LSU coaching search: Joel Klatt believes Nick Saban, Urban Meyer will be first calls to replace Brian Kelly

On Sunday, LSU fired head coach Brian Kelly after he led the Tigers to a 5-3 start to the season. The job opening immediately became one of the most coveted in all of college football, and FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt believes LSU athletic director Scott Woodward should take some massive shots in his search for the Tigers’ next head coach.

“I don’t think money is going to be a factor in what they go after. Therefore, there’s two people that are going to get calls, and I think that LSU is going to force them to turn down $15 million a year. And that is Urban Meyer and Nick Saban,” Klatt said on his show. “Both of those guys will get that call. And if I’m Scott Woodard, I think that you have to make that call.

“If I’m the AD, I’m making that call to both of those gentlemen. And, by the way, if they both turn me down — great… So those two guys are going to get the first two calls, and then it goes to maybe the more feasible ones. Although, who knows, maybe one of those guys will be the next coach at LSU.”

LSU is expected to owe Kelly just over $53 million for his buyout, and over $100 million for a complete staff turnover in Baton Rouge. Nonetheless, Klatt doesn’t believe the school will have any trouble pooling together the finances necessary to bring in a legendary coach like Saban or Meyer.

Saban retired in January 2024 after Alabama was eliminated from the College Football Playoff. Since then, he’s served as a co-host on ESPN’s College GameDay.

Saban’s found no shortage of success on television. After his first year on the weekly pregame show, Saban won an Emmy for “Outstanding Personality/Emerging On-Air Talent.”

College football pundits also suggested Penn State should reach out to Nick Saban about its job opening. However, this past Friday, Saban shot down the idea of returning to coaching.

Urban Meyer has been out of the coaching game even longer than Saban. He retired from coaching at Ohio State in 2018, pointing to health reasons. But, three years later, Meyer agreed to return to the sidelines to lead the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Meyer’s tenure with the team didn’t last long. After leading the Jaguars to a 2-11 start in the 2023 campaign, the organization fired Meyer. Since then, Meyer has served as an analyst on Big Noon Kickoff, FOX’s competitor to ESPN’s College GameDay.

Meyer hasn’t made nearly as definitive of statements as Saban on a return to coaching. Alas, Klatt believes LSU would need to offer a massive payday for the three-time national champion to come out of retirement.