Kansas State football, Collin Klein hire Jordan Peterson as DC
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MANHATTAN — Collin Klein will bring a Texas A&M assistant to Manhattan, filling perhaps the most important position that he has to fill on his coaching staff.
Jordan Peterson will be Kansas State football’s next defensive coordinator, the school announced on Sunday, Dec 21. Peterson, a Texas A&M alum, served as the Aggies’ co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach for the last two seasons under Mike Elko.
“I am extremely excited to accept this position at Kansas State and join Coach Klein and the Wildcat program,” Peterson said in a release. “Kansas State is a special place with a proud football tradition. My family and I are looking forward to the opportunity to return to the great state of Kansas and lead the K-State defense.
“I am also very thankful to Texas A&M and Coach Elko for an incredible two years and for the support and relationships that mean so much to our family. EMAW!”
Peterson will fill the role that was left by Joe Klanderman, who departed the Wildcats to become the defensive coordinator at Baylor.
Texas A&M is coming off a regular season in which it ranked No. 19 in yards allowed, giving up just 309.8 per game. The Aggies ranked first in the nation on third downs and allowed only 182.8 passing yards per game and 14.1 yards per completion, two marks that ranked among the nation’s best.
Peterson is no stranger to the Sunflower State, working for Kansas from 2020-23 on Lance Leipold’s staff. He was the program’s defensive pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach in 2023, and worked between being a safeties coach and defensive analyst in the three years before.
Kansas had four All-Big 12 performers in the secondary, led by Peterson, including two-time All-Big 12 first-teamer Cobee Bryant.
“Jordan is the entire package ― an elite strategist and recruiter, and he develops relationships with his players,” Klein said. “His players play incredibly hard for him and continually get better. I am excited for him to be the leader of our defense.”
Peterson also spent three seasons at New Mexico from 2017-19, serving as the Lobos’ defensive coordinator in 2019. He coached at Fresno State from 2012-16.
Wyatt D. Wheeler covers Kansas State athletics for the USA TODAY Network and Topeka Capital-Journal. You can follow him on X at @WyattWheeler_, contact him at 417-371-6987 or email him at wwheeler@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Jordan Peterson leaves Texas A&M to become Kansas State football DC
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