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Brian Kelly’s ever developing first coaching staff at LSU took a turn for the worse as it was reported Wednesday evening that defensive backs coach Corey Raymond would be joining Billy Napier’s staff at Florida.
To put it bluntly, Corey Raymond is DBU. Just look at all the corners and safeties that have passed through LSU over the last 10 years: Jamal Adams, Tre’Davious White, Derek Stingley, Kristian Fulton, Grant Delpit, Donte Jackson, JaCoby Stevens, Cordale Flott, the list goes on and on and Raymond is responsible for all of those players.
Raymond was the longest tenured coach on staff, joining Les Miles in 2012. Raymond is an LSU grad and maybe some thought he’d be content only being a position coach at his alma mater. Instead, Raymond will assume the role of “assistant head coach of the defense/cornerbacks coach” at Florida under Billy Napier.
What’s interesting is it was reported last Monday that Raymond and Brad Davis were expected to be part of Kelly’s staff for the upcoming season.
Can confirm that #LSU cornerbacks coach Corey Raymond is expected to remain on Brian Kelly's #LSU staff, as @HamiltonESPN reported. Obviously a crucial staffer the past decade.
— Brody Miller (@BrodyAMiller) November 30, 2021
Hamilton also reported Kevin Faulk will stay on, but still working to confirm that.
As for what changed over the course of 10 days we can only speculate, but I would bet the money LSU will be paying Brad Davis and Frank Wilson (about $800,000 and $900,000 respectively) versus what they paid Raymond ($500,00 base salary) has something to do with it. Raymond will get a promotion at Florida and surely a pay raise.
Brian Kelly is well within his right to fill out his coaching staff the way he sees fit, but letting Raymond walk—to your permanent cross divisional opponent no less—is tough to understand. Raymond, like Tommy Moffitt, was a pillar of LSU football for the last decade and now he’s gone to a team LSU will have to play and recruit against every single year.
Kelly’s choice to replace Raymond appears to be Kerry Cooks who was a defensive analyst for Kelly last season. Cooks worked for Kelly between 2010-2014 where he was co-defensive coordinator, and then the assistant DC/cornerback coach at Oklahoma for three years; he was also the safeties coach at Texas Tech for the 2019 season.