Auburn Hiring Ron Roberts is a Nod to Dave Aranda's Renowned Status
One man's fired defensive coordinator is another man's hired defensive coordinator. Hugh Freeze and Auburn have hired Ron Roberts, once canned by Dave Aranda and Baylor, as defensive coordinator.
You've heard the old adage that the SEC is so much bigger than the Big 12. The Big 12 doesn't play defense. The SEC is the epitome of football. It seemingly never ends. And, look, maybe that's true to a vast extent.
But what about when a team with two national championship appearances in the last decade hires Baylor's fired defensive coordinator onto its staff? Aranda didn't consider Roberts worthy enough to remain on the Bears' retinue, but Toomer's Corner welcomed Roberts home.
What's more, wait until you hear about Auburn's new offensive coordinator. That's right, Baylor-east has struck again by hiring Art Briles' former offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery.
This all comes after Phil Steele, former Baylor head coach, enjoyed a successful tenure as the Tigers' defensive coordinator.
So, what is there to make of this? Well, it's certainly indicative of the successful coaches that have stepped through Waco in the last 10 years. Roberts captained a ship that dominated the Big 12 defensively in 2021, but the iceberg of 2022 wasn't so kind.
When Aranda has the liberty to set his standard higher than that of the Auburn Tigers, you're staring at a coach and program with the commitment to a standard.
To be fair, Roberts' hiring at Auburn isn't inherently bad. This doesn't mean he'll be inadequate or the Tigers' will stink defensively, but, at the very least, the optics are quite positive for Baylor:
Auburn wanted a coach on staff that Baylor felt it was better without.
