Reports: Daronte Jones Joining Coaching Staff as Defensive Coordinator

The search for replacing Bo Pelini appears to have come to a conclusion. For real this time.

The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman reported that Minnesota Vikings defensive backs coach Daronte Jones is expected to be the new Tiger defensive coordinator. A contract has not yet been signed which, given recent events, has to be noted.

Jones has spent the past five years coaching in the NFL. He most recently served as the Vikings defensive backs coach and helped land Cam Dantlzler onto the All-Rookie team. Before that he spent two years with both the Cincinnati Bengals (2018-19) and Miami Dolphins (2016-17). In 2016, Miami finished third in the NFL in interceptions with 16 and the following year Jones coached Dolphins safety Reshad Jones to the Pro Bowl.

Jones comes to LSU from the blossoming Dave Aranda coaching tree; Jones served as Wisconsin’s defensive backs coach in 2015, which was Aranda’s last season as the Badger defensive coordinator. That year Wisconsin had one of the best passing defenses in America, ranking seventh nationally in yards per game (173.2) and only allowed seven passing touchdowns.

Prior to Wisconsin, Jones spent three years (2012-2014) as the secondary coach for Hawaii, and the Rainbow Warriors were No. 11 nationally in passing yards allowed in 2012. Jones also had stops coaching in the CFL with the Montreal Alouettes in 2011 and at UCLA in 2010.

Where Jones made a name for himself was as the defensive coordinator at Bowie State, a Division II school. Jones’s defenses ranked in the top five in three of his five seasons.

Jones also has ties to Louisiana. Jones’s first on the field position was coaching safeties at Nicholls State in 2002. The following two years Jones was the defensive coordinator at Franklin High School in 2003 and Jeanerette High School in 2004.