re: Why did LSU hire Dinardo

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Because Joe Dean hired Pat Sullivan from TCU and Sullivan had 400k buyout. Joe Dean told Sullivan that he was not paying the buyout. So Pat Sullivan retracted his agreement to come to LSU even though he had already been announced as the new LSU Coach.

Gerry Dinardo was at Vandy and had withdrawn his name after it was apparent LSU was going with Sullivan. Then Joe Dean had to go back to Dinardo and ask him to become LSU’s next Football Coach because Dinardo was the only other “Finalist”.

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Sullivan's TCU buyout was $1 million, not 400K.
Joe Dean never hired Sullivan. He sent him home that day without an official offer because Joe wanted Sullivan's buyout to be resolved. There was wide media speculation, but never any "announcement" about Sullivan.

When Sullivan said TCU wouldn't release him from the buyout, Dean called Dinardo and DID make the offer.

After his initial interview at LSU, Dinardo went back to Nashville. When Dean didn't call back right away with an offer, Dinardo told his Vandy players that he was staying.

But Dean called him the next day.

The only "list" that Dean was using were the few names that a coaching search group (it included Gil Brandt of the Cowboys) had given him. To my knowledge Dean only interviewed Sullivan and Dinardo.

Dinardo signed a five year deal for $300K per year. His base salary was $95,000 per year.