Lane Kiffin, LSU Football Keep Elite Assistant Coach With Tigers Amid Tulane Pursuit

Kiffin and Co. keep the coveted assistant coach in Baton Rouge, withdraws from consideration for Tulane gig.

Courtesy of Blake Baker's Instragram.

LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker will remain in Baton Rouge as a member of Lane Kiffin's coaching staff for the 2026 season, multiple sources confirmed to LSU Tigers On SI. CBS Sports reported the news first.

In recent weeks, Baker was tied to the Tulane Green Wave and Memphis Tigers head coaching jobs with the program in New Orleans circling the LSU defensive coordinator as the top target.

According to multiple reports, a deal was set to be finalized on Friday, but as the clock ticked, it never came to fruition with Baker continuing to mull over his future.

Then, once the clock struck 10:30 p.m. CT, Baker had made up his mind with social media buzzing of a return to LSU for the 2026 season - with Kiffin even getting in on the action.

“Sorry couldn’t make it to Atlanta, but so excited that I stayed to finish this all up! (Blake Baker) is going nowhere !!!!,” Kiffin posted to X. “What a really long amazing Friday for (LSU Football) #ItsDifferent.”

News: #LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker has withdrawn from consideration for the Tulane Green Wave job, @wdsu reports.

Lane Kiffin and Co. continued to push this week for Baker to remain in Baton Rouge.

Now, after a back and forth, Baker appears to have made up his mind. pic.twitter.com/cAzw9O9ACj

— Zack Nagy (@znagy20) December 6, 2025

Across the 2025 season under Baker's watch at LSU, he brought the Tigers into the Top-25 of total defense while also sitting among the Top-15 in turnovers gained with 21 in total over 12 games this fall.

LSU’s defense ranked in the top half of the SEC across the 2025 campaign after allowing 319.7 yards per game.

Bakers unit also held teams to 18.3 points on average, which ranked fourth in the conference.

Those were both improvements from 2024 when LSU gave up 364.4 yards and 24.3 points per game in Baker’s first season as defensive coordinator.

Courtesy of LSU Football.

"I think our trust in Coach Baker, our buy-in to what he's teaching us and what he's preaching to us. He brings energy every single day, so it's hard not to bring energy when the boss man is bringing it," LSU linebacker Whit Weeks said this season of what Baker provides the Tigers.

Now, with Baker set to return for the 2026 season, the stage is set for a majority of the defensive coaching staff to be back with the Tigers as secondary coach Corey Raymond and edge rushers coach Kevin Peoples await their fate as a return appears likely.

More LSU News:

LSU Football Hires Elite Offensive Coordinator, Five Assistant to Lane Kiffin's Staff

Three Takeaways From Lane Kiffin's Introductory Press Conference With LSU Football

Lane Kiffin Reveals How Nick Saban, Pete Carroll Influenced Decision to LSU Football

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