An already loopy school soccer teaching cycle kicked up a degree to madness Sunday night as LSU made the jaw-dropping determination to fireplace Brian Kelly after a 5-3 begin to 2025, triggering a $50-plus million buyout within the course of.
Kelly wasn’t unsuccessful in Baton Rouge. He completed his tenure at 34-14 general. However he by no means made the playoff or got here near successful a SEC championship.
Expectations will probably be extremely excessive for whoever succeeds Kelly. LSU would be the greatest job accessible this cycle, and for good purpose: The three coaches earlier than Kelly received nationwide championships. These are a couple of candidates that make sense in Baton Rouge after speaking with business sources.
Prime candidates
Lane Kiffin, HC, Ole Miss
Already on the middle of 1 blueblood teaching search, Kiffin might discover himself in the course of three SEC heavyweights. The Rebels wish to resign him. Florida needs him to be its subsequent head coach. Now, Kiffin is the preferred identify while you speak with business sources about potential replacements in Baton Rouge. Kiffin has all of the requisite expertise to reach the SEC, exhibiting the power to raise the Rebels into an annual SEC contender. Kiffin can be a plug-and-play substitute for Kelly, somebody whose offensive acumen might immediately elevate the Tigers.
Lane Kiffin’s massive win over Oklahoma is nice information for Ole Miss — however unhealthy information for Florida teaching search
John Talty
Joe Brady, OC, Buffalo Payments
The one-time 29-year-old offensive coordinator of the 2019 LSU nationwide championship group, the now 36-year-old Brady has a half-decade of NFL expertise and is a rising head teaching candidate in these circles. Brady’s been hesitant to return to varsity up to now, however would top-of-the-line teaching jobs within the nation be sufficient to lure him again to the place he first started his ascent? Penn State can also be taking a look at Brady this cycle.
James Franklin, former Penn State coach
Franklin is essentially the most certified coach on the open market regardless of his break up from Penn State earlier this 12 months. He is received 68% of his video games as a head coach, main Penn State and Vanderbilt to remarkably profitable runs. However would LSU actually go rent one other coach from the Midwest with few ties within the Southeast? I am unsure it is a rent that might excite the fan base.
Jon Sumrall, HC, Tulane
A former SEC linebacker who’s labored within the Southeast his complete profession, Sumrall has accomplished nothing however win since rising as a head coach in 2022. He went 23-4 in two seasons with Troy, and he is now 15-6 in a season-and-a-half with Tulane. There is no hotter identify amongst Group of 5 head coaches, and Sumrall is predicted to be deeply within the combine if the Auburn job had been to come back open. However would LSU actually wish to rent Tulane’s head coach? I am unsure if it will create sufficient of a splash.
Marcus Freeman, HC, Notre Dame
In case you have a look at LSU athletic director Scott Woodward’s historical past of hiring head coaches in any sport, there’s one commonality – he makes massive swings. He landed Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M. He lured Kelly away from Notre Dame. Might he persuade one other head coach to depart South Bend? Business sources have not slammed the door shut on Freeman being a candidate at Florida, and you possibly can argue LSU is the higher job. It nonetheless appears somewhat unlikely Freeman would go away Notre Dame for anyplace however the NFL. But when Woodward goes to make a run at any individual, he may as properly swing massive.
It is CRAZY however …
Jimbo Fisher, former Texas A&M coach
Reunited and it feels so good! I do know suggesting Fisher right here appears absurd. However bear in mind it is Woodward who employed Fisher at Texas A&M and believed in him to such a level he gave Fisher a traditionally profitable contract to lure him from Florida State. Fisher’s star has clearly dimmed. However Woodward actively pursued Fisher when he performed LSU’s search in 2021. Fisher has deep ties to LSU and is a nationwide championship-winning coach. It is a marriage that makes numerous sense for those who can ignore Fisher’s final two seasons in School Station.
Dabo Swinney, HC, Clemson
Once more, massive swings. Swinney is amid his worst season as Clemson’s head coach since 2010. Might Woodward comply with his Texas A&M playbook and lure a nationwide champion to Baton Rouge? Swinney is a confirmed program builder and would appear to slot in at LSU culturally in a means Kelly by no means managed to. If Swinney needs a contemporary begin, you possibly can choose a lot worse locations than Baton Rouge to take action. However like Fisher, you should marvel if Swinney can be a horny sufficient rent at this level in his profession.
Nick Saban, former Alabama coach
Look, I did say loopy. It was solely earlier this week when Saban mentioned, “I wish to keep retired.” But when there was a non-Alabama job that might tempt Saban, it might be LSU, the place he received his first nationwide championship. Would he take the job if provided? Most likely not. However Woodward’s historical past tells you he’ll not less than ask.
