Dave Aranda on coaching hot seat going into 7th season at Baylor with new QB and new DC

Baylor

2025 Record: 5-7

Expectations

Baylor coach Dave Aranda likely can’t survive another losing season. If not for the unexpected resignation of the school’s athletic director late last season, Aranda might not have been back with the Bears for this one.

They are going into Aranda’s seventh season with a new quarterback (Florida transfer and Texas native DJ Lagway), a lot of new receivers and a new defensive coordinator (Joe Klanderman from Kansas State).

Aranda has a 36-37 record after going 5-7 last season, when the Bears lost five of their last six games and finished with a three-game losing streak. The last two losses came after AD Mack Rhoades resigned for personal reasons and school president Linda Livingstone said Aranda would stay for 2026.

Baylor is 22-28 since a school-record 12 wins with a Big 12 title and Sugar Bowl win over Ole Miss in 2021, Aranda’s second season. The only winning record since was 8-5 in 2024, when the Bears won their last six regular-season games amid questions even then about the coach’s future.

Aranda was coming off an undefeated national championship season as LSU’s defensive coordinator when he got the Baylor job. The Bears last season allowed 32.6 points a game, while they scored 31.1 and had a Power Four high 24 turnovers. Aranda is giving defensive play-calling duties to Klanderman.

Strengths include a deep running back room

Even after leading rusher Bryson Washington transferred to Auburn, which is Baylor’s season-opening opponent in Atlanta on Sept. 5, the Bears have a deep and talented group of running backs.

Caden Knighten ran for 469 yards last season and his 11 catches for 134 yards lead all returning players. Dawson Pendergrass is back after missing all last season with a foot injury. As a true freshman in 2023, Pendergrass ran for 338 yards with five TDs, and in a two-man rotation with 1,000-yard rusher Washington in 2024 had 671 yards with six TDs. Michael Turner as a true freshman last year ran for 320 yards in eight games.

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Weaknesses include lack of experience at receiver

The Bears’ up-tempo spread offense lost more than graduated quarterback Sawyer Robertson after his 61 touchdown passes in 30 games and consecutive 3,000-yard seasons. The top five receivers from last year are also gone.

There are six new receivers on the roster, including transfers Dre’lon Miller (from Colorado) and Gavin Freeman (from Oklahoma State). Jadon Porter’s nine catches for 85 yards last season were the most for the returners.

Lagway started 19 of his 24 games at Florida the past two seasons, throwing for 4,179 yards, 28 TDs and 23 interceptions before transferring to his father’s alma mater.

New faces

Lagway (transfer from Florida), Miller (transfer from Colorado), DE/LB Ryan Davis (transfer from Kansas State), OL Logan Moore (transfer from UAB), DL Hosea Wheeler (transfer from Indiana).

Key losses

WR Josh Cameron, QB Sawyer Robertson, LB Keaton Thomas (transferred to Ole Miss), Washington (transferred to Auburn), PK Connor Hawkins (transferred to Ohio State).

Biggest games for the Bears

vs. Auburn in Atlanta (Sept. 5), vs. TCU (Oct. 17), vs. No. 12 Texas Tech (Nov. 21).

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