Blake Baker explains how he decided to stay with LSU football

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LSU football defensive coordinator Blake Baker got attention from head coaching searches and the NFL following the 2025 season. He opted to remain in Baton Rouge as part of head coach Lane Kiffin's staff and he expanded on the reasons why during fall camp.

"Talking to Coach Kiffin, I truly believe with what he does on offense and what we do on defense, you know, the ultimate goal is to bring a national championship to LSU, and I kind of want to see that through," Baker said. "Any time it comes down to making those big-time decisions and [I] had a couple great opportunities, you know, it starts with my family," Baker said. "I think being able to have that conversation with them. My kids are getting older now, so they're part of that conversation as well. But we're extremely happy here in Baton Rouge."

Baker inherited one of the worst defenses in program history when he arrived in 2024. The Tigers ended 2025 ranked No. 12 in SP+ then signed plenty of experienced defenders in the nation's top transfer portal class. They also brought back linebacker Whit Weeks and freshman All-American cornerback DJ Pickett.

Kiffin comes from the same cloth as offensive masterminds like Nick Saban, whom he worked under at Alabama. Similarly, Baker's pedigree and connections to not only current stars on LSU but also a loaded 2026 class with five-star defensive linemen Lamar Brown and Richard Anderson made him irreplaceable on the staff. He thanked Kiffin for the trust and praised his contributions on both sides of the ball.

"It's been outstanding," Baker said. "I think he's been really, really good to me. There are times as a head coach, he wants to see certain things, but a lot of times he suggests, and it's a true suggestion, and a lot of times they're really good ideas. He's a really smart football coach, regardless of what side of the ball it is."

This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Blake Baker explains how he decided to stay with LSU football

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