Texas A&M loses Co-DC and LB coach Tyler Santucci

Texas A&M has officially lost Co-Defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Tyler Santucci as Duke University has announced his hire as defensive coordinator of the Blue Devils. The move was reported to be taking place by Pete Thamel place late last week.

Jimbo Fisher and the Aggies staff will now look to find a new linebackers coach, possibly one who can also fill the role as a co-defensive coordinator with DJ Durkin.

Santucci worked with current Blue Devils head coach Mike Elko at Wake Forest, Notre Dame and Texas A&M. Elko was defensive coordinator for Texas A&M from 2018-2021.

Santucci, who’s widely regarded as one of the nation’s top up-and-coming defensive coaches, had been at Texas A&M since 2020. He was promoted to co-defensive coordinator last year.

A former Stony Brook All-American linebacker, Santucci was selected to the Big South conference’s All-Decade team for the 2000s.

At Duke, Santucci will replace Robb Smith, who stepped down after one season as the Blue Devils’ defensive coordinator to be closer to his family in Minnesota, according to a statement from Duke.

The Blue Devils are coming off a 9-4 record in their first season with Elko as their head coach.