Lane Kiffin and LSU will begin spring football practice on March 24. Meanwhile, the first-year Tigers head coach continues to build his coaching staff with elite talent, while also retaining some key assistants.
It was reported that LSU safeties coach Jake Olsen was on his way to the NFL’s Washington Commanders after spending the past two seasons in Baton Rouge.
Lane Kiffin Celebrates as Elite LSU Staffer Passes on Washington Commanders Role
However, college football insider Matt Zenitz reported on Monday that Olsen ultimately chose to remain with the Tigers after initially preparing to depart for Washington. He also had a connection there, having worked alongside the new Commanders’ defensive coordinator, Daronte Jones, at LSU in 2021.
After two years coaching safeties under defensive coordinator Blake Baker, Olsen will continue on the Tigers’ staff. Reports indicate Kiffin and LSU made a strong push to retain him after he first accepted the NFL opportunity. Offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. also drew interest from NFL teams after joining LSU from Ole Miss, but he opted to stay in Baton Rouge as well.
Retaining Olsen is a big win for Baker, who also remained at LSU despite having the opportunity to return to Tulane as head coach after Jon Sumrall left for Florida. Olsen previously worked under Baker at Missouri before both joined LSU ahead of the 2024 season, reinforcing their commitment to the Tigers.
Olsen originally served as an analyst under former LSU head coach Ed Orgeron in 2021, while Baker was the linebackers coach that same year. Much of Olsen’s coaching background is rooted in Louisiana, including stops at Nicholls State, UL-Monroe, and Northwestern State, where he earned recognition on the American Football Coaches Association’s “35 Under 35” list in 2018.
In his earlier stint at LSU in 2021, Olsen helped develop Damone Clark into an All-American. He then spent two seasons at Missouri as linebackers coach before rejoining LSU in 2024. His salary that season was reported at $350,000.
AJ Haulcy earned All-American honors in 2025 under Olsen’s guidance. LSU also returns projected starters Tamarcus Cooley and Dashawn Spears, while adding Boise State’s Ty Benefield and Ohio State’s Faheem Delane. These things continue to boost the Tigers’ potential big season in Kiffin’s first year.
The Tigers also boosted their staff by hiring Sterling Lucas from South Carolina as interior defensive line coach and naming Chris Kiffin co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. LSU finished the 2025 season ranked No. 20 nationally in the PFSN College Football Defense Impact Metric, with a score of 84.6.
