That biography on Traylor is a good read

Bearsalways said:

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Need someone with Texas HS ties, Christian, culture builder, and a proven HC. Also, someone who won't be looking for the next best thing.

There's one man that fits this mold better than anyone else.

Baylor don't mess this up.

#TraylorToBaylor

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Love the tag line. Traylor may not only fit all those check boxes better ... he might be the "only "one. We're not some huge, loaded brand name school. Need to maybe compromise on some check boxes ... oh boy, I done it now :-)

McCavebear said:

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Bearfan1998 said:

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Lincoln Riley

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He may be available soon. Scathing article about him in SI after trojans got clobbered by Wisconsin.

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Why do people think failures elsewhere will be successful here?

canoso said:

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Bearsalways said:

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Need someone with Texas HS ties, Christian, culture builder, and a proven HC. Also, someone who won't be looking for the next best thing.

There's one man that fits this mold better than anyone else.

Baylor don't mess this up.

#TraylorToBaylor

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Another plus for Traylor IMO is his age. We worry about some younger ladder climber who'd leave quickly (a la Rhule) instead of building a strong program. I think Traylor would be happy/satisfied at Baylor the rest of his career given a successful tenure.

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Not being argumentative, based on what? If he came, developed, and had real success at a "Baylor" other institutions may be calling offering better… well, everything, that Baylor can't or won't. Competitive HC's believe in themselves and Baylor truly has a ceiling. There are no longer any Teaff's to go around.

Failures? If that's failing sign me up.

Let's not forget when he ran the big12 for a fkn decade

Sheesh

Traylor's buyout is $5-million ($4-million after Jan. 1). In today's world, that's a bargain.

Check out Joel Gordon - offensive coordinator Auburn

Could he have family connections to Doyle Traylor? Doyle was a highly recruited QB in the 1950's who was to be a superstar but injuries ruined his football career here

No connection

Jeff Traylor Coached GJ Kinne at Gilmer. Far fetched but Jeff as HC and GJ at OC isn't out of the picture.

For what it's worth, College Football Sunday on Sirius radio says Baylor is the best job currently open.

Definitely not the guy from Liberty…

We need a serious "coach"

Recruiting doesn't matter like it used to

We need x's and o's, motivation and a cut throat approach to winning (within the rules)

Bearsalways said:

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Also, if he did get hired away from us, that means we've won something and winning something seems like quite the improvement from what I've seen the last few weeks.

#TraylorToBaylor

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Yep... I think it's a waste of time to worry about trying to find someone who will "stay." Our program will never be the biggest fish in the FBS pond.... so we will likely always be a launching pad if we end up getting a coach that really has a lot of success.

Hell... even blue blood Oklahoma had their coach snatched by USC.

We've been lucky that CSD has turned down offers from bigger programs to stay with us. That is pretty damn rare.

Just need someone donors will put $30M+ behind for players.

Brent Vigen, Head Coach, Montana State
Overall 68-13
Tournaments12-3 (NCAA D-I playoffs)
NCAA Division I FCS Championship (2025)
3 Big Sky (2022, 2024, 2025)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/college-sports/12-candidates-for-baylor-football-coaching-search-after-dave-aranda-firing/ar-AA2g2vx6?ocid=socialshare&uxmode=ruby

SI: 12 candidates for Baylor football coaching search after Dave Aranda firing

Jake Dickert, Wake Forest
Dickert will be on the list of just about every Power 4 opening after winning in places off the beaten path. He's positioned the Demon Deacons into playoff contention out of the ACC and would have access to more resources at Baylor than he would at Wake Forest. With Wisconsin looking unlikely to come open, this could be a great long-term fit between one of the best young coaches in the game and a school looking to elevate itself.

Lincoln Riley, USC
It's pretty clear Riley's time in Los Angeles is over and the fit just hasn't worked out well with the Trojans. Could this be the kind of soft landing spot that allows him to skip town and save face? It would be a return to his Texas roots and his offense will give Bears fans something to enjoy after so many years of difficult to watch football. It's clear Lincoln Riley won't be in Los Angeles long term, so a move to Baylor or another program seems to be in the cards.

Jeff Traylor, UTSA
If you had to take some wagers on who lands the Baylor job, Traylor may actually be the odds-on favorite. He's been terrific down the road in San Antonio and has connections all over the state as a former high school coach who was a consistent winner. He'll fit right in with the Bears and give them a bit of an edge they've been lacking in a job he'll surely covet.

Jason Eck, New Mexico
Eck is going to get a call from every school this cycle after winning at New Mexico and getting the Lobos firmly into the Group of 6 discussion. He's got a much more outgoing personality than Aranda and the creativity he brings on the offensive end will be well received at Baylor.

Dan Mullen, UNLV
If you want a 180 from the guy you're replacing, that's Mullen. He's loud and talkative, a bit brash and loves to dial up big plays offensively. He'll need to be paired with a strong front office setup but this is the kind of needle-moving job he would jump all over.

Lance Taylor, Western Michigan
Though the Alabama native hasn't coached in the state of Texas, he's proven to be adaptable and capable of winning anywhere he's at. The Baylor administration would be thrilled to get someone of his character and his energy would be infectious in terms of helping turn the program around.

G.J. Kinne, Texas State
Another Group of 6 coach with deep ties to the state, Kinne will at the very least garner an interview with Baylor. He's an offensive mind who can be a little brash, but that seems just what the Bears should be looking for to provide a shot of adrenaline for the program.

Spencer Danielson, Boise State
Few coaches wear their faith on their sleeve like Danielson and that is an important thing at Baylor. Of course, he also wins a ton of games and seems ready to make the move up to the Power 4 level as well and quality recruiting ties to the state of Texas over the years will certainly help his case, too. Boise State coach Spencer Danielson is ready to move up to the Power 4 ranks.

Todd Whitten, Tarleton State
If the program is opting for an experienced hand in the state, Whitten would qualify after guiding the Texans to the top of the polls in the FCS. He's coached all over and won at multiple levels so he will definitely be on Baylor's radar even if he's not right at the top of the list.

Shannon Dawson, Miami offensive coordinator
The Louisiana native will be selective in terms of the number of jobs he goes after, but Baylor makes lots of mutual sense. He's developed one of the best offenses in the country the last few years and knows how to recruit and nurture a good quarterback, which will go a long way if he's in the mix for Baylor.

Blake Baker, LSU defensive coordinator
Baker stuck around for another year in Baton Rouge but was very nearly a head coach last cycle. This would be just the type of Power 4 opening that could get him to leave. There might be some hesitation in hiring another LSU defensive coordinator if you're Baylor, but Baker's ready for a top job.

Josh McCown, Vikings QB coach
The East Texas native has connections all over the state and has made a name for himself as a coach the last few years in the NFL that he's gotten a few interviews to become a head coach. His personality and offensive background line up with what Baylor will be looking for to replace Aranda and he'll be on the radar if he wants to leave the pros for a quality job in the college ranks.

Bearsalways said:

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Jeff Traylor Coached GJ Kinne at Gilmer. Far fetched but Jeff as HC and GJ at OC isn't out of the picture.

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There is 0 percent the head coach of a G6 team leaves to be OC at Baylor. 0 percent chance.

Let the coordinators experiment HC somewhere else. We need Winning Head Coaches who can bring hard as nails coordinators with him.

Sick of the experiments, already!

This would be under the circumstance GJ is fired.

BU82EX said:

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Here's a crazy name: Matt Rhule. Would you want him back now that the NFL itch is gone? I'm not saying he would leave Nebraska, but I've heard rumblings that he has a soft spot for Baylor. Curious as to the backlash this candidate would create among Baylor faithful. Regardless, he did rescued the program once before.

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Heck no!!! No Rhule. No Retreads!

JudgeBear1845 said:

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https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/college-sports/12-candidates-for-baylor-football-coaching-search-after-dave-aranda-firing/ar-AA2g2vx6?ocid=socialshare&uxmode=ruby

SI: 12 candidates for Baylor football coaching search after Dave Aranda firing

Jake Dickert, Wake Forest
Dickert will be on the list of just about every Power 4 opening after winning in places off the beaten path. He's positioned the Demon Deacons into playoff contention out of the ACC and would have access to more resources at Baylor than he would at Wake Forest. With Wisconsin looking unlikely to come open, this could be a great long-term fit between one of the best young coaches in the game and a school looking to elevate itself.

Lincoln Riley, USC
It's pretty clear Riley's time in Los Angeles is over and the fit just hasn't worked out well with the Trojans. Could this be the kind of soft landing spot that allows him to skip town and save face? It would be a return to his Texas roots and his offense will give Bears fans something to enjoy after so many years of difficult to watch football. It's clear Lincoln Riley won't be in Los Angeles long term, so a move to Baylor or another program seems to be in the cards.

Jeff Traylor, UTSA
If you had to take some wagers on who lands the Baylor job, Traylor may actually be the odds-on favorite. He's been terrific down the road in San Antonio and has connections all over the state as a former high school coach who was a consistent winner. He'll fit right in with the Bears and give them a bit of an edge they've been lacking in a job he'll surely covet.

Jason Eck, New Mexico
Eck is going to get a call from every school this cycle after winning at New Mexico and getting the Lobos firmly into the Group of 6 discussion. He's got a much more outgoing personality than Aranda and the creativity he brings on the offensive end will be well received at Baylor.

Dan Mullen, UNLV
If you want a 180 from the guy you're replacing, that's Mullen. He's loud and talkative, a bit brash and loves to dial up big plays offensively. He'll need to be paired with a strong front office setup but this is the kind of needle-moving job he would jump all over.

Lance Taylor, Western Michigan
Though the Alabama native hasn't coached in the state of Texas, he's proven to be adaptable and capable of winning anywhere he's at. The Baylor administration would be thrilled to get someone of his character and his energy would be infectious in terms of helping turn the program around.

G.J. Kinne, Texas State
Another Group of 6 coach with deep ties to the state, Kinne will at the very least garner an interview with Baylor. He's an offensive mind who can be a little brash, but that seems just what the Bears should be looking for to provide a shot of adrenaline for the program.

Spencer Danielson, Boise State
Few coaches wear their faith on their sleeve like Danielson and that is an important thing at Baylor. Of course, he also wins a ton of games and seems ready to make the move up to the Power 4 level as well and quality recruiting ties to the state of Texas over the years will certainly help his case, too. Boise State coach Spencer Danielson is ready to move up to the Power 4 ranks.

Todd Whitten, Tarleton State
If the program is opting for an experienced hand in the state, Whitten would qualify after guiding the Texans to the top of the polls in the FCS. He's coached all over and won at multiple levels so he will definitely be on Baylor's radar even if he's not right at the top of the list.

Shannon Dawson, Miami offensive coordinator
The Louisiana native will be selective in terms of the number of jobs he goes after, but Baylor makes lots of mutual sense. He's developed one of the best offenses in the country the last few years and knows how to recruit and nurture a good quarterback, which will go a long way if he's in the mix for Baylor.

Blake Baker, LSU defensive coordinator
Baker stuck around for another year in Baton Rouge but was very nearly a head coach last cycle. This would be just the type of Power 4 opening that could get him to leave. There might be some hesitation in hiring another LSU defensive coordinator if you're Baylor, but Baker's ready for a top job.

Josh McCown, Vikings QB coach
The East Texas native has connections all over the state and has made a name for himself as a coach the last few years in the NFL that he's gotten a few interviews to become a head coach. His personality and offensive background line up with what Baylor will be looking for to replace Aranda and he'll be on the radar if he wants to leave the pros for a quality job in the college ranks.

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It's not rocket science.
A younger O minded current HC coach who's an established winner from a G6 who's won a championship.

Timbear said:

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BU82EX said:

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Here's a crazy name: Matt Rhule. Would you want him back now that the NFL itch is gone? I'm not saying he would leave Nebraska, but I've heard rumblings that he has a soft spot for Baylor. Curious as to the backlash this candidate would create among Baylor faithful. Regardless, he did rescued the program once before.

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Heck no!!! No Rhule. No Retreads!

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I am one who appreciates what Rhule did for us. To me that was a very high stakes time for our program and the wrong person really could've ended up tanking our program for a very long time. I respect what he did to make us a valid program once again in a short amount of time.

But... I don't like the way he left without talking to the players. Also...he's got that crazy long streak with no Top 25 wins. I mean...to have a streak that long can't just be a coincidence...right? I think it's around 21 straight losses.

robal said:

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Brent Vigen, Head Coach, Montana State
Overall 68-13
Tournaments12-3 (NCAA D-I playoffs)
NCAA Division I FCS Championship (2025)
3 Big Sky (2022, 2024, 2025)

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Not that anyone at Baylor has asked me, but 'm all in on Vigen.

Thanks for the article judgebear.

We all have different criteria, but scanning that article tells me that Bryan Fischer (The author of it) isn't really delving much into the candidates.

Most notable is Mullen. He is a non starter at this school due to his past, which tells me Bryan hasn't done much research, if any.

I personally don't want to see a coordinator get our job. We need someone with proven HC success.

Newberry at Navy will get a phone call and perhaps a cup of coffee to talk about the job. I doubt he gets it, but he will be on the list.

Have you had a chance to add Eck to your OP? I haven't looked.

Please no to Todd Whitten...i grew up next door to him and he was 3-4 years and used to bully us younger kids.

I still have flashbacks when i see him on TV..

Traylor in the early lead with his Texas roots and another winning record on the books already with a 7-1 record .

I haven't. Been busy with kids scout camping trip this weekend.

I have to double check, but I think there was Eck and another HC I was going to add. I'll get that sorted by Wed.

The good news is that we have lots of good options. No reason not to get a proven winner.

Aliceinbubbleland said:

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I was thinking perhaps the search firm contacted say a P4 HC and said if Baylor called would you be interested?

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Maybe. Depends on who else was calling and what my current situation was like. Taylor at UTSA? Yes. Beamer at South Carolina? Yes. Danielson at Boise? Maybe. Eck at New Mexico or Fritz at Houston or Lashlee at SMU, no.

The way the administration scapegoated the most successful HC in history would have to be in the back of anyone's mind.

The job is less attractive than it was a decade ago. 2030 is right around the corner and given Baylor's performance over the past decade another 4 years of mediocrity puts its future as a P4 program in question. There really is no margin for error when it comes to this hire.

Unproven coordinators are not an option.

Please no retreads like Riley, Rhule, Dabo, etc who come from a failed job. Rhule failed at Panthers and Nebraska. Riley failed at USC and only scored 7 against Wisconsin.
Who have SEC and Big 10 schools hired.? GROUP of 6 HC's.
Florida, Auburn, UCLA

Please no Coordinators.
Please no D minded coaches.
Boise State is ranked, Baylor's a step up. Make the call.