It appears former Baylor coach Dave Aranda is heading back to his former school.
Aranda, who was fired after the Bears' loss to Kansas on Oct. 24, is set to join LSU's coaching staff as an analyst, USA TODAY Sports confirmed Thursday, Nov. 5. CBS Sports was first to report the news.
Aranda was the defensive coordinator at LSU from 2016-19, winning a national championship in his final season before being hired at Baylor. Ed Orgeron, the head coach from LSU's title run, is also on LSU's staff.
Aranda finished his Baylor tenure with a 40-40 record before being fired midway through his seventh season with the program. The 50-year-old coach led Baylor to a 12-2 record in 2021 with a No.
6 finish in the US LBM Coaches Poll, but only earned two other bowl-game appearances during his stint.
One of the best defensive coordinators in college football before leaving for Baylor, Aranda led top-32 ranked defenses from 2013-19 at Wisconsin and LSU. His defenses were top-10 nationally in total defense from 2013-16, including three seasons with the Badgers.
Current LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker is expected to be a hot name in the coaching carousel in upcoming seasons after leading high-end defenses at Missouri and LSU. Baker was hired by former LSU coach Brian Kelly before being retained by Kiffin for the 2026 season.
Aranda will certainly be a strong defensive resource for LSU's coaching staff, given his familiarity with the program and his defensive prowess.
John Brice contributed to this story.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dave Aranda’s next move takes him back to where he became a star
