Transcript: Dave Aranda reflects on Iowa State, previews Texas Tech

Baylor head coach Dave Aranda Weekly Press Conference

November 9, 2020

On who will replace Terrel Bernard at linebacker…

I would expect Abram [Smith], he’s been getting those reps in practice. When he came in on Saturday, there were some positive things that he did. He’s awfully eager and wanting to improve and will spend the time to do it to be the next in line.

On season at Utah State with Matt Wells in 2012…

I have a lot of respect for [Texas Tech head coach] Matt [Wells], love his family. Being there that year, Matt’s very humble and very smart, and a family person. I think Matt was always one to be real observant. One of the best things I can say about Matt is he’s very loyal. I felt he was someone who always had your back. Now in our roles, Matt is someone I talk to quite a bit. Getting hit with COVID and quarantine and everything else, he would be someone that I would talk to and compare ideas and thoughts and all that. I have a lot of respect for Matt.

On signs of a ball-hawking defense for Baylor…

There are signs. I feel the zone coverage that we play plays into it. This past Saturday, we played a lot of man and we were able to get some of those grabs in man coverage, which is really a positive thing to see. It’s harder to do in man, so when that happens it really speaks to that ball-hawking mentality you speak of. So, we want to really continue to build that style of defense. I think that starts in practice. These last couple of weeks of practice that we’ve had, there’s been a fair amount of that going on. It adds energy to our sideline, adds energy to practice. Most importantly, it bleeds into our games. So, we want to continue to do that here as we complete the season.

On role Terrel Bernard can play with team moving forward…

It does. There’s certainly an opportunity there. I know when I was talking to Terrel earlier today, we talked about that. He really wants to be involved in the mentorship with Abe to help him get that done. I feel you know the type of player Terrel is and the work ethic and everything that’s involved in the day to day to get to the level of play and the standard of human being that Terrel is. His mentorship with our linebacker group is going to be so much more than when he was playing. So, we talked about that and the powerful impact he can make.

On what you lose off the field with Bernard and Sqwirl Williams out…

There’s leadership there but I feel the leadership isn’t just mentioned. I think for them particularly, for Terrel for instance, it’s humbling to have an injury like he’s got. In terms of shoulder surgeries, there’s something about it that is the most, I feel, debilitating injury. When you’re sitting down, you’re inhibited. When you’re standing up and you’re moving around, there’s still pain and you’re inhibited. It affects this more than anything. As much as it affects your body. I think his ability to grow as a leader with that type of vulnerability that’s going to come, will only make him stronger. His ability to adapt and really grow as a leader is really going to be huge for him most importantly, but really big for us.

Sqwirl brings an energy and that smile brightens up a room like that. So his ability to do that when he’s fighting his own battle I think will improve him. So there’s ways we can do it, but it’s going to look different.

On next steps for offensive line growth…

I thought we started off running the ball well, Sqwirl in particular. There were some good looks and the flow of the defense and some good cuts and some really good acceleration. I thought O-line wise there was some movement that they were creating off the ball, so there were some positive things there. I thought our receivers were willing. In terms of blocking, I think our physicality can improve there. There were some positives. I think to continue building on that is of utmost importance because I feel that will enable people to have to play us 50-50. It’s going to open up better things in the throwing game as opposed to third down every down. It’s gotten to that point the last couple of games, and you really don’t want it to be that way. I think the run game plays a huge piece. Offensively, there’s a lot to build upon. A lot of things a week ago that we were asking them to improve, we improved on. So we’ve got to put it together for four quarters.

On how well RJ Sneed is playing…

I love RJ. I think he has got that persona about him that you throw it his way he’s going to come down with it. Just for him saying that (Sneed said his fourth quarter one-handed catch was routine), I can picture him saying that. He does those things in practice. We have some competition periods. We try to start with some competition and start practice fast and build into that. He’s the guy in my mind that has stepped up and made catches. Not quite that spectacular, but has made really contested catches. So I feel he’s going to continue to build on that. I think he’s going to bring some guys along with him. You saw Yusuf [Terry] made some great catches. Guys were making plays when we needed to have some plays being made, so that’s always good to see.

On Raleigh Texada’s play…

Raleigh’s just a great kid. I think family-wise, character-wise, student, football player, I think he gives you all of it. He’s a very humble person, and there is a competitor, a fighter, hidden inside of all the nicety. Inside of the kid that does everything right, there’s a scrappy dude in there, a guy that will punch you in the face. So, when that comes out, I see a lot of growth in him and I see confidence build in him and I see his play improve. He’s headed in the right direction. I think the more he trusts himself and has confidence in himself and doesn’t hold back and kind of lets his rip, the better he’s going to be.

On Texada’s dedication to improving…

He has an instinct for playing back there. I think his ability to break and drive and his ability to play the game within a game, which I think is what you’re inferring, is certainly there. The pick, for example, I think was that. So, I think playing things, setting up things and kind of setting traps as the game goes – the game within a game – he’s definitely at that level. And I know it’s one of the things that he really enjoys. We see it all the time in practice. It’s good to see it under the lights on Saturday.

On Kalon Barnes interception with cast on hand…

That was pretty impressive. When I saw him yesterday, that was the first thing he said, he asked if I saw it. I told him I did (laughing). The previous week, there were some contesting going on where it didn’t end like that. So, that just shows the character of him, and he’s been working throughout the week to be able to get that right. And he did. I’m excited for him. You look, he’s one example of what guys have been going through, whether it’s the COVID stuff that everybody’s going through or injuries. We’re at that point in the season where everyone is fighting through something. But, to have a club and go through things and hand-to-hand battle every week, and there hasn’t been one complaint by him, not one. So, I was excited for him.

On Jake Burton’s play…

I love his demeanor. He is very intelligent, has got a great heart, very welcoming. When you meet him, he kind of opens up to you right away, got along with our O-line group right away. The offense loves him, our team loves him, that didn’t take long at all. That’s just his personality and his demeanor and everything. So, all that is there. He has an edge when he plays. And truth be told, we need that up front. So, he’s been able to bring that to us. I think we need some more of it, but I think he brings it. And his ability to create push in our run game has enabled us to get a guy like Sqwirl and Ebner and Lovett to get the four or five yards early in the game. That has to transfer over to the third and fourth quarter. We haven’t been able to do that, but his ability to be kind of the mover in the run game was almost immediate when he got into our team. So, we’re going to continue to run behind him and ask him to move people.

On thought process of not taking a shot at end zone to end first half…

I think initially there, we were trying to see if we could run the ball and see if they were going to play it off, if they were going to give us anything easy. And that wasn’t necessarily the case. We were able to move it some. If we were able to break something out, then the thought was to transition and move. And if it wasn’t, then the thought was, let’s head back inside and get these corrections, so we can come out in the second half.

On special teams miscues at Iowa State…

Attention to detail, I think, would be right at the top. I think the punt block, for example, just our exact alignment, their exact rush, I think happened I want to say two other times in the game. And we were able to protect it and get the kick off and execute, and this particular time we did not. We didn’t execute, and it was a big play in the game. And then, I think in terms of the (kickoff) return, their field return had always showed up in the second half and never in the first half. So, here it was the second half. Our ability, and we’ve struggled with this throughout the season, so this isn’t to this particular game, but our ability to take what’s happening in practice, what’s being talked about on the sidelines, and then on the grass as we’re running read and diagnose, ‘hey, here’s field, and we have to cross-face this way to get this play cut off and shut down this return,’ we’ve struggled to do that. So, I think attention to detail. I’ve got to be better at demanding that, and then making sure that we take what we work on in practice to Saturday. Especially recover, we have not done well in that department.

On injuries to Bernard and Williams…

Sqwirl has an MCL and ACL. And then Terrell, has a torn labrum and I think there’s a fracture there in his shoulder. Both of those kids are great kids, they’re both leaders for us, each in their own way, and they were both playing really good ball. And they’re both hard workers. So, I think for us, making sure that they’re taken care of, that we’re there for them, that we help them through this process. I think anytime you’re in a game mode and week-to-week and all of a sudden that shuts down, that’s hard to adjust to. So, us walking them through that, and being there for them – the person, so much more important than the player. And then, I think on the other side of it is for us to develop those players that are going to now step into those roles, so that we can continue to improve as a team.