Corey Raymond, who has long been praised for his development of LSU’s defensive backs and the architect of “DBU”, enters his 13th season as an on-field coach for the Tigers. Raymond, in his third stint on the LSU coaching staff, enters his third season as LSU’s secondary coach.
Raymond, a former LSU standout who spent six years in the NFL, first joined the Tiger staff as an intern in 2006 followed by assistant strength coach from 2007-08. After two seasons at Utah State (2009-10) and a year at Nebraska (2011), Raymond returned to LSU in 2012 as defensive backs coach.
Raymond remained on the LSU staff through the 2021 season before serving for two years as the assistant head coach and secondary coach at Florida in 2022-23. Raymond rejoined LSU in 2024 as secondary coach and is one of four coaches on the defensive side of the ball who were retained by new head coach Lane Kiffin.
In his 13 seasons coaching the secondary for the Tigers, Raymond has produced nine first-team All-Americas and the 2019 Jim Thorpe Award winner in Grant Delpit in 2019. His list of first-team All-Americas increased by two in 2025 with cornerback Mansoor Delane and safety A.J. Haulcy both earning the honor.
Raymond’s first-team All-Americas include: Eric Reid (2012), Jalen Mills (2015), Jamal Adams (2016), Tre’Davious White (2016), Greedy Williams (2018), Delpit (2018 and 2019), Derek Stingley Jr. (2019, 2020), Delane (2025) and Haulcy (2025).
Under Raymond, LSU's secondary has sent 18 players to the NFL Draft, including five first rounders – Stingley (2022), Adams and White (2017), Reid (2013), and Delane (2026), along with five second round picks that include Delpit (2020), Kristen Fulton (2020), Donte Jackson (2019), Williams (2018) and Jalen Collins (2015).
Other NFL Draft picks who played under Raymond at LSU include: third rounders in Cordale Flott (2022), and Haulcy (2026); fourth rounders in Rashard Robinson (2016) and Jay Ward (2023); fifth rounder Tharold Simon (2013), sixth rounder Jacoby Stevens (2021) and seventh rounders Jalen Mills (2016) and Kary Vincent (2021).
In 2025 with four first-time LSU starters in the secondary, the Tigers were the only team in the SEC to have more interceptions (17) than touchdown passes allowed. LSU also ranked No. 3 in the SEC in pass efficiency defense, finished No. 5 in scoring defense (19.85) and No. 6 in total defense (328.7). LSU’s secondary produced first-team All-SEC selections in Delane and Haulcy along with DJ Pickett, who earned Freshman All-SEC recognition. Delane led the SEC in passes defended with 13 as the Tigers led the league in passes defended per game with 5.3.
In 2024, his first year back with the Tigers, Raymond oversaw the development of senior cornerback Zy Alexander and sophomore Ashton Stamps. Stamps finished third in the SEC in passes defended, while Alexander led the Tigers with two interceptions. Alexander was invited to the East-West Shrine Bowl following the season.
As part of LSU’s national championship team in 2019, Stingley Jr. led the SEC in interceptions with six and earned SEC Newcomer of the Year honors to go with his first team All-America awards. Delpit also earned All-America honors in 2019 as well as being tabbed as the winner of the Jim Thorpe Award.
In 2019, the Tigers, for the second straight season, led the SEC in interceptions with 17 and LSU ranked No. 2 in the league in pass efficiency defense, allowing opponents to complete just 50.7 percent of its passes – the best percentage in the league.
In 2018, Raymond continued the development of Williams, who earned first team All-America honors and was a finalist for the Thorpe Award. Raymond’s impact was also evident with the emergence of Fulton into one of the top cornerbacks in college football after sitting out the previous two years.
LSU led the SEC interceptions with 17 and ranked second in the league in pass defense efficiency in 2018. LSU was the only team in the SEC to hold opponents to less than 50 percent completion percentage for the season.
In 2017, LSU's secondary featured a pair of second team All-Americans in Williams and Jackson. Williams had a breakout year with the Tigers in 2017, leading the SEC in interceptions (6) and finishing No. 2 in the conference in passes defended (17). As a unit, LSU allowed only 11 passing touchdowns, which was the second-lowest total in the SEC, and the Tigers were No. 2 in the league in pass efficiency defense.
In 2016, Raymond's secondary allowed only nine passing touchdowns all season and ranked No. 3 in the Southeastern Conference in yards per game at 197.2. White, who ranked No. 2 in the conference in passes defended with 16, along with Adams were both named first team All-SEC. For the second-straight year, Adams led all LSU defensive backs with 76 tackles.
LSU's 2015 secondary featured Mills, a first team All-America selection despite missing the first five games of the season with a broken ankle. Mills was joined in the secondary by White and Adams, who were both second team All-SEC selections. Adams led all Tiger defensive backs with 67 tackles and four interceptions.
In 2014, LSU's secondary featured another young, but talented group as the starting lineup included a true freshman, one sophomore, two juniors and a senior. The play of LSU's secondary was prominent in the Tigers leading the SEC in total defense (316.8 yards per game), pass defense (164.2 yards per game) and pass efficiency defense (101.6 rating). LSU allowed an SEC-best 10 passing touchdowns in 2014 and the Tigers were the only team in the league to hold teams to fewer than 200 completions.
LSU ranked No. 4 in the SEC in pass defense in 2013, allowing 197.5 yards per game. The Tigers limited opponents to 15 touchdown passes and ranked second in the league in yards allowed per attempt (6.4) and third in the conference in completion percentage at 56.0 percent.
In his first year back with the Tigers in 2012, Raymond coached safety Reid to first team All-America honors. Reid was later chosen No. 18 overall in the NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. Starting cornerback Tharold Simon was picked in the fifth round by the Seattle Seahawks.
As a unit in 2012, LSU's secondary, with a pair of first-time starters, combined for 15 interceptions and helped the Tigers rank No. 11 nationally in pass efficiency defense.
Raymond returned to LSU after spending the 2011 season as the secondary coach at Nebraska. In his one season with the Cornhuskers, Raymond coached a Nebraska secondary that featured the 2011 Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year in Alfonzo Dennard. After inheriting a group that lost four starters from the season before, including three NFL Draft picks, Raymond's secondary helped Nebraska rank No. 18 in the nation in pass defense in 2011.
Prior to his one-year stay in Lincoln, Raymond served as the cornerbacks coach for two seasons at Utah State. Raymond's top pupil at Utah State was that of Curtis Marsh, who earned All-WAC honors and later went on to become a third-round pick in the NFL Draft. Raymond served on the LSU staff for three years from 2006-08 before taking the job at Utah State.
During his three years on the LSU staff from 2006-08, Raymond was part of two BCS bowl victories, including a 38-24 win over Ohio State in the BCS National Championship. LSU's defense ranked No. 3 nationally in both 2006 and 2007 as the Tigers combined to post a 23-4 record during that span.
Prior to joining the LSU staff in 2006, Raymond coached at the high school level for three years in his hometown of New Iberia. Raymond was the defensive coordinator at New Iberia High School in 2003 and then held the same position at Westgate High School in 2004-05.
Raymond was a three-year starter in the secondary for the Tigers from 1989-91. He capped his LSU career with 185 tackles and eight interceptions. Following his career with the Tigers, Raymond spent six seasons in the NFL – three with the New York Giants and three with the Detroit Lions. In 90 games in the NFL,
Raymond started 60 times and intercepted 11 passes to go with 258 tackles.
Raymond, who earned his undergraduate degree from LSU in 1993, has four children – Cody, Ariel, Christopher and Madison.
THE RAYMOND FILE
Birthdate: Sept. 28, 1969, in New Iberia, La.
Children: Cody, Ariel, Christopher and Madison
High School: New Iberia (La.) High School
College: LSU, ’93
PLAYING EXPERIENCE
1988-91 LSU
1992-94 New York Giants
1995-97 Detroit Lions
COACHING EXPERIENCE
2003 New Iberia (La.) High School (defensive coordinator)
2004-05 Westgate (La.) High School (defensive coordinator)
2006-08 LSU (intern, 2006; assistant strength coach, 2007-08)
2009-10 Utah State (cornerbacks)
2011 Nebraska (secondary)
2012-21 LSU (defensive backs, 2012-17; cornerbacks, 2018-21; recruiting coordinator 2020-21)
2022-23 Florida (assistant head coach/cornerbacks)
2024-26 LSU (secondary)
BOWL EXPERIENCE
As a player
Season Bowl Team Opponent Results
1988 Hall of Fame LSU Syracuse L, 23-10
As a coach
Season Bowl Team Opponent Results
2006 Sugar Bowl LSU vs. Notre Dame W, 41-14
2007 BCS National Championship LSU Ohio State vs. W, 38-24
2008 Chick-fil-A LSU vs. Georgia Tech W, 38-3
2011 Capital One Nebraska vs. South Carolina L, 30-13
2012 Chick-fil-A LSU vs. Clemson L, 25-24
2013 Outback LSU vs. Iowa W, 21-14
2014 Music City LSU vs. Notre Dame L, 31-28
2015 Texas LSU vs. Texas Tech W, 56-27
2016 Citrus LSU vs. Louisville W, 29-9
2017 Citrus LSU vs. Notre Dame L, 21-17
2018 Fiesta LSU vs. UCF W, 40-32
2019 CFP Semifinals LSU vs. Oklahoma W, 63-28
2019 CFP National Championship LSU Clemson vs. W, 42-25
2022 Las Vegas Florida vs. Oregon State L, 30-3
2024 Texas LSU vs. Baylor W, 44-31
2025 Texas LSU Houston L, 38-35