LSU Football: The coach the Tigers need to hire to replace Ed Orgeron

LSU football‘s coaching search is nearing its end.

With the regular season over, the Tigers can now freely talk to most of their coaching targets.

(Coaches in the College Football Playoff hunt or coaches who are current NFL coaches probably aren’t going to talk to LSU directly at this point.)

The list of potential targets for the Tigers has narrowed in recent weeks.

Former LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda appears to be staying at Baylor. Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker, a former Tigers assistant, recently signed a mega-extension to remain the Spartans’ head coach.

Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley shot down LSU rumors on Saturday night, saying “I’m not going to be the next head coach at LSU”.

For most of the search, it seemed like Louisiana head coach Billy Napier was the Tigers’ “fallback option”. But now it looks like Florida is making Napier their top target. That’s a deal that could come together quickly for the Gators.

Another option for LSU throughout the search has been Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher. However, that could be a tough sell after the Tigers beat the Aggies on Saturday night in Ed Orgeron’s final game as LSU’s head coach.

So where do the Tigers go with this search?

The coach LSU football should hire to replace Ed Orgeron

I think there’s one obvious answer at this point.

Hire Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin.

Kiffin is one of the best recruiters and play-callers in college football. He’s led the Rebels to 10 wins this season — one of the best seasons in program history.

The big question is whether or not Kiffin would leave Ole Miss after just two seasons. He already has a reputation as someone who jumps from job to job (leaving Tennessee after one season in 2009 has impacted his reputation for over a decade).

I just can’t see how Kiffin would turn down LSU. I don’t see Kiffin winning a national championship in Oxford.

But he’d almost certainly win a national championship with the Tigers. How could he turn down the chance to compete with Nick Saban and Alabama with equal talent?

Kiffin can build a juggernaut at LSU. He’d be a fool to turn down the job. And Tigers athletic director Scott Woodward would be a fool to not offer him the job.