1/25/2021 football Edit

LSU expected to hire Daronte Jones as new defensive coordinator: report

Julie Boudwin • Death Valley Insider

Managing Editor

It took longer than many expected, but LSU finally got its new defensive coordinator, according to Bruce Feldman of FOX Sports and The Athletic.

Ed Orgeron and the Tigers are expected to hire Daronte Jones to led the defense in Baton Rouge. Jones comes to LSU from the NFL where he was most recently the defensive backs coach of the Minnesota Vikings.

Orgeron and Jones have a few mutual connections in Dave Aranda and Norm Chow.

"Vikings DB coach Daronte Jones is expected to become the new (defensive coordinator) at LSU," Feldman reported. "Jones, a protege of Dave Aranda coached under the ex Tigers DC when he was at Wisconsin. Jones, who spent the day interviewing with Ed Orgeron, was DC for (five) years at Bowie State and had the No. 1 (defense) in (Division II)."

Jones previously spent two seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals as the secondary/cornerbacks coach in 2018-19 and two seasons with the Miami Dolphins as an assistant defensive backs coach in 2016-17.

Before he made the jump to the NFL, Jones coached for Aranda in 2015 at Wisconsin as the defensive backs coach. The Badgers led the nation with just seven passing touchdowns allowed and their passing defense ranked second in the Big Ten and seventh nationally, allowing 173.2 pass yards per game.

From 2012-14, Jones served as the secondary coach at the University of Hawaii, adding the title of assistant head coach in 2014.

He also had stops in the CFL in 2011 as a defensive backs coach and UCLA in 2010 as the cornerbacks coach. He was the assistant head coach/defensive coordinator at Bowie State from 2005-09. Prior to his time at Bowie State, Jones served as defensive coordinator at two Louisiana high schools — Jeanerette (2004) and Franklin (2003). He also spent the 2002 season coaching safeties at Nicholls State after beginning his coaching career in 2001 as a graduate assistant at Lenoir-Rhyne University in North Carolina. Jones played four seasons as a defensive back at Morgan State before earning his bachelor's degree in 2001.

Marcus Freeman, Ryan Nielsen and Ryan Arnett, among others, have all been candidates or had interviews with Orgeron in LSU's search to replace Bo Pelini.