Aranda’s Call Sheet: Improving Upon Season Opener and Finding Balance as Play-Caller

On Monday, head coach Dave Aranda held his weekly press conference before the Bears (1-0) travel to take on No. 12 Utah (1-0) in a non-conference showdown. He talked at length about what his team needs to improve upon, finding balance as the defensive play-caller and what to expect from the Utes.

We’re Just Getting Started

With Aranda firmly entrenched on the hot seat entering his fifth year at the helm, his increased intensity and no-nonsense attitude have been apparent in press conferences this fall. When asked what Saturday’s 45-3 thrashing of Tarleton did for team morale, Aranda immediately focused on the task at hand.

“[The win] lets you go to sleep and rest a little bit for that night, but you're right back to it,” he said. “It doesn't really feel like a win. It feels more like we're just getting started. There's more to do, and [beating Tarleton] seems so long ago now.”

Speaking of just getting started, one of the critical components for Baylor’s success this year is Toledo transfer quarterback Dequan Finn (6Sr.), who played in his first game in the Green and Gold over the weekend. Finn totaled three touchdowns with 192 yards through the air but also tossed two interceptions.

“The positives that [Dequan] had were his leadership and his attitude; I thought those were strong points,” Aranda said when reflecting on Finn’s performance against the Texans. “I thought his ability to throw when there was pressure in his face was good, but I think we have to improve when he’s got a bunch of time to throw.”

“The best thing about it all is that he’s way determined and focused, and Jake [Spavital] and all of them are excited about taking the next step with him because we can see what it can be and what the possibilities are.”

Elsewhere on offense, Aranda noted that the Bears started “really strong” and played with an “energy and a chip on their shoulder.” Once Baylor jumped out to a quick 28-0 lead over Tarleton, however, the offense had its lulls early in the third quarter before locking back in to finish the contest on a strong note.

“Having been on teams that have been great, regardless of the score, regardless of the quarter, regardless of the situation, you have to go through someone's face,” Aranda said. “We're not at that point yet, and we have to get there pretty quickly.”

On the defensive side of the ball, Aranda was pleased by the play of veteran linebacker Matt Jones (6Sr.) and defensive linemen Treven Ma’ae (RSr.), Jackie Marshall (RJr.), Garmon Randolph (6Sr.) and Steve Linton (6Sr.).

“I’m proud of those guys for doing it in the first game and doing all of it,” Aranda said. “Now, to take the show on the road and do it under bright lights and to do it when no one thinks you can – that's the next step.”

Finding Balance

To be retained after last fall’s disastrous 3-9 season, Aranda told athletic director Mack Rhoades that he’d take over the defensive play-calling this fall in an attempt to regain an edge on Baylor’s defense that’s been missing in recent years. 

So far, so good, as the Bears held Tarleton to three points and 181 yards of offense in the season opener. The workload, however, has been a significant increase for the fifth-year head coach, and he’s still trying to find the balance and learn how to juggle everything the best he can.

“I don't want to make it anything more than what it is, but it's your time constraints and how a lot of times you want the job to be done before you move to the next [thing to do],” he said. “The way it is right now, if all of this was a phone, I'd have a bunch of unread messages, and you have to feel okay about that, and I'm used to reading them all.”

When asked how it felt to handle double duties as head coach and defensive play-caller after the season opener, Aranda used one of his patented analogies.

“You’re a fighter pilot, and you get this great fighter jet, and it’s mach, all of this stuff, and has all of these weapons,” he said. “You get to fly the thing, but there are people out there trying to kill you. You get to fly it, but you don’t want to die, and that’s how I feel about calling plays all of the time.”

When given a chance to review his performance in Saturday’s opener, Aranda talked strictly about knocking off the rust and what he can improve upon. After all, it’s his first time calling plays since he was the defensive coordinator on the 2019 National Champion LSU Tigers.

“I feel like I can do better. In the past, if something didn't go right, I would think about it a lot, probably feeling sorry for myself but also trying to find solutions,” he said. “In the role I'm in now, I don't have any time for that. You have to have an on-and-off switch between this hat and the other hat, and so I have to do a better job of that.”

Preparing For No. 12 Utah

With eyes now set on a massive road test at No. 12 Utah this Saturday, Aranda noted that the Utes' success on offense starts with seventh-year senior quarterback Cam Rising.

“He’s way smart,” Aranda said. “He’s the captain of that ship and gets them into the right spots. He’s still a factor with his running ability. His arm strength and touch are really strong, too.”

Baylor’s trip to Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City will be its biggest non-conference road test since playing at BYU in 2022. Aranda and the coaching staff are prioritizing preparing for the hostile environment they’ll face this weekend.

“I have a lot of respect for [Utah] and their team’s physicality,” Aranda said. “Their home environment is a tough place to play – it's going to be loud. We've had some tough game twos in tough places to play, and this will be one of them.”

For the Bears to even have a chance at beating the heavily favored Utes, Aranda’s team will have to show up and play with the same edge and intensity that was on display for most of week one against Tarleton.

“We’ve got something to prove,” Aranda said. “We’ve got a bunch of guys that want to win and want to achieve, and we know that the team we're playing is that team. We have to show up with our best, and we know all of the stuff that comes with that. I think everyone's got their eyes set on the ability to be on that stage and do our best.”