Miami football announces Blake Baker as new Co-Defensive Coordinator

The Miami football program officially announced the hiring of Blake Baker as the Co-Defensive Coordinator with current Hurricanes safeties Coach Ephraim Banda. Banda had previously been promoted to Co-Defensive Coordinator under Mark Richt.

Baker’s hiring created a partial reshuffling of the Miami football defensive staff. Jonathan Patke who had been named the Co-Defensive Coordinator with Banda under Richt will now remain as the outside linebackers coach as he had been previously and was going to remain as.

Patke was also named the Miami Special Teams Coordinator. Cornerbacks Coach Mike Rumph and Defensive Line Coach Jess Simpson will remain in their positions. Rumph is entering his fourth season on the Miami Coaching Staff and Simpson his second.

Rumph played collegiately at Miami and coached at American Heritage High School in Plantation. Simpson was a legendary High School Coach in the Atlanta area before stops at Georgia State and the Atlanta Falcons before joining the Hurricanes staff.

Baker helped lead a stout Louisiana Tech defense the last four seasons. The Bulldogs ranked fourth nationally in sacks per game,12th in tackles per loss per game and 25th in yards per play allowed in 2018. Baker succeeded Diaz as the Louisiana Tech Defensive Coordinator after he left to take the same job at Mississippi State.

Baker worked as part of Diaz’s defensive staffs as a Graduate Assistant at Texas and as the Safeties Coach at Louisiana Tech before being promoted following Diaz’s departure to Starkville. Baker worked with Banda who was also a Graduate Assistant at Texas and Patke who was a Grad Assistant at Louisiana Tech.

Baker is looking forward to getting the band back together. He spoke about the opportunity to work with Diaz, Banda and Patke again.

"“I couldn’t be more excited…Obviously the opportunity to get back together with Coach Diaz, Coach Banda and Coach Patke, guys I’ve worked with in the past, was important, but also the chance to uphold the winning tradition they’ve had, both since they’ve been here and also historically.One thing about the University of Miami, it has forever been known for its defense. I’m grateful to be given the opportunity to lead this unit.”"

Baker has already updated his Twitter account to indicate his new job. He also sent out a Twitter Post showing his appreciation and the opportunity to work at Miami.

Baker and Diaz have continued to stay in touch over the last four seasons even though Diaz moved on to Mississippi State and then Miami. Baker spoke about those conversations.

"“Coach Diaz and I have bounced ideas back and forth over the last four years, so I’m excited to sit down and incorporate myself into what they’re doing but also introduce wrinkles of some things we’ve done during my time in Ruston.I’m excited to get back to the meeting rooms, to spend some time with Coach Simpson and Coach Rumph and really get it going.”"

Baker’s new assignment will also include him coaching inside linebackers. Diaz had previously worked with the ILBs as the Defensive Coordinator. Baker was a three-year starter at linebacker at Tulane where he played from 2000-04. The Green Wave won the Hawaii Bowl in 2002 under former Head Coach Chris Scelfo.

With the defensive staff in place, Diaz’s attention turns to the offensive staff. Diaz fired the entire offensive coaching staff on New Year’s Eve that worked under Richt. Diaz presumably wants to bring the Hurricanes offense into the 21st century.