FOX's Bruce Feldman names six candidates to replace Ed Orgeron at LSU

On3 imageby:Simon Gibbs10/17/21

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Ed Orgeron and LSU have reached a separation agreement, according to a report from Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellinger, and the head coach will not return to LSU for the 2022 season.

Orgeron’s career at LSU will come to a close after this season, but he will finish the 2021 campaign before he is formally dismissed. Orgeron boasts a 46-17 record in six seasons at the helm of LSU, and he won a national championship in 2019 — a season in which the Tigers finished 15-0 and put together arguably the greatest season in college football history. 21 months later, the two have agreed to part ways. Since the national championship victory over Clemson, Orgeron’s 9-8 record hardly puts him over .500.

Negotiations between Orgeron and LSU began last week, before the Tigers pulled off an unexpected, 49-42 upset over the No. 20 Florida Gators on Saturday.

With LSU in pursuit of a new head coach, FOX Sports/The Athletic college football reporter Bruce Feldman named six potential candidates to fill Orgeron’s void.

LSU coaching candidates

Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M: Jimbo Fisher is no stranger to LSU, perhaps making him an intriguing candidate to follow in the Tigers’ search for a new head coach. He served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2000-2006, coaching under Nick Saban. Since then, he’s amassed a 31-12 record at Texas A&M. Winning in the SEC is nothing new to Fisher, but he’s yet to eclipse nine wins in his tenure with the Aggies.

Mel Tucker, Michigan State: Similar to Fisher, Mel Tucker knows LSU very well from his time coaching under Nick Saban. His tenure was shorter, however, as he spent one year (2000) as a defensive backs coach before moving over to Ohio State. Now with Michigan State, Tucker’s turnaround in East Lansing has been somewhat remarkable — he went 2-5 in 2020, his first season, but the Michigan State Spartans are 7-0 so far in 2021, making Tucker a hot commodity in coaching searches.

James Franklin, Penn State: James Franklin has been a mainstay in coaching conversations all season, and many reporters have already tabbed the Penn State head coach as a candidate for the USC opening. Franklin has tallied a 65-24 record since arriving at Penn State in 2014, but perhaps more impressively, he compiled a 24-15 record in three seasons at Vanderbilt — including back-to-back nine-win seasons. Perhaps a return to the SEC is in the cards for Franklin.

Mario Cristobal, Oregon: Mario Cristobal has something in common with Tucker and Fisher, a trait that probably needs no mention — he coached under Nick Saban. Only Cristobal’s tenure as Saban’s assistant head coach, which spanned from 2013-2016, came while Saban was at Alabama, not LSU. Since then, he’s coached at FIU and Oregon, and Cristobal has done a terrific job recruiting at Oregon. He has a 30-11 record in five seasons with Oregon, his best year — 2019 — culminating in a 12-2 record and Rose Bowl victory.

Mark Stoops, Kentucky: It took a while for Mark Stoops to get the wheels moving at Kentucky, but athletic director Mitch Barnhart gave Stoops enough time and belief. Now, the wheels won’t stop spinning. Despite a loss to Georgia, Stoops’ Wildcats are 6-1 and got off to the program’s best start since 1950, when Bear Bryant was Kentucky’s head coach.

Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss: Any time a major coaching job opens up, Lane Kiffin’s name will surely be apart of the conversation. He nearly joined LSU as Orgeron’s offensive coordinator in his first year, but Kiffin was offered the head coaching job at FAU, which he instead accepted. Kiffin is very familiar with the SEC, and he’s done a nice job in two seasons at Ole Miss; plus, he seems to be more mature than his early coaching years, something that many thought could deter his career. Still, Kiffin remains an unlikely candidate.