LSU is working to bring former Baylor head coach Dave Aranda back to the program in an analyst role, according to sources. Aranda was dismissed by Baylor on October 25 after seven seasons.
Aranda previously served as LSU's defensive coordinator from 2016 to 2019, helping the Tigers win the 2019 national championship. He was the highest-paid defensive coordinator in the country during that span and oversaw five consecutive top-10 defenses from 2013 to 2016 at Wisconsin and LSU.
The Tigers currently rank among the nation's top defenses under coordinator Blake Baker, allowing just 4.3 yards per play and surrendering only 17 combined points in their last two games against Mississippi State and Auburn. Aranda would provide an additional perspective on scheme, particularly with linebackers, an area where he is known for creative pressure packages.
LSU's linebacker corps features versatile players such as TJ Dottery, Davhon Keys, and captain Whit Weeks, who is expected to return from injury soon. Aranda's tenure at Baylor was mixed, finishing 40-40 overall. He led the Bears to their first AP top-5 finish in 2021, capturing a Big 12 title and a Sugar Bowl victory, but could not sustain that success, posting four losing records in six full seasons.
