Football
Sep 12 (Fri)
5:30 PM
- Title:
- Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
- Email:
- Kent.Baer@Colorado.EDU
Kent Baer is in his second season as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Colorado, officially joining Coach Mike MacIntyre’s staff on January 1, 2013 after coaching the previous five years at San Jose State.
Baer, 63, had served as the Spartans’ defensive coordinator for three seasons (2010-12), having been promoted into the position after coaching SJSU’s linebackers for two years (2009-10) and after MacIntyre was named head coach at San Jose.
Baer served as interim head coach for the Spartans’ appearance in the Military Bowl after MacIntyre decided not to coach the team in the game.? With all kinds of distractions, he kept the San Jose State ship righted and led it to a 29-20 win over Bowling Green.? In the NCAA record books, he gets the credit for the win and thus evened his record as a collegiate head coach at 1-1; he also served as Notre Dame's interim head coach for the 2004 Insight Bowl against Oregon State.
In his first season with the Buffaloes, his defense improved significantly in 12 major statistical categories, most notably jumping from 92nd to 58th in the NCAA in third down defense, 116th to 60th in turnovers forced, 119th to 61st in red zone defense and 104th to 24th in “three-and-outs.”? Opponents completion percentage dropped over eight points, as did their scoring average.
In his five seasons with the Spartans, Baer coached two linebackers, Keith Smith and Vince Buhagiar, who were named Freshman All-Americans in 2010 who both went on to earn first-team All-Western Athletic Conference honors two years later.? Smith led all 2010 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) players in tackles and was the WAC Freshman of the Year.? Baer also coached a two-time, second-team All-WAC performer in Justin Cole, who made the roster of the NFL St. Louis Rams in 2012.
In 2012, his defense shined throughout in a season where it finished 24th in the NCAA, allowing 344.7 yards per game, including 19th against the run (122.2) and was in the top five in seven different categories.
Colorado is the ninth Division I-A/FBS university in which Baer is serving as defensive coordinator, as he held those similar duties for 28 combined seasons, in order, at Utah State, Idaho, California, Arizona State, Stanford, Notre Dame, Washington and San Jose State.? When he was with Notre Dame, he was one of five finalists for the 2002 Broyles Award, presented to the nation’s top assistant coach; he was also nominated for the 2012 while with San Jose State.
His best units have excelled at stopping the run, highlighted by two particular seasons at Notre Dame.? In 2002, the Fighting Irish were ranked high nationally in scoring defense (9th), pass efficiency defense (10th), rushing defense (10th) and total defense (13th).? Baer was recognized for the Irish's rankings that season as a Frank Broyles Award finalist, presented to the nation's most outstanding assistant coach.? In 2002, Notre Dame yielded a paltry five rushing touchdowns and was third nationally in rushing defense.? A decade earlier (1992), when he was at Arizona State, the Sun Devils ranked seventh nationally in total defense.
Baer has coached in nine bowl games as well as in the 1986 NCAA Division I-AA playoffs.? On four occasions, he was with teams that finished ranked in the Associated Press Top 25: Idaho (16th, 1986), California (8th, 1991), Notre Dame (17th, 2002) and San Jose State (21st, 2012).
He is among a very select group of coaches to work at the three San Francisco Bay Area Football Subdivision (FBS) schools, California, Stanford and San Jose State, going to bowl games with all three schools.
He has coached under several of the game’s great head coaches, including Bruce Snyder who gave him his start at Utah State, Keith Gilbertson, Tyrone Willingham and Dick Tomey.? He also coached under Snyder at Cal and Arizona State and for Willingham at three schools, Stanford, Notre Dame and Washington.
After Snyder hired him in 1977 as Utah State’s outside linebacker coach, he remained in that capacity for six seasons until being named the Aggies’ defensive coordinator and secondary coach in 1983, positions he would hold the next three seasons before moving on to Idaho.? He spent the 1986 season as the Vandals’ defensive coordinator and then rejoined Snyder at California, where he could coordinate the defense the next five seasons (1987-91).
He went with Snyder to Arizona State and was the defensive coordinator there for three years (1992-94) before teaming up with Tyrone Willingham at Stanford.? He coached the linebackers his first four years in Palo Alto (1995-98) before assuming the D-Coordinator duties; he would be Willingham’s architect of defenses for the next nine seasons (Stanford, 1999-2001; Notre Dame, 2002-04; and Washington, 2005-07).? In 2008, he joined Dick Tomey’s staff at San Jose State as linebacker coach and when MacIntyre took over the reins of the program in 2010, he was retained on the staff and once again coordinated the defense.
Baer was a standout linebacker at Utah State, lettering three seasons (1970-72), leading the team in tackles as a senior with 114, when the Aggies went 8-3, two of the losses coming on the road at No. 4 Oklahoma and No. 9 Texas.? He graduated from Utah State in 1973 with a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and Recreation.
After his college graduation, he moved to Japan where he was the head football coach for Yokosuka Seahawks from 1973-76 (a member of a service league featuring military bases). He was the director of athletics and recreation for the commander of naval forces there before returning to Utah State for his first collegiate coaching position.? But his time in the Orient would begin a life-long love affair with the Far East for Baer, who created the Heisei Bowl in 1989.? An annual all-star game played on the first Saturday of July, Baer coordinates the selection of two American coaches and a dozen U.S. players who are integrated to practice and then play with two Japanese all-star teams.? Now called the New Era Bowl, the 2013 game will be the 25th Baer will coordinate.
He was born May 2, 1951 in Logan, Utah, and graduated from Sky View High School (Smithfield, Utah), where he lettered in football, basketball and baseball.? His hobbies include golf, skiing and traveling.? He has three adult sons, Brian, Aaron James (A.J.) and Steven; A.J. was a graduate assistant on the 2012 San Jose State staff and has joined CU in a similar capacity for the 2014 season.? Baer also has three grandchildren.
TOP PLAYERS COACHED?NFL Players/Draft Picks (27): Patrick Allen, CB; Eddie Cade, DB; Shante Carver, LB; Justin Cole, LB; Chris Draft, LB; Hal Garner, LB; Dashon Goldson, DB; Mike Hamby, DT; Jon Haskins, LB; Steve Hendrickson, LB; Willie Howard, DL; Riall Johnson, LB; Paul Lavine, DB; Craig Newsome, DB; Derrick Rodgers, LB; Aaron Smith, LB; Al Smith, LB; Derek Smith, LB; Shawn Swayda, DT; Pat Tillman, LB; Justin Tuck, DE; Scott Von der Ahe, LB; Brett Wallerstedt, LB; Courtney Watson, LB; Jerrott Willard, LB; Tank Williams, LB; Coy Wire, LB.
RECORD?He has coached in 422 Division I-A (FBS) games as a full-time coach, and has coached in nine bowl games (1990 Copper, 1991 Citrus, 1995 Liberty, 1996 Sun, 2000 Rose, 2001 Seattle, 2003 Gator, *2004 Insight, *2012 Military; *?denotes interim head coach).
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COACHING EXPERIENCE |
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1973-76 |
Yokouska Seahawks |
(U.S. Navy) Head Coach |
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1977-82 |
Utah State |
Outside Linebackers |
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1983-85 |
Utah State |
Defensive coordinator/Defensive Backs |
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1986 |
Idaho |
Defensive Coordinator |
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1987-91 |
California |
Defensive Coordinator |
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1992-94 |
Arizona State |
Defensive Coordinator |
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1995-98 |
Stanford |
Linebackers |
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1999-01 |
Stanford |
Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers |
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2002-04 |
Notre Dame |
Defensive Coordinator |
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2005-07 |
Washington |
Defensive Coordinator |
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2008-09 |
San Jose State |
Linebackers |
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2010-12 |
San Jose State |
Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers |
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2013 |
Colorado |
Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers |
