LSU hiring Missouri's Blake Baker as defensive coordinator
LSU is expected to hire Missouri defensive coordinator Blake Baker to the same position, sources told On3. It marks a return to Baton Rouge for Baker, who was an assistant under Ed Orgeron. The Advocate’s Wilson Alexander reported the news Friday night.
Baker arrived at Missouri in January 2022 as the safeties coach before being elevated to defensive coordinator in February 2022.
LSU head coach Brian Kelly parted ways with defensive coordinator Matt House, safeties coach Kerry Cooks, cornerbacks coach Robert Steeples, and defensive line coach Jimmy Lindsey earlier this month.
Defensively Missouri was stout under Baker’s direction. The unit finished ranked 38th in total defense and 41st in scoring defense, allowing 347.2 yards and 22.3 points per game. The team’s run defense anchored the unit.
Baker wrapped up his second year as the Missouri defensive coordinator after serving a one-year stint as LSU‘s linebackers coach. He had previously been the defensive coordinator at both Miami and Louisiana Tech.
Kelly said in a statement when he parted ways with his entire defensive coaching staff that he appreciated their efforts, but it was time to chart a new course for LSU.
“Decisions like these are always difficult, and we do not make them lightly, but they are made with the best interests of our program and our student-athletes in mind,” Kelly said in a statement. “Moving forward, we will continue working to build a championship caliber coaching staff in support of our mission to Graduate Champions.”
Baker joined the Hurricanes in January of 2019 and in his first year, he oversaw a Miami defense that ranked No. 13 nationally in total defense and 12th in the nation in yards allowed per play. The 2019 Hurricane defense also ranked among the Top 20 in the nation in rush defense (No. 10), redzone defense (No. 16) and pass defense (No. 18).
Prior to arriving in Coral Gables, Baker spent four seasons (2015-18) as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Louisiana Tech where the Bulldogs had one of the nation’s top defenses when it came to impact plays. In 2018, Louisiana Tech ranked No. 4 in the nation in sacks per game, No. 12 in tackles for loss and No. 33 in turnovers gained.
