LSU Football: The Latest on Brian Kelly's Coaching Search

Kelly and Co. are looking to make moves fast, add to the defensive staff first.

Brian Kelly has been on a tear over the last week as he continues filling out his defensive staff. It started with getting Blake Baker back down South and has since carried into the Tigers reeling in Bo Davis to join the staff.

Now, there are a few more hires LSU must make over the next few weeks as they reload on defense.

With Baker and Davis on board, other names are beginning to surface with different position groups. 

Here we took a look at the pair of defensive hires and names to keep tabs on:

The Hires

Blake Baker: Defensive Coordinator 

Baker joins the LSU staff after serving as the defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Missouri for the past two seasons. Baker coached the linebackers at LSU in 2021. Prior to that, he served as the defensive coordinator at Miami (Fla.) in 2019-20 and at Louisiana Tech from 2015-18. He brings eight years of defensive coordinator experience to the LSU program.

“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,” Kelly said. “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.”

Baker’s 2023 Missouri defense played a huge role in the Tigers going 11-2 overall and capping the season with a 14-3 win over No. 7 Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl. Missouri’s 11 wins were the most for the school in nearly a decade. In the win over Ohio State, Missouri held the Buckeyes without a touchdown for the first time since the 2016 season.

Bo Davis: Defensive Line 

Davis joins the LSU staff after spending the past three seasons at Texas where he helped the Longhorns reach the College Football Playoffs in 2023 with one of the nation’s top defenses. Davis spent six years with the Longhorns, first as defensive tackles coach from 2011-13 and then as defensive line coach from 2021-23.

Davis played for the Tigers in the early 1990s, served as a graduate assistant with the football program from 1995-97 and was a member of the strength and conditioning staff when LSU won the 2003 national championship.

Davis returns to LSU with a history of developing some of the top defensive linemen in college football. In 12 years of coaching the defensive line in college football, Davis has produced 17 all-conference selections and seven all-Americans. He’s also coached players who have won the Outland Trophy, the Defensive Player of the Year in the Big 12 and Conference USA, along with the Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year.

“As a defensive line coach Bo brings a wealth of proven success at both the professional and collegiate level throughout his distinguished career,” Kelly said. “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.”

Davis has been part of three national championships during his collegiate career, winning the 2003 title at LSU along with championships at Alabama in 2009 and 2015 as the defensive line coach for the Crimson Tide.

Names to Keep Tabs On:

Kevin Peoples: Defensive Line 

After LSU made the move to hire Missouri defensive coordinator Blake Baker, all attention turned to how he would fill out his staff. Now, the Tigers have reeled in Bo Davis as the defensive line coach, but they may not be done in that area. 

Reports have surfaced that Baker and Co. could be targeting Missouri defensive line coach Kevin Peoples. Why go after another DL coach after bringing in Davis? 

Peoples has been known for his development with EDGE rushers and could form a dynamic tandem alongside Davis. As reports continue surfacing, the status of Peoples remains one to monitor. 

Corey Raymond: Cornerbacks  

Corey Raymond remains a name that has stolen headlines over the last few days in regards to the cornerbacks coaching vacancy in Baton Rouge. 

Current players, signees and more have voiced their desires to have Raymond rejoin the LSU staff. As Kelly and Co. continue navigating the secondary coaching slots, Raymond remains a name to keep tabs on.

LSU will look to hire both a cornerbacks coach and safeties coach, sources with knowledge of the situation have stated. As opposed to one secondary coach, they will look to make two separate hires.

TJ Rushing: Safeties/Defensive Backs 

With the goal to hire two secondary coaches, Texas A&M's TJ Rushing is also a name that has been brought up to handle the defensive backs.

There is nothing concrete with Rushing, just rumors and speculation, but he remains a name that has been in headlines over the last two weeks in the LSU Coaching Search.