David Hookstead
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Nebraska is reportedly targeting Baylor coach Dave Aranda.
The Cornhuskers have been on the hunt for a new coach ever since Scott Frost was shown the exit, and the program has zeroed in on Aranda, according to “Locked On Baylor” podcast Drake Toll.
“They’re going to give Dave Aranda everything possible that they can give him,” Toll claimed a source told him about the ongoing search.
While Toll later walked it back late Thursday night tweeting he doesn’t think it will happen, Parker Thune had also recently reported that people need to keep an eye on Aranda during Nebraska’s search for a new coach.
Is Dave Aranda the right choice for Nebraska?
Since 2021, Aranda is 14-3 with the Bears and he went a very impressive 12-2 in 2021 with a Sugar Bowl win.
The man knows how to coach football, and his short track record as a head coach has been very successful.
The only downside is that he doesn’t have a ton of head coaching experience. He’s in his third season of being a head coach.
Lance Leipold and Matt Campbell, who are reportedly also major targets for the Cornhuskers, both have tons of head coaching experience.
There’s no question Aranda is a riskier hire based solely on experience.
If Nebraska does pull the trigger on hiring Dave Aranda, it will definitely come as a surprise to many. However, it will also be a good choice.
Aranda is a great candidate and is someone Nebraska needs. He’s smart, careful, patient and self aware. The dude built Baylor back up and he has done it in a quality way with recruiting and development. May not be a splash hire but I promise you Baylor (who only has recently cared about football) would NOT want to give this guy away. He may be the closest thing to Tom Osborne that they could get. Similar personality types.
Amanda is a coaching zen master. What he lacks in experience he fully makes up for with his football IQ. He is a home run hire for the Huskers and they should back him with every bank they can find. His biggest challenge however, will be recruiting. But this too, he will overcome. For a coach who never played the game, he is a freak of nature. I am a huge fan.