Post-Spring Check-In: Key Questions Facing Baylor Football Heading into the Summer

Two of our resident experts — Colt Barber and Grayson Grundhoefer — answer some of the top questions surrounding head coach Dave Aranda and the Baylor program as spring football wraps up.

Now that spring ball is officially finished, what’s the biggest thing you’re monitoring as the Bears head into the summer and eventually fall camp? Plus, was there anything that surprised you about this year’s spring practices, whether good or bad?

Colt: I hate to put this on one player, but the type of impact that Hosea Wheeler can have on this defensive line is too big not to put it there. Yes, the offense needs to be good. Yes, the linebackers must improve. But we all know the importance of a solid defensive line, and that starts with a mature guy like Wheeler with a lot of career snaps under his belt, and a lot of productive ones at that.

I do like the guys Baylor has in addition to Wheeler, but he can be the guy who just solidifies the group and allows the unit to be built differently snap to snap. Baylor didn’t have a guy like him in 2025, and on paper, I’m not sure they’ve had anyone with his potential impact since 2022.

I don’t know that there was a direct surprise on either side of the ball, but I did find it encouraging to continue to hear Louis Brown’s name. Baylor didn’t emphasize receiver spending as they did a year ago, but there is still talent there, and Brown is part of that. He’s not a forgotten piece, but just feels like a guy that hits the Big 12 radar unexpectedly. 

Grayson: Hosea Wheeler’s eligibility and the repetitions for DJ Lagway. I think Wheeler might be one of the best interior linemen in the Big 12 this season. Baylor needs him to be eligible, and that still isn’t the case. Hopefully, this gets answered soon, but right now it is up in the air. Keep in mind that Ashtyn Hawkins’ eligibility decision wasn’t announced until July 30. Either way, I will be paying very close attention to this one as it could be one of the first flexion points for the Bears’ season.

The other thing I want to see is Lagway get a ton more reps while staying healthy. He just had his first fully healthy spring and is now looking to have his first fully healthy summer. These reps are invaluable for him and for his connection with the receivers on the team. This spring was very up-and-down, so getting these guys much closer to being on the same page is a key part of this summer for me.

This spring was pretty standard, with very few surprises and few shake-ups on the schedule. I think my biggest surprise was how good the defensive line was and how quickly they came together. This group is very deep and has some high upside guys who could be all-conference candidates if things shake out right. I thought they would be good, but they lived up to the hype and dominated this spring. The emergence of that position really helped the defense as a whole take a big step forward. The question now comes down to whether this group is truly awesome or if Baylor’s offensive line is just going to really struggle. It will be fascinating to monitor, but the defensive line is infinitely better than last season, and the new scheme will help a lot.