Another major coaching domino fell Sunday morning, as Baylor’s Dave Aranda became the latest Power 4 head coach to lose his job following a one-point loss at the hands of Kansas on Saturday.
With positions at Maryland and NC State also already open, the coaching carousel appears to be in full spin at this juncture, and that means that rumors are flying around message boards at record pace.
Attempting to sift through the chaos, ESPN released an article detailing the prime candidates to replace Aranda among other notes, and the outlet believes that another current Power 4 coach could be a strong option for the job.
USC’s Lincoln Riley, who just suffered a 24-7 loss to Wisconsin to fall to 6-2 amidst a make-or-break season, was listed as one of the potential next hires, considering his future in Los Angeles is unclear.
His future at USC is murky at best, and a return to his home state and a league where he had historic success could be a smart exit strategy. Riley wouldn’t have the same resources he enjoys at USC, but if he can secure financial buy-in from Baylor, he could soon position the Bears as Big 12/CFP contenders. The 43-year-old’s track record with offenses and quarterbacks could give Baylor the vision it has lacked at times under Aranda. Riley won four consecutive Big 12 titles at Oklahoma from 2017 to 2020 and went 37-7 in league games during his time there.
Of course, Riley could quiet many of his critics by taking down Ohio State next weekend, a game that now appears to have implications that span far beyond just The Coliseum.
Like our coverage? Make SDS a preferred source in your searches!
Parker is currently the sports editor for Gulf Coast Media in Foley, Alabama. He's a graduate from Mizzou who has experience covering the Tiger football and basketball beats for SB Nation, and he's worked for a variety of sports news outlets in the past.
