WACO, Texas — Two Baylor Bears combined to earn a trio of awards Thursday, as the Bears get ready for the coming Sugar Bowl.
Baylor safety Jalen Pitre was named the AP's Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year.
Pitre finished the 2021 season with 70 total tackles, 54 of them solo. He also had a Big 12-best 17.5 tackles for loss this season while intercepting two balls.
Pitre also forced and recovered three fumbles. His three recoveries was second-most in the Big 12 Conference.
Pitre was also named to the Walter Camp All-America team Thursday night and was a finalist for the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, which goes to the nation's top defensive back
Head coach Dave Aranda was also named AP Big 12 Coach of the Year on Thursday, receiving 15 of 20 votes for the award. Oklahoma State's Mike Gundy, who won the league coaches' award last week, received the remaining five.
Aranda's Bears improved from a dismal 2-7 record in 2020 to an 11-2 mark and Baylor's first conference championship in football since 2014. The Bears' Dec. 4th win over Oklahoma State was Baylor's first win in a Big 12 title game, locking up the Bears' second Sugar Bowl appearance in three seasons.
Aranda is also one of 13 finalists for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award from the Football Writers Association of America.
No. 7 Baylor will face No. 8 Ole Miss in the Allstate Sugar Bowl at 7:45 p.m. central Jan. 1st from the Caesar's Superdome in New Orleans.