ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - Weeks after former Missouri Tiger defensive coordinator Blake Baker departed the program to return back to LSU, Mizzou has found his replacement and it is a hire from outside the program.
According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, Mizzou will hire South Alabama defensive coordinator Corey Batoon for the same role.
Batoon was the coordinator for South Alabama for two seasons. Prior to that he has stints as a coach with Hawai'i, Liberty and Florida Atlantic from 2017-2020.
Prior to those stints, he was with Ole Miss for five seasons, where he served a variety of roles including Assistant AD for Recruiting Operations.
Under Batoon, South Alabama was consistently one of the top defenses in the Sun Belt, finishing last season with the third fewest points allowed, second-fewest passing yards and total yards allowed.
This will Batoon second job as a football coach in Missouri. In 1996, he was a assistant coach for then-Central Missouri State University.
Batoon will replace Blake Baker, who left the program to return back to LSU to be their program's defensive coordinator. It is unknown if Batoon will be the sole defensive coordinator or work as co-defensive coordinator alongside D.J. Smith, similar to what Baker did during his time with the Tigers.
With rampant expectations for 2024 after a 2023 season that concluded with Mizzou winning the 2023 Cotton Bowl, Batoon will looked upon to keep Mizzou's defense as one of the best in the SEC during Baker's time with the program. The defense will have some changes with five starters from last years defense leaving, including both starting cornerbacks in Ennis Rakestraw Jr. and Kris Abrams-Draine.
However, the transfer portal will bring some experienced players, with six of the players Mizzou got in the portal being defensive players, including cornerback Toriano Pride from Clemson.
Along that, Mizzou 2024 recruiting class has some stars in the class, including five-star edge rusher William Nwaneri out of Kansas City, Missouri and cornerback Trejan Greco.
