Behind Enemy Lines: What Coach Prime Has to Say about Baylor
Baylor used a second-half awakening last Saturday to defeat Air Force 31-3 in the final non-conference game of the season. The Bears will now shift their focus towards another program from the Centennial State as they head to Boulder to face Coach Prime and the Buffaloes in their Big 12 opener.
These two programs have a lot in common, yet couldn't be more different from each other at the same time. While the Buffs are constructed by superstars at the skill positions, they still struggle to be consistent along their offensive line. On the flip side, Baylor also struggles on the offensive line and doesn't have a single superstar on their roster, but they have a team full of worker bees that are coming together to protect their head coach's job.
Baylor wants to pound the rock on offense with their bevy of running backs while physically punishing you on defense. Colorado wants to spread you out and take advantage of their athleticism on offense, while their defense remains pretty finesse up front and banks on the athletes in the secondary to save them.
Last week was the first time this season that Baylor had a running back eclipse at the century mark. Ironically, it was Bryson Washington (RFr.) in his 2024 debut performance. Washington and the rest of the Bears' running backs should be chomping at the bit this week, as Colorado's defense ranks twelfth overall and tenth in rushing defense in the Big 12.
Earlier this week, Colorado head coach Deion Sanders addressed the task at hand in slowing down Baylor's rushing attack.
"Every week, our goal is to run the ball effectively and stop the run. Coach Aranda has done a great job of having his team disciplined in all that they do," Sanders said. "Baylor runs the ball very well, so first and foremost, we have to be able to stop the run. They have some great athletes, they're physical, they're strong and they don't make a lot of self-inflicted mistakes."
With Dequan Finn (6Sr.) unable to play against Air Force last week, the Bears turned to Sawyer Robertson (RJr.) to take the reins as QB1 against the Falcons. Robertson looked more confident in the offense than Finn did during his first two starts, plus Robertson was able to get the ball to his playmakers.
Finn was back at practice this week, but Baylor is keeping Saturday's starting quarterback decision close to the vest. Colorado now has to prepare for both quarterbacks this week, which Coach Prime discussed.
"We don't know which quarterback we'll see on Saturday, so we've been doing our best to prepare for both," Sanders said. "At the end of the day, it really just comes down to the calls. In a third down situation, one quarterback is more likely to scramble out of the pocket and run, while the other is going to try to check down and get the ball quickly out of his hands."
Baylor's defense will play the biggest role in the outcome of this game, in my humble opinion. The Bears are currently giving up a mere 9.7 points, and it has been so fun to watch this season with head coach Dave Aranda calling the plays. I can't wait to see what he draws up against the talented Colorado offense.
Coach Prime is fully aware of his offense's task at hand this week. He knows that for his team to have a chance to move the ball, his offensive line will need to step up and protect quarterback Shedeur Sanders (Sr.).
"We have to run the ball effectively and protect the quarterback," Sanders said. "When we're protecting our quarterback, our receivers are tremendously tough to cover, so I don't wish that on anybody. I feel like we can do some phenomenal things, as [Baylor] feels like they can shut us down in some areas of concern, but our guys are pretty good."
This has the makings of an extremely exciting game on a national stage. If Baylor (2-1) comes away victorious, it would be three consecutive wins in Boulder, but most importantly, the Bears would be 1-0 in conference play. Colorado (2-1) leads the all-time series with Baylor, 9-7, and will celebrate homecoming on Saturday night.
Kickoff for the Big 12 opener is set for 7 p.m. from Folsom Field and will be aired on FOX with Connor Onion and Mark Helfrich on the call. Be sure to tune into our 365 Sports pregame show on YouTube or locally on KWTX, as well as our postgame show.