FRISCO, Texas – As fall camps gear up and the road starts towards week one of the college football season, coaches have been speaking to the public and the media on their teams and what stands out about them going into the fall.
Big 12 Media Days recently took place in Frisco, Texas, and Baylor football coach Dave Aranda took the podium to discuss what position he feels the Bears are in for their 2026 campaign.
Baylor finished 5-7 in 2025 and open up the season against Auburn in the Aflac Kickoff Game in Atlanta, Georgia, attempting to win the back half of the current home-and-home series.
The Tigers traveled to Waco, Texas to open things up last season and came away with a 38-24 victory. Now, the Bears welcome a host of new players to the roster and are seeking big plays from guys they hope turn into stars.
Aranda was asked a number of questions relating to what kind of traits his squad is set to bring to the field. He said it all starts with their drive, emphasizing how determined they are to have success.
“They crave winning,” Aranda said. “They need to win and they’re hungry to win… There’s been a higher level of keeping up, keeping people to the standard, to the things that we say we are and the things that we say we’re going to do.”
Baylor saw quarterback Sawyer Robertson depart following the end of last year, but it now brings in Florida transfer DJ Lagway into the system.
The junior looks to take a step up from his time in Gainesville, where he showed flashes of extreme potential, but also became a liability to turn the ball over.
Aranda was asked about Lagway’s leadership abilities and how his teammates gravitate toward him. He touched on his quarterback’s communication skills, which he believes will prove to be fruitful as the season progresses.
“He communicates through football,” Aranda said. “I appreciate that about him. I think just the self-determination and the strength that he has and his efforts to achieve a successful season is going to pay dividends.”
Aranda has developed a deep relationship with Lagway, having known him since his high school days when he was originally recruiting him.
Having the chance to have him on his team now, the head coach has built an even closer relationship. As a result, Lagway has gained a trust in the program that Aranda thinks will translate to the field.
“I feel like he felt Baylor is a place that he could play free and really kind of be free,” Aranda said. “I’m all about that. So the opportunity to really kind of get to know him on a more personal level and get somewhere there’s trust and where we got his back and he’s got ours. To really build that relationship I think allows us to really impact the player that he can be, and excited for what’s to come.”
Outside of Lagway, players like Dawson Pendergrass, Gavin Freeman and Hosea Wheeler stand to make a big impact in the overall production of the Bears.
However, Baylor as a whole will need every single player to step up and play well when called upon in 2026. In Aranda’s six seasons as head coach, the Bears have only achieved a winning record in two of those, going 12-2 in 2021 and 8-5 in 2024.
According to Aranda though, as fall camp nears and his team is growing closer, the players are carrying out the work to get Baylor back to a powerhouse program. He does want it to continue being a vision, he wants it to happen now.
Aranda is confident his team is progressing towards that goal and looks forward to that continuing in fall camp and the regular season.
“To do that is like every squat that we take, every power clean that we do, every run that we do, we’re working with that in mind,” Aranda said. “I think what happens when you think that way and you believe that way, you take ownership of it. So now, you own what you are doing and you own how you’re going to be. That’s happening right now in our team. I’m excited to see it happen.”
The Tigers and Bears will meet on Saturday, Sept. 5 in Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the Aflac Kickoff Game, with kickoff set for 2:30 p.m. CT. The game will begin year seven for Aranda as the coach of Baylor and year one for Alex Golesh leading Auburn.
Auburn Undercover is an independent Auburn sports media company covering Auburn athletics, recruiting and insider news.
