Missouri has found its next defensive coordinator to replace Blake Baker, who left for LSU.

Eli Drinkwitz has reportedly hired South Alabama defensive coordinator Corey Batoon as the school’s new defensive coordinator, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported. He’s a veteran coach with experience at Liberty, Hawaii, FAU and 5 seasons in various roles at Ole Miss. With the Rebels, Batoon was an assistant AD, and later was an assistant coach working with safeties and special teams coordinator for 2 seasons.

In the 2023 season, the South Alabama defense was ranked No. 15 in the country in total defense after it gave up 313 yards per game. The unit was No. 27 in scoring defense after it yielded 21 points per game.

Batoon was a Broyles Award nominee in 2021 for the nation’s top assistant coach after the the team allowed the fewest rushing and total offense yards since the program moved up to the FBS level in 2012.

Previously, he was the defensive coordinator, or co-DC at Hawaii and Florida Atlantic.

Coaching Experience:
Pierce (Calif.) J.C. — assistant coach, 1991-92
Saint Mary’s (Calif.) — assistant coach, 1993-95
Central Missouri State — assistant coach, 1996
Montana — assistant coach, 1997
Northern Arizona — assistant head coach, 1998-08
Arkansas State — assistant coach, 2009-11
Ole Miss — Assistant AD for Player Development, 2012; Assistant AD for Recruiting Operations/Def. Asst, 2013-14; assistant coach, 2015-16
Florida Atlantic — assistant coach, 2017
Hawai’i — assistant coach, 2018-19
Liberty — assistant coach, 2020
South Alabama — assistant coach, 2021-2023