ARLINGTON, Texas — Headed into Baylor Football's fall camp, three names remain in the hunt for the role of starting quarterback.
Jacob Zeno, Gerry Bohanan and Blake Shapen each fought for the role during the Bears' spring practice season, but none were able to demonstrate themselves as the clear favorite for the job, although Bohanan put together the best statistical performance in the Bears' spring game.
"You would hope that one guy would stand out so everybody can latch on and say, 'That's our guy," Head Coach Dave Aranda said.
According to Aranda, each quarterback has a key area of improvement headed into the fall season:
Jacob Zeno: Despite being lauded as a hero during Baylor's comeback effort in the 2019 Big 12 Championship game against Oklahoma, Zeno never capitalized on his role as a fan favorite in 2020, appearing in only one game. Aranda said he still has room to grow as a leader on the field and must improve his deep passing accuracy if he wants to be a threat.
Gerry Bohanan: For two seasons Bohanan served as the primary backup to Charlie Brewer in the Baylor offense, coming on in special circumstances and garbage time. Before Zeno's appearance in the Big 12 Championship game, Bohanan was the likely replacement, but since then, he has seen little time on the field. Aranda said his main area of improvement is learning to effectively read defenses.
Blake Shapen: Shapen emerged in the quarterback room this spring after deciding to focus all his attention to the football field. He came to Baylor as a recruit in both baseball and football, but decided to quit his baseball career prior to the start of spring practice. According to Aranda, Shapen must improve mentally including his understanding of the offense, as well as his resilience.
Aranda added he has no clear timeline for a decision this spring, saying it is more important to "find the right guy" than make a hurried decision. Baylor kicks off the season September 4 at Texas State.
