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BRINGING A CHIP: Baylors Pendergrass looking for strong return from injury Published 10:46 am Friday, July 10, 2026 FRISCO Dawson Pendergrass was going to be entering the 2025 college football season looking to take the next step for the Baylor Bears.
I think his best is yet to come, Baylor head football coach Dave Aranda said at 2025 Big 12 Media Days in Frisco.
But before the 2025 season, Pendergrass had a foot injury that required surgery that forced him to miss the entire 2025 campaign.
Its going to take the majority of the season to come back from [the surgery], Aranda told reporters in August 2025.
We were hoping for better news with seeing the doctors and the X-rays and that, but its something that Dawsons wrapping his mind around, and were all here to support him.
A year later, the former Mineola High School standout is set to return from injury and be the starting running back for the Bears.
Dawson gives us the ability (to run the football) and be physical, Aranda said Tuesday at Big 12 Media Days in Frisco.
Dawsons got a chip on his shoulder, hes got something to prove to himself.
And so were going to feed that.
Dawson brings the ability for us to kind of take a deep breath.
Hey, were going to get it to Dawson, its going to be all right.
He brings that.
And so hes been in big moments before and hes achieved, and hes someone that you trust, and hes someone that wants those big moments again.
Hes got a chip on his shoulder.
I think anytime you come back from an injury, and youre thought of as something, and then youre kind of forgot about, and now its like this whole thing.
He wants to be able to make a statement.
Im excited for him.
Im one of his biggest fans.
I want him to make that statement for us, too.
Pendergrass found his way onto the field as a freshman with the Bears in 2023, carrying the ball 79 times for 338 yards and five touchdowns and making 26 receptions for 199 yards and two scores.
As a sophomore in 2024, Pendergrass had 121 carries for 671 yards and six touchdowns and caught 11 passes for 103 yards and a touchdown.
Dawsons a guy you want to block for, Baylor tight end Matthew Kloffenstein said.
Hes a good dude, hes a good friend of mine, and so to have him back, its huge.
Its huge for not only our offense, but just for the running back room.
Weve got a bunch of young guys that need help and accountability, and Dawson does a great job with that, leading that room.
And so, Im glad hes back and were all glad hes back.
Dawsons a guy that brought a lot of fire and juice to our offense.
And so, to see him go down, it was really disappointing and it was sad, But now that hes back, it gives us just a little extra spark.
Were glad to have him back.
Hes a fun guy to block for.
Hes only going to make our offense that much better.
Pendergrass new backfield mate Florida transfer quarterback DJ Lagway actually competed against each other in a different sport five years ago.
Pendergrass Mineola team faced Lagways Willis squad in a tournament in Paris on Dec.
2, 2021.
Willis took a 59-58 victory in that game.
I met Dawson Pendergrass at a basketball tournament in Paris, Texas, and we played against each other, Lagway said.
Hes a great athlete.
We actually had a tip-off, and he won the tip-off.
Hes a great leader for our team.
Im thankful to have him in the backfield with me.
His leadership and his ability to command his room is great, especially with a lot of young guys in his room.
I love Dawson, hes great.
Hes a baller.
Just the way he is patient, the way he hits the right holes and the way he just maneuvers around defenders, its amazing to see.
Hes a great player.
Baylor linebacker Kyland Reed also raved about Pendergrass ability to lead.
His nickname is the White Buffalo, just because of how he runs that ball.
Dawson coming back from injury, hes been the same person, high spirits.
Dawson is always smiling.
He will be walking around, and you probably think hes not talking to anybody, but once you call his name, youre going to catch him smiling.
He puts in that work.
Hes a heck of a running back.
Being able to bring his arm around people is definitely something Dawson is good at, getting people to gather around and work and being an example for the running back room.
EAST TEXANS IN THE BIG 12 Pendergrass isnt the only East Texan in the Big 12.
Joining him at Baylor are safety Demetrius Brisbon (Chapel Hill), offensive lineman Keystone Allison (Carthage) and safety Daniel Cobbs (Tyler Junior College).
For TCU are defensive lineman Travis Jackson (Tyler Legacy), safety Julius Simms (Whitehouse), cornerback Micah Strickland (Brownsboro), running back Jon Denman (Palestine Westwood), defensive tackle Perry Cole Jr.
(Palestine/Trinity Valley Community College), safety Kaden McFadden (Pleasant Grove), quarterback David Potter (Texas High) and defensive lineman Duncan McGhee (Texas High).
Assistant head coach and wide receivers coach Malcolm Kelly is a former Longview High School standout, and defensive line coach JaMarkus McFarland is a former Lufkin High School standout.
For Arizona State are defensive lineman C.J.
Fite (Tatum), defensive back Montana Warren (Marshall/Henderson/Elysian Fields/Jefferson), defensive back Lyrik Rawls (Marshall/Jefferson) and athlete Clayton Smith (Texas High).
For Texas Tech are running back JKoby Williams (Beckville), linebacker Kaegan Ash (Mount Enterprise), cornerback SVioarean Martin (Palestine), defensive lineman Ayden Johnson (Mount Pleasant) and running back Ashton Rowden (New Boston).
The Red Raiders run game coordinator and tight ends coach is Hallsvilles Josh Cochran, brother of Lindale head football coach Chris Cochran and Lindale offensive coordinator Matt Cochran.
For Colorado are running back DeKalon Taylor (Longview) and linebacker Carson Crawford (Carthage).
Head coach Deion Sanders has a house in Canton.
For Oklahoma State are defensive end Keviyan Huddleston (Chapel Hill), cornerback Kollin Lewis (Gladewater), offensive lineman Braydon Nelson (Kilgore) and offensive lineman Caleb Hackleman (Pleasant Grove).
For Kansas is tight end Jailen Butler (Trinity Valley Community College).
For Cincinnati is offensive lineman Judea Milon (Tyler Junior College).
For Houston is defensive lineman Kaleb Walker (Lindale).
Central Florida head coach Scott Frost is the son of Larry Frost, who was the head coach at Palestine High School from 1982-85, leading the Wildcats to a record of 15-25-1, including 6-4-1 in 1984.
ARIZONA STATES EAST TEXAS TRIO Arizona State has four East Texans, Fite, Warren, Rawls and Smith, but three of them Fite, Warren, Rawls and Smith were in attendance at Big 12 Media Days.
Its been fun, Fite said.
So many experiences here, from the video shoot to the interviews, and the different interviews you can do.
I had a Love Island interview.
There are so many interviews you can do, so its fun.
This is a fun experience, its the best media day.
EAST TEXAS COWBOYS Defensive end Keviyan Huddleston (Chapel Hill), cornerback Kollin Lewis (Gladewater) and offensive lineman Braydon Nelson (Kilgore) were all at North Texas with head coach Eric Morris and followed him to Oklahoma State.
I dont think Ive yet to coach an East Texas kid that isnt tough, Morris said.
Thats one thing youre getting when youre getting an East Texas kid.
I think Kollin played with some injuries early on in his career, has fought back, had a phenomenal season last year for us.
Kind of went back and forth at safety and corner, settled in at corner last year.
Did a phenomenal job being a playmaker on an island for us.
His growth at that position I think continues to grow right now.
Year two in the same system, I think youll continue to see these next two years, hes going to blossom into a special player for us.
Oklahoma State defensive end Jaleel Johnson spoke about all three players, but especially Huddleston, who he is in a position group with.
Thats my guy, Johnson said.
That dude is hilarious.
Were laughing all the time, and we joke all the time.
Ive been going out to eat and hanging out with him.
I love all three of them.
I go against (Braydon) in practice, and we see each other throughout the facility and making jokes.
We call each other money man.
I believe they will be difference-makers for this team.
Keyvian is a phenomenal player.
He has an incredible twitch, hes super smart, hes going to succeed.
Brayden is a great ballplayer.
Ive gone against him, and hes given me trouble sometimes.
And then K-Lew, thats my guy.
He plays phenomenal.
He knows how to play in the back end.
Hes super smart.
Im excited to see what those three guys can do this year.
FROM LINDALE TO HOUSTON After a standout career at Lindale High School, defensive lineman Kaleb Walker is now a member of the Houston Cougars.
He wasnt able to come in early, so he just got to our place a few weeks ago, the first week in June as a matter of fact, and he has really picked things up, Houston head football coach Willie Fritz said.
I made the comment after the first couple of football schools we had that he must have had a really good defensive line coach.
He does a good job with technique and fundamentals, which oftentimes weve got to change and enhance at the college level.
Hes a smart kid, picks up football really quickly.
You worry about that with a guy that didnt have the benefit of spring football.
EAST TEXANS IN FORT WORTH Among the former East Texas standouts for TCU are defensive lineman Travis Jackson (Tyler Legacy), safety Julius Simms (Whitehouse), cornerback Micah Strickland (Brownsboro) and defensive tackle Perry Cole Jr.
(Palestine/Trinity Valley Community College).
Their teammates spoke about them at Big 12 Media Days.
Simms and Strickland play in the secondary with TCU defensive back Jamel Johnson.
Ive got relationships with both of them, especially Julius, Johnson said.
I expect him to have a dominant season, a great season, to really just put his name out there.
After this season, a lot of people are going to know his name.
And Micah, he continues to work hard, and hes starting to grow.
Just seeing that, its just special.
Jackson and Cole play up front on the defensive line with Ansel Din-Mbuh and Markis Deal, who were both in Frisco.
Shoot, I love them dudes, Din-Mbuh said.
Theyre going to have a year.
Perry Cole, hes been grinding a lot this offseason.
Hes been getting better, getting his body right, that was a huge point for him this spring.
Hes been taking a lot of strides that we need him to take.
For a defensive line that were expected to go out and were expected to go produce and be productive, hes a guy that can do that, and hes going to have a good year.
Theyre just great guys, working hard, Deal said.
Perry is in our room, in our D-tackle room.
Hes a guy thats been working, trying to get right for the season and super athletic body, just learning the plays and stuff like that.
I think he has a huge upside, and hes ready to help produce this season.
RED RAIDER RUNNING BACK Former Beckville standout JKoby Williams had a big season for the Texas Tech Red Raiders last season.
Williams had 155 carries for 868 yards and six touchdowns, and he caught 35 passes for 368 yards and two scores in helping the Red Raiders reach the College Football Playoff.
Texas Tech head football coach Joey McGuire highlighted Williams role as a leader.
Im really fortunate, McGuire said.
Weve got a strong, really strong, leadership group: Cam Dickey, JKoby Williams, Howard Sampson, guys like that.
Just really strong people, and they kept us focused on football.
At no point did I feel, over the last few months, that anything is taken away from the football as far as in the building.
Texas Tech offensive lineman Sheridan Wilson also took a moment to speak about Williams and the running backs.
It makes my job a lot easier, seeing them able to find the hole, hit the hole, Wilson said.
And of course, theyve got lightning speed and you guys have seen the games last year.
Those dudes can break tackles, too.
Those dudes are freakishly strong.
Editors note: Look for more on Arizona States C.J.
Fite, Lyrik Rawls and Montana Warren next week.