LSU Football coaching candidate that we can remove from the hot board

There’s at least one LSU football coaching candidate that we can remove from the hot board.

Penn State’s James Franklin — a popular name early in the LSU and USC coaching searches — is a name that’s lost its luster a bit over the last few weeks.

The Nittany Lions started the season with five straight wins. But over their last five games, the Nittany Lions are 1-4.

That stretch includes a loss to Illinois, a team that’s 4-6 this season.

On Saturday, Penn State lost 21-17 to Michigan.

James Franklin isn’t the guy for LSU football

Franklin has done a good job at Penn State. But he hasn’t been able to get the Nittany Lions “over the hump”.

In fact, it appears that Penn State has regressed since the program won 11 games in 2019.

Last season, the Nittany Lions went 4-5. And this season, the best they can finish is 8-4. Penn State ends the season with Michigan State, so 7-5 is more likely.

That’s obviously not ideal after starting the season with five straight wins.

I don’t see how LSU can even consider Franklin at this point. If you’re going to hire a guy that is coaching at a .500 level, why not just keep Ed Orgeron? At least he understands what LSU football is all about.

Franklin strikes me as a con man — he talks a big game, and he can convince some people he’s great, but he can’t deliver when it counts.

There are better coaches out there for the Tigers. Jimbo Fisher, Mel Tucker, or Lane Kiffin would all be better options than Franklin (I’m not sure Penn State fans even want Franklin in town anymore at this point).

I have no doubts that Tigers athletic director Scott Woodward has his sights set much higher than James Franklin.