12 Candidates For Lsu Football Coaching Search After Brian Kelly Firing

Penn State opened nan floodgates and now nary caput coach is safe. 

Just inquire Brian Kelly, who had a halftime lead connected Saturday and was dismissed connected Sunday nighttime by LSU pursuing a tense last gathering pinch diversion head Scott Woodward successful nan aftermath of Texas A&M’s 49–25 triumph astatine Tiger Stadium.

It’s a stunning move of events for personification who was antecedently held up arsenic a can’t-miss hire, nan cleanable matrimony betwixt a big-time winner—he was nan NCAA’s winningest progressive caput coach arsenic of Saturday—and one of nan champion jobs successful nan country. Kelly sewage disconnected to a coagulated commencement successful Baton Rouge by reaching nan SEC title crippled and producing a Heisman Trophy winner, but ne'er rather could execute nan levels of occurrence nan instrumentality guidelines demands. Though he is slated to beryllium paid a monolithic $54 cardinal buyout that is nan 2nd biggest successful nan history of nan sport, Kelly besides becomes nan first Tigers coach to not triumph a nationalist title successful much than a quarter-century. 

While nan awkward matrimony betwixt a red-faced New Englander and an SEC unsocial situation is over, that allows LSU to jump into a monolithic coaching carousel pinch nan premier occupation available. This spot does not deficiency for resources, ambition, section talent and everything other you request to beryllium a regular successful nan College Football Playoff. 

There will beryllium nary shortage of candidates for nan opening successful Baton Rouge. Here are 12 who nan schoolhouse could move to: 

Kiffin is going to beryllium nan apical target for each of nan marquee openings this rhythm arsenic he is simply a longtime caput coach, knows what it takes to compete successful nan SEC, understands really to create a backmost and has a characteristic that doesn’t mind needling nan opposition. He will beryllium nan apical prime astatine Florida arsenic well. The cardinal mobility successful luring Kiffin whitethorn beryllium really comfortable he feels pinch those doing nan hiring. 

Dan Lanning, Oregon caput coach

If Woodward is allowed to make nan adjacent hire, there’s small mobility he will target a large name. That’s Lanning correct now, though location are questions complete if he would time off Eugene, Ore., moreover for a occupation for illustration LSU. His buyout to exit, some pinch nan schoolhouse and beyond, is truthful monolithic that moreover others pinch heavy pockets person been rebuffed. If nan Tigers genuinely want to onshore a large fish, nan erstwhile SEC adjunct would beryllium nan easy answer.

There will beryllium immoderate LSU boosters who will agitate for Brady to return fixed really connected he is to one of nan top assemblage shot teams of each time. He’s a agleam violative mind who has been up for respective gigs successful nan NFL successful caller years and will apt beryllium a apical campaigner successful nan convention for a number of large openings this season. Would he entertain a move backmost to college? It’s imaginable to nan constituent wherever LSU would inquire, but not thing nan schoolhouse should beryllium counting connected nary matter really overmuch money it tries to propulsion his way.

Jeff Brohm, Louisville caput coach

Brohm is Louisville royalty and has virtually his full family tied into nan university. Would he springiness that each up to coach successful nan SEC astatine a spot that could instantly manus him a nationalist title contender correct away? Given nan number of openings, he whitethorn person to see it. 

Louisville caput coach Jeff Brohm is tied to nan Cardinals, but large openings could entice him. / Scott Utterback/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Lashlee is simply a singular 24–4 successful convention play, having conscionable mislaid his first ACC crippled past weekend. He has a College Football Playoff appearance, knows really to enlistee nan authorities of Texas successful summation to nan remainder of nan Deep South and has erstwhile acquisition successful nan convention arsenic an adjunct astatine Auburn. Lashlee is apt a apical prime astatine his alma mater, Arkansas, but things are group up overmuch amended to triumph astatine LSU. He’s very comfortable successful Dallas, but this could beryllium 1 of nan fewer jobs that whitethorn move his caput capable to listen. 

Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri caput coach

Drinkwitz is going to beryllium viewed by immoderate arsenic a Kiffin backup fixed that he’s an violative mind astatine different SEC school, but that would beryllium trading nan occupation he’s done pinch nan different Tigers short. He’s not only built nan programme up into a value Top 25 contender but has been highly up of nan curve connected NIL, nan transportation portal and really to create quarterbacks. He besides is overmuch different from Kelly some wrong and extracurricular nan shot building which could resonate well.

Fritz is 65 years old, but he’s a victor everyplace he goes, arsenic evidenced by positioning nan Cougars arsenic a threat successful nan Big 12 title successful Year 2. He made Tulane applicable and took nan schoolhouse to nan Cotton Bowl. In his first Power 4 job, he recruited astatine a precocious level pinch 1 of nan apical quarterbacks successful nan state for adjacent twelvemonth committed to Houston. This isn’t nan sexiest of names by immoderate stretch, but he would get LSU into nan CFP regularly and playing for illustration Tigers fans want.

Dabo Swinney, Clemson caput coach

If you can’t hit them, subordinate them? Swinney is 1 of conscionable 3 progressive coaches pinch a nationalist title and would surely tick disconnected nan requisite boxes that would shingle a number of foundations successful assemblage football. Swinney would apt person to person LSU leaders that he is up for nan challenge. He would request to beryllium good pinch bringing successful a beardown wide head to build nan roster and utilize nan transportation portal acold much liberally than he does currently. The radiance has travel disconnected of Swinney successful 2025, but there’s a measurement this useful retired for each involved. 

Clemson caput coach Dabo Swinney is 1 of 3 progressive coaches who person won a nationalist championship. / GREENVILLE NEWS-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

Dillingham is nan prototype of what it is to beryllium a caput coach successful nan modern era. He is passionate astir building bonds and relating to his players, he understands what it takes to triumph and he’s done good connected nan section successful turning astir Arizona State. He grew up successful nan Phoenix area and went to schoolhouse astatine ASU, though would admit that you get a changeable astatine a occupation for illustration LSU only once.

Lincoln Riley, USC caput coach

Before landing Kelly, Riley was nan 1 LSU had its sights group on. Could a 2nd walk activity retired for nan Tigers and for a caput coach who hasn’t proven to beryllium a bully fresh successful nan Big Ten? While his programme building has taken a deed nan past fewer years pinch nan Trojans, there’s nary denying is simply a awesome play-caller and could person an unthinkable discourtesy fixed nan athletes nan Tigers typically recruit. 

There will beryllium a fewer who will not beryllium up for hiring nan Green Wave caput coach straight owed to section rivalries, but Sumrall is fresh for a big-time SEC gig. He’s a relentless recruiter, evidently knows nan region and has nan benignant of hard-nosed teams that would play good astatine LSU. The Alabama autochthonal is 1 of nan fewer defensive-minded coaches nan Tigers could besides person precocious up connected their list.

Doug Nussmeier, New Orleans Saints violative coordinator  

Nussmeier has people been astir nan programme rather a spot arsenic nan begetter of existent LSU starting backmost Garrett Nussmeier and knows what it useful and what doesn’t astir Baton Rouge. He won a Super Bowl and a BCS title arsenic an adjunct while bouncing betwixt assemblage and nan NFL. He’s besides nary alien to nan SEC and could position this arsenic 1 of nan fewer spots wherever he would entertain going to beryllium a caput coach.

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