Baylor Hiring LSU’s Dave Aranda as Matt Rhule’s Successor

Riding the high of a national championship, LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda has chosen to accept his first head coaching job and is set to become the new head coach at Baylor, according to multiple media reports.

Baylor lost coach Matt Rhule to the NFL when he signed a lucrative 7-year deal to become the next head coach of the Carolina Panthers.

Aranda was the highest-paid coordinator in all of college football having coached at LSU since 2016, where he served as associate head coach, defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. He made $2.5 million last year.

Aranda is one of the smartest minds in football. I always learn a lot about the game whenever we talk. Fascinated to see how he transitions to the head coaching role. He inherits a very good team at #Baylor https://t.co/gip0WL1L3n

— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) January 16, 2020

What does it mean for Baylor? For the Big 12? For Oklahoma State?

It’s unclear. Aranda has zero head coaching experience. Still, he has tons of coaching experience — and especially on defense. Here’s a look at where the LSU defense has ranked since he took over in points per drive.

2019: No. 21
2018: No. 26
2017: No. 34
2016: No. 6

Not elite — except for that 2016 season — but really good nonetheless (OSU ranked inside the top-50 in this category zero times during this same span).

Another big thing about this hire is that Baylor, which already has the benefit of an “in” in Texas — especially if assistant coach Joey McGuire stays on staff — now has an obvious “in” in arguably one of the most talent-rich states in America: Louisiana.

Aranda doesn’t have deep ties to Louisiana in the same way McGuire does to Texas, but winning a natty with LSU as the DC can certainly get you in some doors. It’s another young up-and-coming coach who prides himself on winning big in recruiting that OSU (and the rest of the Big 12) must now compete with.