Paul Finebaum discusses names to watch for LSU job

Now that it has been made official that LSU and head coach Ed Orgeron are parting ways at the end of this season; the question on everyone’s mind is who will replace him. There are many names out there of potential candidates and on his podcast on Sunday, ESPN’s Paul Finebaum discussed those options with co-host Matt Barrie. 

A name in the wind

“Bruce Feldman from The Athletic reported the other day, that there was some interest in Mel Tucker. And as you said it seems like Mel Tucker changes his job every year. You know he was at Colorado for a year. Would he leave Michigan State? He was a finalist for the Tennessee job by the way when Jeremy Pruitt got it, think about that. Why Mel Tucker? He was an assistant for Nick Saban at LSU and they really liked him. Just saying it’s a name that I think will get some run,” said Finebaum on Sunday. 

Tucker had a one-year stint with the Tigers back in 2000 as the defensive back coach. Since then, he has had a multitude of positions at both the college and professional levels. His two most recent stints were head coaching positions at Colorado and Michigan State. Tucker is currently the head man for the Spartans. 

LSU’s ideal coach

Finebaum then went on to speak about ideal candidates for LSU. 

“You know Cristobal, to me doesn’t seem like the right type of move, but I think Jimbo Fisher will be the most interesting. I’ve had people tell me in College Station that there’s no way he would leave,” he said. “And I’m here to tell you that there’s always a way for someone to leave. He’s already accomplished a week ago what he was hired to do — that was too beat Nick Saban.

“I know he just got remarried. He’s got a ranch. He’s got all these things that people think that would sway you from ever leaving. But he is a perfect fit down there. He’s been there before, and he should have already been there again. Remember they were about to fire Les Miles at the end of the 2015 season and Jimmy Sexton and Jimbo Fisher’s people balked. They didn’t feel like they were getting enough money and Scott Woodward ended up getting stuck with Les. And when Jimbo’s name came up, it didn’t even come down to Jimbo. He was already out of it. It came down to Todd Herman and Ed Orgeron — both just about out of coaching.” 

Fisher reuniting with the Tigers?

Fisher also has deep ties with the LSU Tigers. From 2000-2006, he was the LSU offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, meaning he was a member of the 2003 national championship team under then-head coach Nick Saban. Since then, he took over for the Florida State Seminoles from 2010-2017, succeeding legendary head coach Bobby Bowden. With Florida State, he won one national championship in 2013 and was also named the coach of the year in that same season. Right now, he’s currently the head man at Texas A&M and just this year became the first former Saban assistant to beat their former boss. 

Right now, all anyone can do is speculate on the possibilities of who could be the next head coach of the LSU Tigers. Given the prestige of the program, LSU will have plenty of options. But the Tigers would be wise to remember their history and pursuing Jimbo Fisher in the past. If LSU gets the opportunity to swipe him from the Aggies, it would be in their best interest not to drag their feet this time.