New Baylor D-Line Coach Jacori Greer Explains Excitement About Defensive Line

It's going to be a new look for the Bears this season.

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After a poor performance from the Baylor defense and the defensive line, Dave Aranda moved on from former coordinator Matt Powledge, along with former defensive line coach Inoke Breckterfield. Aranda hired Joe Klanderman to coordinate his defense in 2026, and hired Jacori Greer to coach the D-line.

Greer comes to Waco after a successful year at Coastal Carolina. He was hired in late December and the Bears have made a lot of moves to hopefully shore up the defensive line. Appearing on 'The Sic 'Em Podcast' presented by Baylor Plus, the new defensive line coach spoke about just how important spring is going to be for his unit.

"Oh, right now it's vital," Greer said of spring ball. "I think we're as wide open just as far as depth chart than we've ever been here from what I'm hearing. So the spring is going to be a great time to evaluate, a great time to teach our techniques and the things we do. So we're really looking forward to that."

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Baylor lost Jackie Marshall, Cooper Lanz, DK Kalu, Matthew Fobbs-White, and Emar'rion Winston from the 2025 team, among others. But the Bears made some inspiring moves, most notably adding Indiana defensive lineman Hosea Wheeler, and Greer explained why he's excited about his new group.

"I think we are as twitchy and athletic as probably we've been in a long time," Greer said of the position. "I think we're still figuring out exactly position-wise who can play what from that standpoint. But just like their ability to get off the ball and get vertical are things that I'm really excited about so far."

The recruitment of the defensive line

Greer is a former defensive lineman himself. He played and coached six years at New Mexico, where he was an All-Mountain West selection. He might be a little biased, but Greer made a good point on the podcast.

If a defensive lineman is making plays, you notice. If they aren't, you also notice. Baylor fans can understand that, given how poorly the Bears' front played this past season.

"I've always thought like, man, you need a really good quarterback," Greer began. "You need some corners that can cover. You need an O-line and you need a D-line. Like linebacker. My linebacker, Coach Chaney, is going to kill me. But I'm just like, man, anybody can play linebacker.

"But defensive linemen, man, if you got a good one, you notice them. And if you don't got them, you notice it. Right. And so we're developing right now. And I think by the time we get to game day, I think we'll be really proud of our product."

The Bears will begin spring practice will begin on March 24.