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Blake Baker

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Blake Baker
Current position
TitleDefensive coordinator
TeamLSU
ConferenceSEC
Biographical details
Born (1982-07-10) July 10, 1982 (age 42)
Houston, Texas, U.S.
Playing career
2000–2004Tulane
Position(s)Linebacker
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2009Clear Springs HS (TX) (WR)
2010–2012Texas (GA)
2013Arkansas State (S)
2014Louisiana Tech (S)
2015–2018Louisiana Tech (DC/LB)
2019–2020Miami (FL) (DC/ILB)
2021LSU (LB)
2022–2023Missouri (DC/S)
2024–presentLSU (DC)

Blake Baker (born July 10, 1982) is an American college football coach. He is the defensive coordinator for Louisiana State University, a position he has held since 2024. He was previously the defensive coordinator at Miami (FL), Louisiana Tech, and Missouri, as well as previously being the linebackers coach at LSU.

Playing career

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Baker was a linebacker at Tulane from 2000 to 2004, redshirting the 2000 season. He played 42 career games, racking up 145 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and six sacks in his college career.[1]

Coaching career

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Baker was hired as a graduate assistant at Texas in 2010, working under Longhorns defensive coordinator Manny Diaz.[2] He was hired to be the safeties coach at Arkansas State in 2013 on Bryan Harsin's staff. After Harsin departed to accept the head coaching position at his alma mater Boise State in 2014, Baker was hired to be the Broncos director of player personnel.[3] He spent approximately a month there before accepting an assistant coaching position at Louisiana Tech.[4]

Louisiana Tech

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Baker was hired to be the safeties coach at Louisiana Tech in 2014, working once again under Manny Diaz.[5] After Diaz left to accept the defensive coordinator position at Mississippi State, Baker was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2015 and also assumed Diaz's role as the linebackers coach.[6][7]

Miami (FL)

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Baker was named the defensive coordinator at the University of Miami by head coach Manny Diaz in January 2019.[8] It was announced in January 2021 that Baker would be retained in his defensive coordinator role at the University of Miami, but he would no longer be responsible for defensive play-calling on gamedays as head coach Manny Diaz will now be taking on that responsibility.[9]

LSU

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On January 29, 2021, Baker joined LSU as linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator.[10] He was only at LSU for one season as he was not retained by Brian Kelly.[11]

Missouri

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On January 20, 2022 he was announced as University of Missouri’s safeties coach. Baker had previously coached with Missouri Head Coach Eliah Drinkwitz at Arkansas State University, where Baker served as safeties coach and Drinkwitz served as Co-OC and running backs coach.[12] After a month on the job, Steve Wilks returned to the NFL, and Baker was promoted to defensive coordinator.[13]

LSU (Second Stint)

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On January 6, 2024, Baker was officially announced as the next defensive coordinator at LSU, where he received a $2.5 million-per-year contract that will make him the highest-paid assistant coach in college football.[14][15]

References

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  1. ^ "Nine Things To Know About New Defensive Coordinator Blake Baker". 247Sports. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  2. ^ "Blake Baker could have short stint with Miami football program". FanSided. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  3. ^ "Harsin completes Boise State coaching staff with three hires". Idaho Press. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  4. ^ "Tharp Hired as Director of Player Personnel". Boise State Athletics. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  5. ^ Isabella, Sean. "Tech hires Boise staffer for safeties". The Daily Advertiser. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  6. ^ "Tech's Baker to earn defensive coordinator promotion". The Shreveport Times. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  7. ^ Isabella, Sean. "Tech continues to set defensive standard in spring ball". The News-Star. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  8. ^ "It's official: Miami has new D-coordinator and he's a former pupil of coach Manny Diaz". Miami Herald. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  9. ^ Samuels, Doug. "Sources: LSU seeking to hire an ACC defensive coordinator". footballscoop.com. Football Scoop. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  10. ^ LSU Football [@LSUfootball] (January 29, 2021). "Hold That Tiger Blake Baker is Callin' Baton Rouge and will serve as the Tigers' linebackers coach" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  11. ^ West, Glen. "Report: LSU Football Will Not Retain Linebackers Coach Blake Baker". Sports Illustrated LSU Tigers News, Analysis and More. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
  12. ^ Matter, Dave. "Mizzou hiring former LSU defensive assistant Blake Baker". St. Louis Post Dispatch. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  13. ^ Brice, John (February 14, 2022). "Sources: After stints atop Miami, La. Tech defenses, Blake Baker poised to take over Missouri D". footballscoop.com. Football Scoop. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  14. ^ "Blake Baker Named Football's Defensive Coordinator". LSU. January 5, 2024. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  15. ^ "LSU Poaches Blake Baker Away From Missouri With Record-Breaking Contract, per Report". Sports Illustrated. January 5, 2024. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
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