USC athletic director Mike Bohn pursued Aranda to be the Trojans’ defensive coordinator after 2019 and nearly had him signed before Baylor swooped in. That makes Aranda an appealing candidate in Baton Rouge, too, but there’s reason to believe USC could get him to Los Angeles. Aranda’s unit at LSU was a vital part of the 2019 national championship run, and, with Ed Orgeron now on his way out, it’s hard not to shift even more credit Aranda’s way. It should take more than one good season to become USC’s head coach, but Aranda’s impressive track record as a defensive coordinator at Wisconsin and Louisiana State deserves weight too. 9 rushing attack in the country at 238 yards per game. Baylor already boasts wins over top-25 teams Iowa State and Brigham Young, is allowing fewer than 200 yards passing per game and has the No. 16 entering a three-game stretch when the Bears host Texas and No. This may not be a projected winner that excites the average USC fan, and, if you’re disappointed Aranda is here instead of James Franklin, Luke Fickell or Matt Campbell, treat this as just that - a projection.Ĭoming off a rough 2-7 first season under Aranda that was played in a pandemic, Baylor is 6-1 and ranked No. MOVING UP: Dave Aranda, Baylor head coach: There’s been a shakeup at the top since our previous list from early October when Aranda made his first appearance. Baylor coach Dave Aranda walks the sideline during a game against Kansas on Sept.
