Baylor Football is stuck in limbo and fans are running out of patience
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It was reported Sunday that Dave Aranda will have his regular press conference Monday, of course insinuating that he will continue to be the head coach this week, leading into the game at Arizona on Saturday. Pressure on the administration is mounting as fans feel anxious about the state of the program, no athletic director, disdain for a middling coach, and a roster that turns over a lot going into the 2026 season.
Baylor coach Dave Aranda will have his normal Monday press conference tomorrow, the school just announced. No change there today.
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) November 16, 2025
RELATED: Everything Baylor coach Dave Aranda said ahead of Arizona
The fan base wants change. Many of Dave Aranda's defenders had their spirit broken this weekend with yet another big game, blow-out loss. A site that is now the norm for Baylor fans. There is no more defending these performances, especially defensively. Going back to 2022, Baylor has significantly underperformed in big games.
They have let down great home atmospheres, leaving the fan base tired and dejected. A coach that cannot defend his home field is not a coach that Baylor fans can get behind. Baylor fans used to fill McLane even in down years. In Matt Rhule's first season as head coach in 2017, Baylor football went 1-11. Even then, attendance never wavered, averaging 43,380 per game, 96.1% capacity.
Baylor is now at 6-13 against Power Four schools in McLane Stadium since 2022, with a 1-10 record in what I would classify as “big games.”
— Grayson Grundhoefer (@GrayGrundhoefer) November 16, 2025
The Bears have been outscored by an average of 14.2 points in those 11 games.
This frustration stems to the non-belief in Dave Aranda and his ability to call defense. The so-called defensive genius that helped LSU to a national championship in 2019 and smothered Baylor's opponents in 2021 has been absent in the past few seasons. In 2025, teams have scored at will against Baylor, both at home and on the road.
This season, the big plays have occurred at the worst moments. An example from this past weekend was one of the two long touchdown runs by the Utah backup quarterback, Byrd Ficklin. The team had momentum after an early stop in the second half, and the crowd had gotten going. The stadium was rattling and then all of a sudden Ficklin breaks off a 65+ yard run for a touchdown. Moments like these are extra deflating for fans. It breaks trust.
Points Baylor’s 2025 opponents scored vs Baylor, and how those totals rank for the opponents point totals vs Power 4 teams:
— Sherman Young Jr. (@ShermStu_2) November 16, 2025
Auburn 38 (1st)
TCU 42 (2nd)
Utah 55 (1st)
Cincy 41 (2nd)
KSU 34 (3rd)
ASU 27 (1st)
SMU 45 (1st)
Dave Aranda, Baylor’s head coach is still employed: pic.twitter.com/610TUGTOuc
What can be done?
With no active Athletic Director, Baylor Athletics and the Board of Regents may be hesitant to pull the trigger. Mack Rhoades both hired and extended Dave Aranda, and with Rhoades on his leave of absence, the program seems to be in limbo. Can they fire Dave Aranda? Can the Board of Regents hire a new athletic director in time to fire Dave Aranda and hire a new coach that can get the fans excited?
It will be interesting to see how the situation plays out in the next couple of weeks. No doubt there will be a fresh new face at Baylor, a new athletic director seems imminent, but will there be a new head alongside him remains to be seen.
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Jacob is a contributor for Baylor Bears On SI. A lifelong sports fan, he started writing game reactions and opinion pieces during Baylor football and basketball seasons, turning that hobby into a growing presence in sports media. He brings an authentic, fan-driven voice to his work and is excited to keep building his voice and breaking down the topics Baylor fans are talking about every day.
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