Overview
- Baylor announced Sunday that it fired Dave Aranda during his seventh season and promoted defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman to serve as interim head coach for the remainder of 2026.
- Aranda leaves with a 40–40 record at Baylor highlighted by the 12–2 Big 12 title and Sugar Bowl win in 2021, but multiple losing seasons since then preceded his dismissal.
- Reporting says Aranda’s 2022 extension likely triggers a buyout in the neighborhood of $10–12 million, creating an immediate financial burden for Baylor athletics.
- The Bears now must quickly prepare for a short-week road game at UCF on Friday and preserve bowl eligibility across five remaining regular-season games.
- Baylor has opened an accelerated coaching search with a mix of in-state and national names reported as targets, and public figures including alumnus Robert Griffin III have expressed interest in the job.