Texas A&M Has Already Found Its New Defensive Coordinator

The Texas A&M Aggies underwent a major change on Thursday morning, with defensive coordinator Jay Bateman leaving the program for the same role with the Kentucky Wildcats.

Luckily, the Aggies have already found the man to fill that void and take over as the new leader of the defense ahead of their College Football Playoff run.

According to the Austin American-Statesman's Tony Catalina, the Aggies are promoting associate head coach for the defense, Lyle Hemphil,l to the role. Catalina was first to report the move.

The move comes just minutes after the departure of Bateman.

What Bateman Brings to the Aggies

Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko during the first half against the Louisiana State Tigers | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Fortunately, Hemphill is already intimately familiar with the Aggies defensive schemes and personnel, as well as head coach Mike Elko's vision for what they want to do.

The pair has already spent extensive time together, with Hemphill coaching under Elko when he was the head coach at Duke in 2022 and 2023 as the safeties coach and co-defensive coordinator.

He then moved to James Madison in 2024, where he became the team's defensive coordinator. His defense excelled that season, leading the nation with a +1.54 turnover margin. That included 17 interceptions and 29 total takeaways. The Dukes also ranked No. 6 nationally with 3.15 sacks per game and were the No. 7 team in the country in team passing efficiency with a 111.48 rating.

After his stint at JMU, Hemphill elected to re-join Elko in 2025 in the associate head coach for defense role.

And Elko could not have been happier to have him as part of the defense this year, with Hemphill playing a critical role from the press box that allowed former coordinator Jay Bateman to move to the field.

“Having [new defensive coordinator Lyle] Hemphill come in, and kind of be the box guy, which has allowed Jay the freedom to come down to the field, and so now the linebackers see him in between every possession,” Elko said earlier this season. He’s also able to make the adjustments that are necessary across all 11 guys. And you know that that’s been, obviously, something I know he’s been really excited about, because I think that allows us to adjust in game at a much higher level than we were at times last year.”

Regardless, it seems rational to assume that Elko will continue to call the plays for the Texas A&M defense, particularly through the playoff run that begins next weekend in College Station.

It is unknown as we write this whether or not Bateman will stay on with the Aggies for the pst season.