LSU football undergoes sudden coaching staff changes

LSU football head coach Brian Kelly announced some sudden coaching staff changes before fall camp. Fans are wondering why and what is impacted by such.

Brian Kelly announced that defensive line coach Jimmy Lindsey is stepping away from the team to deal with personal matters. In a statement, the LSU football head coach expressed sympathy for Lindsey and his family and campaigned for their privacy.

All we know is that Lindsey was transported from the LSU football practice facility by ambulance on Wednesday.

The situation is sudden and unfortunate for the Tigers. However, personal health and family come first. As such, we join all LSU fans in wishing the Lindsey family the best.

Assistant John Jancek will assume the role of defensive line coach in Lindsey’s absence. Moreover, Bob Diaco moves from an off-field role to assume Jancek’s former responsibilities as linebackers coach and special teams coordinator.

Jancek is an experienced football coach that was promoted to an on-field role after Jamar Cain departed Baton Rouge for the Denver Broncos in March. Jancek was technically elevated into the vacant special teams coordinator role despite no experience as a special teams coordinator.

However, Kelly explained that LSU would employ a special teams by coaching committee approach while utilizing Jancek’s expertise to broaden the defense further. Regardless, Jancek now finds himself in a more natural role, given his coaching experience.

Diaco’s return to the collegiate field is his first since serving as Purdue’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 2020. Diaco was a longtime assistant coach under Kelly at Cincinnati and Notre Dame. He departed his role as Irish defensive coordinator to become UConn’s head coach in 2014.

Unfortunately, Diaco failed to move the needle at UConn and was fired after the 2016 season. He bounced around defensive assistant roles in college before bottoming out as defensive coordinator for the New Jersey Generals of the USFL.

Thankfully, Kelly added Diaco as a defensive analyst for the 2023 season. As such, LSU football gained a coach with a wealth of experience and rapport.

Kelly indicated that he expects Lindsey to return to the LSU football program in the future. Regardless, we don’t anticipate the Tigers’ defense will miss a beat during fall camp.

Losing Lindsey is not optimal, but LSU has a wealth of continuity with Kelly and defensive coordinator Matt House in Death Valley.