Less than a week into his tenure as LSU’s head coach, Lane Kiffin has already reshaped the Tigers’ staff with a flurry of hires that carry a distinct Ole Miss flavor.
At least six assistants who worked under Kiffin in Oxford have followed him to Baton Rouge, with more additions coming from outside the Rebels’ program. Among the most prominent names making the move are offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., co-offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Joe Cox, and wide receivers coach George McDonald, who also holds the title of passing game coordinator.
While Kiffin continues to chase experienced coaches across the SEC landscape, one critical piece remains uncertain: current LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker.
Sources indicate Kiffin wants to retain Baker, but oddsmakers and insiders now rank the 42-year-old among the leading candidates to take over at Tulane, his alma mater, following Jon Sumrall’s departure to North Carolina.
Baker has served as LSU’s defensive coordinator since January 2024. His résumé features a standout 2023 season at Missouri, where his defense propelled the Tigers to 11 victories and a top-10 national ranking, along with previous coordinator stints at Miami and Louisiana Tech. He also spent the 2021 season at LSU as linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator, mentoring Damone Clark to a Butkus Award finalist nod after Clark paced the country in total tackles.
With strong ties to Tulane and a proven ability to field elite defenses, Baker has surged to the front of the Green Wave’s head-coaching search, sitting ahead of other rumored candidates such as Florida’s Billy Napier and Marshall’s Charles Huff on multiple betting boards.
Meanwhile, the circumstances surrounding Kiffin’s departure from Ole Miss continue to generate headlines. After Kiffin stated that Rebels players had asked him to remain through the postseason, several players and athletic director Keith Carter pushed back publicly, rejecting that narrative. Carter went further, revealing that Ole Miss informed Kiffin weeks earlier that he would not be allowed to coach the team in the College Football Playoff.
The public friction has intensified scrutiny on LSU’s rapid pursuit of former Ole Miss players and staff in the days following Kiffin’s hire.
For Kiffin, keeping Baker would provide immediate continuity on a defense that showed marked improvement in 2024. Losing him so soon after taking the job would trigger an unplanned scramble to replace one of the SEC’s rising defensive minds at the worst possible time—right as signing day and bowl preparation collide.
As the coaching carousel spins into December, one thing is clear: Lane Kiffin’s era at LSU is already operating at full speed, whether the pieces around him stay in place or not.
