Baylor Fires Dave Aranda After Seven Seasons as Bears Coach

Baylor has fired head football coach Dave Aranda following consecutive losses, ending his seven-season tenure in Waco as the program looks for a new direction.

The decision came Sunday, one day after the Bears fell to Kansas. The defeat gave the Jayhawks their first Big 12 victory of the season and snapped a 14-game losing streak against Baylor dating back to 2007.

Defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman will take over as interim head coach. Klanderman is in his first season at Baylor after arriving from Kansas State.

Aranda Leaves Baylor With a 40-40 Record

Aranda finished his Baylor tenure with a .500 record, going 40-40 across seven seasons. He joined the Bears after serving as LSU's defensive coordinator during the Tigers' 2019 national championship campaign.

His early years at Baylor produced mixed results. The Bears went 2-7 in his first season in 2020 before making a dramatic turnaround the following year.

Baylor finished 2021 with a 12-2 record, captured the Big 12 championship and defeated Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl. That campaign became the defining achievement of Aranda's time with the program.

However, sustaining that success proved difficult. Baylor recorded only one additional winning season under Aranda, finishing 8-5 in 2024 before dropping to 5-7 in 2025.

Athletic director Doug McNamee acknowledged Aranda's contributions while explaining the decision to make a change.

"Anyone who knows Dave Aranda understands what a genuine and honorable person he is and how much he deeply cares for his players, staff and this University," McNamee said in a statement.

McNamee praised Aranda's coaching ability and leadership, but said Baylor believed a change was necessary for the football program.

Recruiting and Staff Changes During Aranda's Tenure

Although Aranda maintained support from parts of the Baylor administration, adapting to the changing landscape of college football recruiting presented challenges.

The growing influence of name, image and likeness compensation — commonly known as NIL — reshaped how programs compete for recruits and retain players. At Big 12 media days in 2024, Aranda offered a blunt explanation when asked about Baylor's recruiting momentum: "We're paying players."

Aranda also made several changes to his coaching staff during his tenure, dismissing two offensive coordinators and two defensive coordinators as he tried to improve the team's performance.

Despite concerns about the program's direction, Baylor initially decided to retain him after the disappointing 2025 season.

Baylor Administration Previously Backed Aranda

Aranda's future was uncertain last year after the Bears finished 5-7. However, athletic director Mack Rhoades resigned on November 20 for personal reasons, and Baylor president Linda Livingstone announced the following day that Aranda would return.

Livingstone cited financial stewardship amid the instability affecting college athletics.

In comments to ESPN last year, Livingstone described Aranda as someone willing to learn, listen and consider different approaches. She expressed confidence that a new athletic director working alongside him could help the program improve.

That backing ultimately did not prevent his dismissal after Baylor's latest slide.

Early Promise Fades as Baylor Loses Momentum

The Bears' 2026 campaign began with a narrow 17-16 defeat to Auburn in Atlanta. Baylor had an opportunity to win with a late two-point conversion attempt but came up short.

The team responded with four consecutive victories, including Big 12 wins against Colorado and Arizona State. Those results appeared to give the Bears a chance to build momentum.

However, a 17-6 home loss to TCU raised fresh concerns. Saturday's defeat against Kansas then proved decisive, prompting McNamee to end Aranda's tenure.

Baylor's record stands at 4-3 overall and 2-2 in Big 12 play.

Difficult Schedule Awaits Baylor

The coaching change comes with a challenging stretch still ahead. Baylor's final three weeks of the regular season include a road matchup against BYU, a home game against Texas Tech and a trip to Houston.

Klanderman will now be tasked with guiding the team through that difficult schedule while the university considers its long-term leadership options.

For Baylor, the immediate priority is stabilizing the program and finishing the season competitively. The larger question is who will lead the Bears into their next chapter after Aranda's departure.