Lane Kiffin managed to keep LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker on staff, which has created much optimism about the Tigers’ defense heading into 2026. Retaining Baker gives Kiffin instant stability on that side of the ball, allowing the new Tigers head coach to focus on bringing over his explosive offense from Ole Miss.
Lane Kiffin and Baker Keep LSU Answers Unfinished Through Spring Drills
In his press conference on Tuesday, Kiffin offered updates on LSU’s spring development. He responded to questions about how Baker is shaping the unit, especially in run defense against the offense in practice, and whether he is satisfied with both sides of the ball so far.
“We really haven’t tackled, so, you know, I don’t know that we’ve made them much better in the run game offensively,” Kiffin replied (1:45). “But Blake does a great job. Players play really hard for him. He’s a great motivator, and so I really like that because it creates a competitive atmosphere out there.”
Baker was seen as a strong candidate for the Tulane head coaching job after Jon Sumrall’s departure to Florida. However, he ultimately stayed at LSU after the program secured him with a new three-year deal worth $9.3 million.
Baker’s return was seen as a major win for LSU after a strong 2025 season in which the Tigers ranked 15th nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 18.3 points per game.
Kiffin also reflected on Baker’s development since arriving at LSU, saying:
“Playing LSU every year as we did at the previous place, you know, we had to watch the transformation defensively when Blake got here, and how that worked and how much they improved each season. And so, you know, I was very pleased that we were able to keep him.”
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Baker’s retention also helped LSU in recruiting, with elite defensive prospects like Lamar Brown and Deuce Geralds committing to the program. Former Ole Miss linebacker TJ Dottery also cited Baker’s defensive system as a key reason for transferring to LSU.
“Talking to my family and a lot of prayer, I honestly felt like this was the best decision for me, for a lot of different reasons,” Dottery said in early April. “One of the major ones for sure is eating on defense, being able to just fly around and have fun. And then also, like you talked about, which is the journey to the old days from Clinton. And once he got here, and everyone mentioned God not reaching out, I felt like, why not go play the coach who gave me my opportunity when a lot of
other coaches didn’t get there that time.”
Dottery arrived in Baton Rouge after a standout 2025 season at Ole Miss, where he led the SEC with 98 tackles. He finished last season with a 74.3 score in the PFSN College Football LB Impact Metric. He now joins a linebacker room that includes returning standout Whit Weeks, giving Baker a potentially strong and productive duo in the middle of LSU’s defense heading into the upcoming season.
