Tag: Bob Diaco

LSU assistant Bob Diaco named senior defensive analyst

LSU assistant Bob Diaco will return to his analyst role for the 2024 season.

LSU assistant coach [autotag]Bob Diaco[/autotag] will remain with the program, returning to his analyst role.

Diaco was originally hired as a defensive analyst last spring, but after defensive line coach [autotag]Jimmy Lindsey[/autotag] stepped away with a health issue, Diaco took an on-field role, working with outside linebackers and special teams.

After LSU’s staff shakeup, Diaco is the lone defensive assistant from 2023 to return. It’s not a surprise given his ties to LSU head coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag].

Diaco was a member of Kelly’s staff at Central Michigan, Cincinnati and Notre Dame.

In 2012, he won the Broyles Award while serving as Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator. His work as DC in South Bend earned him a head coaching opportunity with UConn, where he worked until 2016.

Before joining LSU, Diaco worked at Louisiana Tech in 2019, where he replaced current LSU DC [autotag]Blake Baker[/autotag] after he took the DC job at Miami.

Diaco’s extensive coaching experience with multiple positions should come in handy as LSU transitions defensive schemes.

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New LSU tight ends coach Slade Nagle to also serve as special teams coordinator

Slade Nagle previously worked as an analyst focusing on special teams at LSU in 2009.

LSU formally announced the hiring of former Tulane offensive coordinator [autotag]Slade Nagle[/autotag] as the tight ends coach on Wednesday night, officially completing the on-field staff.

News of Nagle’s hiring was reported earlier on Wednesday, but we now know that he will also serve as the special teams coordinator. [autotag]John Jancek[/autotag] was hired as the outside linebackers coach and special teams coordinator ahead of the 2023 season, but he was moved to the defensive line when [autotag]Jimmy Lindsey[/autotag] took a leave of absence and was replaced by fellow assistant [autotag]Bob Diaco[/autotag].

Lindsey was let go along with most of the defensive staff following the season. Both Jancek and Diaco remain on staff in undetermined roles, but it seems neither will direct special teams in 2024.

Nagle, a Baton Rouge native, is returning to LSU where he served as an analyst working with special teams under Les Miles in 2009.

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Brian Kelly gives positive update on defensive line coach Jimmy Lindsey’s health

Jimmy Lindsey is about halfway through his treatment process, and reports have been positive per Brian Kelly.

LSU defensive line coach [autotag]Jimmy Lindsey[/autotag], who was hired away from South Carolina this offseason, is currently away from the team as he deals with what coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] has only called a personal health issue.

During his Thursday press conference, however, Kelly did provide an encouraging update on Lindsey’s progress. Though he couldn’t give a timeline on when Lindsey may return to the sidelines, Kelly said that he is about halfway through treatment and that the news has been positive.

“Jimmy is continuing to make progress. He is in treatment right now,” Kelly said. “He’s about halfway through his treatments, and all reports are really positive in his treatment process. No timeline has really been established relative to that right now as he’s right in the middle of his treatments.”

With Lindsey away from the team, LSU shuffled around its staff a bit. [autotag]John Jancek[/autotag], who previously coached special teams and outside linebackers, is currently assisting with the defensive line, while former UConn head coach [autotag]Bob Diaco[/autotag] was elevated from a defensive analyst role to assume Jancek’s previous duties.

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Alabama transfer Aaron Anderson to return kicks and punts, other special teams notes from Brian Kelly

It’s no secret that LSU was held back by its special teams in 2022.

You didn’t have to watch much LSU football last fall to gather that execution on special teams was a limiting factor.

Those issues reared their head early and often as the Tigers lost in Week 1 against Florida State as the result of a blocked extra point in the final seconds.

After a coaching change (coordinator [autotag]Bill Polian[/autotag] was replaced with [autotag]John Jancek[/autotag], though [autotag]Bob Diaco[/autotag] is currently filling the role), LSU hopes it has those issues fixed in 2023.

Kelly addressed the special teams on Tuesday, announcing that speedy Alabama transfer [autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag] will return kicks and punts. True freshman running back [autotag]Kaleb Jackson[/autotag] will be the off-ball returner.

Coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] said avoiding miscues will be key for the returners this fall.

“They’ve got to field the ball, they’ve got to be able to do the little things the right way,” Kelly said Monday.

Kelly had positive things to say about the unit in general. Placekicker [autotag]Damian Ramos[/autotag] has apparently had a good camp and seems likely to hold on to his starting spot again. Punter [autotag]Jay Bramblett[/autotag], who was named to the preseason watch list for the Ray Guy Award, also received praise.

“We think special teams should and can be a positive for us and influence games,” Kelly said.

If that ultimately proves to be the case, it would be a major boon for an LSU team that was held back by shoddy special teams play in an overall good campaign last fall.

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Brian Kelly updates recovery for LSU defensive line coach Jimmy Lindsey

Jimmy Lindsey is expected to be released from the hospital soon, though he has a long road to recovery according to Brian Kelly.

LSU coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] provided an encouraging update on the status of defensive line coach [autotag]Jimmy Lindsey[/autotag].

Lindsey, who was hired this offseason from South Carolina, is currently away from the team indefinitely as he battles an unspecified health issue.

While he didn’t get into any specifics, Kelly said that Lindsey is expected to be released from the hospital soon, though he will have a long road to recovery.

“We’ve gotten great reports,” Kelly said. “Jimmy I believe is going to be released from the hospital, either today or it’s really soon. There’s a long road of recovery ahead for him, and then there are other things that he’s going to have to handle that are personal and private for the family that they’re going to have to deal with. But very encouraging, just the fact that I’m able to talk about it in terms of leaving the hospital.

“So, really happy for Jimmy and certainly Lauren, his wife who has been there by his side every day. So a good bit of news there that we were able to get yesterday.”

In the meantime, [autotag]John Jancek[/autotag] is serving as LSU’s defensive line coach while [autotag]Bob Diaco[/autotag] was elevated to the on-field staff to take Jancek’s role as outside linebackers coach and special teams coordinator.

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Who is new LSU OLB coach/special teams coordinator Bob Diaco?

Bob Diaco becomes the newest member of the on-field staff after Jimmy Lindsey stepped away from the program for health reasons.

On Wednesday afternoon, coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] shared the sad news that defensive line coach [autotag]Jimmy Lindsey[/autotag] will be stepping away from the program as he deals with a personal health issue.

[autotag]John Jancek[/autotag] will be moved to coach the defensive line in the absence of Lindsey, who was hired earlier this offseason. Meanwhile, [autotag]Bob Diaco[/autotag] becomes the newest member of the on-field staff, as he will be elevated from an analyst role to replace Jancek as outside linebackers coach and special teams coordinator.

Diaco is a former FBS head coach, spending 2014-16 at UConn where he compiled an 11-26 record with one bowl appearance. Since then, he’s served as the defensive coordinator at Nebraska, Louisiana Tech and Purdue while also coaching linebackers at Oklahoma.

Prior to joining the Tigers’ support staff, Diaco was the defensive line coach for the New Jersey Generals of the USFL for the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

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LSU DL coach Jimmy Lindsey to step away due to personal health matter

John Jancek will coach the defensive line while analyst Bob Diaco will be elevated to the on-field staff, coach Brian Kelly said.

Newly hired LSU defensive line coach [autotag]Jimmy Lindsey[/autotag] will be stepping away from the program as he deals with a personal health matter, coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] said in a statement on Wednesday. The news comes on the eve of the Tigers’ first practice of fall camp.

Outside linebackers coach and special teams coordinator [autotag]John Jancek[/autotag] will serve as defensive line coach during Lindsey’s absence. [autotag]Bob Diaco[/autotag], a former head coach at UConn and current analyst, will be elevated to an on-field role to take Jancek’s spot.

“Our prayers are with Coach Lindsey and his family, and we ask that their privacy be respected,” Kelly said in the statement. “We look forward to his return to the program.”

Lindsey was hired earlier this offseason after spending the last two years at South Carolina in the same role. He replaced [autotag]Jamar Cain[/autotag], who left to become a pass-rush specialist on Sean Payton’s Denver Broncos staff.

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Brian Kelly brings back former defensive coordinator as an analyst

Kelly will be reuniting with former Notre Dame defensive coordinator and UConn head coach Bob Diaco.

[autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] is reuniting with a long-time assistant and old friend in Baton Rouge.

[autotag]Bob Diaco[/autotag] will be joining the Tigers’ staff as an analyst, as was first reported by On3’s Matt Zenitz.  Diaco spent 2005 with Kelly at Central Michigan before later joining him at Cincinnati and Notre Dame. He spent six seasons with Kelly.

Diaco left Notre Dame to take the head coaching job at UConn until 2016, after which he bounced around as an assistant. He was the DC at Louisiana Tech in 2019, where he was on staff with current LSU quarterbacks coach [autotag]Joe Sloan[/autotag]. That Tech defense ranked third in CUSA in yards per play allowed.

Diaco brings a strong working relationship with Kelly and a decent track record of defensive coaching. LSU’s on-field staff has remained mostly intact, but the Tigers have lost some support staff.

Considering LSU’s linebackers coach [autotag]Matt House[/autotag] is also the defensive coordinator, Diaco can help shoulder some of that LB workload. Diaco also has a history of special teams work, an area where LSU struggled in 2022.

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What Was Up at Notre Dame Last Time the Patriots Lost This Early?

The women’s squad was led by a freshman by the name of Skylar Diggins who put down a game-high 18 points

The New England Patriots haven’t been eliminated from the NFL Playoffs as early as the Wild Card round since the Ravens knocked them out back in early-January of 2010.

Ten years.

In that time my local professional football team (that I refuse to claim) has one won playoff game, that coming in January of 2011 when in the Divisional round the Chicago Bears beat a Seattle Seahawks team that finished the regular season under .500.

Last night’s Tennessee Titans victory got me wondering though – what was happening in Notre Dame’s athletic department the last time the Patriots didn’t see the AFC Divisional Playoffs?

You have to go back to January 10, 2010 to find the answers.

Spoiler alert:  things have changed a little bit around campus.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2

Former Notre Dame DC Reportedly Headed to Purdue

Diaco left Notre Dame to become the head coach at Connecticut in 2014, a job he spent three seasons at going 11-26 in that time.  His trip to the 2015 St. Petersburg Bowl (16-10 L vs Marshall) remains the last bowl game Connecticut played in.

I didn’t look at life a week ago and think I was going to be writing about former Notre Dame defensive coordinator Bob Diaco on two separate occasions but here we are.

Diaco and has Louisiana Tech squad shutout Miami (FL) 14-0 on December 26 in the Independence Bowl and four days later he’s headed to coordinate the defense of a historical Notre Dame rival.

Diaco was on Brian Kelly’s coaching staff at Notre Dame from 2010-2013 where he oversaw a defense that was responsible for the Fighting Irish going 12-0 in the 2012 regular season.

Diaco left Notre Dame to become the head coach at Connecticut in 2014, a job he spent three seasons at going 11-26 in that time.  His trip to the 2015 St. Petersburg Bowl (16-10 L vs Marshall) remains the last bowl game Connecticut played in.

The Huskies went just 3-9 the following season however and Diaco was fired from the job.

He’s since spent time at Nebraska (2017, Defensive Coordinator), Oklahoma (2018, Linebackers) and Louisiana Tech (2019, Defensive Coordinator).

Diaco won the Broyles Award at Notre Dame in 2012 as the nation’s top assistant coach when the Irish allowed one or fewer touchdowns in eight of their 12 regular season games.

I don’t know how it will ultimately go for Diaco at Purdue.  He’s spent a season in the Big Ten before as Nebraska’s D-C and had a rough go as his Cornhuskers allowed 30 or more points eight times that season.

What I do know is that life just got more interesting for those that cover Purdue football:

“Like Pavlov’s dogs – I walk through the gate and I salivate!”

I’m just mad I didn’t use that for my senior quote.