COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Texas A&M LB Coach and Co-Defensive Coordinator Tyler Santucci has been officially named the new Defensive Coordinator at Duke. The move was first reported by ESPN's Pete Thamel.
The news comes after the Aggies had a turbulent 2022 season, starting the season ranked in the AP top 10, but finishing without making a bowl appearance since 2008.
Additionally, after the rocky season, over 20 former A&M players have entered the transfer portal and joined other programs across America, with the majority coming from the defensive side of the ball. Since the end of the first transfer portal window on Thursday, Jan. 19, six defensive backs, five defensive lineman, and three linebackers have entered the transfer portal.
All but one of the aforementioned 14 players have found new programs to play for in 2023.
Santucci's exit from A&M marks the end of a four-year career with the Aggies. He initially joined Texas A&M's football coaching staff in 2018 as a defensive analyst, joining Wake Forest the year after to coach their linebackers. He returned to College Station in 2020 to coach the same position, and aided current Defensive Coordinator DJ Durkin in his first season as an Aggie.
Now a Duke Blue Devil, Santucci will join former A&M Defensive Coordinator Mike Elko, who he served under while Elko coached for the Aggies starting in 2018. Elko joined Duke as their head football coach in 2021.
