Embarrassed and Ready to Go: Baylor's Players Call Their Own Meeting, and Aranda Warns Kansas Will Look Like It Is Blitzing When It Isn't

By Mac Rivera, RF Sports Radio Baylor voice

Bears fans, sometimes the most important thing that happens in a losing week is not a depth-chart change. It is the players deciding they have seen enough. That is what happened in Waco on Tuesday morning.

The facts

After the 17-6 loss to TCU, Baylor's offense held a player-led meeting Tuesday morning, with quarterback DJ Lagway and receiver Jadon Porter leading it, per The Baylor Lariat. "We had a lot of guys speaking up, but those two were at the front," receiver Jayden McGowan said. Lagway's message, per McGowan, was to "get back to our brand of football. Let's not let that loss dictate us." McGowan also admitted the team "could have got a little complacent over the bye week."

Dave Aranda described the mood bluntly: "I want another shot. I want to play right now. This ain't us. I'm embarrassed. I'm pissed off. I'm ready to go." He called those "real positive things" and said, "I think we can start another streak." On the offensive line, he said some players need to fix technique on certain blocks and others need to let go of mistakes: "Take the lesson. Don't carry the weight and move on to the next."

Kansas (2-4, 0-3 Big 12) is coming off a 35-24 loss to Kansas State and is still looking for its first conference win. The Jayhawks allow 24 points and 348 yards per game, compared with TCU's Big 12-best 12.2 points and 264.2 yards, per the Lariat. Aranda warned about the disguises: "They're a big simulated pressure group. They'll look like they're blitzing but just bring four guys." He also said, "It's a team that's hunting for respect." Baylor (4-2, 2-1) has won 14 straight in the series. Kickoff is Saturday at noon at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium on TNT, truTV and HBO Max, per BaylorBears.com.

RF Sports Radio's take (opinion)

My take: a player-led meeting can be a cliché, or it can be the moment a season turns. The difference is who runs it. When your quarterback and a junior receiver stand up front, that tells me the locker room is not pointing fingers at the line, and that matters after a game where the line took the blame.

McGowan's complacency comment is the honest one. Baylor came off the bye flat. That is fixable, and it is better to hear it from a fifth-year receiver now than to see it again in Lawrence.

Aranda's simulated pressure warning is the football key. A defense that shows six and brings four is designed to make a young quarterback hold the ball or throw hot into coverage. Lagway has to trust his protection, and his protection has to earn that trust.

My call: Baylor 27, Kansas 17, same as I said Monday. That is a prediction, not a report.

What to watch next

Kickoff is Saturday at noon on TNT. Watch sacks allowed, Baylor's first-half rushing and how fast Lagway gets the ball out against those disguised pressures. For Aranda's line-of-scrimmage diagnosis, read our Oct. 21 Baylor column on the line of scrimmage, and follow the Baylor Football page.

Radio question: does a player-led meeting actually change anything on Saturday, or do the Bears just need better blocking?

Sources: The Baylor Lariat — Baylor plays with chip on its shoulder ahead of Kansas matchup; BaylorBears.com — FB ventures to Lawrence to face Kansas.