By Tony Thomas
The 2023 college football season produced the worst LSU defense in 25 years, some say the worst in school history. A storied program was haunted by the ghostly apparition of Lou Tepper and the specter of an anemic defense from before the turn of the 21st century.
LSU was bad enough to rank near the lowest in the following categories:
- #108 in total defense
- #118 in Pass Defense
- #87 Rush Defense
- #81 Scoring Defense
- #117 Opponents 3rd Down Conversion %= 44%
- #112 Opponents Red Zone Defense= 71%
The worst defense in a quarter century cost the best offense since 2019 a shot at an SEC championship and a berth in the college football playoff. There was absolute abysmal play: poor tackling, poor pass coverage, and players routinely out of position to make plays. In the dictionary next to the word “STOP” was NOT a picture of the LSU logo.
So, at the conclusion of another 10-win season for theTigers in 2023 (courtesy of the #1 offense in college football), coach Brian Kelly had a decision to make. To keep LSU on the path to a championship, Kelly made the difficult but necessary decision to make wholesale changes on the defensive side of the ball.
Defensive Coordinator Matt House, DL Coach Jimmy Lindsey, safeties coach Kerry Cooks, and cornerbacks coach Robert Steeples were all told they would not be retained in 2024, or beyond. A search for a new DC began quickly and ended with the hiring of Blake Baker, former coach of the same position at Missouri.
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BREAKING: Missouri DC Blake Baker is to be named as the next Defensive Coordinator at #LSU. Baker, who was the #LSU LB’s Coach in 2021, led at Top 35 Total Defense at Mizzou this season. #AYS pic.twitter.com/YsEvCLW4Wv
— AYS Sports (@AYSSPORTS) January 6, 2024
Baker has a connection with LSU. He was the linebackers coach at LSU in 2021 under former head coach Ed Orgeron. During that season, Baker coached up LB Damone Clark to All-SEC and All-American honors after Clark led the SEC in tackles with 137 stops.
https://twitter.com/FauxLes/status/1728449824955981898
Baker’s Previous Stops:
Defensive Coordinator, La. Tech (2015-2018)
In 2018, Baker coached the Bulldogs’ defense to a #12 FBS ranking in tackles for loss and #33 in turnover margin. Baker’s star pupil was Jaylon Ferguson, who led the nation in sacks with 17.5 and #2 in tackles for loss with 26.5. Ferguson went on to be named 3rd Team All-American by the Associate Press (AP).
Draft Prospect Video: probably one of the best DE in the draft you haven’t heard of is Jaylon Ferguson. When you see these stats you will know why. As you see the pass rush is deep & I’m still going. We get a close look at him in the Senior Bowl. LA Tech…cont pic.twitter.com/gqOdH4N0mj
— 49er_Edits (@49er_edits) January 16, 2019
Defensive Coordinator, Miami (FL.) (2019-2020)
In 2019, the Canes were the perfect storm on defense. That season, the Miami defense was nationally ranked in the following categories:
- #6 in tackles for loss with 108
- #7 in sacks with 46
- #13 in total defense at 309 yards/game
- #12 in yards per play
- #17 in rush defense at 114 yards/game
- #23 in scoring defense at 20 points per game.
Baker coached LB Shaq Quarterman to All-ACC honors after he racked up 107 tackles and 15 tackles for loss.
Miami(FL) has a solid LB duo with Shaq Quarterman and Michael Pinckney. Starting with Quarterman (#55). Plays as the rat defender, reads the crosser well and sticks receiver for only a gain of four yards.
Shaq has 167 total tackles, 17 TFL & six sacks in two seasons. pic.twitter.com/PpXYb55WD8— Russell Brown (@RussNFLDraft) August 4, 2018
Defensive Coordinator, Missouri (2022-2023)
Baker coached the Mizzou defense to a top 30-ish FBS ranking in total defense, rush defense, and scoring defense (20 points per game). In addition, Mizzou ranked 11th in sacks with 39, #18 in tackles for loss with 88, and #10 in turnover margin at +10. Baker coached LB Ty’ron Hopper to 2nd Team All-SEC honors.
Former Gaffney Indian Ty’Ron Hopper with a couple of tackles for loss in Missouri’s 23-10 win over South Carolina.#GaffneyAlumni pic.twitter.com/OePTdQCkrt
— Nick (@RonnysKid32) October 30, 2022
LSU (2024-TBD)
Initially, Baker will have his hands full at LSU, trying to instill a “worst-to-first” attitude in the Tigers’ defensive psyche. But it will not take long because the talent pool is there: LB Harold Perkins, LB Greg Penn III, S Major Burns, LB Whit Weeks.
In addition, the Tigers got a commitment from 5-star DL Dominick McKinley, the Tigers kept the home fires burning and flipped McKinley from Texas A&M.
BREAKING: Wake up, #LSU fans. 5-star DL Dominick McKinley committed to Brian Kelly and the Tigers on New Years Eve.
The Bayou Bengals reel in a commitment from the No. 1 player in Louisiana after a successful push.
Kelly and Co. are prepared for a monster week on “The Trail”. pic.twitter.com/kxZB83pZqD
— Zack Nagy (@znagy20) January 1, 2024
When you combine those with a talented recruiting class and a few good transfers, Baker has the main pieces of the puzzle. He must assemble those pieces into a well-oiled, dominant machine.
If Baker’s coaching history is any indication, he will be a welcome breath of fresh air to a defensive unit that looked to be on life support in 2023. Tiger fans are hoping that Death Valley is a place where opponents’ offensive game plans go to die in 2024.
