Paul Finebaum evaluates Dan Lanning, Lane Kiffin, Mike Elko as candidates at Texas A&M

Jimbo Fisher is out at Texas A&M, and multiple names have swiftly emerged as initial candidates for the open job in College Station.

Those names include three in particular — Oregon‘s Dan Lanning, Ole Miss‘ Lane Kiffin and Duke‘s Mike Elko. SEC analyst Paul Finebaum explained where he sees these three ranking on Texas A&M’s coaching wish list as the offseason inches nearer.

“Don’t forget that Dan was a graduate assistant under Nick Saban. That’s when he made the move over to Georgia with Kirby [Smart], so I do think that Lanning is the name that moves the needle,” Finebaum told ESPN’s Matt Barrie on Sunday. “For Lane [Kiffin] — it feels like we’re always talking about Lane. I think Lane would take it because, after last night, he realized that he needs five-star [offensive] linemen.

“He may have the finesse, he may have a QB and the wide receivers and the running back, and he knows how to dial up a game plan — but once you can rotate the kind of players that Kirby does, it’s hard to compete with that.”

Texas A&M is certainly a place where Kiffin won’t have any limitations recruiting-wise, but it seems Finebaum believes Dan Lanning is the name that should be atop the Aggies’ initial list.

Not only has Lanning had nothing but success at Oregon with a 19-4 record over nearly two seasons, but at 37, Lanning is young, one of the top defensive-minded head coaches in the country — and has playoff experience with two national championship rings at Alabama and Georgia, respectively. At Georgia specifically, many regard the 2021 championship defense as one of the most dominant defenses in recent college football history.

For Elko, his familiarity with the program and success as a head coach elsewhere, throwing his name into the hat only makes sense. He was the Aggies defensive coordinator and safeties coach from 2018 through 2021 before taking the head coaching job at Duke.

However, Finebaum isn’t convinced that he’s even interested in the job.

“Elko coached out there. He was the first name that people mentioned,” Finebaum continued. “To me, I just don’t see Elko going down to Texas A&M … He’s a different kind of guy.”

For now, associate head coach Elijah Johnson has been named as interim head coach for the rest of the 2023 season. Johnson’s first test as the Aggies’ shot-caller comes this weekend against Abilene Christian.