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New Aggies Defensive Coordinator Jay Bateman To Coach From Press Box in 2024

New Texas A&M defensive coordinator Jay Bateman discussed his coaching strategy this week, including his game-day plans.

Matt Galatzan

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The Texas A&M Aggies are set to take the field for the season opener against Notre Dame later this month with an all-new coaching staff in tow.

That includes on the defensive side of the ball, where new head coach Mike Elko hired defensive coordinator Jay Bateman to help run his defense.

When meeting with the media this week, Bateman revealed his plan on game days, and that he will be helping to call plays from the press box.

Stewart
Sep 2, 2023; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive lineman Shemar Stewart (4) breaks past New Mexico Lobos offensive lineman Matthew Toilolo (74) during the fourth quarter at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports / Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

“I’m gonna be in the press box,” Bateman said. “I’ve kind of gone back and forth with that, but I do think with Mike on the sideline and me in the press box. Mike can’t be in the press box. I don’t think we’ll let him do that. So, I’m going to be in the press box.”

Last season under Jimbo Fisher, former defensive coordinator DJ Durking was calling plays from the sideline, where he had a direct line of contact to his players in between every snap.

However, as he did with the Florida Gators, Bateman prefers to call the defense from the press box, where he can see the field, and get a better read for what the offense is trying to do.

“I like it better up there calling the game, and you can see it a little bit better,” Bateman said. “I’m very confident in our staff, the ability to communicate and drive what we believe in as our standard of excellence on defense on the sideline.”

Bateman will call his first game in primetime on Aug. 31 against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Kyle Field.

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Matt Galatzan
MATT GALATZAN

Matt Galatzan is the Managing Editor and Publisher of Texas Longhorns On SI and Texas A&M Aggies On SI and a long-time member of the Football Writer’s Association of America. He graduated from the University of Mississippi, where he studied integrated marketing communications, with minors in journalism and business administration. Galatzan started in the sports journalism industry in 2014 covering the Dallas Mavericks and SMU Mustangs with 247Sports. He then moved to Sports Illustrated's Fan Nation network in 2020, eventually being taking over as the Managing Editor and Publisher of the Longhorns and Aggies sites a year later. You can find Galatzan on all major social media channels, including Twitter on @MattGalatzan.

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