LSU Country

LSU Football Defensive Line Coach Hot Board: Potential Target Inks New Deal With SEC Rival

Lane Kiffin and Co. can scratch this name off the list, inks new deal with SEC rival on Friday night.
Zack Nagy|
Courtesy of Randall Joyner's Instagram.

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Lane Kiffin and the LSU Tigers continue navigating the early phases of his tenure in Baton Rouge with multiple coaches signed to the staff for the 2026 season.

After Kiffin made the move to Louisiana on Nov. 30, the elite shot-caller brought in multiple members of his offensive coaching staff at Ole Miss - including offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., wide receivers coach George McDonald, and tight ends coach Joe Cox, among several others.

Following the significant hires on offense, Kiffin shifted focus to the defensive side of the ball where the program pulled off a significant victory in retaining defensive coordinator Blake Baker after he withdrew from consideration for the Tulane head coaching gig.

Once Baker was back on the books in Baton Rouge, inking a three-year deal with the program that will pay him roughly $9.3 million, he made sure to keep most of his staff in place.

LSU will bring back edge rushers coach Kevin Peoples, secondary coach Corey Raymond, and safeties coach Jake Olsen.

But there remains an opening at the defensive line slot with Kyle Williams not expected back for the 2026 season.

LSU Tigers Football: Blake Baker.
Courtesy of Blake Baker's Instragram.

LSU appeared to be trending in the right direction for Syracuse co-defensive coordinator Elijah Robinson, according to Football Scoop, with reports stating that the LSU Tigers were in position to land him last Saturday.

"Splash secured. Elijah Robinson is joining LSU's staff sources share," Football Scoop wrote on Saturday morning.

But the deal appears to have fallen through.

Fast forward to Tuesday evening and there is doubt that a deal comes to fruition, according to CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz.

"It's very much in question at this point that Robinson, who is of interest to more than just LSU, ends up joining the Tigers’ staff. There’s some doubt at this stage that it ends up happening," Zenitz wrote via X.

In what has taken a significant turn, the LSU Tigers appear to be on the outside looking in to land Robinson's services as other schools enter the mix.

But there remained a potential candidate that LSU could have turned to with familiarity on a Kiffin-led squad: Ole Miss DL coach Randall Joyner.

Joyner's defensive line unit ranked among the most feared in the nation in 2024, helping anchor one of the best all-around defenses in Ole Miss history.

The Rebels led the nation in both sacks (52) and tackles for loss (120), both of which were new program records, and most of that came from the dominant rotating cast of Jared Ivey, Walter Nolen, JJ Pegues, Suntarine Perkins and Princely Umanmielen.

But Joyner can now be crossed off the list.

Joyner has signed an extension with the Rebels and will remain in Oxford through the 2026 season, according to On3 Sports.

Joyner will return to Oxford for his sixth season amid coaching changes in the Magnolia State where he will stay on Pete Golding's staff despite opportunities elsewhere.

Officials in Oxford have been successful in keeping the defensive staff intact amid the departure of Lane Kiffin on Nov. 30 with Golding now at the helm of the program.

Now, LSU's quest for a new defensive line coach continues with Joyner off the market.

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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Zack Nagy
ZACK NAGY

Zack Nagy is the Managing Editor and Publisher of LSU Country, a Sports Illustrated Publication. Nagy has covered Tiger Football, Basketball, Baseball and Recruiting, looking to keep readers updated on anything and everything involving LSU athletics. 

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