Yahoo!, Sports Illustrated Reporting Dave Aranda Is About To Get $Paid ... To Stay at Baylor

Yahoo!’s Pete Thamel, formerly of Sports Illustrated, tweeted the following this morning in response to SE365’s tweet about a video interview that Aranda did with Joel Klatt. That was convoluted, but it’s worth the watch.

I want to be clear about something—I don’t really have “sources” and never have. I’ve not actively sought to cultivate them, and we here at ODB, basically as a matter of practice, do not want to break news. We have from time to time, but the standard for what I would consider “confirmed” enough to be reportable is so high that it would take a lot.

That being said, sometimes people reach out to tell a few of us things, and this fits with those things, which can be generally stated as follows: 1) Aranda interviewed at LSU and then turned down whatever offer he gave them, 2) the new football ops center will have Aranda’s fingerprints all over it and is a major selling point for keeping him in Waco, 3) there will be an extension, and it will be sizable, particularly if Aranda wins the Big 12 this year and a major bowl, and 4) insane NFL guarantees aside, Baylor does not lose coaches it wants to keep, and it was never going to go quietly into the night on a guy that seems to fit here so well.

Now, does this mean it’s a done deal that Aranda is staying? Of course not. Things change. No matter how much you love your coach, remember that their profession is one of mercenaries. Until the ink is dry on that extension and the terms are announced, I won’t feel really good about anything. But I feel pretty good right now, and I think you should, too.

Besides, it’s Thanksgiving! Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!

UPDATE: Ross Dellenger of SINow has also weighed in to “confirm.”