Transcript: Dave Aranda reflects on Baylor's performance against OU, previews OSU
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On getting the ground game going…
I think honing in on two or three things and spending all our time on those things and showing the looks we’re anticipating we’re going to see, and preparing to the best we can for a limited of number of runs to the variety of looks we’re going to see. I think it’s bringing in guys individually and showing them when they’re at their best, and when we’re not at our best, then what that difference is, and how we can be at our best for this last week, and what that takes on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday to do that.
Also the ability to improve on the perimeter. The more pressure and the more interior twists and stunts you get, the more you want to be able to go out. The same goes on the perimeter, cleaning up kind of our roles there, and taking the work we’ve put in throughout the weeks, and making sure that shows up on Saturday. That could again be with simplification, that can be with constant reinforcement throughout the week, so that we can run the ball the way we need to run it.
On Lovett and Jones availability this week…
Lovett I don’t think so, we’ll know a little bit more in the middle of the week. Qualan looks promising, so we’re hopeful we can get Qualan.
On defense’s confidence after last week…
I think defensively the ability there to play no matter what the circumstance. I think for us that’s the ability to work that process and to knock out what’s right in front of me and not think about what’s coming and what just happened, and what people are saying about this or that. Just focus on what’s right in front of you and knock it out. I feel like we were able to do that to a degree. I think the sidelines and huddles before we took the field were a lot of intent, man. The guys’ eyes were burning. I thought (Jalen) Pitre was at his best in that area, and Dillon Doyle was at his best. Both guys are sacrificing a lot, and are not at their best but they’re giving it their best. I thought that inspired the rest of the crew to play. You think if we were able to get that last pick there at the end, there’s a lot of fight in the guys, and I’m proud of that.
(Josh) Landry in the Kansas State game, he’s crawling there. There’s a second-down stop he made, a four-minute stop, they got the ball back to the offense for their final drive. There’s a lot of effort plays he made. I’m so proud of him. There’s things he’s really worked on to improve and a lot of it is how he approaches things and see things. Good things are happening for him, so I’m proud of him.
On unfortunate injuries at running back…
No. We’re attacking it though. I thought there were some really good things brought to the table Saturday night. We will continue to attack it. It’s next man up. But even more so it’s like let’s take advantage of this opportunity. Let’s take advantage of what’s right in front of us. Let’s not veer off course, let’s do what we can, and let’s do it at 100 percent. I felt like that occurred and I think we just have to do that again.
On Jonah White’s performance in practice…
I’m a big fan of his. I know in practice there was a pass out of the backfield and he’ll stick his foot in the ground and make a guy miss, and lower his shoulder. Really from the foot in the ground to the acceleration, it was kind of like ‘Who is that?’ It’s like yeah that’s him. From that point, he’s had that ability. There’s a humble heart in there that whatever we ask him to do he’s going to do. But it’s cool when you have your moment and you take advantage of it. So I just thought late in the game his ability to take those check-downs and get north and south. We’ve got some other guys who can learn from that and get north to south off those catches. I think he did a great job.
On offensive line progress being made…
I would have said yes prior to the game we just played. It was disappointing our inability to run the ball. I thought protection-wise there were some positives. There were a few times where we were late on guys or guys were taking the cadence and hitting it right. But I thought outside of that and we were struggling to run it, and we knew we were going to throw it and they were coming with their stuff, we were able to get in front of them to give Charlie a chance. But with running the ball, I would have said prior to this since everyone had been together and we were able to work with more of a cohesive fashion that there was some improvement. I felt we took a step back running the ball on Saturday.
On status of Ben Sims, Trestan Ebner, John Lovett and Jonah White…
We feel good about Jonah [White]. It doesn’t look good for Ben [Sims], and that’s an update from the Big 12 call to coming here. And then, the others we’ll know a little more on Tuesday and possibly Wednesday.
On optimist at linebacker position…
I love Abram [Smith], and just his willingness to learn and grow. Abram’s got a learner’s heart. You can never give him enough, so I appreciate that. When we first started, I remember it was new for him to be in there, and there were some things that didn’t come as natural as maybe you’d like. That didn’t deter him. He kept at it, and Ron kept at it. Ron Roberts, I think, has done a great job with Abram. Abram had a hell of a game. There’s plays that he made, and effort plays, technique plays, really, really proud. And it just goes to show that when you care that much about a thing, and you put all your effort into the thing, good things come to you. I’m happy for him, and I’m glad that we can all see that. I think sometimes we lose sight of that.
But, I think linebacker-wise as well, I think just the ability of that corps to be cohesive. The motions and the runs, the counters, and the varying fits, where we struggled at times against K-State, and we were able to make those corrections, and see a lot of those same runs, on Saturday, I thought we played them really good.
On defense’s performance at Oklahoma…
We felt good about it. Just from our end of it, the work throughout the week was really good. I thought the meetings and the practice, there was a good confidence there. I give all the credit to Ron (Roberts) with his plan. I thought Ron was very detailed and very precise in what he was asking guys to do in terms of who was in the game and what the down and distance was and the whole thing. He had it down. So then, the ability to be able to work through with those guys, just fits, and just be as detailed as we can. I thought there were some misfits from the week prior, and we were able to address that. And then on the other end, from them, just from us knowing what that’s like to be shut down and then to start back up and then to be shorthanded on one side. So, you’re going to be spending time with that side, and how much is going into the other side? All that, we figured there’d be an opportunity there.
On impression of Oklahoma State…
A lot of talent. I think defensively, really good front, really aggressive. I know their defensive coordinator (Jim Knowles), we would visit. I remember calling him up when he was at Duke and I was at LSU and talking to him just about how they played. They were really playing RPOs really well at that time, Coach Knowles. Really impressed with just his intelligence and how open he was. We were able to have him come down and visit quite a bit. I think it was two or three times he came down to visit, and we shared a lot, and just really impressed with everything he does. I think they have a really good defensive outfit this year and they’re awfully aggressive. They’re going to be on the aggressive side, for sure. So, you know what you’re going to get there. Offensively, very much a box-count team. If we overload the box, they throw to the outside guys, they take that matchup. If you put two high safeties back, they’re going to run the ball. It’s about as true to form in that regard as about anyone you play. But, they’ve got the guys where it counts. So, if you load it, then that one-on-one is a true challenge. And if you lighten the box, then with their O-line up on your guys, the running backs that they have, it’s a challenge there, too. They make you work. I have a lot of respect for their (head coach Mike Gundy). He’s had good offenses year-in and year-out. So, it will be a challenge.
On scheduling outlook for December 19…
We’re not looking that way right now. All eyes are on this Saturday and the game versus Oklahoma State. All of our focus is really on that.
On offensive line personnel…
We do like our personnel. I think we’ve got to get bigger and stronger, and that’s going to come. Like everybody, all of that was interrupted with COVID. I think the ability to build depth, I think, is a key piece. There’s not a lot of depth, there’s not a lot of competition at spots. So, I think the ability to bring depth so you can withstand injury. There’s quite a bit of this guy’s starting here, but he’s the backup there and he’s also the backup here. You’d like to have it to where I’m playing here and I’m backed up by a guy that’s challenging my butt every day. So, I’ve got to be on it, because he’s breathing down my neck. And then down the line with the other four spots, the same thing. So, we’ve got to build it to that. And I think, another year in that system, understanding kind of the what-ifs and understanding the also/ands, I think, are really key there, because that’s such a big piece- that’s the glue, really – I think we’ll be better.