The Breakdown: LSU football's new defensive staff

LSU has finalized the defensive staff as the offseason begins and preparations get underway for the 2024 season in Baton Rouge.

While the offense finished No. 1 in the NCAA in total yards per game, head coach Brian Kelly wiped the slate clean with the defensive staff after the Tigers finished outside the Top 100 in total defense this past fall.

Over the past two weeks, Kelly and LSU have put together a new-look defensive staff that’s been built with proven developers, elite recruiters, Louisiana natives and, in the case of two hires, former LSU players.

Here’s the rundown on each new hire, as well as Kelly’s take following the announcements of each new on-field coach.

The new LSU defensive staff is complete

Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers Coach – Blake Baker: Baker, a Houston native who played football at Tulane, returns to LSU after coaching the linebackers for the Tigers in 2021. He turned LSU linebacker Damone Clark into one of the SEC’s best at the position, and Baker’s past two seasons as Missouri’s defensive coordinator saw the program field a Top 40 overall defense in both seasons. Missouri had a trio of All-SEC players on defense this past season, which included a defensive lineman, linebacker and defensive back. Baker, who has been a defensive coordinator for eight seasons, is considered one of the top up-and-coming names in the SEC, and his blend of of recruiting, coaching, development and ties to Louisiana after coaching stops at LSU and Louisiana Tech appears to be the perfect mix for what the Tigers needed at the coordinator position.

Brian Kelly’s Take: “Blake brings a wealth of experience and success as a defensive coordinator throughout his career, including the last two years in the SEC at Missouri. His ability to develop and motivate his players while putting together highly successful defenses sets him apart in his field. I am excited to welcome Blake and his family back to Baton Rouge.”

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Defensive Line Coach – Bo Davis: When it comes to defensive line coaches, few names in the college game carry as much weight as Davis. He has a lengthy track record of recruiting and developing elite defensive linemen, which included recent stints at both Alabama and Texas. The former LSU defensive lineman is now returning to Baton Rouge and is tasked with coaching up his former position, which is great news for Tigers fans given the position is in need of an overhaul. Davis was part of LSU’s 2003 National Championship staff, then added two more national titles while at Alabama. One could argue the return of Davis after years of trying to lure him back to Baton Rouge is one of the biggest position hires in college football this offseason.

Brian Kelly’s Take: “As a defensive line coach Bo brings a wealth of proven success at both the professional and collegiate level throughout his distinguished career. Additionally, coach Davis is an outstanding recruiter and developer of the players in his charge. I am excited to welcome back to LSU coach Bo Davis.”

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Defensive Ends Coach – Kevin Peoples: Peoples makes his way to Baton Rouge after working two years under Baker at Missouri. The program had a Top 10 finish and New Year’s Six Bowl win in January, and Missouri’s defensive ends ranked among the SEC leaders in sacks the past two seasons. Peoples, who enters his 30th year in coaching, previously spent four years at Tulane, while LSU marks his third SEC defensive line job after stints at Arkansas and Missouri. He’s considered one of the best defensive end coaches in America, which gives the Tigers a formidable 1-2 punch in the trenches with the hires of Peoples and Bo Davis.

Brian Kelly’s Take: “Kevin develops his players physically, technically, as young men and student-athletes as well any coach in the profession. I’m excited to pair him with Bo Davis on our defensive line giving LSU a pair of elite coaches on our defensive front.”

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Secondary Coach – Corey Raymond: Raymond’s roots at LSU are as deep as anyone on staff given he’s a Louisiana native who played for LSU, got his coaching start with the Tigers and was most recently the longest-tenured on-field coach between the Les Miles and Ed Orgeron eras. Raymond coached LSU’s secondary for 10 years before the arrival of Brian Kelly. After spending the past two seasons at Florida, Raymond returns home to take over a secondary that faced plenty of road bumps the past two seasons. Raymond’s resume includes a long list of defensive backs who went on to become NFL Draft picks, and – alongside former assistant Ron Cooper – he helped build the “DBU” moniker at LSU. With the need for a recruiting boost in the secondary, Raymond’s hire comes at just the right time for the Tigers as LSU enters Year 3 of the Kelly era.

Brian Kelly’s Take: “Corey’s passion for LSU and the desire for our program to have the best defensive back unit in the country really stood out. Corey’s tremendous knowledge and experience, along with his recruiting success, make him a great addition to a strong defensive staff.

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Safeties Coach – Jake Olsen: Olsen is the youngest hire on the defensive staff, but he’s already had experience coaching in Louisiana with a stop at LSU in 2021 that followed up stints at Northwestern State, Nicholls and ULM. Olsen followed Baker to Missouri, where he spent the past two seasons working as a defensive analyst and coaching linebackers. Now, Olsen is set to take over the safeties room, while Raymond will oversee the secondary. The buzz around the Bayou State is all positive following Olsen’s four stops at Louisiana colleges, and Baker’s decision to bring Olsen to Baton Rouge speaks to the confidence LSU’s new defensive coordinator has in Olsen’s coaching and recruiting abilities.

Brian Kelly’s Take: “We are thrilled to welcome Jake back to Baton Rouge. He’s a young and hungry coach with an elite defensive mind that will bring great continuity to our defensive staff. Jake has spent the last three years working with Coach Baker and has extensive experience in the state of Louisiana. I have no doubt Jake will bring a great sense of pride and understanding to what it means to work for LSU.”

The staff has deep ties throughout Louisiana

With the defensive hires made, and the offensive staff that’s returning, the nine on-field position coaches all have multiple years coaching college football in Louisiana, and a handful have time spent coaching at Louisiana high schools.

There are two former LSU players on staff in Corey Raymond and Bo Davis, and four Louisiana natives in Raymond, Frank Wilson, Cortez Hankton and Brad Davis. Given Louisiana is one of the most talent-rich states for recruiting, the staff is built with ties all over the state that should pay dividends in recruiting.

Here’s the rundown on the number of years (and coaching stops) logged in Louisiana by LSU’s on-field staff ahead of the 2024 season.

Frank Wilson: 18 seasons (LSU, McNeese, Nicholls, OP Walker, Edna Karr)

Corey Raymond: 16 seasons (LSU, Westgate, New Iberia Senior)

Joe Sloan: 11 seasons (LSU, Louisiana Tech)

Jake Olsen: 8 seasons (LSU, ULM, Northwestern State, Nicholls)

Blake Baker: 6 seasons (LSU, Louisiana Tech)

Bo Davis: 7 seasons (LSU)

Kevin Peoples: 6 seasons (Tulane, Northwestern State)

Brad Davis: 5 seasons (LSU, Southern Lab)

Cortez Hankton: 2 seasons (LSU)