San Jose, Calif.-----Kent Baer, San Jose State University's defensive coordinator since 2010, will add the duties of interim head coach for the Spartans' Military Bowl game vs. Bowling Green University on December 27. Gene Bleymaier, San Jose State's director of athletics, made the announcement.

            Baer is finishing his fifth season as a member of the Spartans' coaching staff. In 2012, the San Jose State defense ranked in the top-25 nationally in fumble recoveries (2^nd), quarterback sacks (5^th), turnovers gained (8^th), rushing defense and tackles for loss (19^th), and scoring defense (25^th).

            Baer is stepping into the interim head coaching role after former head coach Mike MacIntyre accepted the head coaching position at the University of Colorado on December 10.

            "I believe Kent gives San Jose State the best opportunity to win the bowl game against Bowling Green," says Bleymaier. "He's done it before and I am confident in his ability to serve as interim head coach."

            A defensive coordinator at eight current Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) institutions during his five decades of college coaching, Baer served as the University of Notre Dame's interim head coach for the 2004 Insight Bowl.

            "Coach MacIntyre put a plan in place and that plan is being executed. We're going forward with it and do our very best win this bowl game and make it 11 wins this season," says Baer.

            Besides San Jose State (10-2 in 2012, BCS-#24), Baer was the defensive coordinator at Utah State (1983-85), Idaho (1986), California (1987-91), Arizona State (1992-94), Stanford (1995-2001), Notre Dame (2002-04) and Washington (2005-07). He was a top-five finalist for the Broyles Award for the nation's most outstanding assistant coach in 2002 and one of 29 candidates for the 2012 award.

            San Jose State's appearance in the Military Bowl will be Baer's ninth post-season game as a coach.