By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
            Along with cornerback Raleigh Texada, long snapper Thor Rodoni and fellow walk-on defensive back Zeke Brown, Jairon McVea is a sixth-year senior who has played for three head coaches, three defensive coordinators and four position coaches in his time at Baylor. 
            Asked about his lasting memory, McVea didn't single out playing in the Big 12 Championship game or Sugar Bowl two years ago or sweeping Texas, Oklahoma, Iowa State and BYU in this year's home games at McLane Stadium. For him, it's the people. 
            "All my teammates, everyone I've been around for the last six years," said McVea, one of 21 Baylor seniors who will be honored before Saturday's 11 a.m. regular-season finale against Texas Tech. "Just amazing people, amazing relationships. That's probably the best part about Baylor for me are the people, the coaches I've met, the teachers on campus. Everyone has been great."
            One of the better walk-ons in program history, McVea was the defensive MVP on Richmond George Ranch High School's 16-0 Class 5A Division I state champions in 2015. 
            The 5-9, 185-pound safety made his fifth career start for Baylor in Saturday's 20-10 road win at Kansas State and ranks third all-time with 56 career games played, behind only teammate Trestan Ebner (58) and former wide receiver Chris Platt (57). He made a career-best 33 tackles last season and has made 81 career tackles with two interceptions and three stops behind the line. 
            "It's going to be emotional, my last time in McLane, last home game for Baylor football," McVea said. "I'm sure it's going to be emotional, but I'm going to try to put those feelings to the side and do what we have to do to get a win."
            From impossible to reality: Growing up as an LSU fan, Baylor senior safety Jalen Pitre remembers watching LSU teammates Patrick Peterson and Morris Claiborne win the Jim Thorpe Award in back-to-back years (2010-11) and Tyran Mathieu being a candidate for the award that recognizes the nation's top defensive back. 
            "As a kid, you don't really think that's possible. But now that you're here and you see your name on that list, it's real," said Pitre, who was named a finalist for the Thorpe Award earlier this week along with Cincinnati's Coby Bryant and Oregon's Verone McKinley III.
            "I know all the work I've put in has led me to this point, and it's very encouraging and makes me want to work even harder."
            The nation's only player with at least three fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles and two interceptions, Pitre has collected 57 solo tackles with a Big 12-leading 15.0 tackles for loss. He has also recorded five pass breakups and two sacks from the hybrid safety/linebacker STAR position. 
            'Blake Doing Blake Things': When redshirt freshman quarterback Blake Shapen came off the bench to complete 16-of-21 passes for 137 yards and add 44 yards rushing in Saturday's 20-10 win over K-State, it didn't surprise tight end Ben Sims one bit. He's seen it. 
            "I think Blake was just doing Blake things, to be honest," Sims said. "Blake's a ballplayer, he's a great player. He shows it in practice every day. For him to go out there and do that was pretty impressive. But, I wasn't surprised."
            While Shapen certainly "stepped into a big role," Sims said the leadership in the huddle was more of a "collective group thing."
            "Everyone's got each other's back," he said. "Everyone's really kind of getting on each other, because if you do your 1/11^th, good things are going to happen. Blake coming in, we had his back, and he knew that."
            Shapen could get his first start when the No. 9 Bears (9-2, 6-2) host Texas Tech (6-5, 3-5) at 11 a.m. Saturday at McLane Stadium in the regular-season finale. But, head coach Dave Aranda lists Gerry Bohanon as "day-to-day."
            "I just know in talking to him, there's probably not going to be someone more determined to get back than him," Aranda said of Bohanon. "Saturday, his heart was broke. He's working really hard to come back. If I were to bet, I'd bet on Gerry."