Position Battles Going Into Week 2

As the UTSA game approaches, there is still a lot position battles that need to be determined. The next couple of games will give the Baylor coaching staff a chance to evaluate players in game situations, with the goal to have an established rotation by the time conference rolls around. I’ve highlighted some of the position groups and positions that still need to be evaluated.

Right Tackle- Blake Bedier and Casey Phillips both struggled at times against SFA;neither one drastically outplaying the other. And right now, it’s probably the most unsettled single position on the whole team. It will be magnified, partially due to the fact that the left side seems pretty well established at this point.

Defensive Line - It’s not enough to have 3 solid defensive lineman (Lynch, Roy, Lockhart) in the Big 12. Players will get gassed on long drives and Baylor has to find at least 2 other players that can be play-makers on the defensive front. I thought Gabe Hall showed the most potential out the backups. But it would be great to see these guys, Chidi, Landry, Hall, and Zouzoua get a couple of sacks as a collective group in order to build their confidence going into Big 12 play.

Tight End - I was surprised when Rob Saulin got moved to tight end before the season began. With the lack of experience on the defensive line, I expected him to have a big role in the rotation. I’ll be interested to see how the competition between him and Henle develops throughout the season. The next couple of games will be a great opportunity to see the versatility that Saulin possesses at the position.

I’m a big believer in the notion that you can’t replicate game-time repetitions. It’s going to be fun to watch which players step up in the coming weeks, cementing their roles for conference play.