Lane Kiffin is reportedly eyeing a familiar face to bolster his LSU staff. Former Baylor coach Dave Aranda, who was recently fired, is looking to join the Tigers as an analyst, according to CBS Sports on Thursday. Aranda has even been in Baton Rouge for several days, watching practice, though nothing is finalized yet.
The Return Of A Championship Mind
Listen, if this actually goes down, it’s a huge move for the Tigers as they prep for a potential College Football Playoff run. Aranda isn’t some rando; he was LSU’s defensive coordinator under Ed Orgeron from 2016-19. Remember that historic 15-0 season in 2019? Yeah, Aranda was a significant part of that, helping LSU win their last national championship. His success there even helped him land his first head coaching gig. And get this: his potential return would reunite him with Orgeron, who’s already on Kiffin’s staff. That’s another defensive-minded coach in the room, baby!
From Big 12 Champ To Fired
So, what happened since 2019? Aranda took over at Baylor in 2020, and it wasn’t all bad. He actually led them to a 12-2 campaign in 2021, grabbing the Big 12 championship and finishing No. 5 in the final AP Top 25. That’s legit! But, and this is the tough part, Baylor couldn’t keep that momentum going. They struggled to maintain that level of success, and ultimately, Aranda was fired after a 25-24 loss to Kansas on Oct. 24. He finished his tenure with a 40-40 record. Ouch. But hey, that’s why he’s reportedly looking for an analyst role, and Kiffin is looking to snatch him up.
Playoff Push Heats Up For LSU
This potential hire comes at a critical time for LSU. The final month of the season is going to decide if these Tigers are true contenders or just pretenders in the postseason race. The stakes couldn’t be higher. They’ve got three straight games against ranked teams coming up, starting with a massive showdown this Saturday. They’re facing No. 5 Alabama at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC. Adding a championship-level defensive mind like Aranda, even as an analyst, could be the jolt LSU needs for this brutal stretch.
Can Aranda’s presence, even from the analyst’s chair, give LSU the edge they need to navigate this gauntlet of ranked opponents and cement their playoff position? We’re about to find out, starting with that huge game against No. 5 Alabama this Saturday. Get ready, it’s gonna be a wild ride!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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