Baylorwent in the opposite direction on Friday, Nov. 21, as president Linda Livingstone announced the school's decision to retain head coachDave Aranda, despite the Bears' 5-5 record heading into the final two weeks of the season.
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Livingstone shared the news in a letter withBaylor, citing instability at the school and in college sports in general, one day afterathletic director Mack Rhoades resignedfor personal reasons.
"After careful evaluation and consideration, we have decided to retain Coach Aranda as the leader of our football program," Livingston's letter read. "We recognize this decision will garner strong opinions. Let me be clear:Baylorexpects excellence, accountability and competitiveness at the highest level. We are not complacent and we are not settling for mediocrity."
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The Bears close out the season with games against Arizona andNo. 24 Houston,needing one more win to become bowl eligible.
Aranda has enjoyed many highs and lows during his six seasons with Baylor, posting a 36-35 record. The Bears went 2-7 in his first season in 2020, but rebounded with a 12-2 2021 season, which included a Sugar Bowl win.
7 years: Tyson Helton has been head coach at Western Kentucky since 2019 with a 55-34 record (.618) and six bowl appearances.
(Helen Comer/The Daily News Journal)
7 years: Chris Klieman has been head coach at Kansas State since 2019 with a 52-33 record (.612) and five bowl appearances.
(Patrick Mulligan, Getty Images)
7 years: Mike Locksley has been head coach at Maryland since 2019 with a 36-40 record (.474), not including his 1-5 stint as interim coach in 2015. He's lead the Terrapins to three bowl games.
(Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images)
8 years: Ryan Day has been head coach at Ohio State since 2018 with a 78-10 record (.886), six postseason berths, including the 2024 national championship.
(Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch)
9 years: Justin Wilcox has been head coach at Cal since 2017 with a 47-54 record (.465) and four bowl appearances.
(D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images)
9 years: P.J. Fleck has been head coach at Minnesota since 2017 with a 64-42 record (.604) and a 6-0 record in bowl games with the Gophers.
(Matt Krohn-Imagn Images)
10 years: Kelani Sitake has been head coach at BYU since 2016 with an 80-43 record (.650) and seven bowl appearances.
(Christian Petersen, Getty Images)
10 years: Kirby Smart has been head coach at Georgia since 2016 with a 112-20 record (.848), 10 postseason appearances and back-to-back national championships (2021-22).
(Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union)
10 years: Matt Campbell has been head coach at Iowa State since 2016 with a 69-55 record (.556) and seven bowl appearances.
(David Purdy, Getty Images)
10 years: Jason Candle has been head coach at Toledo since 2016 (he coached the 2015 Boca Raton Bowl) with a 77-44 record (.636) and seven bowl appearances (excluding the 2015 game as interim).
(Jordan Prather, Jordan Prather-Imagn Images)
11 years: Pat Narduzzi has been head coach at Pitt since 2015 with a 79-58 record and seven bowl appearances.
(James Gilbert, Getty Images)
12 years: Jeff Monken has been head coach at Army since 2014 with an 86-61 record (.585) with six bowl appearances.
(Danny Wild-Imagn Images)
12 years: Chris Creighton has been head coach at Eastern Michigan since 2014 with a 59-82 record (.418) and six bowl appearances.
(Jordan Prather-Imagn Images)
12 years: Chuck Martin has been head coach at Miami (Ohio) since 2014 with a 70-71 record (.496) and six bowl appearances.
(Chris Coduto, Getty Images)
13 years: Dave Doeren has been NC State head coach since 2013 with a 115-73 record (.612) and nine bowl appearances.
(Michael Caterina-Imagn Images)
13 years: Mark Stoops has been head coach at Kentucky since 2013 with an 80-78 record (.506) and eight bowl appearances.
(Jordan Prather-Imagn Images)
18 years: Dabo Swinney has been Clemson head coach since 2008 with a 183-52 record (.779), 17 postseason appearances, including 2016 and 2018 national championships.
(Ken Ruinard / Greenville News)
19 years: Troy Calhoun has been Air Force head coach since 2007 with a 137-95 record (.591) with 13 bowl appearances.
(Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images)
22 years: Kyle Whittingham has been Utah's head coach since 2004 and has a 174-88 record (.664) with 17 bowl appearances.
(Ben Queen-Imagn Images)
27 years: Kirk Ferentz has been Iowa's head coach since 1999 with a 210-126 record (.625) and 22 bowl appearances.
(Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen)
1/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
7 years: Tyson Helton has been head coach at Western Kentucky since 2019 with a 55-34 record (.618) and six bowl appearances.
(Helen Comer/The Daily News Journal)
1/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
7 years: Tyson Helton has been head coach at Western Kentucky since 2019 with a 55-34 record (.618) and six bowl appearances.
(Helen Comer/The Daily News Journal)
2/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
7 years: Chris Klieman has been head coach at Kansas State since 2019 with a 52-33 record (.612) and five bowl appearances.
(Patrick Mulligan, Getty Images)
3/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
7 years: Mike Locksley has been head coach at Maryland since 2019 with a 36-40 record (.474), not including his 1-5 stint as interim coach in 2015. He's lead the Terrapins to three bowl games.
(Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images)
4/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
8 years: Ryan Day has been head coach at Ohio State since 2018 with a 78-10 record (.886), six postseason berths, including the 2024 national championship.
(Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch)
5/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
9 years: Justin Wilcox has been head coach at Cal since 2017 with a 47-54 record (.465) and four bowl appearances.
(D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images)
6/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
9 years: P.J. Fleck has been head coach at Minnesota since 2017 with a 64-42 record (.604) and a 6-0 record in bowl games with the Gophers.
(Matt Krohn-Imagn Images)
7/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
10 years: Kelani Sitake has been head coach at BYU since 2016 with an 80-43 record (.650) and seven bowl appearances.
(Christian Petersen, Getty Images)
8/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
10 years: Kirby Smart has been head coach at Georgia since 2016 with a 112-20 record (.848), 10 postseason appearances and back-to-back national championships (2021-22).
(Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union)
9/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
10 years: Matt Campbell has been head coach at Iowa State since 2016 with a 69-55 record (.556) and seven bowl appearances.
(David Purdy, Getty Images)
10/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
10 years: Jason Candle has been head coach at Toledo since 2016 (he coached the 2015 Boca Raton Bowl) with a 77-44 record (.636) and seven bowl appearances (excluding the 2015 game as interim).
(Jordan Prather, Jordan Prather-Imagn Images)
11/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
11 years: Pat Narduzzi has been head coach at Pitt since 2015 with a 79-58 record and seven bowl appearances.
(James Gilbert, Getty Images)
12/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
12 years: Jeff Monken has been head coach at Army since 2014 with an 86-61 record (.585) with six bowl appearances.
(Danny Wild-Imagn Images)
13/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
12 years: Chris Creighton has been head coach at Eastern Michigan since 2014 with a 59-82 record (.418) and six bowl appearances.
(Jordan Prather-Imagn Images)
14/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
12 years: Chuck Martin has been head coach at Miami (Ohio) since 2014 with a 70-71 record (.496) and six bowl appearances.
(Chris Coduto, Getty Images)
15/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
13 years: Dave Doeren has been NC State head coach since 2013 with a 115-73 record (.612) and nine bowl appearances.
(Michael Caterina-Imagn Images)
16/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
13 years: Mark Stoops has been head coach at Kentucky since 2013 with an 80-78 record (.506) and eight bowl appearances.
(Jordan Prather-Imagn Images)
17/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
18 years: Dabo Swinney has been Clemson head coach since 2008 with a 183-52 record (.779), 17 postseason appearances, including 2016 and 2018 national championships.
(Ken Ruinard / Greenville News)
18/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
19 years: Troy Calhoun has been Air Force head coach since 2007 with a 137-95 record (.591) with 13 bowl appearances.
(Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images)
19/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
22 years: Kyle Whittingham has been Utah's head coach since 2004 and has a 174-88 record (.664) with 17 bowl appearances.
(Ben Queen-Imagn Images)
20/20
Who are the longest-tenured college football coaches? Take a look at the top 20
27 years: Kirk Ferentz has been Iowa's head coach since 1999 with a 210-126 record (.625) and 22 bowl appearances.
(Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen)
However, Baylor went 6-7 in 2022, 3-9 in 2023 and started 2-4 last season before rebounding to finish 8-5. Despite having the leading passer in the nation in quarterbackSawyer Robertson, who has passed for 3,210 yards and 29 touchdowns along with nine interceptions, Baylor has been inconsistent this season due to its defense – Aranda's specialty.
Livingston cited "stability during a transition," "student-athlete experience" and "financial stewardship" as the main reasons for retaining Aranda. The 2025 season has seen at least 11 FBS coaches fired so far, including major openings atLSU,Florida,Penn Stateand Auburn.
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"In an era of extreme volatility in college athletics with NIL, the transfer portal, revenue-sharing, and much more, this approach allows us to invest wisely in the program's future rather than incur significant buyout costs during an unprecedented turnover of coaches across the country," Livingston said.
