Questions of the Week: QB Controversy, Secondary Yet To Be Tested
Baylor (2-1) will face Colorado (2-1) at 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21, at Folsom Field. Here are some of the top questions heading into the conference opener.
Is Sawyer Robertson QB1?
After opening the season with two sluggish games on offense, Sawyer Robertson (RJr.) started at quarterback instead of an injured Dequan Finn (6Sr.) on Saturday. Robertson gave the offense the jolt it needed, throwing for a career-high 248 yards through the air on 18-of-24 passing while adding a rushing touchdown on the ground.
“Sawyer came in and performed really well,” head coach Dave Aranda said after the win. “There was poise with him. At times, in camp, the rush has gotten in his face, and he’s getting the ball out. He’s calm in the pocket. The ball was distributed to guys who could do something with it, so that’s a positive.”
It will be interesting to see how Aranda and first-year offensive coordinator Jake Spavital handle the quarterback situation moving forward. Aranda mentioned in the post-game press conference that Finn is “day-to-day” with a shoulder injury.
When Finn gets healthy, should he take back the reins as QB1? That becomes a difficult question after Robertson’s performance on Saturday night. Most people probably believe you ride the hot hand and keep Robertson under center.
How Does Bryson Washington Impact Baylor’s Offense Moving Forward?
Throughout fall camp, there were murmurs about how good running back Bryson Washington (RFr.) was. Aranda routinely sang his praise and mentioned how important getting him back on the field would be for the Bears.
On Saturday night, that was on full display with Washington rushing for a career-high 106 yards and a touchdown in his first start in the Green and Gold.
“Having him back and healthy makes a big difference,” Aranda said. “The violence and the vision he plays with makes a big difference. He’s a great complement to the outside guys we have.”
Washington gives Baylor a running back who can continually fall forward and make something out of nothing, a luxury the Bears haven’t had in recent years.
How Will Baylor’s Secondary Hold Up against Colorado’s Pass Attack?
Colorado throws the ball on roughly 70% of offensive snaps. The Bears’ secondary will be tested in ways it hasn’t been so far this season, which isn’t their fault, obviously.
Baylor couldn’t control facing Tarleton’s backup quarterback or Utah’s freshman backup quarterback for an entire half or playing a service academy that doesn’t throw the ball.
Even though a fourth of the season has passed, there are still unknowns about what exactly the Bears have on the back end of the defense and how they will perform as a group in prime time.
On paper, it’s a solid group of cornerbacks — Caden Jenkins (So.), Chateau Reed (RSr.) and Lorando Johnson (RSr.) — but we won’t know the answers until this Saturday under the lights at Folsom Field.