According to Matt Zenitz of 247Sports, the Longhorns are expected to hire Kenny Baker as their next defensive line coach.  Baker, who is currently the assistant defensive line coach for the Miami Dolphins, was previously at Western Kentucky.

 

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It's important to note that Baker is from the Atlanta area and has SEC ties, which is obviously a plus for the Longhorns as they move conferences beginning next season.

 

Here is Kenny Baker's bio from his time at WKU:

https://wkusports.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/kenny-baker/808

Here is his bio from the Miami Dolphins:

https://media.miamidolphins.com/wp-content/uploads/Baker-Kenny.pdf

Someone tell me what I should be doing with my hands…

4 minutes ago, nycHorn said:

Someone tell me what I should be doing with my hands…

Very accurate statement. This one has me scratching my head, but only because I have no idea what to really think about it. 

 

If Sarkisian is on board, so am I.

A young but experienced rising DL Coach who can recruit is the profile needed.

 

🤘🏻🤘🤘🏼🤘🏽🤘🏾🤘🏿

Edited January 25, 20242 yr by BurntOrangeHorn

"Rising" by who's estimation? From what I can tell, just Matt Zenitz's estimation. 

We'll see I guess. 

I mean.... I want to be happy. Who knows more details about him?

Baker-Kenny.pdf

Watched a couple of his pressers while at WKU - dude has a great personality. High energy, positive attitude... reminds me a bit of Choice. Hopefully he'll be just as dynamic of a recruiter!

@Bobby Burton @Blake Munroe @Bob Shipley @Rod Babers - any of y'all have ties to Brandon Jones or deshon Elliott to get the skinny on him as a man/coach over the past year with the dolphins?

Edited January 25, 20242 yr by Scott Luedecke

Notable DL production under Kenny Baker at prior collegiate stops:

Western Kentucky (2020–22)
• WKU had #2 scoring D in CUSA in ‘22
• DL DeAngelo Malone was the 2021 Conference USA DPOY (16.5 TFL & 8 sacks)
• Malone named 1st team all conference in ‘20.

UT-Chattanooga (2019)
• DL Devonnsha Maxwell (1st team All-SoCon)
• EDGE Khayann Edwards (2nd team)
• DL Telvin Jones (2nd team)

Four all conference DL with a conference DPOY in the mix in the last four seasons of collegiate coaching for Baker.

🤷‍♂️

In Sark I trust. Hook’em!!

 

7 minutes ago, Scott Luedecke said:

Watched a couple of his pressers while at WKU - dude has a great personality. High energy, positive attitude... reminds me a bit of Choice. Hopefully he'll be just as dynamic of a recruiter!

@Bobby Burton @Blake Munroe @Bob Shipley @Rod Babers - any of y'all have ties to Brandon Jones or deshon Elliott to get the skinny on him as a man/coach over the past year with the dolphins?

That’s a good idea, actually. I will reach out. 

LFG coach Baker 

Here are a couple of videos to watch so you can get to know Baker:

 

 

This is about what I think we all expected. NFL guy, rising coach, with ties to recruiting grounds in the SEC. It didn't seem like going out and making a splash hire of a well known name in the college ranks was in the cards so we have to trust that Sark had a thorough interview process and he liked Coach Baker's traits. I'm excited to see how he pans out, and trust Sark's judgement.

I like this hire.  I wouldn't have wanted to bring him in late in the recruiting cycle (I know we are late in this cycle, but realistically this cycle is done other than the portal), but now he has a full year to develop relationships.  For d-line I like the get 'em young and develop your own approach more than trying to find them in the portal.

 

Recruiting the Atlanta area should be a priority. Coach Baker is from Georgia and that could only help going forward. 

27 minutes ago, HookEm said:

Very accurate statement. This one has me scratching my head, but only because I have no idea what to really think about it. 

 

Trust Sark. If he thinks he can recruit and develop, then give him the chance. 

This seems like a bit of a roll of the dice. He is obviously respected. He went from HS, Chattanooga, WKU, to the Dolphins in short order. No idea if he can recruit. 

25 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

"Rising" by who's estimation? From what I can tell, just Matt Zenitz's estimation. 

We'll see I guess. 

Fair.

Watch the interviews. Form your own opinions.

But time to give him a chance and see what he can do. He’s got a shot at the big time.

Time to get the Atlanta Georgia pipeline started.

Let’s see what he can do.  

Hasnt Rod B been saying he thinks Sark has been checking out Miami??? We assumed he meant the offense, who knew he was checkinng out d-line as well!! 😃