Spring Football Spotlight: Linebackers Look to Set Tone for Baylor's Defense
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Entering his second season in Waco as the linebackers coach, Jamar Chaney feels much more comfortable about the depth within his unit this year, which has been a common theme across the Baylor program this spring.
“We’re way, way deeper this year as far as guys who can play; I’m excited,” Chaney, a former All-SEC linebacker at Mississippi State, told the media on Tuesday. “The guys have been having a really good spring. All of them have their strengths and some of them have weaknesses as well, but we’ve liked what we’ve seen so far. We just have to keep building and keep grinding.”
The lifeblood of the linebacker unit starts with returning redshirt junior Keaton Thomas, who earned All-Big 12 honors in his first year as a Bear after transferring from Northeast Mississippi Community College.
“He helps a lot because you have to have a guy who leads the room,” Chaney said of Thomas. “He sets the standard and expectation of what we want here as a linebacker. He makes sure and demands that from other guys, whether it’s a transfer or high school guy — he sets the tone in the room. It’s always good when you have that.”
Despite totaling 114 tackles, seven for a loss and 2.5 sacks, Thomas wants to put his superb sophomore season behind him and focus on improving for an even better junior campaign in 2025. He also plans on using any slight against him as motivation.
“As soon as 2025 hit, I told my family, Coach Chaney and Coach Aranda, last year doesn’t matter, and it’s a new year,” Thomas said. “I have to be better than what I did this past year. It’s always taking that next step and working to be elite. It’s nothing about trying to be as good; it’s always about trying to be better. I think Rivals came out with their top 10 list, and I wasn’t in there, so I gotta get in there. That’s been my goal. That’s been what’s on my mind all day, all night — that’s the focus right now.”
As Thomas looks to elevate his game on the field, Chaney’s also tasked him with growing even more as a leader to fill Matt Jones's absence. Jones, who also earned All-Big 12 honors last fall, is out of eligibility after donning the Green and Gold for six seasons. Thomas and Jones became the first Baylor duo to each go for 100-plus tackles since 2012.
“It’s hard to replace a guy like Matt because he’s had so much experience; if you make a correction on the sideline, he can go out there and execute it and get people lined up. If we’re going to miss something, it’s going to be that,” Chaney said of Jones. “If it’s a guy who can handle that, it’s Keaton. Then the guys that we brought in are not guys that haven’t played; they’ve played a lot of ball. Those guys' experience will help as well.”
The experience derives from a pair of senior additions from the transfer portal, Fresno State’s Phoenix Jackson and Florida International’s Travion Barnes. Both players have missed time this spring with injuries, but Barnes, in particular, the reigning Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year, is turning heads off the field.
“He hasn’t been out there, but the feedback from the trainers, the strength coaches: ‘This dude is the real deal.’ He takes it seriously, and we’re very excited about him,” Chaney said of Barnes. “He’s ready too. He can’t wait for his time to get out there either.”
With multiple transfers, as well as the underclassmen, Thomas sees the potential inside the linebacker room and is trying to make his impact as a leader felt, saying, “The focus this spring has been phenomenal, even the new guys and the young bucks, everybody came with the right intent and focus. Everybody’s here to be a Baylor Bear for the right reasons and not for NIL. I’m very appreciative of that. I feel like I can’t lack because I don’t want to let them down, and I hope they feel the same. That’s why we gotta push to the upper echelon and make sure we achieve everything that we’re looking to achieve this season.”
One of the underclassmen to watch is sophomore Kyland Reed. A former three-star prospect in the 2024 recruiting class, Reed played in nine games last fall as a true freshman. The Arlington native played key snaps in the final five games, giving him an early dose of what to expect at the collegiate level.
“It definitely got me ready,” Reed said. “It got me some experience where I’m able to see how fast the game moves, and I’m where I need to be to get to my spots and be able to make plays to make coach happy.”
With injuries to Jackson and Barnes this spring and Jones's absence from the linebacker room for the first time since 2018, Reed has had an opportunity to learn both inside linebacker positions and get more reps than he normally would have with everyone healthy, which is something that gives him a ton of confidence to become an impact player for the Bears this fall.
“Some players went down, so I had to be the one to step up and take over that role to be able to know both. I feel like it was a great thing for me; it’s given me a great opportunity to get on the field, knowing both positions.”
He continued, “I definitely expect myself to assert my dominance in college football. I want to be a player who’s known for making plays. When I get on the field, I want people to be like, ‘That’s Kyland Reed — you gotta watch him.’”
Other Spring Football Spotlights:
- Prentice, Wilson Help Round Out Revamped Wide Receiver Room
- Cornerbacks Embrace Change Under Paul Gonzales
- Baylor's Running Back Room Gears Up for Big Season Ahead
- Led by Robertson & Spavital, Offense Eyes Greater Success
- Baylor’s O-Line Focuses on Improvement and Consistency
- Tight Ends Finding Voice Amid Injuries and Change
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