Missouri's Jake Olsen joins LSU coaching staff
LSU has hired Missouri analyst Jake Olsen to join Brian Kelly’s coaching staff, sources told The Bengal Tiger. Olsen’s exact role is to be determined, but he brings experience as a special teams coordinator and a defensive assistant.
Olsen’s been on LSU’s staff since Blake Baker was hired away from Missouri to be the new defensive coordinator, sources said. Olsen spent the past two seasons working under Baker as analyst before coming to Baton Rouge.
Baker’s group finished ranked 38th in total defense and 41st in scoring defense, allowing 347.2 yards and 22.3 points per game this season. Olsen assisted with the safeties, which Baker coached in Columbia as well.
LSU just hired Corey Raymond as defensive backs coach while also having Kevin Peoples as defensive ends coach and Bo Davis as defensive line coach. If Olsen finds himself on the field as a defensive assistant, that’d complete Baker’s defensive staff.
It’d also mean that every member of Baker’s staff at LSU would be someone he’s worked with in the past. After LSU’s defensive struggles in 2022, a staff with familiarity with each other could only help install Baker’s scheme.
Baker hired Olsen after he spent a year on LSU’s staff during the 2021 season. Prior to that, he spent four seasons at Northwestern State coaching special teams, linebackers, and safeties. During his time with the Demons, he was the NSU recruiting coordinator. The AFCA named him a “35 Under 35” honoree in 2018.
He began his coaching career at Valley City State University, which is also where he played college football as a defensive end. Olsen served one season as a coach for Valley City State in 2013. Then, Olsen left to take the outside linebackers coach position at Nicholls in 2014.
During the 2015 and 2016 seasons, Olsen served as a graduate assistant at Louisiana-Monroe, coaching defensive linemen and safeties. Olsen also has experience at Southwestern Oklahoma State.
LSU is still awaiting a final decision from Kelly on what to do with the vacant offensive coordinator position. Mike Denbrock left this offseason for Notre Dame.
