Football
- Title:
- Defensive Coordinator
- Email:
- fbrecruiting@missouri.edu
- Phone:
- 882-2214
Corey Batoon joined the Tigers football program in February 2024, and serves as the defensive coordinator.
Batoon, a 30-plus year coaching veteran, including 15-plus years as a defensive coordinator, has a resume that includes two conference championships (2003 and 2017), one divisional championship (2019), four FCS playoff showings (1997, 1999, 2001 and 2003), and 12 bowl game appearances (2011 GoDaddy.com, 2012 Compass, 2013 and 2024 Music City, 2014 Peach, 2015 Sugar, 2017 Boca Raton, 2018 and 2019 Hawai’i, 2020 Cure, 2022 New Orleans, and 2023 68 Ventures). Additionally, he’s been nominated for the Broyles Award, which honors college football’s top assistant coach, on three different occasions (2021, 2023 and 2024) during his coaching career.
In just one season at the helm of the Tigers’ defense, Batoon has improved the unit in numerous statistical categories. Mizzou went from 33rd and 47th in third down conversion percentage defense the two previous seasons, respectively, to fifth nationally in 2024. Additionally, the Tigers improved in first down defense (40th in 2022 and 36th to 2023 to fifth in 2024), defensive touchdowns (33rd and 29th to 12th), total defense (33rd and 33rd to 17th), passing yards allowed (47th and 47th to 18th), scoring defense (55th and 25th to 20th), and fourth down conversion percentage defense (92nd and 121st to 43rd).
His defensive unit in 2024 held seven opponents to 21-or-less points, while posting 10 games with at least one turnover (fumble recovery or interception), six contests with five-plus tackles for loss and four outings with three-plus sacks. Second Team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) selection Johnny Walker Jr. led the group and concluded the year holding the longest sack streak nationally (seven consecutive games) to rank 17th in the country and fourth in the SEC with 0.73 sacks per game. His season sack total was the eighth-most in program history and the most by a Tiger since 2014.
Batoon came to Columbia following a three-year stint (2021-23) as the defensive coordinator and safeties coach at the University of South Alabama, where he helped the Jaguars to two bowl appearances (2022 R+L Carriers New Orleans and 2023 68 Ventures).
During his three seasons in Mobile, Ala., his defensive units ranked in the top-25 in red zone defense (25th in 2021, 17th in 2022 and 23rd in 2023). His group also finished in the top-25 in two of his three seasons in first down defense (2021 and 2023), third down conversion percentage defense (2021 and 2022) as well as total defense and rushing defense (2022 and 2023).
Additionally, Batoon improved USA's numbers in scoring defense in each of his three seasons, going from No. 67 nationally during his opening season to 26th in 2023. The Jaguars limited opponents to 10-or-fewer points five times in 2023, including a 33-7 road win at Oklahoma State and a 59-10 postseason victory over Eastern Michigan in the 68 Ventures Bowl.
Batoon spent the 2020 season as the safeties coach at Liberty University under head coach Hugh Freeze, where the Flames finished with a 10-1 overall record, including wins at Virginia Tech and Syracuse before capping the season with a 37-34 overtime win against Coastal Carolina in the FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl. Liberty concluded the year ranked No. 17 and No. 18 in the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches’ polls, respectively. In his lone season with the program, the Flames ranked in the top-25 nationally in total defense (11th), passing yards allowed (12th), third-down conversion percentage defense (14th), scoring defense (22nd) and interceptions (23rd).
In 2018 and 2019, Batoon served as the defensive coordinator and safeties coach at the University of Hawai’i. The Rainbow Warriors posted an 18-11 two-year ledger and claimed the 2019 Mountain West Conference West Division title while earning consecutive bowl bids to the Hawai’i Bowl. During those two seasons under Batoon, seven defensive players garnered All-Mountain West recognition, including two-time recipients in defensive back Rojesterman Farris II and defensive lineman Kaimana Padello.
Prior to that, Batoon spent the 2017 season on Lane Kiffin’s staff at Florida Atlantic University as the co-defensive coordinator, special teams coordinator and safeties coach. That year, the Owls engineered one of the biggest improvements in the nation going from 3-9 in 2016 to 11-3 in 2017 with a Conference USA championship and the Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl title.
Under Batoon, 12 defensive and special teams players earned All-Conference USA honors, including a pair of defensive backs in Jalen Young and Shelton Lewis, who garnered first-team all-league recognition. FAU’s defense ranked second nationally in passes intercepted (20), ninth in turnover margin (0.93), 20th in team passing efficiency defense (114.72), 23rd in red zone defense (.771), and 24th in sacks (2.71).
From 2012-16 Batoon served on Freeze’s staff at the University of Mississippi for five seasons in a variety of different roles, most recently as the special teams coordinator and safeties coach (2015-16). He also spent time as the assistant athletic director for both player development (2012) and recruiting operations (2013-14) before being elevated. During his time with the program, the Rebels participated in four postseason bowl games, highlighted by a 48-20 victory over No. 16 Oklahoma State in the Sugar Bowl in 2015. Ole Miss finished among the top-15 in the final recruiting rankings in four-straight years, including a top-five mark in 2013 and 2016.
In his first season coaching safeties, Batoon helped guide a Rebel defense that returned four interceptions for touchdowns, including two by All-American safety Trae Elston. The four pick-6’s tied a school record from 1938. In total, Ole Miss ranked second in the SEC with 15 interceptions and third with 23 turnovers throughout the 2015 season. Elston earned First Team All-SEC honors, while fellow senior safety Mike Hilton was a Second Team All-SEC pick that year.
Batoon joined Ole Miss’ staff after spending three seasons (2009-11) at Arkansas State University, where he worked his final season under Freeze as the Red Wolves’ special teams coordinator and cornerbacks coach. He also served as Arkansas State’s safeties coach for two years (2009-10).
In 2011, Batoon played a part in helping Arkansas State to its first 10-win season (10-3) in program history and an invitation to the GoDaddy.com Bowl. He tutored cornerbacks Darryl Feemster and Darron Edwards to All-Sun Belt Conference honors, as Arkansas State led the league in total defense (331.46) and scoring defense (20.77).
The previous year while working with the safeties, Batoon coached First Team All-Sun Belt Conference recipient M.D. Jennings, who recorded 84 tackles, three interceptions, four pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble. Jennings and Keclie McCray ranked second and third on the team in tackles, respectively, as the duo combined to post 163 tackles. During Batoon’s first season at ASU, the Red Wolves’ secondary helped lead the defense to a Sun Belt Conference No. 1 and No. 2 ranking in total defense (331.46) and passing yards allowed (227.92).
Prior to that, Batoon served 11 seasons at Northern Arizona University, 10 of those as the program’s assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and secondary coach (1999-2008). He also spent one year as the Lumberjack’s special teams coordinator and secondary coach (1998).
During his time in Flagstaff, Batoon helped developed the Lumberjacks into one of the top defensive units in the Big Sky Conference. Northern Arizona advanced to the NCAA FCS Playoffs three times, including a quarterfinal showing in 2003 after claiming the program’s second Big Sky Conference title in program history. He tutored 42 student-athletes to all-conference honors while his defensive unit ranked among the top two in the conference and top-20 nationally against the run on three different occasions.
In his final season, Batoon's defense led the FCS in rushing yards allowed at 59.8 yards per game, while leading the nation in sacks. NAU's rushing yards allowed per game and total yards allowed both set Big Sky Conference single-season records at the time.
Batoon also had coaching stops at the University of Montana as the defensive ends coach (1997), Central Missouri State as the special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach (1996) and Saint Mary’s College [Calif.] as the defensive backs coach and recruiting coordinator (1993-95). He began his coaching career at Pierce Junior College [Calif.] where he spent two seasons (1991-92) as the program’s defensive backs and special teams coach.
Batoon played defensive back at San Diego City Junior College (1986-87) before transferring to finish out his collegiate playing career at Long Beach State University (1988-89).
A native of Honolulu, Hawai’i, Batoon graduated from Long Beach State with a bachelor's degree in political science in 1991. He added a master's degree in health, physical education and recreation from Saint Mary's in 1996.
Batoon is married to the former Stacy Lopez of Waimanalo, Hawai’i and they are the parents of daughters, Brandy and Summer.
THE COREY BATOON FILE
Hometown: Honolulu, Hawai’i
Education: Long Beach State, 1991 (political science) and Saint Mary’s [Calif.], 1996 (health, physical education and recreation)
Wife: Stacy
Children: Brandy and Summer
Birthday: Oct. 1, 1968
BATOON’S COACHING CAREER
- 2024-pres. – Missouri (Defensive Coordinator)
- 2021-23 – South Alabama (Defensive Coordinator/Safeties)
- 2020 – Liberty (Safeties)
- 2018-19 – Hawai’i (Defensive Coordinator/Safeties)
- 2017 – Florida Atlantic (Co-Defensive Coordinator/Safeties/Special Teams Coordinator)
- 2015-16 – Ole Miss (Special Teams Coordinator/Safeties)
- 2013-14 – Ole Miss (Assistant AD for Recruiting Operations)
- 2012 – Ole Miss (Assistant AD for Player Development)
- 2011 – Arkansas State (Special Teams Coordinator/Cornerbacks)
- 2009-10 – Arkansas State (Safeties)
- 1999-2008 – Northern Arizona (Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator/Secondary)
- 1998– Northern Arizona (Special Teams Coordinator/Secondary)
- 1997 – Montana (Defensive Ends)
- 1996 – Central Missouri State (Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Backs)
- 1993-95 – Saint Mary’s [Calif.] (Defensive Backs/Recruiting Coordinator)
- 1991-92 – Pierce Junior College [Calif.] (Defensive Backs/Special Teams)
