Baylor Adds Veteran DB Developer Jeremy Modkins as Cornerbacks Coach
WACO, Texas - Baylor is bringing in a familiar Texas name to sharpen its secondary. Head coach Dave Aranda announced the addition of Jeremy Modkins as the Bears’ new cornerbacks coach on Wednesday, a move that adds both experience and proven player development to the defensive staff.
Modkins arrives in Waco after a three-year run as the cornerbacks coach at Rice, where he helped guide the Owls to two bowl appearances and built a reputation for molding smart, physical defensive backs. His résumé also includes a stint as a defensive analyst with the Minnesota Vikings in 2022 and several years coaching at TCU, his alma mater, where he played and later coached some of the Big 12’s top corners.
“We’re excited to welcome Jeremy Modkins to our staff,” Aranda said. “He brings tremendous experience and a proven track record of developing defensive backs at the highest level.
His approach to teaching technique and building relationships with players stood out. He develops corners who are physical, intelligent, and competitive-exactly what we want in our defensive backfield.”
Modkins is a Marlin, Texas native, and his return to Central Texas comes after helping Rice reach the Armed Forces Bowl this past January. That 2025 season included wins over Louisiana-Lafayette, Charlotte, UConn, and UAB. It was the second bowl trip for the Owls during Modkins’ tenure, following a First Responder Bowl appearance in 2023.
At Rice, Modkins’ fingerprints were all over the growth of his cornerbacks. In 2024, starters Sean Fresch and Max Ahoia played all 12 games and turned in career-best seasons.
Fresch tallied 52 tackles, broke up nine passes, and added a pick-tying for the team lead with 10 passes defended. Ahoia chipped in 37 tackles and eight pass breakups of his own, forming a reliable tandem on the outside.
Modkins’ ability to elevate talent didn’t just show up in the box score. His players consistently showed improvement in technique, awareness, and physicality-traits that fit right into Baylor’s defensive DNA.
“I’m honored and grateful for this opportunity to join Coach Aranda and Coach [Joe] Klanderman’s staff at Baylor,” Modkins said. “This is a program with a rich tradition and a bright future.
I’ve always believed in teaching fundamentals, building confidence, and pushing guys to reach their full potential. I’m excited to get started, meet our players, and help contribute to the continued success of this program.”
Before his time at Rice and the NFL, Modkins spent nearly a decade at TCU in various roles. He was a defensive analyst from 2014-17 before taking over as cornerbacks coach from 2018-21. During that stretch, he helped develop some of the top defensive backs in the nation.
In 2020, he coached Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson to a first-team All-American nod and the highest coverage grade among all college corners, according to Pro Football Focus. A year earlier, Jeff Gladney earned first-team All-Big 12 honors and became a first-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings. That 2019 TCU defense led the Big 12 in total defense, with two true freshmen-Hodges-Tomlinson and Kee’yon Stewart-starting at cornerback.
Modkins’ first season coaching corners at TCU in 2018 also saw immediate results. Gladney and Julius Lewis formed one of the most effective coverage duos in the country, ranking first and second in the Big 12 in fewest receptions allowed per coverage snap, per PFF.
As a player, Modkins was no slouch either. He was a four-year letterman at TCU from 2001-05, earning second-team all-conference honors and being named the team’s Defensive MVP as a senior.
That 2005 season included 67 tackles, three interceptions, and a standout performance against Utah that snapped the Utes’ 18-game win streak. He capped his college career with a five-tackle game in the Houston Bowl, adding a tackle for loss, a forced fumble, and two pass breakups in a win over Iowa State.
After graduating from TCU with a degree in communication studies in 2005, Modkins signed with the Cleveland Browns and also spent time with the Green Bay Packers. He returned to TCU as a graduate assistant from 2007-08, earning a master’s degree in liberal arts before stepping away briefly for a stint in the private sector. He rejoined the Horned Frogs’ staff in 2014 under longtime head coach Gary Patterson.
Football runs deep in the Modkins family. Jeremy’s older brother, Curtis, was also a TCU standout and has built a long coaching career in the NFL. He currently serves as the running backs coach and run-game coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings and has previously held offensive coordinator roles with the Bills and 49ers.
Modkins and his wife, Stephanie, have a daughter, Solvei.
With a coaching résumé that checks all the boxes-player development, recruiting ties, and success at both the college and pro levels-Modkins brings more than just experience to Baylor. He brings a blueprint for building a secondary that plays fast, smart, and physical. And for a Bears defense looking to climb back among the Big 12’s elite, that’s exactly the kind of presence they need in the cornerbacks room.