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LSU football hired head coach Lane Kiffin to revitalize the program after the Brian Kelly era ended with a letdown in 2025. A top selling point for Kiffin is his offensive track record. The Ole Miss offense was annually one of the best in the country under Kiffin. Kiffin brought nearly his entire offensive staff to Baton Rouge, including offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr.
But on defense, Kiffin didn't need to make a change. LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker was retained, along with the majority of the defensive staff.
One could argue LSU now has the top play-calling duo in the SEC. Weis' Ole Miss offense ranked No. 3 nationally in ESPN's SP+ in 2025. Baker's LSU defense ranked No. 12. That makes LSU the only school in the SEC to have two coordinators who were architects of top-12 units last season.
Given the talent LSU has on both sides of the ball, that should excite Tiger fans.
LSU didn't make the College Football Playoff last year, or even come close to it, but it wasn't the defense's fault. Baker's unit was CFP-caliber. Weis' Ole Miss offense was good enough to reach the CFP semi-final, putting up big numbers vs. some of the best defenses in the country.
It's only Kiffin's first year in Baton Rouge, but LSU wants to make a CFP run. That requires top-notch units on both sides of the ball. Under Kelly, LSU struggled to build complete teams. In 2023, LSU's offense was historic but the defense made history for all the wrong reasons. In 2025, LSU posted the best defense of the Kelly era, but the offense fell flat.
Now, LSU hopes it has the staff to build a well-rounded football team.
What are LSU football's chances to make the College Football Playoff in 2026?
Per DraftKings, LSU is +160 to make the College Football Playoff in 2026. Those odds rank No. 11 in the sport. LSU is behind SEC rivals Georgia, Texas, Texas A&M, and Alabama.
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Why LSU football has the best coordinator duo in the SEC
