The SEC Forum at College Football Fan Site, CFB51!!!

HC peak seasons in my lifetime:
8-5  Napier
11-2  Mullen
10-4 McElwain
11-2  Muschamp
13-1  Meyer (x3)
8-5  Zook
12-1  Spurrier (x2)
9-1-1  Hall (8-0 in partial season as well) (cheated)
9-2-1  Pell (cheated)

Seems to be some buzz about Lane Kiffin as the replacement.

If he's not interested, he needs to tamp that down, because he's in the middle of what could be a very good season.

I'd go with Eli Drinkwitz and call it a day.

I think he a solid pick, consistently over achieves, and doesn't come with the drama of Kiffin.

So, Kiffin's family has been spotted in both Gainesville (FL) and Baton Rouge in the last week.  

I feel like there's a greater than 50% chance that Jimmy Sexton arranged for said family members to do such a thing in order to squeeze maximum $ out of Ole Miss, and that he doesn't go anywhere.  

Boy, it sure does get the blood flowing in the talking heads, tho.  Sort of like non-sports media, I can't tell if they actually believe the stories they spin or if they're just out to get clicks.  

I don't "want" him, per se, but I also think he's probably the best coach we could get.  Saban and Urbz are the two only "sure-fire" guys out there, and they ain't coming.  Kirby and perhaps Day are the most sure-fire guys still in the biz, and they aren't leaving where they're at.  I just don't think there is a guy who is going to turn LSU into what we got used to under Miles for a sustained period of time.  A bad coach could stumble ass-backwards onto a generational player like Burrow, such as Orgeron did, but that's not exactly a recipe for long-term success.  Kelly actually proved that even with a generational player you still might not put together a dream season.  But LSU being in the playoffs most years and being in contention for the SEC and winning it periodically?  That is a lofty goal that even good coaches out there are unlikely to reach.  Kiffin is probably the most sure-fire of the available bunch, but I don't think he's going to suddenly have us challenging UGA for the conference and beating Bama regularly.  

And that's just spitballing about if he even took the job.  Florida is very much in play for him, and I think there's a more than decent chance he stays put.  I hear he's a little sour on LSU because he wanted the job at the end of 2021 and Woodward wouldn't even give him an interview.  Some people around the program consider it a plus that Woodward isn't the AD anymore because Kiffin did not appreciate getting snubbed by him.  

Still, I think the chances of Kiffin going to LSU have to be put at 33% or less.  

I think the prevailing wisdom used to be--as you said above--he won't win an NC at Ole Miss.  But I'm not so sure what supports that in this day and age.  Ole Miss has shown a willingness to get with the times and pay to get the talent.  These Ole Miss teams have NC caliber talent, if they don't win one, some things either didn't break their way or he's doing a subpar job of coaching.  Either way, both of those things would still be factors at LSU or Florida, thus, it's silly to say "He won't win a NC at Ole Miss, but he could at LSU or Florida."  

Meh.  It doesn't much matter.  I thought with BK's record, history, and style, he'd have us competing with UGA.  He did quickly repair a lot of damage from the utter shitshow Orgeron left us with, and he deserves credit for that, but his teams were never tough, the special teams were consistently awful, and at least one side of the ball was always majorly lacking.  It's tough to predict who will fit here, or if LSU is even a viable candidate for Consistent Contender in this new era.  

I think Kirby has been at UGA for about 10 years now.  For a while, he didn't look like The Guy.  Then he did, so it's good UGA didn't NC-or-bust him.  His first half tenure at UGA is probably the best LSU can shoot for, and they'd be lucky to have that.  The clip UGA wins at today, or Ohio State, I have serious doubts that there is a coach out there who can make that happen.  

I think Kirby has been at UGA for about 10 years now.  For a while, he didn't look like The Guy.  Then he did, so it's good UGA didn't NC-or-bust him.  His first half tenure at UGA is probably the best LSU can shoot for, and they'd be lucky to have that.  The clip UGA wins at today, or Ohio State, I have serious doubts that there is a coach out there who can make that happen. 

He is in his tenth year.

In Year 2, his team won the Rose Bowl and narrowly lost the NC game, so it didn't take him long to look pretty solid.  UGA has 11 wins or more each year since except COVID.

But I digress.  The potential coaching hires are thin out there, I think.  I'd look at an assistant somewhere, maybe Glenn Schumann.

He is in his tenth year.

In Year 2, his team won the Rose Bowl and narrowly lost the NC game, so it didn't take him long to look pretty solid.  UGA has 11 wins or more each year since except COVID.

But I digress.  The potential coaching hires are thin out there, I think.  I'd look at an assistant somewhere, maybe Glenn Schumann.

True.  I will just note my own perception--take it for whatever the pixel ink on your screen is worth--is that UGA was good but not great for a while.  They got by on a weak SEC East and weren't generally of the same caliber as Alabama.  Even by 2018/2019, UGA had a ton of talent that I still see on Sundays, but the killer instinct and overall kick-ass vibe wasn't quite there.  We got a good look up close at those teams.  Then UGA flipped a switch somewhere and became lethal.  They were/are Alabama's equal, and yes I realize I'm saying that despite a knack for losing to them.  I consider it "one of those things," but clearly to me, UGA is where Bama is as a program, and perhaps closer to Saban's best Bama teams than current Bama is.  

UGA under the first few years of Kirby did not make me write off a possible win in advance.  UGA now absolutely would/does.  I know that says as much about LSU now as UGA, but as I say, that's my perception.