Tag: Dave Aranda

LSU Morning Rush: Texas Tech hires Tigers’ assistant, coaching search narrowed

Texas Tech hires a member of LSU’s recruiting staff, report indicates the coaching search could be winding down.

The top stories for the LSU Tigers on Tuesday. Today’s headlines include the coaching search possibly being narrowed and one Tigers staffer heads out west.

Cody Bellaire leaves Baton Rouge for Lubbock

With any regime change, such as the one that is about to take place with the LSU Tigers, it is common to see assistants and support staff take opportunities elsewhere. They don’t want to wait on the next head coach to bring in new members and hope they land a gig with the new staff.

On Monday it was announced Cody Bellaire was leaving his alma mater and heading to Lubbock, Texas, to join the Texas Tech Red Raiders. He served as the assistant director of player personnel upon his return to the Bayou. He joins the new Red Raiders head coaches staff as the director of scouting.

Current LSU general manager Austin Thomas tweeted his appreciation for Bellaire and congratulated him.

Bellaire started with LSU as a player personnel assistant in 2015. He left for Texas A&M in 2018. After 18 months in College Station, he headed to Baylor. Serving in the same role, he worked with Dave Aranda and Joey McGuire until he returned to the Bayou in March of 2021. After a short stint back home, Bellaire gets a promotion on the Red Raiders support staff.

What about the coaching search?

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LSU Head Coach Profile: Baylor’s Dave Aranda

Profiling the names for the opening at LSU

As the regular season comes to an end on Saturday, it puts the LSU Tigers one step closer to naming the next head football coach. Plenty of names have been speculated about. Texas A&M’s Jimbo Fisher, Oklahoma’s Lincoln Riley, and Michigan State’s Mel Tucker have been the most talked about. Fisher is adamant on staying, Riley feels like a pipedream, and Tucker is about to sign a 10-year extension with the Spartans.

With that said, our focus is going to be on the other names that we have heard. We begin with former LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda. He is one game away from potentially coaching for the Big 12 Championship on Dec. 5, he just needs some help from Oklahoma State. Could he come back to Baton Rouge?

Dave Aranda’s Profile

Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Experience

  • Baylor Head Coach (2020-Current)
  • LSU AHC/DC/LB Coach (2016-19)
  • Wisconsin DC/ILB Coach (2013-15)
  • Utah State DC (2012)
  • Hawaii DC (2010-11)
  • Hawaii LB Coach (2008-09)
  • Southern Utah DC (2008)
  • Delta State Co-DC/LB Coach (2007)
  • Cal Luthern DC/LB Coach (2005-06)
  • Houston LB Coach (2003-04)
  • Texas Tech GA (2000-02)

Head Coach Record

  • 2020: 4-6
  • 2021: 9-2

Aranda is no stranger to the Bayou and it is well documented that his family loved their time in Baton Rouge. If Aranda gets the offer, it might be difficult to turn it down and return to LSU. The wildcard will be that of the USC Trojans. Much like the Bayou, he has ties to Southern California where he grew up and played college ball for heading to Texas as a graduate assistant for the Red Raiders. He played and coached for Cal Luthern before heading to Lubbock and returned to Cal Luthern in 2005.

The LSU defense really hasn’t been the same without him. They struggled this season until they completely changed the way they attack offenses. He would strengthen that unit. Does he want to leave Baylor where he has built that program back up after Matt Rhule left for the NFL? That remains to be seen. He is definitely one of the hottest names to monitor moving forward.

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Latest head coaching search buzz for the LSU Tigers

“Billy Napier is probably your basement”

Another week and another team gets added to the coaching carousel as the Florida Gators have fired Dan Mullen. He had come under fire due to the fact that the team keeps on losing, on top of his comments about not focusing on recruiting until after the season. Top prospects flipping to their biggest rivals in Georgia. The final straw came on Saturday when they lost to Missouri. Rough times down in the Swamp.

It is certainly possible that this job opening could impact the LSU Tigers decision, but Scott Woodward is further down the road than that of Florida. How it might impact LSU remains to be seen. On the subject of the Tigers hunt, ESPN published an insider story on the entire landscape. Our focus in on the Bayou.

“Once Scott finally gives up on Jimbo, he doesn’t have many obvious choices. Do you look at Matt Campbell? Can you hire Lane [Kiffin from Ole Miss]? Billy Napier is probably your basement.” – Per an industry source via ESPN (subscription required)

The ceiling has been reached for the Iowa State Cyclones or so it seems. Could that mean that Matt Campbell might be looking to leave? He would get talent at the level he hasn’t been able to deploy, having to convince players to come to the midwest. Not sure he would be the big fish that many believe that Woodward is coveting.

We have spoken at length about the possibility of Lane Kiffin, my gut says that it will either be Ole Miss, Miami, or Florida that ultimately lands him. Napier doesn’t feel like a big enough name, although I think he would do a fantastic job.

On the topic of Lane Kiffin, Adam Rittenberg of ESPN discussed why he would be intriguing to the Bayou.

Kiffin continues to impress at Ole Miss, which outclassed Fisher’s Texas A&M team in Week 11. Kiffin has delivered the quarterback development, recruiting buzz and on-field development that Ole Miss wanted. The defense is making strides, too. – Rittenberg

Other names to consider would be Dave Aranda, who just keeps winning and is one game away from a conference title appearance. He very well should still be in play.

Power Ranking the LSU Tigers head coach candidates

Let’s power rank the head coach candidates

Plenty of chatter going on with the LSU Tigers and their hunt for the next head coach.

Most are just potential candidates stating they love their current jobs and don’t have interest, but who believes head coaches when it comes to open jobs during the season? What exactly are they supposed to say? There could be truth to their statements for some. At this point, all conversations are being done by agents and not the coaches.

With all that being said, we look to power rank the most talked-about candidates. This isn’t pointing to who we believe will become the next LSU head coach but where they stand in the priority.

Plus predictions for how it all ends for each one of them.

Dave Aranda: LSU vs USC coaching gigs, who would he choose?

Would Dave Aranda take LSU over USC if offered? Matt Zemek of Trojans Wire weighs in.

The hot names at the moment when it comes to the LSU Tigers and USC Trojans head coach search seem to be Dave Aranda and Lincoln Riley. Riley more so for the Bayou Bengals, and even that feels like a smokescreen. However, we will focus on the former defensive coordinator that helped this defense win a national championship in 2019.

With Aranda’s name popping up recently for both the Trojans and Tigers vacancies, the question is who would he likely go with? Matt Zemek, the Trojans Wire editor weighed in on the subject.

“USC fans that worried about James Franklin going to an SEC school were always mindful of the reality that if USC and LSU (hypothetically) got into a bidding war for Franklin, LSU would be able to offer more money. Though Franklin is not believed to be a serious candidate at LSU right now, the same dynamics apply to a Dave Aranda fight between the Trojans and Tigers. If USC and LSU both want Dave Aranda, LSU is more likely to get him. That statement isn’t meant to diminish USC or deliver a backhanded criticism at the Trojans. It’s simply a reality that SEC schools have more leverage and money and are better positioned to offer a king’s ransom to the coaches they want. I don’t know if Dave Aranda is LSU’s No. 1 target, but I do know that if LSU wants him, LSU has a really good chance of landing him at this point.” – Zemek, Trojans Wire

It’s no secret that Aranda’s family enjoyed their time in Baton Rouge. What is that old saying, “if momma isn’t happy nobody is happy?” We know it is more than just the family dynamic but LSU can offer more money than both USC and Baylor.

Aranda has two games left with Baylor with a Big 12 title game appearance up for grabs. If he can turn around that program, there is no question he can make LSU a consistent contender once again.

Bold Predictions: LSU in the postseason, head coach, and quarterback talk

We’re getting bold with these predictions. Bowl games, head coaches, and quarterbacks oh my.

Two games left on the schedule and both come at home. The LSU Tigers need to win out to have a chance at the postseason, but will they get there? The LSU Tigers Wire staff will answer that question momentarily.

There is also the hottest topic around the nation, it seems like everyone wants to know where the Bayou Bengals and athletic director Scott Woodward go with the next head coach. Current head coaches around the nation are having to answer questions that tie them to the purple and gold.

But what about the quarterbacks? We have seen a lot of Max Johnson and a little of Garrett Nussmeier this season. Who gets the nod heading into the 2022 season?

The staff gets bold with these predictions as the offseason approaches.

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247Sports’ Josh Pate: “Hire Dave Aranda and thank me later”

More love for former LSU assistant Dave Aranda.

On 247Sports podcast “The Late Kick” with Josh Pate, he has some advice for any athletic director looking to make a hire as the next head football coach. His guy is Baylor’s Dave Aranda. As Pate says “he is going to win championships somewhere. It will either be for you or at the expense of you.”

As we have said time and time again, Aranda would be a welcomed sight on the sidelines in Baton Rouge. Pate specifically mentioned both USC and LSU. Aranda has ties to both Southern California and the down on the Bayou. He hasn’t coached for USC but he knows the area seeing as how he played college ball there. Of course, he knows the Bayou having been an assistant for the Tigers from 2016-2019 as the associate head coach, defensive coordinator, and linebackers coach.

There are those who talk about it, and there are those who be about it. Pate says that Aranda walks the walk.

You can look at his head coaching record and say well he isn’t established as a head coach. A valid argument, but sometimes you have to roll the dice on a head coaching hire. Remember, fortune favors the bold.

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Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Patrick on Twitter: @PatrickConnCFB

Report Card: Oklahoma Sooners fail to make the grade vs. Baylor Bears

How did the Oklahoma Sooners’ position groups grade out in their 27-14 loss to the Baylor Bears?

Oklahoma’s performance against Baylor wasn’t as pitiful as other earlier games this year. Still, it certainly lacked any level of competitive fire needed for a team who came into the game looking to answer a plethora of questions about how they would fair if tested by a good top 25 ranked football team. The test did not go as planned, and the Sooners took their first loss of the season 27-14 at the hands of the Baylor Bears.

Despite the final score, the game was tied 7-7 at the half. Oklahoma had a chance to win this game, but they never hit another gear. While this wasn’t a complete dismantling, there were a lot of position groups that struggled, which can only be more head-scratching considering the Sooners were coming off their bye week.

Let’s grade each group and break things down.

Oklahoma Sooners ‘in misery’ after Baylor loss

USA TODAY Sports writer Dan Wolken included Oklahoma in his weekly “Misery Index.”

Aggravating. Perplexing. Underwhelming. Any of those adjectives could describe the performance Oklahoma fashioned at Baylor on Saturday in the Sooners’ 27-14 loss.

How about miserable? USA TODAY Sports writer Dan Wolken listed Oklahoma in his weekly “Misery Index.”

It’s easy to understand why. Oklahoma’s College Football Playoff hopes—while not completely dashed—took a serious shot. In the process, the Sooners’ 17-game winning streak was snapped.

Baylor also bookended Oklahoma’s 23 straight November victories. Before Saturday, the Bears were the last team to beat OU in the month of November way back when on Nov. 8, 2014.

That was the day Baylor nickeled and dimed then-defensive coordinator Mike Stoops and Oklahoma all afternoon long en route to a 48-14 blowout win over the Sooners.

This loss to Baylor wasn’t on par with that level of ineptitude, but the Bears absolutely controlled the second half and largely kept the Sooners’ offense in check.

True freshman quarterback Caleb Williams struggled and was intercepted twice, completing just 10-of-19 passes for 146 yards. Meanwhile, Baylor outgained Oklahoma in total offense with 413 yards against the Sooners’ 260.

Baylor senior running back Abram Smith and junior quarterback Gerry Bohanon each rushed for more than 100 yards as the Bears racked up 296 rushing yards.

The game ended with Baylor’s Isaiah Hankins booting through a 32-yard field goal to extend the final margin. In a multiple score game that was already decided, the kick had no impact on the game’s outcome.

Afterwards, Baylor head coach Dave Aranda cited the kick’s importance if the Bears wind up in a tiebreaker scenario for the Big 12 championship game where point differential becomes a factor.

All of this happened after officials cleared the field of Baylor fans that had just stormed it moments before thinking the final seconds had expired off the game clock.

Oklahoma head football coach Lincoln Riley took exception to Baylor and Aranda choosing to kick on the final play.

“I know why Dave tried to kick the field goal. I don’t agree with it. I still think above all else there’s a code of sportsmanship that I believe in. I wouldn’t have done it, but that’s his decision, that’s his football team,” Riley said.

On Riley’s comments, Wolken wrote that “nobody likes the enforcer of unwritten rules or the guy whining about sportsmanship after getting his rear end handed to him.” Wolken also had this to say about the Sooners and Riley’s comments.

Perhaps Riley was so eager to delve into this topic because his offense generated just 260 yards and has not been overwhelmingly good all season regardless of whether it’s Caleb Williams (10-for-19, 146 yards, two interceptions) or Spencer Rattler under center. As it turns out, the struggles against Tulane, Nebraska, West Virginia, Kansas State, Texas and Kansas weren’t a fluke but rather a reflection of real weaknesses that Oklahoma just hasn’t fixed well enough from week to week.

Though you can’t count out Oklahoma’s playoff chances completely, the Sooners on Saturday justified all the skepticism from fans and the committee about whether they truly belong in the Playoff. – Wolken, USA TODAY Sports

Unfortunately for Oklahoma fans, it’s tough to argue against that last statement. The Sooners played the best team they’ve faced all season in Baylor and were soundly beaten.

Oklahoma dropped like a rock in both polls that were released today: OU fell to No. 11 in the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll and to No. 12 in the Associated Press Poll.

The College Football Playoff committee already wasn’t high on the Sooners. OU checked in at No. 8 in the second edition of the CFP rankings. Oklahoma is sure to drop in those rankings as well when the new set is released Tuesday night.

The Sooners return home to play host to Iowa State on Saturday at 11 a.m.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.

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Baylor coach Dave Aranda brilliantly chose to kick the most tactical field goal of the season in win over Oklahoma

Aranda is playing chess while the rest of the Big 12 plays checkers.

With just under a minute and a half to play and a 10-point lead over the previously undefeated and No. 8-ranked Oklahoma Sooners, Baylor coach Dave Aranda sent out the field goal unit on fourth down.

The kick from Isaiah Hankins sailed through the uprights, but a personal foul from Oklahoma gave the Bears an automatic first down. Game over, right?

Not so fast.

It looked like Baylor and Aranda were content to run the clock out, as they took two subsequent kneeldowns. But on third down from the Sooners’ 14 as time expired, the squad elected to send Hankins back out for what appeared to be a meaningless three points in a 27-14 win.

There was a method to the madness, though. Aranda is playing chess while the rest of the Big 12 is playing checkers. After the game, he explained the reasoning behind the decision.

Aranda was referring to one of the tiebreaker scenarios in the Big 12. In the case of a three-way tie for the lead in the conference (which could become reality if Oklahoma State loses again but manages to pull off a rare upset in Bedlam on Thanksgiving weekend), the teams that face off in the Big 12 Championship could come down to point differential in the head-to-head matchups between the three tied teams. The reason Aranda wanted to win by more than 10 is the fact that the Bears lost to the Cowboys by that margin earlier in the season.

The tiebreaker rule is stated as follows:

Baylor sits at 8-2 on the season with a 5-2 record in Big 12 play. It still sits behind both the Sooners and Cowboys in the conference race, as each only has one loss, but Saturday’s upset win keeps the Bears theoretically alive in the race for the conference title.

Plus, it really ticked off Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley.

Well done, Aranda. Well done.

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