Dave Aranda opens up with vulnerability to share important lesson learned last fall

After a remarkable 10-win turnaround from year one to year two under Dave Aranda, Aranda and Baylor were at 6-3 heading most of the way through the 2022 season with close but disappointing losses to BYU (26-20 in double overtime), Oklahoma State (11 point loss) and West Virginia (3 point loss) in the rearview mirror with a tough stretch ahead of them.

The final three games of the regular season saw the Bears lose three straight, including 31-3 to eventual Big 12 champion Kansas State, then a one-point loss to a really good TCU squad that ended up playing for the national title, before a 38-27 decision to Texas ended the regular season.

Aranda's squad would lose a fourth in a row to Air Force in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl (30-15) to end their season 6-7.

With spring ball kicking off in Waco, Aranda was asked by media about how the 2022 season ended, and he answered with an impressive vulnerability, and did so while touching on the delicate balance that so many head coaches struggle to balance between being hard on guys, and loving on them.

"I think I probably was too lenient with guys, and I think I probably tried to help too many guys that I think probably needed a tougher version of me. I probably gave too many guys chances that were probably taking advantage of me, or those chances."

"I struggle sometimes with, I don't know if all the wins from the previous year makes you think that you can fix all the stuff. I hope that's not the case, but I don't know if that is though."

"When I go back, and I think about it, I was just trying to help this person, and he's gotta get over this hump or do this, or do that and I think that in the so-called helping of him, there is a hurting of the team, and that is a big lesson for me."

It's these types of answers like that make Aranda one of my favorite head coaches to learn from. Relatable, self-reflective, vulnerable, and not afraid to share lessons he's learned the hard way in his first head coaching opportunity.