LSU coaching search: Booger McFarland reveals what best fits Tigers

The college coaching carousel is about to heat up in a major way and much of it will spin around LSU. LSU is one of the behemoth jobs available this cycle, one that will help set the tone for the rest of the market.

To that end, there are a few key figures involved. The big name is Lane Kiffin, the current coach at Ole Miss.

He’s in the middle of a (seeming and) potential war between Florida, LSU and Ole Miss. He could remain in place at a playoff contender or he could jump to a school with more resources. The entire saga so far has fans of all three programs ready to tear their hair out. So what is LSU looking for?

“Well it’s funny because like I’ve never been like a true fan,” former LSU star Booger McFarland said on the Pardon My Take podcast. “And so, to be on social media and watch Florida’s fanbase, LSU’s fanbase, Ole Miss’ fanbase go crazy over every rumor, every flight, every this, every that, like it’s kind of funny to me, because I’ve been on the other side. I’ve never been like that wound up about anything like that.

“To answer your question, I’m not sure. I think LSU’s the No. 1 job in the country. I think there are several people who are … would do a lot to get that job. Whether it’s Lane or not, I don’t know. Whether it’s somebody else, I honestly have no idea.”

LSU will have a strong pool of candidates to pull from, even in the event Kiffin isn’t a part of the mix in Baton Rouge. More importantly, there needs to be a fit with the next coach.

That’s what was lacking in the Brian Kelly era. The Tigers can’t afford to make that same mistake twice, according to McFarland.

“I just know the next coach at LSU has to embrace the culture,” he said. “Like saying ‘y’all’ and ‘family’ can’t be something that has to be taught to you on the way to the press conference. You have to be able to understand what it’s like in the Southeastern Conference.”

That said, McFarland is fairly confident in the direction the LSU coaching search is about to take. He likes the leadership the school has appointed to make the decision.

“Our athletics director Verge Ausberry played football at LSU,” McFarland said. “He’s been there 30 years. He’s the guy making the hire. So I honestly have no doubt this hire’s going to be a home run, whether it’s Lane or whether it’s somebody else.”