Fresh Quotes from Dave Aranda’s Opening Interview at Big 12 Media Days

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In his first interview since announcing Blake Shapen as the starting quarterback on May 23, Baylor’s head football coach, Dave Aranda, spoke with 365 Sports this morning at Big 12 Media Days at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

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Aranda starts the interview by sharing his excitement about the upcoming season and talks about each of the BU players attending Media Days: Blake Shapen, Drake Dabney, Josh Cameron, TJ Franklin and Mike Smith Jr. Aranda then went in-depth to address the failures of last season and improving in 2024.

The full interview with 365 Sports is uploaded here.

Aranda on the official start of the season approaching:

• “I think this time right now is way important team-wise for work ethic and leadership [for the players]. … How are [the players] working with that in mind? How are [the players] working with knowing that football is going to be starting up again? Those things are micro things, but when the season comes, you’re going to attach a win or a loss to those things. It’s being developed now or it ain’t.”

Aranda on the importance of Blake Shapen’s growth as a leader and attending Big 12 Media Days:

• “Blake’s growth has been way-cool to see. I think for all of us, to sit with the disappointments and to sit with the stuff that didn’t go right, the criticism, the failure. I feel like there’s so much learning within that and you have to learn to love that part about you, and I think that’s been a journey for Blake. When he talks to the team, it’s just a different level of person that’s there now. I’m pulling for all the guys on the team, but I’m way-pulling for Blake. It hasn’t been easy, but he’s earned it.”

Aranda on Liberty transfer linebacker Mike Smith Jr.:

• “I think Mike Smith is someone you’re really going to enjoy. There’s a presence about Mike. There’s a physicality that jumps off the screen when you get up close to him. He doesn’t say a lot, but when he talks, people listen. Defensively when there was something that needed to be said or done, Mike was the guy that did it.”

Aranda on addressing last year’s failures:

• “Last year, the failures for me were trying to change people and not really embracing the transfer portal. It’s hard. It’s difficult to say, but maybe there was a hubris with me that [I thought] ‘Maybe I can change somebody’ or ‘Hey, this group is really young, but you can coach them. You can get them there.’ I think you have to look at that and get better from that and see that.”

Aranda on if he feels pressure this year:

• ”I don’t. What I feel is we have guys like Blake [Shapen] for example or Mike Smith. I want people to know Mike [Smith]. I want people to know Monaray Baldwin. I want Monaray to feel like he’s worth it and good enough to get all of the things that are possible for him. I feel pressure for that. To get people to where ‘Hey, all of this. All of these lights. All of these things. They are for you. Now, let’s get you to be your best and get all this crap out of the way so that this can come to you.’ I think there’s a pressure that comes with that. I think if you get into the winning and losing, or the winning rather, it can get in the way of those people.”