Baylor Bear Insider
While Dillon Doyle didn't arrive until this summer, it didn't take the sophomore transfer from Iowa very long to figure out that fellow Baylor linebacker Terrel Bernard is a special player.
"His work ethic and just the passion for the game that he brings is so special," Doyle said of Bernard, who was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week after matching his career high with 19 tackles in Saturday's 27-16 loss at Texas. "Just being beside him makes it a lot easier, just because he really has a mastery of the defense. He can communicate from the back end to the front end, it doesn't matter to him."
Bernard leads the Big 12 in total tackles (13.5) and tackles for loss per game (1.83), racking up double-digit tackles in each of the last two games. Combined with Doyle, who had 11 tackles against Texas and is averaging 7.3 per game, there is no other linebacker duo in the league averaging more tackles per game (20.7) than Bernard and Doyle.
"Just from a passion perspective, he will spend whatever amount of time it takes to get the game plan right," Doyle said of Bernard. "He's in here so much, he's like the gym rat version of Baylor football. He's just an awesome guy to be around. He's a great leader of our defense and our team, and I'm proud to play beside him."
As a second-team All-Big 12 pick who led the team last year with 112 tackles, Bernard was more of a proven product coming into his junior season. Projected as a starter at Iowa before entering the transfer portal in June, Doyle played in all 13 games and started three for the Hawkeyes last season, recording 13 solo tackles, 10 assists and a forced fumble.
Stepping in at middle linebacker, which allowed Bernard to move back to his more natural position at weakside, Doyle had nine tackles and a forced fumble against West Virginia before registering six solo tackles and five assists at Texas.
First-year head coach Dave Aranda said Bernard and Doyle are both able to drop in pass coverage, defend the run and rush the passer. Bernard also leads the Big 12 and is tied for ninth nationally with 3.5 sacks (1.17 per game).
"When you have that variety, I feel you can use that in different ways," Aranda said. "They're all over the field. There was a fair amount of tempo in that (Texas) game, so they were having to communicate and get guys where they needed to be. There was a little more on their plate than there normally would be. To have that type of production really speaks to who they are as people."
Bernard, who took Doyle under his wing when he came in this summer, said the sophomore linebacker "has a pro mindset."
"Dillon is a very mature guy. He comes into work every single day prepared as can be," Bernard said. "I think he's elevated everybody's play and allowed everybody to see what it's supposed to be like and what you're supposed to do within the game and how you're supposed to act and treat your teammates. I think everybody sees that and has a great deal of respect for him."
Although safety JT Woods said a couple pass coverage breakdowns in Saturday's game were because of miscommunication in the secondary, both Bernard and Doyle put it on themselves.
"I'm the (middle) linebacker, I'm responsible for communication to the defense," Doyle said. "It's important that we're all on the same page."
Bernard, though, said it was "definitely my fault."
"We had two calls come in based on the formation," he said. "We changed which call we were going to run, and I didn't communicate it to the back end, so I take full responsibility for that. That's not going to happen again."
Turning the page to preparation for Saturday's 2:30 p.m. game at home against TCU (1-3), Doyle said the Bears (1-2) "had our best practice of the year" on Tuesday.
"It was a physical practice with a lot of energy," he said. "We term Tuesdays as 'Competition Tuesday,' and I think it was just that. We brought the energy, and that was a lot of fun. We're focused on getting better as a team, and I think we did that."
Saturday's game will be televised by ESPN2, with Dave Flemming, Rod Gilmore and Kris Budden calling the action.
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October 29, 2020 at 06:20AM
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