Dear Baylor Family,
Over the last few weeks, we’ve been reviewing our athletics leadership and the future of our football program. This process has involved thoughtful discussions and a commitment to our values.
After careful evaluation, we’ve chosen to keep Coach Dave Aranda as our football leader. We know this decision will spark strong opinions. I want to emphasize that Baylor aims for excellence, accountability, and competitiveness. We won’t settle for mediocrity.
Here’s why we made this decision:
- Stability: We want our incoming Athletics Director to assess the football program and shape its future.
- Student-Athlete Experience: Keeping our current players and our highly rated recruiting class is vital for future success.
- Financial Stewardship: With the changes in college athletics, this choice allows us to invest wisely in our program while avoiding high buyout costs during a time of coach turnover across the country.
We understand the frustrations many of you feel. Baylor Football has seen both great triumphs and tough seasons under Coach Aranda. While we celebrate our Big 12 Championship and Sugar Bowl win in 2021, we recognize that this season hasn’t met our expectations.
Please know that our team respects Coach Aranda. He embodies Baylor’s mission and serves as a proud ambassador for our University.
Our strength lies in our unity—students, alumni, faculty, staff, and fans—bonded by faith and purpose. While opinions may vary, our commitment to support our student-athletes and uphold Baylor’s integrity must remain strong. Let’s rally behind our team, encouraging one another in this journey.
Your support—emotional, spiritual, and financial—means a lot. Our student-athletes deserve a program you can take pride in, and we’re dedicated to building a team that competes for championships and reflects our values.
Our search for a new Athletics Director is underway. I’m confident we will find a leader who will inspire a new era of success and engage our fans in exciting ways. Thank you for standing by us through both challenges and celebrations.
Sic ‘Em,
Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D.
President, Baylor University
Enhancing the Conversation
Recent data from a College Sports Survey highlights that nearly 60% of college football fans express frustration over coaching stability in their programs. This aligns with our concerns at Baylor, as fans often prefer continuity to help foster successful seasons.
Many social media users have taken to platforms like Twitter to voice their opinions on coaching changes. Discussions often center around the importance of loyalty and building a solid team culture over frequent turnover. This reflects a growing sentiment among fans for patience and long-term vision in collegiate athletics.
The landscape of college sports is changing fast. The introduction of NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) regulations has allowed athletes to benefit financially, but it also adds complexity to team dynamics.
For more information on the impact of these changes, you can read a detailed report from the NCAA here.
Let’s stay united as a Baylor family, supporting one another as we navigate this season and beyond.
