Pitre began as lone recruit for No. 9 Baylor after scandal

By STEPHEN HAWKINS
AP Sports Writer

Jalen Pitre was the lone recruit still verbally committed to Baylor when Matt Rhule was hired in December 2016. That was six months after the revelation of a horrendous scandal that cost Art Briles his job, and after a six-game losing streak to end the regular season under an interim coach. Pitre is now the Big 12 defensive player of the year. And he’s one of several players from Rhule’s first signing class in the spring of 2017 now in key roles. The ninth-ranked Bears play in their second Big 12 title game in three years Saturday against fifth-ranked Oklahoma State.