8 Coaching Candidates to Replace Brian Kelly at LSU

Key Points
LSU fired Brian Kelly after a disappointing 5-3 start and blowout loss to Texas A&M.
Possible replacements include Lane Kiffin, Dan Lanning, Eli Drinkwitz, and other rising coaches.
New coach must meet high expectations for national title contention and program turnaround.
LSU fired coach Brian Kelly on Sunday. Kelly’s dismissal follows a 49-25 blowout loss to Texas A&M on Saturday night. That defeat dropped the Tigers to 5-3 and placed this program among the most disappointing in the nation this year. The Bayou Bengals entered ‘25 with national title and playoff aspirations after an offseason of roster additions from the portal. However, LSU’s offense has started slow after quarterback Garrett Nussmeier navigated injury in the early parts of ‘25, while the defense has struggled in matchups against Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M.
Kelly’s tenure in Baton Rouge concludes with a 34-14 record. The Tigers won at least nine games every year from 2022-24, and he guided the program to an appearance in the SEC Championship Game in ‘22. Although Kelly’s record wasn’t bad, he clearly wasn’t meeting expectations at a place where winning national titles is realistic. Frank Wilson is expected to work as the team’s interim coach for the remainder of ’25.
Who could replace Kelly at LSU? Here are a few names to watch in the search
Manny Diaz, Head Coach, Duke
Diaz is probably a longshot in this search, but he’s an intriguing option if the top names pass on the job. He’s 13-7 at Duke since ’24 and previously went 21-15 at Miami (2019-21). Diaz has adapted to the transfer portal and NIL era and is also considered one of college football’s top defensive minds.
Eli Drinkwitz, Head Coach, Missouri
Could Drinkwitz be on the move within the SEC? He’s 44-26 at Missouri, going 27-7 since the start of ‘23. The Tigers have thrived at recruiting and adapting to the NIL and transfer portal era during Drinkwitz’s tenure in Columbia. He also went 12-1 as Appalachian State’s head coach in ‘19.
James Franklin, Former Head Coach, Penn State
Franklin was fired at Penn State earlier this year, but his overall record in Happy Valley was still a successful 104-45. He also guided the Nittany Lions to six double-digit win seasons and won two playoff games last year. Prior to Penn State, Franklin went 24-15 as the head coach at Vanderbilt.
Alex Golesh, Head Coach, South Florida
Golesh is one of college football’s top rising stars in the Group of 5 coaching ranks. He’s 20-14 at South Florida since ‘23, including a 6-2 start this year that has the Bulls squarely in the mix to make the College Football Playoff. Golesh also has SEC experience from a two-year stint as an assistant at Tennessee (2021-22).
Dan Lanning, Head Coach, Oregon
Lanning is probably a longshot here, as he stated before how he’s in no rush to leave Oregon. However, LSU will aim high, and Lanning is among the nation’s top coaches. He’s 42-7 at Oregon and has previous SEC experience from stints as an assistant at Alabama and Georgia.
Lane Kiffin, Head Coach, Ole Miss
Kiffin is expected to be the No. 1 target in Florida’s search to replace Billy Napier and is likely to be high on LSU’s list of replacements for Kelly. He’s 51-19 with the Rebels since 2020 and has this program on the cusp of a playoff appearance this year with a 7-1 start. Kiffin guided Ole Miss to at least 10 victories in three out of the four seasons from 2021-24.
Rhett Lashlee, Head Coach, SMU
Lashlee – a former Arkansas quarterback – is expected to pop up on the radar for top openings like LSU this offseason. He’s 34-15 at SMU and guided the program through a transition from the American Conference to the ACC. The Mustangs made the College Football Playoff after going 11-3 and earning an appearance in the ACC Championship Game last season.