Billy Napier

Among the biggest changes to the LSU football staff in the wake of the hiring of former Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly, at least to fans in the Teche Area, was the news Wednesday that defensive backs coach Corey Raymond was leaving to join the University of Florida staff under new coach Billy Napier.

Raymond was a standout football player at New Iberia Senior High School and LSU, a former defensive coordinator at New Iberia Senior High and Westgate High and the longest-tenured member of the LSU football coaching staff, serving since 2012. He joined the LSU staff as an intern in 2006, then spent 2007-08 as as assistant strength coach before serving for two years as cornerbacks coach at Utah State and one year as defensive backs coach at Nebraska.

Raymond was hired as “assistant head coach of the defense” and cornerbacks coach by Napier, who left the University of Louisiana at Lafayette following the Cajuns’ Sun Belt Conference championship win on Dec. 4.

Former LSU and NFL defensive back Ryan Clark tweeted about the move.

“I will miss Corey Raymond more than anyone. A great man, coach, and friend.. I wish you all the best

@LSUCoachRaymond. I pray Florida treats you like the star you are. Hate that you had to leave us to get that.”

Raymond coached seven All-Americans at LSU, Eric Reid (2012), Jalen Mills (2015), Jamal Adams (2016), Tre’Davious White (2016), Greedy Williams (2018), Grant Delpit (2018-19) and Derek Stingley Jr. (2019-20).

He also was LSU’s recruiting coordinator the past two seasons and considered one of the top recruiters on the staff.

After graduating from NISH in 1988, the New Iberia native played for LSU from 1988-91, where he was a three-year starter. He finished his career with 185 tackles and eight interceptions.

He then played three seasons for the New York Giants and three for the Detroit Lions. Raymond started 60 of the 90 games he played in the NFL, finishing with 11 interceptions and 258 tackles.

Two other notable changes for LSU fans from Acadiana were the addition of Frank Wilson as associate head coach and the news that former LSU All-American running back Kevin Faulk also will not return to the staff.

Wilson, a New Orleans native and two-time national recruiter of the year, previously spent six years on the LSU coaching staff, serving as running backs coach and recruiting coordinator. During that time, Wilson helped LSU lure some of the nation’s top players to Baton Rouge, as the Tigers had four Top 10 recruiting classes, including the No. 2 class in 2014 and the No. 5 class in 2015.

“Frank Wilson has a proven track record of identifying, recruiting, and developing elite student-athletes everywhere he has been,” Kelly said. “No one knows the recruiting landscape in Louisiana better than Frank, and his experience and character will be tremendous resources for our staff and student-athletes. His impact on our staff at LSU will be immediate and immense. We are thrilled he is returning home to ensure that we continue to sign the best student-athletes in Louisiana and throughout the country.”

Wilson helped LSU to six bowl appearances, including the 2012 BCS National Championship game, the 2011 SEC Championship, and an overall mark of 61-17.

“I will forever be grateful to the coaches, staff, and student-athletes I have been fortunate to work with at McNeese State, and I will always remember the lessons I have learned in my six seasons as a head coach,” Wilson said. “But the opportunity to return home to LSU and join Coach Kelly’s staff was one my family and I simply could not pass up. I could not be more excited to return to Baton Rouge and do whatever I can to help the Tigers consistently compete for and win championships.”

Wilson returns to LSU after serving as head coach at Texas-San Antonio and most recently McNeese. He went 26-40 as head coach in six years, which included an appearance in the New Mexico Bowl in his first season at UTSA.

Wilson has experience coaching running backs, receivers, and special teams, and he made his mark at LSU as an elite recruiter and developer of talent. He coached seven running backs at LSU who went on to be selected in the NFL Draft, a group that included consensus All-America Leonard Fournette. Four LSU running backs Wilson recruited or coached earned All-SEC honors, a list that includes Fournette, Steven Ridley, Spencer Ware, and Jeremy Hill.

The Tigers also produced four 1,000-yard rushers, had 45-yard 100-yard individual rushing performances, and broke the 200-yard rushing mark as a team 39 times under Wilson’s guidance.

While at LSU, he was recognized as the nation’s top assistant coach at his position in 2011. Wilson also was named the 2011 Recruiter of the Year by Rivals.com, the 2014 NFL.com Top Recruiter in College Football and the 2015 Scout.com SEC Recruiter of the Year.

As the lead recruiter for the Tigers, Wilson landed some of the most decorated players in school history in Fournette, defensive back Tyrann Mathieu, wide receivers Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr. and offensive lineman La’el Collins.

Overall, Wilson has coached or recruited 40 individuals who have gone on to play in the NFL.

In six seasons at LSU, Wilson developed seven running backs that were selected in the NFL Draft, including first-team All-SEC performers in Fournette, Hill and Ridley.

Other collegiate coaching stops for Wilson include Tennessee (2009, wide receivers), Southern Miss (2008), Ole Miss (2005-07, running backs/special teams), and Nicholls (1996).

Wilson is a 1997 graduate of Nicholls where he was a three-year letter-winner at running back for the Colonels.

Also this week, LSU announced other additions to Kelly’s staff. Jake Flint was named Director of Athletic Development, Brad Davis was retained as offensive line coach, Brian Polian was named special teams coordinator and Kerry Cooks was named to the staff, according to prepared statements from LSU.

“Brian Polian brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to our staff,” Kelly said. “He is a relentless recruiter whose special teams units routinely rank at the top of the country, and his work ethic, attention to detail, and ability to connect and communicate with student-athletes are unmatched. I know he will hit the ground running in Baton Rouge and make an immediate impact on our program.”

Polian comes to LSU from Notre Dame, where he has spent the past five years on Kelly’s staff. In those five years, Notre Dame won a combined 54 games and made two appearances in the College Football Playoffs.

“I’m honored and grateful to join Coach Kelly’s staff at LSU and work with some of the very best student-athletes and coaches in the country,” Polian said. “I share Coach Kelly’s vision for sustained excellence for LSU Football, his belief in our ability to compete for championships every year, and his passion for holistically developing elite student-athletes, and I am eager to do my part in realizing that vision for this program. My family and I are excited to begin this new adventure and to call Baton Rouge home.”

Polian, the son of longtime NFL executive and Pro Football Hall of Famer Bill Polian, is considered one of the top special teams coordinators in college football. In addition to his time as an assistant coach, he also served as the head coach at Nevada for four years, leading the Wolfpack to a pair of bowl appearances.

As part of Kelly’s staff at Notre Dame from 2017-21, he also spearheaded the Irish recruiting efforts that produced top-15 classes in 2019 and 2020 and top-10 classes in 2018 and 2021. He’s been recognized by Scout and Rivals as one of the top recruiters in the country on multiple occasions.

As special teams coordinator for the Irish, his units were consistently ranked among the best in the nation. Notre Dame’s punt coverage and kickoff coverage were both Top 20 nationally in 2019 and 2020. Notre Dame blocked four punts, returning two for touchdowns, over a two-year span in 2019-20.

Davis, a Baton Rouge native who is currently serving as LSU’s interim head coach for the Texas Bowl, is in his first season with the Tigers. He joined the LSU staff in June after one season at Arkansas.

“Brad Davis is an exceptional teacher of the game and leader of young men, and his passion and dedication to this university and this community are second to none,” Kelly said. “Our offensive line has made tremendous strides under his leadership this season, and his expertise and technical knowledge of offensive line play will remain vital to our program. We are thrilled he will continue to recruit and develop elite student-athletes at LSU.”

“As a Baton Rouge native, I’m extremely grateful to represent LSU, and I remain fully committed to helping Coach Kelly and this staff win championships,” Davis said. “I’m going to continue to work as hard as I can to give our student-athletes the best opportunity for success and to make our fans proud.”

Flint spent 12 years at Notre Dame on the strength and conditioning staff, serving as co-director since 2017. In his 12 years with the Irish, Notre Dame won 10 or more games seven times and appeared in 11 bowl games. Notre Dame played in the BCS National Championship Game during the 2012 season and made College Football Playoff appearances twice in 2018 and 2020.

“I am excited to continue my career with Coach Kelly as the Director of Athletic Development at LSU,” Flint said. “The opportunity to train student-athletes at the highest level at LSU and to compete in the SEC is something that I have worked towards my entire career.

“We will train our student-athletes at an elite level understanding the standard of excellence that is expected when the Tigers take the field. My family and I are excited to be part of the LSU Tiger family.”

Since his arrival at Notre Dame in 2010, Flint has trained 57 players who went on to be selected in the

NFL Draft, including nine first rounders. Eleven of the 57 draft picks were offensive linemen and another seven were tight ends. Since first joining Kelly’s staff at Central Michigan, Flint has helped Kelly’s teams win 155 games, while producing 66 NFL Draft. Picks.

“Jake Flint’s passion is helping student-athletes reach their full potential, and I know that is exactly what he will do for us at LSU,” Kelly said. “He understands every component of student-athlete development and the preparation required to compete at a championship level. He has been an invaluable member of my staff for many years, and I am certain he is ready to take our strength and conditioning program to the next level.”

Cooks is a former defensive co-coordinator and defensive backs coach at Oklahoma and Notre Dame. He spent the last two seasons as a defensive analyst for Notre Dame.