Former Evangel Star Reportedly Named Starting QB At Baylor
According to a new report from 24/7 Sports, the Baylor Bears football team has a new starting quarterback for the 2022 season. That new starter will be former Evangel Eagle quarterback Blake Shapen.
Coming out of high school in Shreveport, Shapen was a 3-star recruit in the class of 2020. 24/7 Sports had him listed as the 747th overall prospect and 30th rated pro-style quarterback in the country on their national composite rating. They also had Shapen listed as the 32nd prospect in the whole state of Louisiana.
During his first year with Baylor, Shapen did have a chance to start some games, but wasn't the starting quarterback when the season started. He was originally backing up Gerry Bohanon, but when Bohanon got hurt, Shapen stepped up.
Shapen played in a total of 6 games, and started 2 of them. He completed 62 of 86 for 595 yards, 5 touchdowns and zero interceptions. 24/7 Sports talked about when he hit the national spotlight last season:
"His talent was displayed on the national stage that comes with playing in the Big 12 Championship game. He had 17-straight completions, and helped the Bears roll out to a commanding 21-6 lead over Oklahoma State; the Cowboys eventually rallied, but the Baylor was able to hang on and win 21-16. Shapen finished the game with three scores, 23-for-28 passing, 180 yards through the air and a conference title tied to his name."
Now the big question for Baylor seems to be about their former starter, Bohanon. If he is going to be left out with Shapen being elevated, will he stay with the program? The NCAA's endorsement of the Transfer Portal has created a path for players who get beat out to find a new program quickly.