LSU football: Hiring Blake Baker sends this message to fans

LSU football hiring Blake Baker as a new defensive coordinator is the latest show of the program’s commitment to winning. Brian Kelly wasted no time going and getting arguably the hottest candidate on the market in Baker. LSU will reportedly make Baker the highest-paid assistant coach in college football.

Indeed, the LSU football program is seeking to build a dynasty. Kelly has teamed with Scott Woodward to create a juggernaut program capable of winning multiple national championships.

Kelly dismissed Matt House and four defensive assistants on Wednesday. Considering how pitiful LSU’s defense was this season, the move was much-needed. House is a good defensive coach, but the results indicate he was a poor fit on Kelly’s staff. Also, some LSU football player posts on social media suggest House was not well liked.

I give Kelly a ton of credit for moving on from House and going all in on hiring Blake Baker. I doubted the LSU football head coach would make the move, but Kelly proved me wrong. Now, Tigers fans can get excited about what is possible on the LSU football defense in 2024.

Missouri’s improvement on defense since Baker took over as coordinator cannot be understated. Mizzou’s defense finished 25th in scoring defense and 35th in total defense in 2023. Now, in Baton Rouge, Baker assumes leadership of a defensive unit with more talent than that in Missouri.

Baker was given a hefty extension after the other Tigers finished with 11 wins and a Cotton Bowl trophy. However, he was immediately pinged as a candidate to replace House because of his success up North and his ties to Baton Rouge.

Baker served as linebackers coach with LSU football during Ed Orgeron’s final season in 2021