Report: Baylor assistant coach AJ Steward will not return in 2024

A chance is coming regarding a major figure on the Baylor Bears coaching staff.

According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel on Friday, running backs coach and assistant head coach AJ Steward will not return to the Bears next season.

“Source: Baylor running backs coach and assistant head coach AJ Steward will not return next season,” Thamel reported. “He’s the former running backs coach at Oregon State, Arizona, BYU and Rice.”

The news regarding Steward comes after it was revealed Baylor was making a significant change at offensive coordinator.

According to a recent report by David Smoak, the Bears are looking to add a little bit more pace to the offense by hiring Jakes Spavital as their next offensive coordinator.

“Source: Baylor is hiring long-time spread, up-tempo OC Jake Spavital as its next OC. Has spent time at Texas A&M, WVU and Cal, as well as the HC at Texas State,” wrote Smoak via X.

Spavital brings with him some quality experience, especially at the Power-5 level. And that experience is not just centered on one league. Spavital was the offensive coordinator at Texas A&M from 2014-2015, spent 2016 in the same position at Cal, and the same goes for his 2017-2018 ten years at West Virginia.

Spavital also has head coaching experience as he was the head coach for the Texas State Bobcats from 2019-2022 before returning to Cal in 2023 to assume their offensive coordinator and quarterback coach positions for a second time.

Baylor QB Blake Shapen intends to enter transfer portal, per report

In other news, Baylor may have just suffered their biggest loss of the season. After falling to West Virginia in their season finale, it was revealed star quarterback Blake Shapen intends to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. 

Baylor, two years from winning the Big 12 title, fell hard on their face this season, with play reminiscent of the years when the Bears struggled to be competitive in the conference. Shapen did his best, given the circumstances around him, to try and keep Baylor competitive this season.

This year, he has completed 61.7 percent of his past attempts for 2188 yards, 13 touchdowns, and three interceptions. Sadly, the season ends with him being one of the highest-sacked quarterbacks in the conference, getting taken down behind the line of scrimmage 25 times. Now, it looks as if his time in Waco, TX, has come to an end.

On3’s Justin Rudolph contributed to this article.