Lane Kiffin battles to keep LSU's defensive star. Will Blake Baker choose his alma mater's head coaching gig or remain in Baton Rouge?
The coaching carousel in college football continues to spin. The only notable opening left to fill from firings is Penn State. The more interesting ones are the vacancies that are a result of head coaches getting hired elsewhere. That focuses the attention on the Tulane Green Wave and Memphis Tigers as two giant landing spots left. The Green Wave may be getting closer to filling theirs.
Per reports from On3 Sports, and what has been widely reported all week, LSU Tigers defensive coordinator Blake Baker is one of the favorites for the Tulane job to replace head coach Jon Sumrall who is leaving to coach the Florida Gators. Baker interviewed on Monday at his alma mater where he played linebacker from 2000 to 2004. He also reportedly interviewed with Memphis. But it seems like Baker is down to two options: stay with LSU or go coach his alma mater. Now Tigers new head coach Lane Kiffin is having to make a late push to try to retain his current defensive coordinator.
Here is the full story from Tulane Roundtable writer Maddy Hudak on the latest intel and what qualities the program is looking for that fit around Baker.
LSU DC Blake Baker Reported Favorite for Tulane Job as Lane Kiffin Makes Push To Retain
Blake Baker is Tulane's top choice. Lane Kiffin is battling to keep his DC, but Baker's first head coaching job beckons.
Now, Kiffin can try all he wants, but if the money is comparable – and even if it’s slightly not – you can’t offer anything that would surmount a head coaching opportunity. Especially when that opportunity is with one of the top Group of Five programs in the nation. Sumrall said on Tuesday that he believes the G5 opening he caused to be vacant is better than multiple Power Four openings, and he’s right.
The question is whether Tulane will forgo the desire to have a candidate with head coaching experience. But everyone has to start somewhere, and it’s clear the consensus favorite among the fanbase, at least, is Baker.