This one might be a stretch to some people. Dave Aranda was first hired by Baylor in 2020 to fill the position that was left by the departure of Matt Rhule. Five seasons in, Aranda's time as head coach of the Bears has been a mixed bag. He first started with the shortened COVID-19 season, which saw BU go 2-7.
The next year is still Aranda's best, a 12-2 mark that culminated with a Big 12 title and a win in the Sugar Bowl against Ole Miss. Since that great year, the Bears have been unable to match that success. The following two seasons saw the Bears regress. First was a 6-7 record in 2022, and then a putrid 3-9 finish to the 2023 campaign.
Now, last year, Baylor had one of the biggest win increases in the country, being victorious in eight contests. After starting 2-4, the Bears had a hot second half of the season, winning six straight to get into the bowl season. The question for Aranda going forward is whether he can sustain the success seen from the previous year. He still has to prove he can do that.
Baylor will be an interesting team to watch in 2025. Needless to say, the program can not have another regression seen in the past. Baylor needs to continue to build on the momentum that was established during the previous year. If the Bears fall to being mediocre again, the school could be looking to go in another direction.
Several fans have been adamant during past times in letting him go. For Aranda, the only way he'll survive the scrutiny and criticism is if he wins and gets Baylor to where they were a few years ago. If they regress again, all the negativity will resurface.