Kirk Herbstreit picks LSU as the best open job in coaching carousel

There’s a bevy of interesting head coaching gigs opening up throughout college football. Florida, LSU and Penn State are looking for their next leader, along with programs like Auburn, Virginia Tech and others.

Which program is the best option for interested coaches moving forward? During an appearance on The Ryen Russillo Show, ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit proclaimed the Tigers from Baton Rouge should lead the way.

“I think LSU’s the best job,” Herbstreit explained. “I think it is because, you’re LSU, in the State of Louisiana ‚ you have competition, but nobody within the state. So, you’re recruiting in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Lafayette, everywhere. Everyone who grows up in that state, they want to play for the purple and gold. They want to play at LSU. So you’ve got an embarrassment of riches in your own state. It’s great high school football.

“Then you can sprinkle in Miami, Florida and get into Alabama, whatever you have to do. But I think LSU, because there’s no competition for the recruits, and there’s big time support, I would lean towards LSU. Of the available jobs, I think LSU’s the best job.”

LSU certainly has the potential to be the top job. Some have pointed towards the drama behind the scenes with their hierarchy as a reason why teams like the Gators and the Nittany Lions may be more desirable, but Herstreit doesn’t believe in that, it seems.

While the ESPN analyst is a fan of LSU’s potential, former coach Urban Meyer ranked the top openings over the weekend, and he doesn’t agree with Herbstreit. Meyer believes Florida is the best option.

“First of all, I must say that of all the blue bloods … they’re all open, I don’t know if that’s happened in recent history,” Meyer said via Big Noon Kickoff. “But I’d say just because of the LSU and Florida, because the talent level, the talent pool, is within a three hour radius of your school. 

“You have LSU, you have Florida. I would say Florida (is the best), just because of the dysfunction right now (at LSU). They don’t have an athletic director … Everybody loves (the governor) down there, but they better get an AD in place pretty quick before … Really good head coaches will walk away from this and say ‘I’m not sure I want to do that.’

“Florida No. 1, LSU at (No. 2), Penn State No. 3. I just think it’s a little harder to recruit right now, just because the population shift has gone down south. You can’t just say Western, PA and Philadelphia and New Jersey. That’s kind of where they used to get their players. So I would go: Florida, LSU and Penn State.”

Regardless, all three should be able to land major names as their next head coach, but whether it all works out or not remains to be seen. Herbstreit and Meyer have made their opinions known though.