Report: Texas A&M hiring Kansas co-defensive coordinator Jordan Peterson as safeties coach

Texas A&M is set to make another staff hire under new coach Mike Elko, with Elko reportedly set to tap Kansas co-defensive coordinator Jordan Peterson as his new safeties coach.

TexAgs’ Billy Liucci first reported the anticipated hire.

Peterson has some natural ties to the program after playing defensive back for Texas A&M during his playing days. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Texas A&M, too.

The past four years, Peterson has worked as Kansas in a variety of roles.

He began in an on-field role working with the safeties in 2020 before moving off the field as a defensive analyst in 2021. He then returned to the field to coach safeties in 2022 before adding defensive backs and defensive pass game coordinator to his titles in 2023.

Prior to his stint at Kansas, Peterson worked at both New Mexico and Fresno State.

He spent 2017-19 at New Mexico, where he primarily worked with the safeties. He added the role of defensive coordinator in his final season there in 2019.

The previous five years were spent at Fresno State, where Peterson worked as a secondary and outside linebackers coach.

He spent 2010-11 as a graduate assistant at Texas A&M after his playing days ended.

Players praising Mike Elko through transition

As Elko finishes out his coaching staff with hires like Jordan Peterson, his players are getting more used to his expectations within the program.

There’s been relatively limited interaction so far, but from what players have seen they like it.

“It’s been a great transition with the coaching staff,” quarterback Jaylen Henderson said on TexAgs Radio. “It’s exactly what we needed in the program. The first week of training right now, you can tell this is what a championship program’s supposed to look like. So we’re all excited with the training and everything. On offense, the stuff that I looked at, it looks pretty impressive. We’re just all excited to get ready to go in the spring.”

Elko himself is returning to Texas A&M after a stint as the program’s defensive coordinator.

In his absence from the program, Elko went on to lead Duke to two successful seasons as head coach, putting himself in position to be tabbed Jimbo Fisher‘s replacement.

Texas A&M will be hoping Elko’s success continues in College Station.