By Michael Haag | Sports Editor
Just over 24 hours after Baylor decided to retain head coach Dave Aranda and fire offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes, redshirt junior starting quarterback Blake Shapen announced his intent to enter the transfer portal, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN.
Breaking news out of Waco. Shapen, a two-year starter will enter the portal.
First domino to fall. https://t.co/z9fKjT8Qdi
— Michael Haag (@MichaelHaag_) November 27, 2023
The portal doesn’t officially open until Dec. 4, but Shapen will be eligible to move to another program and play right away. Thamel reported that Shapen will have at least one more year of eligibility, and the quarterback “is looking to compete for a starting job at a winning program.”
Shapen started in 23 games for the Bears, and he was the starter for each of the last two seasons. The Shreveport, La., native helped Baylor win the 2021 Big 12 championship, as he opened the game with 17 straight completions — a Big 12 title game record.
The decision to transfer comes in the wake of Aranda’s retention and Grimes’ removal, which was confirmed on Sunday. Shapen, a 2022 Honorable Mention All-Big 12 selection by the coaches, completed 184 of 298 passes for 2,188 yards, 13 passing touchdowns and three interceptions this season.
Shapen told the Waco Tribune-Herald earlier this month that he has a great relationship with Aranda.
“I took the visit and fell in love with the type of person [Aranda] was,” Shapen said. “I knew he was different from the jump. I’ve had a lot of good experiences here. I’m glad I made that decision.”
Shapen started eight games in 2023, missing four due to injury. Redshirt sophomore backup quarterback Sawyer Robertson filled in for Shapen with four starts, including a 34-31 season finale loss to West Virginia on Saturday.
Baylor just closed a 3-9 season in which it went 1-7 at home. The Bears ranked 11th in the Big 12 in total offense (377.8 yards per game) and tied with BYU for last place in the league in scoring (23.1 points per game). The team closed the season on a five-game skid.
Shapen, who redshirted in 2020 before playing three seasons at Baylor, won the 2022 job after beating out 2021 starter Gerry Bohanon in the spring. He shrugged off a midseason injury in the 2022 season to finish completing 63.3% of his passes for 2,790 yards, 18 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
The 6-foot, 206-pound quarterback also told the Waco Tribune-Herald earlier this month that he was going to continue relying on his faith through “these hard times.”
“I’m not going to go through all these hard times for more hard times,” Shapen said. “I have faith that God is going to bring me out on the other side of things. Even though there is a ton of darkness right now, I know there is light at the end of the tunnel, and it keeps me going every day.”
The two-year starter’s name is slapped all across Baylor’s record book. Shapen wrapped up his career with the Bears in the top 10 in several categories, including:
- Second in career completion percentage (63.97%)
- Fifth in career completions (479)
- Seventh in career passing touchdowns (36)
- Ninth in career passing attempts (752)
- 10th in career passing yards (5,674)
After Baylor’s 59-25 loss to Kansas State on Nov. 11, Aranda told reporters that Shapen is “a warrior, man.”
“There are times he takes hits, he gets back up,” Aranda said. “On the sidelines, he’s getting guys up, ready to play. Way proud of his effort.”
Aranda now has to find his next starting quarterback as well as his next offensive coordinator. Baylor has two remaining quarterbacks on scholarship with Robertson and junior quarterback RJ Martinez. Robertson appeared in six games this year and totaled 864 passing yards, two touchdowns and four picks, completing 56.4% of his passes. A former four-star recruit, Robertson went 17 of 19 for 215 yards and a TD in the Bears’ loss to the Mountaineers on Saturday.
