AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – Tom Herman of Texas and Dave Aranda of Baylor are old friends and school classmates who will meet for the first time Saturday as rival head coaches.
For both of them, getting to the box will be a bit of a relief, and for Herman, all eyes will be on how the Longhorns (2-2, 1-2 Big 12) leave the box as well.
In Baylor, Aranda’s first season with the Bears (1-1, 1-1) saw his wardrobe ravaged by the coronavirus disorders that forced the show to close for 10 days and postpone last week’s game as opposed to the state of Oklahoma. The moment Baylor had a game interrupted by the virus: the September 19 game against Houston canceled the day before the game.
Baylor has not played since a loss to West Virginia in October. The long recess took players off-site football to online meetings.
“It’s wonderful to be back (this week), ” said Aranda. ” There’s a genuine emotion there. “
The game will remain in a semi-limbo until the effects of Baylor’s last COVID-19 control on Friday.
Herman’s disorders are twofold. His fourth season in Austin is bogged down in a two-game losing streak and many enthusiasts are as in what happens at the end of the games: the top players skip the classic post-game singing of the school song “The Eyes of Texas” Fans.
Controversy erupted this summer when some players sought to get the school to drop the song due to its ties to racist elements in the school’s history.
Defensive lineman and team co-captain Ta’Quon Graham said the interruption of post-match culture had divided the locker room, but that all the attention paid to the factor had created a distraction for the players. Graham said this week that he would, stay in the song box.
“I think we triumphed over the challenge surrounding the song. I think we were just focusing on the season, but it came back,” Graham said.
Herman and Aranda were teammates at Cal-Lutheran 25 years ago. Aranda, supporter, Herman, open receiver. They faced each other several times, most recently when Aranda, LSU’s defensive coordinator, beat Texas last season.
“I think it’s great that 20% of the head coaches of the big 12 are Cal Lu graduates,” Herman said.
Neighborhoods
Sam Ehlinger of Texas and Charlie Brewer of Baylor are former rivals of the Austin area high school. Ehlinger took Texas with 16 landing passes and five other landings. He also leads the team in a hurry. Brewer can get a career star with a senior victory in his hometown.
“We’ve been betting against each other, I guess, probably from Pop Warner,” Brewer said. “I think we’re in a position to compete this weekend. “
FOLLOW SAM
Baylor’s supporter, Terrel Barnard, is the defense anchor and has a dual function: tighten Ehlinger when he can, and also spy on the quarterback when he’s in the canopy to keep him from running. Barnard already has 2. 5 catches and one interception in two games.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Tresten Ebner of Baylor had two touchdowns in the Kansas win. Longghorns’ special was a crisis with blocked, failed kicks, a blocked basket and consequences that wiped out the returns of big kicks.
INGRAM’S STRUGGLES
Junior runner Keaontay Ingram, a combined bag for the Longhorns. Su getaway on the purpose line charged Texas with a victory over TCU, but his tie on the landing opposite Oklahoma sent the game to overtime. This TD came here in a game almost the same as it had deserted opposite LSU in 2019.
BIG RALLIES
Texas is an offensive team in the fourth quarter. The Longhorns lost 15 problems in the last four minutes to beat Texas Tech, recovered to take the lead in the fourth quarter before losing to TCU and returned against Oklahoma to force overtime.
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