- Program
- Baylor
- Level
- FBS
- In Role Since
- 2020
- Conference
- Big 12
- Education
- B.A., California Lutheran (1999); M.S., Texas Tech (2002)
Profile
Dave Aranda was named Baylor’s 28th head coach on Jan. 16, 2020 after four seasons as associate head coach and defensive coordinator at LSU (2016–19), where the Tigers compiled a 42-11 mark and won the 2020 National Championship and the 2019 SEC Championship. Aranda’s Baylor teams captured the 2021 Big 12 Championship and a 21-7 Sugar Bowl win over Ole Miss while finishing with a program-record 12 wins in 2021. He resumed defensive play-calling in 2024, earning the Big 12 Graphite Award as the conference’s most efficient play caller while Baylor’s defense improved 30 spots from 2023 to 2024.
Coaching Approach
Defensive-focused play-caller who directly coaches inside linebackers and reclaimed play-calling duties in 2024, a move that coincided with a 30-spot improvement in total defense and a Big 12 Graphite Award; has produced NFL talent from his units at LSU (18 defenders drafted 2016–19) and at Baylor; leverages roster building via transfer portal and recruiting to support a complementary offense-led approach that in 2024 ranked among the NCAA’s top-6 in points per game, yards per play and yards per game over Oct–Nov.
Career Highlights
- Named Baylor head coach on Jan. 16, 2020
- Associate head coach/defensive coordinator at LSU (2016–19); LSU compiled a 42-11 mark and won the 2020 National Championship and 2019 SEC Championship
- Led Baylor to the 2021 Big 12 Championship and a 21-7 Sugar Bowl victory over Ole Miss in the 2021 season (12 wins, program record at the time)
Sources
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