UNC announced Sunday that it has hired Jay Bateman to be a co-defensive coordinator on head coach Mack Brown’s football staff alongside Tommy Thigpen.

Bateman–a finalist for the 2018 Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant coach–has spent the last five seasons as the defensive coordinator for Army.

With Bateman in charge of the defense, the Black Knights have won 28 games over the last three years–finishing fourth in total defense in 2016 and ninth in 2018.

Along with his role as co-defensive coordinator, Bateman will also coach the safeties at UNC. Thigpen, meanwhile, will move over to coach linebackers after having previously coached the safeties himself.

“Jay Bateman is an outstanding football coach and I’m thrilled he is joining our staff,” Brown said. “He is a great teacher of the game, a brilliant defensive play caller, and an excellent recruiter with many ties to North Carolina and this region, including strong relationships with North Carolina high school coaches. Sally and I are excited to welcome Jay, Heather and their two children to the Carolina football family.”

 

 

Photo via Associated Press

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