By Michael Haag | Sports Editor
Redshirt junior quarterback Blake Shapen took a lot of heat for the Bears’ 6-7 campaign in 2022.
Shapen won the job over 2021 starter Gerry Bohanon, and Baylor football was expected to repeat as Big 12 champions. That didn’t happen, and the Bears ended the year on a four-game losing streak.
Shapen, a 2022 All-Big 12 Honorable Mention, threw for 2,790 passing yards and 18 TDs to 10 interceptions. He completed 63.3% of his passes and started in all 13 games. The adversity Shapen faced a year ago is something head coach Dave Aranda said allows the redshirt junior to succeed in 2023.
The 6-foot 206-pound quarterback has yet to throw an interception through four starts this season.
“Blake’s improvement has been a long time coming,” Aranda said. “I think for as much as the struggles are frustrating and debilitating at times, it feels that way in the moment, there can be such growth that can come out of it. It’s a matter of how you look at it and how you use it.
“I think Blake has done an amazing job that way, and I think he’s way strong, mentally strong. I think he will continue to show that and be a leader for us.”
Shapen’s ability to limit turnovers nearly parallels Bohanon’s start to the 2021 year.
#Baylor QB Blake Shapen still hasn't thrown an interception this season. He did miss three games with an MCL sprain, though.
By comparison, Gerry Bohanon threw one pick in 173 attempts to start the 2021 season. That turnover came in the eighth game of the year versus BYU.
— Michael Haag (@MichaelHaag_) October 21, 2023
The Shreveport, La., native completed 25 of 42 passes for 316 yards and one TD, also rushing for a TD, in Baylor’s 32-29 win over Cincinnati on Saturday in the Queen City. Saturday marked Shapen’s third start since suffering an MCL sprain in the Bears’ season-opening loss to Texas State.
Shapen has also thrown for 300 yards in back-to-back contests, totaling three on the year. With six career games of 300 passing yards or more, Shapen ranks tied with Seth Russell for fifth in program history.
The on-field success is a by-product of better leadership, according to Shapen. He said he’s had to work on coming off last year’s woes.
“I think being able to come out each and every day, give it my all no matter what, inspire people around me, whether that’s through my play or whether that’s just showing them my excitement through how much I care about the game,” Shapen said. “And hopefully, that catches a few guys and spreads throughout the whole team.”
Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell singled out Baylor quarterback Blake Shapen during his weekly press conference on Tuesday:
"If you look at the last six quarters, he’s been exceptional. He’s got great escapability, and he’s made big play after big play."
— Zach Smith (@ByZachSmith) October 24, 2023
That leadership from under center has rubbed off on teammates, namely junior wide receiver Monaray Baldwin, who said Shapen “is one of my better friends on the team.”
“Me and Blake have a great relationship,” Baldwin said. “We talk every day, we hang out every day. … He was my friend before he was the starting quarterback, before I was a starting receiver. I feel like with us being able to grow together and mature together, it’s helped us come a long way and helped us become closer.”
Shapen was named to the 2023 Senior Bowl Watch List and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List going into the season. Led by Shapen, Baylor (3-4, 2-2 Big 12) still has a path to bowl-eligibility, needing to win three of its next five.
In terms of the offense, Shapen said the team needs to execute better in the red zone. The Bears rank 108th in the nation in red zone offense, converting on 24 of 32 trips. Of those 24 scores, half of them have come via field goals.
“We still have a lot of work to do with that moving forward,” Shapen said. “Those drives that we kicked field goals, we have to finish those drives.”
