Dave Aranda addresses challenges of the transfer portal

Baylor head coach Dave Aranda isn’t unique when it cones to the ebbs and flows of the transfer portal. Like everyone else, Aranda has learned to deal with it and make it a part of his roster building.

But that doesn’t mean the challenges have gone away as he’s gotten more experienced. Aranda was on The Paul Finebaum Show on Monday and he discussed the good and bad of the portal.

“I look at the transfer portal and I can see coaches being hired and then a year later leaving for a better job,” Aranda said. “It just makes sense for for kids that are signed on to a school, and they will say they don’t expect it but expecting the coach to be there and then he’s not there. It makes sense for them to move on. Now we know for them as players, it’s probably moved on from that reasoning. But I think the origin of it I can understand.”

The Bears saw a total of 26 players enter the transfer portal and commit to the school from the portal last cycle. Some of the team’s major pickups include former BYU offensive lineman Clark Barrington, former Mississippi State quarterback Sawyer Robertson and former Arkansas wide receiver Ketron Jackson.

But they also lost some notable talent to the portal. Among the notable names are new Florida defensive lineman Micah Mazzccua, new Arkansas safety Al Walcott, new Louisville safety Devin Neal and new Virginia Tech quarterback Kyron Drones.

“If you’re treating kids right, we talk about person over player,” Aranda said. “The person drives the player. We want to see that person, value him, build him up. The better the person, the better the player. If we do that, a lot of times kids will stay because they’re gonna see that they’re important (here) too and they’re seeing that they’re seen and they see I am becoming something here.”

Aranda also gave credit to the players of today who can cut through the platitudes coaches spiel and understand the truth of the situation/

“For all of the the whirlwind of college football as it is today,” Aranda said, “it is a blessing that kids can tell what’s real and what’s not. They can tell that hey, these are just words floating above your head, dude. They’re not really you. I understand I’m being played right now. I think that’s a good thing. I think that holds coaches to the ground and the integrity part of it, I think it’s way important.”