Report: LSU preparing to make Blake Baker highest-paid assistant in the country

More details are starting to come out about LSU’s plan to hire Blake Baker as defensive coordinator. The Tigers are preparing a lucrative contract for him to become the country’s highest-paid assistant, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

LSU is set to give Baker a three-year contract worth $2.5 million per year, Thamel reported — an increase from the $2 million salary he was going to get from Missouri as part of a new contract extension. For comparison, Baker made $1.4 million as part of his previous deal with Mizzou, according to the On3 Coach Salaries Index.

By getting Baker to leave Missouri, LSU will pay his $950,000 buyout, according to The Advocate’s Wilson Alexander.

Baker will now surpass Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles as the highest-paid defensive coordinator in the country and Clemson offensive coordinator Garrett Riley as the highest-paid offensive coordinator in the nation. Knowles’ annual salary is $1.957 million at Ohio State while Riley makes $2.05 million at Clemson.

On3 and The Bengal Tiger’s Billy Embody reported the expectation is LSU will hire Baker to replace Matt House after Brian Kelly parted ways with him earlier this week.

What LSU is getting in new defensive coordinator Blake Baker

Baker emerged as a top candidate for the LSU opening on Thursday after helping Missouri put together an impressive 2023 season. The Tigers ranked No. 5 in the SEC in total defense, holding teams to 336.1 yards per game.

LSU, meanwhile, allowed 416.6 yards per game, which ranked 13th in the SEC, and gave up 35 points five times in 13 games. That ultimately led Kelly to part ways with House on Wednesday, and he now has his replacement in the plans.

It’s a return to Baton Rouge for Blake Baker, who was previously on Ed Orgeron’s staff as linebackers coach in 2021 before joining forces with Eli Drinkwitz at Missouri. He started his coaching career in 2009 at the high school level, but latched on at Texas as a graduate assistant from 2010-12. He then became the safeties coach at Arkansas State in 2013 and took the same role at Louisiana Tech in 2014.

In 2015, Louisiana Tech promoted Baker to defensive coordinator, and he stayed in that role until 2018 when he left to become the defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach at Miami. After two years there, he made his way to LSU as linebackers coach under Orgeron, and eventually headed to Columbia in 2021.