Detailed view of the LSU Tigers helmet against the Vanderbilt Commodores. Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Commanders DC Daronte Jones Reflects on LSU Tenure

Originally posted on Washington Commanders on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Feb 15, 2026 9:00 AM ET

Before returning home to the DMV to coach the Washington Commanders, defensive coordinator Daronte Jones has been around the block in coaching circles.

He coached in FBS, FCS, Division II, the Canadian Football League, and the NFL; however, he has only been a defensive coordinator in high school and in college, most recently in 2021 with the LSU Tigers. Jones spoke about how his year in Baton Rouge shaped him as a coach.

“It was great lessons at LSU. Having the ability to lead a staff. I think the defensive staff at that time was 16 on defense alone [laugh] and so that's a large staff that you have to organize and be structured in a way that you're very efficient in how you meet and how you prepare day to day and how you get the players prepared," Jones said.

"And so, with that, also, with 16 different personalities and you're dealing with grown men and everyone's different and everyone has different backgrounds, different experiences that they can bring. You wanted to make it a collaborative effort, right? And include everyone. And you want guys that can contribute, guys that have high character guys that are also teachers, and they can communicate in their own light."

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Jones Bringing LSU Lessons to Commanders

Jones' defensive coordinator job with LSU is probably the closest experience he'll have to what he's about to undergo with the Commanders. While he coached defensive backs for the Minnesota Vikings in the last four years, he'll have to marry the two jobs together in order to get the most out of his position in Washington.

"And so being at LSU learning how to deal with different personalities, not only from the player perspective, because that's been, you know, you get used to that at various levels, but in terms of at that level, at the SEC and going into SEC's competition and what that means was very instrumental for me," Jones said.

The SEC is high-level competition, but so is the NFL, and Jones is ready to level up in his career and take Washington's defense to new heights.