Brian Kelly’s Recent Coaching Adjustments: LSU Football Fine-Tuning 2025 Staff
Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers continue making tweaks to the 2025 staff with the program promoting current pieces to bringing in newcomers from other Power Four schools.
This week, Kelly has promoted a pair of current staffers while adding analysts and recruiting personnel across a three-day span.
LSU is putting the final touches to both the on-field and off-field staff with Spring Camp set to begin in roughly four weeks with Day 1 of practice on March 8th.
What changes have the Tigers made to the staff this week?
The Pair of Promotions: JR Belton and Donovan Tate
The LSU Tigers are set to name Jon Randall Belton as the program’s next Director of Football Operations, 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported on Tuesday afternoon.
Belton receives a promotion after serving as LSU’s Director of Recruiting since 2022 following a one-year stint as the Director of Scouting.
It’s been a meteoric rise for the young football mind with Brian Kelly giving him another promotion during his time in Baton Rouge.
“People around the LSU program view Belton as a rising star and someone who could one day be an athletic director. As LSU’s director of recruiting, he helped secure the nation’s top-ranked transfer portal class this cycle and three straight top-10 high school recruiting classes,” Zenitz wrote via X.
In Belton’s new role as Director of Football Operations, he will oversee the day-to-day operations for the LSU football team and staff while working closely with LSU general manager Austin Thomas on various projects as it relates to building a championship program, according to the school’s website.
He flourished as LSU’s Director of Recruiting after spearheading the Tigers to signing the No. 5 high school class in 2023, No. 7 class in 2024 and No. 8 class in 2025.
Prior to his time in Baton Rouge, Belton served as a regional scout at Virginia for one season as well as a recruiting intern for the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, where he played his college football.
Now, the well-respected football mind earns a promotion where he will take on a pivotal role for Kelly’s staff heading into a critical 2025 season.
LSU Recruiting Specialist Donovan Tate is set to receive a promotion as well and will look to fill the shoes of Belton as the program’s next Director of Recruiting.
Kelly Brings in an Ohio State Staffer:
Kelly and the LSU Tigers are set to hire Ohio State Buckeyes Director of Recruiting and Events, Morgan Philips, to a role on the recruiting staff, according to On3 Sports.
Phillips is expected to make a return to LSU in a senior recruiting role after one season in Columbus where the Buckeyes claimed a National Championship.
She joined the Ohio State Football program in August of 2024 and recently wrapped up her first season as the Director of Recruiting and Special Events for the Buckeyes, according to the Ohio State website.
Phillips was responsible for overseeing all on-campus recruiting activities while having a hands-on approach for the program’s unofficial visits, official visits, gameday recruiting, junior days, recruiting ambassadors and special events.
Prior to her stint with Ohio State, Phillips served as a Recruiting Operations Coordinator with LSU where she played a pivotal role throughout the department.
She helped assist in all on-campus and special event logistics, manage the recruiting database, assist assistant coaches on recruiting tasks and help service all recruiting efforts, Phillips’s bio states.
Now, she’ll make a return to the Bayou State after six months with the Ohio State Buckeyes where she played a key role in the program’s recruiting success.
Pair of New Analysts: Tim Rattay and Noah Joseph
Kelly and the LSU Tigers will bring in Oklahoma State quarterbacks coach Tim Rattay where he will serve in an offensive analyst role, but he wasn’t the only hire the Tigers made to begin the week.
LSU is expected to hire East Carolina General Manager, Noah Joseph, to the staff as a defensive analyst, 247Sports reported on Monday night.
Joseph spent time as the General Manager with the Purdue Boilermakers prior to his time on the East coast with the Pirates.
Defensive coordinator Blake Baker will bring on Joseph as a defensive analyst where he’s had significant experience in the past with the likes of Missouri, Indiana and Rutgers.
Joseph spent two seasons as the co-defensive coordinator with Rutgers as well during his coaching career.
The LSU Coaching Staff:
– Head Coach: Brian Kelly
– Co-Offensive Coordinators: Joe Sloan and Cortez Hankton
– Defensive Coordinator: Blake Baker
– Quarterbacks Coach: Joe Sloan
– Running Backs Coach: Frank Wilson
– Wide Receivers Coach: Cortez Hankton
– Tight Ends Coach: Alex Atkins
– Offensive Line Coach: Brad Davis
– Defensive Line Coach: Bo Davis
– Edge Rushers Coach: Kevin Peoples
– Secondary Coach: Corey Raymond
– Safeties Coach: Jake Olsen
– Defensive Analyst: Lance Guidry
– Offensive Analyst: Tim Rattay
– Defensive Analyst: Noah Joseph
