LSU Football: Tigers could lose assistant coach to Group of Five program

LSU football‘s coaching staff will look much different in 2022.

With a new coaching staff coming in (eventually), it’s likely that most of the Tigers’ assistants from 2021 won’t be retained.

(Though at least a few assistants need to be retained — specifically those noted here.)

It makes sense that some of LSU’s assistants, who are essentially in coaching purgatory right now, will start looking for new jobs immediately.

One of the coaches that could leave before a new head coach is hired is linebackers coach Blake Baker.

LSU football linebackers coach Blake Baker could be an option for SMU

Baker previously served as a defensive coordinator at Miami and Louisiana Tech, so I’d say that he wants to return to being a defensive coordinator.

If that’s the case, then he could be an option at SMU.

Rhett Lashlee, the new head coach at SMU (replacing Sonny Dykes, who is taking over at TCU for Gary Patterson), is close with Baker.

The two coaches were together at Miami in 2020. They also share several connections in Texas/Arkansas.

Baker would be wise to pursue a new job before learning whether or not he’s retained by the head coach at LSU.

And joining SMU’s staff as Lashlee’s defensive coordinator would make a lot of sense.

The only way this really hurts the Tigers is with 2022 four-star linebacker DeMario Tolan, an LSU commit.

Tolan has developed a close relationship with Baker. If Baker leaves, Tolan will likely decommit almost immediately.

Losing recruits is going to happen anytime a program goes through a coaching transition. Fortunately for LSU, the program recruits itself well. The new coach shouldn’t have any issues getting the Tigers back to the top of the recruiting rankings.