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Stephen A. Smith thought Blake Baker 'might get fired on the sideline' vs. Alabama

Matt Connollyby: Matt Connolly11/11/24MattConnollyOn3
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Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images.

The LSU defense has improved under Blake Baker in his first year as defensive coordinator, but the Tigers defense took a step back Saturday night.

Alabama rushed for 311 yards and six touchdowns against the Tigers in a 42-13 drubbing. Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe led the way, rushing for 185 yards and four scores in the dominant win.

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The performance by the LSU defense had ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith concerned that Blake Baker might lose his job during the game.

“I ain’t going to lie to you, I mean when Jalen Milroe ran for that fourth touchdown, and I saw Brian Kelly walk over to him, I thought the brother might get fired on the sideline,” Smith said Monday on ESPN First Take. “I didn’t think he was going to make it to the locker room.”

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The 42 points allowed was a season high for the LSU defense, and it came after the unit allowed 38 points in its previous game against Texas A&M. The Tigers had been playing well under Baker leading up to the Texas A&M game, but they struggled against the Aggies and those struggles carried over into Saturday’s matchup with Alabama.

“What I saw happen to the LSU Tigers in Death Valley was an atrocity,” Smith said. “The one person that I did feel sorry for, Blake Baker, the LSU defensive coordinator. I’ve gotta admit, I looked at Brian Kelly on the sideline, I thought Baker was going to leave the stadium unemployed.”

Blake Baker returned to LSU this offseason after spending the past two years as the defensive coordinator at Missouri. Again, overall he has helped the Tigers improve, but Saturday night was rough.

“They got their ass kicked,” Stephen A. Smith said. “I mean that was really bad to get beat like that by Alabama, the game you’ve been looking forward to most in the season, on your own turf, to get obliterated like that.”

LSU will look to bounce back from Saturday’s poor showing when it plays at Florida on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m.