'Power Over Players': Baylor's Dave Aranda Weighs in on New Style of Coaching
Those who learn to adapt will survive. Those who can't are left behind.
Baylor's Dave Aranda learned that first hand after a 2-7 season to kick off his tenure with the Bears. Will other coaches heed his warning?
Aranda recently said on The Paul Finebaum Show that as the realm of college football is changing, so must coaching styles. One major aspect on that front is giving players more power and a voice inside the facility.
"I think (the state of college football) is good, but it is changing, for sure," Aranda said. "I think the coach that in the past would take out his frustrations on players, that would take out his anxieties on other coaches or take out his insecurities on players and later call that coaching — I think that coach is probably struggling. We've all been around them and probably been coached by them. I think there is an opportunity for that coach to grow and to really kind of transcend, man."
Aranda has been vocal over the past two years of trusting player's opinions in terms of how to conduct play-calling during games. In Year 2, the Bears tallied their first 12-win season on the way to winning the Big 12 title.
In the last year, several high profile coaches have come under fire for their coaching style with young athletes. Most recently, former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer was criticized for "running a college style practice" during his lone season with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
On multiple occurences, players said that Meyer was a "bully" and consistently would belittle them during practice. Former kicker Josh Lambo said that the three-time national champion coach kicked him prior to a preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys.
"I think it might be the ability for the coaches to have an open mind and not look at it as, 'I have power over players.' But I'm working with guys," Aranda said. "I'm seeing them as people. I'm pouring them into as people. That better person is going to make a better player. I think that view is going to be the view. So there is going to be some growth there for coaches and I think that is a good thing."
Aranda's coaching style comes at a transition period in college football. In April of 2021, the NCAA Division I Board of Directors ratified the adoption of a measure that will allow athletes in all sports to transfer once without sitting a season. Prior to the start of last season, the NCAA also indoctrinated the new name, image and likeness (NIL) policy, allowing athletes to profit off their on-field talents.
The transfer portal has allowed the Bears to add premier talent this offseason, including linebacker Josh White (LSU) and defensive lineman Jaxon Player (Tulsa). It also has allowed players to leave the program for greener pastures such as former starting quarterback Gerry Bohanon.
Bohanon, who started 12 games last fall, lost the title of QB1 to Blake Shapen this spring. Aranda wasn't looking to have a quarterback battle unfold into the summer, thus allowing Bohanon to look at other options. He elected to transfer to South Florida.
"I know it's all bigger than me and I know it's about the players," Aranda said. "With Gerry Bohanon, there would not be a 2021 season without Gerry. There would not be a Big 12 championship without Gerry. There would not be a Sugar Bowl win without Gerry. There wouldn't be a 'me' without Gerry, really."
The Bears open the 2022 season at home against Albany on Sept. 3.
You can follow Cole Thompson on Twitter @MrColeThompson
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