| Blake Baker | |
| Current Title: | Defensive coordinator |
| Current Team: | LSU |
| Birth Date: | 10 July 1982 |
| Birth Place: | Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Player Years1: | 2000–2004 |
| Player Team1: | Tulane |
| Player Positions: | Linebacker |
| Coach Years1: | 2009 |
| Coach Team1: | Clear Springs HS (TX) (WR) |
| Coach Years2: | 2010–2012 |
| Coach Team2: | Texas (GA) |
| Coach Years3: | 2013 |
| Coach Team3: | Arkansas State (S) |
| Coach Years4: | 2014 |
| Coach Team4: | Louisiana Tech (S) |
| Coach Years5: | 2015–2018 |
| Coach Team5: | Louisiana Tech (DC/LB) |
| Coach Years6: | 2019–2020 |
| Coach Team6: | Miami (FL) (DC/ILB) |
| Coach Years7: | 2021 |
| Coach Team7: | LSU (LB) |
| Coach Years8: | 2022–2023 |
| Coach Team8: | Missouri (DC/S) |
| Coach Years9: | 2024–present |
| Coach Team9: | LSU (DC) |
Blake Baker (born July 10, 1982) is an American college football coach. He is the defensive coordinator for Louisiana State University, a position he has held since 2024. He was previously the defensive coordinator at Miami (FL), Louisiana Tech, and Missouri, as well as previously being the linebackers coach at LSU.
Baker was a linebacker at Tulane from 2000 to 2004, redshirting the 2000 season. He played 42 career games, racking up 145 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and six sacks in his college career.[1]
Baker was hired a graduate assistant at Texas in 2010, working under Longhorns defensive coordinator Manny Diaz.[2] He was hired to be the safeties coach at Arkansas State in 2013 on Bryan Harsin's staff. After Harsin departed to accept the head coaching position at his alma mater Boise State in 2014, Baker was hired to be the Broncos director of player personnel.[3] He spent approximately a month there before accepting an assistant coaching position at Louisiana Tech.[4]
Baker was hired to be the safeties coach at Louisiana Tech in 2014, working once again under Manny Diaz.[5] After Diaz left to accept the defensive coordinator position at Mississippi State, Baker was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2015 and also assumed Diaz's role as the linebackers coach.[6] [7]
Baker was named the defensive coordinator at the University of Miami by head coach Manny Diaz in January 2019.[8] It was announced in January 2021 that Baker would be retained in his defensive coordinator role at the University of Miami, but he would no longer be responsible for defensive play-calling on gamedays as head coach Manny Diaz will now be taking on that responsibility.[9]
On January 29, 2021, Baker joined LSU as linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator.[10] He was only at LSU for one season as he was not retained by Brian Kelly.[11]
On January 20, 2022 he was announced as University of Missouri’s safeties coach. Baker had previously coached with Missouri Head Coach Eliah Drinkwitz at Arkansas State University, where Baker served as safeties coach and Drinkwitz served as Co-OC and running backs coach.[12] After a month on the job, Steve Wilks returned to the NFL, and Baker was promoted to defensive coordinator.[13]
On January 6, 2024, Baker was officially announced as the next defensive coordinator at LSU, where he received a $2.5 million-per-year contract that will make him the highest-paid assistant coach in college football.[14] [15]