The LSU Tigers have decided to part ways with Brian Kelly midseason, following a disappointing Week 9 defeat to Texas A&M. The 49-25 defeat made the Tigers drop from the AP’s Top 25 and also buried any hope of them reaching the College Football Playoff (CFP).
With Kelly having failed to qualify the program for the CFP for the fourth year in a row, the powers that be decided that enough was enough, and they fired the coach despite the huge $54 million payout. For many, the choice was never a good one to begin with, as the New Englander coach always seemed to struggle adjusting to the rigours of Southern life.
Immediately, names started to sound as potential replacements. Everyone, from former LSU coach Nick Saban (yes, he won his first national title with them) to former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer, has been mentioned as a potential replacement.
But pundit Josh Pate believes that the Tigers should look to the Midwest again in search of their new head coach. In particular, they should look for the man who took over Notre Dame when Kelly made the trip down south to Baton Rouge:
“I’m telling you, if I’m running the search at LSU,” Josh Pate said. “I’m making Marcus Freeman tell me ‘No.’ I don’t care that I just went to Notre Dame and it failed. That guy right there embodies the toughness, the characteristics. He’s got swagger that I can combine with championship resources. I can get transfers into LSU a lot easier than I can Notre Dame. He’s got to tell me ‘No’ before I ever move to option two on my list.”
Marcus Freeman has already shown he can take a program to the CFP. He did so with the Fighting Irish last year, and he was one win away from the first national title win for the South Bend school since 1988.
However, he’s under contract until 2030, and getting him would imply another hefty buyout. He also has the Irish at No. 12, and while unlikely, they could still make it to the CFP.
Who’s The Favorite To Be The Next LSU Tigers Coach?
Currently, the favorite to be the next LSU Tigers coach is a fellow SEC coach: Ole Miss’s Lane Kiffin. Kiffin has been mentioned a couple of times as a potential candidate for other job openings that have opened up this season. Mainly for Florida and Penn State.
He currently has odds of +375. He’s followed by Louisville’s Jeff Brohm (+550) and Arizona State’s Kenny Dillingham (+650). However, with the Rebels at No. 7 in Week 9, one has to ask if Kiffin would want to leave Oxford right now. He’s closer than ever to making the CFP and making a national title run.
Read More News:
Brian Kelly Falls $23 Million Short of Making College Football History After LSU Firing
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“This Dude Was On A Beach”: Josh Pate Claims Brutal Reality Behind Brian Kelly’s LSU Downfall
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