Texas A&M defensive coordinator Jay Bateman is headed to Kentucky to become the defensive coordinator for the Wildcats under new head coach Will Stein, sources confirm to Dave Campbell’s Texas Football. ESPN reports that Lyle Hemphill, currently Texas A&M’s associate head coach for defense, will take over as defensive coordinator for the Aggies. 

Bateman arrived in College Station with Elko ahead of the 2024 season. He was previously with Florida and North Carolina. The Aggies were 34th in scoring defense in 2024 while allowing 22.3 points per game. They currently rank 41st in scoring defense in 2025 at 21.9 points per game. The passing defense improved from 90th in the FBS last season to 21st this season as Elko, a former defensive coordinator, took more control in the play calling. 

Hemphill, who was on staff with Elko at Duke as a co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach, will be elevated to defensive coordinator in 2025. He spent the 2024 season as the DC at James Madison before joining the Aggies staff last offseason. He’s also had stops at Wake Forest and Stony Brook. 

Bateman leaving means that both coordinators at Texas A&M will be new in 2025. Offensive coordinator Collin Klein was named the new head coach at Kansas State, his alma mater, last week. Both Bateman and Klein are expected to coach with the Aggies through the College Football Playoff, which begins in Aggieland on Dec. 20 against Miami.