Blake Baker finally got back behind a microphone this week, and the LSU defensive coordinator used the moment to take a hard look at where his unit stands in fall camp.
The message was clear: there’s real progress here, but there’s still another level to chase.
LSU enters Baker’s third season with him still in Baton Rouge after turning down head coaching chances at Tulane and Memphis. That decision has mattered, because Baker has already turned LSU’s defense into one of the SEC’s best groups.
Last season, the Tigers finished as a top-25 team nationally in scoring defense points allowed per game and just outside the top 25 in total yards allowed. Now the task is pushing that standard even higher.
Baker didn’t shy away from the spots where LSU left production on the field a year ago. One of the biggest frustrations he brought up was how four interceptions last season ended with an LSU defender being tackled by the opposing quarterback before reaching the end zone, a point he said he’s stressed all camp.
He also pointed to the lack of takeaways on fumbles. Baker said LSU only managed four or five fumble recoveries in 2025, and the staff has spent this fall coaching punches and strips at the ball with more force in an effort to raise that number.
That takeaway hunt ties directly into how Baker sees the defense functioning overall. He said the pass rush and coverage have to work together, with stronger edge pressure usually leading to more interceptions. At the same time, he noted that some picks simply happen when a quarterback is forced into a bad throw under pressure.
There are reasons for Baker to feel encouraged on the edges. He highlighted the growth of newcomers Princewill Umanmielen and Jordan Ross since spring practice, and he was especially upbeat about Dylan Carpenter’s jump from freshman to now. Lamar Brown and Kolaj Cobbins, in his view, help give that room both depth and explosiveness.
At linebacker, Ole Miss transfer TJ Dottery has already become a major piece. Baker said Dottery has fit in well next to Whit Weeks, praised his work ethic and fast command of the playbook, and added that Dottery’s voice alongside Weeks carries extra influence with the younger players.
Safety depth was one of the biggest concerns when camp opened, Baker admitted. He gave credit to safeties coach Jake Olsen and pointed to Jhase Thomas as one of the camp’s biggest surprises. Tamarcus Cooley, Ty Benefield and several other young defensive backs have also shown steady improvement.
Up front, freshmen are playing a major role in the early install. Baker said Deuce Geralds, Richard Anderson and Lamar Brown are handling first- and second-team work as quickly as any freshman trio he’s coached, even while going through the usual bumps that come with being new.
Baker also said the pace of fall camp has been part of the test. Practices are moving with tempo and urgency from start to finish, with no standing around between drills, and that setup has pushed the defense to stay sharp mentally.
With Umanmielen, Dottery and a wave of young talent in the mix, Baker sounded like a coach who believes the unit can keep building on last season’s foundation.
LSU opens against Clemson, and Baker’s assessment suggests he thinks this defense has a real shot to turn that next step into something more than just incremental improvement.
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