The Baylor head coaching vacancy has a wild new candidate: Robert Griffin III. The former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback flat-out declared he’d be “100% interested” in replacing fired coach Dave Aranda, even though he has no coaching experience at any level. This isn’t just a casual mention, either; Griffin, a college football analyst and Texas native, is dead serious about getting his former program nationally relevant at the highest level again.
RGIII’s Bold Pitch and Baylor’s Coaching Conundrum
Griffin didn’t hold back Monday on the Dan Patrick Show. “If Baylor wants to get back to winning and have a university that isn’t just respectable on the football field, but the fans can be proud of, they need people who know what it looks like to win at Baylor,” he said. He’s already talked to athletic director Doug McNamee, a guy Griffin says “knows what it looks like to win at Baylor, know how you have to win at Baylor and recruit to Baylor to make those things happen.” That’s a strong pitch, tying his personal history to the program’s future. Griffin, of course, absolutely dominated at Baylor in 2011, throwing for an insane 4,293 yards and 37 touchdowns, plus adding 699 rushing yards and 10 more scores. He even snagged NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors before injuries took their toll. Baylor fans remember those glory days, when he helped them win their 10th game in the Alamo Bowl to cap his tenure.
The Bears have hit 11 or more wins in a single season three times since then, including a 12-2 finish in 2021 under Aranda that saw them take home the Big 12 championship. But only one winning season since then spelled the end for Aranda, who was cut loose after a recent loss to Kansas. McNamee, who’s been Baylor’s AD for only 11 months, now has his first major hire on his hands. While Griffin is making his own case, he also threw out some other names he’d advocate for, like UTSA’s Jeff Traylor, Boise State’s Spencer Danielson, and even USC’s Lincoln Riley. He acknowledged Riley’s experiences at Oklahoma and “what’s going on at USC right now.”
A Trend in College Football? What Baylor Needs Next
It’s interesting to see RGIII’s public interest, especially with another Power Four vacancy at NC State considering former Wolfpack quarterback and NFL great Philip Rivers for its head coach spot. Rivers, like Griffin, is beloved by his former program and had some of NC State’s best seasons. He’s even coached prep football for six seasons and interviewed for the Buffalo Bills’ job in January. It shows a potential trend of programs looking to their past stars to lead the future.
For Baylor, the expectations are clear: they anticipate having a roster capable of competing in the Big 12 next season, including the return of transfer quarterback DJ Lagway in 2027. CBS Sports previously reported that the program will likely look for a coach with Texas roots and one who’s offensive-minded. Whether RGIII, with his legendary Baylor past but zero coaching experience, fits that bill is the huge question facing Doug McNamee. This coaching search is just getting started, but it’s already got a massive storyline.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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