It is a poorly kept secret that Jimbo Fisher and Texas A&M came calling for LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda, offering him a hefty salary to steal him away from Baton Rouge. While that was ultimately an unsuccessful venture for the Aggies, the pursuit did push LSU into giving Aranda $10 million guaranteed to stick around and that would be plenty reason to stay in Baton Rouge.
Still, Aranda's decision to hang around appears to be more than just about money and he shared his sentiments with Off the Bench on ESPN Baton Rouge 104.5 FM this week. In short, it was about the players. "I love the players here. I immediately think about the linebacker corp, and I think of Devin White. The improvements he has made, his hunger to be a better player. He's in the office on Sundays (after games) before I am."
Aranda's sentiments go well beyond Devin White but he serves as an example of what the defensive coordinator is feeling. Obviously, monetary concerns are real, even at the highest levels, and Aranda is well compensated for his efforts. Still, coaches simply like to coach and Aranda's kinship with his players is a good reminder of that.
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