Dave Aranda Says 'Paying Players' Has Boosted Baylor's Recruiting Success in Big 12
Jul 10, 2024
FORT WORTH, TX - NOVEMBER 18: Head coach Dave Aranda of the Baylor Bears walks the sideline as Baylor takes on TCU Horned Frogs during the second half at Amon G. Carter Stadium on November 18, 2023 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
Baylor head football coach Dave Aranda didn't mince words on what has led to the Bears having more success on the recruiting trail.
Baylor boosters have given the Bears one of the largest NIL budgets in the Big 12, allowing Aranda to land players he might not have had a chance to sign a few years ago. The Bears were late to enter the NIL space, but the GXG program launched in 2022 and introduced GXG Elite earlier this year.
After a shaky recruiting cycle in the 2024 high school class, Aranda has 15 commits already in the 2025 class. Kamauryn Morgan, who signed with Baylor earlier this month, is currently the best of the crop. The 4-star defensive lineman is the No. 94 overall prospect in his high school class, according to 247Sports.
Success in the recruiting trail is all relative. Baylor will likely never be able to compete for the same type of prospects taking their talents to Alabama, Georgia and Ohio State, but a robust NIL program should help the Bears compete in the second and third tiers of players.
Baylor will also have the advantage of a newly wide-open Big 12 after the departures of Texas and Oklahoma. The Big 12 welcomed Arizona, Arizona State, Utah and Colorado to its ranks this offseason in a major shakeup of one of the nation's top conferences.
Aranda is 23-25 in four seasons at Baylor and could be on the hot seat coming off a 3-9 season in 2023. Getting some NIL funds for some higher-caliber players could make all the difference in keeping him in Waco.
Video: Baylor Unveils 4 New Uniforms in Hype Trailers Ahead of 2024 CFB Season
May 28, 2024
NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 01: A Baylor Bears helmet rests on the sideline during the Allstate Sugar Bowl between the Baylor Bears and the Ole Miss Rebels on January 1, 2022 at the Ceasars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by John Korduner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Baylor football team will be sporting a new look during the 2024 season.
The Bears revealed their new uniforms with monochromatic green, yellow and white designs:
The reveal video teased another design at the end, too, as four players were standing on the field McLane Stadium shrouded in darkness. On Thursday, the final combination was revealed to be an all-black "anthracite" jersey:
Eagle-eyed fans thought the newest trailer for EA Sports' College Football 25 inadvertently spilled the beans. Baylor is shown running onto the field before a game in what are presumably uniforms that weren't publicly disclosed to that point.
i think it’d be monumentally funny if baylor releases new uniforms and THIS is how we found out.
an intern tweeting a screenshot from NCAA 25 and immediately deleting it over these uniforms that just don’t exist yet. @sickoscommittee type stuff. pic.twitter.com/eWODgYi6ta
— drake c. toll, party animal. (@drakectoll) May 21, 2024
The new look builds on the overhaul all of Baylor athletics underwent in 2019. The dark green remained but a more yellowish gold replaced the metallic variation.
Striping on the shoulder and down the pant leg is the most notable new feature for the updated jerseys, which might leave some fans wanting a little more.
The Bears will first put the threads on display Aug. 31 against Tarleton State in their home opener. They're looking to improve on a 3-9 finish in 2023 with head coach Dave Aranada presumably under some serious pressure to turn things around.
Gabe Hall NFL Draft 2024: Scouting Report for Baylor DL
Feb 23, 2024
MANHATTAN, KS - NOVEMBER 20: Defensive lineman Gabe Hall #95 of the Baylor Bears celebrates after sacking quarterback Skylar Thompson #7 of the Kansas State Wildcats, during the second half at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium on November 20, 2021 in Manhattan, Kansas. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
HEIGHT: 6'5¾"
WEIGHT: 290
HAND: 9⅜"
ARM: 34⅜"
WINGSPAN: 84"
40-YARD DASH:
3-CONE:
SHUTTLE:
VERTICAL:
BROAD:
POSITIVES
— Good size. Carries his frame well with little to no bad weight and has long arms.
— Has good block recognition against the run to help avoid getting reached or put himself in a position to take on blocks.
— Impressive strength at the point of attack to lock out offensive linemen and create stalemates against one-on-one blocks.
— Gets plenty of extension with his combination of arm length and strength to help make getting off blocks easier.
— Has a decent arm-over move that he uses as a counter off the bull rush.
NEGATIVES
— Doesn't have good movement skills or twitch to help him win as a pass-rusher.
— A little robotic and stiff in his lower half, making it difficult to flip his hips and clear his lower half to win around the edges when working finesse moves.
— Often late to react to the snap and late off the ball, diminishing the effectiveness of his bull rush.
— Still learning how to use his hands and long arms to his advantage as a pass-rusher.
— Tends to stand up out of his stance or bend at the waist to get low, which could be a bigger issue against double-teams or aggressive offensive linemen who play with good leverage.
— No. 45 on Bruce Feldman's list of exceptional athletes, benches 500 pounds, squats 565 pounds, cleans 365, trap bar deadlifts 750 pounds, hit 19.9 MPH on GPS
OVERALL
Gabe Hall is a solid run defender whose strength at the point of attack and arm length stand out. He's hard to move one-on-one and can lock out guards to help make getting off blocks easier. Hall has also flashed a few moves like a cross-chop or arm-move to escape blocks. He's decent at taking on double-teams, conceding a little ground, but he avoids getting pushed around due to a strong and wide base.
As a pass-rusher, Hall has shown an arm-over move that he would occasionally win with during the season and had success with in the one-on-ones at the Senior Bowl. However, he's still learning how to use his long limbs to his advantage. He's often late and wide with his hands, allowing offensive linemen to make the first significant contact.
He's also a little stiff and not a good athlete, which limits his pass-rush arsenal and could cap his ceiling as a rusher in the NFL.
Overall, the Baylor product has a good frame and can contribute on early downs as a 4i- to 5-technique defensive end. Teams that use a lot of odd fronts and are looking for that type of player on Day 3 of the draft should be interested in Hall.
Former Baylor Coach Art Briles' Negligence Case Dismissed by District Judge
Oct 20, 2023
04 SEP 2015: Baylor Bears head coach Art Briles before the college football game between the Southern Methodist Mustangs and the Baylor Bears at Gerald Ford Stadium in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
A negligence case filed against former Baylor head football coach Art Briles was dismissed by U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman on Friday.
According to ESPN's Paula Lavigne, former Baylor student Dolores Lozano filed the claim against Briles, former Baylor athletic director Ian McCaw and Baylor University, alleging that the defendants were negligent after she reported in March 2014 that she was physically assaulted by then-Baylor running back Devin Chafin, who was her boyfriend at the time.
Pitman ruled that "no reasonable jury can conclude" Briles, McCaw and Baylor University were "grossly negligent" based on the evidence presented.
Lozano alleged that rather than the university taking action, her decision to report Chafin's alleged assault subjected her to additional assaults.
Both Briles and McCaw testified this week as part of the case. Briles said he knew nothing of Lozano or her allegations until she filed a lawsuit in 2016, and McCaw said he took "appropriate action" when informed of the allegations in 2014.
Briles, 67, was Baylor's head football coach from 2008 through 2015, compiling a 65-37 record while leading the Bears.
In May 2016, Briles was fired by the university after an independent investigation determined that Briles improperly handled sexual assault allegations levied against football players.
Lozano's allegations against Chafin were separate and were not part of the 2016 investigation, per Lavigne.
Briles filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against Baylor University, and he was awarded $15.1 million in 2018.
Since getting fired by Baylor, Briles has struggled to continue his football coaching career.
The CFL's Hamilton Tiger-Cats hired him as an assistant coach in 2017, only to reverse course shortly after the announcement because of backlash.
Briles went on to spend two seasons as the head coach at Mount Vernon High School in Texas, and before that, he was the head coach of Guelfi Firenze of the Italian Football League.
He returned to Guelfi Firenze last year and led them to a win in the Italian Bowl championship game.
According to Lavigne, Pitman said Friday that while the case against Briles and McCaw was dismissed, a Title IX claim and a separate negligence claim against Baylor University still stand, and they will be reviewed by the jury Monday.
Oklahoma OC Jeff Lebby Apologizes for Art Briles Being On Field After SMU Win
Sep 11, 2023
NORMAN, OK - SEPTEMBER 10: Offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby of the Oklahoma Sooners watches the team before a game against the Kent State Golden Flashes at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on September 10, 2022 in Norman, Oklahoma. Oklahoma won 33-3. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby issued an apology on Monday after disgraced former Baylor head coach Art Briles, who is his father-in-law, was seen on the field with him following Saturday's 28-11 win over SMU.
"Just want everybody to understand, my father-in-law—his presence on the field after the game the other night is just something that created a distraction. And I do—I apologize for that," Lebby said in a prepared statement at the start of his weekly media session, per ESPN. "That was not the intent at all. The intent was just to celebrate with my family."
Baylor fired Briles in 2016 after an investigation determined that he and his staff failed to take action against players named in sexual assault allegations.
He has made multiple attempts to return to coaching, accepting jobs with Grambling State and the CFL's Hamilton Tiger-Cats. However, both teams reversed their decisions after receiving a significant amount of public backlash. The 67-year-old was recently hired to coach the Dallas franchise of the International Football Alliance, which is an upstart professional league scheduled to debut in the spring of 2024.
Seeing Briles on the field wearing Sooners gear was met with social media backlash from Sooners fans. Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione and coach Brent Venables said they were surprised by his presence after the team's victory.
"I was just as disappointed as many of our fans when I learned of the postgame situation tonight," Castiglione said Saturday. "It shouldn't have happened and it was my expectation it never would, based on boundaries we previously set. I've addressed it with the appropriate staff."
Lebby added that he spoke with both Castiglione and Venables to address the situation.
"Joe Castiglione, Coach Venables both have addressed concerns with me, have talked to me about it, and again, can make sure that everybody understands that this is something that will not come up again," he said.
The No. 19-ranked Sooners will take on Tulsa on Saturday.
Baylor Called Out by Fans for Shocking Upset Loss to Texas State in Season Opener
Sep 3, 2023
FILE - Baylor head coach Dave Aranda walks the sideline during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Kansas in Lawrence, Kan., Sept. 18 2021. Baylor opens their season at home against Texas State on Sept. 2. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner, File)
Don't call it an upset
The Texas State Bobcats came into Waco, Texas to face the Baylor Bears and were not courteous guests, defeating the Power-Five opponent 43-31.
The Bobcats offensive outburst saw quarterback T.J. Finley go 22-30 for 298 yards and three touchdowns and receiver Joey Hobert make six catches for 105 yards and a touchdown. One of his catches stood out as an early catch of the year candidate.
They call him Joe Dirt because he runs dirty routes - and makes dirty catches
The victory is a reversal of fortune for the Bobcats who have had a rough go of it since joining the FBS in 2012. The team has a 40-92 overall record at the FBS level and are 0-6 all-time against the Bears.
Baylor came into the contest as heavy favorites, with a 97.6 percent win probability. Texas State had been outscored by 44 points in the previous two matchups against the Bears and collect the first win against a Power-Five opponent in program history.
The stunning loss had fans on social media expressing disappointment in Baylor's performance, questioning head coach Dave Aranda's job security and celebrating Texas State for providing a quality upset this early.
No way Baylor is actually going to lose to Texas State right?
Amidst how bad Baylor was today, you have to give the Cats credit. They smacked the Bears in the mouth right away and Baylor had no answer defensively the whole night.
The Bobcats now have their marquee win of the season but now will shift focus towards a strong season in the Sun Belt Conference and trying to qualify for a Bowl Game for the first time in program history.
The Bears, on the other hand, will look to rebound from the upset loss by playing spoilers themselves next week against defending Pac-12 champion Utah.
Siaki Ika NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for Baylor DL
Jan 31, 2023
WACO, TX -SEPTEMBER 3: Siaki Ika #62 of the Baylor Bears plays against the Albany Great Danes at McLane Stadium on September 3, 2022 in Waco, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
HEIGHT: 6'3"
WEIGHT: 335
HAND: 10 1/4"
ARM: 32 3/8"
WINGSPAN: TBD
40-YARD DASH: 5.39
3-CONE: 7.80
SHUTTLE: 4.99
VERTICAL: TBD
BROAD: TBD
POSITIVES
— Against the run, he takes on blocks with a wide base, and with his size and strength, he is nearly impossible to move one-on-one and gives little to no ground versus double-teams.
— Has a lot of pop in his hands to help control the offensive lineman's shoulders and reset the line of scrimmage.
— When facing scoop blocks, he is good at disrupting the center's path to the second level while being able to hold up against the guard.
— He has the agility and athletic ability to show in one gap and then change direction to make the play in the adjacent gap when the running back bounces on zone runs.
— Block-shedding is easy for him with his strength and violence.
— When he's fresh or not winded as a pass-rusher, his bull rush is so effective one-on-one that he forces the offense to account for him with two players.
— Has the strength to win with a push-pull move as a pass-rusher.
— Gets his hands up if he can't hit home when rushing.
— Showed more counter moves off the bull rush, such as a swim move, in 2021 and more quickness overall.
NEGATIVES
— Carries a lot of bad weight and looks like he put on pounds last offseason, which impacted his quickness and effectiveness as a pass-rusher. He could afford to lose 10 to 20 pounds and play closer to 340.
— Runs out of gas too quickly, making his bull rush less effective, and starts false-stepping or hopping out of his stance when he gets tired.
— Low pass-rush motor and isn't a hustle player in general.
— Will gamble and get caught leaving his gap early occasionally versus zone runs.
— Struggles with his balance when working off blocks.
— Likes to lunge and leave his feet when making tackles, leading to misses.
— 2021 honors: Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year, first-team All-Big 12 (AP), second-team All-Big 12 (coaches)
— 2019 honors: national champion
OVERALL
Siaki Ika's weight will be the biggest factor in his success at the next level. In 2021, he jumped off the screen and made you say, "Someone that big isn't supposed to move like that." However, it looked like he added bad weight in the offseason, and his quickness and athleticism took a hit, which was reflected in his production, or lack thereof, as a pass-rusher.
If he can get close to 340 pounds, I think that will be a perfect weight for him at the next level. (Ika's recruiting profile listed him at 372 pounds, but his LSU profile had him at 340 pounds.) He has strength to spare, and that would allow him to tap into more of the athleticism he showed as a junior.
Consider Ika a giant boulder who holds up well versus double-teams against the run. He can be an effective pass-rusher when he's left one-on-one and has gas in the tank, but his conditioning needs work, as he tires too easily.
Schematically, Ika's best fit is as a two-gapping nose tackle in odd fronts, but he can be a penetrator and line up as wide as a 2i-technique as well. In 2021, he showed a nice get-off to play in the offense's backfield and was effective when slanting.
He will enter the league as more of a two-down player but has potential as a pass-rusher, which could make a team more comfortable selecting him in the back end of the first round. It will be a matter of which tape scouts and general managers trust more—2021 or 2022—and how confident they feel about Ika's ability to control his weight.
As we head into Week 6 of the college football season, we have a pretty good idea of which teams are contenders or not. There are also a handful of teams that...
Hue Jackson Invited Art Briles to Browns Camp in 2016 After HC Was Fired at Baylor
Feb 26, 2022
CLEVELAND, OH - DECEMBER 23: Cincinnati Bengals special assistant to the head coach Hue Jackson on the field prior to the National Football League game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns on December 23, 2018, at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
When Hue Jackson was head coach of the Cleveland Browns in 2016, he invited Art Briles to training camp, saying he would "learn from anybody if they can help us," according to the Monroe News-Star's Ethan Sands.
Briles had just been fired as head coach of the Baylor Bears for mishandling reports of sexual assault against members of the football team.
"I've gotten to know Coach Briles," Jackson said two years ago, according to Sands. "I'm always looking for different ways of doing things. What happened at Baylor's at Baylor."
Jackson added:
I respect what you're saying [about character] and understand that trail, but, at the same time, everybody deserves an opportunity to do what they do. I respect everybody's feeling and I don't condone anything ... but that's not for me to judge. Again, the opportunity to pick his brain ... and get to know him outside of all of that in a different capacity is what was important to me.
Jackson's tenure with the Browns ended in 2018, and in December he was hired as head coach of the Grambling State Tigers.
Briles is set to join the program as offensive coordinator, but, according to Koki Riley of the Monroe News-Star, Grambling State hasn't told the University of Louisiana System that it plans to hire Briles. A majority of the 16-person board must approve the hiring.
Briles has not coached since he was fired by Baylor.
