When a college football head coach is fired in the middle of a season, the recruiting landscapre around that team comes into question. Will commits jump ship and look for a different school? Or will they stay on board and play for the new coaching staff? It's become a reality for a big number of FBS teams in 2025, as 10 coaches have already been fired this season.
Gov. Jeff Landry makes startling admission during LSU coaching search
As LSU searches for its new head coach, one 2026 commit is making it clear he isn't going anywhere. For 3-star offensive lineman Jalan Chapman, LSU is his pick no matter who the head coach is.
‘26 OL Jalan Chapman is locked in with LSU, despite the coaching change:
— Andre Champagne (@andrechampagnee) October 28, 2025
“You don’t go to LSU for the coach. You go to LSU because it’s LSU. I’m a lil Louisiana boy, I wouldn’t go no where else.” #LSU @TigerRagMedia @jalan4x_ pic.twitter.com/Yk0eSbg26D
"You don't go to LSU for the coach," Chapman told TigerRag earlier this week. "You go to LSU because it's LSU. I'm a lil Louisiana boy, I wouldn't go no where else."
Chapman's quote is the type of energy that LSU fans love to see. As the lone power conference school in the state of Louisiana, LSU is the No. 1 destination for the top high school players in the state. Hailing from Warren Easton High in New Orleans, Chapman is an in-state product. He addresses the notion that LSU recruits itself, as opposed to whoever the head coach is. This is extremely comforting for Tiger fans who are worried that recruits are going to jump ship after Kelly's firing.
Chapman is a 6' 3.5" 305-pound interior offensive lineman who is ranked by the 247Sports Composite as the No. 37 recruit in Louisiana and the 101st-ranked interior offensive lineman in the country. He chose LSU over other offers from the likes of Alabama, Purdue, Houston, Georgia, Tennessee, and Texas Tech, among others. He has been committed to LSU since July 28, 2024, and he's made it clear that he isn't going anywhere.