LSU coaching search: Why Lane Kiffin and Marcus Freeman could be in play for Tigers

The speculation about who will be the next LSU football coach is already in full force after the Tigers fired Brian Kelly on Sunday. On3’s Pete Nakos released a hot board of candidates with a couple of big names at the top of the list.

Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin and Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman headlined the list. Either one would be a huge splash, and college football analyst Josh Pate reacted to the news live on Josh Pate’s College Football Show on Sunday evening.

Pate was less surprised by the inclusion of Kiffin than he was Freeman. However, he also said that he is a fan of Freeman to be the LSU coach, and he expects the coach to at least consider it.

“It brings me no joy and also no surprise to let you know that Lane Kiffin is at the top of the LSU hot board,” Pate said. “There is a name beneath Lane Kiffin and, I’m just gonna tell you, it is the name I’ve had in mind the entire time for LSU and that’s Marcus Freeman. You go make Marcus Freeman tell you no. Marcus Freeman’s gonna look at the LSU job if they offer it to him. That is my gut. I have not talked to Marcus Freeman about that. It is my gut that anybody looks at the LSU job if offered.”

Freeman has been the coach of the Fighting Irish since he took over for, ironically, Kelly in 2022. He’s directed them to a 38-12 record in the three-and-a-half seasons since, including finishing runner up in last year’s College Football Playoff.

It remains to be seen what Freeman’s interest in being the LSU coach would be. But Pate laid out what his approach would be in convincing him if he were involved in the coaching search, bringing up transfers.

“I would strongly recommend LSU just write out on a piece of paper how much easier it is to take transfers there that haven’t graduated already as opposed to what it’s like trying to get them in school in South Bend,” he said. “That is where you’ll find out if Marcus Freeman would ever leave. Because if he’s not going there, he’s not leaving for a college job. It would be NFL if someone ever pries Marcus Freeman away. …Marcus Freeman’s been the name that I’ve had in mind quite a while for LSU. So now we’ll see if it’s something that’s able to become reality.”

It’s still early in the coaching search, having not even been a full 24 hours to digest Kelly’s firing. But for now, it appears both Kiffin and Freeman are in play until they say no.