Dave Aranda‘s next gig might just be around the corner following his firing at Baylor.
Lane Kiffin and LSU are reportedly interested in adding the former Bears head coach in an “analyst-type role,” according to CBS Sports college football insider Shehan Jeyarajah. Aranda previously helped Ed Orgeron chase a national championship in 2019 as the Tigers’ defensive coordinator before leaving for Baylor.
Baylor parted ways with Aranda following a 25-24 loss at Kansas in October. Aranda finished his Big 12 tenure 40-40 (.500) overall, including a Big 12 title and a trip to the Sugar Bowl in 2021.
Current LSU defensive coordinator Blake Barker has led an aggressive turnaround for LSU’s defense, which ranks fourth nationally (258.1 yards per game) and first in the SEC. Tiger defensive ends Princewill Umanmielen and Jordan Ross are leading one of the best sack units in the country, finding opposing quarterbacks 4.25 times per game.
The fit makes sense for a lot of reasons. Chief among them, it gives Aranda a shot at redemption in familiar territory with a familiar football program.
Aranda lacked consistency through his time at Baylor, which posted losing records in four of his six complete seasons in Waco (Baylor dropped to 4-3 after losing to the Jayhawks). The Bears snapped back with a big 41-9 win at UCF under interim coach Joe Klanderman, leading Baylor to a fifth win against a UCF squad that was just one week removed from a double-time win over then No. 2 BYU.
The College Football Playoff rankings featured LSU at No. 14, just behind Tennessee at No. 13 and ahead of Texas Tech, seated at No. 15. On Saturday, No. 14 LSU hosts No. 5 Alabama in search of a major break in the home stretch of Kiffin’s first season in Baton Rouge.
