Baylor Tabs Joe Klanderman as Defensive Coordinator
12/11/2025 1:00:00 PM | Football
WACO, Texas -- Baylor football announced the addition of Joe Klanderman, who has led the defense at Kansas State for the last six seasons, as the defensive coordinator for the Bears, head coach Dave Aranda released on Thursday.
One of the nation's top defensive minds, Klanderman joins the Bears after spending the last seven years overall with the Cats, also serving as the safeties coach in 2019, and coordinating the defense from 2020-25. He was the defensive backs coach from 2014-18 at North Dakota State, helping NDSU win four national titles in five years, which followed 12 years on the defensive staff at his alma mater, Minnesota State.
Spending six seasons helming the Wildcats' defense, he helped his unit become one of the most consistent in the conference.
His 2025 season was led by second-team All-Big 12 Conference selection in linebacker Austin Romaine, who totaled 66 tackles in just nine games, and owning seven TFLs, two PBUs, an interception and a forced fumble. Romaine has totaled 184 tackles in his first three seasons under Klanderman, including 17.5 TFLs and three forced fumbles. The K-State defense ranked among the nation's leaders in several categories in 2025, including fumble recoveries (second), turnovers gained (fourth), defensive TDs (10th), interceptions (20th), passing efficiency defense (32nd) and sacks (39th).
Over the last five years, Klanderman's defenses have ranked in the nation's top 30 in defensive efficiency rating, including 27th in 2025, 24th in 2024, 16th in 2023, 14th in 2022 and 21st in 2021.
Under Klanderman, KSU finished top four in scoring defense on four different occasions including 2022, when they also led the league in defensive efficiency (123.4) en route to a Big 12 Championship. Forcing a league-leading 88 turnovers across the last four seasons, Kansas State's 23.1 points per game allowed trail only Iowa State, in that span.
"It is an honor to join the Baylor Family and work with Coach Aranda and the entire staff," Klanderman said. "I'm thrilled to work with our student-athletes and build a defense that represents the things we take pride in, physicality, relentless effort and discipline. My family and I are excited to join Dave's staff and are eager to get started in Waco."
A key figure in Kansas State's 2022 Big 12 Title, Klanderman helped engineer one of the nation's most opportunistic defenses. The Wildcats ranked top-30 nationally in interceptions, turnovers gained, scoring defense, and third-down defense, highlighted by a pivotal fourth-and-goal stop in overtime of the Big 12 title game against No. 3 TCU.
"Joe brings a proven defensive mindset and a passion for building relationships that fits exactly what we value here at Baylor," Baylor Coach Dave Aranda said. "Joe is a teacher at heart, someone who cares deeply about people and invests completely in the development of young men. His defenses have always reflected discipline, toughness and unity, and I'm grateful to welcome him to Baylor. We're excited for the impact he'll make on our program, both on and off the field. We're thrilled to have him join the Baylor family."
That unit also produced first-team All-American Felix Anudike-Uzomah, the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and one of several Wildcats who went on to NFL Draft selections during Klanderman's tenure, including Julius Brents, Josh Hayes, Wyatt Hubert and Russ Yeast.
Since 2019, a total of eight Wildcat defenders have heard their name called in the NFL draft, including at least one in four of the past five years. Additionally, 47 Wildcats have garnered All-Conference honors across his six seasons as defensive coordinator.
Klanderman originally joined the Kansas State staff in 2019, making an immediate impact as the Wildcats led the nation in third-down defense (28.0%) while finishing top-15 in first-down defense and posting KSU's best scoring defense in more than 15 years.
Prior to his time in Manhattan, he spent five seasons at North Dakota State, helping the Bison secure four FCS national championships.
During his tenure, NDSU ranked top-five nationally in scoring defense all five years and compiled 100 interceptions, including a nation-leading 23 in 2018. His 2016 defense ranked fourth in the FCS in scoring defense and 14th in total defense. In 2017, his defense led the nation in yards allowed and ranked second in scoring defense. The 2018 unit ranked second in scoring defense and interceptions and fifth in yards allowed.
Before that, he served 12 seasons at his alma mater, Minnesota State, including seven as defensive coordinator, producing 26 first-team all-conference selections and 10 All-Americans while helping guide the Mavericks to five nine-win seasons.
A product of Hammond, Wis., Klanderman was a four-year letterwinner at Minnesota State, earning both his bachelor's (2001) and master's (2004) degrees from MSU. He and his wife, Amanda, have four children: Elle, Corryn, Jarrett, and James.
Klanderman File
Personal
Wife: Amanda
Children: Elle, Corryn, Jarrett, James
Education
Bachelor's, Minnesota State, 2001
Master's, Minnesota State, 2004
Playing Career
Minnesota State, 1997-2001
Coaching Career
2002-04: Assistant Coach/Defensive Line – Minnesota State
2005-06: Assistant Coach/Defensive Backs – Minnesota State
2007-13: Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers – Minnesota State
2014-18: Assistant Coach/Defensive Backs – North Dakota State
2019: Assistant Coach/Safeties – Kansas State
2020-25: Defensive Coordinator/Safeties – Kansas State
2026: Defensive Coordinator/Safeties – Baylor
One of the nation's top defensive minds, Klanderman joins the Bears after spending the last seven years overall with the Cats, also serving as the safeties coach in 2019, and coordinating the defense from 2020-25. He was the defensive backs coach from 2014-18 at North Dakota State, helping NDSU win four national titles in five years, which followed 12 years on the defensive staff at his alma mater, Minnesota State.
Spending six seasons helming the Wildcats' defense, he helped his unit become one of the most consistent in the conference.
His 2025 season was led by second-team All-Big 12 Conference selection in linebacker Austin Romaine, who totaled 66 tackles in just nine games, and owning seven TFLs, two PBUs, an interception and a forced fumble. Romaine has totaled 184 tackles in his first three seasons under Klanderman, including 17.5 TFLs and three forced fumbles. The K-State defense ranked among the nation's leaders in several categories in 2025, including fumble recoveries (second), turnovers gained (fourth), defensive TDs (10th), interceptions (20th), passing efficiency defense (32nd) and sacks (39th).
Over the last five years, Klanderman's defenses have ranked in the nation's top 30 in defensive efficiency rating, including 27th in 2025, 24th in 2024, 16th in 2023, 14th in 2022 and 21st in 2021.
Under Klanderman, KSU finished top four in scoring defense on four different occasions including 2022, when they also led the league in defensive efficiency (123.4) en route to a Big 12 Championship. Forcing a league-leading 88 turnovers across the last four seasons, Kansas State's 23.1 points per game allowed trail only Iowa State, in that span.
"It is an honor to join the Baylor Family and work with Coach Aranda and the entire staff," Klanderman said. "I'm thrilled to work with our student-athletes and build a defense that represents the things we take pride in, physicality, relentless effort and discipline. My family and I are excited to join Dave's staff and are eager to get started in Waco."
A key figure in Kansas State's 2022 Big 12 Title, Klanderman helped engineer one of the nation's most opportunistic defenses. The Wildcats ranked top-30 nationally in interceptions, turnovers gained, scoring defense, and third-down defense, highlighted by a pivotal fourth-and-goal stop in overtime of the Big 12 title game against No. 3 TCU.
"Joe brings a proven defensive mindset and a passion for building relationships that fits exactly what we value here at Baylor," Baylor Coach Dave Aranda said. "Joe is a teacher at heart, someone who cares deeply about people and invests completely in the development of young men. His defenses have always reflected discipline, toughness and unity, and I'm grateful to welcome him to Baylor. We're excited for the impact he'll make on our program, both on and off the field. We're thrilled to have him join the Baylor family."
That unit also produced first-team All-American Felix Anudike-Uzomah, the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and one of several Wildcats who went on to NFL Draft selections during Klanderman's tenure, including Julius Brents, Josh Hayes, Wyatt Hubert and Russ Yeast.
Since 2019, a total of eight Wildcat defenders have heard their name called in the NFL draft, including at least one in four of the past five years. Additionally, 47 Wildcats have garnered All-Conference honors across his six seasons as defensive coordinator.
Klanderman originally joined the Kansas State staff in 2019, making an immediate impact as the Wildcats led the nation in third-down defense (28.0%) while finishing top-15 in first-down defense and posting KSU's best scoring defense in more than 15 years.
Prior to his time in Manhattan, he spent five seasons at North Dakota State, helping the Bison secure four FCS national championships.
During his tenure, NDSU ranked top-five nationally in scoring defense all five years and compiled 100 interceptions, including a nation-leading 23 in 2018. His 2016 defense ranked fourth in the FCS in scoring defense and 14th in total defense. In 2017, his defense led the nation in yards allowed and ranked second in scoring defense. The 2018 unit ranked second in scoring defense and interceptions and fifth in yards allowed.
Before that, he served 12 seasons at his alma mater, Minnesota State, including seven as defensive coordinator, producing 26 first-team all-conference selections and 10 All-Americans while helping guide the Mavericks to five nine-win seasons.
A product of Hammond, Wis., Klanderman was a four-year letterwinner at Minnesota State, earning both his bachelor's (2001) and master's (2004) degrees from MSU. He and his wife, Amanda, have four children: Elle, Corryn, Jarrett, and James.
Klanderman File
Personal
Wife: Amanda
Children: Elle, Corryn, Jarrett, James
Education
Bachelor's, Minnesota State, 2001
Master's, Minnesota State, 2004
Playing Career
Minnesota State, 1997-2001
Coaching Career
2002-04: Assistant Coach/Defensive Line – Minnesota State
2005-06: Assistant Coach/Defensive Backs – Minnesota State
2007-13: Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers – Minnesota State
2014-18: Assistant Coach/Defensive Backs – North Dakota State
2019: Assistant Coach/Safeties – Kansas State
2020-25: Defensive Coordinator/Safeties – Kansas State
2026: Defensive Coordinator/Safeties – Baylor
—BaylorBears.com—
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