LSU Fires Kelly: Top Candidates for Tigers Next Head Coach

(KNGT-FM) - After an embarrassing loss to Texas A&M on Saturday inside Tiger Stadium, LSU Football shook up the College Football world with the news that Brian Kelly was fired. Now the question for LSU fans becomes, Who is Next?

Let's take a look at some names that could be rumored to be in the LSU Football coaching search this time around.

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After the loss to Texas A&M on Saturday Night, the one thing saving Brian Kelly was his hefty buyout price, and the thought of the many Power 4 coaching vacancies already available in late October, but Governor Jeff Landry led the charge of making sure Brian Kelly didn't coach again at LSU.

LSU joins the likes of Penn State, Florida, Arkansas, UCLA, and many other Power 4 schools that have already announced they will be looking for a new Head Coach in the upcoming cycle. Which means the price for a top-end coach is going to be high, no matter who it is.

Many would argue that the moment the LSU job became available on Sunday Night, it became the best opening in the country. Will there be others? Most certainly. Over the weekend, it was reported that Texas Coach Steve Sarkisian would be interested in going back to the NFL, but Sark later denied the report. If Texas opens, the money will flow even more with the deep pockets in the Lone Star State.

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Candidates For The LSU Coaching Search

The first question LSU has to ask itself is WHO is deciding on the next Head Coach? The decision to move on from Brian Kelly was ultimately not made by Athletic Director Scott Woodward, but by Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry and the LSU Board of Supervisors. LSU is currently without a standing President, and is in the process of the process for a new President. Recently, the finalists were released, which included McNeese President Wade Rousse.

The hot name on the coaching board right now will be Ole Miss Head Coach Lane Kiffin, but will the Lane Train decide to leave Ole Miss? Lane wants to win a National Championship, and he has to decide if he can win one at Ole Miss in the N.I.L. era. It is more likely in today's college football landscape that Ole Miss could win one than it would have been before.

Other names to watch out for would be former Alabama Coach Nick Saban, even though I think that one is very unlikely, I think LSU might still give him a ring. Kelvin Sheppard is the no-brainer, grand slam call. Sheppard played for the Tigers before being drafted in 2011. Kelvin Sheppard is quickly becoming a hot commodity in the NFL after taking over as Defensive Coordinator for the Detroit Lions.

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Here is a big board of potential LSU Football Head Coaching candidates...