Tag: Joe Sloan

A look at LSU football’s complete new-look coaching staff

After a month of shuffling, here’s LSU’s updated coaching staff.

After a month of shuffling, Brian Kelly’s 2024 LSU coaching staff is set.

The 2024 staff will look a lot different than the one you saw last year. There will be new coordinators on both sides of the ball and the defensive side of the ball is almost completely new.

A few of these guys might be new to the Kelly era at LSU, but they’re familiar faces, having made stops in Baton Rouge in the past. Nearly every member of the staff is a Louisiana native or has previous coaching experience within the state.

Here’s a rundown of LSU’s 2024 coaching staff.

LSU expected to hire former Tulane offensive coordinator Slade Nagle as tight ends coach

Slade Nagle served as the offensive coordinator for Tulane this past season and was the interim coach for the Green Wave’s bowl game.

LSU has seemingly completed its on-field staff ahead of the 2024 season.

On Tuesday, the Tigers promoted interim co-offensive coordinators [autotag]Joe Sloan[/autotag] and [autotag]Cortez Hantkon[/autotag] to the roles full-time, and on Wednesday, LSU found the final piece of the puzzle as it is reportedly hiring former Tulane offensive coordinator [autotag]Slade Nagle[/autotag] as the tight ends coach.

It’s a major pickup for Brian Kelly’s staff as Nagle was even considered a candidate for the offensive coordinator position. Instead, he’ll join the staff as a position coach after orchestrating one of the Group of Five’s best offenses last season.

The news of Nagle’s hiring was first reported by 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz.

Nagle is a Baton Rouge native who had been on staff at Tulane since 2016 in various capacities. He took over as the offensive play-caller this season and served as the interim head coach in the team’s 41-20 Military Bowl loss to Virginia Tech after Willie Fritz left for the Houston job.

Nagle has also previously been on staff at LSU, serving as a special teams analyst under [autotag]Les Miles[/autotag] during the 2009 season.

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Four reasons why LSU promoting Cortez Hankton to co-offensive coordinator makes sense

Cortez Hankton is taking on a new role at LSU. Here’s why he’s ready.

[autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] didn’t have to look far to find LSU’s next offensive coordinators.

The LSU head coach promoted [autotag]Joe Sloan[/autotag] and [autotag]Cortez Hankton[/autotag]. The two served as the interim co-offensive coordinators during LSU’s bowl win over Wisconsin, but now, that title is permanent.

LSU’s staff was completed with the hiring of tight ends coach [autotag]Slade Nagle[/autotag] on Wednesday morning.

Nagle has play-calling experience himself after leading Tulane’s offense under Willie Fritz.

Hankton is yet to call plays, though. Sloan will serve as LSU’s primary playcaller, but this will still be a test for Hankton. LSU fans are likely already familiar with the New Orleans native, but here are four reasons why he’s ready for this job.

LSU to promote quarterbacks coach Joe Sloan to offensive coordinator

LSU is promoting assistant coach Joe Sloan to offensive coordinator

According to reports, LSU head coach Brian Kelly has found a new offensive coordinator, as the Tigers are reportedly promoting wide receivers coach Joe Sloan to OC and play caller.

In addition to Sloan, the Tigers are also reportedly promoting wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator Cortez Hankton to Co-OC.

Sloan has been in Baton Rouge as LSU’s quarterbacks coach since 2022 and was an important factor in the development of Jayden Daniels during his two seasons with the Tigers. Prior to his time at LSU, Sloan spent nine seasons at Louisiana Tech, where he was key in the success of the Bulldogs offense.

Hankton also joined LSU’s staff in 2022 and has since served as the Tigers wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator where he was an important factor in the development of one of the SEC’s top wide receivers across the last two seasons, Malik Nabers. Prior to his time at LSU, Hankton was the pass game coordinator and wide receivers coach at Georgia from 2019-22.

LSU promotes Joe Sloan and Cortez Hankton to co-offensive coordinators

LSU removed the interim tag from Joe Sloan and Cortez Hankton, promoting them to full-time co-offensive coordinator roles.

According to 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz, LSU head coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] knows who will be calling the plays in 2024.

LSU is promoting [autotag]Joe Sloan[/autotag] and [autotag]Cortez Hankton[/autotag] to co-offensive coordinators, removing the interim tag the two had during the bowl game.

After [autotag]Mike Denbrock[/autotag] left for Notre Dame, Sloan and Hankton were seen as the favorites for this job. A 35-point showing against Wisconsin only cemented their status.

The move makes sense with LSU’s offense coming off a historic year. Sloan developed [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] into a Heisman winner and a potential top-three draft pick.

Hankton’s group, the wide receivers, were among the nation’s best with [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] leading the country in yards per game while [autotag]Brian Thomas[/autotag] led in touchdowns.

Sloan and Hankton will continue to work with their respective positions despite the promotion.

This allows LSU to keep Sloan and Hankton on staff for the time being. That’s a big win given the recruiting success the two are having. Most notably, Sloan got a commitment from [autotag]Bryce Underwood[/autotag], the top QB and No. 1 overall prospect in the 2025 class.

Offensive line coach [autotag]Brad Davis[/autotag] and running backs coach [autotag]Frank Wilson[/autotag] are also set to return, which gives LSU plenty of continuity on the offensive staff, even with Denbrock gone.

LSU’s officially announced its hires on the defensive side, too. For the most part, the staff is set, but LSU will look to add a tight ends coach, the group Denbrock worked with.

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LSU coaches check in on five-star 2025 quarterback commit Bryce Underwood

Joe Sloan and Frank Wilson reportedly flew to Michigan to check in on the top player in the 2025 class who committed to the Tigers on Jan. 6.

LSU has landed the No. 1 quarterback (and top overall prospect) in the 2025 recruiting class in Belleville, Michigan, gunslinger [autotag]Bryce Underwood[/autotag]. But there’s a long time between now and early signing day in December, and as we’ve seen in the past, securing a player’s commitment is just the first step.

The Tigers are trying to keep things solid with Underwood as the search for an offensive coordinator to replace the departing [autotag]Mike Denbrock[/autotag] continues. [autotag]Joe Sloan[/autotag], who is currently serving as the interim co-offensive coordinator alongside receivers coach and passing game coordinator [autotag]Cortez Hankton[/autotag], visited Underwood in Michigan on Friday.

The news was reported by On3’s Shea Dixon.

Sloan was joined by running backs coach and assistant head coach [autotag]Frank Wilson[/autotag]. The pair had been in northern Louisiana the previous day visiting a pair of Shreveport prospects.

According to Dixon, it’s the first time LSU coaches had visited Underwood since he committed on Jan. 6. If he ultimately signs with the Tigers, he’d be the highest-rated recruit the program has ever landed.

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LSU coaches visit pair of blue-chip 2025 Louisiana prospects

Tigers staffers visited with a pair of four-star Shreveport prospects on Thursday.

Two members of LSU’s coaching staff were in Shreveport on Thursday visiting with two of the top targets in the 2025 recruiting class.

Running backs coach/assistant head coach [autotag]Frank Wilson[/autotag] and quarterbacks coach [autotag]Joe Sloan[/autotag] — who is currently the Tigers’ interim co-offensive coordinator — spent time with four-star Calvary Baptist Academy offensive lineman [autotag]Devin Harper[/autotag], according to On3’s Shea Dixon.

The duo also visited Harper’s teammate and fellow top-200 prospect, four-star running back [autotag]James Simon[/autotag] during their time in North Louisiana.

Harper ranks as a top-130 prospect and the No. 3 player in Louisiana, per the 247Sports Composite. He recently released a top 10 that included the Tigers in addition to Ole Miss, Georgia, Texas Tech, Texas, Oklahoma, Mississippi State, Alabama, Arkansas and Tennessee.

There are currently no Crystal Balls for Harper, but On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine has the Tigers as the hefty favorite over Ole Miss at 98.9%. The Tigers are also the favorites for Simon and hold a high confidence Crystal Ball prediction, which was placed in December.

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LSU making a push for 5-star receiver, Alabama decommit Ryan Williams

LSU’s set to get an official visit from the top uncommitted recruit in the country.

The retirement of Nick Saban has given LSU a fresh shot at an elite recruit.

Five-star [autotag]Ryan Williams[/autotag] decommitted from the Crimson Tide this week, and with his recruitment now open, LSU is getting an official visit, according to On3.

Along with LSU, Williams continues to consider Alabama, Auburn, Texas A&M and Texas, making it an SEC-heavy top five for the blue-chip receiver.

Per On3, Williams is set to arrive in Baton Rouge later this week.

Williams told On3 that he has a good relationship with LSU assistants [autotag]Joe Sloan[/autotag] and [autotag]Cortez Hankton[/autotag] and that he’s been in contact with members of LSU’s loaded 2025 recruiting class.

Williams would continue LSU’s strong finish to the 2024 class. The Tigers have recently moved into the top 10 after picking up commitments from [autotag]Dominick McKinley[/autotag] and [autotag]Coen Echols[/autotag].

Williams is the top uncommitted recruit in the country and would be the top-rated player in LSU’s class.

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Bryce Underwood’s commitment solidifies LSU atop the QB market

Bryce Underwood’s commitment solidifies LSU’s spot atop the QB market

Not that long ago, LSU was stuck in quarterback purgatory.

Throughout the [autotag]Les Miles[/autotag] era, LSU was stacked on defense and loaded up on skill position players. But that QB spot, it was tricky.

After [autotag]JaMarcus Russell[/autotag] was the best quarterback in the conference in 2006 and [autotag]Matt Flynn[/autotag] led LSU to a national title in 2007, Miles struggled to find a signal caller that moved the needle.

Sure, guys like [autotag]Jarrett Lee[/autotag] and [autotag]Jordan Jefferson[/autotag] won a lot of games and in another era, they would have made perfectly adequate QBs, but the sport began to change.

As the sport grew more and more friendly to offense, you needed a professional quarterback. That doesn’t mean you needed [autotag]Cam Newton[/autotag], but at least someone like AJ McCarron, who was a Heisman finalist and remains in the NFL today.

LSU didn’t have that. Zach Mettenberger’s 2013 campaign was a step up, but it became an outlier. In 2014, LSU sat dead last in the SEC in passing yards and completion percentage. The passing attack remained near the bottom in 2015 too.

In 2016, it got a little better with [autotag]Danny Etling[/autotag], but LSU was still in the bottom half of the conference in passing yards and completion percentage while getting shut out in the Alabama game.

Miles was fired after four games in 2016. [autotag]Ed Orgeron[/autotag] took over and he knew the deal. He had to find LSU a quarterback.

Well, he did just that. [autotag]Joe Burrow[/autotag] transferred in and went on to win 25 games, a national title, and a Heisman trophy.

For the first time in years, LSU had a game-changer at quarterback. The narrative was flipped.

Burrow left and even as LSU struggled as a team in 2020 and 2021, the passing attack did alright.

Then [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] arrived with [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] in 2022. All Daniels did was become one of the most dynamic players in the country, helping LSU upset Alabama in 2022 and winning a Heisman in 2023 with a historically productive season.

That brings us to the present, where LSU just got even richer at the QB position. QB [autotag]Bryce Underwood[/autotag], the top player in the 2025 class, committed to LSU last Saturday.

It’s the first time in this era LSU’s landed a quarterback like Underwood. LSU’s signed some legit blue-chips, including [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag], but this is the first time LSU’s landed the guy. I’m talking about someone with the hype of Trevor Lawrence or Justin Fields.

Five years ago, LSU wasn’t even competing for these types. The true five-star QBs were all going to Alabama and Clemson, places with a track record of legit offenses.

With Underwood’s pledge, LSU’s 2025 class includes the top quarterback, wide receiver and running back. When recruits think of LSU now, they think of offense.

With Nussmeier on deck for 2024, the trend should continue. Offensive coordinator [autotag]Mike Denbrock[/autotag] is gone, but LSU’s staff remains well-positioned with assistants [autotag]Joe Sloan[/autotag], [autotag]Cortez Hankton[/autotag], [autotag]Frank Wilson[/autotag] and [autotag]Brad Davis[/autotag].

That’s what Underwood is buying in on. Recruits now see a program that’s developed two Heisman quarterbacks in the last five years.

LSU is out of quarterback purgatory, and perhaps there’s no bigger signal of that than Underwood’s commitment.

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Brian Kelly praises play-calling from Joe Sloan, Cortez Hankton in bowl win

The duo was tasked with helping Garrett Nussmeier settle into his first start as an LSU Tiger.

For the ReliaQuest Bowl against Wisconsin, [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] turned the playcalling duties over to [autotag]Joe Sloan[/autotag] and [autotag]Cortez Hankton[/autotag]. They were tasked with helping Garrett Nussmeier settle into his first start as an LSU Tiger.

It started slow as the Tigers found themselves with a 14-point deficit until Nussmeier turned it around and the offense caught fire late in the game. The offense then had an eight-play, 98-yard drive that only took three minutes to take a 35-31 lead over the Badgers with only three minutes left in the game.

After LSU won, Kelly was asked how he thought Sloan and Hankton did calling plays. Here is what he had to say.

I think it’s Joe (Sloan) and Cortez (Hankton) and really the whole staff,” Kelly said. “Today was really about a cohesive group. Brad (Davis) had great suggestions on adjustments on the offensive line. Frank (Wilson) is doing a great job, you saw his rotation of backs in there. That all feeds into what you’re doing offensively. It doesn’t fall on one shoulder or shoulders if you will, the plays came down from the box. There was an input and I thought Joe and Cortez managed that end of it really well. And then we had great adjustments from our entire staff to be an efficient offense in this transition.

With the bowl win, Kelly has now won 10 games in back-to-back seasons at LSU.

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