Dave Aranda and DJ Lagway are heading into 2026 with the kind of pressure that turns a season into a referendum.
For Aranda, the numbers tell the story. Baylor went 12-2 and won the Big 12 Championship in 2021, and at that point the program looked like it had found its footing under a first-time head coach.
But the momentum didn’t last. Since then, the Bears have managed just one winning season and have gone 22-28 overall, a stretch that has pushed Aranda squarely onto the hot seat entering 2026.
The source of that pressure isn’t hard to spot either: Baylor’s defense has been the problem, which is a brutal look for a coach known for that side of the ball.
The Bears finished last in the Big 12 in points allowed per game in 2023 and second-to-last in 2025. That stings even more because Baylor has had offenses capable of making noise during Aranda’s tenure, only to see those efforts wasted by what happened on the other side of the ball. This offseason, Aranda took a step back from his defensive duties and brought in Joe Klanderman from Kansas State to run the defense as coordinator and play-caller.
Lagway arrives with his own reset in mind. The Florida transfer comes to Baylor after a college career that started with plenty of hype and an early burst of success when he was pushed into the starting role as a true freshman after Graham Mertz was injured.
Last season went sideways, though. Injuries were part of it, and on the field he struggled badly, throwing 14 interceptions, second-most in FBS.
The fallout included Billy Napier’s firing and Lagway entering the transfer portal.
Now he’s back home in Texas and expected to try to get his game right in Jake Spavital’s spread Air Raid offense. Baylor will ask him to throw plenty, but the Bears should also have chances to use his size and athleticism in the run game and let his dual-threat ability show through. That’s the hope, anyway, for a quarterback who came into college with five-star expectations.
The Big 12 has a couple of teams at the top in Texas Tech and BYU, but there’s also a crowded group of challengers sitting close behind them. Baylor fits into that mix as a team that could shake things up if everything clicks.
That’s what makes this pairing so compelling. Aranda and Lagway are both trying to find themselves again, and both may be working with their futures hanging in the balance. Baylor’s season should reveal plenty, and it won’t take long to get a first read: the Bears open against Auburn in a major measuring-stick game.
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Baylor Just Unveiled A Throwback Look Fans Will Debate
Baylor is bringing a throwback look to its Big 12 opener against Colorado on Sept. 26, and the reveal has already given fans something to talk about. The Bears announced a green jersey with large gold numbers and bear paw shoulder patches, along with white pants finished with a three-stripe pattern, a nod that leans hard into the programs old-school identity.
The reaction on social media has mostly trended positive, which is no small thing anytime a school digs into its uniform history and comes out with a fresh take. Still, there were some mixed opinions on the design choices, and thats part of the fun with a uniform unveiling like this, especially when it comes before a conference game that already figures to carry plenty of attention. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Just Made Dave Aranda's 2026 Season Feel Even Bigger
Dave Aranda is heading into a season that already carries outsized importance in Waco, and Baylor athletic director Doug McNamee made clear the standard will be about more than a number in the standings. McNamee said the focus is on restoring momentum and building stronger support around the football program, a sign that the Bears want to see a clearer sense of direction as Aranda enters his seventh season.
Arandas Baylor record sits at 36-37, but McNamee framed the bigger issue as whether the program can generate the kind of commitment and energy that keeps it moving forward. The 2026 season will be McNamees first full evaluation of Arandas tenure, which makes the next stretch feel especially consequential for a coach who has spent much of his time in Waco trying to steady the program and push it back into a more compelling place. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Still Has One Urgent Roster Question Before Kickoff
Baylors roster still has one unfinished piece as kickoff draws closer, and it sits right where many programs would least want uncertainty to linger: along the offensive line. The Bears are reportedly exploring ways to add depth up front, with offensive lineman Weylin Lapuaho among the names in the transfer portal as the staff looks for help before the season begins.
The bigger backdrop is the unusual eligibility landscape created by a 2022 NCAA ruling that granted an extra year, which has led some players who signed NFL contracts to explore legal avenues to regain college eligibility. Baylor has not confirmed any move or signing, but the situation gives the Bears a live roster question at a position where stability matters most. [Read more 🡒]