Baylor's Dave Aranda gets contract extension through 2028 season

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Baylor coach Dave Aranda has agreed to a contract extension through the 2028 season after leading the Bears to a Big 12 championship and a school-record 12 wins capped by a Sugar Bowl victory on New Year's Day and a No. 5 ranking in the final AP Top 25 poll.

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The school announced the extension Tuesday, two months after athletic director Mack Rhoades had said there was a verbal agreement to amend the contract of the coach who at that time was being mentioned for several head coach openings. The private school does not disclose specific contract terms.

Aranda is 14-9 in his two seasons at Baylor, where he is a head coach for the first time. The 45-year-old Aranda was coming off an undefeated national championship as LSU's defensive coordinator when he got a six-year contract in January 2020 after Matt Rhule left the Bears to become coach of the NFL's Carolina Panthers.

"My family and I are truly appreciative of the tremendous support we have received from Mack, President (Linda) Livingstone and the entire Waco community," Aranda said. "I look forward to continuing the work we’ve started on and off the field in the years to come."

Baylor went 2-7 in Aranda's altered and shortened debut season. He wasn't even able to have spring practices with his new team after taking the job because of the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Bears were much improved on defense and had new offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes in 2021. They made it to the Big 12 title game for the second time in three seasons, winning 21-16 after safety Jairon McVea knocked Oklahoma State running back Dezmon Jackson out of