After Baylor’s 41-20 loss to Cincinnati, a change has been made to the Bears’ coaching staff. ESPN’s Pete Thamel initially reported this morning that Baylor offensive line coach Mason Miller “is no longer with the program.” Bears head coach Dave Aranda confirmed Thamel’s report, describing the departure as a “personal matter.”
Mason Miller was hired by Aranda before last season. Prior to joining Baylor, Miller served as the offensive coordinator and tight ends coach at FCS Tarleton State in 2023, following three years as the offensive line coach at Mississippi State. Miller worked under the late Mike Leach for five years at Washington State and Mississippi State. Notably, Aranda himself was a graduate assistant under Leach in the early 2000s.
Aranda brought Miller to Baylor to succeed Eric Mateos, who had attracted interest from Georgia two years before eventually becoming the Arkansas offensive line coach. Since Aranda was hired by Baylor in 2020, Miller was the third offensive line coach to serve under him. Joe Wickline, who was a Baylor assistant for Dave Roberts in 1997 and 1998, returned to Waco as Aranda’s first O-line coach in his inaugural season as Bears head coach.
Including Saturday’s loss, Aranda’s overall record at Baylor stands at 35-34 with a 23-27 mark in Big 12 conference play. His crowning achievement remains his second season, which featured a 12-2 record, a Big 12 title, and a Sugar Bowl victory. Since that standout campaign, however, Aranda’s record has slipped to 21-25 overall and 14-18 in conference games.
The Bears rebounded from back-to-back losing seasons with an 8-5 record in 2024, which helped secure Aranda’s job. They currently hold a 4-4 record heading into the final month of the regular season.
Baylor’s remaining schedule includes one road game and three home matchups. After a trip to Tucson for the November 22 contest against Arizona, the Bears will host UCF on Saturday, followed by Utah after the bye week. The regular season will conclude at McLane Stadium with a game against Houston.
Last season, Baylor lost to Utah, defeated Houston, and did not face UCF or Arizona.
UCF, coming off a bye week, recently blew out West Virginia 45-13. Saturday’s game between the Knights and Bears is scheduled to kick off at approximately 11 a.m. CT.
https://clutchpoints.com/ncaa-football/baylor-football-news-offensive-line-coach-no-longer-team-start
