When asked about his future at Baylor, Head Coach Dave Aranda offered a non‑answer wrapped in cliché: “Yeah, our focus is just trying to win this next one, you know? And after we win, this next one is a really good team. And then after this next one, trying to win the one after that, and just try to build and show improvement and some excitement on winning, and get it and have it be consistent. And so, really, your focus is only that. I think whether it’s the noise or it’s the distraction or it’s whatever it is, right? We have to keep that on the outside and be focused on improving. Fair amount of improving needs to be done.”
Here’s the bottom line: For a program that soared to a 12‑2 record and a Big 12 title under Aranda in 2021, this kind of response feels hollow. The Bears are now 35‑34 in his six seasons and trending toward yet another mediocre year. In the brutally competitive Big 12 landscape, where patience wears thin and booster patience thinner, the posture of “let’s just win the next one” won’t cut it.
It’s not just what he said but what he didn’t say that matters. Aranda sidestepped questions about his job security, his long‑term vision, or even an acknowledgement of the mounting pressure. In front of reporters and a restive fan base, he chose the safe path: focus on one game at a time, minimal drama, deliver when you can. That might work in a rebuild, but Baylor isn’t rebuilding; they’re stagnating.
Make no mistake: Dave Aranda is still respected in coaching circles. He delivered Baylor its first Big 12 title and has built competitive resumes. But this moment demands more than respect. It demands narrative, renewal, and results. His words on Thursday felt like he was treading water instead of sprinting toward new ground.
In college football, and especially in the Big 12, time is always the enemy if you’re not visibly trending upward. Aranda’s answer shows he knows what’s at stake. But whether it translates into action and a return to prominence remains the real question.
