Possible Ed Orgeron Replacements

Two years ago, the LSU Tigers accomplished one of the greatest college football seasons ever by going 15-0 and winning the national championship. Joe Burrow won the Heisman Trophy with 60 passing touchdowns and over 5,000 passing yards. Ja’Marr Chase and Terrace Marshall Jr. were nightmares for defensive backs in the passing game. And Grant Delpit and Derek Stingley Jr. shut down opposing receivers.

Tigers Head Coach Ed Orgeron orchestrated one of the greatest college football teams of all-time, but almost two years later his tenure at LSU is over. After LSU upset the Gators 49-42 on Saturday, Orgeron and LSU reached an agreement on Sunday that he would step down after the season.

How did #LSU go from winning it all to this?

Failed coordinator hires. Roster problems. A mishandling of social injustice. Distrust, insecurities, outbursts & thrown chairs.

Inside the End of O.

“He has said that to the team, ‘They can fire my ass!’”https://t.co/AYYoUNNTBw

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) October 17, 2021

Possible Replacements

Since this news has been announced, a number of names have already started circulating. According to a CBS Sports article, there are household names that are rumored as possible candidates. Jimbo Fisher, Mel Tucker, Lane Kiffin and James Franklin have been named as possible replacements. Athletic director Scott Woodward hired Jimbo Fisher when he was the athletic director at Texas A&M. If Fisher were to get fired by A&M, the school would owe him over $90 million. However, if Fisher left to take another job, he would not owe the school money.

Penn State head coach James Franklin is also a potential candidate. Franklin lead Vanderbilt to back-to-back nine win seasons before taking the Penn State job. Since his time in Happy Valley, Franklin has coached the Nittany Lions to a Big 10 title in 2016 with a Rose Bowl berth. He has also coached Penn State to multiple 10-win seasons since his lone Big 10 championship.

Mel Tucker and Lane Kiffin have also been rumored as possible candidates. Tucker was a former assistant under Kirby Smart and was known as one of the best recruiters in the SEC. Since he took over the Michigan State job in 2020, he has quickly turned around the program. The Spartans are currently 7-0 and ranked in the top 10. Lastly, Lane Kiffin is the early favorite candidate according to Vegas. It is unlikely that Kiffin will leave Ole Miss after his second year, but given his track record, most notably at Tennessee, it is not out of the realm of possibility that he leaves to take the LSU job.

Odds to be the next LSU Head Coach per @betonline_ag :

Lane Kiffin 5/2
Luke Fickell 11/2
Billy Napier 7/1
Jimbo Fisher 15/2
Billy O'Brien 17/2
Mark Stoops 17/2
Bob Stoops 9/1
James Franklin 19/2
Joe Brady 10/1
Mel Tucker 12/1
Dave Aranda 14/1
Urban Meyer 14/1
Jon Gruden 100/1

— Cole Cubelic (@colecubelic) October 18, 2021