Baylor Shuffles Fifth Offensive Line Group
Injuries and penalties have forced Baylor to rotate its offensive line group repeatedly in an eight-game stretch this season.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Football
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Baylor started its fifth different offensive line group in eight games this season, with Cole Rhett starting his second straight game at right tackle and Cooper Lovelace starting at right guard for the first time this year. The shuffling came during a game against UCF in which Baylor rushed for 184 yards.
Why it matters
The line has struggled to block consistently, with Baylor ranking fourth-worst in the Big 12 in pass-blocking grade and last in run-blocking grade. Frequent penalties, including six of the 10 called against Baylor on Friday, have compounded the problem.
Baylor's pass-blocking grade of 60.8 ranks fourth-worst in the Big 12 and its run-blocking grade of 51.4 is the conference's lowest, according to PFF. The team is the second-most penalized in the Big 12, with six of 10 flags against it on Friday coming on the offensive line.
The players
Baylor University
A private research university in Waco, Texas, and a member of the Big 12 Conference, whose football program is the subject of this story.
The details
Injuries to Koltin Sieracki, Logan Moore, Kaden Sieracki, Asher Hale, and Nate Kibble have forced rotations, and coaches are using practice pace, crowd noise and other drills to simulate game conditions. Five false start penalties on Friday added to the unit's problems.
Timeline
Last Friday night: Baylor played UCF and used its fifth offensive line group.
Remaining regular season: Four games are left before homecoming against Iowa State.
Season Trajectory
With four regular-season games remaining, Baylor's offensive line instability bears directly on its bowl and conference positioning. The unit's rankings in PFF's Big 12 blocking grades suggest the rotation is not yet stabilizing the group.
Fantasy managers tracking Baylor's rushing and passing output should watch which line combination starts, since DJ Lagway's four-touchdown, 304-yard performance against UCF depended on it. The lineup shifts also make the team's run game harder to project week to week.
The takeaway
Stable line play has become a central question for Baylor as the season nears its final stretch, and the coaching staff is testing unusual formations to reduce one-on-one blocking mismatches. Watching penalty counts will show whether the rotation is working.
What happens next
Baylor's four remaining regular-season games culminate in homecoming against Iowa State, when the offensive line's makeup will be tested again.
Further reading
For more on the team, see Football coverage in Waco.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Waco Tribune-Herald.
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