Baylor Fires Dave Aranda, Names Joe Klanderman Interim Coach

Baylor fired head coach Dave Aranda on Sunday and named defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman interim coach for the remainder of the season.

The decision followed a 25–24 loss to Kansas that dropped the Bears to 4–3 overall and 2–2 in the Big 12, The Associated Press reported. Kansas ended a 14-game losing streak against Baylor with the victory.

Aranda’s tenure lasted more than six seasons. Klanderman inherits responsibility for the immediate schedule while the university considers the program’s longer-term direction.

The interim designation gives Baylor a coach for the games ahead without announcing a permanent successor. It also creates a short turnaround for players and staff who must continue preparing while leadership changes around them.

The next stage involves two separate questions: how the Bears perform under Klanderman, and whom Baylor chooses to lead the program beyond this season. Sunday’s announcement settles the interim arrangement. It does not, by itself, identify the eventual permanent appointment or the timing of that decision.