LSU head coach Brian Kelly parted ways with his entire on-field defensive staff on Wednesday after an abysmal 2023 season on that side of the ball.
Now, it's full steam ahead in order to revamp the coaching staff with names emerging rather quickly.
It's been 24 hours since Kelly and LSU announced the decision to fire his staff, but coaches are trending already.
Three Names to Know:
Blake Baker: Missouri Defensive Coordinator
On Wednesday night, reports surfaced that Baker had emerged as the leading candidate for the LSU defensive coordinator vacancy. A coach with ties to Louisiana, as well as LSU, it's clear Kelly and Co. are already pursing the current Missouri DC.
LSU has been in contact with Baker as they navigate the coaching search, but there is certainly much to like about the lead candidate.
In his two seasons with Missouri, the Tigers finished the season with the No. 34 total defense in both 2022 and 2023, allowing 341 and 336 yards per game, respectively.
Paving the way for Missouri to make a New Year's Six Bowl, he's emerged as a name on the national scene.
The other key factors? Baker played his college ball at Tulane and his wife is from Louisiana, who just so happened to be an All-SEC soccer player at LSU.
There is significant intrigue with Baker when it comes to the defensive coordinator vacancy with this program already pursuing the coveted assistant coach.
Lance Guidry: Miami Defensive Coordinator
Guidry is fresh off of his first season in Coral Gables after making the move from Marshall to Miami. The Louisiana native carved out an impressive season for the Hurricanes' defense, finishing the year with a Top 25 ranking with only 321.6 yards per game.
Now, he's become a candidate on the short list of coaches LSU is pursuing. A former player at McNeese, he has ties all over the state and would certainly be a guy this program is keying in on over the next few days.
Jesse Minter: Michigan Defensive Coordinator
The major splash hire is Michigan's Jesse Minter. Certainly, Baker and Guidry would be an impressive move, but Minter has catapulted the Wolverines' defense to elite status in a short period of time.
The Broyles Award finalist is regarded as one of America's top assistant coaches and has certainly received praise from those around him.
A young coach who's rising on the scene rather quickly, he navigated a Top 10 defense on his way to Michigan making their way to the National Championship Game this season.
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