Robert Wilson said:

---

I think you're right. Been saying this since last year. It mostly comes down to money.

---

You said it well in your post:
"When you're short on cash, you often have to make sub optimal decisions."

Your last paragraph is regurgitating propaganda around that particular hire. Almost a year in there are at least no public signs that any of that is the case.

My understanding is that the institution as a whole is in a financial bind. Not through the fault of the current administration but due to a lot of the debt accrued in the 95-05 era all coming due now as per the terms set back then.

Not to mention to mention it appears the BMDs still aren't over their being burned 10 years ago. It's a terrible perfect storm if what I have heard from some faculty is correct, without even mentioning the added factor now of having to pay players.

It is too early in the season to be deciding if Aranda stays or goes even if we had an infinite amount in the bank account.

Dia del DougO said:

---

TenBears said:

---

As others have mentioned "7-5" is a straw man. He won't be fired with that record.

---

I think he absolutely could. Especially when two of those wins are the last two we just watched.

People keep talking about a number. I don't think that way. I don't think the AD should be thinking that way.

Just see if, at the end of the season, it seems like a dead end or a reason to be enthusiastic for the future.

The record could be all over the place and still feel either way.

---

This. If this year ends like 2012, then there could be a good feeling about the team. If it just stumbles along, then it's over for Dave.

PartyBear said:

---

Your last paragraph is regurgitating propaganda around that particular hire. Almost a year in there are at least no public signs that any of that is the case.

My understanding is that the institution as a whole is in a financial bind. Not through the fault of the current administration but due to a lot of the debt accrued in the 95-05 era all coming due now as per the terms set back then.

Not to mention to mention it appears the BMDs still aren't over their being burned 10 years ago. It's a terrible perfect storm if what I have heard from some faculty is correct.

It is too early in the season to be deciding if Aranda stays or goes even if we had an infinite amount in the bank account.

---

Read my last paragraph - I'm agreeing with you. We were told two things: 1) we can't ask a brand new athletic director to hire a football coach right out of the gate and 2) we hired a new athletic director who is such an perfect and knowledgeable fit that he might as well be an internal hire. Well, if 2 is correct, then you can't rely on 1 as the reason you didn't pull the trigger.

I'm not saying that propaganda was true - I'm saying that the propaganda is inconsistent with their messaging surrounding why the timing to fire Aranda wasn't right.

Robert Wilson said:

---

When you're short on cash, you often have to make sub optimal decisions.

This is not going to be an easy year for Doug or Linda. Dave is likely to perform around (or slightly above) historic Baylor levels, but much of the fanbase is already over it. Not an easy situation for the decisionmakers.

I think Aranda is an atrocious game day tactician. I think he's boring, and I think he lacks the vision/energy of a real head coach. He's wired like a coordinator or a position coach. That said, if he wins 7 or 8 and goes to a bowl game, I think we keep him. And maybe should.

Hopefully he wins 4 or 10 so there's not much debate, but neither of those are likely IMO.

---

Your post kind of highlights the premise of this thread. There's really been no point in Baylor football history where a 7-5 or 8-4 season was failure. But should we achieve either of those records this year, it's going to feel that way to a lot of people because of the conclusions they've already drawn about Dave Aranda.

It's a really weird spot to be in because if we go 8-4 or better, I think Dave probably should get another year. Baylor has neither the history nor the resources currently to view that type of season as failure. But there's almost no record we could achieve this year that would make me feel Dave Aranda is the best man for our head coaching job going forward. That could only be done by stacking one successful season after another, something he's never done.

Baylor will likely lose the last 3, so, to go 6-6, Dave must go 4-2 in the next 6 games

bear2be2 said:

---

Robert Wilson said:

---

When you're short on cash, you often have to make sub optimal decisions.

This is not going to be an easy year for Doug or Linda. Dave is likely to perform around (or slightly above) historic Baylor levels, but much of the fanbase is already over it. Not an easy situation for the decisionmakers.

I think Aranda is an atrocious game day tactician. I think he's boring, and I think he lacks the vision/energy of a real head coach. He's wired like a coordinator or a position coach. That said, if he wins 7 or 8 and goes to a bowl game, I think we keep him. And maybe should.

Hopefully he wins 4 or 10 so there's not much debate, but neither of those are likely IMO.

---

Your post kind of highlights the premise of this thread. There's really been no point in Baylor football history where a 7-5 or 8-4 season was failure. But should we achieve either of those records this year, it's going to feel that way to a lot of people because of the conclusions they've already drawn about Dave Aranda.

It's a really weird spot to be in because if we go 8-4 or better, I think Dave probably should get another year. Baylor has neither the history nor the resources currently to view that type of season as failure. But there's almost no record we could achieve this year that would make feel Dave Aranda is the best man for our head coaching job going forward. That could only be done by stacking one successful season after another, something he's never done.

---

Spavital is good. Early returns on Klanderman are good. If Dave somehow wins 8, the only way he stacks two good seasons is if he keeps both coordinators. If we don't have a boatload of money, there's probably a reasonable argument for paying those guys and retaining them, and plodding along with Aranda as long as he can keep his staff.

bear2be2 said:

---

Robert Wilson said:

---

bear2be2 said:

---

Robert Wilson said:

---

When you're short on cash, you often have to make sub optimal decisions.

This is not going to be an easy year for Doug or Linda. Dave is likely to perform around (or slightly above) historic Baylor levels, but much of the fanbase is already over it. Not an easy situation for the decisionmakers.

I think Aranda is an atrocious game day tactician. I think he's boring, and I think he lacks the vision/energy of a real head coach. He's wired like a coordinator or a position coach. That said, if he wins 7 or 8 and goes to a bowl game, I think we keep him. And maybe should.

Hopefully he wins 4 or 10 so there's not much debate, but neither of those are likely IMO.

---

Your post kind of highlights the premise of this thread. There's really been no point in Baylor football history where a 7-5 or 8-4 season was failure. But should we achieve either of those records this year, it's going to feel that way to a lot of people because of the conclusions they've already drawn about Dave Aranda.

It's a really weird spot to be in because if we go 8-4 or better, I think Dave probably should get another year. Baylor has neither the history nor the resources currently to view that type of season as failure. But there's almost no record we could achieve this year that would make feel Dave Aranda is the best man for our head coaching job going forward. That could only be done by stacking one successful season after another, something he's never done.

---

Spavital is good. Early returns on Klanderman are good. If Dave somehow wins 8, the only way he stacks two good seasons is if he keeps both coordinators. If we don't have a boatload of money, there's probably a reasonable argument for paying those guys and retaining them, and plodding along with Aranda as long as he can keep his staff.

---

Honestly, if it really came down to it, the conversation should be had with Dave about restructuring his contract and sacrificing some of his money to keep those coordinators. At the moment, they're bigger assets to Baylor football than he is. And if the alternative is getting fired, he might be willing to negotiate.

---

Agreed. He should be happy to do that, especially given that we are on OC #3 and DC #4 of Dave's tenure ...

Mitch Blood Green said:

---

TinFoilHatPreacherBear said:

---

Mitch Blood Green said:

---

IowaBear said:

---

I don't mean this to sound rude or anything. But what else is there to evaluate at this point? The evaluation should be over. There's 7 years of data to support him simply not being good enough

---

Yeah, but.

He gets this year. Let him have it.

---

Yes, you're right, but he has to be kicked to the curb soon enough with time for us to get a new coach.

---

He's a different problem. He wins 9. Not convinced he's the "right" but he has a winning season.
Then what?

---

Yep, that's a tough one, I'd still let him go, but I don't think that the university would.

Mitch Blood Green said:

---

TinFoilHatPreacherBear said:

---

Mitch Blood Green said:

---

IowaBear said:

---

I don't mean this to sound rude or anything. But what else is there to evaluate at this point? The evaluation should be over. There's 7 years of data to support him simply not being good enough

---

Yeah, but.

He gets this year. Let him have it.

---

Yes, you're right, but he has to be kicked to the curb soon enough with time for us to get a new coach.

---

He's a different problem. He wins 9. Not convinced he's the "right" but he has a winning season.
Then what?

---

That's why I don't pay attention to talk about a certain number of wins.

Mitch Blood Green said:

---

TinFoilHatPreacherBear said:

---

Mitch Blood Green said:

---

IowaBear said:

---

I don't mean this to sound rude or anything. But what else is there to evaluate at this point? The evaluation should be over. There's 7 years of data to support him simply not being good enough

---

Yeah, but.

He gets this year. Let him have it.

---

Yes, you're right, but he has to be kicked to the curb soon enough with time for us to get a new coach.

---

He's a different problem. He wins 9. Not convinced he's the "right" but he has a winning season.
Then what?

---

In my opinion? You still move on. The guy has shown that he cannot sustain success. But frankly, from what I've seen of the team this year, I'd be shocked if we get to nine wins. Crazier things have happened, but I just don't see it

I'll make this simple for everyone.

If we win 8 games (and especially if we look like a competent team for most of the season and don't suffer any downright embarrassing losses), then Aranda is absolutely going to be the coach next year - no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

I could see a scenario where maybe he decides to leave on his own, or maybe a BMD tries to lean on the Admin, but neither is really likely to happen.

So for anyone looking for a change after an 8-4 season, you might want to consider looking elsewhere.

7-5 and 6-6 is a bit trickier, however. Depends on how the team looks and if there are any extenuating circumstances (ie. Injuries to key personnel).

If we finish the regular season 9-3, and have managed to stay in the hunt for the Big XII title down the stretch, then there absolutely will be no changes made. Nor should there be.

I think everyone needs to understand that Baylor is NOT Alabama.

Championship seasons don't just happen every year in our neck of the woods.

We have what, 4 outright titles in over 100 years of playing ball (should really be 5, if we count 2014)?

I think fielding a competitive squad and being in the hunt each season is a reasonable expectation.
And winning 9 each year will likely put you right square in the middle of those championship conversations.

At the end of the day, we'll only go as far as DJ can take us. If he balls out, then 8-9 wins is a very realistic goal. If he struggles, then 6 wins or less becomes more likely, which would probably mean the end of Aranda's time in Waco.

We'll see how it unfolds.

But I think it would be absolutely hilarious if we go on a run and win the Big XII.

After all the belly-aching these last few months, that would be the irony of all ironies.

LTBear19 said:

---

I'll make this simple for everyone.

If we win 8 games (and especially if we look like a competent team for most of the season and don't suffer any downright embarrassing losses), then Aranda is absolutely going to be the coach next year - no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

I could see a scenario where maybe he decides to leave on his own, or maybe a BMD tries to lean on the Admin, but neither is really likely to happen.

So for anyone looking for a change after an 8-4 season, you might want to consider looking elsewhere.

7-5 and 6-6 is a bit trickier, however. Depends on how the team looks and if there are any extenuating circumstances (ie. Injuries to key personnel).

If we finish the regular season 9-3, and have managed to stay in the hunt for the Big XII title down the stretch, then there absolutely will be no changes made. Nor should there be.

I think everyone needs to understand that Baylor is NOT Alabama.

Championship seasons don't just happen every year in our neck of the woods.

We have what, 4 outright titles in over 100 years of playing ball (should really be 5, if we count 2014)?

I think fielding a competitive squad and being in the hunt each season is a reasonable expectation.
And winning 9 each year will likely put you right square in the middle of those championship conversations.

At the end of the day, we'll only go as far as DJ can take us. If he balls out, then 8-9 wins is a very realistic goal. If he struggles, then 6 wins or less becomes more likely, which would probably mean the end of Aranda's time in Waco.

We'll see how it unfolds.

But I think it would be absolutely hilarious if we go on a run and win the Big XII.

After all the belly-aching these last few months, that would be the irony of all ironies.

---

I'm not going to disagree with your point. However Baylor has 7 SWC titles and 3 XII titles if you count 94 and 2014. Frankly 2014 should count as an out right title.

I'm just glad Davey has plenty of horrifically bad teams so he can keep his job

Danielsjackson114 said:

---

I'm just glad Davey has plenty of horrifically bad teams so he can keep his job

---

The Big 12 doesn't actually have many horrifically bad teams. Colorado and Kansas may be. Everyone else is mid or better.

There are a lot of winnable games on every Big 12 schedule. But most of those same games could also be lost without a poor game plan or execution. That's what makes the Big 12 a fun league to follow. Anything can happen on a given Saturday.

Harrison Bergeron said:

---

As an aside, I would move away from these aggressive long-term extensions. No need to give a coach a ridiculous extension after one year of success. At the end of the day, provide a great environment and resources and good coaches will stay. If another, bigger program wants our coach, a $100M buyout likely would be stop the poaching.

---

Excellent post.

Mitch Henessey said:

---

Harrison Bergeron said:

---

First, I love your posts. They're so naively hysterical.

There have been 10,000 Aranda threads. But in my opinion, simply put the foundational problems with Aranda are twofold:

1. He does not ever seem to have a plan: every year there are massive changes outside of him, which indicates he really has no idea what he is doing and just rearranges the deck chairs enough to save his job

2. He's so boring that it is hard to get excited about the Bears - even during the Steele - Morris years, they would get you excited about Baylor football. Dave is just an odd bird, and I think he just does not have the personality to be a leader

I do not think anyone wants Dave to fail; but most are tired of this. Being 5-5 is in some ways the worst place to be: if a team is good, everyone is happy; if bad, easy to make a change ... we've been doing mediocrity for five seasons.

---

There have been 10,000 Dave Aranda Job Security threads, but unfortunately 9,990 of them have been posted by the same handful of posters. And they tend to skew dog-whistle-ey with vague allusions to DEI or some other stupid bull***** So, while there has been a lot of digital ink wasted on the subject, very little of it has actually been of substance. I think this is a worthy discussion topic.

I will add, while we absolutely have a problem with our head coach, we also have a problem with our fanbase. This other is certainly not unique to Baylor, or to this website (visit TexAgs this morning if you want a hearty laugh), but the problem is that the dumbest voices are usually the loudest voices. Screeching about us needing to fire the HC every day doesn't make it more likely to happen. It doesn't make the person doing it appear brave. It really doesn't do anything, other than let the staffer in the athletic department who monitors the message boards know that the general sentiment hasn't changed. I guess there might be some value in that?

---

But, we need to fire the HC

Speak with your pocket and time. Quit buying tickets and attending games. I'll own that I did 4 years ago.

Image on TV, and at games, is about the best way to get action out of Lib Linda and Hamstrung Doug (and the BOR). Change the national media's narrative to the lack of fans and environment in the stadium on game days.......change how Linda and Doug (and the BOR) approach this debacle that's grown over 5 years.

Remember the tarps and all the attention they got? Exactly!

And for the dummies who still post that "support the players" and "fans should do better" crap......well they were all asleep, blind, ignorant, or all three, when NIL/Open Portal eliminated all loyalty these "boys" had to any school. They move where the highest paycheck comes.......for program supporters it should be no different. A return-on-investment type business decision...........

It is pretty clear to me that Aranda is a bad head coach. Should have been fired last year.

That having been said, his contract expires after the 2029 season. The estimated buyout is 15-20 million. Three more mediocre to bad seasons of head coaching.

Are we better off just leaving him in place and dropping that on NIL? Or is the state of the program and head coach such that no amount of NIL will work?

Youre a clown said:

---

Mitch Blood Green said:

---

TinFoilHatPreacherBear said:

---

Mitch Blood Green said:

---

IowaBear said:

---

I don't mean this to sound rude or anything. But what else is there to evaluate at this point? The evaluation should be over. There's 7 years of data to support him simply not being good enough

---

Yeah, but.

He gets this year. Let him have it.

---

Yes, you're right, but he has to be kicked to the curb soon enough with time for us to get a new coach.

---

He's a different problem. He wins 9. Not convinced he's the "right" but he has a winning season.
Then what?

---

In my opinion? You still move on. The guy has shown that he cannot sustain success. But frankly, from what I've seen of the team this year, I'd be shocked if we get to nine wins. Crazier things have happened, but I just don't see it

---

Defense is good enough. Conference? Doesn't appear tough to me.

Realitybites said:

---

It is pretty clear to me that Aranda is a bad head coach. Should have been fired last year.

That having been said, his contract expires after the 2029 season. The estimated buyout is 15-20 million. Three more mediocre to bad seasons of head coaching.

Are we better off just leaving him in place and dropping that on NIL? Or is the state of the program and head coach such that no amount of NIL will work?

---

The BU powers that be decided last year to spend the money on a new DC and players. Are we better off? I can't say but don't be surprised if they decide to spend the available money on players again after the end of this season.


Once Aranda is gone I hope BU thinks hard about a new paradigm where you use incentives in a coaches contract rather than buyouts. When you have buyouts in a contract you wind up paying a coach piles of money who is a poor performer who you eventually fire. When you have incentives you pay a coach for a job well done and don't get boxed in like BU is now. .

Realitybites said:

---

It is pretty clear to me that Aranda is a bad head coach. Should have been fired last year.

That having been said, his contract expires after the 2029 season. The estimated buyout is 15-20 million. Three more mediocre to bad seasons of head coaching.

Are we better off just leaving him in place and dropping that on NIL? Or is the state of the program and head coach such that no amount of NIL will work?

---

I'm for firing but I am not sure we have an AD that has the experience and knowledge to make a proper hire. I think we pay large amounts of money to outside search firms.

Tulane seems to have had great success lately in hiring coaches. Fritz and then Sumrall. Dannen hired Fritz and then moved on to Nebraska as AD. Can't recall the newest AD who hired Sumrall. Neither AD had connections to Tulane.

TinFoilHatPreacherBear said:

---

Mitch Blood Green said:

---

TinFoilHatPreacherBear said:

---

Mitch Blood Green said:

---

IowaBear said:

---

I don't mean this to sound rude or anything. But what else is there to evaluate at this point? The evaluation should be over. There's 7 years of data to support him simply not being good enough

---

Yeah, but.

He gets this year. Let him have it.

---

Yes, you're right, but he has to be kicked to the curb soon enough with time for us to get a new coach.

---

He's a different problem. He wins 9. Not convinced he's the "right" but he has a winning season.
Then what?

---

Yep, that's a tough one, I'd still let him go, but I don't think that the university would.

---

Cats have to remember we've had worse (we've had better) and could get worse.

Just putting it out there. I think people have an idea of what a coach looks like. (And sounds like).

I'm not advocating for keeping or terminating Aranda. I'm remembering that Steele and Morris coached here.

I'd like to see us put a GM in place and recruit our own players. Can't help but wonder if we'd be better with Washington as our 1B back.

Close contest loss…signs of improvement…building on a quality loss?

Who does this sound like?

Lane Kiffin just gave himself and LSU a moral victory for coming back against Ole Miss, yet not winning the game.

We have reached levels of coping in Baton Rouge that I did not realize were possible.

Yikes. Can’t say I’m surprised. https://t.co/xs9AfwdQ3r

— Everything Ole Miss (@EverythingRebs) September 23, 2026

Dia del DougO said:

---

Give Morriss the same quality talent, facilities and financial backing and he would probably have gone down as a pretty solid coach.

---

I don't think I would go that far, but he did a great job of prioritizing the OL, which was a great step in the right direction compared to years prior to his arrival.

GuyMo just couldn't catch a break. If you met him in person - good guy. You could tell he desperately wanted to win at Baylor...

LTBear19 said:

---

I'll make this simple for everyone.

If we win 8 games (and especially if we look like a competent team for most of the season and don't suffer any downright embarrassing losses), then Aranda is absolutely going to be the coach next year - no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

I could see a scenario where maybe he decides to leave on his own, or maybe a BMD tries to lean on the Admin, but neither is really likely to happen.

So for anyone looking for a change after an 8-4 season, you might want to consider looking elsewhere.

7-5 and 6-6 is a bit trickier, however. Depends on how the team looks and if there are any extenuating circumstances (ie. Injuries to key personnel).

If we finish the regular season 9-3, and have managed to stay in the hunt for the Big XII title down the stretch, then there absolutely will be no changes made. Nor should there be.

I think everyone needs to understand that Baylor is NOT Alabama.

Championship seasons don't just happen every year in our neck of the woods.

We have what, 4 outright titles in over 100 years of playing ball (should really be 5, if we count 2014)?

I think fielding a competitive squad and being in the hunt each season is a reasonable expectation.
And winning 9 each year will likely put you right square in the middle of those championship conversations.

At the end of the day, we'll only go as far as DJ can take us. If he balls out, then 8-9 wins is a very realistic goal. If he struggles, then 6 wins or less becomes more likely, which would probably mean the end of Aranda's time in Waco.

We'll see how it unfolds.

But I think it would be absolutely hilarious if we go on a run and win the Big XII.

After all the belly-aching these last few months, that would be the irony of all ironies.

---

...especially if 2027 results are in the 4-6 loss level.

Being consistently competitive isn't asking for more than is capable from this university. This has been proven with Briles and Ruhle.

Dia del DougO said:

---

Give Morriss the same quality talent, facilities and financial backing and he would probably have gone down as a pretty solid coach.

---

Don't forget that he ended up having staff problems which hamstrung his program.

To this day, I cannot picture in any way, shape, or form how/why the committee that interviewed DA thought he was the man for the job. I mean... what did they see that screamed... "hire him now".