Baylor Football

Baylor Finalizing Deal to Hire Joe Klanderman as Next DC | Report

Baylor plans to hire Kansas State defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman as its next defensive coordinator.
By SicEm365 Staff
December 11, 2025
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Photo by Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Baylor plans to hire Kansas State defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman as its next defensive coordinator; ESPN’s Pete Thamel first broke the news.

Klanderman will try to retool a Baylor defense that was toward the bottom of the Big 12 in every category, allowing 32.6 points per game, 197.2 rushing yards per game, 194.9 passing yards per game and an opponent third-down conversion rate of 41%. Baylor was dead last in the conference in fumbles recovered (2) and sacks (12).

Over the last four seasons, Klanderman’s defenses at Kansas State have ranked 41st (2025), 24th (2024), 24th (2023) and 19th (2022), according to ESPN’s F+ metric; the Wildcats won the Big 12 title in 2022.

Klanderman spent the last six seasons as Kansas State’s defensive coordinator under recently retired head coach Chris Klieman. Before that, Klanderman spent one season as Kansas State’s safeties coach (2019).

Prior to his time in Manhattan, Klanderman spent five seasons as the defensive backs coach at FCS powerhouse North Dakota State, also under Klieman, where he won four national titles.

Klanderman started his coaching career at Minnesota State after spending five seasons with the Mavericks as a defensive lineman from 1997 to 2001.

Although Klanderman will technically be replacing former defensive coordinator Matthew Powledge, who took the DC job at North Texas earlier this week, it was head coach Dave Aranda who called plays for the Bears’ defense each of the past two seasons.

Aranda is now expected to hand off the play-calling duties to Klanderman as Baylor looks to revamp that side of the ball.

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Green & Gold Reports Chris Klieman Dave Aranda Defensive Coordinator baylor Joe Klanderman Kansas State DC Football Baylor Kansas State 2025
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Baylor Finalizing Deal to Hire Joe Klanderman as Next DC | Report

8,438 Views | 52 Replies | Last: 19 hrs ago by Guitarbiscuit
Bearwhiz
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10:08a, 12/11/25
Not impressed, but didn't count on being impressed.
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Baylorbears111
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10:08a, 12/11/25
Does he get 2 years to get his guys in?

How can he help the staff to achieve their goals of going 1-6 against TCU?

Does he get a payout when Aranda cans him to save himself?

Who will we hire next?
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Dia del DougO
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10:14a, 12/11/25
Can't be worse. Seems like a decent DC.

Hopefully, he can bring some talent through the portal with him.
"The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you're uncool."
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dstaylor57
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10:15a, 12/11/25
The problem is Aranda's cerebral coaching style that emphasizes care factor over physical play. Combine that with poor recruiting over multiple classes and you get what Baylor produced this year.
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BearkatBear
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10:22a, 12/11/25
Good hire
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Karab
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In reply to Bearwhiz • 10:25a, 12/11/25
Bearwhiz said:
Not impressed, but didn't count on being impressed.

I'm actually impressed for once.

KSU was always pretty sound defensively. And his background with Klieman back at NDSU before that is also great.

If we would have hired Klieman as HC over Aranda, I would have been ecstatic.

I'm surprised KSU is letting this guy go.
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Bearknuckle
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In reply to Karab • 10:28a, 12/11/25
Karab said:
Bearwhiz said:
Not impressed, but didn't count on being impressed.

I'm actually impressed for once.

KSU was always pretty sound defensively. And his background with Klieman back at NDSU before that is also great.

If we would have hired Klieman as HC over Aranda, I would have been ecstatic.

I'm surprised KSU is letting this guy go.

I concur. Klanderman has real chops and brings a lot of strengths in our areas of need. I've gone from "good hire" to potentially "great hire" all things considered.




pathological optimist
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Bearknuckle
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10:43a, 12/11/25
K-State didn't want to lose him.


I believe we landed a hell of a coach.
pathological optimist
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Stefano DiMera
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10:50a, 12/11/25
I don't know. He looks like he cusses a lot.
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Danielsjackson114
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In reply to Stefano DiMera • 10:53a, 12/11/25
Stefano DiMera said:
I don't know. He looks like he cusses a lot.

Dave Aranda is like the Brown's organization. People come to flame out.
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Big12Fan2024
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10:54a, 12/11/25
Background suggests a good hire particularly given our circumstances.
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ImABearToo
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10:55a, 12/11/25
Can he find us some "bad dudes" so we have a real defense next year? Is Doug okay bringing back some "bad dudes?" Not sure it was asked at the round table event earlier this week?
“Life is short, eat desert first!”
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Quinton
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11:30a, 12/11/25
Surprisingly good coach. Even their down years were infinitely better than anything Dave could do.

Possibly a guy that could stick around when Dave is removed. Dave is the bottleneck here.
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dycbaylor02
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11:38a, 12/11/25
Just absolutely sucks we're in a lame duck session. Such a waste of time.
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Bigkahunaww
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11:53a, 12/11/25
Like the fact that he has put players in the NFL.
Thats what players look for when being recruited.
Now if Aranda will leave him alone and let him coach then it's a good hire.
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Quinton
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In reply to Bigkahunaww • 12:05p, 12/11/25
Bigkahunaww said:

Now if Aranda will leave him alone and let him coach then it's a good hire.


Does he have a choice? At this point either coordinator could tell Dave to sit down and he couldn't do a thing about it.

Nobody, including the long suffering admin, has any appetite for Dave to hire any more coordinators (unless Spav leaves voluntarily). This is it.

Outside of a scandal tied directly to the coordinator, David can't do anything now. And even if that were to happen, Dave would be removed with it.

The new DC could get into a physical altercation with Dave and it would take both of them down at this point. Dave has zero maneuvering left.
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WA Jim
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12:05p, 12/11/25
Good hire.
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Ewalker80
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12:16p, 12/11/25
I think it's a big bonus that he's very familiar with big 12 offenses. That gives him a big leg up in figuring out who he wants in the portal and game planning. Kansas St was also the OG of building teams from transfers, so this will be nothing new for him. Our single biggest weakness last year on defense was lack of turnovers (our total yards stats were actually middling believe it or not), and that is his biggest strength, so hopefully we will at least see a change in that area. Also look at how he handled business against weak offenses like OK st. and colorado. A far cry from Baylor this year where even teams like Ok. st. ran up and down the field on us.

Also, I doubt he would have come if Dave didn't promise him some serious $$ to go get some players that can improve this defense.
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Bearknuckle
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In reply to Ewalker80 • 12:18p, 12/11/25
Ewalker80 said:
I think it's a big bonus that he's very familiar with big 12 offenses. That gives him a big leg up in figuring out who he wants in the portal and game planning. Kansas St was also the OG of building teams from transfers, so this will be nothing new for him. Our single biggest weakness last year on defense was lack of turnovers (our total yards stats were actually middling believe it or not), and that is his biggest strength, so hopefully we will at least see a change in that area. Also look at how he handled business against weak offenses like OK st. and colorado. A far cry from Baylor this year where even teams like Ok. st. ran up and down the field on us.

Also, I doubt he would have come if Dave didn't promise him some serious $$ to go get some players that can improve this defense.

seems clear that Klanderman would have had other options than just Baylor, with a resume like his. Says a lot that he chose to come here.
pathological optimist
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Guitarbiscuit
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12:25p, 12/11/25
Considering this guy has a history of maximizing talent, this is an excellent hire. How much he will be able to influence the program in a positive way with Aranda still at the helm is the question, though that would probably be the question with any hire.
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Ewalker80
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12:33p, 12/11/25
This should bring some comfort --- Out of Baylor's 9 big 12 opponents next year, K St. played 5 last year and the remaining 4 the previous year. This means

(1) he knows these teams well; and
(2) he knows well who he needs to get in the portal to reasonably face them

K St is also historically built from transfers.

K st. strength #1 last year was turnovers, so we should at least improve in that category (hard not to). He has a trend of being strong in that area. Also has great success with safety play which is Baylor's weakest group over the last decade.

I also don't think there's any chance he comes to Baylor unless Baylor promised him significant $$ to go get the players he needs to compete.

this also shows 100% that Dave isn't calling the plays next year.

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BellCountyBear
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12:44p, 12/11/25
The big question will be whether Aranda will stay the **** out of the way and let him coach how he wants. Even cussing.
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Danielsjackson114
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In reply to BellCountyBear • 12:45p, 12/11/25
BellCountyBear said:
The big question will be whether Aranda will stay the **** out of the way and let him coach how he wants. Even cussing.

Dave has tried both ways, and both have failed.

He was hands off with Ron, and hands on with Powledge
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ctxbear
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12:46p, 12/11/25
I have nothing to add to the conversation other than wishing someone in his family tree had made the decision somewhere along the way to change the spelling of their name. How hard is switching out a 'C' for a 'K'?
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Ewalker80
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In reply to Danielsjackson114 • 12:54p, 12/11/25
Danielsjackson114 said:
BellCountyBear said:
The big question will be whether Aranda will stay the **** out of the way and let him coach how he wants. Even cussing.

Dave has tried both ways, and both have failed.

He was hands off with Ron, and hands on with Powledge

Klanderman will 100% be calling plays. Would you put your career on the line to come in and let Dave call plays again after you've been doing it for half a decade in the same league to better success?
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Delmar 2.0
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In reply to BearkatBear • 12:59p, 12/11/25
BearkatBear said:
Good hire

I agree Bearkat

maybe he'll bring some KSU stud defenders with him
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blackie
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In reply to dycbaylor02 • 1:20p, 12/11/25
dycbaylor02 said:
Just absolutely sucks we're in a lame duck session. Such a waste of time.

When are you guys going to understand that it is only a lame duck season if there has been a term limit set. That has not been the case. Nothing in the official statements has indicated there is. The chance that CDA is still here in 2027 is not zero. I think we need to understand and be prepared for that. They want Aranda to work. I don't have a dog in the hunt one way or another with CDA. I just want to win and have a program worthy of respect.. If that is without DA great....if it is with DA great.
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IBleedGreenandGold
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1:29p, 12/11/25
Call it a could've done much worse hire
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canoso
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In reply to Karab • 2:02p, 12/11/25
Karab said:
Bearwhiz said:
Not impressed, but didn't count on being impressed.

I'm actually impressed for once.

KSU was always pretty sound defensively. And his background with Klieman back at NDSU before that is also great.

If we would have hired Klieman as HC over Aranda, I would have been ecstatic.

I'm surprised KSU is letting this guy go.
Note that his defenses' national ranking fell some during his time at KU. Not necessarily on his shoulders, though. Still way better than ours this season.
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Dia del DougO
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In reply to blackie • 2:21p, 12/11/25
blackie said:
dycbaylor02 said:
Just absolutely sucks we're in a lame duck session. Such a waste of time.

When are you guys going to understand that it is only a lame duck season if there has been a term limit set. That has not been the case. Nothing in the official statements has indicated there is. The chance that CDA is still here in 2027 is not zero. I think we need to understand and be prepared for that. They want Aranda to work. I don't have a dog in the hunt one way or another with CDA. I just want to win and have a program worthy of respect.. If that is without DA great....if it is with DA great.

This is the way I see it. I don't think DM is here to fire an existing coach that hasn't yet had a season under his watch. After kickoff 2026 it's his call, unless he gets vetoed (which could be a possibility).

Baylor really wants Aranda to work. He has this chance to convince the majority he's worth keeping past 2026.
"The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you're uncool."
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william
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In reply to Bearknuckle • 2:37p, 12/11/25
Bearknuckle said:
K-State didn't want to lose him....
I believe we landed a hell of a coach.

I concur.

- uncle fred

D!
arbyscoin - the only crypto you can eat....
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Baylorbears111
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In reply to Dia del DougO • 2:42p, 12/11/25
Dia del DougO said:
blackie said:
dycbaylor02 said:
Just absolutely sucks we're in a lame duck session. Such a waste of time.

When are you guys going to understand that it is only a lame duck season if there has been a term limit set. That has not been the case. Nothing in the official statements has indicated there is. The chance that CDA is still here in 2027 is not zero. I think we need to understand and be prepared for that. They want Aranda to work. I don't have a dog in the hunt one way or another with CDA. I just want to win and have a program worthy of respect.. If that is without DA great....if it is with DA great.

This is the way I see it. I don't think DM is here to fire an existing coach that hasn't yet had a season under his watch. After kickoff 2026 it's his call, unless he gets vetoed (which could be a possibility).

Baylor really wants Aranda to work. He has this chance to convince the majority he's worth keeping past 2026.

Kevin Steele deserved 7 years.
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Dia del DougO
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In reply to BellCountyBear • 2:44p, 12/11/25
BellCountyBear said:
The big question will be whether Aranda will stay the **** out of the way and let him coach how he wants. Even cussing.

Really his only hope for staying on past next season.

Let somebody else control defense.
Let somebody else control offense.
Let somebody else make in-game decisions.

The last one is the hang-up.
"The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you're uncool."
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boognish_bear
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In reply to Baylorbears111 • 3:17p, 12/11/25
Baylorbears111 said:

How can he help the staff to achieve their goals of going 1-6 against TCU?


This made me laugh
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BellCountyBear
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In reply to blackie • 3:18p, 12/11/25
blackie said:
dycbaylor02 said:
Just absolutely sucks we're in a lame duck session. Such a waste of time.

When are you guys going to understand that it is only a lame duck season if there has been a term limit set. That has not been the case. Nothing in the official statements has indicated there is. The chance that CDA is still here in 2027 is not zero. I think we need to understand and be prepared for that. They want Aranda to work. I don't have a dog in the hunt one way or another with CDA. I just want to win and have a program worthy of respect.. If that is without DA great....if it is with DA great.

This is where I am on the situation.
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