Baylor has fired Dave Aranda, the school announced Sunday. Defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman will take over as interim for the remainder of this season, which continues with a Friday night trip to UCF (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).
"Anyone who knows Dave Aranda understands what a genuine and honorable person he is and how much he deeply cares for his players, staff and this University," AD Doug McNamee said. "He is a gifted coach and a brilliant football mind whose leadership brought some of our best Baylor football memories. While this is a difficult moment, we believe a change in leadership is necessary at this time for our program. We will forever be thankful to Dave and his family for their time here at Baylor, and we wish them well."
The move comes one day after a 25-24 loss to Kansas, dropping the Bears to 4-3 on the season and 40-40 in Aranda's tenure. In reality, the finishing blow to Aranda's 7-season run came last Saturday. Playing in a packed McLane Stadium, riding a 4-game win streak, the Bears hosted rival TCU and treated the crowd of 46,000-plus to a lifeless slog of a 17-6 loss to the Horned Frogs.
After a 2-7 debut, Aranda's Bears broke through in 2021 with a Big 12 championship, a Sugar Bowl win over Ole Miss, and a No. 5 AP finish in 2021. The program did not capitalize, however, going 6-7 the following year and peaking with an 8-5 mark in 2024. Baylor was 5-7 last season and hoped to improve this season with the transfer portal acquisition of DJ Lagway, but ranks 109th nationally in yards per play.
Baylor retained Aranda for 2026 less than 24 hours after parting ways with athletic director Mack Rhoades, the man who hired him, with president Linda Livingstone citing stability during the AD transition, protecting the roster and recruiting class, and putting money into the program rather than a buyout.
McNamee took over the athletic department in December, making 2026 his first full season evaluating Aranda. The Bears added Lagway and hired Klanderman as defensive coordinator, and Aranda handed defensive play-calling to Klanderman. McNamee refused to set a win total this summer, saying the evaluation would come down to momentum, feel, and the vibe around the program.
Two losses to teams Baylor was favored against, in back-to-back weeks, was enough to make a decision.
Aranda is as respected a defensive mind as there is in the sport, and by every account he's well liked inside the building. He'll have options. Baylor now heads into one of the more interesting searches of the cycle with a head start on the rest of the market.
Baylor becomes the third powerful job to open up this season, joining Maryland and NC State.
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.