How Matt Rhule going to the Carolina Panthers could affect the LSU Tigers
By Zach Ragan
The Carolina Panthers hired Baylor’s Matt Rhule to replace Ron Rivera on Tuesday. This move could actually affect the LSU Tigers.
When the news broke that the Carolina Panthers were hiring Baylor’s Matt Rhule to become their new head coach, your first thought probably wasn’t “hmm this could affect LSU”.
But, in an inadvertent way, it actually could affect the Tigers.
Here’s how.
Rhule was the New York Giants’ top choice to replace Pat Shurmur (Rhule is from New York and coached with the Giants in 2012). With Rhule heading to the Carolinas, it means the Giants will have to move to other names on their list.
One of those names is New England Patriots special teams coach Joe Judge, who is also a candidate to replace Joe Moorhead at Mississippi State.
Sources: Mississippi State's search has zeroed in on former Bulldogs QB and #Patriots SPT coordinator Joe Judge, but there has been a delay.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) January 7, 2020
He interviewed for the Giants' HC position Monday. With Matt Rhule no longer a candidate at NYG, the situation grows even more complicated
Given the choice between Mississippi State and the NFL, it seems likely that Judge, who played at Mississippi State, would choose the NFL, where he’s coached since 2012.
(It’s worth noting that New York is also considering former Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett.)
If Judge heads to the NFL, then it means the Bulldogs will have to pivot to some of their other candidates. One of those candidates is reportedly LSU’s Joe Brady.
On Mississippi State’s search, John Cohen is considering or at least interested in a great many coaches, per sources, including several mentioned today - Grantham, Judge, Jeff Monken, Calhoun, Chizik (out), Sarkisian - as well #LSU pass game coordinator Joe Brady, who is 30.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) January 6, 2020
Brady, who has received a ton of credit for LSU’s offensive surge in 2019, is a hot name in the coaching world. It’s going to cost LSU a ton of cash to keep him on the staff.
But if he has to leave, then it would certainly be better for the Tigers if he went to the NFL — not to a SEC West rival.
For now it doesn’t seem like Brady is at the top of Mississippi State’s list, but that could quickly change.
The coaching carousel is starting to get wild and there’s no telling who all might be affected.
UDPATE:
It appears Judge is taking the Giants job.
New York Giants are finalizing a deal to make Patriots’ wide receivers coach Joe Judge their next head coach, league sources tell ESPN. Deal was in the works as of last night, which is another reason Matt Rhule took the Panthers’ HC job.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 7, 2020
Joe Brady watch is officially on.