As a fanbase, we're a cross between a headless chicken and Chicken Little...and who the hell can blame us?

It was obvious we'd have trouble keeping the whole class together once the season was fully, completely sideways (by my reckoning, that was after Cincy beat us up), so today is unsurprising but nonetheless dispiriting.

Worth noting that our total ranking TANKED today so badly because volume of croots literally weighs more than their individual ratings...even if our shrunken class of 12 players were all 4 & 5 stars, we still wouldn't be a Top 25 total class because they go by total points, but as it stands our per player rating is still pretty solid.

Regardless of all that - as Smoak pointed out on Xwitter, a handful of highly rated freshmen weren't going to save the '26 season. Only a fantastic portal class can do that.

So I'm muttering "Serenity Now!" and saving the true freak out for two crucial events:

• Who we bring in as AD
• What our transfer class looks like
• (honorable mention for retaining the players we do want to keep: yes there are some!)

Depending on how that goes, I'll either be hoping for a '20-to-'21 level of turnaround, or I'll have all but checked out entirely.

While the former scenario feels wildly unlikely right now, if I'm being honest I'll never check all the way out on Baylor sports...and so once again I find myself in a familiar situation:

The problem is that we're signing one OL, one DT, and one EDGE.

Finding receivers in the portal is easy. It's incredibly difficult to get good line talent and we're going to have to spend a FORTUNE to make ourselves decent. Not stocking up on the lines will cost us for years to come.

Bobsyouruncle said:

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The problem is that we're signing one OL, one DT, and one EDGE.

Finding receivers in the portal is easy. It's incredibly difficult to get good line talent and we're going to have to spend a FORTUNE to make ourselves decent. Not stocking up on the lines will cost us for years to come.

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In this era, backfill is possible, but you're right it won't be cheap especially in the trenches. Flipside of that is retaining OL & DL that you've developed isn't cheap either.

Of course I'd rather be in the position of retaining guys we've developed than taking flyers on transfers, but we're not exactly in the catbird seat right now
.
One of the things we desperately need is continuity at the OL coaching position. I for one would love to know what the plan is there...

Bobsyouruncle said:

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The problem is that we're signing one OL, one DT, and one EDGE.

Finding receivers in the portal is easy. It's incredibly difficult to get good line talent and we're going to have to spend a FORTUNE to make ourselves decent. Not stocking up on the lines will cost us for years to come.

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Yep

Are you guys talking about the lines that DA just mentioned the other day that he now realizes are the key to our success and ability to win games? If so, yes. It only took DA 7 years to figure this one out.

Of more interest, how did the ENMU Greyhounds do today?

ImABearToo said:

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Of more interest, how did the ENMU Greyhounds do today?

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Art's season is gonna be really awkward for everyone one way or another: either he excels and the usual suspects here will crow about it endlessly and demand that he be rehired in The Second Coming*; or he flops and the same folks will be wailing and gnashing their teeth blaming Baylor for killing his career in its prime.

It's really a lose/lose at just the perfect time for Baylor fandom. yipee!





*and if I was forced to choose one I'd bet on the actual Second Coming happening before Baylor rehires Art Briles.

Was there a response in all that blabbering? You and Thee are insufferable.

They'll be pretty good next year. And the next year they will blow everyone out of the water in their conference. After that Art will take a higher profile job, but unfortunately, not where I want him to be. He'll coach another three or four years and call it quits with his reputation partially restored. I think that's his goal. Sadly, that's probably the best he can do.

This wasn't a bad class just a small class

I have no angst ... or anticipation.

Baylor will play a season in 2026 and I'll probably watch the games. But beyond that, I see very little reason to invest emotionally in what is objectively a poor product and subjectively a very unenjoyable one to watch.

Best of luck to Dave and his new staff/roster, but I will still want him gone regardless of what happens next season. A) I don't think he has what it takes to get this program where we all want it, and B) He hasn't come close to earning the privilege/opportunity to continue trying.

Sadly, I have reached a place where the only thing that can get me excited about Baylor football again is a coaching change. And there's no coming back from that place until such a change is made.

Damning with faint praise.

ImABearToo said:

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Was there a response in all that blabbering? You and Thee are insufferable.

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if you weren't a troll you wouldn't be posting on this thread, but here we are.

Portal announcements are going to be interesting, to say the least.

Bearknuckle said:

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Bobsyouruncle said:

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The problem is that we're signing one OL, one DT, and one EDGE.

Finding receivers in the portal is easy. It's incredibly difficult to get good line talent and we're going to have to spend a FORTUNE to make ourselves decent. Not stocking up on the lines will cost us for years to come.

---

In this era, backfill is possible, but you're right it won't be cheap especially in the trenches. Flipside of that is retaining OL & DL that you've developed isn't cheap either.

Of course I'd rather be in the position of retaining guys we've developed than taking flyers on transfers, but we're not exactly in the catbird seat right now

One of the things we desperately need is continuity at the OL coaching position. I for one would love to know what the plan is there...

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But who is going to develop them. It's been proven that Aranda lacks that talent.

Bigkahunaww said:

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Bearknuckle said:

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Bobsyouruncle said:

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The problem is that we're signing one OL, one DT, and one EDGE.

Finding receivers in the portal is easy. It's incredibly difficult to get good line talent and we're going to have to spend a FORTUNE to make ourselves decent. Not stocking up on the lines will cost us for years to come.

---

In this era, backfill is possible, but you're right it won't be cheap especially in the trenches. Flipside of that is retaining OL & DL that you've developed isn't cheap either.

Of course I'd rather be in the position of retaining guys we've developed than taking flyers on transfers, but we're not exactly in the catbird seat right now

One of the things we desperately need is continuity at the OL coaching position. I for one would love to know what the plan is there...

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But who is going to develop them. It's been proven that Aranda lacks that talent.

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presumably the OL coach, who's actual job that is...and we don't even know who that will be right now

I think a big part of the problem is Dave lacks an eye for talent, both for players and for coaches. He has gotten lucky on a few guys, namely Hall and Baker, but so far 2 of the best 5 players on the team last year were walk ons and the coaching staff is a revolving door. His is bad at understanding what good looks like.

lol could be a lot worse - we could have fired Dave with no obvious replacement lined up:

Penn State's 2026 recruiting class is now ranked 150th — 1 spot ahead of Prairie View A&M. 😳 pic.twitter.com/ewT6ep2Wqa

— College Sports Only (@CSOonX) December 3, 2025

Bearknuckle said:

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lol could be a lot worse - we could have fired Dave with no obvious replacement lined up:

Penn State's 2026 recruiting class is now ranked 150th — 1 spot ahead of Prairie View A&M. 😳 pic.twitter.com/ewT6ep2Wqa

— College Sports Only (@CSOonX) December 3, 2025

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I bet Penn St reaches a 10 win season before we do

Aside from the four flips in this class, the real danger lies in trying to retain good young players already on the roster. NIL makes easy targets for any decent team looking to poach from a lame duck coaching staff. If Tech has any money left I would expect a full court press for Kaleb Burns and Taz Williams. It's likely gonna be a brutal winter at BU.

BigGameBaylorBear said:

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Bearknuckle said:

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lol could be a lot worse - we could have fired Dave with no obvious replacement lined up:

Penn State's 2026 recruiting class is now ranked 150th — 1 spot ahead of Prairie View A&M. 😳 pic.twitter.com/ewT6ep2Wqa

— College Sports Only (@CSOonX) December 3, 2025

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I bet Penn St reaches a 10 win season before we do

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Quite possibly - certainly their resource advantage over us would indicate it's likely. But look at post-Mack Brown UT.

Big Game James has had bad 'luck' in big games for whatever reason...but he's overall a really good coach (obviously earns deep loyalty from his players/croots). Wouldn't be surprised if PSU wanders in the wilderness for a half-decade or so after firing him so early in this season after the last few seasons were pretty solid.

Bearknuckle said:

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BigGameBaylorBear said:

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Bearknuckle said:

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lol could be a lot worse - we could have fired Dave with no obvious replacement lined up:

Penn State's 2026 recruiting class is now ranked 150th — 1 spot ahead of Prairie View A&M. 😳 pic.twitter.com/ewT6ep2Wqa

— College Sports Only (@CSOonX) December 3, 2025

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I bet Penn St reaches a 10 win season before we do

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Quite possibly - certainly their resource advantage over us would indicate it's likely. But look at post-Mack Brown UT.

Big Game James has had bad 'luck' in big games for whatever reason...but he's overall a really good coach (obviously earns deep loyalty from his players/croots). Wouldn't be surprised if PSU wanders in the wilderness for a half-decade or so after firing him so early in this season after the last few seasons were pretty solid.

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Agreed. They shouldn't have fired him. BigGameJames could do very well in the ACC given that it's easy to avoid big games in that conference

I'm not sure who is left at this point but PSU should poach a smaller P4 coach. I can't believe they missed on Chesny

Delmar 2.0 said:

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This wasn't a bad class just a small class

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A not bad class isn't a good class, let alone an outstanding one like we had before signing day. But maybe BU is really just a not bad university.

ImABearToo said:

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Of more interest, how did the ENMU Greyhounds do today?

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Looked for info regarding your question. Only thing I could find was from earlier this year.

That said, it doesn't matter to CAB, since he's a master at developing the talent he gets. In marked contrast to BU's current picture.

Truth!

canoso said:

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Delmar 2.0 said:

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This wasn't a bad class just a small class

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A not bad class isn't a good class, let alone an outstanding one like we had before signing day. But maybe BU is really just a not bad university.

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So the kids they signed are crap? Good to know...SMH

Delmar 2.0 said:

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This wasn't a bad class just a small class

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"Bad class" isn't a reflection on the guys who did sign; it's a drone-view of a class based on what it lost due to ineptitude both on the field and off. The flippers committed to potential, not assured success. That big bucks made its appearance just made that flip easier, maybe a no-brainer.

Delmar 2.0 said:

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canoso said:

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Delmar 2.0 said:

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This wasn't a bad class just a small class

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A not bad class isn't a good class, let alone an outstanding one like we had before signing day. But maybe BU is really just a not bad university.

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So the kids they signed are crap? Good to know...SMH

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You tell me. I merely quoted your "not bad" comment. Please tell me you aren't a Baylor grad. Please.

canoso said:

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ImABearToo said:

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Of more interest, how did the ENMU Greyhounds do today?

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Looked for info regarding your question. Only thing I could find was from earlier this year.

That said, it doesn't matter to CAB, since he's a master at developing the talent he gets. In marked contrast to BU's current picture.

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I'll bet he's still got a pipeline into Mount Vernon High & Guelfi Firenze.

When you look at our history OVERALL, Baylor would be looked at by a casual, unbiased observer as "not bad". Sure we have had our peaks and deep ruts, but overall the consistency to sustain a high peak has never been there long enough to call Baylor overall "good". Some could have called it "bad" in our worst years and they would be correct, but if you look at the last 60 years or so, the only true description if you had to average it out, I think most people would say......"not bad". The lows have cancelled out the peaks to leave us at that average.

This ship is sinking and cannot be repaired I'd defer everything until we get a new coach.

BigGameBaylorBear said:

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Bearknuckle said:

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lol could be a lot worse - we could have fired Dave with no obvious replacement lined up:

Penn State's 2026 recruiting class is now ranked 150th — 1 spot ahead of Prairie View A&M. 😳 pic.twitter.com/ewT6ep2Wqa

— College Sports Only (@CSOonX) December 3, 2025

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I bet Penn St reaches a 10 win season before we do

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Definitely in a much more difficult conference than ours .

blackie said:

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When you look at our history OVERALL, Baylor would be looked at by a casual, unbiased observer as "not bad". Sure we have had our peaks and deep ruts, but overall the consistency to sustain a high peak has never been there long enough to call Baylor overall "good". Some could have called it "bad" in our worst years and they would be correct, but if you look at the last 60 years or so, the only true description if you had to average it out, I think most people would say......"not bad". The lows have cancelled out the peaks to leave us at that average.

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Reasonable.
Today the "playing field" has dramatically and historically changed. I'm afraid the decade in front of us will be a true judge. With Baylor's Administration, the Baptist church BOR, NIL and CFB landscape I'm really not optimistic for BU's future. REALIGNMENT is a hard thought to ponder in your mind. Can we make improvement enough, AT THE RIGHT TIME, to roll forward? That will be the deciding factor of "good or not bad".

True Grit said:

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Are you guys talking about the lines that DA just mentioned the other day that he now realizes are the key to our success and ability to win games? If so, yes. It only took DA 7 years to figure this one out.

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and $25M large ones.....

BluesBear said:

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True Grit said:

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Are you guys talking about the lines that DA just mentioned the other day that he now realizes are the key to our success and ability to win games? If so, yes. It only took DA 7 years to figure this one out.

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and $25M large ones.....

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He didn't just figure this out...unless the "this one" part is realizing that yes he needed to plead with boosters for more NIL to get it done; otherwise he's just coach-speaking with no other rhetorical choice.

We were always going to have to go deep into the portal on DL & OL this off-season. Heck just on DL we knew we'd be losing Marshall*, Tezino, Lanz and Friloux. We did bring in Samu as part of the long term strategy there; Bett & Foster were part of that too but that's in the past.

I think Dave could/should be let go for the aggregation of his mistakes at this point; but I also think he can both evaluate and develop talent.

However, he just won't or can't apparently make the necessary in-roads with our booster base to garner the funding support to truly compete for his highest targets (cf. Taurean York, the Jamarion defections, etc). So our roster hasn't been up to par across the 2-deep and beyond.

Mack's effect on that whole equation is still unknown - while I'm not going to hold my breath, it's entirely possible the right AD changes the dynamic of this whole thing and we land an incredible portal class.


*I assume he's declaring for the draft. Getting him back would be huge, though - when healthy he is in fact a dawg.