While it’s no secret that Baylor coach Dave Aranda is entering the upcoming season with the most pressure of any coach in the Big 12 Conference, a recent list from Athlon Sports took the hot seat conversation one step further.
Heading into the 2024 college football season, the group listed Dave Aranda as the coach with the hottest seat in the country and was joined by seven other coaches in dire need of success.
Â
Aranda was joined on the list by Rice’s Mike Bloomgren, Louisiana Tech’s Sonny Cumbie, Temple’s Stan Drayton, Southern Miss’ Will Hall, Florida’s Billy Napier, Ball State’s Mike Neu, and Arkansas’ Sam Pittman.
While Aranda led the Bears to a Big 12 Championship win in 2021, the previous two seasons have been very different. Baylor finished the 2022 season barely making a bowl game with a 6-7 overall record, followed by an abysmal 3-9 record the following year.
Many in the college football community, including On3’s Andy Staples, The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman, and even several notable sportsbooks, have openly discussed the likelihood of Dave Aranda being fired as Baylor’s head coach. After losing four straight games last season, BetOnline gave Aranda the best odds to be the next head coach fired during the Bears’ 2023 campaign.
Baylor announced in November that Dave Aranda would return as head coach in 2024, pending the decision to make multiple changes to Aranda’s staff and an increased focus on defensive playcalling. While it’s tough to predict what the win requirement will be for Aranda to remain on the sidelines past 2024, Baylor will have an opportunity to start off the season with a win on Saturday, August 31st, against Tarleton State.
