The Baylor Bears took a big blow when former head coach Matt Rhule moved on to the NFL for the Carolina Panthers coaching gig, but they went to the College Football Playoffs National Champions to find his replacement. The program announced on Thursday that LSU Tigers defensive coordinator Dave Aranda will become the next head coach of the Bears. Baylor athletic director Mack Rhoades showed plenty of excitement over the move, and called Aranda a "great mission fit" for the program.
The 43-year-old reportedly beat out the likes of Justin Fuente from Virginia Tech and Billy Napier from Louisiana for the job, both of which interviewed for it. Their interim coach, Joey McGuire, was also considered to take over, but he is instead expected to remain as their associate head coach and defensive ends coach. Aranda does have big shoes to fill in Rhule, who spent three seasons with the Bears and helped their rebuild speed up to an 11-win season, and appearances in the Big 12 Title Game and the Sugar Bowl this past season.
The now former LSU defensive coordinator spent four seasons with the school, ending with Monday night's win over the Clemson Tigers for the National Championship. Before taking this new gig, he was the highest-paid assistant in the country, making $2.5 million per season. He is now the second party to leave the Tigers' coaching staff this off-season, as passing game coordinator Joe Brady also left to join Rhule as his offensive coordinator in the NFL. This will be Aranda's first head coaching gig, and he will have the tough task of not allowing Baylor to fall back to the bottom of the conference, despite losing some big names this off-season.
The 43-year-old reportedly beat out the likes of Justin Fuente from Virginia Tech and Billy Napier from Louisiana for the job, both of which interviewed for it. Their interim coach, Joey McGuire, was also considered to take over, but he is instead expected to remain as their associate head coach and defensive ends coach. Aranda does have big shoes to fill in Rhule, who spent three seasons with the Bears and helped their rebuild speed up to an 11-win season, and appearances in the Big 12 Title Game and the Sugar Bowl this past season.
The now former LSU defensive coordinator spent four seasons with the school, ending with Monday night's win over the Clemson Tigers for the National Championship. Before taking this new gig, he was the highest-paid assistant in the country, making $2.5 million per season. He is now the second party to leave the Tigers' coaching staff this off-season, as passing game coordinator Joe Brady also left to join Rhule as his offensive coordinator in the NFL. This will be Aranda's first head coaching gig, and he will have the tough task of not allowing Baylor to fall back to the bottom of the conference, despite losing some big names this off-season.
