Lane Kiffin's Star-Studded LSU Football Staff Taking Shape Amid Hiring of SEC Coach

Kiffin and Co. have assembled an elite staff in Baton Rouge, multiple game-changing assistants underneath him.

Dec 1, 2025; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU new head coach Lane Kiffin speaks at South Stadium Club at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Lane Kiffin and the LSU Tigers are assembling a star-studded coaching staff in Baton Rouge with multiple Ole Miss Rebels assistants making the move to the Bayou State.

Once Kiffin accepted the LSU gig, the new shot-caller of the program's first plan of action was to bring over his staff on offense from Oxford.

Offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., wide receivers coach George McDonald, and tight ends coach Joe Cox, among others, boaard the flight with him to make the trip to Louisiana.

But there remained pieces that needed to be filled out with Kiffin then adding a pair of assistants from SEC schools while retaining multiple integral pieces to the staff on defense - namely coordinator Blake Baker.

Now, the staff is officially taking shape with nine on-field staffers confirmed while the program is trending to fill the final spot.

LSU head coach Brian Kelly and Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin shake hands after a college football game between Ole Miss and LSU at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss., on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. Ole Miss defeated LSU 24-19. | Ayrton Breckenridge/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Lane Kiffin's First Staff Taking Shape:

Charlie Weis Jr: Offfensive Coordinator - Weis has joined Kiffin in Baton Rouge after hopping on the flight departing Oxford alongside him. The offensive mastermind has been with Kiffin for years where he gives LSU an experienced play-caller.

LSU has amended the the old term sheet with a new offer of $7.5 million over three years with an annual "look-in" clause to always make him the highest-paid offensive coordinator in the Southeastern Conference.

Dane Stevens: Quarterbacks Coach - Stevens currently serves as a senior analyst and pass-game specialist for the Ole Miss Rebels where he receives a promotion while heading to Baton Rouge and following Lane Kiffin to the Bayou State.

Eric Wolford: Offensive Line Coach - Wolford has significant ties to the Southeastern Conference where he spent the last two seasons as the Kentucky Wildcats' position coach. He also worked for the Wildcats in 2021. Wolford was offensive line coach at Alabama in 2022 and 2023 in Nick Saban’s final two seasons.

Kevin Smith: Running Backs Coach - Smith, one of the most respected assistant coaches in the Southeastern Conference, remained a staffer Kiffin had his focus on with the deal getting over the finish line on Dec. 21 after making the move from Ole Miss to LSU.

Joe Cox: Tight Ends Coach - Cox joined Kiffin's staff in Oxford in 2024 where he took on the role as the team’s tight ends coach and co-offensive coordinator. The 39-year-old previously worked as the tight ends coach at Alabama in 2022.

Lane Kiffin’s first coaching staff in Baton Rouge:

OC: Charlie Weis Jr.
OL: Eric Wolford
RB: Kevin Smith
TE: Joe Cox
WR: George McDonald

DC: Blake Baker
DL: Sterling Lucas (Top Target)
EDGE: Kevin Peoples
CB: Corey Raymond
S: Jake Olsen

Buckle up. Kiffin and Co. are coming. pic.twitter.com/DROIeBIeKq

— Zack Nagy (@znagy20) December 22, 2025

George McDonald: Wide Receivers Coach - McDonald recently wrapped up his second season at Ole Miss after spending the previous three as the assistant head coach and receivers coach at Illinois. Now, he's Baton Rouge bound to join Kiffin and Co.

Blake Baker: Defensive Coordinator - 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.

Sterling Lucas: Defensive Line - Lucas, a well-respected coach across the Southeastern Conference, has assisted in the development of multiple NFL Draft picks across his time at the collegiate level. Now, after five seasons at South Carolina, he's expected to join Kiffin's staff.

Kevin Peoples: Edge Rushers - Peoples made an immediate impact in his first season at LSU in 2024, developing Bradyn Swinson into an All-SEC performer. Swinson led the Tigers and rated among the league leaders in sacks (8.5) and tackles for loss (13.0) on his way to earning second-team All-SEC honors.

Courtesy of LSU Football.

Corey Raymond: Secondary Coach - Raymond rejoined the Tigers after two years as the assistant head coach and secondary coach at Florida in 2024. Raymond, who is in his third stint with the Tigers, has spent 14 years of his coaching career at LSU.

Jake Olsen: Safeties Coach - Jake Olsen returned to LSU in January of 2024 after two years working alongside defensive coordinator Blake Baker at Missouri. Olsen enters his second season as LSU safeties coach in 2025.

More LSU News:

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