With Puka and Gunner out, Baylor dedicated their defensive approach to stopping the run (check) and taking away the tight ends in the passing game (check). That plan was well considered and well executed by good coaches and players. There was very little running room within the box, and perhaps even less on the edges. Holker and Rex got a lot of attention from the Baylor D, and very little from Jaren Hall. The only real chink in the armor — the D has to give you something if they’re overplaying elsewhere — was the potential for the WR replacements to have a career game. Thankfully for us, they did.

Coming into last week, Keanu Hill had about 25 career receptions in his four years with the program, with about a third of those catches coming in two games against Idaho State. Chase Roberts, a FR, had totaled three catches. Major props to both of them for stepping way up in a big moment. Keanu is reminding me of Terren Houk’s senior year when he made big catches in big games, despite sharing the position with other talented receivers (MMatthews, DBlackmon, MJuergens, NKurtz).

So, while we aren’t going to enjoy the element of surprise any more with Roberts, that’s going to open the windows up across the rest of the field. Expect a big bounce-back game from the tight ends.