Dave Aranda made quite a first impression in his inaugural season as defensive coordinator in 2010.
UH’s defense came up big last season, helping the team win nine of its final 10 regular season games. During the nine wins, the defense allowed 16.1 points and 272.7 yards per game and forced 28 turnovers while allowing only 2.4 yards per rush and 4.0 yards of total offense per play.
The Warriors led the nation in turnovers caused (38) and tied a school record for most defensive touchdowns (5).
In addition, Aranda coached the linebacker unit led by Corey Paredes, a first-team all-WAC pick and finalist for defensive player of the year. Paredes finished with the second-highest tackles total in school history (151).
In 2009, Aranda got a glimpse of the play-calling in various game throughout the season. He successfully put together the game plan in UH’s 24-17 victory over Navy, in which the Warriors held the Midshipmen’s vaunted rushing attack to 248 yards and scoreless in the second half.
During his first two seasons with the Warriors, Aranda made his mark as the team’s defensive line coach. In 2008, Aranda coached a unit that included David Veikune, Joshua Leonard, and all-WAC second team pick Keala Watson. Veikune was taken in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns with the 52nd overall pick, while Leonard signed as a free agent with the Houston Texans.
Prior to UH, Aranda coached at Delta State University in 2007, where he served as co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach in 2007. Following the season, he signed on to become Southern Utah’s defensive coordinator for new head coach Ed Lamb and was on the job for one month before head coach Greg McMackin called and asked Aranda to join the UH staff. In one year at Delta State, Aranda helped the school win the Gulf South Conference and lead the NCAA Division II in pass efficiency defense, was second in total and scoring defense, and third in run defense.
Prior to DSU, Aranda spent two years as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at his alma mater, California Lutheran, where the Kingsmen led the conference in scoring defense and total defense. It was his second go-around with CLU after serving as an assistant from 1996-99, while finishing his degree.
From 2002-03, Aranda was the linebackers coach at the University of Houston where he was on staff for the 2003 Sheraton Hawai‘i Bowl in the Cougars’ triple-overtime loss to UH. Prior to that, he was a graduate assistant at Texas Tech and was mentored by then-defensive coordinator McMackin. The Red Raiders competed in three bowls during his tenure (2000 GalleryFurniture.com Bowl, 2001 Alamo Bowl and 2002 Tangerine Bowl). At TTU, Aranda coached Aaron Hunt, who finished as the Big 12’s all-time sack leader.
After he graduated from Redlands High School in 1994, numerous surgeries followed and ended his playing career. In 1995, he started his coaching resume at Redlands as an assistant coach. Aranda graduated from Cal Lutheran in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy. In 2002, he earned his master’s degree in interdisciplinary studies at Texas Tech.
Aranda and his wife, Dione, have two daughters, Jaelyn and Jordyn, and a son, Ronin.
