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© Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports
LSU announced Sunday that they would be parting ways with head coach Ed Orgeron at the end of this season. In the announcement, LSU athletic director said that the search for a new coach would begin immediately.

Below is a list of ten potential coaching candidates for the job, plus ten more.

Ten possible candidates (see coach bio's further down the page):
James Franklin
Luke Fickell
Lane Kiffin
Bill O'Brien
Jimbo Fisher
Mario Cristobal
Dave Aranda
Matt Campbell
Mel Tucker
Billy Napier

Plus 10 more candidates:
Kendall Briles
Brian Kelly
Jamey Chadwell
Mark Stoops
Joe Brady
Lincoln Riley
Mike Gundy
Herm Edwards
Hugh Freeze
Urban Meyer

Sound off in the comment section if we are missing anyone and let us know who your favorite candidate is. And don't forget to check out our Coaching Changes Board to stay up to date on LSU's search for a new head coach.

James Franklin - Penn State Head Coach
Record at Penn State: 65–29
Age: 49
Hometown: Langhorne, Pennsylvania
Alma Mater: East Stroudsburg (1996) Played Quarterback
Annual salary: $6.7 million
Coaching career:
1995: Kutztown (WR)
1996: East Stroudsburg (DB)
1996: Roskilde Kings (OC)
1997: James Madison (WR)
1998: Washington State (TE)
1999: Idaho State (WR)
2000–2004: Maryland (WR/RC)
2005: Green Bay Packers (WR)
2006–2007: Kansas State (OC/QB)
2008–2010: Maryland (AHC/OC/QB)
2011–2013: Vanderbilt (HC)
2014–present: Penn State (HC)
Complete Bio

Luke Fickell - Cincinnati Head Coach
Record at Cincinnati: 41–14
Age: 48
Hometown: Columbus, OH
Alma Mater: Ohio State (1997) Played Nose Guard
Annual salary: $3.4 million
Coaching career:
1999: Ohio State (GA)
2000–2001: Akron (DL)
2002–2003: Ohio State (ST)
2004: Ohio State (LB)
2005–2010: Ohio State (Co-DC/LB)
2011: Ohio State (Interim HC)
2012–2016: Ohio State (Co-DC/LB)
2017–present: Cincinnati (HC)
Complete Bio

Lane Kiffin - Ole Miss Head Coach
Record at Ole Miss: 10–6
Age: 46
Hometown: Lincoln, Nebraska
Alma Mater: Fresno State (1998) Played Quarterback
Annual salary: $4.5 million
Coaching career:
1997–1998: Fresno State (assistant)
1999: Colorado State (GA)
2000: Jacksonville Jaguars (OQC)
2001: USC (TE)
2002–2004: USC (WR)
2005–2006: USC (PGC/OC)
2007–2008: Oakland Raiders (HC)
2009: Tennessee (HC)
2010–2013: USC (HC)
2014–2016: Alabama (OC/QB)
2017–2019: Florida Atlantic (HC)
2020–present: Ole Miss (HC)
Complete Bio

Bill O'Brien - Alabama Offensive Coordinator & Quarterback Coach
Coaching Record: 15–9 (College), 54–52 (NFL)
Age: 51
Hometown: Dorchester, Massachusetts
Alma Mater: Brown (1992) Played Defensive Back & Linebacker
Annual salary: $1.1 million
Coaching career:
1993: Brown (TE)
1994: Brown (ILB)
1995–1997: Georgia Tech (GA)
1998–2000: Georgia Tech (RB)
2001–2002: Georgia Tech (OC/QB)
2003–2004: Maryland (RB)
2005–2006: Duke (OC/QB)
2007: New England Patriots (OA)
2008: New England Patriots (WR)
2009–2010: New England Patriots (QB)
2011: New England Patriots (OC/QB)
2012–2013: Penn State (HC)
2014–2020: Houston Texans (HC)
2021–present Alabama (OC/QB)
Complete Bio

Jimbo Fisher - Texas A&M Head Coach
Record at Texas A&M: 31–12
Age: 56
Hometown: Clarksburg, West Virginia
Alma Mater: Samford University (1989) Played Quarterback
Annual salary: $9 million
Coaching career:
1988–1990: Samford (GA/QB)
1991–1992: Samford (OC/QB)
1993–1998: Auburn (QB)
1999: Cincinnati (OC/QB)
2000–2006: LSU (OC/QB)
2007–2009: Florida State (OC/QB)
2010–2017: Florida State (HC)
2018–present: Texas A&M (HC)
Complete Bio

Mario Cristobal - Oregon Head Coach
Record at Oregon: 30-11
Age: 51
Hometown: Miami, Florida
Alma Mater: Miami FL (1993) Offensive Tackle
Annual salary: $5.5 million
Coaching career: 1998–2000 Miami (FL) (GA)
2001–2002: Rutgers (OT/TE)
2003: Rutgers (OL)
2004–2005: Miami (FL) (TE)
2006: Miami (FL) (OL)
2007–2012: FIU (HC)
2013–2016: Alabama (AHC/OL/RC)
2017: Oregon (co-OC/OL)
2018–present: Oregon (HC)
Complete Bio

Dave Aranda - Baylor Head Coach
Record at Baylor: 8–8
Age: 45
Hometown: Kern County, California
Alma Mater: California Lutheran (1999)
Annual salary:?
Coaching career:
1995: Redlands (CA) HS (JV)
1996–1999: Cal Lutheran (LB)
2000–2002: Texas Tech (GA)
2003–2004: Houston (LB)
2005–2006: Cal Lutheran (DC/LB)
2007: Delta State (co-DC/LB)
2008: Southern Utah (DC)
2008–2009: Hawaii (DL)
2010–2011: Hawaii (DC)
2012: Utah State (DC)
2013–2015: Wisconsin (DC/ILB)
2016–2019: LSU (AHC/DC/LB)
2020–present: Baylor (HC)
Complete Bio

Matt Campbell - Iowa State Head Coach
Record at Iowa State: 39–30
Age: 41
Hometown: Massillon, Ohio
Alma Mater: Mount Union (2002) Defensive Lineman
Annual salary: $4 million
Coaching career:
2003–2004: Bowling Green (GA)
2005–2006: Mount Union (OC/OL)
2007: Bowling Green (OL)
2008: Bowling Green (RGC/OL)
2009: Toledo (RGC/OL)
2010–2011: Toledo (OC/OL)
2012–2015: Toledo (HC)
2016–present: Iowa State (HC)
Complete Bio

Mel Tucker - Michigan State Head Coach
Record at Michigan State: 9–5
Age: 49
Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio
Alma Mater: Wisconsin (1994) Defensive Back
Annual salary: $5.5 million
Coaching career:
1997–1998: Michigan State (GA)
1999: Miami (OH) (DB)
2000: LSU (DB)
2001–2003: Ohio State (DB)
2004: Ohio State (co-DC)
2005–2007: Cleveland Browns (DB)
2008: Cleveland Browns (DC)
2009–2011: Jacksonville Jaguars (DC)
2011: Jacksonville Jaguars (interim)
2012: Jacksonville Jaguars (AHC/DC)
2013–2014: Chicago Bears (DC)
2015: Alabama (AHC/DB)
2016–2018: Georgia (DC/DB)
2019: Colorado (HC)
2020–present: Michigan State (HC)
Complete Bio

Billy Napier - Louisiana Lafayette Head Coach
Record at ULL: 33–12
Age: 42
Hometown: Cookeville, Tennessee
Alma Mater: Furman (2002) Played Quarterback
Annual salary: $2 million
Coaching career:
2003–2004: Clemson (GA)
2005: South Carolina State (QB)
2006–2008: Clemson (TE/RC)
2009–2010: Clemson (OC/QB)
2011: Alabama (Analyst)
2012: Colorado State (AHC/QB)
2013–2016: Alabama (WR)
2017: Arizona State (OC/QB)
2018–present: Louisiana (HC)
Complete Bio
Filed Under: LSU Football
60 Comments
user avatar
BabyTac31 months
I’d burn all my LSU gear for good if they hired Bill O’Brien
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GoldenGuy31 months
Dude screwed the Texans for the rest of the decade.
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Godfather131 months
I feel that way about Kiffen.
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MagicMikesMindsEye31 months
LOL herm edwards
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Robber DeNiro31 months
It don't matter who we hire, Negatigers will want him outta here soon as things get shaky.
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Swazla31 months
Billy Napier is the real deal. he already is recruiting Louisiana, he as 2 natty rings under Saban, and brings mo baggage. If you want to win.
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CanebreakCajun31 months
I agree, but the football gods who post here will say LSU is too good for a Group of 5 coach.
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1931 months
Hope it's mo bettah baggage.
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biglego30 months
Is he one of us
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CanebreakCajun31 months
Everyone will disagree with everyones thoughts on an HC. If we all agree we want someone with a good track recoords, then Tucker and Bill O'Brien are out. Some say we do not want drama, then the Lane Trane, Freeze and Urban are out. Then there are those who insist we cannot take a small school coach, so Napier and Fickell are out. I have also heard that we cannot hire a big 12 coach, so Campbell, Aranda and Riley are out. I have read numerous times that Jimbo sucks, so I guess he is out. I have read we cannot hire Stoops because he is fat. So, what do we have left. 80% of this board will bitch about whomever is hired.
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Datbayoubengal31 months
You ain't lying lol.
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Bennie31 months
You forgot Gruden has written wrong opinions of protected groups. So he’s out. You’re welcome.
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alumni9531 months
Even before all your scenarios, give me James Franklin. Back to back bowl seasons at Vandy is some serious coaching.
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Tiger36531 months
No Kellen Moore?
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TheTigershark31 months
Agree. Kellen Moore - Dallas Cowboys OC has to be on the list even if he’s getting NFL HC interest.
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SouthernInsanity31 months
First question to all of LSU's candidates... "any issue from your past? You said YES? Okay, the receptionist will validate your parking.... NEXT!"
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MonroeLSUfan12331 months
I really think they should rehire Les Miles. Those were the good ol days
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Cajunboy4631 months
Man if we only had all this enthusiasm on firing Leslie miles when he freaking sucked arse for all those years wow bunch of freaking hypocrites and before y’all dumbasses start yelling I’m a coach o guy I never agreed with him being hired as head coach to begin with
user avatar
beantown31 months
Why would James Franklin come here when his current team is getting ranked top 10 regularly and he’s making more there than he would here?
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BatonRougeBuckeye31 months
Agreed. Many of these names are people with good, high paying gigs right now. Why would anyone assume they leave to come to LSU? Hell James Franklin grew up in Pennsylvania!
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BayouTiga31 months
It is 'just a list'!
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Shiftyplus131 months
Franklin won't leave, but I think you're selling LSU short. The player talent available alone is a huge draw. They would also automatically be in the premier division of the premier conference.
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LSUrme31 months
NO: James Franklin Bill O'Brien Jimbo Fisher Probably Not: Lane Kiffen Let's Ride: Luke Fickell Mario Cristobal Dave Aranda Matt Campbell Mel Tucker Billy Napier What do I think will happen with this new LSU Pres: Mel Tucker
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Ruebacca31 months
Woodward likes Lincoln Riley. He'll focus most of his efforts there. The number of elite level coaches is pretty low, but Riley qualifies. Even though he comes with baggage, Freeze has beaten Saban twice, something no one else in the SEC has done, he can recruit, his offenses are very good and he's navigated the SEC well, although he got caught up in some messes. Outside of Franklin and Cristobal everyone would be an experiment, IMO. We'll speculate for the next few months, but I expect Woodward will keep things close to the vest until after the CFP games unless his pick doesn't make the playoff and then it will happen after the regular season.
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Stew258131 months
My top choice is Cristobal honestly. Has turned Oregon back into a national contender, knows the SEC and the guy specializes in O-Line which has been a big issue for us in recruiting. Miles and O always recruited inward to out usually meaning we had converted guards playing OT instead of converted Tackles moving inside and having actual tackles playing OT. If he hires a good OC and DC and a decent QB Coach then he is set. He could keep Joseph, Faulk on Offense, keep Raymond on Defense and keep rolling because those guys were not the issue
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brett40831 months
Do not want Franklin or Tucker, but I am afraid that we will make a hire based solely on race.
Reply
upvote20downvote20
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SulphursFinest31 months
Why don’t you want them? Is it solely based on race?
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GEAUXHOOKEM31 months
Yep, it would be solely based on race. It couldn’t possibly be that they are just as qualified, if not more, than any of the other names on the list.
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CanebreakCajun31 months
Geaux, Tucker is not qualified. He is 14 and 12 as an HC. Franklin is a good coach, just kind of obnoxious for me. Tucker may end up being a very good HC, but at 14-12 as an HC, that is a hard sell.
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DandA31 months
I'll get blasted for this I'm sure, and I hate myself for even saying this, but Urban has proven to be a winner in the SEC, he can recruit, and he has an offensive mind for the college game. And there are a shite-ton of hoes in BR, coach O can attest, so he would enjoy himself here. Just please no selfies with them in bed...
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ByUselves31 months
I don't care what color, shape, or size coach, woody would hire, just needs to be a CEO, because CEO wasn't one...
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Tigerbait211231 months
please do not hire Dave Aranda or Mel Tucker,Bill O'Brien,Matt Campbell our best opinions are James Franklin,Mario Cristobal,Luke Fickell,Joe Brady,James Chadwell,Billy Napier
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Shiftyplus131 months
Brady has already said he has zero interest in returning to the college game
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oilattorney4lsu31 months
Bill Napier is now “our best”
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oilattorney4lsu31 months
Sorry “Not our best” not “now”....damn huge thunbs....ahhhh damn it!
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alschroed31 months
I don't like any of the candidates.
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Datbayoubengal31 months
Well that's on you. There are so many names up there that an dominate at LSU, it's ridiculous.
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Bennie31 months
Why not link to a Wikipedia page for all the current living football coaches? What is the point of this article?
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tigerMike30 months
Stop being so negative, it is very nice to have everything in one place, the place being where we go to keep up wit da Tigas.
user avatar
LSU-MNCBABY31 months
Napier Kiffen or Jimbo
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