Zach Smith: Three thoughts from Baylor's 45-3 win over Tarleton State (2024)

Three quick takeaways from Baylor’s 45-3 win over Tarleton State Saturday night at McLane Stadium:

Welcome to Waco, newbies

Toledo transfer quarterback Dequan Finn made it abundantly clear that the coaching staff made the right decision to name him the starter on the fifth play of the game when he sprinted 35 yards for his first touchdown as a Bear.

Finn found Texas State transfer Ashtyn Hawkins for the second touchdown of the game.

Former West Virginia defensive back and Northeast Mississippi Community College transfer linebacker Keaton Thomas returned an interception for a touchdown late in the first quarter.

New offensive coordinator Jake Spavital made it clear that the tight end position would not be extinct, and former USC and Ole Miss tight end Michael Trigg caught his first touchdown on the first Baylor possession of the second half.

In total, newcomers to the Baylor roster scored four of the six total Baylor touchdowns against Tarleton State.

There was a time not too long ago when Aranda didn’t embrace the transfer portal as much as he probably should have.

How times have changed.

That’s a Dave Aranda defense

Aranda donned his finest glasses and officially picked up a play-calling sheet for the first time since 2019 on Saturday.

The result?

The Texans were held to 80 passing yards and 101 rushing yards with an average of 3.2 yards per play and only scored three points. That would’ve been the best defensive performance last season.

Perhaps more important was the way they went about doing it.

The intensity that the group talked about throughout the fall was present from the jump, and Matt Jones, the leading tackler from a season ago, led the team with seven tackles and one TFL.

Jackie Marshall, playing in his first game since Dec. 2022 after missing all of last season with a torn ACL, was a force on the defensive line, finishing with five tackles and one TFL.

It would be foolish to think 2024 Baylor could be as dominant as the loaded 2019 LSU defense that Aranda won a national championship with. For Baylor to accomplish what it wants to this season, it doesn’t have to be.

Saturday was a good step forward.

A win is a win

Think back to one year ago at this time after the game against Texas State.

The Bears left that game with a sense of dread and pessimism that carried with them throughout the rest of the three-win season. By the time the final whistle blew in the finale against West Virginia, it was a relief.

Now? Positivity. Optimism. Hope.

Sure, Tarleton is probably a well below-average FCS team in its first year as a full DI team that was missing their starting quarterback. But Baylor saw everything that Aranda, Spavital and the rest of the staff wanted to.

Finn showed off his legs on the fifth play of the game, rushing for a 39-yard touchdown and finished with 192 yards rushing, 19 yards rushing and three total touchdowns.

Running back Richard Reese had more carries in the first 25 minutes of the first half than he did in all but two games last season.

And the defense? All the talk of a new intensity was on full display, holding the Texans to under a yard per play, dominating a very good offensive line and finishing with two sacks, four TFLs and an interception.

So don’t say ‘But it was Tarleton…’

Baylor could’ve been playing a junior varsity squad, and Saturday would still be considered a success.