Robert Griffin III has spent the past few years breaking down college football from the broadcast booth. Now, the former Baylor quarterback could get an opportunity to trade his analyst role for a place on the sidelines at the program where he became a national star.
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Baylor is expected to interview Griffin for its vacant head coaching position, according to reports from ESPN. The development comes less than three weeks after Griffin publicly expressed his interest in returning to Waco, giving the school’s only Heisman Trophy winner a chance to make his case.
Griffin had already made his intentions clear during an October 26 appearance on The Dan Patrick Show. Asked whether he would be interested in replacing Dave Aranda, the 36-year-old showed no hesitation.
“Yes, 100%,” Griffin said. “If Baylor wants to get back to winning and have a university that isn’t just respectable on the football field but the fans can be proud of, they need people who know what it looks like to win at Baylor. So yeah, I would 100% be interested.”
He also confirmed that he had spoken with athletic director Doug McNamee about the opportunity.
Griffin believes his Baylor background makes him a strong candidate
The former quarterback has also addressed the biggest question surrounding his candidacy: his lack of coaching experience. Griffin has never coached at the college or professional level, but he believes the modern college football landscape requires more than experience calling plays.
In an interview with Front Office Sports, he pointed to his Texas background, recruiting connections, and understanding of Baylor’s identity as reasons he could succeed.
“I’m the right person for the job, first and foremost because they asked for somebody with Texas roots, check,” Griffin said. “Someone that can recruit those Texas roots, check. Somebody that can help further their Christian mission at Baylor University, check.”
He also described the head coach’s responsibilities as being more about leadership and building a winning culture than simply calling plays.
Griffin’s connection to Baylor is difficult to overlook. He played for the Bears from 2008 to 2011 and delivered one of the greatest individual seasons in program history during his final year.
In 2011, he threw for 4,293 yards and 37 touchdowns with just six interceptions, adding 699 rushing yards and 10 scores. Baylor finished 10-3, and Griffin became the first player in school history to win the Heisman Trophy.
He was subsequently selected No. 2 overall by the Washington Commanders in the 2012 NFL Draft and won Offensive Rookie of the Year. After seven NFL seasons with Washington, Cleveland and Baltimore, Griffin moved into broadcasting and currently works as a college football analyst for Fox Sports.
Baylor’s vacancy opened after the school fired Aranda on October 25 following a 25-24 loss to Kansas. Aranda finished with a 40-40 record during his tenure, which included a 12-2 campaign and a Sugar Bowl victory in 2021.
Defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman has taken over as interim head coach and won his first two games, against UCF and Iowa State. The Bears are now 6-3 overall, giving the interim coach an opportunity to strengthen his own case as the season continues.
Griffin has even acknowledged that Klanderman could deserve the permanent position if he keeps winning. He previously suggested Baylor should retain the interim coach if he guides the team through its remaining conference schedule without a loss.
For now, however, Griffin has secured an opportunity to present his vision to the university. An interview does not guarantee the job, particularly for a candidate without coaching experience.
But after making his interest public and explaining why he believes he is the right fit, the former Heisman winner has moved one step closer to a return to Baylor.