Baylor makes decision on coach Dave Aranda

Another Power 4 head coach job has opened up after the Baylor Bears made their move with Dave Aranda on Sunday.

Aranda has been fired after more than six seasons in charge of Baylor, the school announced Sunday. Defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman will serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the season.

“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,” Baylor athletic director Doug McNamee said in a statement. “He is a gifted coach and a brilliant football mind whose leadership brought some of our best Baylor football memories. While this is a difficult moment, we believe a change in leadership is necessary at this time for our program.”

The Bears made the move to fire Aranda one day after their loss to Kansas, which dropped them to 4-3 on the season. He was in danger of losing his job last offseason, and things did not improve enough through the first seven games of 2026.

Aranda was hired by Baylor fresh off leading LSU to a national title as their defensive coordinator. He went 12-2 in his second season with the school, but has never come close to those heights again, and has just one winning season since. Overall, he went 40-40 in six-plus seasons as head coach.