Baylor trailed Kansas 25-24 with seconds left, a 45-yard field goal to win it, and a 14-game winning streak over the Jayhawks on the line. The kick was blocked. The loss dropped the Bears to 4-3, their second straight defeat after falling 17-6 to TCU the previous week. It also marked the end of Dave Aranda’s seven-year tenure in Waco.

Baylor fired Aranda on Sunday, October 25, a day after the Kansas loss. Athletic director Doug McNamee, who took over in December 2025, made his first major coaching change. Four days later, Aranda broke his silence on X, acknowledging Baylor’s disappointing results without criticizing the university’s decision.

“The game changed tremendously during my time at Baylor – some of which we were prepared for and others requiring growth on all fronts. At the end of the day, our results on the field didn’t meet expectations and I understand that part of the business. I trust you all know it was not for lack of passion or effort. Through it all, we changed lives and furthered men – doing it the Baylor way. No apologies, no regrets, simply gratitude,” Dave Aranda wrote on X.

He also included a personal note to the community that welcomed his family.

“Thank you for the opportunity to lead Baylor Football for the last seven years – it’s been a tremendous honor,” he wrote. “Dione and I remain very grateful for the many meaningful relationships forged in Waco. You embraced our family and provided a supportive community to raise our kids.”

He addressed his players, writing, “I’m so appreciative of every player who touched our program, you guys mean the world to me and I’m proud of the many accomplishments we achieved together.” He also thanked his coaching staff and their families before signing off with “God Bless.”

ESPN previously described Aranda as introspective, introverted, and cerebral, calling him an “accidental head coach.”

Aranda arrived in 2020 after serving as LSU’s defensive coordinator during its 2019 national championship season. His first head coaching job began with a 2-7 record in the pandemic-shortened season before Baylor went 12-2 in 2021, won the Big 12 championship, and defeated Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl.

The Bears finished No. 5 in the final AP poll, while Aranda earned Big 12 Coach of the Year honors. It was Baylor’s first Sugar Bowl victory since 1957, powered by a defense that allowed just 18.3 points per game and an offense that averaged 219.3 rushing yards.

But the championship became the exception rather than the standard. Baylor went 6-7 in 2022, 3-9 in 2023, 8-5 in 2024, and 5-7 in 2025. Aranda finished 40-40 overall and 26-32 in Big 12 play, with four losing seasons and no consecutive winning campaigns.

Aranda wasn’t the first Big 12 championship-winning coach whose earlier success couldn’t save his job. Gary Patterson, who guided TCU to a share of the 2014 conference title, parted ways with the Horned Frogs in October 2021. Despite his 181-79 career record, Patterson had gone just 21-22 since 2018, including 13-19 in conference play. His departure followed a 31-12 loss to Kansas State that dropped TCU to 3-5.

Oklahoma State also parted ways with Mike Gundy in September 2025 after nearly two decades as head coach. Gundy had delivered the Cowboys’ 2011 Big 12 championship and eight 10-win seasons, but athletic director Chad Weiberg cited college football’s changing financial demands and the investment necessary to remain competitive.

Baylor’s decision also came at a substantial cost. Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger reported that the university is expected to owe Aranda approximately $12 million. ESPN noted that he might have been dismissed earlier had former athletic director Mack Rhoades not stepped down in November 2025.

In its dismissal statement, Baylor called Aranda “a gifted coach and a brilliant football mind” but said a leadership change was necessary.

Aranda was slow to embrace the transfer portal, adding just 10 scholarship transfers during his first three seasons, according to CBS Sports. He later acknowledged difficulty bringing in replacements for players he had developed.

That approach left Baylor facing a difficult rebuilding task after its 2021 championship. Six players were selected in the 2022 NFL Draft, including defensive standouts Jalen Pitre, JT Woods, and Terrel Bernard, alongside Tyquan Thornton, Trestan Ebner, and Kalon Barnes.

Running back Abram Smith also departed after setting a school record with 1,621 rushing yards. Baylor entered 2022 without its top three rushers and two leading receivers, Thornton and R.J. Sneed, who had combined for 1,521 receiving yards.

The departures hit Baylor particularly hard on defense. Pitre, the 2021 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, had helped anchor the championship unit. By 2023, the Bears were allowing 33.3 points per game.

Aranda replaced defensive coordinator Ron Roberts with Matt Powledge after 2022, then assumed play-calling duties himself following the 2023 season. The defense improved in 2024 before slipping the following year again.

In 2025, Baylor invested heavily in offensive skill positions and developed one of the nation’s most productive passing attacks. But the defense allowed 32.6 points per game as the Bears finished 5-7. At Big 12 Media Days in July, Aranda acknowledged prioritizing skill positions over strengthening the offensive and defensive lines.

Aranda made another major defensive change in 2026, hiring Joe Klanderman from Kansas State. Baylor responded by holding its first six opponents to 20 points or fewer for the first time since 1966.

While the defense improved, Baylor’s offense struggled to run the ball behind quarterback DJ Lagway. Consecutive losses to TCU and Kansas ultimately ended Aranda’s tenure.

Where Does Baylor Go From Here?

Defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman has taken over as interim head coach and will lead Baylor against UCF on Friday, October 30. He inherits a 4-3 team whose defense has improved considerably, but whose offense managed just six points against TCU.

The remaining five games could give Klanderman a chance to make his case for the permanent job. As Baylor on SI noted, opinions are divided over whether the university should hire an offensive-minded coach or another defensive specialist. Athletic director Doug McNamee has already begun the search for Aranda’s replacement.

Aranda, meanwhile, has not announced his next move, although his reputation as a defensive strategist could open another coaching opportunity.

Four days after his firing, Aranda chose not to defend his record or challenge the decision. Instead, he left Baylor with a six-word message: “No apologies, no regrets, simply gratitude.”