LSU Hires Kevin Steele As Defensive Coordinator, What You Need To Know

LSU will hire Kevin Steele as their next defensive coordinator, Tigers SID Michael Bonnette announced today.

An official press conference will take place tomorrow in Baton Rouge.

Steele comes to LSU from Alabama, where he served as the Tide's linebackers coach in 2014. In 2013, he served as Alabama's director of player personnel.

Steele, 56, has 35 years experiencing in coaching, beginning as a grad assistant at Tennessee in 1980. He spent years coaching various positions that included linebacker, tight end, and defensive back, at Tennessee, New Mexico State, Oklahoma State, Nebraska, and the NFL's Carolina Panthers.

In 1999, Steele was hired as head coach of the Baylor Bears, but struggled to find success in the Big 12. In 4 years as head coach in Waco, he compiled a record of 9–36 , and only 1–31 in conference games.

Following his stint with the Bears, Steele served as an assistant coach at Florida State until 2006, before becoming the defensive coordinator at Alabama in 2007 after being hired by Nick Saban.

Steele then joined Clemson's staff as defensive coordinator, before going back to Bama in 2013.

"This is a great hire for us," LSU coach Les Miles said in a University press release. "Kevin has had a very successful coaching career, one that has seen him coach alongside some of the top coaches in the game. He won a national title with Tom Osborne at Nebraska, coached with Bobby Bowden at Florida State, and coached in the NFL with one of the great defensive coaches in Dom Capers.

"He has a great defensive mind and he's an outstanding recruiter. He knows our players and our system and his knowledge of the SEC and the SEC Western Division makes him a great fit. We are very excited the Kevin will be joining our staff."

Steele replaces John Chavis, who left Baton Rouge to become the new defensive coordinator at Texas A&M.