Baylor Head Coach Says Quiet Part Out Loud Regarding Recruiting Success

The Baylor Bears head coach didn't hold back when talking about NIL and it's role in recruiting players.

Nov 11, 2023; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Baylor Bears head coach Dave Aranda looks on during the fourth quarter against the Kansas State Wildcats at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports / Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports

The Baylor Bears head coach, Dave Aranda, is known for his blunt responses and nothing changed with the topic of NIL and ability to recruit players in today's climate.

As Big 12 media days kicked off, Aranda joined 365 Sports with Craig Smoak he was asked about the recent recruiting success that the program has had.

The coach stated it as simply as he could, "We're paying players." When asked if it was actually as simple as that, he responded with a "yes."

Baylor was not a school at the forefront of NIL's growth and it showed in the past couple of classes.

While they were slow in bringing in resources, recruiting took a hit. The 2024 class finished ranked No. 53 overall in the 247Sports rankings, the worst of the Aranda era. They failed to bring any four-star recruits or transfers.

That changed a couple of days ago as they secured the commitment of four-star pass rusher Kamauryn Morgan out of Dallas over fellow in-state schools Texas A&M and SMU. He's a top-100 player in the country and could end up being the jewel of the class. If he finishes with the same ranking by the time he signs, he'll be the highest-rated player that Aranda has brought to Waco.

Three of the best four players in their 2025 class have signed since the start of July. Aranda made it clear that they've finally opened up more NIL resources that has made it able to add good players to their squad.

It has become increasingly clear that something has needed to change with the way the Bears have been trending.

The coach made that even more clear later in the day during his Big 12 media days press conference.

"In the past, and I mean, this part still holds true today, I've always felt really strong about our recruiting visits, our official visits, our visits of any kind, any type of interaction," said Aranda. "It's always been that, and it still is that now. It's that in today's climate, that's not enough. That hasn't been enough."

Things peaked in the 2021 season, but that has looked like more of an outlier as opposed to a sign of things to come.

In three of Aranda's four seasons at the helm, Baylor has finished below .500. Last year saw a 3-9 finish. The roster wasn't getting better over night either, without resources being made available. Maybe having more money at his disposal will allow for the future to look a bit brighter.