Brian Kelly Parts Ways With Three Members of LSU's Staff
The offseason changes continued for the LSU Tigers after Brian Kelly and the program decided to part ways with three members of the staff on Monday.
LSU will not be bringing back former analyst and defensive line coach John Jancek. Wilson Alexander of The Advocate first reported the news.
Additionally, offensive analysts Terry Malone and John McDonell will not return for the 2024 season, according to FootballScoop.
For Jancek, he took over defensive line coach duties after Jimmy Lindsey's medical emergency forced him to step away from the program before the 2023 season kicked off.
With a history of coaching linebackers, he was faced with a tough task of taking over the big guys up front.
“I think more than anything else, for me it’s about making decisions that are in the best interest of the program," Kelly said at the Senior Bowl. "What is going to give us the best possible opportunity to recruit, retain our players and then certainly develop and win football games. If we get positive feedback on the other end as well, that’s certainly a good thing. Make no mistake about it, when we’re doing our vetting process, we’re taking everything into consideration. We’re listening to all forms of social media, the reports that we hear and we’re doing a deep dive on everything. If there’s negative noise out there, we hear it. Everything that came up on the staff members we hired has been very, very positive.”
The New-Look Staff:
Co-OC/QBs: Joe Sloan
Co-OC/WRs: Cortez Hankton
TEs: Slade Nagle
DC/LBs: Blake Baker
DL: Bo Davis
EDGE: Kevin Peoples
CBs: Corey Raymond
Safeties: Jake Olsen
A Deep Dive Into the Defensive Moves:
Blake Baker: Defensive Coordinator
Baker joins the LSU staff after serving as the defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Missouri for the past two seasons. Baker coached the linebackers at LSU in 2021. Prior to that, he served as the defensive coordinator at Miami (Fla.) in 2019-20 and at Louisiana Tech from 2015-18. He brings eight years of defensive coordinator experience to the LSU program.
“Blake brings a wealth of experience and success as a defensive coordinator throughout his career, including the last two years in the SEC at Missouri,” Kelly said. “His ability to develop and motivate his players while putting together highly successful defenses sets him apart in his field. I am excited to welcome Blake and his family back to Baton Rouge.”
Baker’s 2023 Missouri defense played a huge role in the Tigers going 11-2 overall and capping the season with a 14-3 win over No. 7 Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl. Missouri’s 11 wins were the most for the school in nearly a decade. In the win over Ohio State, Missouri held the Buckeyes without a touchdown for the first time since the 2016 season.
Bo Davis: Defensive Line
Davis joins the LSU staff after spending the past three seasons at Texas where he helped the Longhorns reach the College Football Playoffs in 2023 with one of the nation’s top defenses. Davis spent six years with the Longhorns, first as defensive tackles coach from 2011-13 and then as defensive line coach from 2021-23.
Davis played for the Tigers in the early 1990s, served as a graduate assistant with the football program from 1995-97 and was a member of the strength and conditioning staff when LSU won the 2003 national championship.
Davis returns to LSU with a history of developing some of the top defensive linemen in college football. In 12 years of coaching the defensive line in college football, Davis has produced 17 all-conference selections and seven all-Americans. He’s also coached players who have won the Outland Trophy, the Defensive Player of the Year in the Big 12 and Conference USA, along with the Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year.
“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. “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 has been part of three national championships during his collegiate career, winning the 2003 title at LSU along with championships at Alabama in 2009 and 2015 as the defensive line coach for the Crimson Tide.
Kevin Peoples: Defensive Line
Kelly and Co. will bring Missouri defensive line coach Kevin Peoples to Baton Rouge as a defensive assistant. ESPN's Pete Thamel first reported the news.
After LSU made the move to hire Missouri defensive coordinator Blake Baker, all attention turned to how he would fill out his staff. The Tigers reeled in Bo Davis as the defensive line coach and certainly weren't done in that area.
Peoples adds to what Kelly is forming on defense. That being, an elite-level staff. The likelihood is that he focuses on the defensive ends/EDGE rushers.
A coach who has as a working relationship with newly named defensive coordinator Blake Baker, it's a match made in heaven. He understands how Baker operates as a coordinator while also spending four years at Tulane as its defensive line coach.
Peoples has been known for his development with EDGE rushers and is set to form a dynamic tandem alongside Davis.
Corey Raymond: Cornerbacks
He's back. LSU is finalizing a deal with Corey Raymond to return as the next defensive backs coach of the Tigers after a stint at Florida.
The anticipation is that he will take on duties with the cornerbacks, but a title is still being worked out, sources tell LSU Country.
Raymond, an architect to the "DBU" tradition in Baton Rouge, makes his way back to Death Valley for a second run with the Bayou Bengals.
Raymond spent 10 seasons with the Tigers before Brian Kelly’s arrival to Baton Rouge ahead of the 2022 season.
Raymond then coached the defensive backs at Florida for two seasons under Billy Napier before the two sides parted ways.
Raymond’s secondary has produced seven First-Team All-Americans during his time at LSU, a list that includes Eric Reid (2012), Jalen Mills (2015), Jamal Adams (2016), Tre’Davious White (2016), Greedy Williams (2018), Grant Delpit (2018 and 2019) and Derek Stingley Jr. (2019, 2020).
Jake Olsen Safeties
Olsen has been on LSU's staff in the past before taking on a role with Blake Baker's defense at Missouri. A coach that is on the rise, he now gets his chance to take on a major role with LSU.
Baker’s group finished ranked 38th in total defense and 41st in scoring defense, allowing 347.2 yards and 22.3 points per game last season. Olsen assisted with the safeties, which Baker coached in Columbia as well.
Now, Olsen rejoins Baker's staff in Baton Rouge with the Tigers finalizing his deal to make his return to LSU.
Brian Kelly has now finalized his on-field defensive staff after adding Olsen to the group.
