Baylor QB Jacob Zeno enters transfer portal

On Tuesday morning, Baylor reserve quarterback Jacob Zeno entered his name into the transfer portal with the intention of leaving the University. Zeno, a 6-foot-2, 220-pound redshirt sophomore from San Antonio, threw for 282 career yards with two total touchdowns.

The news comes after Baylor’s 4-0 start to the 2021 football season while starting quarterback Gerry Bohanon completed 73.3% of his passes for 828 yards and seven touchdowns with no interceptions while rushing for 112 yards and four scores on 24 carries. 

"I appreciate Jacob,” Baylor head coach Dave Aranda told SicEm365’s David Smoak. “I value him as a person, I recognize the qualities he brings as a player. I respect the way that he competed and not asking for this type of treatment or not wanting this type of selection, but totally investing in the competition. When things didn't come his way accepting it and working to get better and then when there became a battle for the number two spot, same thing.

”So nothing but respect for me for him and his family. I know he's very close with his dad and this was something they wanted to do and I can see it and understand it. And I told him that nothing but positive stuff for me and I'll help you whoever and whatever. Please let me know. I want to see him be happy and be somewhere where you can fulfill the stuff he wants to do. When you look at where the quarterback position is going. I think there's probably going to be more of this. I would like for us to not have to experience a lot of it. I imagine we're all probably old school in that way of thinking, but you know from Jacob's part I understand it and I wish him well. “

After being in the mix for the starting job throughout the spring, Zeno was in a battle with redshirt freshman quarterback Blake Shapen. According to a contact close to the program, Shapen’s emergence as the clear back up ultimately led to Zeno’s decision to move from the program following the first four games of the season. 

Zeno emerged on the scene as a redshirt freshman in the 2019 Big 12 Championship game when he replaced Bohanon who had replaced former starting quarterback Charlie Brewer after an injury. Zeno connected on a long touchdown pass to Trestan Ebner and then former receiver Chris Platt that helped Baylor reach overtime against the Oklahoma Sooners with a spot in the College Foootball Playoff up for grabs. 

As a prospect out of John Jay High School in San Antonio, Zeno was a four-star prospect and held programs from across the country including NC State, Arkansas, Arizona, Georgia, Texas Tech, Utah and more.