Jay Bateman has been named Kentucky’s defensive coordinator, head coach Will Stein announced Wednesday.
“Jay Bateman is one of the most respected defensive minds in college football,” Stein said. “His ability to develop players, create disruptive defenses, and consistently compete at a high level has stood out everywhere he’s been. Jay brings energy, experience, and a clear vision for how we want to play defense, and we’re excited to welcome him to Kentucky.”
Bateman comes to the Bluegrass after two
seasons at Texas A&M. The Aggies are currently in the College Football Playoffs. They earned the No. 7 seed and will play host to No. 10 Miami on Saturday, Dec. 20 at noon ET on ABC.
Texas A&M finished the 2025 regular season 11-1, the program’s most regular-season wins since 1992. Bateman’s defense was led by SEC Defensive Player of the Year Cashius Howell. He posted a league-best 11.5 sacks, while also generating 41 quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.
“In 2023, I was coaching at Florida, and we came up to Kentucky, and they beat the brakes off of us,” Bateman said. “I remember thinking, ‘Wow! This is an incredible place.’ With Will Stein being one of the brightest young stars in the profession, it was a major reason I would leave Texas A&M. I’m excited to work with one of the sharpest head coaches in the country.”
In 2024, Bateman led the Aggies’ defense to a top 35 national ranking in tackles for loss (92) and scoring defense (22.2 ppg), while also finishing in the top three in the Southeastern Conference with 16 interceptions and 76 passes defended.
Three Aggie defensive linemen were selected in the first three rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft, including first-rounder Shemar Stewart and second-rounders Nic Scourton and Shemar Turner.
Prior to Texas A&M, Bateman spent two seasons as the inside linebacker coach at Florida (2022-23).
In his first season with the Gators, he delivered two NFL Draft picks in Ventrell Miller, who was picked in the fourth round by the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Amari Burney, who was selected by the Las Vegas Raiders in the sixth round. The Gators’ defensive unit led the SEC with 24 takeaways (15 fumble recoveries and nine interceptions) and ranked second in turnover margin at +10 (0.77).
Bateman made the move to Gainesville after spending three seasons as North Carolina’s co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach (2019-21). Upon his arrival, Bateman helped engineer major improvements for the Tar Heel defense, which was one of the nation’s top five most improved units in total defense, scoring defense and rushing defense that year.
Bateman’s aggressive style was evident in the 36 sacks the team produced in 2020, the fifth-most in the nation and the most for a North Carolina defense since 2000. The Tar Heels also boasted top 35 rankings in scoring defense, total defense and rushing defense among teams that played at least 10 games.
During his time with the Tar Heels, Bateman helped develop two NFL Draft picks, including First Team All-American Chazz Surratt, who was picked in the third round by the Minnesota Vikings in 2021, along with Jason Strowbridge, who was selected in the fifth round by the Miami Dolphins in 2020.
Prior to UNC, Bateman spent five seasons (2014-18) as Army’s defensive coordinator. Army won 29 games – highlighted by three bowl victories – during Bateman’s final three seasons.
Army had two top 10 finishes in total defense. Bateman was one of five finalists for the 2018 Broyles Award and a semifinalist in 2016.
In 2018, Bateman led Army’s defense to finish eighth nationally in total defense (295.5 ypg) and 10th in scoring defense (17.7 ppg). The Black Knights finished third in the nation in red-zone defense and 14th in passing defense in 2017.
In 2016, Bateman guided a defense that ranked fourth nationally in total defense (291.5 ypg), sixth in passing defense (170.2 ypg) and 18th in rushing defense (121.2 ypg). The Army defensive unit also ranked 16th in scoring defense, allowing 19 points per game, while increasing its interception total from six in 2015 to 17 in 2016.
Before Army, Bateman spent three seasons as the defensive coordinator at Ball State (2011-13). His 2013 defensive unit ranked ninth nationally in turnovers gained with 31 and 12th in turnover margin at +0.9. Bateman helped produce an NFL Draft selection in Jonathan Newsome, who was selected by Indianapolis and played two seasons with the Colts.
Bateman spent five seasons as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Elon (2006-10) prior to Ball State. At Elon, he coached Chad Nkang, who was drafted by Jacksonville in 2007 and played two seasons for the Jaguars. He also made stops at Lehigh (2005) and Richmond (2004).
Bateman gained head coaching experience at Siena College from 2000-03 after serving as the defensive coordinator in 1999.
His coaching career began in 1995 at Benedictine High School in his hometown of Richmond, Virginia, where he spent two seasons as an assistant. He moved on to become a graduate assistant from 1997-98 at Hampden-Sydney College in Sydney, Virginia.
Bateman played linebacker at Randolph-Macon, a Division III program in Farmville, Virginia, and earned a degree in political science in 1995.
He and his wife, Heather, have two children, Bea and CJ.
