Blake Baker has officially accepted a position at LSU to coach lineouts under Ed Orgeron.
Baker has been Miami’s defense coordinator for the past two seasons, but Manny Diaz, who was out of season, has announced that in 2021 he will handle the duty of defense.
Miami’s defense slipped in 2020, allowing for 408 yards per game, which ranked 67th nationally and 51st in the country to defend 27 points per game.
The low point comes defensively during a 62-26 loss to North Carolina, in which the Hurricanes allowed 778 yards total offense, including 554 running yards.
The last time Diaz was the defense coordinator for UM and made full-time stage calls, the Hurricanes were one of the best defenses in the country in 2018, with 18th place in the country in defense of 19.5 points per game and fourth nationally in total defense at 278 yards per game.
The Hurricanes changed the defensive coach to address that side of the ball, appointing Travaris Robinson as secondary coach, Jess Simpson as defensive line coach, and DeMarcus Van Dyke as linebacker.
Former security and co-defense coordinator Ephraim Banda is leaving on his own to move to Utah State to take on the defense coordinator job.
Former defensive coach Todd Stroud and former cornerback Mike Rumph have not been retained in these duties, but they both remain in the program in field roles.
Jonathan Patke will be the only remaining defensive assistant coach from the 2020 season. Patke will continue to coach strikers and serve as the special team coordinator.
Baker spent four seasons as defense coordinator at Louisiana Tech. He also worked with Diaz in Texas.
The UM defense in 2021 will have to replace the prolific pass-rushers Quincy Roche and Jaelan Phillips, but UM are delivering a lot of talent on the ball side, including DT Nesta Jade Silvera and DB Bubba Bolden.