Members of the Baylor Football team have collected quite an assortment of 2023 preseason honors as we move full speed ahead toward the football season (only 10 more days, can you believe?), and redshirt junior QB Blake Shapen earned his first spot on a watchlist! Shapen was named to the 2023 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watchlist, which recognizes the top senior or upperclassman quarterback graduating with their respective class. He is one of 48 QBs on the award watchlist. Last year as a first year starter, Shapen completed 233 of 368 passing attempts (63.3%) for 2,790 yards with 18 TDs and 10 interceptions. He added 76 carries for 96 yards and 2 TDs.
Previously for the Baylor Football team, Reese and senior DL Gabe Hall notched first-team awards from Athlon and Phil Steele, respectively. Reese, Hall, sophomore S Alfonzo Allen, senior OL Clark Barrington, and redshirt freshman OL George Maile all recently snagged spots on prestigious national award watch lists with Reese on the Maxwell Award Watchlist, Doak Walker Award Watchlist, and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watchlist; Hall on the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watchlist; Allen on the Wuerffel Trophy Watchlist; Barrington on the Rimington Trophy Watchlist; and Maile on the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award Watchlist. The Maxwell Award is given to the most outstanding player in college football, of which Reese is among 85 candidates for the honor. Reese is also in line for the Doak Walker Award, given to the nation’s top college runningback—with Reese being one of 75 athletes participating and the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award for the top offensive player in Division I football who also exhibits the enduring characteristics that define Earl Campbell: integrity, performance, teamwork, sportsmanship, drive, community and tenacity to persist as well as determination to overcome adversity and injury in pursuit of reaching goals. The Bronko Nagurski Trophy is awarded to the national defensive player of the year with Hall joining 96 other defensive athletes eligible. Allen is one of 110 candidates for the Wuerffel Trophy, which is an honor for a national athlete who’s demonstrated exceptional community service. Barrington is one of 40 centers on the list for the Rimington Trophy, which is handed to the most outstanding center in NCAA Division I college football. Finally, Maile is among 85 players on the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award, which honors the most outstanding college football player of Polynesian ancestry that epitomizes great ability and integrity.
