When Lane Kiffin was hired as the LSU football coach, it was expected that Kiffin would retain defensive coordinator Blake Baker. But that might not be able to happen, as it turns out.

Baker, who has spent the last two seasons as the Tigers' defensive coordinator, is reportedly drawing head coaching interest, including from Tulane, his alma mater.

“Sources tell On3 that Kiffin continues to work to retain defensive coordinator Blake Baker,” Pete Nakos wrote. “But sources have told On3 that Baker has emerged as a top name for the Tulane head coaching job. He could have to decide between the Green Wave and returning to LSU.”

Baker, a Houston native, played at Tulane from 2000 to 2004 and began his coaching career at Clear Springs High School in Texas in 2009. The following season, he started a three-year stint as a graduate assistant with Texas.

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After one year as the safeties coach at Arkansas State, Baker worked at Louisiana Tech from 2014 to 2018, the final four years of which were as the defensive coordinator. He then spent two seasons as Miami's DC before arriving at LSU, where he was the Tigers' linebackers coach in 2021. He returned to Baton Rouge before the 2024 season following two years as Missouri's defensive coordinator.

In his first season as Brian Kelly's DC, Baker led a unit that allowed 24.3 points per game. This year, despite the team's record going in the wrong direction and Kelly being fired midseason, Baker's defense limited opponents to 18.3 points per game, the 15th-lowest average in the country, and was top 10 in interceptions.

Tulane's head coaching job, for which Baker already reportedly interviewed, became vacant when Florida hired Jon Sumrall earlier in the week. Sumrall, who is coaching the Green Wave as they try to make it into the College Football Playoff (CFP), has gone 19-7 overall and 14-2 in the American in two seasons in New Orleans.

In addition to the Tulane job, Baker interviewed for the Memphis head coaching position, according to reports.