese's output this season, his body is also getting a break, as after close to 200 carries in 2022, he will likely finish shy of 100 carries this year at the current rate. 

INJURY NEWS

The Bears were left a little worse for wear after Saturday's contest. WR Ketron Jackson, CB Tevin Williams, and OL Tate Williams all suffered head injuries, according to Aranda, leaving their availability in doubt with the Cougars coming to town. 

"It doesn't look promising right now. I can't say for certain they're going to be out but it looks like they're probably going to be out. We'll know more [Tuesday]." 

Ketron Jackson's injury resulted from a targeting play by safety T.J. Tampa right before halftime, and the penalty led to a Dawson Pendergrass touchdown and the Bears' first score. But with Jackson's sudden absence for the second half, the staff turned to former prized recruit Armani Winfield for more reps, and the freshman finished the game with one catch for five yards.  

"I think we had to get Armani Winfield into the game. And I think some of the things where we're moving Ketron a lot, we had to scale back from," Aranda said. 

"It's not that Armani couldn't do those things, it's just that he didn't have all of those reps throughout the week or as many as Tron did. And so, moving forward for this one, we'll have Armani fully operational in all of those looks." 

As the final month of the season begins, opportunity knocks for Winfield and others down the stretch. Unfortunately, at 3-5 entering November, those opportunities are quickly running out.