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Big 12 Midseason Coaching Report: Kalani Sitake, Dave Aranda, and More

Where does BYU’s Kalani Sitake, Baylor’s Dave Aranda, and Big 12 coaches rank at the midway point?

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Oct 12
Oct 12

By Mike Huesmann

For each of the P4 conferences and the G5 as one I will release a midseason report. Each conference will have a coach who, through the first half of the season has: overperformed, underperformed, is on the hottest seat, on the safest seat, who the jury is still out on, meaning we need to see how the second half of the season goes before jumping to conclusions, and an MVC (most valuable coach), for preparation and in-game coaching, not offseason stuff such a roster building in recruiting and the portal. A coach is only eligible to be picked for one category so we won’t have any repeats.  Yesterday we wrote up the Big 10. 

The Big 12 is probably the best-coached conference thus far. We have several coaches, Kalani Sitake, Joey McGuire, Kenny Dillingham, Chris Klieman, Deion Sanders, Matt Campbell, and even Scott Satterfield who are doing a bang-up job so far. Granted, we also have two of the most disappointing in Leipold and Gundy. 

Big 12 Midseason Report 

Overperforming

Kalani Sitake, BYU 

We had several contenders for this one in the Big 12 but I had to go with Sitake over Campbell, Sanders, and Dillingham. No one expected the Cougars to start 6-0. They have beaten multiple good teams and were only 5-7 last year. Eclipsing last season’s win total in the minimum games required is impressive. They’re one of the pleasant surprises of college football this year.

Underperforming

Tie, Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State, and Lance Leipold, Kansas 

The Cowboys are 3-3 but 0-3 in the conference. This is a team that came into the year as a conference favorite, some people’s playoff pick, and with a Heisman contender at RB in Ollie Gordon. All of those are done now. The schedule is manageable the rest of the way. They better get to a bowl game to avoid it being a total disaster.

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Kansas came into this season with high expectations and also felt like they’d be in the conference title conversation. They have slumped to 1-5 with zero conference win. The offense looks lost with Andy Kotelnicki. Leipold isn’t on the hot seat, he’s done amazing after taking over a terrible situation but assistant coaches (probably Jeff Grimes) will be in the chopping block.

Hottest Seat

Dave Aranda, Baylor 

Baylor has not performed up to standards in the four seasons under Aranda. A single good season, and only winning record in 2021, is all but forgotten. The Bears sit at 2-4 I don’t see four more wins on the schedule, no bowl game probably means Aranda gets fired. His firing feels like a “when” not an “if” at this point.

Coldest Seat (most job security)

Kyle Whittingham, Utah

Whittingham has been the Utes boss since Urban Meyer left after the 2004 season. He is in the same boat as Kirk Ferentz. He is a legend at his school, they love him, and he can keep coaching there in perpetuity. Future Hall of Famer.

Jury Still Out (we need to see how the 2nd half of the season goes)

Neal Brown, West Virginia

Brown was firmly on the hot seat in 2023 and won nine games. The Mountaineers have been a solid team the last season and a half. But that hot seat doesn’t cool down all the way. WVU is 3-3 this year, if they regress or don’t make a bowl game this year, Brown is back on the hot seat in 2025. Winning a minimum of six games is vital for him.

MVC (Most Valuable Coach)

Joey McGuire, Texas Tech

McGuire gets the nod for beating the other top contender in Kenny Dillingham, while Chris Klieman also gets an honorable mention. The Red Raiders are 5-1 overall and 3-1 in the conference with wins over Arizona State, Cincinnati, and Arizona. McGuire gets this for his ability to win close games. Four of five wins are by a single possession. Tech looks to easily eclipse their seven-win total from 2023. 

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