REPORT: Baylor Football 'Expected' to Interview Robert Griffin III for HC Vacancy
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Everyone has their opinion on who Baylor football should hire for its next head coach. But the one thing that is clear is that the Bears are going to cast a wide net to find their replacement for Dave Aranda, after firing him following Baylor's loss to Kansas.
That wide net includes Baylor legend and former Heisman-winning quarterback, Robert Griffin III. According to On3's Pete Nakos, Baylor is expected to interview RG3 for the head coach vacancy.
Baylor hopes to make a hire on the last week of November, and Griffin is among the suitors. He recently threw his hat into the ring for the head coaching job.
"If Baylor wants to get back to winning and have a university that isn't just respectable on the football field, but one the fans can be proud of, they need people who know what it looks like to win at Baylor."
NEW: Baylor is expected to interview Robert Griffin III for its head coaching job, @PeteNakos reports.
— On3 (@On3) November 13, 2026
Griffin won the Heisman Trophy in 2011. https://t.co/ttgeB3Cvjk pic.twitter.com/7XIBPjtFv4
Baylor legend, but no college experience
Baylor fans are familiar with RG3 and what he means to Waco.
In 2011, the year he won the Heisman, RG3 threw for 4,293 yards with 37 touchdowns and only six interceptions and ran for another 699 yards and 10 TDs. It was Baylor’s first 10-win season since 1980.
He would end up being drafted No. 2 overall by the Washington Redskins in the 2012 NFL Draft. But injuries limited his production following his rookie season. As of now, Griffin III is a college football analyst on FOX. He has never coached at the collegiate level, and his only experience he has is coaching RGIII Takeover, a rebranded team in Overtime’s seven-on-seven league in 2025.
Fans would likely have mixed reactions to this interview even taking place. Griffin III knows what it takes to play winning football, but he has never coached at this level. He was a great college player and had a good NFL season, prior to his injury, but there is a lot more that goes into coaching than knowing how to play winning football.
Would need great assistants
If Baylor is going to really entertain RG3 as the head coach, the Bears would have to pony up money for his staff. With how well versed Griffin III is with college football and the landscape, we would imagine he would do well in the recruiting department.
But then there are the X's and O's of football. Not saying RG3 wouldn't be able to draw things up, but there would be a major learning curve going from the Fox booth to the sidelines of Big 12 football. Baylor would have to make sure he has some great assistant coaches next to him on the sideline. Would that mean both Jake Spavital and Joe Klanderman stay?
RG3 recently said that Klanderman should be considered for the head coach job after he's gone 2-0 as the interim head coach. But we will see how far this actually goes outside of a one-time interview.
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Trent is the Publisher of Baylor Bears on SI and also serves as the Managing Editor for Michigan Wolverines on SI. His work has additionally been featured on Maryland on SI, Wisconsin on SI, and across the USA TODAY Sports network. Trent’s love of sports and being able to tell stories to fans is what made him get into writing.
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