LSU football hiring Kyle Williams as next defensive line coach

Posted by author March 6, 2025 Football

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LSU football has its next defensive line coach. The Advocate’s Wilson Alexander reported LSU was targeting Kyle Williams for the position. Later, 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz confirmed Williams accepted the job.

Williams is a former Tiger who played 46 games for LSU from 2002-05. He was a member of LSU’s national championship winning team in 2003. He was second-team All-SEC in 2004 before earning All-American honors in 2005.

Williams ranks 11th in LSU history with 16.5 sacks and is one of the best defensive tackles to ever wear an LSU uniform.

Williams will be Brian Kelly’s fourth defensive line coach in Kelly’s four years at LSU. The position has been a revolving door ever since LSU promoted Ed Orgeron from defensive line coach to head coach in 2016.

LSU thought it found some stability with Bo Davis, but the NFL coaching carousel brought a late change to LSU’s staff with Davis moving on to coach the Saints‘ defensive line.

LSU will hope Williams brings the consistency it thought it had with Davis. It’s hard to imagine an LSU legend like Williams jumping ship after one season.

Williams’ coaching career is young, but he brings 13 years of NFL playing experience. Hiring an NFL all-pro with deep ties to LSU and Louisiana should bode well for the Tigers’ recruiting efforts. LSU has a chance to sign a strong defensive tackle group in 2026 with Richard Anderson already committed. Anderson is sure to be one of Williams’ first recruiting calls.

Williams will take over a talented defensive tackle group in his first year at LSU. The Tigers return Dominick McKinley and Ahmad Breaux after both made impacts as true freshmen. Sixth-year senior Jacobian Guillory is back after missing most of 2024 with an Achilles injury.

The change at defensive line was the only swap on LSU’s defensive coaching staff this offseason. Davis is a loss, but LSU will appreciate the defensive continuity with coordinator Blake Baker back.