Hungry in the Trenches: Could Baylor’s New-Look Offensive Line Be Much Improved in 2026?

Two of our resident experts — Colt Barber and Grayson Grundhoefer — answer some of the top questions surrounding head coach Dave Aranda and the Baylor program as spring football continues.

Will the offensive line be better than it was in 2025? Do you think it’s better to have a returning group with limited competition, as we saw last year, or a mostly new group, but with a ton of competition?

Colt: It’s going to be a challenge to be “better” on paper than it was a year ago, factoring in all of the pieces that departed. I do consider Kaden Sieracki and Koltin Sieracki as returning starters, and Baylor did get some talent from the portal, but I’m hesitant to believe it will be better. 

But something I’ve always said is that there are plenty of ways to scheme around a less than ideal OL in Jake Spavital’s system, so if there is comparable overall talent to what was on the field in 2025, even without the experience factored in, I believe the group can be plenty servicable when they hit the field in the first game this fall. 

A lot of that potential hinges on the running back room being better (healthy), but also a quarterback who is willing to run the ball. That was an x-factor in 2024 when Sawyer Robertson opted to run, and it protected the OL the deeper they went into the season. 

Primarily, I’m most concerned about LT. That’s not unique to Baylor, but I believe the pieces that are in Waco will shake out quite well for the other four positions. I’m just not sold on any of the group currently on the OL being able to yet. Not that it was great in 2025, but Sidney Fugar and Sean Thompkins at least gave you some experience and high-end talent to work with. 

If that position works itself out and Baylor has a reliable Day 1 starter, this group could come together quite nicely. I’m not ready to say it’s going to be better yet, but it’s not an incredibly high bar.

Grayson: Yes. Baylor has dealt with a ton of complacency after successful seasons, specifically on the offensive line, since head coach Dave Aranda arrived. In 2020, the group was horrific; in 2021, they were great; in 2022, they took a step back but were good; in 2023, they were horrible; in 2024, they were good; and in 2025, they took a step back. If the trends continue, then this season’s offensive line should be better.

I think a lot of that comes down to motivation and refocusing on the things that made you successful. This should be a hungry group, with a bunch of guys who don’t have guaranteed starting jobs. This competition should breed improvement and toughness up front.

Another reason for optimism is that first-year offensive line coach Austin Woods is replacing Mason Miller. It just feels like Woods aligns a little better with offensive coordinator Jake Spavital, and a fresh perspective in the room can be very good.

The question mark is the talent up front with so many new faces, but I think there’s something there. The Sieracki brothers are another year older and should play their best football this season. Logan Moore and Asher Hale are coming off their first season starting, which should lead to improvements in their second year as they get full-time reps. Cole Rhett, Yakiri Walker and Cooper Lovelace have a ton of experience. Finally, Nate Kibble, Harrison Cluff, Matthew Parker, Donel Robinson and Isaiah Robinson were talented high school prospects who could very well emerge this season.

There are reasons to be optimistic that things will come together for quite a few of these guys, and there is far more depth than Baylor has had in recent years. I do think the talent is a bit of a coin flip and likely something we won’t fully understand until the season starts. We can get an idea from how they perform against the Baylor defensive line, but until they are pushed by a talented opponent, it is hard to know for sure with so many new guys.