Reports: Kenny Baker, assistant defensive line coach for the Miami Dolphins, is hired by Texas
The native of Georgia has served as a coach at Western Kentucky, Chattanooga, and Mercer.
According to a report from 247Sports on Thursday, Steve Sarkisian has hired Miami Dolphins assistant defensive line coach Kenny Baker, marking the Texas Longhorns’ acquisition of a new defensive line coach two weeks after Bo Davis left for the LSU Tigers. ESPN was among the other media outlets to confirm the hiring.
After 11 years of collegiate coaching and three years of high school coaching, Baker, a native of Georgia and three-year starter and team captain at Gardner-Webb, played one season with the Dolphins. Prior to completing five seasons at Mercer, Baker began his collegiate career in 2013 as the linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator at Berry College. Baker attended Chattanooga in 2019 after spending three years at Western Kentucky.
With 32 sacks in 2022, Baker’s defensive line with the Hilltoppers assisted Western Kentucky in finishing second in Conference USA. Baker was the coach of Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year DeAngelo Malone, who led FCS defensive linemen in tackles with 88, led the conference in tackles for loss with 16.5, and had the second-highest number of sacks with eight. In the 2022 NFL Draft, Malone was selected in the third round.
Following Davis’ departure, Texas lost 2024 signee D’antre Robinson, thus Baker will be under immediate pressure to recruit at a high level. Texas needs to add both quantity and quality along the interior defensive line, as the 2023 class only included one signee.
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