LSU safeties coach Jake Olsen has decided to stay with the Tigers after he was in advanced talks with the Washington Commanders, a source confirmed Monday night with The Advocate.
Olsen coached the LSU safeties the past two seasons. A report from CBS Sports stated he accepted the NFL job before changing his mind and staying in Baton Rouge. His decision kept LSU’s defensive staff intact heading into new head coach Lane Kiffin’s first season. The Tigers begin spring practice March 24.
Olsen worked with new Commanders defensive coordinator Daronte Jones at LSU in 2021. Jones was the defensive coordinator, and Olsen helped with the linebackers as a defensive analyst under then-linebackers coach Blake Baker, who’s now LSU’s defensive coordinator.
Olsen, a North Dakota native, has spent most of his coaching career in Louisiana. He had stints at Nicholls State, UL-Monroe and Northwestern State before coming to LSU for the first time. He then went to Missouri for two seasons as the linebackers coach with Baker and returned when LSU overhauled its defensive staff before the 2024 season.
After overseeing LSU’s defense the past two years, Baker stayed after Kiffin became the new head coach, and they kept most of the defensive staff in place. LSU hired a new interior defensive line coach in Sterling Lucas from South Carolina, and Chris Kiffin was named co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Edge rushers coach Kevin Peoples, cornerbacks coach Corey Raymond and Olsen all stayed with the Tigers.
At safety next season, LSU brought back potential starters in redshirt junior Tamarcus Cooley and junior Dashawn Spears. It also added Boise State senior Ty Benefield and Ohio State sophomore Faheem Delane last month as part of a top-ranked portal class. The Tigers have to replace first-team All-SEC selection AJ Haulcy and find a new starter at the Star position, a hybrid linebacker/safety role in Baker’s defense.