BAYLOR NAMES DAVE ARANDA NEW HEAD FOOTBALL COACH

Baylor University has a new head football coach, LSU Defensive Coordinator Dave Aranda.

The 43-year old Aranda emerged as the leading candidate Thursday morning.

Aranda will replace Matt Rhule, who last week left to become head coach of the Carolina Panthers.

Aranda had spent the past four years at LSU and helped the Tigers win the national championship on Monday against Clemson. He was the highest-paid assistant in college football, earning $2.5 million annually.  He is the second high-profile LSU assistant to leave the Tigers. Passing game coordinator Joe Brady joined Rhule as offensive coordinator for the Panthers.

Rhule spent three seasons at Baylor; in 2019, he guided the Bears to 11 wins, a spot in the Big 12 championship game and a Sugar Bowl appearance.

Baylor will mark Aranda's first head-coaching job. He has also served as defensive coordinator at Wisconsin, Utah State, Hawaii, Southern Utah, Delta State and Cal Lutheran, where he played football with current Texas coach Tom Herman.

Aranda has coached in the state of Texas twice before, first as a graduate assistant for Mike Leach at Texas Tech and then as linebackers coach at Houston for two seasons.