Dave Aranda has that tough-guy, defensive coordinator vibe.
Apparently, it's rubbing off on Aranda's staff, according to a story the first-year Baylor head coach told at his Monday press conference.
It seems offensive line coach Joe Wickline, amidst what would become a Bears' last-second win on John Mayers' 30-yard field goal at the buzzer, suffered a pretty nasty gash or two on the Baylor sideline during the course of play.
"When Wick got injured on Saturday, he never flinched," Baylor Senior Associate A.D. and General Manager Austin Thomas told FootballScoop.com. "He put a towel over the injury and kept right on coaching. I think it was good for our guys to see that their coaches are in this fight with them. It was awesome for all of us to see.
"Coach Aranda is constantly speaking on mental toughness and shared commitment through adversity, and I think that Wick’s ability to stay focused on the task at hand in order to help put the players in the best position to win the game was really cool to see. I don’t think he would have even seen the trainer had he not been forced to do so. One of the toughest men I’ve come across in my career.”
Aranda recounted the mishap in the following way:
Aranda further explained that Wickline had to get stitches in his hand and leg, because before that treatment Wickline had simply tried to tough out the injury with bloody towels used to staunch the flow of blood.
Thomas said that Wickline's on-display dedication provides a lasting lesson in the Baylor approach that Aranda implores.
“Coach Wick is definitely one of a kind," said Thomas, a former National College Personnel Director of the Year. "Coach Aranda speaks to us often about the value of The Person over the value of the coach, or player, etc. and how better people make better coaches, players, staff members, and so on. Wick embodies what it means to be a coach, leader and selfless servant. Tough and demanding, yet at the same time he never asks anyone to do anything that he wouldn’t do himself.
"He’s the type of coach that will walk the journey with you and listen to understand."
The Bears snapped a five-game losing streak with the win and gained some momentum into their season-closing stretch of games at Oklahoma and at home against Oklahoma State to finish the year on Dec. 12.