:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/58198509/usa_today_9254642.0.jpg)
After a chaotic day that featured multiple reports that Texas A&M had re-upped it’s pursuit of LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda, similarly multiple reports are now indicating that the Tigers will be holding on to the defensive coordinator:
News: #LSU DC Dave Aranda is remaining with Tigers, spurning Texas A&M again, multiple sources tell @theadvocatebr
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) January 4, 2018
You can expect #LSU's Dave Aranda to be college football's first assistant to make over $2 million a year.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) January 4, 2018
The Tigers swooped in mid-morning, battled Texas A&M's latest offer and kept their man.
Media on the Texas A&M side have also corroborated Delly’s news:
Confirming reports out of Baton Rouge and @RossDellenger that LSU DC Dave Aranda has decided to remain in Baton Rouge.
— Billy Liucci (@billyliucci) January 4, 2018
Hearing Aranda will make $2.5 million per year for four years, all guaranteed, to remain in Baton Rouge
— Billy Liucci (@billyliucci) January 4, 2018
Long story-short, Texas A&M re-iterated a very strong offer for Aranda after LSU’s board game — he’d told them thanks, but no thanks, shortly before the Citrus Bowl. The offer reportedly included freedom to stock his own coaching staff. Numbers aren’t known yet, but I would guess that the country’s highest-paid assistant coach could be making an additional million dollars on top of the $1.8 million LSU paid him last season.
Bruce Feldman added:
Ed Orgeron on Dave Aranda staying on #LSU DC: "Dave is a very instrumental here w/ what we're building at LSU. He's one of the best defensive minds in all of football, and he's even better person. We're looking forward to him being at LSU for many years to come."
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) January 4, 2018
As much as anything, the move helps bring a little bit more stability to an LSU coaching staff that still has an offensive coordinator situation in flux. A significant political victory for Ed Orgeron. His top assistant was so in demand A&M wouldn’t take “no” for an answer the first time.
The answer remains No, Aggies.