LSU Football Staffer Expected to Depart the Tigers, Join Bill Belichick's Program

Diaco returned to his original role with the Tigers in the spring of 2024 and once again holds the title of senior defensive analyst.

Diaco is a former head coach at Connecticut and reunited with LSU head coach Brian Kelly for the fourth time of his coaching career when he joined the Tiger coaching staff in the spring of 2023.

Prior to arriving at LSU, Diaco coached the defensive line for the New Jersey Generals in the USFL for two seasons.

A native of Cedar Grove, N.J., Diaco previously served on Kelly’s staff at Central Michigan (2005), Cincinnati (2009) and Notre Dame (2010-13).

In 2005 at Central Michigan, Diaco was the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the Chippewas who went 6-5 and had only the second winning season for the school in over a decade.

After two years coaching linebackers and special teams at Virginia, Diaco rejoined Kelly in 2009 at Cincinnati, helping the Bearcats to a 12-0 mark during the regular season and an appearance in the Sugar Bowl.

From 2010 to 2013, Diaco was regarded as one of the nation’s top defensive coordinators during his time at Notre Dame when he led the Irish defense under Kelly.

At Notre Dame, Diaco helped lead the Irish to multiple bowl appearances, including the 2012 national championship game, while also being named the winner of the Broyles Award (nation’s top assistant coach) in 2012 and a semifinalist in 2011.

In addition to his defensive coordinator role, Diaco also held the title of assistant head coach in 2012 and 2013.

Now, he'll head to Chapel Hill to join Belichick's squad as the linebackers coach for the North Carolina Tar Heels.

Diaco is the fourth staffer to head elsewhere this week where he will join:

- JaCoby Stevens: Recruiting Specialist
- Paul Turner: Offensive Analyst
- Nick Brossette: Dirrection of Alumni Relations and High School Outreach

The Recent Staff Departures:

No. 1: Nick Brossette - Director of Alumni Relations and High School Outreach

On Thursday, Kelly "let go" of Director of Alumni Relations and High School Outreach, Nick Brossette, after being on staff with the program since 2022. WAFB News first reported.

Brosette, a former LSU running back, had been on staff for three seasons working behind-the-scenes for Kelly and Co.

"It has been a dream of mine to come back and work where it all started," Brossette wrote upon receiving the job in 2022.

In his role, Brossette maintained a relationship with the thousands of former LSU football players as well as serving as the staff liaison with high school football coaches. Brossette was also charged with running the annual LSU Coaches Clinic.

Brossette, a Baton Rouge native and a product of University High School, was a four-year letterwinner for the Tigers from 2015-18. He rushed for a career-best 1,003 yards in 2018 helping lead the Tigers to a 10-3 mark and a win in the Fiesta Bowl.

In four years with the Tigers, Brossette appeared in 47 games with 12 starts. He capped his career with 1,350 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns. As a senior in 2018, he was named a permanent team captain and later went on to participate in the East-West Shrine Game.

Brossette spent training camp with the Patriots in 2019, rushing for 200 yards and three touchdowns during the preseason. He was later signed by the Detroit Lions where he was on the practice squad for one season.

Brossette graduated from LSU in August of 2020 with a degree in sports leadership.

No. 2: JaCoby Stevens - Recruiting Specialist

LSU recruiting specialist JaCoby Stevens will not return to Baton Rouge for the 2025 season after serving as an off-field coach for Kelly across multiple seasons.

Stevens, a talented player for the LSU Tigers from the 2017 season until 2020, joined the staff after a short stint in the National Football League.

The Bio: "Four-year letterwinner and three-year starter in the secondary for the Tigers … Appeared in 42 games, starting 30 times … Actually started one time at wide receiver as a freshman in 2017 before shifting to the defensive side of the ball … Made 29 starts in the secondary and finished his career with 190 tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, four interceptions and four fumble recoveries.

"Leader on the field, in the locker room and in the community …. Playmaker at any spot on the field … Can cover and defend the run … Can play either high in zone coverage or down in the box … Fierce hitter and an outstanding tackler … Made the calls and adjustments on defense … Found a home on the defensive side of the ball after seeing action as a wide receiver during his true freshman season in 2017 …

"Student of the game and has used his knowledge for making pre-snap adjustments … Possesses outstanding quickness and is extremely tough and durable … Has proven to be an asset  for the Tigers in zone coverage or in blitz situations … Called by head coach Ed Orgeron as one of the strongest players on the team pound for pound … Off the field, helped organize and lead a voting initiative among the football team that saw the entire squad register to vote … Has also been active with social justice initiatives …

"Participated in a drive that helped gather supplies, water and other items for the victims of Hurricane Laura in Lake Charles in the September of 2020 … Speaks regularly to schools in the Baton Rouge area … LSU’s nominee for the 2020 Good Works Team and the 2020 Wuerffel Award."

No. 3: Paul Turner: Senior Offensive Analyst

Senior offensive analyst Paul Turner will depart Baton Rouge following a stint on Kelly's staff after accepting a position with the Charlotte 49ers.

Turner will follow former analyst Todd Fitch, who accepted the offensive coordinator position for Charlotte this offseason. For Turner, he'll serve as the wide receivers coach after two seasons with LSU.

He played two seasons of college football at LSU and joined the Tiger coaching staff in 2023 while serving as lead offensive analyst.

In his first year with the Tigers in 2023, LSU’s offense featured three of the nation’s most explosive players in quarterback Jayden Daniels and wide receivers Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas. Daniels led the nation in total offense and rushing yards by a quarterback on his way to winning the Heisman Trophy.

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