Top coordinator Dave Aranda turned down opportunity to flip to conference rival

LSU would have taken massive losses if he flipped to another team.

Dave Aranda is a big name in defensive coaching circles and the defensive coordinator of the LSU Tigers is very well regarded in the college football world. To that end, Ed Orgeron will likely be fighting against Aranda being poached quite a bit and, according to Ross Dellenger of The Advocate, that has already begun.

The report indicates that Aranda was pursued by Jimbo Fisher and Texas A&M this weekend, but the veteran elected to stick in Baton Rouge rather than flee to College Station. It would make sense that the Aggies would come calling given that Fisher is set to lose his most recent DC (at Florida State) to a new job at Tennessee and, well, Texas A&M is already pulling out all the stops financially to lure a top-tier staff to their program.

Of course, it helps that Aranda is already reportedly the highest paid assistant coach in the country, with the same report indicating he will make $1.85 million for the 2018 season in Baton Rouge. That type of money could certainly be matched by Texas A&M in a pinch but, with all things equal, Aranda's setup under Orgeron is a strong one and he seemingly will be sticking around for the foreseeable future at LSU.