LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker has surfaced as a name to watch in Florida State’s coaching search after the Seminoles fired Mike Norvell.
CBS Sports’ Brandon Marcello recently listed seven potential candidates for the opening, and Baker made the cut. He’s also the highest-paid assistant coach in college football, which only adds to the intrigue around his name popping up in this search.
Baker’s résumé is built around one clear selling point: he improves defenses. Marcello noted that Baker has a track record of fixing units wherever he’s coached, and that reputation is part of why he could appeal to Florida State.
At LSU, Baker inherited a defense that ranked 81st nationally in scoring before his arrival and helped turn it into a group that allowed just 18.3 points per game in 2025, the program’s best mark since 2016.
His coaching path has taken him through several major stops. Baker served as defensive coordinator at Louisiana Tech from 2015 to 2018, at Miami under Diaz in 2019 and 2020, and at Missouri under Drinkwitz in 2022 and 2023. During his time with the Tigers, Missouri went 11-2 and held Ohio State without a touchdown in the Cotton Bowl.
Recruiting is part of the pitch, too. Baker spent two seasons at Miami, which gave him recruiting relationships in South Florida, and he’s continued working the Southeast over the last four years at Missouri and LSU.
CBS Sports also noted that Baker drew interest from Tulane and Memphis last December, but chose to stay at LSU.
Along with Baker, Marcello’s list of Florida State candidates includes Manny Diaz, Eli Drinkwitz, Jake Dickert, Kenny Dillingham, Jason Eck and Glenn Schumann. He also mentioned Rhett Lashlee and Jimbo Fisher as wild cards.
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