LSU Football: Who is on the Tigers’ 2021 coaching staff?
By Zach Ragan
LSU football‘s 2021 coaching staff will look much different than its 2020 coaching staff.
The Tigers lost five assistants this offseason.
Offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger is transitioning to an off-field role (he could’ve returned as the offensive coordinator per Ed Orgeron).
Defensive line coach Bill Johnson retired and safeties coach Bill Busch didn’t have his contract renewed.
Additionally, LSU parted ways with passing game coordinator Scott Linehan and defensive coordinator Bo Pelini.
The breakdown of LSU football’s 2021 coaching staff
Here’s how the Tigers’ 2021 staff breaks down.
Jake Peetz — Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks: Peetz joins LSU’s staff after serving as the Carolina Panthers’ quarterbacks coach in 2020. Peetz played college football at Nebraska and has been coaching since 2006. He has extensive experience in the NFL. Peetz has also spent time on Nick Saban’s staff at Alabama on two different occasions as an offensive analyst (2013 and 2018).
DJ Mangas — Passing game coordinator: Mangas was a package deal with Peetz. This is the second stint at LSU for Mangas, who previously served as an analyst for the Tigers in 2019. Mangas spent the 2020 season as an offensive assistant in Carolina under Joe Brady.
James Cregg — Offensive line: Cregg is one of the five assistants that’s returning from the 2020 staff. Cregg has been on Ed Orgeron’s staff at LSU since 2018. He previously worked with Coach O at USC (2010-2013) and Tennessee (2009). Cregg also has NFL experience. He was the assistant offensive line coach for the Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos prior to landing in Baton Rouge.
Kevin Faulk — Running backs: Faulk is an LSU legend who joined Coach O’s staff a couple of years ago as the director of player development. Faulk was promoted to running backs coach in 2020. He’s an ace recruiter who is key in LSU’s attempts to keep elite talent in-state.
Mickey Joseph — Wide receivers: Joseph, a New Orleans native, is entering his fifth year as LSU’s wide receivers coach. Joseph, who played college football at Nebraska, had never been a coach at the Power-5 level before landing at LSU. But he has extensive experience coaching in Louisiana (at the collegiate and high school level), which helps tremendously with recruiting.
Daronte Jones — Defensive coordinator/safeties: Jones is joining LSU’s staff based on the recommendation of former Tigers defensive coordinator Dave Aranda (Jones coached under Aranda at Wisconsin). Prior to joining Orgeron’s staff, Jones served as the defensive backs coach for the Minnesota Vikings.
Blake Baker — Linebackers: Baker is another new member of Orgeron’s staff. Orgeron hired Baker away from the Miami Hurricanes where he was serving as Manny Diaz’s defensive coordinator. Baker is a Houston native who coached at Louisiana Tech for five seasons before his two seasons with Miami.
Corey Raymond — Cornerbacks: Raymond, a Louisiana native who played at LSU, will be entering his tenth season on the Tigers’ staff (which makes him the longest-tenured member of the coaching staff). Raymond has passed up several defensive coordinator opportunities to remain at LSU.
Andre Carter — Defensive line: Carter is also new to LSU’s staff this season. Carter joins LSU after spending four years with Adam Gase in the NFL (with the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets). Carter played college football at California and served as a graduate assistant at his alma mater in 2015.
Greg McMahon — Special teams: McMahon is entering his fourth season on LSU’s staff. He has nearly 40 years of coaching experience. Before he landed on the Tigers’ staff, McMahon worked for the New Orleans Saints for 10 years (assistant special teams coordinator and special teams coordinator).