LSU coaching search: ESPN names five candidates to replace Brian Kelly

LSU made the decision to part ways with fourth-year coach Brian Kelly on Sunday night, upping the drama on this year’s college football coaching carousel considerably. So who might the Tigers target?

ESPN has compiled a list of some of the top candidates for the job, names that LSU should definitely consider in its search. The names go from current Power Four coaches to Group of Six coaches.

So who are the top candidates for the gig? Let’s dive into ESPN’s five-man selection for the LSU job below.

Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin

The Rebels head man is now in his sixth year with the program, and he appears to have his team on track for a playoff berth after knocking off both LSU and Oklahoma this season. The remaining schedule is very favorable for a playoff run, and Ole Miss currently ranks in the top 10 nationally.

Kiffin has used the transfer portal pretty regularly to build his rosters at Ole Miss, something he could do but wouldn’t have to quite as much at LSU. Through five years and change, Kiffin has compiled a 51-19 (.729) overall record and a 29-17 (.630) mark in SEC play.

Tulane coach Jon Sumrall

LSU might have an excellent option right in its back yard. Sumrall has been a head coach at the FBS level for four years now, and they’ve all been highly successful. He started off at Troy, where he went 23-4 from 2022-23.

He then parlayed that into the job at Tulane, where he won nine games in his first season in 2024. The Green Wave are in even better shape this year, having lost only to Ole Miss and looking for a playoff berth as the Group of Six representative. Total record as a coach: 38-10 (.792). There’s a question of how well it would scale to a higher level, but Sumrall has done nothing but win so far.

Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman

It’d be quite ironic if LSU went back to the Notre Dame well to replace Brian Kelly, but you could do far worse than Marcus Freeman. He’s young, he’s relatable and energetic and he wins a lot of games.

Notre Dame is tracking toward the playoff this year again after reaching the national title game a year ago. In his fourth year in South Bend, Freeman has put together a 38-12 (.760) overall record.

Georgia Tech coach Brent Key

There probably aren’t a whole lot of jobs that might entice Key to leave his alma mater, but LSU might be one of them. The access to resources and the recruiting grounds he’d have to work with would be a big step up from Georgia Tech.

Key does have some SEC experience, too. He was the offensive line coach at Alabama from 2016-18. In any case, Key’s track record so far is impressive. After a few years building a base for the program, he’s now got the Yellow Jackets 8-0 and tracking toward a playoff berth and maybe an ACC title.

Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz

If LSU is looking for a coach with some offensive acumen, Drinkwitz has proven he can produce high-level offenses at Missouri. The level of winning he’s done with the Tigers the last three years is right around the program’s apex.

Missouri won 11 games in 2023 and 10 games in 2024. The program could threaten that mark again this season, though Drinkwitz just lost his starting quarterback for an extended period. Still, Drinkwitz has an overall record of 56-27 (.675) and he has the SEC experience already.