Kentucky is hiring Texas A&M defensive coordinator Jay Bateman for same position

The news many in the Big Blue Nation have been waiting for finally arrived on Thursday morning. Kentucky head coach Will Stein has found another coordinator with extensive SEC experience. We now know who will be running the defense in Lexington.

Texas A&M defensive coordinator Jay Bateman is leaving his post off a playoff team to join Stein’s first staff in Lexington.

BREAKING: Kentucky is set to hire Texas A&M defensive coordinator Jay Bateman as its next DC, @petenakos reports.https://t.co/MDZp5JwGD0 pic.twitter.com/S1oA3eBbSj

— On3 (@On3sports) December 11, 2025

Jay Bateman, 52, is a Virginia native who played linebacker at Randolph-Macon from 1991-94. After getting his start in coaching at the high school level, Bateman became a graduate assistant in D-III and then became a head coach at FCS Sienna at age 26. After a rough four-year campaign that included just five wins, Bateman spent seven more seasons in the FCS highlighted by becoming Elon’s defensive coordinator. While working for head coach Pete Lembo, Bateman helped guide the Phoenix to three ranked finishes. The defensive coordinator then followed Lembo to Ball State for his first job in the FBS.

That led to an opportunity at Army where Bateman called the defense for five seasons. The defensive coordinator was a part of two double-digit win teams in West Point. Bateman then went to North Carolina to call the defense for Mack Brown from 2019-21. After losing his job in Chapel Hill, Bateman landed at Florida where he worked for two seasons as a linebackers coach before Mike Elko tagged him to be his first defensive coordinator at Texas A&M. The defensive coordinator was paid $1 million in 2024.

After picking up former LSU offensive coordinator Joe Sloan, Stein has found another coach with SEC experience to fill the defensive coordinator role. The first big defensive hire from Stein is official. Jay Bateman will be leaving College Station for Lexington. That move will likely occur once the Aggies finish their run in the College Football Playoff.