Collin Klein is wasting no time shaping his vision for Kansas State, and he may be looking back to College Station to bring a key piece with him. According to reports, Klein is targeting Texas A&M co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach Jordan Peterson for the Wildcats’ defensive coordinator role-a move that would signal a major shift for the K-State defense.
Peterson, who has played a pivotal role in Texas A&M’s defensive resurgence, has been instrumental in the Aggies finishing the regular season ranked 19th nationally in total defense. His unit has been especially stingy on third down, where they currently lead the country. With the Aggies gearing up for a high-stakes College Football Playoff matchup against Miami, Peterson remains on staff alongside Klein, but the coaching carousel is clearly already spinning.
If Klein can land Peterson, it would be a strong foundational hire-one that could immediately elevate Kansas State’s defensive ceiling. The Wildcats have been a solid defensive team under former coordinator Joe Klanderman, now at Baylor, consistently ranking inside the top 40 nationally.
But in 2025, the unit took a step back, giving up 378 yards per game (67th nationally) and allowing 24.4 points per contest (56th). The third-down defense, in particular, struggled-opponents converted 38% of their attempts, a far cry from the elite standard Peterson helped establish in College Station.
Peterson’s coaching résumé is quietly impressive. Before joining Texas A&M in 2024, he spent several years at Kansas, where he was initially hired by Les Miles as the safeties coach in 2020.
Lance Leipold retained him and eventually promoted him to co-defensive coordinator at the end of the 2023 season. During his time in Lawrence, Peterson developed two of the best corners in the Big 12-Cobee Bryant and Mello Dotson-who combined for seven interceptions in 2023, the most by a Kansas duo since 2007.
Bryant earned First Team All-Big 12 honors twice, a testament to the kind of development Peterson brings to the table.
Since returning to his alma mater at A&M, Peterson has wasted no time making an impact. In his first year back, the Aggies’ secondary finished top-3 in the SEC with 16 interceptions. His influence has been felt across the board-safeties Marcus Ratcliffe and Dalton Brookes are both chasing 60-tackle seasons, while corner Will Lee III leads the team with seven passes defended and 43 total tackles.
Beyond the X’s and O’s, Peterson is also a force on the recruiting trail. He’s been ranked among the top recruiters in the Big 12 and has strong ties in key recruiting hotbeds like Arizona, California, and Texas. Since 2023, he’s landed 11 four-star defensive prospects-a track record that could help Kansas State reload quickly, especially with seven Wildcats already declaring for the transfer portal, including edge rusher Tobi Osunsanmi and cornerback Donovan McIntosh.
There’s no official deal in place yet, but if Klein can lock in Peterson, it would be a statement hire-one that blends schematic acumen, player development, and recruiting prowess. For a Kansas State program looking to build on recent success and stay competitive in a rapidly evolving Big 12 landscape, Peterson could be the kind of defensive leader who makes an immediate and lasting impact.