Texas A&M DC leaving for Kentucky, associate HC to fill position

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Another Texas A&M coordinator is set to depart from Bryan-College Station, Texas, after an impressive campaign, which included reaching the CFP for the first time in school history.

According to On3 Sports college football insider Pete Nakos, the Kentucky Wildcats are set to hire current Texas A&M defensive coordinator Jay Bateman in the same role in Lexington. Bateman joined head coach Mike Elko’s staff in January 2024, when he was assigned as the coordinator and linebackers coach for the defensive unit. Before his current stint with the Maroon and White, Bateman spent two seasons at Florida as the inside linebackers coach and three seasons as the defensive coordinator at North Carolina.

After firing tenured head coach Mark Stoops on Dec. 1, the Wildcats hired Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein to take the reins of the program. He is working quickly to put together a staff for next year’s campaign, which is set to include Bateman, per reports from On3 Sports on Thursday morning.

While his time in College Station has been short, Bateman has helped reconstruct the Aggie defensive unit back to its dominant form under Elko’s watchful eye. Texas A&M ranked top-three in the SEC with 16 interceptions and 76 passes defended in Bateman’s first season coaching the defense. The group has shown flashes throughout this year’s ventures, as the Aggies rank 19th in the FBS, allowing 309.8 yards per game, while also holding opponents to just 21.9 points per contest.

The unit has posted some of the most impressive statistics in college football, including ranking first in third-down conversion rate allowed, tied for first in sacks, and ranking in the top three in tackles for loss. Bateman also coached players like senior defensive end Cashius Howell, who was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year, marking the first Aggie player to win the award.

Per an additional report from Pete Thamel, following the news of Bateman’s departure from Texas A&M, the program is set to promote associate head coach for the defense, Lyle Hemphill, as the new defensive coordinator of the Aggies. It is unknown at the moment whether Bateman will continue to coach the Aggies in the CFP, or if Hemphill will fill in for the first-round matchup against Miami.

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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M DC leaving for Kentucky, associate HC to fill position

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