LSU Tigers Football Resurrects Old Faces and Appoints Former Employee as Executive Director of
The LSU Tigers are embarking on a bold transformation. No longer content to rely solely on flash and flair on the field, they’ve taken measured strides to strengthen their infrastructure behind the scenes—particularly in the personnel department, front office, and coaching staff. The latest high-impact move involves resurrecting familiar faces and promoting one of their own—the addition of former LSU alum Jeff Martin as the Executive Director of Player Personnel. Coupled with a wave of strategic hire-ins from top-tier programs, this represents a concerted effort to build a football program with staying power—from recruiting pipelines to championship-level preparation.
Jeff Martin’s return signals the profound trust LSU places in institutional knowledge and alumni loyalty. A New Orleans native who matriculated at LSU in 2002, Martin wore multiple hats during a key rebuilding period from 2014 to 2017—serving first as a graduate assistant, then as Assistant Director of Player Personnel and Player Development. He left an indelible imprint under the tutelage of Nick Saban, Les Miles, and Ed Orgeron before venturing to USC as Director of Scouting and Player Relations in March 2021. That professional climb—graduating from student assistant roles to full-time strategic coordinator—speaks volumes about his understanding of roster evaluation and program culture. His return this July, announced by sources like Rivals and Louisiana Sports, positions him at the core of LSU’s revamped football operations. He joins a front office now anchored by General Manager Austin Thomas, bolstered by purpose-designed roles like Assistant General Manager and Director of Scouting (SI).
“Excited to be back home where I belong,” Martin said in a recent statement, reflecting the emotional and pragmatic appeal of his homecoming (SI). A tripartite degree holder—mass communications (2009), sports administration (2015), kinesiology (master’s, date unspecified)—Martin blends academic achievement with professional acumen. That, combined with nearly two decades of hands-on roster management, makes him both a familiar and formidable presence.
But the significance of Martin’s appointment lies not in token loyalty; it lies in how he fits into a deliberately curated leadership structure under Brian Kelly. Kelly’s Tigers have, over the past year, been assembling a support staff that mirrors NFL front offices—evidence of evolving NCAA landscape complexities such as Name, Image & Likeness (NIL) deals, revenue sharing, transfer portals, and Title IX constraints. Traditional coaching tactics no longer suffice by themselves. Roster stability, talent acquisition, and off-field logistics now demand specialized personnel roles.
This year, LSU has added multiple “splash” hires in a short span. Kelvin Bolden arrives from Ole Miss to serve as Assistant General Manager / Associate Athletic Director, reuniting with GM Austin Thomas, who had previously brought him aboard in 2022 (Louisiana Sports, SI). Less than 48 hours later, Sam Petitto was hired away from Ohio State—himself a decorated alumni of Alabama and Georgia—who now steps in as Director of Scouting and Personnel Strategy (SI). Both are squarely aimed at strengthening LSU’s talent evaluation and retention, ensuring a pipeline of athletes capable of playing in playoff-contending teams.
The arrival of Bolden, Petitto, and Martin in rapid sequence underscores the program’s intent: no transitional whims, but a systematic buildout of infrastructure. Bolden brings sharp insight into recruiting strategy honed under Tony Vitello and Lane Kiffin; Petitto blends development work from the Alabama dynasty with an Ohio State pedigree; and Martin pairs local roots with institutional fluency and a polished scouting résumé. Together, they form a trifecta poised to elevate LSU’s roster-building capabilities to rival national powerhouses.
Jeff Martin’s promotion to Executive Director of Player Personnel means he oversees player evaluation, position-specific development, and synergy with coaches, analysts, and external scouts. With the addition of Petitto in scouting and Bolden in GM support, the backroom now has a chessboard-level configuration. Austin Thomas, once LSU’s first in-house General Manager (formed as recently as 2016), recently received a massive raise—now earning an average of $850K per year—to anchor this transformative infrastructure (FootballScoop.com).
But the strategy extends beyond administration. On the field, LSU has added or resurrected key coaching figures—some familiar to Tiger fans, others new but steeped in success. Blake Baker has returned as defensive coordinator for the 2025 campaign. A proven SEC performer, Baker assumed the role on January 6, 2024, with a robust salary reflecting his stature (Wikipedia). His defensive acumen is expected to buttress LSU’s ambition to make a deep postseason push.
Corey Raymond, a beloved figure in LSU lore from his player days (1987–1991), has also made his return. He resumed his role as Defensive Backs coach in early 2024, bringing extensive defensive expertise and championship experience, including a CFP national title in 2020 (Wikipedia).
On the offensive line, Alex Atkins joins as Tight Ends coach for 2025. His résumé includes a stint as offensive coordinator and OL coach at Florida State, interspersed with roles at Tulane and Georgia Southern (Wikipedia). His experience across multiple conferences could solidify LSU’s edge in blocking schemes and tight-end usage.
Even the defensive line has seen alumni reintroduced. Bo Davis, a former LSU player (1990–1992) and assistant (mid-‘90s and ’02–05), returned as DL coach in 2024 before departing to the New Orleans Saints this February (Wikipedia). Though his move to the NFL might leave a hole, it reflects LSU’s increasing leverage in developing coaches who gain traction beyond Baton Rouge.
This resurrecting of old faces isn’t merely sentimental. It’s rooted in a broader philosophy: uphold tradition while scaling up for modern athletic demands. It sends a message—to high school prospects and NIL partners—that LSU isn’t just a Power Five school; it’s a network where legacies are honored, and internal growth is real. Alumni like Martin, Raymond, and Davis know the cadence of Baton Rouge—they also bring firsthand credibility in recruiting Louisiana and deeper southern roots.
The end result is an ecosystem that is more than sum of its parts. Kelly’s hope is to synchronize on-field excellence with operational mastery. When roster decisions align with coaching strategy, and recruiting follows a streamlined path from evaluation to enrolment, the odds of sustained success rise dramatically.
Looking ahead, LSU’s layered design—pairing GM-level thinking with coaches who can reinforce execution—gives it an edge in a bruising SEC. The Tigers open their season at Clemson on August 30, 2025—a statement game. With their newly fortified front office and on-field retooling, LSU is set not just to compete, but to control its recruitment ecosystem from top to bottom.
This isn’t simply refurbishing the old; it’s a reinvention. LSU is melding power structure from the spread era with administrative sophistication typical of NBA/NFL franchises. The return of Jeff Martin signals both a nod to tradition and an embrace of progressive personnel models. As the first full season unfolds under this configuration, all eyes will be on LSU to see if championship aspirations align with championship infrastructure.
In short, LSU football has quietly rebuilt in the shadows. Executive Director Jeff Martin represents the keystone: an alumnus with deep institutional roots, professional polish, and recent exposure to one of college football’s premier programs in USC. His appointment, alongside the arrival of Bolden and Petitto, spotlights a program evolving in its strategic approach. When headsets are donned this fall, one thing will be clear: LSU is no longer simply reacting to the new dynamics of college athletics—it’s shaping them.
