Oregon is losing another coordinator off of Dan Lanning’s staff as the season comes to a close.

Co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Matt Powledge was named the next Baylor defensive coordinator on Thursday. In a press release, Baylor announced the return of Powledge to Waco, Texas after he served on coach Dava Aranda’s staff in 2020 and 2021.

“We are thrilled to welcome Matt back to Waco,” Aranda said in a statement. “Matt is an elite defensive mind who has a great understanding of our system, on and off the field. His experience both on our staff and elsewhere, paired with his understanding of person over player and his ability to connect with student-athletes, make him an ideal fit to serve as our defensive coordinator.”

Powledge coached safeties and coordinated the Bears’ special teams during his first stint in Waco. He was tapped by Oregon coach Dan Lanning to serve as co-DC alongside Tosh Lupoi when Lanning took over last December in Eugene.

He and Lanning had previously worked together at Sam Houston State during the 2014 season, and he was a key part of Oregon’s recruiting efforts in Texas and its surrounding areas during the 2023 cycle. Powledge took the lead in the recruitment of both 4-star safeties Kodi Decambra and Tyler Turner.

The move comes right on the heels of Oregon’s Holiday Bowl win over North Carolina Wednesday evening. Reports emerged prior to the 28-27 Oregon victory that Powledge was a primary target of Baylor, and things came together quickly once the season ended.

Lanning has already had to replace one coordinator this winter, naming former UTSA assistant Will Stein as his new offensive coordinator. Now, he’ll look to fill a defensive assistant role.

“When you hire really good coaches, you know that you’re going to get great opportunities for them down the road, and one thing that I’ve said from Day 1 as my goal — whether it’s a player going on to the NFL or a coach getting the opportunity to go on and be a head coach — you want those moments to happen,” Lanning said earlier this month. “You want to hire good people and create moments like that for people.”