Baylor Fires Dave Aranda; Joe Klanderman Named Interim Head Coach

Baylor has fired head coach Dave Aranda, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, with defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman taking over as interim head coach.

Oct 17, 2026; Waco, Texas, USA; Baylor Bears head coach Dave Aranda on the sidelines during the first half against the TCU Horned Frogs at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The move ends Aranda’s tenure midway through his seventh season, with the Bears sitting at 4-3 overall and 2-2 in the Big 12.

Aranda finishes with a 40-40 overall record and a 26-32 mark in conference play. Baylor’s promising 4-1 start positioned the Bears to contend in the Big 12, but consecutive upset losses to TCU and Kansas quickly derailed those hopes.

Consecutive losses erase Baylor’s early momentum

Saturday’s 25-24 loss at Kansas was Aranda’s final game at Baylor. The Bears entered the fourth quarter leading 21-10 but gave up 15 of the game’s final 18 points, suffering their first loss to the Jayhawks since 2007.

Baylor still had a chance to leave Lawrence with a win, but Kansas blocked Rhett Armstrong’s potential game-winning 45-yard field goal after the Bears lined up with 22 seconds remaining.

Baylor’s defense recorded five sacks and two interceptions, including Devon Jordan’s 42-yard return for a touchdown. But the Bears couldn’t get the stops they needed late, allowing 421 total yards and 209 rushing yards. Kansas became Baylor’s first opponent this season to score more than 20 points.

A week earlier, the Bears failed to reach the end zone in a 17-6 home loss to TCU in the Revivalry, dropping Aranda to 1-6 against the Horned Frogs. Baylor limited TCU to 33 rushing yards, but an offense that produced just 310 total yards couldn’t capitalize on the defensive front’s performance.

Baylor couldn’t build on its 2021 breakthrough

Dec 4, 2021; Arlington, TX, USA; Baylor Bears head coach Dave Aranda takes a photo with his family after the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the Big 12 Conference championship game at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

Aranda’s tenure peaked in 2021, when Baylor went a program-record 12-2, won the Big 12 championship and beat Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl.

The Bears went 24-31 over the next four-plus seasons, never returning to the Big 12 title game. Baylor finished 6-7 in 2022 and 3-9 in 2023, putting Aranda's job security under increased scrutiny just two years after winning the conference championship.

An 8-5 finish in 2024 provided some relief, but Baylor slipped to 5-7 last season. It marked the program's fourth losing season in six years under Aranda, who never managed consecutive winning seasons.

Klanderman takes over with five games remaining and Baylor needing two wins for bowl eligibility. He arrived in December after six seasons as Kansas State’s defensive coordinator, helping the Wildcats win the Big 12 championship in 2022. His defense held each of Baylor's first six opponents to 20 points or fewer this season.

He'll have a short week to prepare for his debut as interim head coach. Baylor visits UCF on Friday at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN.

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