Tag: Jimmy Lindsey

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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Report: LSU assistant John Jancek no longer on staff

John Jancek has been on staff the last two seasons, most recently serving as the interim defensive line coach this fall.

LSU completed a full-on overhaul of its defensive staff on Monday as assistant [autotag]John Jancek[/autotag], who served as the Tigers’ defensive line coach in 2023, will no longer be on staff. The news was first reported by The Advocate’s Wilson Alexander.

Jancek was retained when coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] fired four defensive assistants including defensive coordinator [autotag]Matt House[/autotag] following the ReliaQuest Bowl, but his role moving forward was unclear as LSU had already filled out its defensive staff with other hires.

After working as a defensive quality control assistant at Georgia, Jancek joined Brian Kelly’s staff as an analyst in 2022. Heading into the 2023 season, he was promoted to outside linebackers coach and special teams coordinator, though his role changed in the fall when defensive line coach [autotag]Jimmy Lindsey[/autotag] was away from the team dealing with a health issue.

Jancek served in Lindsey’s place during the season, and Lindsey was one of the coaches whom Kelly let go this offseason.

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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 addresses LSU’s hiring of Bo Davis as defensive line coach

Bo Davis is returning to Baton Rouge after spending the last three seasons as the defensive line coach at Texas.

LSU made its fans happy on Wednesday, announcing the hire of Texas‘ [autotag]Bo Davis[/autotag] as the next defensive line coach. He’ll replace [autotag]Jimmy Lindsey[/autotag], who was fired after one season in 2023 along with most of the defensive staff.

Davis, who played at LSU from 1990-92, has spent the last three seasons as the Longhorns’ defensive line coach. He previously held the same role with the Detroit Lions as well as at UTSA and Alabama.

[autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] addressed Davis’ hiring in a statement.

“As a defensive line coach Bo brings a wealth of proven success at both the professional and collegiate level throughout his distinguished career,” Kelly said per a release. “Additionally, coach Davis is an outstanding recruiter and developer of the players in his charge. I am excited to welcome back to LSU coach Bo Davis.”

Davis returns to Baton Rouge, where he began his coaching career as a graduate assistant from 1995-97. He also later served as the team’s assistant strength and conditioning coach under [autotag]Nick Saban[/autotag] and [autotag]Les Miles[/autotag] from 2002-05.

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BREAKING: LSU hires Blake Baker as next defensive coordinator

Blake Baker elevated Missouri’s defense from one of the nation’s worst to one of the best in his two years in Columbia.

LSU has found its defensive coordinator.

On Friday night, the team announced that it had poached [autotag]Blake Baker[/autotag] away from SEC foe Missouri. Baker has spent the last two seasons with the Tigers, elevating a defense that was one of the worst in the nation in 2021 to one of the best this past fall.

Before joining Eli Drinkwitz’s Missouri staff, he was on LSU’s staff under Ed Orgeron in 2021 as the linebackers coach. Baker has further ties to the state of Louisiana as he was the defensive coordinator at Louisiana Tech from 2015-18.

He was also the defensive coordinator at Miami from 2019-20.

“Excited to welcome Blake and his family back to Baton Rouge,” coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] wrote on Twitter. “Geaux Tigers!”

With the defensive coordinator hire now set, LSU will turn its attention to filling the vacant assistant coaching positions on the defensive side of the ball. Along with previous defensive coordinator [autotag]Matt House[/autotag], LSU fired safeties coach [autotag]Kerry Cooks[/autotag], cornerbacks coach [autotag]Robert Steeples[/autotag] and defensive line coach [autotag]Jimmy Lindsey[/autotag].

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Report: Bo Davis expected to remain at Texas despite pursuit from LSU

Bo Davis was reportedly pursued heavily by the Tigers, but it seems he’ll remain at Texas.

When LSU fired defensive line coach [autotag]Jimmy Lindsey[/autotag] alongside most of the on-field defensive staff — including defensive coordinator [autotag]Matt House[/autotag] on Wednesday, and it wasn’t a secret who most fans wanted as his replacement.

Texas defensive line coach [autotag]Bo Davis[/autotag] has been a hopeful addition to the staff since even before [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] announced these staff moves, and when he did, Davis became an obvious candidate to replace Lindsey.

However, according to a report from On Texas Football, that’s not likely to happen. Davis is expected to remain with the Longhorns despite being heavily pursued by the Tigers.

According to a report from Football Scoop, LSU considered hiring Davis of equal or greater priority to the defensive coordinator hire.

A former player at LSU, Davis is a well-traveled and experienced defensive line coach having held that role at Alabama and Texas as well as with the Detroit Lions.

He began his career as a graduate assistant at LSU in 1995 and would later return to serve as the assistant strength and conditioning coach on Nick Saban’s staff in 2002.

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12 names that could be fits for LSU’s open defensive line coach job, including Texas’ Bo Davis

These coaches could become targets to replace Jimmy Lindsey in 2024.

After a massive staff shakeup on Wednesday, [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] is looking to fill nearly an entire defensive staff.

Early reports indicate that Missouri defensive coordinator [autotag]Blake Baker[/autotag] is the leading candidate for the defensive coordinator role. Baker coached linebackers at LSU in 2021, and that’s the group he’d likely work with if he got the DC job.

That leaves LSU needing assistants for the secondary and defensive line after [autotag]Robert Steeples[/autotag], [autotag]Kerry Cooks[/autotag] and [autotag]Jimmy Lindsey[/autotag] were also let go.

LSU will need to fill the DC spot first, but here are some names that could potentially fit working with the defensive line.

Former LSU cornerbacks coach Robert Steeples releases statement after firing

Robert Steeples was fired Wednesday along with most of the defensive staff.

After a year of massively underperforming on defense, coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] opted for an overhaul of the defensive staff on Wednesday.

LSU fired defensive coordinator [autotag]Matt House[/autotag] as well as assistants [autotag]Kerry Cooks[/autotag], [autotag]Robert Steeples[/autotag] and [autotag]Jimmy Lindsey[/autotag]. Steeples, who coached cornerbacks, released a statement thanking Kelly and the program for the opportunity.

Steeples started his statement by thanking [autotag]Greg Brooks Jr.[/autotag], the Tigers’ defensive back who is currently battling brain cancer, as well as Kelly, the staff and the rest of the players.

“All in All, my definition of Love is the commitment to doing right by someone when they are with you and away from you,” Steeples said. “Thank you to those who showed love by doing right by me. Just know, I did right by you.”

A former NFL cornerback, Steeples was a high school head coach at De Smet Jesuit in his hometown of St. Louis from 2016-20. He later served as an assistant special teams coach for the Minnesota Vikings in 2021 before joining Kelly’s staff.

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5 names to watch for LSU’s defensive backs coach position

These five names would make a lot of sense as LSU’s next defensive backs coach.

After a massive staff shakeup on Wednesday, [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] is looking to fill nearly an entire defensive staff.

Early reports indicate that Missouri defensive coordinator [autotag]Blake Baker[/autotag] is the leading candidate for the defensive coordinator role. Baker coached linebackers at LSU in 2021, and that’s the group he’d likely work with if he got the defensive coordinator job.

That leaves LSU needing assistants for the secondary and defensive line after [autotag]Robert Steeples[/autotag] and [autotag]Jimmy Lindsey[/autotag] were also let go.

LSU will need to fill the defensive coordinator spot first, but here are some names that could potentially fit in the secondary.

Report: LSU has identified a leading candidate for defensive coordinator position

LSU may already be zeroing in on a candidate for its open defensive coordinator position.

LSU is now searching for coordinators on both sides of the ball after coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] fired most of the on-field defensive staff on Wednesday.

The Tigers parted ways with defensive coordinator [autotag]Matt House[/autotag] as well as assistants [autotag]Kerry Cooks[/autotag], [autotag]Robert Steeples[/autotag] and [autotag]Jimmy Lindsey[/autotag]. House’s unit took a major step back in 2023, finishing in the bottom half of the FBS by most metrics.

Kelly now faces a crucial hire heading into Year 3, and it seems he may have found his guy. Missouri defensive coordinator [autotag]Blake Baker[/autotag] has already emerged as a leading candidate, according to Brandon Marcello and Matt Zenitz of 247Sports.

Baker orchestrated one of the better defenses in the SEC in 2023, ranking fourth in the league in yards per game while having the No. 6 scoring defense. That unit played a large part in an 11-win campaign for the Tigers that culminated in a Fiesta Bowl win over Ohio State.

He has clear ties to the state of Louisiana, serving as LSU’s linebackers coach in 2021 under Ed Orgeron before spending the last two seasons in Columbia. Baker also was an assistant at Louisiana Tech from 2014-18, where he was the defensive coordinator his last four seasons.

Baker also served as the defensive coordinator at Miami from 2019-20, and he signed an extension with Missouri last month that made him one of the SEC’s highest-paid assistants.

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