WACO, Texas (KXXV/KRHD) — One week after interim head coach Joe Klanderman promised to bring a new jolt of energy to Baylor football, the Bears delivered. Baylor opened the Klanderman era with a dominant 41-9 road win over UCF, with the offense coming alive and the defense turning in one of its best performances of the season. Now the challenge is bringing that same energy back to Waco for homecoming.
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"I think the identity of this team is starting to show itself a little bit. And so, I'm not as concerned about it. I think our guys are going to rise to the occasion the rest of the way out," Klanderman said.
But Baylor has been here before. Earlier this season, the Bears were riding a four-game win streak, including a dominant 36-point win over Arizona State. But they followed that performance with back-to-back losses, ultimately leading to Aranda's firing. This time around, Klanderman says the focus is on making sure his team doesn't get caught looking too far ahead.
"We got to go out each Saturday and play. We got to go out each series and play. We got to go each play and play. And that's the message that's going to be to these guys: just go out there and do it for each other, one snap at a time," Klanderman said.
That starts with an offense that looked much more comfortable in Orlando. Quarterback DJ Lagway threw for four touchdowns, and the running game provided extra support, racking up nearly 200 total yards. But Lagway says what Baylor put on tape against UCF isn't something new.
"The way we played, I've seen it before. It's nothing new. We've been doing this all spring and all fall camp and stuff like that. We just got to be consistently doing it on a day-to-day basis," Lagway said.
That consistency continues to be the biggest challenge for Baylor's offensive line. After weeks of rotations and struggles up front, the group took a major step forward against the Knights. But offensive line coach Austin Woos says one performance doesn't mean the job is finished.
"We've had a different lineup every single week almost, and then a little bit of inconsistent play. That's what we're fighting for every single day," Woos said.
While Baylor's offense found its rhythm, the defense may have been even more impressive. UCF managed just nine points, but despite that performance, defensive lineman Ryan Davis believes there's still another level for this unit to reach.
"There's still room for us to grow. There's always room for any football team to grow. I think it's really special what we've got going on here defensively. Everybody sees it. We've got a hell of a defense, and I really think that we could take another step and become maybe the best defense in Baylor history. We're really shooting for that goal right now," Davis said.
But repeating that performance won't come easy against Iowa State. Klanderman says the Cyclones present one of the more unique offensive challenges Baylor has seen, including running back Aiden Flora, who Klanderman believes could be the best in the Big 12.
"Very good tailback. Maybe the best tailback in the league in all facets. He runs it, he catches it, he throws it. All kinds of explosive plays that he makes running the ball inside, running the ball on the perimeter. Really stretches all the gaps of your defense," Klanderman said.
And it's not just about stopping the run. Baylor's secondary will have to face an offense that likes to use a lot of motions and misdirections.
"The biggest thing we're saying is just being disciplined. Everybody doing their job. Don't try to do more than you need to. Just do your job. Do what you're supposed to do in that call and have good eyes. That's the biggest thing we've been harping on all week," Devin Turner said.
So for Baylor, this week isn't about trying to recreate a 41-9 win. It's about recreating what produced it. And that message has become even more important under Klanderman's helm.
"Coach Klanderman says playing with effort and passion only gets you a foot in the door. You still have to go in and execute. So, I'm going to make sure I show up with as much energy as I can and play with as much passion as I can to give myself a shot," Davis said.
And this time, the Bears get to do it at home. Saturday will be Klanderman's first game at McLane Stadium as Baylor's interim head coach, and it comes on homecoming weekend. For a program that has experienced plenty of change over the last two weeks, Klanderman says this is an opportunity for the team and the Baylor community to rally around each other.
"I want this community to embrace this team. And I think this team is kind of rallying around the community. And I think right now there's a lot of pride in that locker room about being a Baylor Bear. And I'm hoping that pours over into how we play. And it's so much easier to show that when the crowd is into it with us and there's 12 of us playing instead of 11," Klanderman said.
The Bears and Cyclones kick off Saturday at 11 a.m. at McLane Stadium.
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