LSU Could Be Forced Into Unexpected Hire if Lane Kiffin G...

By Nelson Espinal

Contributing Sports Reporter

ShareNewsweek is a Trust Project member

LSU has put its eggs in the Lane Kiffin basket, hoping to lure the highly sought after head coach to Louisiana, though there is a good chance he spurns the Tigers for Florida or Ole Miss.

Kiffin is involved in a coaching carousel, with the Gators, Tigers, and Rebels all looking to throw money at him.

More news: Dan Lanning Takes Shot at SEC Teams’ Scheduling After Oregon Beats USC

The former USC head coach has rebuilt his reputation with stops at Florida Atlantic and Ole Miss, turning both programs around and getting them performing better than when he took over.

Ole Miss was an SEC middling team, and they have quickly ascended into a powerhouse once again — and they are on track for their first College Football Playoff appearance.

...

LSU, which fired a big name in Brian Kelly in the middle of a lucrative contract, has been courting Kiffin intensely over the past few weeks, hoping to name him their next head coach and their last big hire for a long time — especially after getting burned by the expensive hire of Kelly.

More news: Auburn Set to Take Major Step in Head Coach Search

Their pursuit of Kiffin is intense enough that their focus is essentially solely on the current Ole Miss coach.

Per The Athletic's Chris Vannini, LSU's backup options are not entirely clear, and it could indicate a left-field hire as a backup plan.

"Figuring out to whom LSU would turn if it’s not Kiffin has been difficult to pin down. Few to no names have been mentioned, depending on who you talk to," Vannini wrote in his story.

"Does that mean LSU is the more likely landing spot for Kiffin, or is LSU just more confident and/or secretive with a big and unexpected swing as a backup option? We’ll find out Friday or Saturday."

The drama from the Kiffin saga has essentially stopped other teams from hiring coaches, as two of the biggest openings await his decision. The coaching picture should become clear once he decides and the dominoes begin to fall.

More news: Lane Kiffin’s Handling of Coaching Rumors Is Upsetting SEC Programs

For more college football news, head to Newsweek Sports.

Request Reprint & LicensingSubmit CorrectionView Editorial & AI Guidelines