College
Baylor's 2021 success tied directly to improved offensive line play
Baylor offensive linemen Xavier Newman-Johnson and Connor Galvin explain how the Bears are off to a 5-1 start to the 2021 football season ahead of a future Big 12 matchup with BYU.
WACO – The Baylor offensive line needed to improve before the Bears could reach their desired heights as a football team. Head coach David Aranda knew it. Baylor allowed 31 sacks in nine games in 2020. As a team, the Bears averaged 2.7 yards per rush and finished Aranda’s first season in Waco with a record of 2-7. The offensive line was a weak spot for the program dating back to at least 2016.
Aranda needed to make changes, so he hired offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes away from BYU, which is Baylor’s opponent on Saturday. Grimes brought offensive line coach Eric Mateos with him to Waco, and the duo began to install a wide-zone system capable of improving the play along the offensive line.
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