WACO, Texas (KXXV/KRHD) — Baylor returns to Waco this weekend to host Prairie View A&M in its home opener at McLane Stadium Saturday night at 7 p.m., looking for their first win of the season after a close 17-16 loss to Auburn.
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Despite the defeat, head coach Dave Aranda said he sees reason for optimism.
"Proud of the effort from our team and the will to win and just the competitiveness and the grit. There's really a lot of things to build off of. But we need to win," Aranda said.
Players echoed that sentiment, saying the energy in the locker room never wavered after the Auburn loss.
"There was no heads down. Nobody was feeling down. We knew who we could be. We knew our potential. It really gave us a drive to just keep getting better," cornerback Reggie Bush II said.
Tight end Hawkins Polley said the team drew confidence from how it competed.
"Everyone's kind of encouraged by the type of game we played in general. I feel like we played a really physical, complete game from the first quarter to the fourth quarter," Polley said.
DJ Lagway's health
One of the biggest questions heading into Saturday is the health of starting quarterback DJ Lagway, who suffered an ankle injury against Auburn. Aranda said the team expects Lagway to play but will monitor him throughout the week.
"DJ's a day-to-day guy… If we get from day to day this week, we want to play him," Aranda said.
The Bears also want to see improvement on finishing drives. Baylor moved the ball effectively at times against Auburn but did not consistently convert those possessions into points.
"I want to be able to score when we're consistently moving the ball… Whether that's by an explosive play or whether that's by a more sustained ground game, I think that's an area that we can continue to get better at," Aranda said.
Offensive line confident after Auburn performance
Baylor's offensive line believes the Auburn game proved it can compete with anyone, particularly in the run game with Dawson Penderglass in the backfield.
"He is a dog. When he's running that ball, man, you know he's going through somebody. He's not trying to go around anything. I love blocking for a guy like that… We learned that we can play with anybody. We went out there and I feel like, as an O-line, we played a pretty good game," offensive lineman Nate Kibble said.
Defense emerges as a strength
Baylor's defense may have been the team's biggest bright spot in Week 1. The Bears recorded 5 sacks and 3 interceptions against Auburn, and Aranda credited the defensive line for setting the tone.
"The rush made them uncomfortable… D-line-wise, I thought that we were able to win the line of scrimmage, and when we do that, that puts us in a position we can win the game… I think it's really just a start. I think there's enough depth there where you can roll your twos and your threes and not miss a big beat. I think they're just getting started," Aranda said.
The secondary also stood out, including Bush, who recorded the first interception of his college career against the Tigers.
"Coach Aranda has been telling us every single day to envision what we're going to do before we get out there. I had made that play already in my head. So making the play, it was just nothing new," Bush said.
Bears not overlooking Prairie View A&M
Despite the momentum from their Week 1 performance, Baylor insists it will not overlook Prairie View A&M. The Panthers bring an athletic offense and a quarterback capable of creating problems both through the air and on the ground.
"They've got good speed. They've got a quarterback that can run it and throw it. So they make you have to defend all 11," Aranda said.
Maintaining focus has become a major emphasis for the coaching staff heading into the home opener.
"This opponent is a nameless, faceless opponent. Our standard is the standard regardless of who we play," Aranda said.
Polley said the team's mindset has not changed from one week to the next.
"We're just as excited about Auburn as we are about Prairie View. It's a chance to go prove to the rest of the Big 12 and the rest of the country who we are as a football team," Polley said.
Kickoff between Baylor and Prairie View A&M is set for 7 p.m. Saturday at McLane Stadium.
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