Baylor University fired head football coach Dave Aranda on Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, one day after a 25-24 loss at Kansas dropped the Bears to 4-3. Defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman was named interim head coach for the rest of the season, according to The Associated Press and On3. If you are wondering what happened to Dave Aranda, here is what Baylor and multiple outlets have reported about the decision, the search for a replacement and what comes next.
Key facts
- Fired: Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, in his seventh season at Baylor, the AP reported.
- Record: 40-40 at Baylor, including a 2021 Big 12 title and Sugar Bowl win.
- Interim coach: Defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman, who has never been a head coach.
- Buyout: Reportedly about $12 million, according to Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger as cited by On3 and CBS Sports. Baylor, a private school, has not released the figure.
- Permanent hire: Likely not until December, athletic director Doug McNamee said.
What happened to Dave Aranda
Baylor announced Aranda’s dismissal a day after the Bears lost 25-24 to Kansas in Lawrence. The AP reported that the Jayhawks earned their first win over Baylor since 2007, ending a 14-game losing streak in the series, when Blake Herold blocked a Baylor field-goal attempt in the final minute. Baylor’s own postgame notes confirmed the 25-24 score, the end of the 14-game streak and Aranda’s 40-40 record in his seventh year.
The loss was Baylor’s second in a row. The Bears had started the season 4-1 before a 17-6 home loss to TCU, On3 and Fox Sports, which carried an AP report, both noted. CBS Sports wrote that Aranda “had seemingly cooled his seat with a 4-1 start, but those losses ultimately doomed him.”
In a statement, McNamee, Baylor’s vice president and athletic director, said: “Anyone who knows Dave Aranda understands what a genuine and honorable person he is and how much he deeply cares for his players, staff and this university.” He added, “While this is a difficult moment, we believe a change in leadership is necessary at this time for our program.” The statement was quoted by the AP and On3.
Aranda’s tenure at Baylor
Aranda took over the program in 2020. In his second season, 2021, Baylor won a school-record 12 games, the Big 12 championship and the Sugar Bowl, according to the AP. The AP reported that the Bears are 26-31 since that season and had just one winning season after 2021.
Aranda had been under pressure entering his seventh season, the AP reported. Moves intended to turn things around included hiring Klanderman from Kansas State to run the defense and adding transfer quarterback DJ Lagway from Florida. Aranda has not publicly commented on his firing in the coverage reviewed for this article.
Timeline
- 2020: Aranda becomes Baylor’s head coach.
- 2021: Baylor wins a school-record 12 games, the Big 12 and the Sugar Bowl, the AP reported.
- December 2025: Klanderman hired as defensive coordinator, according to the AP.
- Early October 2026: Baylor starts 4-1.
- Oct. 17, 2026 (previous Saturday): Bears lose 17-6 at home to TCU.
- Oct. 24, 2026: Baylor loses 25-24 at Kansas after a blocked field goal.
- Oct. 25, 2026: Aranda fired; Klanderman named interim coach.
- Oct. 26, 2026: Klanderman meets reporters; McNamee publishes an open letter on the search.
Who is Joe Klanderman?
Klanderman, 47, joined Baylor as defensive coordinator after seven seasons on Chris Klieman’s staff at Kansas State, where he was defensive coordinator, according to the AP and On3. Before that he was part of four FCS national championship teams at North Dakota State and coached at Minnesota State, his alma mater, from 2002 to 2013.
Speaking Monday, Klanderman said he wanted to provide a “jolt of energy.” “I think the players need it. I think the staff needs it. I think the fan base needs it, I think the alumni need it,” he said, according to the AP report carried by Fox Sports. Asked whether the rest of the season is an audition, he said he would be interested in the job but added: “Am I going to go out there and campaign and use this platform as a way to get that? Absolutely not.”
Why it matters
Baylor is the third Power Four program to fire its coach this fall, after Maryland and NC State, CBS Sports reported as the coaching carousel began to spin in late October. CBS Sports listed Boise State’s Spencer Danielson and UTSA’s Jeff Traylor among possible candidates.
Former Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III, the school’s only Heisman Trophy winner, said on “The Dan Patrick Show” on Monday that he would be “100 percent” interested in the job and had spoken with McNamee, according to the AP. Griffin, now a Fox Sports analyst, has no coaching experience. Baylor has not commented on any candidates.
What’s next
In an open letter Monday, McNamee said the search had already begun but that the football calendar makes it likely a hire will not be made until December, the AP reported. “We want to bring in someone who will launch a generation of consistent winning,” he wrote.
On the field, Baylor plays at UCF on Friday, Oct. 30, after UCF beat then-No. 2 BYU 39-31 in double overtime. The Bears then face Iowa State before closing against BYU, Texas Tech and Houston, according to the AP. For more developing stories, catch the latest trending news and trends news on our hub.
FAQ
Why was Dave Aranda fired?
Baylor said “a change in leadership is necessary.” The move came after back-to-back losses to TCU and Kansas left the Bears 4-3.
What was Dave Aranda’s record at Baylor?
He went 40-40, according to the AP and Baylor’s postgame notes.
Who is Baylor’s interim coach?
Defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman will coach the rest of the season.
How much is Dave Aranda’s buyout?
Reportedly about $12 million, per Yahoo Sports as cited by On3 and CBS Sports. Baylor has not confirmed it.
When will Baylor hire a new coach?
McNamee said a hire is likely in December.
Updated October 27, 2026