Nebraska Football: Push for Dave Aranda reportedly intensifies

When it comes to the Nebraska football head coaching job, some names have been floated more than others. There are reportedly some names that are seeing more interest inside the program more than others as well. And according to at least one insider, there’s a name that’s separating itself from the pack when it comes to Dave Aranda.

Earlier this week, Parker Thune, who covers the Oklahoma Sooners for 247Sports, voiced what he claims he’s been hearing from people close to the Nebraska football program. What he’s heard is that Dave Aranda is right at the top of the list among those who have decision-making powers.

“I think Leipold SHOULD be the guy,” Thune wrote on Twitter. “That said, I’ve spoken to a few sources in the 402 — and I would watch Dave Aranda here as well. It won’t be an easy thing to pry him away from Baylor, but there is some buzz behind the scenes that the Huskers will push hard to do just that.”

The argument here of course is that while Aranda won’t be easy to pry away from Baylor, the Nebraska football team has the resources to do it. There’s the money of course. The Big Ten just inked a massive media rights deal that begins next year.

There’s also the fact that the Big 12 is going to be taking some hits nationally when Texas and Oklahoma bolt for the SEC. Times might be right for the Huskers to make a move for a coach who is going to be on everyone’s radar very soon, if he isn’t already.

Aranda has long been a fan favorite to get the job among a segment of Nebraska football fans. He took over a Baylor squad was looking to try and recapture the success of the Matt Rhule era and he did just that last year when he went 12-2 and won the Big 12.

This year, he’s had a bit of a setback with an early season loss to BYU, but Baylor is still expected to be one of the chief competitors for the conference crown.

There’s another interesting wrinkle when it comes to the Cornhuskers and Aranda. There’s been a lot of talk that whoever the new coach is, he’ll be strongly encouraged to keep Interim Head Coach Mickey Joseph on the staff next year.

Considering that Aranda and Joseph coached together at LSU (a staff that also included Bill Busch BTW), it would seem as if they already know each other well and know how to work together.

It’s been rather obvious that Joseph and Busch trust each other, as the first big staff change Joseph made was promoting Busch from Special Teams Coordinator to Defensive Coordinator.

It’s even possible that it’s less Trev Alberts that’s the voice of Nebraska football that’s pushing Dave Aranda and it might be a call coming from inside the coaching offices that wants the Baylor head man to move to Lincoln.