Baylor Fires Dave Aranda as Search for New Head Coach Begins

Baylor University severed ties with head coach Dave Aranda on Sunday, October 25, making the Bears the third Power 4 program to initiate a coaching change during the 2026 college football season. The decision ends an eight-year era for Aranda, who arrived in Waco before the 2020 campaign after serving as a defensive coordinator at Wisconsin and LSU.

Aranda’s tenure began with immediate success. In 2021, he guided the Bears to a 12-2 record, a victory in the Sugar Bowl, and a top-five finish in the Associated Press Poll. However, the program failed to maintain that level of performance. For the remainder of his time at Baylor, the team finished below a .500 winning percentage in both overall play and Big 12 Conference games.

The Bears have already moved forward with an interim arrangement. Jon Klanderman took over as interim head coach for Week 9 and led the team to a 41-9 victory over the UCF Knights. This win provided a brief moment of stability before the formal search for a permanent successor commenced.

Insider Tim Watkins, who leads the staff at Bears Illustrated, a 247Sports affiliate covering the program, has identified UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor as a primary target for the position. Traylor is 58-27 overall since taking the UTSA helm in 2020. His conference record stands at 37-12, spanning his time in Conference USA and the American Athletic Conference.

The Roadrunners started the current season with a 5-1 record, a performance that has elevated Traylor’s status among hiring committees. Watkins noted that Traylor possesses what hiring committees often seek in terms of regional connections. He stated that Traylor has won games with different starting quarterbacks, relying on Frank Harris for an initial period of success before building another team capable of contending for a conference title in a different era.

Watkins also pointed out that Traylor has a track record of developing staff members. He observed that Traylor has hired multiple offensive and defensive coordinators who performed well enough to be recruited away from him by other programs. This pattern suggests a depth of talent within his current coaching tree.

Bears Illustrated has also listed other potential candidates, including a sitting head coach with multiple College Football Playoff appearances. The outlet, which is currently promoting a 50% discount on annual VIP memberships for new subscribers, suggests that Baylor may make a major move to secure a high-profile hire. The search remains active as the Bears look to replace Aranda before the 2027 season.