Robert Griffin III lands Baylor interview as Heisman winner chases head coach job

Fox Sports college football analyst Robert Griffin III is getting the formal audience he asked for at Baylor, and the Heisman Trophy winner’s push to succeed fired coach Dave Aranda now carries the weight of an interview at his alma mater.

Baylor is expected to interview Griffin for its head coaching vacancy, according to a report Friday, and the former Bears quarterback has prepared for it with a former college football head coach. He has never coached at any level.

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Why does RG3 believe he fits Baylor?

Griffin went public one day after Aranda’s firing, saying he was “100 percent” interested and had already spoken with athletic director Doug McNamee.

“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,” Griffin said.

The Copperas Cove, Texas, native has built his pitch around leadership rather than play-calling, arguing that the modern college job is “about being a CEO” before running through Baylor’s wish list.

“They asked for somebody that has Texas roots. Check. Someone that can recruit those Texas roots. Check,” Griffin said.

Griffin threw for 4,293 yards with 37 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2011 while rushing for 699 yards and 10 scores, leading Baylor to its first 10-win season since 1980. A statue of the former No. 2 overall pick stands outside McLane Stadium.

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Baylor coaching search timeline and contenders

Griffin isn’t alone in a crowded candidate pool. UTSA coach Jeff Traylor has emerged as a serious contender, bringing Texas ties and a 58-28 record with the Roadrunners.

McNamee set a high bar in his open letter after the firing. “We want to bring in someone who will launch a generation of consistent winning,” he wrote. Baylor’s ideal window for a hire is the last weekend of November, ahead of National Signing Day on Dec. 2.

The 36-year-old’s candidacy also gains traction after NC State made former Wolfpack quarterback Philip Rivers its top candidate. Rivers, however, spent six seasons as a high school head coach in Alabama, experience Griffin can’t claim.

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How has Baylor played since Aranda’s exit?

Baylor fired Aranda on Oct. 25, one day after a 25-24 loss at Kansas dropped the Bears to 4-3 and left him at 40-40 over seven seasons. Defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman took over on an interim basis.

The Bears have since posted a 41-9 rout at UCF and a 42-31 win vs. Iowa State, clinching bowl eligibility at 6-3 and 4-2 in Big 12 play. Klanderman, in his first season after arriving from Kansas State, has said he aspires to be a head coach, and a strong finish could give McNamee another option to weigh.

Baylor visits BYU on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET before closing the regular season against Texas Tech and at Houston.

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