By Foster Nicholas | Sports Writer
After a season in which Baylor football fell short of expectations, redshirt junior quarterback Blake Shapen said he had to self-reflect and take film study to another level.
Shapen was once again handed the keys to the starting job in the spring after beating out redshirt sophomore quarterback Sawyer Robertson. Despite his struggles as the starter last season, head coach Dave Aranda took most of the blame for Shapen’s shortcomings.
“I feel like we probably coached him to be perfect, and shame on me for that,” Aranda said. “We didn’t have the weapons that we have now, so when it’s framed in that way, it was a real high uphill climb.”
As the 2022 season came to a close, Shapen looked in the mirror and figured out what he could do to improve. He came into spring camp carrying the weight of the disappointing prior season and put in the work with frustration as fuel.
“Anytime that you don’t have the season that you want to have, and [aren’t] able to perform like we did the year before, was kind of tough,” Shapen said. “That was nobody’s goal — what happened last year. And yeah, the season was long, and it was tough. I think that it was good for me to be able to grow from it, see what it looks like going through a whole season, experiencing some losses and things like that. I’m just looking to take things from that year and the year before and be able to keep moving forward.”
The redshirt junior slinger put an emphasis on adding muscle to better sustain hard hits such as the ones he constantly took during 2022. Shapen said he’s up 15 pounds since his 200-pound weigh-in a year ago.
“Last year, my body kind of took a toll a little bit on some of the hits that I was taking,” Shapen said. “So I think that it’s going to help [to] be able to wear some of those hits down a little bit. I feel like I can move the same and things like that, so it’s been good.”
One of the other many road bumps last season was leadership, and Shapen said he has evolved in that department even more.
“I think I’ve grown a lot in that area,” Shapen said. “If things weren’t going right or somebody needed to step up and say something, I wanted to be that guy. It’s tough being that guy sometimes, especially if you don’t talk a lot or you’re more to yourself. But I’ve had to step out of my comfort zone a little bit and grow in that area.”
Shapen isn’t the only one who has noticed his greater vocal presence on the field in camp. Coaches and teammates also echoed the idea that the soon-to-be second-year starter has taken a leap as a captain.
“On the times where there was a struggle, you’re hearing him,” Aranda said. “[It’s] really cool to see. I think he’s in a groove with leadership and all of it. He knows what he wants, and he’s right in front.”
Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Josh Cameron added that Shapen has “taken a huge step forward” as a vocal leader.
“He’s definitely been working in the offseason, working on his reads and all that stuff, but I’d say the main thing would definitely be his leadership role,” Cameron said. “He’s being more vocal, moving guys around, and I think that’s a huge improvement. I’m just noticing the improvement for sure.”
Last season, Baylor’s offense sat in the bottom half of the Big 12. All things considered, Shapen statistically was an above-average conference quarterback with fewer flaws than many may think. Unfortunately, some of those miscues stuck out like a bad sore. Shapen’s 10 interceptions were the second most in the league, and he only averaged just over 200 yards passing a game, even though he completed the third most passes in the conference (233).
The Bears addressed the lack of an offensive threat in the offseason by bringing in junior wide receiver Ketron Jackson Jr., who transferred into the program after a pair of seasons at the University of Arkansas. In camp, the transfer wideout has been impressed with Shapen’s arm and thinks this season could have the mantra of “bombs away.”
“Blake has a great ball; I’ll be just staring at the ball [in awe],” Jackson said. “I just feel like he’s very accurate and he’s very decisive in all his passes. Having a quarterback that’s willing to take shots deep, that’s really good too.”
Shapen will be looking to emulate the success he saw during his limited starts in 2021, hoping to have a breakout 2023 season. With a strong ground game already established, the man under center has the opportunity to lead the offense to more than just the end zone.
“[He has] a lot of confidence — no second guessing where anybody is,” senior tight end Drake Dabney said. “He’s making great decisions. If he sees something, he’s taking it and being aggressive. I love that in him, and I think he’s going to be very special this year. I know what he’s capable of, and I think everyone knows he’s been a great leader. I’m looking forward to going out there on the field and going to battle with him.”
