COACHES
Assistant Coaches Dave Aranda
Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers YEAR AT LSU: First (appointed Jan. 1, 2016) BIRTHDATE: Sept. 29, 1976 Redlands, Calif. WIFE: Dione CHILDREN: Jaelyn, Jordyn, Ronin HIGH SCHOOL: Redlands High School (1994) COLLEGE: California Lutheran (1999) POSTGRADUATE: Texas Tech (2002)
@CoachDaveAranda
COACHING EXPERIENCE 1995 Redlands (Calif.) High School (defensive coordinator, linebackers, offensive line) 1996-99 California Lutheran (linebackers) 2000-02 Texas Tech (graduate assistant) 2003-04 Houston (linebackers) 2005-06 California Lutheran (defensive coordinator/linebackers) 2007 Delta State (co-defensive coordinator/secondary) 2008-11 Hawaii (defensive line, 2008-09; defensive coordinator, 2010-11) 2012 Utah State (defensive coordinator) 2013-15 Wisconsin (defensive coordinator/inside linebackers) 2016 LSU (defensive coordinator/inside linebackers) BOWL EXPERIENCE Season Bowl Team 2000 Galleryfurniture.com Texas Tech 2001 Alamo Texas Tech 2002 Tangerine Texas Tech 2003 Hawaii Houston 2008 Hawaii Hawaii 2010 Hawaii Hawaii 2012 Famous Idaho Utah State 2013 Capital One Wisconsin 2014 Outback Wisconsin 2015 Holiday Wisconsin
Opponent East Carolina Iowa Clemson Hawaii Notre Dame Tulsa Toledo South Carolina Auburn Southern Cal
Results L, 40-27 L, 19-16 W, 55-15 W, 54-48 L, 49-21 L, 62-35 W, 41-15 L, 34-24 W,34-31 (OT) W, 23-21
Dave Aranda, who guided Top 10 defenses at Wisconsin for the past three years, is in his first year as LSU’s defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach after being named to the position in January. In three years as the Wisconsin defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach, Aranda led a Badger defense that combined to rank among the top 5 in the nation in the four major defensive categories – scoring, total yards, passing yards and rushing yards. From 2013-15, Aranda’s defense allowed an average of 289.4 yards per game – which ranks first in the nation over that span. His defense allowed 16.9 points (No. 2 nationally), 179.9 passing yards (No. 3 nationally) and 109.6 rushing yards (No. 4 nationally) over the three years, a span that saw Wisconsin post a 30-10 record, reach the Big Ten title game in 2014 and play in two New Year’s Day bowl games. In three years at Wisconsin, Aranda’s defense pitched five shutouts (2 in 2013 and 2015, 1 in 2014) and didn’t allow opponents to score more than a single touchdown in 18 games over that stretch. Aranda’s 2015 defense capped the regular season leading the nation in points allowed at 13.1 points a contest. Wisconsin ranked No. 3 in the nation in total defense (268.5 yards per game), No. 4 in rushing defense (95.4 yards per game) and No. 7 in passing defense (173.2 yards per game). LSU opened the 2014 season against Aranda and Wisconsin, winning 28-24. However. Aranda’s defense limited the Tigers to 126 rushing yards as LSU used a fourth-quarter rally to beat the Badgers in Houston. LSU opens the 2016 season against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Aranda will take over an LSU defense that returns nine starters from a unit that allowed 24.2 points and 347.2 total yards (122.9 rushing, 224.2 passing) a contest. During the spring, Aranda transitioned LSU to a 3-4 defense as the Tigers will look to take better advantage of its personnel. LSU will still use variations of the 4-3 defense in certain situations. Aranda’s top defensive product at Wisconsin was linebacker Chris Borland, who was named 2014 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team AllAmerican as a senior. Borland was a third-round draft pick of the San Francisco 49ers. Aranda also saw noseguard Beau Allen (Philadelphia) and safety Dezmen Southward (Atlanta) selected in the 2013 NFL Draft. Aranda spent the 2012 season at Utah State where he helped the Aggies to a school record 11 wins (2 losses) and a 41-15 victory over Toledo in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. As the defensive coordinator at USU, he oversaw an Aggies defense that ranked eighth in the country in scoring defense, allowing just 15.4 points per game. In addition to scoring defense, Utah State also ranked among the top 15 nationally in sacks (eighth), pass efficiency defense (10th), rush defense (12th) and total defense (15th). In the red zone, the Aggies were particularly effective,
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2016 FOOTBALL MEDIA GUIDE
Dave and his wife Dione with Children Jaclyn, Jordyn, and Ronin.
allowing opponents to score on just 63.6 percent of their trips inside the 20-yard line, a mark that tied them for third in the country in red zone defense. USU opponents scored just 13 TDs in 44 red zone opportunities (29.5 percent). Prior to his season at Utah State, Aranda spent four years at Hawai`i, the last two as the Warriors’ defensive coordinator after coaching the defensive line his first two years. During the 2011 season at Hawai`i, Aranda’s defense led the Western Athletic Conference and was tied for 15th in the FBS in sacks with 35. In 2010, Aranda’s Hawai`i defense led the nation in turnovers caused (38), while ranking second in the nation in interceptions (23) and ninth in fumbles recovered (15), as well as tying the school record for most defensive touchdowns with five. Prior to Hawai`i, Aranda coached at Delta State University in 2007, where he served as co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach. Following the season, he signed on to become Southern Utah’s defensive coordinator for new head coach Ed Lamb and was on the job for one month before head coach Greg McMackin called and asked Aranda to join the Hawai`i staff. In one year at Delta State, Aranda helped the school win the Gulf South Conference and lead NCAA Division II in pass efficiency defense, ranking second in total and scoring defense, and third in run defense. Before Delta State, Aranda spent two years as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at his alma mater, California Lutheran, where the Kingsmen led the conference in scoring defense and total defense. It was his second go-around with California Lutheran after serving as an assistant from 1996-99, while finishing his degree. From 2003-04, Aranda was the linebackers coach at the University of Houston under head coach Art Briles. Prior to that, he was a graduate assistant at Texas Tech. After he graduated from Redlands High School in California in 1994, numerous surgeries followed and ended his playing career. In 1995, he started his coaching resume at Redlands as an assistant coach. Aranda graduated from California Lutheran in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy. In 2002, he earned his master’s degree in interdisciplinary studies at Texas Tech. Aranda and his wife, Dione, have two daughters, Jaelyn and Jordyn, and a son, Ronin.