5 names to consider as LSU Football’s search for a new DC continues
By Zach Ragan
Will Muschamp — Former South Carolina head coach
Will Muschamp was the defensive coordinator at LSU from 2002-2004 under Nick Saban (he also coached linebackers for Saban in 2001), so why not bring him back to Baton Rouge?
Muschamp hasn’t quite been able to get over the hump as a head coach, but there’s no doubt he knows what he’s doing when it comes to being a defensive coordinator.
One concern that fans may have about this hire is that it’s too similar to the Pelini hire a year ago.
Bringing back another former LSU defensive coordinator over a decade later?
The difference with Muschamp is that he’s been in the SEC for the last 10 years. And he spent a year as Auburn’s defensive coordinator in 2015, so he’s not 13 years removed from his last job as an assistant like Pelini.
By the way, Coach O was very complimentary of Muschamp this past October when previewing LSU’s game against South Carolina.
“Will has always done a tremendous job with his defenses,” said Orgeron in late October (via Go Upstate). “His defenses up front are very active, a lot of stunts, playing zone coverage, man coverage, zone blitz.”
I hesitate to call any hire a “home run” after the Pelini disaster, but I think this hire would come close to qualifying.
Muschamp recently turned down a chance to return to Texas (where he was the defensive coordinator from 2008-2010), so it’s unclear how motivated he’d be to return to LSU.