The coaching carousel is already moving fast in late October, and Baylor is suddenly in the middle of it.
Pete Thamel of ESPN reported Sunday morning that the Bears had moved on from Dave Aranda after a 40-40 run across nearly seven seasons in Waco. Baylor had actually opened the year with promise, sitting at 4-1 through five games and suffering its only defeat in that stretch on a failed two-point conversion against Auburn.
But the wheels came off quickly after that. A 17-6 home loss to TCU followed, then a blown fourth-quarter lead at Kansas, and whatever momentum the Bears had built disappeared in a hurry.
Aranda becomes the first Baylor coach fired for poor on-field performance in almost 20 years. Art Briles was dismissed with cause in 2016 during the investigation into how sexual assault allegations were handled. Jim Grobe retired after one year as interim coach in 2017, and Matt Rhule left in 2020 for the Carolina Panthers.
So where does Baylor go from here? A handful of names already stand out.
Kneeling at the top of the list for plenty of programs would be Jeff Traylor, who has given UTSA real stability during his seven seasons there. The Roadrunners are 58-27 under him and are 7-1 after their first eight games this season, putting them in first place in the American Conference.
Traylor also brings something Baylor has always valued: Texas roots. He spent 25 years coaching high school football in the state before moving into college ball, and his first assistant stops were at Texas and SMU.
From there, the Group of Six names get even more interesting, and Barry Odom is one of the hottest. He built Idaho into a 26-13 program across three seasons, with records of seven, nine and 10 wins before leaving for New Mexico.
The Lobos reached nine wins in 2025, their best mark in nearly a decade, and their only loss came in a 14-6 battle at Oklahoma. Add in his energetic sideline presence and lively press conferences, and it’s easy to see why he looks like a Power Four fit waiting to happen.
Charles Huff is another coach with a track record that should draw attention, even if the job history is starting to get crowded. Marshall did not renew his contract after 2024, though that was the same year he won the Sun Belt Championship game.
He then landed at Southern Miss, where the Golden Eagles went 7-5 in 2025 before Memphis came calling to replace Ryan Silverfield. The Tigers are 6-2, with losses at Boise State and Tulane.
Then there’s Lincoln Riley, the name that feels like the ultimate “turn the clock back” option. USC is 6-2 after a rough loss at Wisconsin, and if the Trojans stumble through games against Ohio State, Indiana and UCLA, Riley’s time there could be finished.
For Baylor, the appeal is obvious. The Bears’ best teams over the last 15 years have featured explosive offenses, especially during the Art Briles era, and Riley spent years keeping Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff picture with that kind of attack.
He also has deep ties to Texas, which only adds to the fit.
In Other News...
Baylors Coaching Search Just Got Tied To A Stunning USC Name
Baylors coaching search is already drawing attention beyond Waco, especially with openings piling up around the country and the Bears now part of a wider carousel that also includes NC State. The combination of a disappointing season and a vacant job naturally invites speculation, and one of the biggest names suddenly linked to the discussion is USC coach Lincoln Riley, whose profile makes him impossible to ignore.
Rileys situation at USC has grown more complicated after recent losses, and multiple sources have described his future there as uncertain. A move would not be simple, given the size of his contract, but the mere possibility of Baylor entering the conversation changes the tone of the search and gives this opening a far bigger spotlight than many expected. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor WBB Showed One Encouraging Sign Fans Will Notice Fast
Baylors exhibition win over West Texas A&M offered the kind of early October look that can make a fan base feel a little better about what comes next. The Bears rolled to a 96-56 victory at the Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion, and the most eye-catching part was how often they turned defense into offense. Baylor forced 30 turnovers and turned those mistakes into 37 points, a sharp sign that the pressure and pace were already creating problems for an opponent.
The depth was encouraging, too, with six Baylor players finishing in double figures in a game that never felt especially close. Exhibition results do come with the usual caveats, but this was still the sort of performance that can travel into the regular season if the Bears can keep the same energy and ball pressure. Their official opener arrives Nov. 2 against FDU, giving them a little time to build on a start that clearly showed a few things clicking early. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor's Next Coaching Hire Carries A Standard Fans Can't Ignore
Baylors football program is back in the market for a new leader after athletic director Doug McNamee announced the dismissal of Dave Aranda following the loss to Kansas. Aranda leaves Waco with an even 40-40 record, a mark that captures both the promise and the frustration of a tenure that never fully settled into the kind of week-to-week consistency the program wanted.
Defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman has been elevated to interim head coach for the rest of the season, while McNamee begins the search for a permanent replacement. The standard is clear: Baylor wants a coach who can turn the program into a steadier winner, and the next hire will be judged against that expectation from the start. [Read more 🡒]