NCAAF Odds: Top five LSU Tigers coaching candidates
One of the most desirable jobs in college football is up for grabs after LSU announced the firing of head coach Brian Kelly on Sunday.
The coaching carosuel continues to swirl in college football, with Kelly being the third coach fired from a major program in as many Sundays.
Kelly was fired from LSU a day after the Tigers’ 49-25 blowout loss against Texas A&M. LSU is now sitting at 2-3 in a season that started with national championship aspirations.
For Kelly, his tenure at LSU ends with a respectable 34-14 record, but he never made the playoffs or came close to winning an SEC championship. It’s simply unacceptable for a program that has produced two Heisman Trophy winners (Joe Burrow in 2019 and Jayden Daniels in 2023) over the last six years.
Expectations are sky-high when it comes to LSU football, so we’re taking a look at the top five candidates to be the next head coach.
Make sure to check out Sports Interaction’s complete list of NCAAF game odds and NCAAF futures.
Lane Kiffin, HC, Ole Miss
Kiffin is one of the most sought after coaches in college football at the moment. While Ole Miss clearly want to re-sign him, Florida has made it no secret they are after the 51-year-old and now LSU is in the running.
With a 112-53 career record, Kiffin has all the experience necessary to lead the Tigers and he’s proven he can elevate top tier football programs, making the Rebels a perennial contender in the competitive SEC.
James Franklin, former HC, Penn State
James Franklin is the most qualified coach on the open market. He was fired from Penn State after a 3-3 start to the year, but he ends his tenure with the Nittany Lions with a 104-45 overall record.
Franklin has won nearly 70 per cent of games as a head coach and led Penn State and Vanderbilt to very successful runs, but there’s some doubt on whether LSU would hire another Midwest coach with no ties to the Southeast.
Jon Sumrall, HC, Tulane
Jon Sumrall doesn’t have the long track record some of the other coaching candidates have, but he’s an attractive option as a former SEC linebacker, who has spent his entire career in the Southeast.
Sumrall has had a great start to his coaching career, going 23-4 in two season with Troy and 15-6 in a season and a half with Tulane. The up-and-comer is also rumoured to be in the mix if the Auburn job becomes available.
Marcus Freeman, HC, Notre Dame
LSU athletic director Scott Woodward already lured Kelly away from Notre Dame, so could he do the same with Marcus Freeman? At just 39, Freeman has already established himself as one of the top coaches in college football by leading the Fighting Irish to last year’s national title game.
Freeman is also expected to be a candidate at Florida and while LSU seems to be the more attractive job, there’s a belief he’ll only leave Notre Dame for an NFL gig.
Joe Brady, OC, Buffalo Bills
If the Tigers decide to look to the NFL for their next head coach, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady should be a top candidate. Brady won a national championship with LSU as OC in 2019 when he was just 29-years-old and he brings in five years of NFL experience.
While Brady has been hesitant to return to the college ranks in the past, going back to the Tigers has to be the one job he would consider.
