LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda agrees to become Baylor head coach

LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda has agreed to terms to become the new coach at Baylor, sources tell CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd. Aranda has spent the last four seasons with the Tigers and led a defense that shut down Clemson en route to a 42-25 win in the College Football Playoff National Championship on Monday night. 

Aranda's defenses have finished in the top 30 in defensive yards per play in each of his four seasons in Baton Rouge. The Tigers gave up just 394 yards and held Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence to 18 of 37 passing (48.6%) on Monday on the game's biggest stage. 

Aranda, 43, has plenty of experience in the state of Texas. He received his Master's degree at Texas Tech, served as a graduate assistant at Texas Tech from 1999-2001 and spent two years as the linebackers coach at Houston from 2002-03. 

He takes over a program that went 11-1 in the regular season and lost to Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship Game with a spot in the College Football Playoff within reach. This came just two seasons after the Bears went 1-11 in Matt Rhule's first season at the helm following the Art Briles sexual assault scandal and one season under interim coach Jim Grobe.

Baylor has been in search of a head coach since Rhule left to take over the NFL's Carolina Panthers earlier this month. Virginia Tech coach Justin Fuente returned to the program after reportedly interviewing for the job earlier this month. Louisiana's Billy Napier confirmed that he will stay with the Ragin' Cajuns after his name was rumored in connection with the vacancy. 

SOURCE: "LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda agrees to become Baylor head coach." CBSSports.com, 16 January 2020, https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/lsu-defensive-coordinator-dave-aranda-agrees-to-become-baylor-head-coach/