What We Know About Frank Wilson, Lsu's Interim Coach After Brian Kelly Firing

After little than 4 seasons astatine nan helm, Brian Kelly is retired astatine LSU. News of his firing was first reported Sunday night, conscionable a time aft nan Tigers were walloped by Texas A&M. The nonaccomplishment dropped nan coach's wide grounds successful Baton Rouge to 34-14.

Associate caput coach Frank Wilson will, for now, return complete successful Kelly's stead. Here's everything we cognize astir him truthful far.

Wilson was nan caput coach astatine McNeese State for nan 2020 and 2021 seasons. / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Wilson, a New Orleans native, is simply a well-known beingness astir nan LSU facilities. In 2010, he was hired arsenic nan Tigers' moving backmost coach and recruiting coordinator nether Les Miles, erstwhile he played a portion successful bringing stars for illustration Leonard Fournette, Tyrann Mathieu, Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry to Baton Rouge. He was named Rivals's National Recruiter of nan Year Award successful 2011, NFL.com's Top Recruiter successful College Football successful 2014 and Scout.com's SEC Recruiter of nan Year successful 2015.

In 2016, he near for nan University of Texas astatine San Antonio, wherever he served arsenic caput coach for 4 seasons. He past spent 2 campaigns starring McNeese State earlier returning to LSU arsenic moving backs coach and subordinate caput coach successful 2022; he was 1 of Kelly's first hires.

Prior to his first stint pinch nan Tigers, Wilson held collegiate coaching positions astatine Tennessee (wide receivers), Southern Miss (running backs/recruiting coordinator), Ole Miss (running backs/special teams) and Nicholls (student assistant), from which he graduated and played arsenic a moving backmost from 1993-95.

As a caput coach, Wilson has an wide grounds of 26-40 and made an quality successful nan New Mexico Bowl successful his first play astatine UTSA. He has besides coached aliases recruited 40 athletes who person gone to play successful nan NFL, per his LSU bio.

In 2022, Wilson was accused of intersexual harassment successful a larger suit revenge by erstwhile LSU subordinate diversion head Sharon Lewis, who alleged that nan schoolhouse retaliated against her aft she reported claims that then-head coach Les Miles had sexually harassed student diversion workers. Though Wilson was not a defendant, Lewis claimed successful her suit that nan coach had antecedently exposed himself to her and asked her to touch his genitalia. Court filings besides alleged that nan coach attempted to buss a different female worker without her consent. Lewis was fired months aft she filed nan suit arsenic portion of nan unit alteration that followed Brian Kelly's hiring.

A assemblage dismissed nan lawsuit successful January 2024. During nan trial, Wilson called nan allegations against him "egregious and not true," and said that "at nary constituent person I ever been accused of nan things I'm being accused of now."

He will make his debut astatine nan helm connected Saturday, erstwhile nan Tigers recreation to look nan No. 4 Crimson Tide.

LSU's connection connected Brian Kelly firing

Here is nan full matter of LSU's statement regarding Kelly's firing and Wilson's appointment:

BATON ROUGE, La. — LSU Athletics has made nan determination to abstracted pinch shot caput coach Brian Kelly effective immediately, Director of Athletics Scott Woodward announced Sunday.

Terms of nan separation are still being negotiated.

“When Coach Kelly arrived astatine LSU 4 years ago, we had precocious hopes that he would lead america to aggregate SEC and nationalist championships during his clip successful Baton Rouge,” Woodward said. “Ultimately, nan occurrence astatine nan level that LSU demands simply did not materialize, and I made nan determination to make a alteration aft past night’s game. I americium grateful for nan ongoing consultations and support of nan LSU Board of Supervisors and Interim President Matt Lee successful this decision. We wish Coach Kelly and his family nan very champion successful their early endeavors. We will proceed to discuss his separation and will activity toward a way that is amended for some parties.”

The Tigers fell to 5-3 this play and 2-3 successful SEC play pursuing a location nonaccomplishment to No. 3 Texas A&M connected Saturday night.

LSU was 34-14 crossed 4 seasons pinch Kelly astatine nan helm, including a 19-10 people against SEC competition, and won 3 consecutive vessel games. The Tigers made their lone SEC Championship crippled quality nether Kelly successful his first play successful 2022. In 2023, they were led by backmost Jayden Daniels, nan Heisman Trophy victor and No. 2 wide NFL Draft pick.

Kelly is nan winningest progressive coach successful NCAA Football pinch 323 profession victories. He amassed a 23-3 grounds successful Tiger Stadium, including a 20-2 people successful nighttime games successful Death Valley.

Associate caput coach/running backs coach Frank Wilson will service arsenic interim caput coach for nan remainder of nan 2025 season.

“As a proud alum, and arsenic nan existent caretaker of our athletics programs, I will not discuss successful our pursuit of excellence and we will not little our standards,” Woodward said. “I proceed to judge that LSU is nan champion shot programme successful America and that our caput coach position is among nan champion considering our investment, our expertise to pull and clasp talent, our unbelievable fans, and our organization and statewide committedness to – and emotion for – LSU Football. We will instantly statesman a nationalist hunt for a caller caput shot coach, and I americium assured successful our expertise to bring to Baton Rouge an outstanding leader, coach and coach, who fits our civilization and organization and who embraces nan excellence that we demand.

“While location will surely beryllium speculation and reports connected candidates and nan process, together we will observe and invited a caller coach astatine nan due time. I impulse each successful nan LSU organization to proceed to support our student-athletes and coaches arsenic they compete nan remainder of nan season.”

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