New LSU Coaching Candidates Emerge Amid Lane Kiffin Saga

By Anne EricksonShareNewsweek is a Trust Project member

Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin is the man of the hour, and pretty much every college football program with an opening is salivating at the possibility of having him take over, including LSU.

While the Tigers have their eyes firmly set on Kiffin to lead their team, that doesn't mean it's a sure thing.

Kiffin's time with Ole Miss has been more than successful, with the coach leading them to a No. 5 ranking and close to getting into the College Football Playoff field this season. Ole Miss has offered him a strong contract extension, but Kiffin hasn't committed either way, which makes sense given the amount of attention he's currently getting.

But, what if LSU doesn't get Kiffin? It's a possibility, and the school should be prepared for it, especially with the Florida Gators also pursuing Kiffin, who could also just decide to stay put.

...

Read more: Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin Sends Puzzling Message to Recruits Amid LSU Rumors

Mark Schlabach of ESPN asked the question what kind of coach does Kiffin want to be?

"The coach who has restored his once-sullied public image and seems genuinely happy living in the same small town as two of his children and his ex-wife? Or the coach whose ego won't let him pass up an opportunity to coach in a stadium with more than 100,000 seats under the brightest lights and on the biggest stage, while potentially leaving another scorned fan base cursing his name after another ugly exit?"

If the Tigers don't get Kiffin, Zach Nagy of SI has two candidates that he believes will be a good fit. He named Eli Drinkwitz of the Missouri Tigers and Kenny Dillingham of the Arizona State Sun Devils as "plan B" picks.

Nagy called Drinkwitz a "decision-maker to monitor" and says that "multiple outlets," including SI, have research suggesting that LSU is looking at him.

"Drinkwitz is going to be viewed by some as a Kiffin backup given that he’s an offensive mind at another SEC school, but that would be selling the job he’s done with the other Tigers short," Bryan Fischer of SI stated in a separate article, adding that Drinkwitz has "not only built the program up into a quality Top 25 contender but has been extremely ahead of the curve on NIL, the transfer portal and how to develop quarterbacks."

Read more: Lane Kiffin Could Leave Ole Miss for Alabama Amid Kalen DeBoer Rumors

As for Dillingham, even though he's stated that he's in it for the long haul with the Arizona State Sun Devils, things can change.

"The fast-rising 35-year-old has blossomed Arizona State into a coveted program with the Sun Devils on the move under his tenure," Nagy said.

As an honorable mention, Nagy named Jon Sumrall of the Tulane Green Wave as a name to watch.

"The fast-rising decision-maker has emerged as the top target for the Auburn Tigers, but as he navigates a College Football Playoff push of his own with the Green Wave, he's remained mum on opportunities elsewhere," Nagy added.

Request Reprint & LicensingSubmit CorrectionView Editorial & AI Guidelines