Sources: Aranda back to Baylor in ’24; OC out

• Pete Thamel, ESPNNov 26, 2023, 02:43 PM ET Baylor coach Dave Aranda will go back to coach the Bears in 2024 but without offending planner Jeff Grimes, sources informed ESPN on Sunday.The choice came after the conclusion of several conferences with school authorities following a 3-9 season, and there’s a belief in a viable path forward for Aranda and Baylor regardless of current outcomes, sources informed ESPN.Aranda’s return features considerable modifications on and off the field, including the dismissal of Grimes, sources informed ESPN.Matt Powledge will keep the protective organizer title, but he will no longer be calling plays on that side of the ball, sources told ESPN. Aranda is anticipated to call the defensive plays, as he was one of the nation’s leading planners at both Wisconsin and LSU before taking the Baylor jobs.Editor’s Picks The school will make a commitment for an uptick in Baylor’s NIL investment, sources informed ESPN.Crucial to Baylor progressing

will also be a commitment to assist keep a strong core of young players in the program.

Baylor played the most freshmen in the Big 12 in 2023, with 24 true and redshirt freshmen playing almost 4,500 snaps.There’s a belief that experience can be built on in 2024 and beyond. The gifted real freshman core consists of cornerbacks Caden Jenkins and Carl Williams IV and tailback Dawson Pendergrass.Aranda is 4 years into his Baylor tenure and has a 23-25 general record. His lone winning season– when the Bears went 12-2 in 2021– is thought about the best in school history, as the Bears reached No. 5 in the Associated Press rankings and won the Huge 12 title and the Sugar Bowl.Since then, Baylor is 9-16 general, and it went 2-7 in Huge 12 play this season. Baylor was distressed by Texas State to open the year, lost a close game to No. 12 Utah in the 2nd week and never ever found its footing thereafter.Grimes was a finalist for the 2021 Broyles Award, which goes to the nation’s top assistant, and likewise was chosen for the award while functioning as BYU’s offensive coordinator in 2020. Baylor’s offense slipped significantly the previous 2 seasons, ranking 95th nationally in scoring this fall.Powledge replaced Ron Roberts as Baylor’s protective playcaller, going back to the Bears ‘personnel after investing 2022 as Oregon’s co-defensive coordinator. Baylor was up to 111th nationally in points enabled this season, and quit 135 in its final three games.ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg contributed to this report.