Wisconsin Football: Dave Aranda Leaves Badgers for LSU
The Wisconsin football team has lost defensive coordinator Dave Aranda to LSU
Wisconsin Badgers’ defensive coordinator Dave Aranda left the Wisconsin football program for the same position at LSU. Aranda replaces Kevin Steele, who left Baton Rouge for Auburn. The story was first reported by ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg.
Related Story: Badgers Defense Excels under Dave Aranda
LSU is hiring Wisconsin defensive coordinator Dave Aranda to the same position, according to a source. Aranda... https://t.co/FHJMmdz6eU
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) January 2, 2016
Aranda arrived to Wisconsin from Utah State with former head coach Gary Andersen prior to the 2013 season and made an immediate impact on the Badgers’ defense, as he introduced the 3-4 scheme to the Wisconsin football program.
When Andersen bolted for Oregon State last December, Aranda elected not to join him in Corvallis and became the lone assistant to be retained to Paul Chryst‘s staff. Aranda turned Wisconsin’s defense into one of the premier units in the country in his three seasons in Madison.
Under Aranda, the Badgers allowed 16 points per game, which ranks second in the country in the three-year span behind only Alabama. Wisconsin also ranks first in total defense, third in passing defense and fourth in rushing defense.
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In 2015, Wisconsin currently ranks No. 2 in scoring defense, third in total defense, fourth in rushing defense and seventh in passing defense.
One of the highly-debated topics among Wisconsin athletics is the pay of its assistant coaches. Aranda was paid $520,000 annually by Wisconsin with a base salary of $300,000, and he entered the year 64th among assistant coaches and 12th among Big Ten assistants, according to USA Today.
Steele made more than $1 million as LSU’s defensive coordinator in 2015.
With the numbers that Aranda put up while with Wisconsin and the numbers that he was paid, it was clear that he would not be in Madison for long. The only questions were when he would leave and which position he would go for, whether he was interested in becoming a head coach, continue to be an assistant or even make a move to the NFL. He earned the luxury of being able to wait for a job that he felt was right for him, and when the defensive coordinator position at LSU opened up, Aranda jumped on it.
Aranda will be missed in Madison, but he will be on the sideline for Wisconsin’s next game, as the Badgers open the 2016 season against LSU at Lambeau Field.
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