Report: Brian Kelly not expected to retain another LSU football assistant

New LSU head coach Brian Kelly is now in the market for a linebackers coach, per Jacques Doucet of WAFB 9 Sports in Baton Rouge.

On Saturday, Doucet reported that several sources have confirmed to the station Kelly will let linebackers coach Blake Baker go. Baker has been in Baton Rouge for just one season.

The Houston native previously served as the defensive coordinator at Miami from 2019 to 2020 and in the same role at Louisiana Tech from 2015 to 2018.

Baker went to Tulane and started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Texas.

The Tigers signed one linebacker on Early Signing Day, DeMario Tolan from outside of Orlando. The four-star prospect had a close relationship with Baker, making the rumored move surprising.

LSU defensive woes continue

The stout LSU defenses from around a decade ago seem to be gone, at least for the time being. Last season, just one year removed from winning a national championship, the Tigers allowed 34.9 points and 492 yards per game. The former statistic was 11th in the conference, and the latter statistic was 13th. LSU finished the season 5-5.

Former defensive coordinator Bo Pelini was let go, former head coach Ed Orgeron hired Daronte Jones for the position, and the LSU defense was slightly improved in 2021 from last season. They ranked 10th in the SEC this year in both yards (372.2) and points (25.3) allowed per game and finished 6-6.

Prior to the last two seasons, the LSU defense held opposing offenses under 22 points per game for four consecutive years.

There is currently no confirmation on a new defensive coordinator for the position under Kelly. After a rumor circulated that the new coach was interested in Kentucky defensive coordinator Brad White, Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops announced earlier this week that he will remain in Lexington.

Excluding the national championship, the Tigers will face Kansas State in the last game of the 2021 season. It will be their 21st bowl in the last 22 years (the streak was broken last year), and the Texas Bowl will take place on Jan. 4 at the home of the Houston Texans, NRG Stadium.

The teams have played just once, a 1980 matchup that ended 21-0 in favor of the Tigers. LSU is a 2.5-point underdog.