LSU coaching search: ESPN analyst EJ Manuel pitches Dan Lanning for Tigers job

LSU is in the market for a new head coach at firing Brian Kelly, and the ideas for who the Tigers might target have ranged all over the place. How about Oregon coach Dan Lanning?

That was the suggestion of ESPN analyst EJ Manuel, the former Florida State quarterback. Speaking on SportsCenter on Wednesday, he floated the idea of LSU snatching up the current Oregon head man.

“You know what, when I first thought about this I was thinking James Franklin, but I do feel like the LSU fanbase may not like that just because coach Franklin recently getting let go there at Penn State,” Manuel said. “So I’ll go to a coach that’s still coaching right now. Dan Lanning at Oregon makes a lot of sense.”

Of course Lanning would make plenty of sense. He’s one of the most successful coaches in the country right now, doing it at an extremely high-profile place.

The bigger question, of course, is whether that might be even a remote possibility. Lanning is remarkably well compensated at Oregon, with his deal featuring some truly unique perks that probably wouldn’t be easy to replicate elsewhere.

Manuel seemed to indicate he realized how big a pull it would be. He didn’t necessarily address how feasible he viewed it, though.

“I really think this would be an out-of-the-park hire, one, because of his energy,” Manuel said. “I think you need somebody at LSU that can come in there, rally the troops, and then also get the buy-in from the fanbase, get the buy-in from the donors.”

Now in his fourth year at Oregon, Dan Lanning has compiled a 42-7 overall record, with a 28-4 mark in the Big Ten. He has also been to two New Year’s Six bowl games, including a College Football Playoff appearance last season.

The credentials are all there. There’s one other factor that Manuel sees as critical.

“I also know that Dan Lanning’s had a lot of success early on,” the analyst said. “Think about this: Oregon went to the Big Ten in their first year last year and won the damn league. They went undefeated in conference play and have an opportunity to do it again here in Year 2 in that conference.

“So I just think Dan Lanning would be somebody that could be infectious, that could recruit in that area as well, having success previously at Georgia when he won a national championship in 2021.”