Lane Kiffin’s arrival at LSU raised one of the biggest defensive questions in Baton Rouge: would Blake Baker stick around?
Baker did, and the Tigers’ defensive reboot has had another key figure behind it too - safeties coach Jake Olsen.
After Friday’s practice, Baker made it clear just how much Olsen means to the staff.
“Man, there’s not a harder working dude in the business than [safeties coach] Jake Olsen,” Baker said after Friday’s practice. “The guy’s the first one in here every day, and the last one to leave.”
Olsen’s rise has been built on years of steady trust and constant growth. Baker had him as his safeties coach at Missouri from 2022-23, and before that Olsen spent 2021 at LSU as a defensive analyst with a focus on linebackers. Baker said he has watched Olsen’s coaching improve over the last five years, and that the relationship between the two has only gotten stronger.
“He’s very proactive in how he approaches his career, and what I mean by that is that he’s got a growth mindset,” Baker said. “He’s always trying to grow, get better. Can’t say enough good things about him.”
This season, Baker said Olsen has done especially well when it comes to digging into the details of play-calling and alignments in different situations. Junior safety Dashawn Spears pointed to that familiarity with the defense and the relationship Olsen has built with the players.
“He’s been here since my freshman year, and [I] have a good relationship with him, knowing the defense for three years,” junior safety Dashawn Spears said.”He’s a really good coach… I’m glad he came back.”
That kind of stability has mattered in a room LSU has tried to upgrade. The Tigers had struggled for years to find real game-changing talent at safety, and the secondary gave up a heavy load of passing touchdowns in the seasons after the 2019 national championship.
Last year, LSU landed AJ Haulcy from Houston and developed him into a third-round draft pick this April. Olsen, Baker and safeties analyst Noah Joseph were also central to bringing in Boise State transfer Ty Benefield, who looks like the next Tiger safety likely to hear his name called in the draft.
“They were great guys that showed me that they really wanted my best interest, and we all had the same goal. And that was something that I was just like, ‘yeah, I can’t pass up on this’,” Benfield said.
Baker said Olsen’s message carries because the trust is already there across the defensive staff.
“Even if he doesn’t necessarily believe it 100%, whatever I say, he’s going to go sell in the safety room like it’s the best thing since sliced bread,” Baker said.
LSU’s safety group is loaded now, with Benefield, Spears, Tamarcus Cooley, Jhase Thomas and Faheem Delane all in the mix. Baker said Thomas has been one of the biggest surprises of camp and has even taken some first-team reps.
Keeping both Baker and Olsen around was a win for LSU, especially with Baker considering head-coaching opportunities. He said he wants to win a national championship at LSU, though if it doesn’t happen this season, the offers could become hard to turn down.
And if Baker is leading another program after the 2026 season, Olsen would be a natural candidate to follow him as defensive coordinator. Friday’s praise made it obvious why: the partnership is already working, and LSU may have a long run with the two shaping that defense together.
In Other News...
Jayden Daniels Is Suddenly Facing An LSU Fan Backlash
Jayden Daniels is finding out that the pull of Baton Rouge does not fade just because he is now wearing a Washington Commanders uniform. The dispute at the center of it involves LSU and the use of his name, image and likeness, with the school allowing another player to take over the jersey number Daniels once wore in the purple and gold. For a former Heisman winner who remains one of the most visible faces tied to LSU, it is the kind of issue that can turn a routine alumni matter into something much bigger with the fan base.
The reaction has only grown louder with ESPN commentator Paul Finebaum piling on and taking aim at Daniels response. Finebaum framed the decision as a bad one and said Daniels has already lost support in LSU Nation, adding a fresh layer of heat to a story that was already touching a nerve with Tigers fans. Daniels, meanwhile, is trying to settle into his next chapter in Washington, where the Commanders open the season against the Eagles on Sept. 13, even as his old college ties continue to follow him. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Just Missed On A Top Quarterback LSU Fans Were Watching
The quarterback board took a hit for LSU when Donald Tabron II, one of the top names in the 2028 class, came off it and pledged to Texas A&M instead. The junior from Cass Tech in Detroit had been a priority target for the Tigers and Oregon alike, and his profile made him one of the more closely watched young passers in the country.
Tabrons decision gives Texas A&M an early cornerstone in its 2028 class, and it also says something about how this recruitment unfolded behind the scenes. He had made multiple trips to College Station and built a strong connection with the Aggies staff, the kind of relationship-driven pull that can outweigh the appeal of other heavyweight programs, even for a prospect LSU had reason to believe was within reach. [Read more 🡒]
LSU May Lean On These Loaded Groups While Kiffin Builds His Offense
Lane Kiffin is still putting his stamp on LSU, but the early read on this roster points to a few spots that should help steady the transition. Safety, running back and cornerback all look like groups with real upside, and that matters for a team trying to find its footing under a new coach while the offense takes shape around him.
Ty Benefield gives the secondary another intriguing name to watch, while Caden Durham and Harlem Berry offer the kind of backfield punch that can keep pressure off the rest of the offense. On the perimeter, DJ Pickett and PJ Woodland could give LSU the sort of cornerback depth that lets the Tigers play with more confidence, even if the bigger picture still depends on how quickly Kiffins system comes together. [Read more 🡒]