Can’t Blame Dave Aranda Leaving Wisconsin Badgers for LSU Tigers

Dave Aranda left Wisconsin, and we shouldn’t blame him

What Dave Aranda has done with his time as defensive coordinator for the Wisconsin Badgers in three years was nothing short of amazing. As we all knew, it was just a matter of time before Aranda would move on to bigger and better things as he was named the new defensive coordinator for the LSU Tigers Friday night.

After following Gary Andersen here from Utah State and then deciding to stay in Madison when Andersen bolted for Oregon State, Aranda quickly became a fan and player favorite. He turned a good Wisconsin defense into one of the best in the country for three years.

In his first year with the Badgers in 2013, he switched to a 3-4 defense and dialed up the pressure on opposing offenses. Because of that the Badgers ranked seventh in total defense, including having the fifth-best rush defense and the sixth-best scoring defense in the country.

Wisconsin Badgers /

Wisconsin Badgers

This past season was by far his best as the Badgers dominated offenses from the get-go. They consistently had one of the best scoring defenses in the country, currently rank in the top 10 in passing and rushing defense and at the time of this writing they have the third-best total defense.

It’s easy to see the major impact that Aranda has had on this program in just three seasons being at Wisconsin. So it really should not come as a surprise to anyone that he was getting plenty of offers many major programs around the country, especially through the course of this season.

And in the month leading to the Holiday Bowl, it was a hot topic for discussion. Aranda stated numerous times how much he and his family loved Madison and the city in general. But you could tell if an opportunity came that he just could not turn down, he would have to take it. At the end of the day, he has to do what is best for him and his family.

The players have raved about Aranda since he arrived on campus. And many of those same players have nothing but the utmost respect for him. They knew the business side of football. They also knew it was just a matter of time a great opportunity would come around that Aranda just couldn’t refuse. And all of those players honestly could not be any happier for a guy that has taught them so much on and off the field.

It’s no secret that Wisconsin has had a tough time keeping assistants due to their pay scale compared to many that compete each year national championships. I’m sure that played into Aranda’s decision as well. But what he is doing is taking that next big step into becoming a head coach if he chooses to do go that route down the road. From Hawaii to Utah State to Wisconsin and now a great challenge in slowing down SEC offenses at LSU, it’s a great path that Aranda is on.

Next: D.J. Gillins is Leaving, Too

You can bet he is more than ready for the next challenge and chapter in his life.