College
Stuck in Neutral: The Real Cost of Baylor Keeping Dave Aranda
Baylor football’s decision to keep Dave Aranda for 2026 raises major Big 12 and Texas football concerns as the program battles buyout costs, NIL pressure, transfer-portal losses, and fan frustration.
In April 2024, the biggest storyline for Baylor Athletics was if Scott Drew would leave the Bears to become the head basketball coach at Kentucky.
I was in town for the yearly summer magazine stop to talk to Dave Aranda, who was retained after a disappointing 2023 campaign, when he walked into athletic director Mack Rhoades’ office and convinced the Baylor brass that he could right the ship if he took over defensive play calling duties, hired an offensive coordinator with a modern scheme and head coaching experience, and leaned into the transfer portal and NIL.
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