Baylor's new athletic director, Doug McNamee, has refrained from specifying a win total that head coach Dave Aranda must achieve to retain his position beyond the 2026 season. Instead, McNamee emphasized the importance of restoring momentum and fostering broader support for the football program.
In remarks shared by CBS Sports college football writer Shehan Jeyarajah, McNamee stated, "Everybody wants to say, well, what’s the magic number? I genuinely am not playing coy when I would say it’s not about the numbers. It’s the momentum; it’s the feel, and it’s the vibe around the program."
This statement provides a clearer picture of the expectations for Aranda as he enters his seventh season at Baylor. While McNamee did not issue an ultimatum, he highlighted the need for Aranda and the football program to create a competitive environment within the Big 12 and adapt to the evolving landscape of name, image, and likeness (NIL) opportunities.
McNamee called for increased commitment from supporters, encouraging them to engage with the program by attending games and contributing financially to NIL initiatives and scholarships. He noted, "We need greater commitment and investment from our constituency, both in as simple as passive as watching the game on TV and being in the stadium, to as explicit and as involved as making significant financial support."
Aranda's current record stands at 36-37 at Baylor, following a successful 2021 season that included a Big 12 championship and a Sugar Bowl victory. However, the team has struggled since then, with a 22-28 record and three losing seasons over the last four years, including a disappointing 5-7 finish in 2025.
McNamee took over the athletic department in December, following Aranda's confirmation for another season amid administrative changes. University President Linda Livingstone indicated that the new athletic director would need time to assess the program's direction, making 2026 McNamee’s first complete evaluation of Aranda.
