Blake Baker
Current teamLSU
Current conferenceSEC
Birth dateJune 10, 1982 (age 44)
Birth placeHouston, Texas, U.S.
Player years 12000–2004
Player team 1Tulane
Player positionsLinebacker

Blake Winfield Baker (born June 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 2000-2004

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 2009-present

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 2014 2015-2018

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) 2019-2020

Baker was named the defensive coordinator at the University of Miami by head coach Manny Diaz in January 2019.[8] During his tenure, the Hurricanes were the 13th Best Total Defense in the country and Tied for 6th in Tackles for Loss.[9]

LSU 2021 LB

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] In 2021, Baker coached Damone Clark, the nation's leading tackler and Butkus Award Finalist.[12]

Missouri 2022-2023 DC/S

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.[13] After a month on the job, Steve Wilks returned to the NFL, and Baker was promoted to defensive coordinator.[14]

LSU (second stint) 2024-present DC

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 made him the highest-paid assistant coach in college football at the time.[15][16]

References

  1. ^ "Nine Things To Know About New Defensive Coordinator Blake Baker". 247Sports. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  2. ^ "Blake Baker could have short stint with Miami football program". FanSided. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  3. ^ "Harsin completes Boise State coaching staff with three hires". Idaho Press. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  4. ^ "Tharp Hired as Director of Player Personnel". Boise State Athletics. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  5. ^ Isabella, Sean. "Tech hires Boise staffer for safeties". The Daily Advertiser. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  6. ^ "Tech's Baker to earn defensive coordinator promotion". The Shreveport Times. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  7. ^ Isabella, Sean. "Tech continues to set defensive standard in spring ball". The News-Star. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  8. ^ "It's official: Miami has new D-coordinator and he's a former pupil of coach Manny Diaz". Miami Herald. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  9. ^ STATS, CFB. "Sources: 2019 NATIONAL LEADERS TOTAL DEFENSE". footballscoop.com. CFB STATS. Retrieved February 22, 2025.
  10. ^ LSU Football. "Hold That Tiger Blake Baker is Callin’ Baton Rouge and will serve as the Tigers’ linebackers coach.". No. 1354951579779141637.
  11. ^ West, Glen. "Report: LSU Football Will Not Retain Linebackers Coach Blake Baker". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2021-12-29.
  12. ^ West, Glen. "Sources: LSU Linebacker Damone Clark Named a Finalist for Butkus Award". si.com. Glen West. Retrieved February 22, 2025.
  13. ^ Matter, Dave. "Mizzou hiring former LSU defensive assistant Blake Baker". St. Louis Post Dispatch. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  14. ^ Brice, John (14 February 2022). "Sources: After stints atop Miami, La. Tech defenses, Blake Baker poised to take over Missouri D". footballscoop.com. Football Scoop. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  15. ^ "Blake Baker Named Football's Defensive Coordinator". LSU. 2024-01-05. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
  16. ^ "LSU Poaches Blake Baker Away From Missouri With Record-Breaking Contract, per Report". Sports Illustrated. 2024-01-05. Retrieved 2024-01-05.