Questions of the Week: What will Texas State Reveal?

Each week, I will pose some questions. Some will be for the team to answer on Saturday. Others will be for analysts and pundits. All of them are for you to respond to in the comments! So here we go:

Are you ready for some football?

Game week one of the 2023 Baylor Football season is finally here! Everyone has made it through another offseason. With the Bears kicking off at 6:00 PM on Saturday in McLane Stadium, the question for both fans and players alike is, “Are you ready?”

On one level yes. Of course. This is all you have been waiting for. This is all the Bears have been working towards since the spring. But this team is rather young and the defensive philosophy has shifted to be more aggressive. So just how many hiccups will we see? Any nerves or jitters? Either way, it will be fun to be back.

How far has the defense come since last year?

Speaking of that more aggressive philosophy this year … with Matthew Powledge back in Waco, how far has his unit come? The Bears finished 62nd in SP+ defense last year, one of the worst marks for a defense under Dave Aranda ever.

The hope is Matthew Powledge will help shift the Bears back toward what made other Aranda defenses great. The Texas State matchup should show us a good bit despite the odds being clearly in Baylor’s favor. G.J. Kinne’s offense was lethal at the FCS level with Incarnate Word and should schematically test the Bears, who have a clear talent advantage.

How does the offensive line look?

Yes, we want to see Ketron Jackson and the receivers. Yes, we need to see Blake Shapen take a step. But against Texas State, the state of the offensive line might be the most accurate takeaway. Consistency and communication in the trenches will show against any talent level. The skill positions will surely get theirs, but how many missed assignments or miscommunications will we see from the line? Heading into a week two matchup with No. 14 Utah, the fewer growing pains this unit shows the better.

What backup flashes the most against Texas State?

I’ve harped on this, but Baylor should win against Texas State given the talent gap if nothing else. So, as in other years where the backups get to play significant time in a game like this, who really makes their mark? Who is the Richard Reese that flashes what they can do and earns extra snaps for the next few weeks at least? (Yes, injuries thrust Reese into the starting job soon after Albany, I remember).

So let us know in the comments who you think will be that guy who really makes his mark with the extra snaps on Saturday!

What are your Baylor gameday plans?

The SicEm365 tailgate will be back and better than ever over at Brazos Parking! So what about you? How will you enjoy the first gameday back along the Brazos? We hope you join us and help pack McLane to cheer on the Bears!