Dave Aranda’s Recruiting Message Gets Lost in Odd Wolf of Wall Street Reference

The message, at its core, seemed to be about team culture and how new players are welcomed, or not, into a program. Aranda was emphasizing the concept of earning trust and being accepted by a group. But the example he chose left just about everyone blinking twice.

It was one of those moments that made reporters and fans alike do a double-take. In 2025, a high-level college football coach earnestly cited a Hollywood scene as a blueprint for player development strategy. Social media reactions ranged from confused to bemused, with plenty of “Did he really just say that?” replies.

The term Aranda used is one that most people have moved away from in public conversation, which added another layer of strangeness to an already odd comparison. It didn’t feel malicious, just off-key and unexpected in a room where coaches are typically locked into development plans, culture buzzwords, and game prep.

Coaches often get creative with metaphors. But this one? This was different. Call it a miss, call it weird, or just call it classic offseason coach-speak. Either way, it’s not likely to show up in many recruiting handbooks anytime soon.