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Baylor Football: 3 biggest surprises from Bears’ 2019 season

By Connor Muldowney

Terrel Bernard, Baylor football (Photo by Adrian Garcia/Getty Images)
Terrel Bernard, Baylor football (Photo by Adrian Garcia/Getty Images) /
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JANUARY 01: Head coach Matt Rhule of the Baylor Bears looks on during the Allstate Sugar Bowl against the Georgia Bulldogs at Mercedes Benz Superdome on January 01, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JANUARY 01: Head coach Matt Rhule of the Baylor Bears looks on during the Allstate Sugar Bowl against the Georgia Bulldogs at Mercedes Benz Superdome on January 01, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) /

1. Matt Rhule’s departure

Just like the berth in the Sugar Bowl, this was one of the most shocking developments not only at Baylor this season, but in all of college football. After finishing the season 11-3 with a loss to Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, Matt Rhule decided to give in to the NFL rumors and take the head coaching job with the Carolina Panthers, replacing Ron Rivera.

There had been rumors for three years regarding him and the NFL, but Rhule just seemed ready and was in a better mindset after a successful season. He no longer felt guilty leaving the program he helped build back into a winner.

In three seasons, he went 19-20 with a 1-1 bowl record and bookended his Baylor coaching career with an 11-win season after starting with an 11-loss campaign.

Another shocking move that belongs in this same category would be the Bears’ hiring of Dave Aranda away from LSU. The defensive coordinator was fresh off a national title victory and he had been considered one of the nation’s top assistants, so this hire was a major home run.

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The former defensive coordinator is the perfect coach to keep the momentum going and help maintain a contender in Waco, but the biggest surprise had to be starting the season with Rhule and ending it with the hiring of Aranda.

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