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Rams hire former Washington Huskies head coach for role on staff

Jimmy Lake has Monte Kiffin connection, will return to NFL

NCAA Football: Washington at Stanford Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports

Sean McVay and Jimmy Lake did not work together on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but once again it seems like ships passing through the night under Jon Gruden and Monte Kiffin has led to a hiring on the Los Angeles Rams. McVay is hiring Lake, the former head coach at the University of Washington, for a role on the Rams staff.

Lake previously worked as an assistant DB coach on the Bucs from 2006-2007, then returned from 2010-2011 to work for Raheem Morris, the current defensive coordinator for the Rams. It could be that Lake is even streamlined for succeeding Morris, if and when Morris gets a head coaching job. The Rams have an opening for a DBs coach after parting with Jonathan Cooley.

Lake went to Boise State in 2012, then became the DBs coach at Washington in 2014, a role he held in 2004 under Keith Gilbertson. He returned in 2014 when he followed Chris Petersen from Boise State, then replaced Petersen as head coach in 2020. The Huskies went 3-1 during the pandemic shortened season, then 4-5 under Lake in 2021, prior to being replaced. It was a short 7-6 stint as a college head coach.

Lake served as co-DC in 2016-2017, then full DC in 2018-2019. His players included Greg Gaines and Taylor Rapp, among current Rams. Although Washington had quite a few other defensive players in that time who have gone on to have NFL success.

Will Lake’s arrival help secure Gaines’ and Rapp’s return as free agents?