Texas A&M has promoted Lyle Hemphill to defensive coordinator for the 2026 season.
The program confirmed that news on Friday morning. Hemphill replaces Jay Bateman, who recently left Texas A&M to call plays for Kentucky next year.
RELATED: Did you know Underdog Fantasy is legal in Texas? Here’s SDS’s full Underdog Fantasy review so you can understand all the pros and cons before joining!
Hemphill previously worked for Elko at both Hofstra and Duke. Hemphill was the defensive coordinator for James Madison in 2024 before joining Texas A&M as associate head coach for defense in the summer of 2025.
Elko and his staff have made significant progress with Texas A&M’s defense in just 2 years on the job. This season, the Aggies allowed just 5.04 yards per play which ranked 34th nationally and 8th in the SEC.
Texas A&M also achieved an 11-1 record this season thanks in-part to its success on the defensive side of the ball. The Aggies are now preparing to take on Miami in the first round of the College Football Playoff next weekend.
Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
