You ever hear a story that makes you want to check the calendar to make sure it’s not April Fool’s Day? Yeah, this one has that kind of energy. Picture this: a wide receiver balls out in the Big 12, believes he’s locked in for one more season, and then—boom—NCAA goes “just kidding.” Add in a head coach slowly boiling over in frustration, and you’ve got yourself the kind of college football drama that belongs on HBO, not the NCAA’s desk. Oh, and just wait till you hear what the coach said next…
Baylor wideout Ashtyn Hawkins was supposed to be a lock for the 2025 season. The dude transferred in, did his job, racked up stats, and had spring ball under his belt. His story’s a pretty familiar one: started at Cisco Community College in 2020, did time at Texas State, then landed at Baylor. He was told he’d get a 6th year. Why? Because players with JUCO stints and redshirts often do—especially post-COVID. Then, suddenly, that eligibility got yanked like a fire alarm before finals week.
Enter Dave Aranda—the man who flipped a rough 2–6 start into a six-game heater, wrapping up the season at 8–5. Usually cool as ice for a Power Five head coach, Aranda finally let a little fire show at the Texas High School Coaches Association event when it came about his wideout.“We’re still waiting on Ashtyn Hawkins,” Aranda said. “To this date, we haven’t heard anything… We’d like to be able to hear something as soon as possible. I know that it’s with the people that are going to make the decision, and they’re working on it.” Translation: The NCAA’s ghosting us, and it’s getting old.
Let’s rewind. Hawkins lit up secondaries last year—45 receptions, 567 yards, 5 touchdowns. His Texas State revenge game was a highlight reel: 13 catches, 114 yards, and a score. 9 of those catches came in the first half alone. This man wasn’t just a contributor; he was a game-changer. So when the NCAA pulled the rug out from under him weeks before fall camp? Yeah, Baylor fans and staff weren’t exactly sending thank-you cards.
The kicker? Hawkins’ case isn’t even that unique. Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia got a favorable ruling in a near-identical eligibility case, and that opened up a pathway for other players, Hawkins included. Baylor isn’t just sitting on their hands, either. Back in May, they made it clear they were going to fight for Hawkins: “We intend for Ashtyn to be part of our program this upcoming season and are actively working with the NCAA to explore all eligibility options,” they said in a statement.
This whole mess has cranked the heat up under the NCAA. Their consistency in eligibility rulings has long been suspect, but this one feels particularly head-scratching. One decision here, another there—if it smells like favoritism, fans will call it out. And if you’re Baylor, trying to build momentum after a red-hot finish to 2024? Losing your second-best wideout days before the season starts is a big L.
Dave Aranda was called out for using a slur
As if Baylor’s summer couldn’t get weirder, Dave Aranda low-key decided to sprinkle in a little controversy of his own. While speaking at the Texas High School Coaches Association convention, Aranda tried to make a point about recruiting culture by quoting—of all things—a scene from The Wolf of Wall Street. But let’s just say, the scene he chose and the wording he repeated didn’t exactly scream media training 101.
“There’s a scene in The Wolf of Wall Street, where they talk about throwing midgets,” Aranda said, retelling the entire bit almost line for line. He repeated the term several times, seemingly unaware of how uncomfortable the room was becoming. Social media wasted no time pouncing. “Did he really just say that?” tweets rolled in. Spoiler: he did.
Now, Aranda’s point was somewhere in the realm of how coaches try to make players feel included—like they’re “one of us,” as he repeated from the film. But that point got lost in the haze of a wildly outdated term and a pop culture reference that probably should’ve stayed on Netflix. This wasn’t a coach riffing with players in the locker room. This was a public event, and Aranda badly dropped that scene like he was doing stand-up at the Chuckle Hut.
To be fair, it didn’t come off as mean-spirited. Just tone-deaf. The type of misstep that makes you squint and go, “C’mon man, read the room.” Aranda isn’t known for fiery takes or shock jock vibes. He’s more of the philosopher-king type in college football circles. So this slip hit even weirder. Now, between a wide receiver stuck in eligibility purgatory and a coach who stumbled hard in the metaphor department, Baylor’s offseason is suddenly feeling a lot longer. The Bears have the pieces to make another run. But if they’re gonna do it, they’ll need clarity on Hawkins—like yesterday—and Aranda might want to leave the movie quotes on the editing floor next time.
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